I tried some Shaklee (and you can too!)
This giveaway is now closed. Winners (all ten of you!), you'll be contacted by Katie shortly. Congrats!
One of my readers, Katie Fisher, is a Shaklee rep, and she offered to send me a Get Clean kit so that I could try the products and let you know what I think of them.
I've never use any Shaklee products, but the company's goal is to make non-toxic, biodegradable cleaners that are gentle on the environment and on our bodies, and both of those things piqued my interest.
Here's what came in my box:
Shaklee's most famous product is the organic Basic H concentrate, which you can use to make several different kinds of cleaners. This kit includes three empty spray bottles (one for window cleaner, one for a basic spray, and one for a degreaser), a dropper for measuring the concentrate, and a bottle of the Basic H itself.
You just follow the directions to mix up the three different cleaners.
I wasn't sure how well these would work, given the teensy amount of concentrate, but so far, I'm pretty impressed. All three of the formulas work just fine, and given how little of the concentrate is needed for a bottle, this container of Basic H is going to last me nigh onto forever.
So, the cleaners work as well as regular cleaners, in my opinion, they're organic and biodegradable, and they cost just pennies per bottle. Thumbs-up!
I liked the laundry detergent (it has a great but gentle scent!) and it worked just as well as my regular detergent. But I wouldn't say this was as amazing a bargain as the Basic H concentrate.
The dish soap works as well as traditional dish soap too, but again, it's not as much of a screaming bargain as the Basic H concentrate.
Two of the products were items I don't generally use...dryer sheets, and liquid fabric softener. I don't know if it's because of the type of water we have, but I just don't typically have trouble with stiff clothes. So, I gave those to a happy person on Freecycle.
Oh, and I usually don't use cleaning wipes either. The ones from Shaklee are recyclable, in theory at least, (I don't think my area is set up to recycle them) and they're organic, but for environmental and budgetary reasons, I think I still would choose to use sponges and washcloths for cleaning.
I gave these a try, but I thought they were sort of annoying to use for things like cleaning bathroom sinks (I really prefer a sponge). However, I found that they ARE awfully convenient for cleaning the hard surfaces inside a car. Normally I use a washcloth and a pitcher of water, but these do make the job easier.
So!
The Get Healthy Home Kit I received is indeed very nice, but it's also a little pricey. And if you don't need all the different cleaners in the pack, you'd probably be better off buying some Shaklee products a la carte.
For example, you can get a bottle of Basic H organic concentrate for only $12, and you can re-use older spray bottles to make your bottles of window cleaner, basic cleaner, and degreasing spray (although the three-pack of bottles isn't that expensive). The one bottle of Basic H will make somewhere around a bazillion bottles of spray cleaner, so the $12 price is a great deal.
Appropriately enough, Katie is giving away 10 sample packs of my favorite Shaklee product, the Basic H concentrate (enough to make two bottles of cleaner, using your own spray bottles) to Frugal Girl readers.
To enter, just leave a comment sharing your best cleaning tip.
For an additional entry, go like Katie's Healthy Haven facebook page, and then come back and leave a separate comment saying that you liked the page.
disclosure: I received a complimentary Get Healthy Home kit, but was not otherwise compensated for this post or giveaway. All opinions are my own.
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Joshua's 365 post: Birthday Presents from Thomas
my best cleaning tip is vinegar and baking soda// it seems to clean everything having little boys in the house you get the nasty "public restroom" smell in the powser room. make a paste of baking soda and water let it sit on the base of the toilet for 10 minutes then spray with vinegar and wipe off viola no more public restroom smell!!!!
I agree Michelle. I too am not a fan of strong cleansers and all their toxic fumes. Baking soda as a paste is frugal and works just as well with some time and patience.
I use the same strategy in my preschool classroom!
Heat vinegar in a glass bowl in the microwave until just boiling and let it sit for a few minutes. Then use a sponge or rag dipped in the warm vinegar to clean the inside of your microwave, countertops, sink, etc. Eliminates a lot of scrubbing!
