Clorox Electronic Cleaning Wipes (Holiday Gift Guide 2012)

*Stocking Stuffer Idea*

The perfect stocking stuffer ideas for an electronic lover, Clorox now has Electronic Cleaning Wipes (as well as Cleaning Spray and a Cleansing Cloth, all for electronics)

These e-cleaning products give a typical Clorox level of clean but are safe for electronic displays and touch screens. The cleansing spray and pre-moistened wipes come with a microfiber cloth to buff to a shine.

This new line of products can be used for any electronics from cell phones to computers screens, television, tablets etc.….

The wet wipes would be good for putting in your purse for when you are out an about and need it for your tablet or phone. The spray and cloths would be good for home or business use.

*Disclosure: I received the product mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative as part of a sampling campaign. No other compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Majesta’s “Take It On the Road Flushability Challenge” Contest

I was a Majesta Mom back in 2010 and I did a fun test to show how much more flushable Majesta paper products are compared to their competitors.

Now I’d like to let you know about their latest contest to win 1 of 10 Majesta Products for a year.

How to Enter

To enter, simply go to the Majesta Facebook page, watch the video to learn more, and then enter your email address and click continue. The first time you enter you get a $1 off coupon as well!

Majesta and the Environment

If you aren’t familiar with Majesta, it’s not just another paper products brand. Majesta is “Treesponsible” which means that for every tree used to produce Majesta products, 3 trees are re-planted.

Have you tried Majesta yet?

I don’t regularly buy it only because it’s sadly not available at our usual store but I do prefer it. As I found out when I did all the Majesta tests on it in 2010, it breaks down well but is still soft on your skin.

Majesta doesn’t just make toilet paper, they also make facial tissue and paper towel.

Good Luck!

Sharing the Blog Love: Blogs I Recommend

I read a lot of blogs. Instead of reading every post on a few blogs, I prefer to read a few posts on lots of blogs. I read a large majority of blogs by women and most of them are moms but not all. Even among those who are moms, they don’t all blog specifically about being a mom.

I wanted to recognize a few blogs who I think are doing an awesome job and focus on a certain topic or two. Most of them focus on a topic you don’t normally think of right away. Check them out, find a new blog to read and let me know what you think in the comments. (Feel free to mention a niche blog you enjoy too!)

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Marriage

Newlywed Survival covers relationships, saving money, budget, creating a home, fitness and recipes.

I especially enjoy her relationship posts.

We haven’t had a wedding yet but we’ve been common law married for 6 years and together for 8 but I still can use her advice.

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Mental Health

Insane Mamacita’s Musings is a Canadian blog run by a WAHM and her mental health is only one of her topics but it’s the one I remember the most as I struggle with mental health too.

In the future I’d like to talk about that more on my blog.

I enjoy her Project Happy posts especially.

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Fatherhood

Canadian Dad is a funny Dad blog, whether you are Canadian or not. Though they don’t seem to take the spotlight enough, there are dad blogs out there and you don’t have to be a dad to enjoy them.

I love the way he writes and his stories are always full of laughs and sometimes even tears.

It’s different to read about kids from a man’s point of view.

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Creativity

Sophie’s World is something else. I’m fairly new to reading this blog. I was reluctant at first because although I have creative ideas, I don’t have the patience to put them into practice so I don’t knit or sew or draw or paint and I don’t read blogs about those subjects too often.

This isn’t another craft blog though. She is a party planner but used to be a nanny and the ideas she shares on her blog are so different from anything I’ve seen anywhere else. I love this: Map the Neighbourhood with your young child. How many bloggers do you know have a games listing?

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House and Home

Clean Mama is the ultimate blog for helping you keep your home clean and organized.

She has a free monthly cleaning schedule and tons of helpful posts. She sells handmade printables in her Etsy shop if you like to keep things organized on paper.

She has a guide for making a Homekeeping Binder.

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These are just a few of the many blogs I love to read. I hope you found something new!

If you’d like to suggest a blog in the comments, I only ask that you please suggest SOMEONE ELSE’S BLOG and not your own. Share the Love.

