Friday, April 29, 2011

Best of: Finale!



It's been such a fun week. Thanks for all your suggestions and thoughts. Today we want to open it up to a Best of Free for All!

So, the comment thread is yours to ask for tips on whatever you desire. Or to give a great suggestion. For example:

I think you all should know that Pop Secret Home Style is the best kind of microwave popcorn I've ever tried. (You should get some for your movie party tonight.)

or maybe you want to ask for suggestions:


Emily:
I need new laundry detergent. I want clean clothes and a yummy smell -- suggestions?

Anne:
@ Emily - Tide w/ Febreze

Try to phrase your responses so that people reading the thread will know which question you are responding to - either by restating the question or by addressing your comment to the person who posed the question.


Have fun! Have a great weekend! And thanks again for all your comments this week. Fun, fun!

21 comments:

Mickie and Matt said...

Anyone have any ideas on removing tough hard water spots off my faucets and sink? I use a pumice stone for my toilets and tub but I dont want to scratch my silver...

My tip? OXY CLEAN. The laundry spray works miracles. I have a newborn and 2 year old. It gets out puke, poo, blood, mud, juice, grease, pretty much ANYTHING with a squirt. No scrubbing involved! Also I put about half a scoop of the powder in every load of laundry I do, it's amazing.

Lis said...

@Mickie and Matt- Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I use it with a hard water buildup cleaner (clorox bathroom cleaner) They are amazing!

Robin said...

M&M--I've lived with awful hard water for years. Best product I've found, BY FAR--Comet bathroom cleaner SPRAY.Just spray it on and let it sit a few minutes, then scrub with a scrubby sponge, it comes RIGHT OFF with no damage!

My tip--best lip balm: Blistex Ultimate Moisture (the blue one). Dont' let the name Blistex make you think it's all medicated and menthol-y, it's not. Totally smooth and non-waxy, it's got a light lemon flavor that I love, and unlike chapstick, you don't need to use it every five minutes.

Emily said...

Love this! I need to find SOMETHING that removes the black residue from burner bowls on my stove. I feel like I have tried everything. Is it a lost cause?

Joan said...

I second Mickie and Matt on the powder oxy clean detergent. It is UH-MAZING!

If you are a blonde, I highly recommend Aveda's blue malva conditioner. It keeps your blonde hair bright and helps it from fading and turning yellow-y. I've used "Shimmer Lights" brand (sold at Ulta) which accomplishes the same thing (just doesn't smell as dreamy as the Aveda one does) and it is less expensive.

That's all from me for now :)

Kristyn said...

Any tried and trues for getting off some caked on crud on the bottom of my oven? And please don't tell me more elbow grease! I have none left. :)

Ria said...

Vinegar is a cheap way to remove water spots. Let it soak for a while and then wipe with a soft scrubby.
That being said, the Magic Eraser is one of my most favoritest cleaning supplies ever!
Emily: have you tried soaking them in a baking soda/water paste? That will take off lots of that kind of burnt on stuff. Works on pots and pans as well. Sometimes it might take more than one application. I'd also give the Magic Eraser a shot on it since it is so magical. Same for Kristyn's oven problem. Good luck.

Bloom said...

I would just like to say how much I love Arm & Hammer laundry detergent with Oxy-Clean.
Gets clothes really clean and bright (I think it's the baking soda) and smells grrrrreeeat.

xo
Em

jeanine said...

Em... I second that!

Jessica said...

@ Emily for stove bowls - my mom taught me to put them in a plastic grocery bag one at a time and spray them with oven cleaner. Let them sit for 10 minutes or so (or longer if you have lots of caked on junk). Mine wipes right off and is shiny when done!

My question? Best mascara. The brand I used to use from L'oreal I can't find anymore. Anyone else have one they link - lengthens and thickens without being chunky?

Vicky said...

Does anyone know how to get crayon marks out of clothing? We ended up with a couple of crayon chunks stuck in the dryer recently, and as the clothes tumbled by (the white load, of course) they got little blue and green marks all over. I have no idea how to get them out, if it's even possible! I think I'm going to try Oxy Clean on my kids' clothes!

capturingtheride said...

Best Laundry Detergent: Charlie's Soap
it gets it clean - but it just smells clean.

If you want to add a yummy scent (though technically you don't even need softener with Charlie's Soap) I recommend Mrs. Meyer's Aromatherapy Dryer Sheets (Lavender is my FAVE).

if you use both it is about .25/load

w/o dryer sheets it's .18/load

Laurie said...

@Vicky--Goo Gone spray gets everything out. I have used it on crayon--worked really well
Laurie

Susan said...

This isn't a household tip per, but something that I wish I had invested in long ago: a mattress pad heater. Granted, I live in MA, so our falls, winters and springs can be mighty chilly, but there is nothing better than slipping into bed on a chilly night to be enveloped in a cozy warmth. Seriously, why didn't I buy this years ago?? I think I might even have started going to bed earlier because I wasn't dreading shivering between cold sheets. I just bought what was on sale at amazon, but read the reviews and just be sure to get something with dual-zones if you share your bed. Thanks!

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toddnjoelle said...

Thank you to all the bloomers our there for introducing me to mel's kitchen cafe. I am a recipe junkie and this recipe blog is about the best I have seen. Every entry looks amazing. I haven't tried anything yet, but I have a couple of her recipes on my meny for next week. Thanks again!

Vicky said...

@Laurie--(How are you??) Does the Goo Gone spray really work on clothing? I've used it on walls before, but not clothes.

Emily said...

@Jessica : clinique mascara is the best mascara I have tried yet. I have stubs for eye lashes and love it!

Laurie said...

@Vicky--I am really good Lucy is adorable and your boys ahve gotten so big. Yes Goo Gone works like a charm on clothes, carpet, furniture. I LOVE it.

Laurie said...

Also my favotite cleaning product for getting off hard water spots and stains---ZEP bathroom cleaner sold at The Home Depot--inexpensive and works really well.

heath said...

I'm very late here, but I recently discovered that you can replace dryer sheets by throwing a couple of rolled-up balls of aluminum foil in the dryer. I now have zero static, whereas with dryer sheets I still had static with certain fabrics. And I use white vinegar as a fabric softener in the wash cycle. Cheap and effective (and far fewer chemicals than in dryer sheets--the more I read about them, the more nauseated they made me feel).