My favorite cleaning tip/product is homemade laundry detergent. I combinie two cups Ivory soap (grated), one cup Arm and Hammer Washing Soda, and one cup of Borax. I will often add a bit of Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap, because I love the various scents, such as the citrus orange.
I have been thinking about making my own laundry soap for a while. Yours sound interesting, but i do have a question. How many loads do you get with the amount above?
I still think the best tip is to try and straighten/clean as you go along. This is especially true for the kitchen. It cuts my major cleaning time way down!
I visited and liked healthy haven. Unlike you, I get very stiff laundry and I would love the powder dryer sheets! I love healthy softeners instead of the chemical laden ones!
You can also add vinegar during the rinse cycle or if your machine has the liquid softener dispenser, you can just put in just like you would store bought softener. I've never had any vinegar smell left in my clothes.
I've started using vinegar more as a cleaning product -- one of my favorite things to do with it is put some in a plastic sandwich bag and attach it to the showerhead for awhile to clear it of buildup! I did that monthly when we were renting a house with hard well water!
I use a spray bottle with half vinegar and half dawn dish soap to clean my shower. Works great and no toxic fumes!
This is a laundry stain tip. I use Brakleen auto parts cleaner on any greasy spots on clothes. Just spray it on the spot then dab with cloth and let dry or wash clothes. This can be used on any fabric even silk ties. I too like to use vinegar for cleaning and also in dishwasher rinse dispenser . I would love to try Shaklee cleaning products. Thank you for sharing this give-away......
My best cleaning advice is to start involving your kids while they are young. My preschool aged kids get a microfiber cloth and a bottle of diluted vinegar and will clean the whole kitchen. They love it and the places that I don't always take time for like the kitchen chairs get a great scrub down.
Vinegar soaked rags! Lay them over your faucets, shower heads, etc. Leave them there and they will remove the hard water stains.
I love how lemon juice removes stains.
Like the other posters, I use vinegar to clean so many things and to help get rid of stains. One of my favorite stain removers though is Dawn dish detergent. Spread a little on the stain, work it in with your fingers, let it sit a little and then wash. Most of the time, the stain comes out....am I'm referring to blood or buffalo sauce... works well on both of those!
I always find it a chore to wash dishes in the sink (thank goodness most go in the dishwasher!) But it's one of those things I find easy to do while waiting for someone to come over, usually to go out for an event. If I'm ready early, or if they're running a bit late, it's one of those things you can do for a few minutes and then just leave when you need to 🙂
Visited Katie's Healthy Haven FB page and Liked it 🙂
I don't love to clean. When I get home from work, I have enough energy to cook, grade papers, and do ONE little cleaning routine. I'm sure that I'm not alone here.
So my cleaning tip is this: divide and conquer. This means splitting up the duties across many days. This also means that I let my husband do some things too. He makes the bed and "tidies up" the house every morning before work, while the actual cleaning is my job. It helps me view cleaning as a more manageable task.
I clean as I go throughout the week. It's only 5-10 minutes a night, but then on the weekends, my 'big clean' is only 20-30. It makes it much less tedious!
I would love to win Shaklee products! My best cleaning tip......clean often. It takes so much extra work to scrub a shower every few weeks than wipe it down every few days after showering.
I've been really trying to make sure that I teach my 8-year-old daughter how to clean a house. So my favorite tip right now is to make sure that I calm down and realize that I probably "could" do it better, but it's better for her to learn how to do it than for me to do it for her.
That's a good point. It is so important that we teach them and not just do it ourselves.
I just got my microwave full of splattered, stuck-on food sparkly clean by microwaving water with a little vinegar in it and then wiping it down.
Well, I was going to suggest the ever-popular vinegar and baking soda trick--seems to work on everything and it's cheap cheap cheap! But I also have recently started doing a cleaning routine I found on pinterest, where you split up the cleaning throughout the week, so that I never spend more than 10-15 minutes on cleaning each day, and the house is sparkling ceiling to floor!
I love walking into a clean kitchen in the mornings... I guess my best cleaning tip is to have all the dishes in the dishwasher and the counter tops cleaned down before going to bed... it makes for a great next day! 🙂
I try to make sure the dishes are washed every night before I go to sleep. It's better to start every morning with a clean counter. I've considered trying Basic H before and you made me think twice about it again.