REVIEW: Febreze Car Vent Clips

We were offered the chance to try out the newest Febreze product, a small car vent clip designed to control car odors.

It a small little square that is easy to install. You just bend the clip to activate the scent and then clip it onto your vent. There is a small dial to control the intensity of the smell

So does it work?

I think it’s a great idea but we found that if the air/heat wasn’t on in the car, you couldn’t really smell the scent and if the air/heat WAS on, it was overpowering, even with the dial turned down. I’m not sure it is as effective as it claims but I’m sure they will improve upon the design and eventually release a better version.
I would say it’s a nice touch but won’t get rid of strong odors and if you plan to run the heat/air, you may want to take the clip off after the first minute as the scent would stay in the air anyways and then it won’t be overpowering.

*Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes. No other compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.  

REVIEW: Lovable Labels Friendship Pack (Toast to 2012 Sponsor)

Lovable Labels is a great place to get personalized labels for your child, no matter what you plan on labelling. I've reviewed products from Lovable Labels before: Wire Tags and Holly Jolly Gift Pack.

Lovable Labels has added a new fun set you may be interested in. The Friendship Pack has 120 labels (30 Sticker Labels, 80 Slimline Labels, 10 Fun Stickies) PLUS you get a FREE Friendship Sampler (40 Slimline Labels) for a friend!

There are two colour sets to choose from, as shown below.

(c) Lovable Labels

I chose to get labels for my younger daughter and we have already used one of her heart shaped fun stickies to label the DSi she got for Christmas. I chose the pink and purple set because Alastrin is a girly girl and pink is her favourite colour (plus she loves hearts.) However if your child isn't into pink and purple, there is the more bold colour design with a star fun sticky to choose from.

We love Lovable Labels because:

• They are dishwasher safe
• They are microwave safe
• They are easy to apply
• They STAY STUCK
• They are bold but simple
• They are a great price

With the Friendship Pack, we get to gift a friend with some labels of their own! Both sets come wrapped in red foil so it's already ready to give as a gift.

Check out Lovable Labels Blog which not only features product information and company news but also posts on everyday life. Also be sure to connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks to Lovable Labels for sponsoring a prize in the Toast to 2012 Giveaway Hop. You have a chance to win a Friendship Pack until Jan 17, 2012 - so hurry!

*Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes. No other compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

6 Points to Consider When Buying a Dryer

When buying a new appliance like dryers you have a lot to think about. There are lots of models out there and you don't want to just buy the first one you see. Here are some things that I will be considering when I buy a new dryer (whenever that will be):

1. Do you want Gas or Electric? Gas is cheaper on your energy bill but requires a gas line. 
2. Front loading or top loading? Front loading is more energy efficient but maybe there is a reading why you would want top loading.
3. Capacity. Do you normally do large loads? A family of 8 will want a larger capacity dryer than a couple with no children as they will have more laundry to do. 
4. Noise Level. How loud is your dryer? Does the noise of appliances bother you? Do you want it loud so you notice when it is done and it is time to switch the laundry?
5. Cost. How much are you willing to spend? Make sure you compare prices at stores too.
6. Warranties. How long is the warranty? You would hate to spend lots of money on a new appliance only to have it break down and not have it under warranty.

I've decided I want a gas, front loading, high capacity, medium noise level, low cost, long warranty dryer! 

*Disclosure:I received compensation for this post. All content was written by me and is honest. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

REVIEW: Pink Ribbon Bags (In Honor of the Tatas Sponsor)

The Breast Cancer Society of Canada has partnered with Enviro Healthcare Inc. to develop an exclusive line of pink ribbon garbage bags for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  You will have an opportunity to win some of these bags starting tomorrow during the In Honor of the Tatas Event.

Enviro Healthcare Inc. is a leading supplies of high quality hospital laundry bags and other healthcare products.

Enviro Healthcare is donating $0.50 from each sale directly back to the Breast Cancer Society of Canada. The campaign will continue throughout the holiday season. They are hoping to raise a minimum of $35,000 across Canada by the end of 2011.

