Tackle Spring Cleaning Starting With the Basics #OxiClean #MC

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting (#MC) for OxiClean. I received three product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Spring cleaning can be a daunting task, but it is a necessary one.  For busy households like mine, I think it's best to start early and spread the cleaning out over a few weeks.  There are some things most people don't think to include on their spring cleaning list, like laundry and dishes.  This year, why not try spring cleaning starting from the inside out?  Start with the basics by refreshing your family's clothing, linens, dishes, and toys.  Then move onto the furniture, closets, and carpets, and ultimately onto the windows, walls, and ceilings.  Did I leave anything out?

To help us get started with our spring cleaning, we received 3 new OxiClean products to try.  To refresh all the warm weather clothes we packed away at the end of last summer, we washed them all in new Fresh Scent OxiClean Laundry Detergent.  If you've used OxiClean to wash your clothes in the past, then you'll be thrilled to know that you can get the same cleaning and stain-fighting power in a liquid detergent.  Although we thought the Fresh Scent formula was the perfect thing to freshen our clothes for spring, for those who prefer unscented detergents, the OxiClean Laundry Detergent is also available in a Perfume & Dye Free formula.

Part of getting our clothes ready for spring is to make our whites whiter.  We don't notice how dingy our whites have gotten over the winter until the sun shines on them.  That's where the new OxiClean White Revive Laundry Stain Remover Powder comes in.  We tried it on everything we had that was white, including linens, t-shirts, underwear, and socks.  Although, this cleaner does not get things bleached white, it does make everything whiter without the use of bleach.  Some of our children's socks were very dingy on the soles, but the White Revive Laundry Stain Remover made a huge difference.

On the same note, I notice residue and spots on our dishes considerably more when our home is filled with sunlight.  I was fairly happy with the dishwasher detergent I was using, except when our old dishwasher doesn't dry our dishes completely, it would leave behind residue on our dinnerware, flatware, and drinkware.  Because I've tried many types of dishwasher detergent over the years, I was pretty skeptical when I tried the new OxiClean 4X Extreme Power Crystals.  Not only did it get our dishes clean (even though our children don't believe in rinsing off their dishes before they put them in the sink), it also left zero residue!  To top it all off, there were no spots on our glasses at all.

What's next on the list?  I need to go through our closets and drawers to donate all the clothes that no longer fit or that we no longer wear.  Does OxiClean make a product that makes that job easier for me too?

To learn more about these 3 new OxiClean products, visit www.oxiclean.com.

Living Green With Jerinda: Get Ready for Flu Season with CleanWell Botanical Disinfecting Wipes

Thank you to CleanWell for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon. All opinions expressed are my own.

Flu season is upon us and my family is always looking for ways to keep healthy, but to do so without harming ourselves or the environment with harsh chemicals. CleanWell is an answer to this problem. We received the CleanWell Botanical Disinfecting Wipes to try, which kills cold and flu viruses plus 99.9% of household germs. Because it contains no bleach or phosphates, it is safe to use around kids and pets.  I also like that its lemon scent is pleasant without being overpowering.

CleanWell Botanical Disinfecting Wipes are an EPA registered disinfectant.  Of course, I have no way to test whether it’s killing germs, but the wipes do a great job cleaning up messes and it isn’t chemical-smelling at all. Its thyme-based formula seems to work very well and the lemon scent is very nice and doesn’t leave me feeling like I can’t breathe. It also leaves no residue behind and I can use it on nearly any surface in my house. I am really pleased with this CleanWell product and have already used their website’s store finder to locate 3 local stores that carry this brand. If you enjoy using safe botanical cleaners, be sure to check if a store near you carries CleanWell’s line of cleaning products.

The New Scotch and Post-It Home Collection is Available Exclusively at the Container Store

Thank you to 3M for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon. All opinions expressed are my own.

Scotch and Post-It are trusted brands because they make excellent products that people are very loyal to. Their new Home Collection has new, innovative products to make our lives a little easier. This exclusive line can be purchased at The Container Store.