I love my kitchen scrape tool... It's a little square that helps scrape off stuck on food, etc from dishes & counters. That and water - to let things soak - work wonders!
My best cleaning tip is to use Citra-Solv concentrate in a small spray bottle for removing oily spots on clothing. I spray the spot just before laundering and it disappears in the wash.
My favorite cleaning tip is to use a little bit of baking soda on a wet dish cloth as a scouring agent for those stuck on messes that get cooked on pots and pans. It's super cheap and chemical free! It also works great for grease splatter on walls and counters. Another baking soda tip: for counter top stains, add enough water to some baking soda to make a slurry and apply to the stain, being sure to fully cover it. Leave the slurry for 10-15 minutes. The baking soda will absorb the stain (and may even change color depending on what the stain is.) This is especially great for tomato and juice stains that laugh in the face of your regular cleaner.
Does it matter what the counters are made of?
Clean something everyday! I find it is not as overwhelming that way.
I add a few drops of essential oil (in a scent I like) or tea tree oil to my vinegar & water spray bottle cleaner. It really makes it smell nice. The smell never bothered me but my family complained often & loudly before when I cleaned with just vinegar and water.
My cleaning 'tip' is to wear an apron! When on put on my cleaning apron (as opposed to the cooking/baking apron) I know what I'm supposed to do, and don't worry about getting grime on my clothes!
My best tip is leaving a container of wipes on the back of the toilet. This seems to be the only way to get the men folk to clean up after themselves. :/ Although not the most green tip, it save me time and energy.
To make it a little more frugal try making them with half a roll of paper towels and a bottle of rubbing alcohol. That's what I did with a similar problem.
I would love try the Shaklee products!
I like vinegar and water for cleaning.
To remove berry stains from clothing (color fast fabric), stretch fabric over a bowl and pour boiling water directly onto and through the stain.
Great giveaway! My best cleaning tip is to use baby wipes to clean the ceiling fans. They wipe off all the nasty dust and they are easy to toss plus they help keep the dust that makes you sneeze to a minimum.
My mom used Shaklee products when I was growing up but we've both strayed away for their use-an old neighbor was our representative and I guess when my parents moved, we didn't keep up. Anyway, maybe this will get us back in the habit.
My best tip is to have one main chore to do each day, that way housework doesn't get overwhelming. For example, Monday is laundry day, Tuesday is errands, Wednesday - grocery shop, finish laundry, Thursday - clean bathrooms and empty trash and recyclables and Friday I vacuum and change all the sheets. I know I'm a little late to the party on this one, but I've just enlisted the help of my twin boys with daily chores, like set the table and sweep up the dinner crumbs. It not only lightens my load, but also teaches them some responsibility!
I like to make sure that the kitchen is relatively clean before going to bed. I hate getting breakfast in a dirty kitchen!
Baking soda, lemons and salt. Amazing stuff.
I "liked" Katie's Facebook page.
I used to buy the latest and greatest cleaning products as soon as they hit stores, but since I've got little people in my house now I prefer using vinegar for cleaning just about everything. It is amazing on all types of surfaces and with the laundry, but my favorite use is as a floor cleaner because I don't have to worry about my crawler getting some nasty chemicals on his sweet little hands, which end up in his mouth. And it is much cheaper than buying chemical cleaners!
my biggest cleaning tip was kind of borrowed from an idea from rachael ray's "garbage bowl". i put a small box in the room i am cleaning and put all stuff that doesn't belong in that box. when i move to next room i empty what belongs and add what doesn't. having 4 children under the age of 10 this saves me walking back and forth to rooms!! 🙂
My favorite cleaning tip is to have my husband help me 😉 It sure goes faster with 2 people!
My favorite way to clean my kitchen lately has been homemade orange cleaner (boil orange peels for 5-10 minutes or use an old crockpot overnight) and microfiber cloths from the dollar store. I've found the dollar store ones from the car section actually last the longest, and I just toss them in the wash.
I freeze the peels until I have a big enough bag to make a batch.
Is this just orange peels and water? I would love to try this.