The pink bags are available in the following sizes:
Large Bags - for average household garbage cans - 67 liter capacity
Small Bags - kitchen and bathroom garbage cans - 31 liter capacity
Both sizes come with twist ties and are on rolls for easy storage and to limit packaging.

Can I just say, PINK was a great choice and not just because of Breast Cancer Awareness. My girls got more excited over the pink garbage bags we received than they did over a toy we received for review around the same time. They have a Dora garbage can in their room and they quickly took the garbage out so they could put a pink bag in!

The garbage bags are of really great quality, very durable. 

You can purchase the bags at many major national and local retailers across Canada including: London Drugs, Thrifty Foods, Northwest Stores, Overwaitea Foods, Buy Low, Sobeys, Loblaws Superstore, Metro, Fairway Markets and Atlantic Co-op.

You can find the Pink Ribbon Garbage Bags on Facebook and Twitter @PinkRibbonBags

*Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes. No other compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

REVIEW: Lovable Labels Wire Tags

Lovable Labels is a great way to keep your family organized, whether it's their clothing, your food containers in the kitchen, books, bags or even your garbage bins.

They stick very well and won't come off if they get wet and should last a long time as they aren't easily worn down. You can easily order personalized labels online and have them delivered to your door, anywhere in the world. 

Lovable Labels carries all kinds of different labels from ones made for shoes, to bag tags, clothing labels, household labels, stationery and even id bracelets or bracelets for kids with severe allergies.

One of their newer products is wire tags.

Designed to go around the various power cables in your house, they will help you see at a glance, which cord to unplug from the mess behind your entertainment stand and desks. (It's not just like that in MY house is it?)

They are long and skinny stickers with the name of the cord on both sides so when you fold it over the cord it sticks to itself and it says the name on both sides.

The kit comes with labels for every cord you could imagine. My camera wouldn't take good photos so I got permission to use another blogger's photos. Thanks Sweet Peas and BumbleBees!

House Cleaning Tips from Reader's Digest Canada

Flickr User go_greener_oz

Have you heard these tips before? Do you do any of them? Tell me in the comments!

Do you clean your jackets and coats? Unless it looks dirty, I usually never think of it. Well if you wash your nylon coat (or it just gets wet) make sure to hang it to dry in a DARK place. Why? Light can damage nylon so keep it out of direct light whenever you can (i.e. when you are not wearing it.)

Have you painted your house lately? I have. Have you ever thought about how to make it easy to use the leftover paint again? Label the can with paint colour number, date of purchase and a dot of colour. When pouring paint, pour so that paint doesn't cover the instructions on use and care so you will be able to read it again next time.

Are you guilty of not cleaning up spills on the stove right away? I am. I'm busy serving up 3 kids and 2 adults, usually while my baby is fussing or even crying so it's the last thing on my mind. If you've waiting too long and the spill is cooked on the stove, just use more elbow grease, maybe a soaking, or some vinegar or even an all-purpose cleaner. But do NOT use abrasive cleaners or scrubbers. They will just scratch the surface and new spills will just cling to these scratches, making them even harder to remove.

Do you lose socks in the laundry? I think we all do. Give each family member their own colour mesh bag to put their dirty socks in. Wash them in the bag and put the whole bag in their clean laundry to put it away. Voila, no missing socks.

Keep your kitchen counter clear of non cooking clutter such as purses, phones, books etc. Not only do these make it cluttered but they can leave germs behind on food preparation surfaces.

Are your kitchen cabinets disorganized? Take food staples (flour, sugar, cereal) out of their original packaging and put them in stackable containers so you can fit more in.

Find these tips and more on house cleaning at Reader's Digest Canada.

Do you have any house cleaning tips? Please share!


*This is a sponsored post. I received payment in exchange for creating this post but I highlighted tips I truly found helpful and love Reader's Digest Canada and I only do sponsored posts for companies I believe in.

REVIEW: Smelly Washer - Washing Machine Cleaner

Smelly Washer is a product you can use in your washing machine to clean a stinky washing machine or smelly towels.