The Post-It Reminder Tags let you put your reminders where they’ll be seen. Their unique, wrap-around design means they can stick to seat belts, purses, backpacks, and more. These are very handy for giving myself little reminders to pick something up while I’m out, to label containers, and to write sweet notes to my kiddos and hubby that I can stick just about anywhere. These are very handy and unique Post-It’s that I’ve used quite a lot. They retail for about $3.99.

Post-It View & Go Pockets are a great organizational solution because these pouches stick very well and yet remove cleanly and their clear front means you can see exactly what you’ve got in them. I use them to store important papers or worksheets for my kids, but they could be used for so many things. They come in 2 sizes so there is sure to be something to fill your needs. These retail for $6.99-$7.99.

Scotch Display Frames instantly frame and display precious artwork in a beautiful way and yet it is simple to change out the pics without damaging them or the wall. Instead of storing art on the fridge where it can get damaged or lost, this gives them the display they deserve without being unattractive. I love this frame and plan to buy another so I can display each of my son’s artwork in its own frame. This retails for $4.99-$6.99 depending on the size of frame chosen.

And finally, Scotch Restickable Display Strips give a decorative way to store important pages in style. These reusable mounting strips stick just about anywhere without damaging anything and are sticky enough that pages stay put but also won’t rip or tear them. I got these right around my birthday and it was a perfect place to stick my cards so we could enjoy them on display without it cluttering up my tables. I love the color and the way they look with or without anything stuck to them. These are among my new favorite products available. These retail for $7.99.

As with all Scotch and Post-It products, these are well-designed and well-made, just as you’d expect. I would highly recommend any of these products to anyone because of how handy they are.  You can view the full Home Collection line at www.ContainerStore.com.

Getting Warm-Weather Clothes Ready for Back-to-School Using OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for OxiClean. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Here in Massachusetts, the summer weather extends into the first month of the new school year.  For the past couple of weeks, we have been busy sorting through our three children's warm-weather wardrobes.  All the clothes all fall into one of three categories . . . outgrown or too worn, ready-for-school, or stained.  The opportunity to try OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover arrived at the perfect time.  We really want to salvage as many of those stained warm-weather clothes as we can for our children to wear to school during the months of September and October (and possibly next Spring).

Since it is impossible to tell how old some of the stains were and what kind of stains they actually were, my husband and I decided to make new some new stains to test out the OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover properly.  We did this by taking our unsuspecting children to their favorite ice cream place on a hot summer day.  We had them order ice cream cones (no cups that day).  We tried to talk them all into something chocolaty, but only one of them went for it.  Then we attempted to convince them to sit outside to eat on the deck, but they protested because their ice cream would melt too quickly.

After not too long, all 3 of their little faces were plastered in ice cream, but not one drop on their clothes.  My husband and I stared at them in disbelief because our children have proven time and time again to be messy eaters, especially our 6 year old son.  When all was said and done, our 9 year old son with the chocolate ice cream came through!  He had several drips of chocolate ice cream on his t-shirt.

To really test out the stain removing power, we let the shirt stained with chocolate ice cream sit for four days without pre-treating or rinsing it.  We followed the instructions on the package and did not put the OxiClean directly on the stain or the clothes.  We washed the shirt twice this way and were able to remove one of the major stains about 80% and the other approximately 95%.

Stain #1 (Before & After)

Stain #2 (Before & After)

After seeing the results, I realized that we really should wash stained items right away, as suggested in the instructions.  In the past, there were so many stains that we did wash right away with our regular detergent and the results were similar to that of Stain #1, which was washed with the OxiClean after the stain set for four days.  Any new stains in our house will be washed with OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover right away from now on.  As for our children's clothes with old stains, we will try soaking them in a concentrated solution of OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover before we wash them again.

