Polti Magico AG100

So yesterday my husband received an item he had ordered on Amazon.  At first I was wondering what it was because... well it looked like a squeegee in a way but more bulky if you see what I mean.


 

You see we have a bit of an issue with windows that fog up and drip during the winter.  Seeing as we were painting and wanted to find a solution for this, he decided to investigate on what could be use to help us manage this tiny problem.   We had been using towels during the winter but they get soaked quite rapidly and end up having a ton of towels to wash on a weekly basis.

So he found this device which can be used to help you wash the windows and suck up the water after cleaning them.  If it works for this why not for the water on our windows?  So this morning I tried it on the window in our ensuite bathroom.

 As you can see the water was sliding down this morning.

So I proceeded to use this interesting device to see if it will do the job that it is suppose to do.   For proof I have included a video below.

And it does the job!!!   Within a minute, the ensuite bathroom window was clear of all the water and I could see clearly through it.

I even did our big window in our bedroom and the view was perfect as well.

I am very impressed with the Polit Magico AG100.   It possess a plug so I ca recharge it whenever the battery is depleted.

The Polti Magico AG100 is available for purchase through amazon.ca as well as amazon.com.

   

Disclaimer:  I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Resolve Tip Exchange

Having kids often means that you can expect to find stain on their clothes.   But for us – family of six people who enjoy camping and fishing – it also means a wide variety of stains going from the well-known grass stains to other stains like mustard, ketchup, bbq sauce and so on.   Like I mentioned my family loves to go fishing whenever they can.   The campground were we are parked this year has a lake and when we are there my husband would go with the kids and give me a couple of hours of quiet time.   But when they come back with fish, it also means it’s time to make filets and often (not to say every time) I can expect to have some fish blood on my husband shirt (and my sons as well).   Sigh.     I find blood, mustard and ketchup to be my pet peeves when it comes to stubborn stains.  The most common stain I have to deal with is mostly the spaghetti sauce stain all year round but in the summer time I would say it could be fish guts/blood stains.  

  

Though I have found a magical product for the tough stains on my whites, I still have to fight sometimes for the light colored clothes.  Here’s a few of my tips and tricks when it comes with dealing with stains.

For my whites, I love to use the a bleach pen that I can only find at a store near my place.  Since I discovered this product, I find that I was able to save numerous whites from untreatable stains.    This product is such a life saver for me that when I am at my last one in stock, I swing by the store and purchase a few more just in case I will need them.   I guess I could also use plain old bleach directly on the stain but I find it cumbersome to deal with the bleach bottle.

For light colors though I use two different products – one being the Resolve Oxi-Action (formely Spray and Wash Dual Power – which I didn’t realize until now that It was Resolve….) and the other one being a detergent booster that is also good for craft with the kids.     And when the stains are very rebellious, I also use the a special gel stick.

Resolve® Laundry Stain Remover wants to help moms across Canada to share tips, advice and how to tackle stains.   For this specific reason, the Resolve® Tip Exchange has been launched in order to allow people from throughout the country to share stain removal tips and advice and also to seek out advice on a stubborn stain you are trying to get rid of.  You can go easily to the website (http://tips.powerofresolve.com/) and share your own stain removing tips.  By taking a few minutes of sharing with others your ideas on how to remove some tough stains you can be entered in a chance to win one of twelve weekly prizes of $250 and a grand price of $5000 (from August 16th to August 30th, 2013).   Wouldn’t it be nice to get a gift like this just because you shared some tricks on how to remove stains.   Your tips can be either written or in a video format.   So hurry up and swing by the Resolve Tip Exchange in order to have a possibility to be a winner!

Like I mentioned before I had not realized that the Spray and Wash product I was using had changed its name to Resolve Oxi-Action.    Though I have used the gel form of the Resolve product, I look forward to use the In-Wash powders that I am expecting any day soon.   I am always open to new products that could help me deal with stain a bit better for every member of my family.

And with four kids who love to do dissections and learn more about how fish and other creatures bodies work (yes the two oldest love to check the stomach of fish to see what they ate) and with the high school years pointing in our homeschool horizon with more dissections opportunities (a friend recently mentioned she will tell me when she will deal with her ducks so we can go check their anatomy), I sense that I will have more stains to deal with in my future.

 

UPDATE – August 26th, 2013

Last week I have received my two containers of Resolve Oxi-Action – one for any kind of clothes and one specific for the whites.