I never thought washing machine's needed to be cleaned but apparently they collect detergent and fabric softener, especially if you use too much. Also, while washing in cold water is good for the environment, only using cold water doesn't allow the hot water to help disinfect the washer. By far what makes it smell the most is forgetting about your laundry and having it sit in the washer for more than a few hours or even overnight or longer.

There's been some times when I'm just too busy and it sits too long. I often run the washer and dryer at night which means it sitting for hours. I never thought of that really. Sometimes a load of clothes smells bad, now I know why. So I used Smelly Washer to clean my washing machine and then ran a load of towels and blankets that came out of the laundry smelling really bad with the product too (as directed) and they came out of the laundry smelling really good!

You only use one cap full, and it's a small cap. Once you've washed your machine, you only need to use it for a load that's really smelly or every few months for upkeep so it should last fairly long. You can see full instructions for Smelly Washer if you'd like but basically it involves running the machine for 2 minutes using the product and then stopping it and letting it sit for a few hours before resuming.

So if you are in need of a washing machine cleaner, you might want to try Smelly Washer. It retails for $16.99 bottle but like I said, it lasts a while.

I'm not going to put any videos here but if you want to see some, check out the Smelly Washer YouTube channel. The Smelly Washer blog is a good resource for washing machine odor and lots more.

I received one bottle of Smelly Washer in exchange for an honest review through The Canadian Mom Blog Network (now Mom Nation.). All opinions are mine and are not influenced by how I acquired the product.

REVIEW/GIVEAWAY: Lysol No-Touch Hand Soap System

I had the pleasure of reviewing the newest product from Lysol. Have you ever gone to get some soap when you are washing your hands and you end up getting the mess that was on your hands, on to the soap dispenser? That's happened to me. Especially when you've been handling raw meat

All I have to do is put my hand under to get just the right amount of soap, without getting food matter or anything else on the dispenser.

It's quite easy to use. The system needs 4 AA batteries which come included in the package. You remove the seal on the soap refill and insert it upside down into the dispenser. Place the dispenser on the counter, switch it on and wait until the red indicator light stops blinking. It's now ready to use!

That red light I mentioned, it will also flash periodically when the batteries need to be changed.

Personally I found the soap dispenser gave just the right amount of soap for me to wash my hands with. However a friend who visits our house often says it wasn't enough. He does have big hands though. I guess it depends on if you like tons of soap or not.

Since I have two young children, I put mine by the kitchen sink, otherwise the kids would just keep putting their hands out until all the soap was all over the sink.

Updated: May 13, 2010:
The starter kid comes in cucumber splash but you can also get a Ginger Tea refill. Grapefruit Essence is only available in the US.

At the Lysol website for the No-Touch Hand Soap System you can view videos of how to set it up and how it works. The starter kit retails for $14.99 and the refills retail for $4.49

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

REVIEW: Majesta Paper Products + science experiments by me!

Have you heard of Majesta brand paper products? I had heard of them in passing but had never really tried them until I was picked to be a Majesta Mom. These past few months I've been trying out Majesta products and doing special activities to get to know more about the Majesta brand.

With Earth Day tomorrow, I wanted to share my findings and some information about a great contest Majesta is hosting.

Majesta products are made by the Irving Tissue Corporation, a family owned company committed to managing its operations in an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible manner. The Irving Tissue Head Office is located in Dieppe, New Brunswick, where Majesta products have been manufactured for over twenty years.

This Earth Day, Majesta gives Moms across Canada the chance to win a $15,000 Green Makeover for their home. All you have to do to enter is visit www.majesta.com. This promotion ends June 27, 2010.

So what would I do with  $15,000 to make my house more green friendly? Well I've already had the windows and doors replaced, a new roof and the electrical wiring has been fixed but there are some things that could be done:

1. Plumbing. My plumbing is bad and getting worse. I would probably use less water (which is better for the environment and my hydro bill) if the plumbing were fixed.
2. Insulation. Our house is old and doesn't have good insulation. You can feel a breeze at some parts and certain walls are much colder than others.
3. Solar Panels. These would be another great thing for the environment and my hydro bill. Any time you are using less hydro, you are saving resources.