What makes this OxiClean so "Versatile"?  Well, it is said to be safe for cleaning more than just laundry stains on your whites and brights.  It is safe to use around your home on things like your carpeting, upholstery, and hard surfaces such as your kitchen counters or bathroom tile.  We definitely can't say that about our regular laundry detergent.  The next time one of our cats decides to get sick on one of the rugs, we'll be ready!

A 3lb tub of OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover retails for approximately $7.99.  It is also available in a "Free" version, which is free of dyes and fragrances for sensitive skin, and in a "Baby Stain Soaker" for households with infants and toddlers, which is also free of dyes and perfumes and can be used as a stain soaker or a laundry booster.  To learn more about these products, visit OxiClean.com.

Shark Sonic Duo Cleaning System for Hard Floors and Carpet (Demo Video)

Thank you to Shark for providing a complimentary sample Shark Sonic Duo for us to base this review upon and for providing an additional product for our contest prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

We have 3 cats and 3 kids. That means I have perpetually dirty floors.

To keep my very dirty floors clean I have bought into every gimmick that has come along and probably spent a few hundred dollars along the way. I have tried everything from $6 Foam mops to $100 steam machines with varying degrees of success (and failure!). At the end of the day a plain old cotton mop is still what I prefer. It’s cheap and I know exactly what to expect for results.

When I had the chance to try Sharks Sonic Duo Cleaning System I was both excited and weary at the same time. Excited because the Sonic Duo was not like anything that I have tried before and weary because I have tried so many different and novel methods in the past that ultimately didn't work well. My sole hope rested on the fact that I had owned Shark products in the past and I was generally pleased with the quality and performance.

The first thing you notice about the Shark Sonic Duo is that it is very sleek and svelte. The quality is immediately apparent. Even though the Sonic Duo is slight in build, it feels solid and well made.

On the front of the unit is a set of “headlights” almost exactly like a car's lights. The lights were bright and helped illuminate the immediate area in front of the unit. Another feature that stands out is the pivot ball between the handle assembly and the cleaners base. It reminded me of some Dyson products.

The Sonic Duo comes with a variety of cleaning pads and fluids to clean any floor surface, including carpet. Although my primary interest in the Sonic Duo was for cleaning hardwood and tile floors, the fact that it can clean carpets was intriguing as the unit does not appear to be designed for it. The pads designed for rugs has special gliders that allow the unit to float over the rug as it cleans.

The unit could not be easier to operate. There is zero assembly and the instructions are literally a 1-2-3 process with easy to follow pictures. Add water, the provided cleaning fluid, and pop the unit on the pad and you are ready to clean. The unit has only two buttons: A 2 speed power button and a button to spray fluid. That's it.

Until I actually turned it on I had no idea how it cleaned. I read the word “sonic” and I think of all sorts of crazy things. I was also skeptical about how easy the unit would be to push around. Well, with one push of a button all of my questions were answered. Once powered on the unit glides across your floor as if levitating (it is clearly not levitating , but it is effortless to move about). You do not need to force this unit at all, a light push and pull motion was all it took. I will stop shy of saying you can operate this floor cleaner with your fingertips, but it did not take much more than that.



Press the spray button and a powered blast of cleaner deposits right in front to treat the surface before you run the unit over it. The Sonic Duo was as easy as can be to operate and even has a tray to rest the unit upon when the pad is wet and/or dirty. My children will definitely be using this to clean the floor!

So, how did it clean? In short, it cleans very well. I would say for flat and hard surfaces it cleans as well as anything else and with very little effort. I love the idea that my kids will be able to use it. Although I have not tried it on rugs yet (I don't have many in the house), after seeing it glide over the hard floors I can't wait to see it on a thick rug.

Overall I really like the Shark Sonic Duo and would recommend it.....with a couple of warnings to set expectations. First, it did nothing for the grout between the tiles. But in all fairness a mop doesn't either. Next time I will pre treat my grout before using the Sonic Duo. And secondly, the Sonic Duo does not mop stuff up, it has nearly zero absorption properties. But also, in all fairness, that is not what it is supposed to do. It’s not a mop. It is a scrubber and cleaner.

