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Maggie
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| Posted: Jan 28 2011 at 10:26am | IP Logged
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I was wondering what are your favorite multi-purpose cleaners?
In another post, someone was talking about washing down baseboards...and how "heavenly" her home smelled.
With that being said...I am thinking of more "fragrant" cleaners...but I tend toward the "green" side of cleaners.
Sooo...what do you use/like?
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stellamaris
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| Posted: Jan 28 2011 at 10:32am | IP Logged
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Had to laugh! This is the EXACT question I was thinking of posting this morning as I wiped off my counters..I like the pine smell, but Pinesol seems a little chemically. I'd love a recommendation, too, for a fragrant multiple- purpose cleaner that is more organic.
It would be great if it had grease- cutting properties.
Great minds think alike, Maggie!
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Jan 28 2011 at 10:35am | IP Logged
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Love Mrs. Meyers scents and cleaners. I like the all purpose cleaner because it's very concentrated, so I dilute and it lasts a long time.
Short of that - it's vinegar here. 
Edited to say....sometimes the littles use baby-wipes on the baseboards just because it's easier for them and they don't have to spray, but for big kid cleaning, it's Mrs. Meyers.
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Jen Mackintosh
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Maggie
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| Posted: Jan 28 2011 at 10:59am | IP Logged
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We do a lot of vinegar and baking soda here...
But my husband winces when I do this type of cleaning before guests come...  I am used to the smell...but apparently, outsiders are not.
Oops.
A bit of an "Easter-Egg" aroma after we clean...
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Wife to dh (12 years) Mama to dd (10) ds (8), dd (1), ds (nb) and to Philip Mary (5/26/09), Lucy Joy (12/6/09), and Margaret Mary (3/6/10) who entered Heaven before we had a chance to hold them.
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Jan 28 2011 at 11:09am | IP Logged
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Maggie wrote:
We do a lot of vinegar and baking soda here...
But my husband winces when I do this type of cleaning before guests come... I am used to the smell...but apparently, outsiders are not.
Oops.
A bit of an "Easter-Egg" aroma after we clean...
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I know. Not the most delightful aroma!  I generally use vinegar for disinfecting....sinks, laundry, potties, in the rinse aid dispenser in the dishwasher...and use the Mrs. Meyers for the public scene...counters, walls, surface wiping.
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Jen Mackintosh
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MaryM
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Mackfam wrote:
| Love Mrs. Meyers scents and cleaners. I like the all purpose cleaner because it's very concentrated, so I dilute and it lasts a long time. |
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I love Mrs. Meyers, too, but they give youngest ds a headache. Well most scents. I can sometimes get away with a very faint Lemon Vebena - have to water it down.
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*Lindsey*
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| Posted: Jan 28 2011 at 11:20am | IP Logged
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You can add a few drops of an essential oil (lavendar and orange are nice) to your vinegar.
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Lindsey
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hylabrook1
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I'm very big on vinegar with added essential oils - doesn't smell like I cleaned the house with salad dressing.
Some things, I'm hesitant to use vinegar on. For those I'm a big fan of Mrs. Meyers; geranium and basil are my personal favorites.
Tough jobs demand Citrasolve. It's expensive, but that's because it is concentrated. A little bit goes a loooong way and you can dilute it as much or as little as you like or need for the job.
Peace,
Nancy
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stellamaris
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*Lindsey* wrote:
| You can add a few drops of an essential oil (lavendar and orange are nice) to your vinegar. |
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I did this and it worked very well! I mixed up some white vinegar, a drop of dishwashing detergent, and some pine essential oil I had in the cupboard and it is really doing a great job cleaning the counters and even the grease off the stove. I think next time I'll use orange. Had all the ingredients on hand, so FREE is GOOD! 
The vinegar is a bit tough on my (dry!) hands, so next time I'll use gloves.
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Caroline
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Jan 28 2011 at 1:27pm | IP Logged
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safeway has a "green" cleaner with a nice light lemon scent.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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juststartn
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I use a mix of the homemade variety.
Recipe #1 at this link.
http://tipnut.com/more-homemade-window-cleaner-recipes-to-tr y/
Cheap, easy to make, and best of all? No strong lasting vinegar scent (although I do like the cleaning/degreasing power of vinegar).
I use it on windows, the stovetop, table top (its an enameled steel vintage one), mirrors, counters, used it on pukey-boys crib last night...pretty much every where.
I used it on the outside of my windows when I wanted to get the years and years worth of blown on grime off (we live in OK fly country, lol). Worked wonderfully. I did use a squeegie thingee, as well as a lambswool scrubber prior to that. Worked SOOOO well.
Rachel
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Erin
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My family are big on No Smells, so my favourite multi-purpose are my Enjo cloths. Child friendly too 
Cuts through grease, grime etc easily. I'm currently working on a filthy lounge I was given using the outdoor cloth and having success.
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Kristie 4
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Vinegar- but beware if you have fruit flies. We had them bad one year downstairs and I realised suddenly that they were in the bathrooms and on the face of my cupboards- I had forgotten they are VERY attracted to vinegar spray. So at those times of the year I try to use Seventh Generation or the like.
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Kath
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I love the cleaners from Amway, they are green and have a lovely smell, and it's not as heavy as Mrs. Meyers.
www.amwayglobal.com/rogersunlimited
My cousin sells Amway products and sent me some to try, otherwise I would never have even known about them. I've found that the all-purpose cleaner works well on grease.
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Grace&Chaos
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How funny this is here. I just got my Melaleuca products in the mail today. I've been slowly transitioning to these household cleaning items since October.
I started because I wanted something safer for my kids to use in their bathroom (they are supposed to clean their own). My friend introduced me to these and so far I'm really liking them. They are concentrated so for example the SolUGuard Botanical is the first one I purchased and I just diluted the last of that bottle this mornining.
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I use spray bottles with vinegar and water and another, for the tougher greasier grimier things, with a little ammonia and water.
Neither smells great, but they get the job done!
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ctrivette
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Grace&Chaos wrote:
concentrated so for example the SolUGuard Botanical is the first one I purchased and I just diluted the last of that bottle this mornining. |
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That is what we use in the bathrooms/kitchen for disinfecting, but it isn't the greatest scent. For general cleaning that I want to smell 'clean' I like mrs Meyers...Iowa Pine or the mint from around Christmas. If it is everyday and I just want it clean but don't care about a great scent, I use Melaleuca's basic cleaner. Doesn't smell bad, just not good either.
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Becky Parker
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What do you use on granite counter tops? I know they are very popular now. In the kitchen I still have old formica that I use vinegar/water or just dish soap to clean. But we redid our bathroom last year and the counter is granite. I'm afraid to use anything but water, but in a bathroom I sort of feel like I should be using some sort of cleanser.
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JodieLyn
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small warning.. if you use ammonia, don't use it on anything with a waxed finish.. it strips wax.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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oh and if you're using essential oils for scent.. balsam fir is a nice "pine" type scent.
And eucalyptus and lavender and tea tree all are antiseptic to some extent.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Favorite Multi-Purpose Cleaners?