What would you do if you won? (Feel free to answer even if you aren't eligible to enter.)

So now what about Majesta products? I was able to try out the Toilet Paper, Facial Tissue and Paper Towel. I normally buy the cheapest brand out there. It changes which cheap brand but for comparisons sake, we'll go with Equality Brand (from Food Basics) How do they compare?

*Toughness refers to whether it rips easily or stays together (tough)

Facial Tissue

	Equality	Majesta
Softness	Rough, scratchy	Not the softest of all tissues but 50% better than Equality
Toughness	With large nose blow, it rips	A little bit tougher

Toilet Paper

	Equality	Majesta
Softness	Rough, easliy get a sore bum	60% softer, much nicer
Breakdown	I'm on the new row, too!	Breaks down fast, no clogging (see shake test below for more)

Paper Towel

	Equality	Majesta
Absorption	I put exactly one tsp of water, in two different spots on the counter. At the same time I put one paper towel from each brand on top of the puddle. Majesta started soaking up the water first but at the end it seemed quite even for the size of the water spot. However when I lifted off the paper towels, both piles had water still in it that hadn't been soaked up but there was almost double the water in the Equality puddle as the Majesta puddle.
Toughness	I put a toonie on the paper, held it under water and it broke in 32 seconds	I put a toonie on the paper, held it under water (same pressure) and gave up after 125 sec., it still hadn't broke!

Shake Test
One of the activities us Majesta Moms did is a Shake Test.  We put 4 sheets of Majesta toilet paper and 4 sheets of Charmin toilet paper into separate water bottles filled 3/4 with water. I shook each 4 times and then observed and took photos. You can see how the Charmin (C) is broken up a bit but still all together in the middle while the Majesta (M) is floating around the whole bottle.

That was the shake test, but I went one step furthur. Since the toilet paper should be going down the toilet, I decided to dump the bottles in to my toilet to see if all the toilet paper bits would come out of the bottle or if they would be stuck. Majesta (M) pretty much flowed out. There was one bit that was a bit bigger and was blocking the water bottle opening but a few shakes of the bottle got it all out. Charmin (C) would not drain completely, no matter what I tried.

I decided to try it with the Equality brand toilet paper and I took photos but since my camera does not like me, they didn't turn out that well. Interestingly, the Equality was the best. It all broke up and poured out of the bottle with ease, no shakes needed and much quicker. It breaks up well but it also makes your bum sore so I'll stick with Majesta. That's not the only reason Majesta is great, check the website for a rollover description of all the company is doing to make Majesta environmentally friendly.

Saving Time and Money During the Holidays

The holiday season is fast approaching. Are you ready?

I don't claim to be on top of things. I only have a few gifts bought and my house isn't even clean let alone decorated. However I have learned a few things here and there over the years.

Saving Money and Time

• Don't wait till the last minute. I mean it! Sometimes you mean to start shopping early but something comes up and you need to use that money for something else or you just forget or any number of other reasons. Don't let yourself give excuses. Pick something up with each paycheck starting in September.
• Put some thought into it. If you think about what to give your family and friends before you are in the store, you'll save time AND money. Last minute shoppers not only miss out on sales but also end up buying whatever is left instead of what their friend really wanted.
• Consider hand-made gifts. I can see you rolling your eyes you know. It doesn't have to be something knitted or drawn or cut and pasted although it can if that's what you are into. How about an offer to help someone with their scrapbooking? Perhaps homemade snacks or desserts. Coupons or gift certificates to do something for someone are good too. At the very least the gifts from your kids to others can be homemade instead of giving them your money so they can buy a gift for you.
• Designate a cleaning weekend BEFORE you want to do decorations. If you'd like to put up decorations next weekend, then this weekend clean the house. Tidy things up and make room for decorations. If you have kids, get them to help you as much as possible.
• If you are in charge of holiday dinner, get planning. What are you going to make? What ingredients do you need? What's already on hand? Make a shopping list and shop EARLY so that if you forget something, you aren't stuck last minute with no stores open. While you are there, stock up on basic household food essentials so you don't have to run to the store during the rush.
• Do you do cards? If the rest of your family doesn't do cards and aren't too old fashioned, try e-cards. If not, buy a large stack of cards, include a photo and sign your names. Address and fill envelopes and mass stamp and mail them.
  