The Resolve Oxi-Action In-Wash Stain Remover is a great product that will help you to remove the toughest stains in the was.   You can choose to pre-treat the stains that you have spotted or simply use it in the wash itself.   I have used it with light colored clothes that had dirt stains on it and they came out clean.   This meant I didn’t have to put them through the wash cycle again.  Apparently this specific product is fabulous for coffee, grape juice, blueberries, spaghetti sauce, mustard, ring around the collar, grass, ink, wine, tea and mud.

The Resolve Oxi-Action Crystal White is the first one I tried out one day – I had a pile of whites to wash and some had stains on it.    Various types of stain if you know what I mean.   Usually I go through a pretty quick routine to deal with my whites but this time I decided to pour some Resolve Crystal White and see what it will do.   Surprisingly enough, when I opened the washer, I was almost blinded by the whites…  Okay not that much but I did find my whites were whiter than usual (even with my Borax).   So I was very pleased with the end results.  And the stains were inexistant – completely gone.  Horray!   I had found another product that would do miracles on my whites.

In conclusion, I am quite pleased with both products.   I will definitively consider purchasing them if needed.   Thanks you Resolve Tip Exchange and Mom Central Canada for the opportunity to try them out!

Disclosure: I am part of the Resolve® Tip Exchange Blogger Campaign with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”

Affresh Cleaners

In addition to the Affresh Washer cleaner and the Affresh Dishwasher Clearner, Whirlpool Canada has launched four new Affresh cleaners.  Each of them are designed specifically for hard-to-clean yet delicate kitchen surfaces. 

Affresh Stainless Steel Cleaner is formulated to stay where it’s sprayed to prevent run-off.   It gently cleans away fingerprints, smudges and residue.

The Affress Stainless Steel Wipes is safe to use on stainless steel refrigerators, dishwashers, ranges and microwaves.   It will wipe  away fingerprints, smudges and residue and leave a streak-free shine that lasts.

The Affresh Kitchen & Appliance Cleaner cuts through residue with ease.  For a polished shine, this multi-purpose cleaner effectively cleans multiple kitchen appliances and surfaces.

Finally, the Affresh Cooktop Cleaner is a non-abrasive formula that is safe for all glass, ceramic and porcelain cooktops.  When used with the provided cleaning pad, it even cuts through oil baked on at over 400 degrees Celsius.

Our experience

I have a confession to make.   We do not own any stainless steel refrigerator, dishwasher, range or microwave…  We are the kindof family who still prefers having the traditional white appliances.   However, I didn’t say that we didn’t have anything in stainless steel.   We do have a couple of things with stainless steel on it and the biggest one is definitively the garbage bin in our kitchen.

So I decided to product test the Affresh Stainless Steel Cleaner and the Affresh Stainless Steel Wipes on my garbage bin.    It was sticky, it had marks, it had fingerprints on it….    And the Affresh products did a miracle work on it.   My two oldest sons were pleased to be the product testers (with my supervision) and did a wonderful job in cleaning and bringing our garbage bin all shiny.   I was impressed.

The next product we product tested was the Affresh Cooktop Cleaner.   We recently got a new oven since our previous one died on us unexpectedly.  The best part was that it was still covered by the extended warranty!  So yeah for us.  But somehow, I found that the top of it wasn’t as easy to clean as our previous oven.   So my husband took the Affresh Cooktop Cleaner one evening and proceeded to clean it.   Once again, I was amazed on how the product would clean my oven.  It was fabulous.   All the little smudges that was left behind previously were disappearing under our eyes.   

Finally, I am using the Affresh Kitchen & Appliance cleaner to clean my new food processor that my husband got me a couple of months ago.  The sides of it is in stainless steel and this product just polish it nicely.

I am impressed with the Affresh products.  However, I must admit that I find the prices a bit high for my budget.   If I had stainless steel appliances maybe I would consider purchasing these products for cleaning them.  But it is not the case.  The one product that I would definitively consider is the Affresh Cooktop Cleaner has it did a wonderful job on my range.

Disclaimer: I received these products for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Home Ec 101

Home Ec 101
Written by Heather Solos
Published at Betterway Home

About the book

From quick cleaning solutions, instructions for removing stubborn stains, simple fixes to wardrobe malfunctions, troubleshooting advice for home appliances, a guide to basic home maintenance, or ideas for how to fix quick, healthy meals, Home-Ec 101 will teach you real skills for real life. It’s everything you wish your mom had taught you, written in a funny, easy-to-understand tone. Cut the apron strings and equip yourself with the skills you need for everyday life.