Area A = Unidentified sticky substance that could not be removed with sweeping or wiping.

Area B = Dried drips of soda or chocolate milk with stuck-on cat hair.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

I think the Sonic Duo is a superb way to keep a floor clean after a good old fashioned scrubbing. I would say if you start with a perfectly clean floor, the Sonic Duo would keep it cleaner than anything else with as little effort as possible. This product retails for $249.  To learn more about the Shark Sonic Duo Cleaning System, visit SharkClean.com.

I will let you know if my kids are as excited about the Sonic Duo as I am.....

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Good luck in the drawing!

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random number drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Living Green With Jerinda: Bumkins Reusable Wet/Dry Bags, Laundry Bags, Snack Bags, and More

Thank you to Bumkins for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon and for providing additional products for our contest prize. All opinions expressed are my own.

Wet bags are widely available nowadays, but many people do not know what wet bags are or how handy they are, or they think they are only used for cloth diapering. The truth is, wet bags can be used by anyone and can be an extremely useful item for any household. Wet bags, or waterproof bags, are used to hold items and keep to keep those items dry or to store wet things to keep them from getting all your other things soggy. Bumkins has a new line of awesome wet bags and they were kind enough to send me a sampling to review.

Bumkins Wet/Dry bag is a genius design that has two zippered compartments to keep your belongings wet or dry. Each compartment is very large and roomy and this bag (12" x 16") would be perfect for cloth diapering on-the-go or for using while swimming. The Waterproof Laundry Bag is a very large wet bag (17.5" x 21") perfect for household use. I use mine for my cloth napkins and other kitchen towels. I love this bag because it will hold days worth of towels easily and then I can throw the whole bag into the washer instead of having to touch all the soiled items.

The Reusable Snack Bags (small, 2 pack) is a nice alternative to plastic zippered bags. These bags keep foods dry, even in a cooler of ice, and will keep any loose items contained and prevent sogginess all day. Finally, the Everyday 3 Pack set contains 3 different sizes of smaller wet bags that can be used for a variety of things such as snack bags, on-the-go cloth diapering or potty training, and more. These bags would be useful in so many ways and would be a great addition to any household.

These bags come in fun prints sure to suit any style, are very well made, and are reasonably priced starting at $4.95. Learn more about them at www.bumkins.com/bags.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random number drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

The New Air Wick National Parks Collection Includes Nature-Inspired Scented Oils, Candles, and More

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Air Wick. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

With multiple cats and other pets plus three children constantly leaving unrinsed dirty dishes (including milk glasses) in the sink, our house can possess a very "special" odor at times.  This is especially noticeable when one first enters our home.  When I was offered an opportunity to try some of the products from the new Air Wick National Parks Collection, all I could think of was which area of the home I should conquer first.  The upstairs is where the cats' litter box is located plus there is a bathroom.  The first floor, however, has the kitchen sink, cooking odors, the kitchen trash, the cat food (which gives off an especially unpleasant odor when the cats manage to get it wet by spilling their water bowl), and a bathroom.  The musty basement is a fight for another day.  The first floor of our home definitely won out.  Aside from the long list of odor-producers located on the first floor, it is the area responsible for making a great first impression.

Both my husband and myself have particular tastes when it comes to scents and they do not always match.  Our choices for the Air Wick National Parks Scented Oils were Hawai'i (Exotic Papaya & Hibiscus Flower), American Samoa (Sweet Coconut & Island Palms), Grand Canyon (Cactus Flower & Warm Breeze), and Denali (Soft Cotton Grass & Spring Air).  Visit airwick.us to see the full list of choices. We knew we would both like something with a light scent that was not too sweet, so we chose the Denali to try first.  It is interesting to read "The Craft of Fragrance" book online to learn what aspects of nature inspired each of the fragrance varieties.  For example, the Denali scented oils were inspired by layering the scents of the tangy green apple, the clean white wildflowers, and a hint of clean musk found at the Denali National Park.