Gift Ideas

• Gift Cards. Only give these to people who will use them right away. Many have inactivity fees. These are good for young people and those who are really hard to shop for. Don't forget some fast food places and coffee places have them too. These are especially good for teenagers.
• Electronic Picture Frame with slideshow of pictures. You can load them with pictures so they can unwrap, plug in (or put in batteries) and watch.
• Offer to pay for professional photos or buy a gift certificate for it. Many families never get around to picture taking because of money or it just gets put off. Help them with it.
• Books. As far as I'm concerned, books are a great gift. It can be hard though to pick the right one. If you don't know the person well, give a book store gift card. Maybe you can try chatting books casually one day and get some ideas. Check out book blogs for reviews and Buy Books for the Holidays.
• Appeal to the technical side. Cameras, laptops, computer software and more would be great gifts for many people. Check out Staples Holiday Savings.

Well I hope I've helped some. Have a great holiday season.

Would you like more Tips for Saving Time and Money from TwitterMoms?

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REVIEW: Febreze Destinations Collection

Where are you going this summer? Hawaii, Brazil, Morocco perhaps? No? Me neither. If, like me, you can't afford to go somewhere exotic this summer, then turn to Febreze's new Destinations/Exotic line of products to help you get the idea that you're there!

I received a lovely package in the mail a little while back in a beautiful blue sports bag. In it I received the following:

Febreze Air Effects in Moroccan Bazaar, Brazilian Carnaval, and Hawaiian Aloha

Febreze Candles in Brazilian Carnaval and Hawaiian Aloha

Febreze NOTICEables Starter Kit and Single Refills in Moroccan Bazaar and Hawaiian Aloha

As you may have guessed, the three scents you can find in the Destinations collection are Moroccan Bazaar (Ginger), Brazilian Carnaval (Green Acai Berry) and Hawaiian Aloha (Hibiscus). Moroccan and Hawaiian come in refills for the Febreze noticeables in dual scents of Ginger and Nutmeg (Moroccan) and Hibiscus and Rainforest (Hawaiian)

My favourite scent is the Moroccan Bazaar. I'm sure why, I just love the ginger I think. I could breathe it in all day.

The Air Effects are perfect for putting a quick burst of scent into the air.

The Candles are great for lasting scent (30 hours!) that isn't too strong along with a beautiful lighted candle.

The NOTICEables are great for lasting scent that you don't have to worry about leaving alone in a room, plus it has an added scent and alternates between the two.

Wait Wait! Don't leave! Have you entered the Febreze Staycation Vacation Sweepstakes yet? It's open to US and Canada but only until July 5/09!

From the site:

"The new Destinations Collection from Febreze was inspired by some of the world’s most beautiful places. So once you use these inspirational scents at home, you’ll feel energized to see these fabulous locations for yourself. Enter for your chance to win a trip for four in the Febreze From Staycation to Vacation Sweepstakes."

Prizes include:

- a trip for four to one of the Destinations Collection inspired locations

(Hawaii, Morocco or Brazil) plus $1,000 USD in spending cash
- $1,000 USD toward a décor home makeover inspired by one of the

Destinations Collection locations.

- a free Febreze product in a Destinations Collection inspired scent.

REVIEW: Cascade All-in-1 Action Pacs

I don't use my dishwasher very often, mostly because it doesn't rinse the dishes as well as it should and because it's one of the kind you have to roll over and attach to the sink spout and plug it in. It's so loud and such a pain!

However when I was offered the chance to review some Cascade dishwasher detergent pacs I said sure, hoping that a certain kind of dishwasher detergent could make up for my dishwasher's faults.