I love vinegar and baking soda and use essential oils to make everything smell great.
I like to use vinegar to get rid of the build up in side my tea kettle. Add a couple cups of cheap white vinegar and the same amount of water and let it sit a couple hours. Works like a charm!
I use a little vinegar and water in my 8 cup glass measuring bowl and microwave for a minute. Then wipe down splatters from inside of microwave in only seconds, looks like new.
baking soda cleans crcokpots
I liked fb page 🙂
i liked her page
my best cleaning tip it to always have baking soda and vinegar on hand...good for so many uses...i especially love the vinegar for cleaning floors, and the smell disappears after it dries 🙂
i liked katie's healthy haven facebook page!
Vinegar has so many uses. Also if you clean a bit each day, you don't have everything to do in one day. Just lightens the load.
My best cleaning tip is to enlist help from everyone in the house!
As many of your readers have said, plain white vinegar is the go to cleaner in our house!
I "liked" Katie's page of FB.
I liked the page (Johnna smith)
My cleaning tip would be do do dishes as soon as they are dirty. This is hard for me to do but I notice when I do it things run way smoother in my kitchen.
I find when I take 15-20 minutes a day to straighten up it is easier at the end of the week to see what really needs my attention and the rest of the house looks good and then the weekend is family time
I must agree w many below. Vinegar is an amazing cleaning product. I use it for everything now along w baking soda, washing soda and dawn dish soap depending on what I'm cleaning. I'm working hard towards removing chemical products from our home.
My tip is clean as you go - it is much easier to do that than to find that the house is a complete mess and you have to spend the whole day cleaning - ask me how I know!! Thank you.
Doing a quick clean up of the kitchen in the morning really helps me throughout the day, especially if I unloaded the dishwasher.
Have been meaning to share with you a frugal, eco-friendly find and this post reminded me of it! I just discovered "soap nuts". They were new to me but from what I understand, they are small nuts from a tree in Asia that emit soap when wet. I bought a large box from Amazon for about $30 (EcoNuts is the brand I bought) and I am fairly certain they will last almost a year. You use about 4-5 in a small cloth bag that is provided and that lasts for about 10 loads until you need to switch out for new ones. I do A LOT of laundry-we cloth diaper and do at least 10 loads a week and we still have a ton of nuts left in the box. I love that they are sustainable, and I buy a lot less packaging-just one cardboard box hopefully just once a year. They work great but don't have much of a scent at all. Some people are used to that "clean" smell (which is usually from fragrances and toxic ingredints) but if you can get past that, you will love them. Just thought I'd share:)
Best cleaning tip: spray down ur shower before ub get in to shower...the heat and steam will help loosen all the junk easily. Then whenu get outu can just wipe down VERY easily 🙂
My new favorite cleaning tip is to make your own laundry stain remover.
Mix 1 cup Ammonia, 1 cup CLEAR dawn dishwashing liquid, 1/4 cup baking soda, 2.5 cups warm water. Mix together into and old spray bottle or purchase one for around $1 at discount stores. Spray onto stains just as you would any commercial stain remover. This took out grease, mustard, ketchup, and chocolate stains for me! I sprayed them good, rubbed gently,
let it sit for about an hour then sprayed again and threw them in the wash.
Smells a little strong because of the ammonia, but is super cheap and cleans
great! (a bottle of Ammonia is about $1, small bottle of Dawn dishwashing liquid is between a $1 - $2. Be sure to get clear because the other colors can stain your clothing)
I love to clean with vinegar and hot water, too! It cleans my hardwood floors beautifully.
Also, with laundry soap, I use no more than a Tbsp for a full load. Way less than the manufacturer recommends, so one bottle lasts for months, even with our family of 6.
I love using natural cleaners. My best cleaning tip: To clean a dirty microwave, add 1/4 cup lemon juice to 1 cup of water in a microwave safe container. Heat on high in the microwave for 5 minutes, then let stand for 5 minutes. Your microwave will be amazingly clean.
Forgot to say, you have to wipe the microwave with a soft cloth. The mess should come off easily.
I also liked the page.