When I first plugged in the scented oil warmer in the kitchen, I had turned the setting to medium.  When I came downstairs the next morning, I realized that the oil had scented the entire first floor fairly strongly, so I turned the dial to the lowest setting.  This was perfect for my preferences, which are to have a subtle scent throughout all the rooms, but to have it noticeable enough to make the other odors in the house not-so-noticeable.

We also received an Air Wick Scented Candle in the American Somoa.  This scent was my favorite among the four we received.  For this scent, the base note is coconut, which makes it the perfect scent for summertime to me.  The scented candle comes in a plain frosted glass holder, so it can really fit in with any decor.  Ours does not have a permanent home.  Since we have young children and cats in our home, I usually do not burn candles unless my husband or I are right there to keep an eye on it.  This candle goes where I go, whether it's in the kitchen, at my desk, or in the living room.

The Air Wick National Parks Collection also offers Reed Diffusers and a Freshmatic Spray, in addition to the Scented Oils and Candle we tried.  These products retail for approximately $2.99 to $5.99 and can be purchased at most retailers where Air Wick products are sold.

Dishwasher and Laundry-Safe Name Labels by Name Bubbles

Thank you to Name Bubbles for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon and for providing an additional product for our contest prize.

The spring and summer seasons mean more than balmy weather and school vacation to me.  They also mean new warm-weather clothes, shoes, and gear for my children.  For some parents, it also means sending their children to summer camp.  So, when all the cold-weather clothes get put away or donated, all the new incoming items will need to be labeled.  Since I have a mix of things to label, Name Bubbles was nice enough to send us both laundry-safe and dishwasher-safe customized name labels to use on all our new spring and summertime gear.

One of Name Bubble's most popular items is their Share Labels Pack, which includes 6 sheets of labels, with each pack containing (12) 1.5" Round Dishwasher-Safe Labels, (18) 2.76" Dishwasher-Safe Fun Labels, (18) 1.78" Dishwasher-Safe Mini Labels, and (42) .78" Round and Square Laundry-Safe Labels for $35.88.  The best thing about the Share Label Pack is that you can choose one design with up to 6 different names (one name per sheet).  What a great value for families with multiple children like mine!

Even though my children will not be attending camp this year, they still need to have everything labeled for the remainder of the school year and for attending their taekwondo classes.  I recently purchased a few new acrylic tumblers for each family member.  Those all needed to be clearly labeled.  I would never want someone else to mistakingly drink from or walk off with one of my children's water cups.

You will be happy to know that, before the adhesive sets, you can remove and reapply the dishwasher-safe labels.  I know this because two or three of the labels I applied were slightly crooked and had to be repositioned.  I had also already been these Name Bubbles labels on our dishwasher-safe WaterWeek bottles and they have held up wash after wash for over a year so far without any signs of coming off or fading.

Other items all 3 of our children have for springtime are brand new hoodies and shoes.  Putting a label inside their hoodies is so much easier than trying to write their names on the label.  Most of the time, the fabric markers bleed and the names are almost illegible.  Again, this is not my first experience with Name Bubbles laundry labels, and I have found them to stay on my children's clothes very well, even after countless cycles through the washer and dryer.  For shoes, I use the laundry labels on the ones with fabric or leather/vinyl insoles, while I use the waterproof labels on shoes with rubber insoles, like flip flops.

Not labeling my children's items is not even a consideration for me.  I cannot tell you how many times they have left their coats at school and random items on the school bus.  Between the 3 of them, it definitely has been more times than I can count.

Name Bubbles offers more than just laundry and dishwasher-safe labels.  They also carry allergy and medical labels, oversized name labels for larger items, write-on labels, and more.  See their full selection by visiting www.NameBubbles.com.  Orders over $50 ship for free via First Class USPS!