I was sent a package similar to the one one the left in the photo above, but in fresh scent. The scent is so strong you can smell them through the package. They are all white with blue/green spots on the bottom and blue/green swirls of liquid on the top which are held in with a thin barrier of plastic. The pacs are a bit sensitive. I put a couple in a Ziploc bag to give to my mother to see what she thought and one was punctured on the way and leaked. So you couldn't just throw some in a drawer till you need them. You have to be gentle with them.

So what's so special about them? According to Cascade, they have pre-treating power, food dissolving power, stain fighting power, shine shield and rinse aid power.

What do I think? Well I tried them out and they did pretty well. It was nice that I didn't have to open them and throw away some packaging first. They are ready to throw in your dishwasher as is. This is more convenient and more green for our environment. Even better, I didn't have to rewash any dishes that came out of my dishwasher like I normally do (as I said before, it's old and doesn't work right.) My mother tried them out too (her dishwasher works fine) and she said they worked great but weren't necessarily better than what she normally uses.

The gel pacs are available in Fresh and Lemon Burst scents in assorted 12, 20, and 44-count varieties.

More Info:
Cascade Clean
Home Made Simple

REVIEW: Febreze Products

If you're Canadian, I'm sure you've heard of Febreze. Do you know about the wide range of sweet-smelling products they have though? I was able to test out four different types to bring my thoughts to you, my readers.


"Febreze Fabric Refresher eliminates odours and freshens Fabrics, Carpets and Air."

It's true! I love using Febreze on my couches and beds, especially in between changing the sheets. I spray the matress then change the sheets and spray the comforter and pillows as well.

Company coming? The spray is a great way to combat odors and make your house smell fresh. It's available for approx. $7.99 all over Canada and comes in a variety of scents such as: Meadows & Rain, Linen & Sky or Citrus & Light as well as some functional varieties such as Extra Strength, Pet Odor Eliminator or Auto.


Febreze Air Effects are different from Febreze Fabric Spray because it's designed to be sprayed into the air, and not onto fabrics or carpet. It's the Febreze equivalent of those cheapy room air sprays. The difference is, Febreze eliminates odours as well as delivering a light, fresh scent.

Those cheaper brands don't deliver a scent, they deliver a smell. That's how strong it is. Febreze Air Effects is available in a wide variety of scents, only some of which are Spring & Renewal, Blossoms & Breeze, Powder & Pamper and Pet Odour Eliminator.

Febreze Air Effects are available all over Canada at approx. $3.99


Febreze candles add warmth and scent to any room. They are made with a unique core of scent that helps eliminate odours as well as spreading scent around.

Each candle is supposed to deliver up to 30 hours of freshness. I tested my candle for you and after 13 hours it was half way gone so I don't know that it would last quite 30 hours but it doesn't burn right up like some of the cheaper brand scented candles do and you can actually SMELL the scent with these candles.

Febreze candles do three things: eliminate odours, infuse the air with scent and fit in with your decor. They too come in a variety of scents, only some of which are Vanilla & Refresh (which I tried), Apple Spice & Delight and the newest scent Lavender Vanilla & Comfort. The scent is nice but not overpowering. Febreze candles retail approx. $7.99 across Canada.

Finally we have Febreze NOTICEables. Have you tried them?

It's an electric air freshener that continously eliminates odours and alternates between two different but complementary fragrances. So the one I tried was Lavender Comfort & Gentle Vanilla. Since it changed scents, I was able to detect it in the room more. I used it in my bathroom and the only problem I had was that we have a very small bathroom with a door that needs to stay closed so the scent was a bit strong but you can adjust the intensity so we were able to get it just right.

Another thing I thought was cool was the box has a small scratch 'n sniff spot so you can smell the scents before you buy! It's also designed to work in any plug, even if it's sideways or upside down.

The starter kit which includes the actual warmer (the part shown to the right) and one scented oil refill retails for approx. $9.99 while just the refills are approx. $5.99.