My favorite tip is to run a big sink full of hot water and add dish soap on cooking marathon days--plop everything right in there and let it soak. Give it a swipe when you need the bowl again and re-use. I have a dishwasher but this helps me get to end of a big cooking session without a mountain of dirty dishes waiting to be cleaned when I'm already tired.
I am on the same vinegar & Water page and do a little every day as many others. I try to sweep the kitchen floor everynight before bed so I start off clean the next morning. Husband knows I hate getting up to dished on the counter so he makes sure those are washed or in the dishwaasher and that the counter are wiped down. Makes a huge difference not to wake up to a mess.
Vinegar and baking soda can be used in lots of ways to make natural cleaners at home.
Hmm...cleaning tip...microfiber cloths get crayon off walls almost as well as a magic eraser. Also, boiling a little dish of water in the microwave steams it up in there so it's easier to wipe down.
My best cleaning tip is just to stay on top of your cleaning. I find it easier to keep things clean than it is to deep-clean. I've heard good things about Shaklee, but haven't ever used any of their products.
I don't want to win but here's my best cleaning tip: Swiffer mop handle with microfiber cloths. Put one cloth on the handle and sweep your floors. Throw that cloth in the laundry. Dampen a different cloth, put it on the handle, and mop your floors. Throw that cloth in the laundry. Put the handle away until next time.
My *best* tip is to not wait until things get too dirty/messy/yucky to start cleaning. Doing a little bit at a time makes the work easier and less overwhelming. Too bad I'm not very good at putting this tip into practice though, lol.
My favorite cleaning tip is on busy days and those days after working 12 hour shifts is I only aim to tidy up the kitchen in 10 min or less. I enjoy eating breakfast in a cleaned up area, seeing uncluttered and clean surfaces. Even if I have to jump over toys in the living room to get to the kitchen, it is well worth it to me!
White vinegar and baking soda. My all purpose household cleaners.
I use Swifter but without their disposable clothes. Instead I use a microfiber cloth attached to the Swifter when I want to pick up hair and dirt from the floor. To "wet" clean floors, I attach a washcloth with my own cleaning concoction (vinegar, mild detergent, etc.). This way you don't have to bend over or be on your hands and knees cleaning the floor. When you're done, just throw your cloths in the wash. =) happy cleaning!
I use lint rollers to clean lamp shades.
I liked Katie's FB page.
I always clean as I go. Pick up items every room you go into. I always clean up the kitchen as I cook so there are just a couple dishes to wash when I am done.
Clean a little everday, especially in the kitchen and bathrooms! It makes them sparkle!
I am always looking for chemical free cleaning products but they always seem so expensive in the store. I would love to try these, they seem really great!
I like to clean my wooden cutting board with baking soda (removes odors left behind by garlic and onion), lemon juice (disinfectant), and salt (for some added scrubbing power!). Sprinkle some BS and a bit of kosher salt all over the board. Then cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice onto the board. You can use the lemon to do the scrubbing; circular motions will do the job. Let sit for 5 mins or so then rinse and dry with a towel. Let it dry overnight then apply mineral oil all over to keep your board looking nice and new!
My tip actually ties in well with the Shaklee products - I love to buy concentrated cleaners and add my own water. So little product to store, and much more economical than buying pre-made cleaners. I used Shaklee a long, long time ago, and would love to try it again. I don't remember being able to mix different concentrations for so many uses - great idea too!!
I liked the Healthy Haven page too 🙂
my best cleaning? Use those white cloths sold in the automotive section of walmart to clean around the house (kitchen, bathroom, car, after the kids eat) then toss in the washer and reuse again and again!
Teach your kids to clean. Takes some time to train, but well worth it. You don't want to send them out in the world clueless! Let them practice responsibility at home.
Good one! My daughter is vacuuming as I type this. She started out doing "chores" as soon as she could walk. She's 11 now and a good little housekeeper. She also knows how to cook and loves to cook dinner. Cleaning, she doesn't like so much, but chores aren't optional in this house.
Liked Katie's FB page too!! Thanks for the great info.