The prize for this giveaway is a Share Labels Pack, which contains 90 labels and sells for $35.88.  The winner may personalize these labels with one design of their choice and up to 6 names.

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Good luck in the drawing!

10 Tips for an Easy Low-Stress Family Breakfast (#FinishRiseandShine)

Thank you to Finish for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing a gift card so we could purchase supplies and ingredients for our #FinishRiseandShine breakfast.  All opinions expressed are my own.

With Mother's Day and Father's Day coming up, you may be aspiring to surprise your spouse or your parent with a family breakfast.  If the idea of preparing a big breakfast by yourself (or with your children for that matter) seems daunting to you, then you must read on to see how easy it was for us to make this tasty family breakfast for the Finish Rise and Shine Challenge.  Simply following one or more of these tips will make your meal preparations that much easier.

Tip #1:  If you are planning on serving bacon as part of your family breakfast, make it the day before and store it tightly covered in the fridge.  I usually line a cookie sheet with tin foil and bake the bacon in a single layer. The next morning, you can just reheat it quickly in the microwave.

Tip #2:  Choose one easy recipe to make in the morning.  Checkout my recipe for Easy Bacon & Scallion Cornbread.  If you have prepared the bacon ahead of time, the prep time for this cornbread is less than 10 minutes and it will bake while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Tip #3:  Serve microwavable breakfast sausages.  If you have bacon waiting to be reheated, just cook the sausages in the microwave for 1 minute less than called for.  Then add the bacon to the plate and microwave for an additional minute.

Tip #4:  Choose one or two beverages that everyone in your family enjoys.  My husband had coffee, but our 3 children and I had hot cocoa.  It was easy to make with just a little hot water.  We usually only give the children half a mugful because they can never finish a whole one.  I highly recommend that you try your hot cocoa with a dollop of vanilla ice cream in it.

Tip #5:  Use dollar size microwavable pancakes.  They are quick to heat up and you won't be required to cut pancakes for each child.

Tip #6:  Just so you are not feeling too guilty about all the grease and salt, fill a bowl with fresh fruit.  We served large strawberries, but grapes or blueberries would work well also.

Tip #7:  Fill your plate with some of everything in case your family eats all the food before you even get to sit down at the table.

Tip #8:  Remember to take a photo of your family enjoying this meal you've prepared to preserve the memory.  Also, there is no need for them to know how easy it was for you to put this breakfast together, so you can show them the photo in the future to remind them about how much you slaved over a hot stove for them.

Tip #9:  Leave the breakfast dishes for later and go enjoy time with your family.

Tip #10:  Before you go to bed, load all the dishes into your dishwasher, so you can let it run overnight.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

What made this last step possible for me is the Finish Quantum Power Gel.  To be honest, when I agreed to take the Finish Rise and Shine Challenge to leave our breakfast dishes until bedtime, I was extremely skeptical.  Our dishwasher is old and I always rinse off the dishes before I load them.  My regular detergent is actually the bottled Finish Gel.  It works pretty well, but there are some things it will not get out, such as dried hot cocoa, lipstick on stoneware, and sometimes dried melted cheese.  I had very strong doubts that this little Finish Quantum packet I popped into the detergent well would get out the dried cornbread mix, the dried syrup that nearly fused our stacked plates together, and especially the dried hot cocoa inside the mugs.

Can I tell you how floored I was the next morning?  Everything came off the dishes . . . even my arch nemesis, the hot cocoa.  Not only that, my dishes actually shined!  All I could think about was how much time and water I could save from now on just by using the new Finish Quantum.

What is your arch nemesis when it comes to getting your dishes clean in the dishwasher?  I'd love to know what it is and if you are able to get it clean without rinsing and only using the Finish Quantum Power Gel.  Get your FREE sample of Finish Quantum (1 per household), take the #FinishRiseandShine Challenge, and share your results on the Finish Dishwashing Facebook page.