For more information on these and other Febreze products, check out http://www.febreze.ca/

REVIEW: Cleaning Products from Proctor & Gamble

Introducing Mr. Clean Disinfecting wipes with Febreze freshness. These wipes kill bacteria and leave a fresh scent. The scent I tried was Meadows and Rain and I thought it smelled great. The other scent available is Lavender, Vanilla and Comfort.

The wipes are in an upright container. The idea is you flip open the top and pull on the wipes. One comes off and the rest stay there ready for next time. I had a little trouble though. I found the second wipe came up too far, making it hard to close the lid and once when I opened the lid, it brought the piece that allows you to take just one wipe at a time with it.

The container I have contains 25 premoistened wipes and retails at $2.99 - $3.99. They work on many hard surfaces like counter tops and glazed tiles. You can try them on bathroom and kitchen counter tops, appliances, sinks, toilets, tubs and more.

I'm sure you've heard of the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Now there is Mr. Clean Magic Erasers with Extra Power. It's 50% stronger for Heavy Duty Cleaning. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser wipes away grime with minimal effort and leaves a fresh scent. You can use your Magic Eraser on many places such as walls, doors, baseboards and plastic items around your house.

You can also use Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Bathroom on bath surfaces and Use Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Kitchen on your microwave, refrigerator, stove top and counters

Finally we have Dawn Plus with Power Scrubbers. I was able to try the kind pictured at left which has an apple blossom scent. Look for Original as well.
So what makes it PLUS? Well besides cleaning tough, stuck on food it's also an antibacterial hand soap and will kill bacteria on your hands when used as a hand soap.

I found it created just the right amount of bubbles. Many dish washing soaps create bubbles that fizz away minutes later or they create so many you can't find your dishes. A little goes a long way with Dawn Plus. The container has a nice indent made for your hand when you grab the bottle so you are less likely to drop it when your hands are slippery with soap. Dawn Plus with Power Scrubbers retails at $2.69.

REVIEW: Swiffer WetJet

Introducing the Swiffer WetJet. It's versatile enough to clean almost any floor. It's GUARANTEED to clean better than a mop and bucket and it does.

I received a Swiffer WetJet to try out and I'm impressed. It's so nice not to have to have a bucket handy with the ability to squeeze out the water. That and my mop is all old and smelly and I need to replace the whole thing every once in a while.

I found it very easy to put together. The instructions are very clear and I had no problems. The spray nozzle needs 4 AA batteries though and I wish they had been included.

The WetJet traps and locks the dirt and dust in the special cloth on the bottom and uses a special cleanser to make your floor shine. The WetJet can be used on almost all floors. Do not use WetJet on unfinished oiled and waxed floors, non-sealed tiles or carpeted floors. You can use it on ceramic, vinyl, wood, stone, laminate and linoleum.

The WetJet comes with a powerful nozzle that sprays a little bit of the special cleanser onto the floor. A 2-3 second spray covers approximately 1 square meter (10 square feet) of floor and one bottle of cleaner lasts for approximately 100 square meters (1076 square feet) or about 8 rooms. Swiffer makes a hardwood floor cleaner and an antibacterial floor cleaner and one thing I like is that you can switch between the two of them at any time. They come with automatic sealers so when you take the bottle off, it's sealed.

There is also a scrubbing strip that comes already attached to the WetJet. It's easily removable by velcro but shouldn't need to be replaced for a while. To use it, the instructions say to use your foot or the floor to flip the WetJet onto it's side. I couldn't get it to flip with the floor and being short, had some difficulty changing with my foot. I'm getting the hang of it though.

(following from Swiffer)
Swiffer WetJet hardwood floor cleaner and other solutions are great for:
- Wall-to-wall, whole floor cleaning
- High-traffic areas
- Tough stains on finished hardwood, ceramic and tile surfaces
- Spilled drinks
- Heavy dirt and grime
- Clean-up after parties
- Pet areas
- Large spills
- Tracked-in mud
- Sunrooms and enclosed patios
- Finished tile surfaces around pools and hot tubs

For more info: http://www.swiffer.com/