My best tip is to fill a parmesan cheese container with baking soda and a few drops of essential oil (I use lavender) Shake well and sprinkle on carpets before vacuuming. It works well in the garbage cans to get rid of smells too.
My best money saving cleaning tip is to buy a foaming hand soap dispenser and refill it with Dr Bronner's pure castille soap in your scent of choice, I like peppermint. You only need 1/2 inch of soap in the bottom of the dispenser, fill the rest with water, put the pump back on and shake. Viola hand soap for pennies per refill. I also love using Dr Bronners to clean blood out of fabric.
Mim, all of a sudden one of my reused foaming pump dispensers doesn't seem to want to pump. Have you ever had this happen? Do you know how to fix it? I can't believe the mechanics of a soap dispenser could be all that difficult, but I'm stumped nonetheless! If I can't figure out a solution, I figured I was just going to have to recycle this dispenser.
My best cleaning tip is to use baking soda to clean a glass top stove top. I hated paying for the special glass stove cleaner, so I tried a bunch of things before I realized that just plain baking soda works!
My favorite cleaning tip is to put all the toys away and make sure all dirty dishes are cleaned up before bed. So much nicer waking up to a neat house.
I've recently been using hydrogen peroxide mixed with a little dish soap to get set or difficult stains out of clothes. The results have been excellent - even tough stains have been disappearing pretty rapidly under the onslaught. 😉
We get mildew on the walls because of how damp seeps through our windows. I usually use vinegar or tea tree oil to kill it but I hate the smell. I mixed vinegar with a little Mrs. Meyers concentrate recently. The vinegar smell dissipated faster, the mildew was still killed and the smell of the lavender Mrs Meyers was all that was left. Much nicer.
I love to microwave a lemon in a big bowl of water for about 5 minutes. Then I can just wipe clean the microwave and use that water for cleaning out the fridge, the counters, what ever looks like it needs it.
My favorite tip is to use newspapers to clean your windows. I am not sure why, but they leave my windows streak free everytime!
I would love to try the Shaklee Basic H concentrate! My cleaning tip is for washing towels. Put vinegar into the rinse basket of the washing machine instead of fabric softener. It not only whitens up your towels but it keeps them absorbent.
Vinegar and baking soda in the toilet! It foams up really nicely and after a good soak the toilet is really clean.
Likes Katie's Healthy Haven facebook page:).
I use baking soda and vinegar to get a sparkling bathtub.
Clean in short increments. It takes the pain out of cleaning if you just clean up after yourself and do it a few minutes at a time.
Best Cleaning Tip: I keep all my cleaning cloths and spray bottles of child safe cleaners in a carry tote. I even have a mini version of my carry tote with a spray bottle of water and a couple of rags for my little man. 🙂
A bowl full of water & lemon will soften & clean the inside of microwave.
I clean my windows and mirrors with a homemade window cleaner and a squeegee. I fill a 32 oz spray bottle with water, add 3-4 drops of regular dish soap, and then add a drop or two of blue food coloring (completely optional, but lets me see at a glance which spray bottle is for glass). Spray it on the glass surface, scrub with a microfiber cloth if necessary (like where there are sticky kid handprints or dog nose prints), then spray again and use the squeegee. If I try to just wipe it down with a cloth, I get streaks, but when I use the squeegee, I don't have streaks. And since this is nontoxic and costs almost nothing, I let my kids do windows without caring how much they might be wasting!
My best cleaning tip is to wash the shower walls while you are already showering!
I love reading everyone's frugal/non-toxic favorites! As for Shaklee, my favorite is the Basic H, too! It's great stuff. I love to use it with the microfiber glass cleaning cloth. My kids even like cleaning the windows and I don't have to worry about streaks or toxins. I did like the wipes for my younger kids to help with cleanup, but generally not a fan of "wipes." I favor microfiber cleaning cloths. I bought the kit and the only product I wasn't a fan of is the dishwasher cleaner, for some reason I just didn't have luck with it at all.
The best cleaning advice is to clean as you go, not letting things build up till you really have to work to get it clean. Like so many, I love my vinegar, baking soda and homemade powder laundry detergent.