My Thoughts

I will admit it…. I dislike cleaning.  But it has to be done.    I am pretty much given up on the joy of cleaning the bathroom and such by now.    But as a homeschooler I also know about the importance of teaching my kids these skills.   I think we are doing a good job on the vacuum and cooking departments but I know there are areas that need improvement.

Now available on the market is a cute little book titled Home-Ec 101.   As many of you know, the Home-Ec lessons are now included in the curriculum.   Actually it started for the year after mine when I was in high school…  I have seen the kitchen included in an high school near home.  Impressive.   Almost wish I was a teenager again.   Mind you, even though they are learning how to cook, I doubt that they learn the skills of cleaning a home. 

The book is divided in sections.

• Clean It where you will learn to clean properly the floors, kitchen, bathrooms (yuck!) and more.
• Wash It where stains, odors and repairs won’t have a secret for you.
• Fix It which will guide you to become an handyman with basics information.
• Cook It which covers anything from which cookware/utensils to purchase to preparing a meal.
• Appendixes for homemade cleaning solutions, dangerous chemical combinations, emergency preparedness checklist, measurements conversion charts.

For the purpose of this review, I will concentrate on a specific section of the book – which is the one where I have more issues I think – Cleaning.  The room that is the less organized in my house is more than likely my office.  Yikes, with the books to review piled on the floor and paperwork all over my desk, no wonder I make sure that this door is closed when people come over (okay I admit that I don’t want kids going there so I lock the door of it…!  Here I said it!).  Still every once in a while even I get fed up and decide to do some purging… LOL

One year, when we had three kids back then, we decided to buy some shoe racks to put in the entrance of the house.  Why?  Because we were tired of stumbling on the numerous shoes there.   Now our third son’s job is to make sure the shoes are place on the shoe rack when he gets up in the morning.   He is five years old.   There are days he complains but he understands that it has to be done.   Sometimes an older brother will help him.    Another job the kids are doing on a daily basis is to empty the dishwasher in the morning.  As soon as they are up, they work together to empty it and place the dishes where it goes when they can.     It helps tremendously to have them do that in the morning.  There are no age to start learning how to clean.  Each kids can have assigned tasks and help in the house.  Even my three  years old daughter helps in many ways…

Last fall, I tackled the school room.  Mind you there might be some work to still do in there but it was very useful to have identified a specific shelf for each kids this year (see image on the right).  My suggestion for someone who start after reading this book, is to start small.  Take one room at a time.    And divide this room into section if you need to.    I know that I could become overwhelmed if I only take the BIG picture.   And assign jobs to your kids.   Yes there will be complaining at first and the “Do I need to do that?” question but keep in mind it is good for them to learn to organize and clean properly at a young age.   It will be a blessing for their spouse in the future for one thing and you won’t be embarrassed when you visit them later in life too!

Throughout the book, the author gives tidbits of information about the importance of cleaning and taking care of your home.  I particularly love this one…

Protect Your Investments

Regular cleaning protects the money that has already spent.  This is especially true if furnishings were financed; without maintenance they depreciate even faster.

In the cleaning section, the author also included a daily chores schedule for each day of the week.    I personally need to check this out as I find that my cleaning is mostly based on the feed up feelings I will have.  If I could schedule it more, maybe I won’t get frustrated as much…   For certain products we use to clean the bathrooms, I usually have difficulty breathing due to allergies to certain things.   I am pleased to see that there is an appendix on homemade cleaning solutions.    I will definitively visit this appendix to discover how I can improve the joy in cleaning the bathrooms…  *grin* 

Each section are designed the same way.  The book is easy to read and will encourage you to find new ways to ameliorate your home management.   This book is 240 pages but each and every single pages contains essential information for anyone.  

As for the homeschool front, I am seriously considering including this book into my oldest son’s curriculum next year.  He will be in grade 5 and I think it would be good for him to go through this book.   It is written for everyone to read even a 10 years old.      I almost wished there was questions for each chapter included at the end of the book so I can test him on his reading.   I guess I will have to do this myself this summer.

Disclaimer:  I have received a pdf version of the book while participating to a project of One2One Network.  I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.