I keep one basket at the top of the stairs and one at the bottom. Throughout the day I'll put anything that needs to go upstairs or downstairs in the nearest basket. At the end of the day I take each basket to the correct floor and put away the contents. This really helps with clutter control.
I use toothpicks to clean the small areas in the car 🙂
I love using enviromentally friendly products and elbow grease!
I don't have any great cleaning tips, but I recently got a steam mop and it has made cleaning my kitchen and wood floors much easier and almost enjoyable.
Count me in. I make my own window cleaner but have been looking for a good recipe for degreaser and basic cleaner.
My homemade laundry detergent costs literally one tenth of cheap commercial detergent (half cent a load as opposed to five cents a load). Recipe available upon request.
My best cleaning tip is having a routine. I always clean the dishes and sweep after every meal, if there is time. I wipe down the kitchen table and counters after I'm done. Before we start new projects and activities, we try to clean up the last thing we finished with. I always fold clothes at night in bed.
My favorite is drain cleaner: Boil a pot of water, and dump in a 1/2 cup of baking soda. Right before you pour it down the drain, add a cup of vinegar. The combination will unclog any shower!
I clean my showers with equal part mixture of warm white vinegar and regular dawn dishwashing liquid soap. It works wonders on soap scum!
My best tip is make your own laundry detergent! It only takes about twenty minutes to make, and it makes enough to last forever. It works just as good, and the savings are HUGE. I can't believe I got suckered into buying it for so long! I want all that money back!
How do you make it?
Wow, I've never heard of Shaklee or Basic H! This sounds fantastic!
Just went and "liked" Healthy Haven on Facebook. Thanks! 🙂
I like to cut up old t-shirts for cleaning rags. They don't give off lint and dry quickly after laundering. Would love to win the Shaklee!
I think that my best cleaning tip would be one that I just learned recently myself. I has rust stains all over my walk way from this wonderful (not) fertalizer that I bought. Well I discovered with just a little bit of vingar, 10 minutes of waiting and a hard brush. Those rust stains are gone...vingar is a wonder cleaner.
I think my best cleaning tip is teaching your kids how to help out. 🙂
We have a small lightweight vacuum that even my 5 year old can use. She loves to vacuum and that helps me out a lot!
Vinegar and water!!
Baking soda is a wonderful inexpensive yet non-abrasive scrubber. I use it on my ceramic top stove, pots and pans, and to clean my sink.
I use old fleece blankets cut up as dry dusting clothes. They work a lot like a swiffer cloth.
I liked Healthy Haven's FB page. Thanks for reminding me about Shaklee, I've intended to get some Basic H for a long time.
Magic erasers are my favorite thing for cleaning little boy dirt off the tub! And vinegar is the best cleaning thing around!!
I keep a cleaning schedule - each day has 15 minutes allocated to focusing on one task [vacuuming or mopping] or room [bathrooms or kitchen]. I set the timer on the stove and work only on that task for 15 minutes. When the timer goes - I'm either already done - or close enough that I don't mind adding a minute or two see the job done.
Oooh - a small sample would be great, since I've been intrigued by Shaklee for a little while. Since vinegar's praises have already been sung, I'm going to have to say that I *adore* how a paper towel soaked in lemon juice, left on tile for ~20 minutes can get rid of some of the gross hard water stains that we always get around here (these are serious stains, and had stood strong in the face of vinegar!)
My best cleaning tip is for really white laundry--even stuff that has gotten dingy. Use 1 cap of laundry detergent, 1 cup powdered dish washer detergent, and 1/2 cup borax in hot water for washing whites. Got it from pinterest.com/pin/231161393343725086/ and http://www.homemademamas.net/2012/01/dirty-little-secrets-how-to-get-your.html
My best cleaning tip is to use old dryer sheets (used multiple times) to clean hair off of bathroom tile. I don't know about everyone else, but there is constantly hair all over my floor. The dryer sheet grabs the hair easily (I just move it around with my foot). Great for when you don't have time to do a full clean!
To do my best to keep clutter under control. I have a habit of dropping stuff on the table when I come in and also taking off my shoes there. House looks so messy. So, if I take two extra minutes and put stuff away, the house seems so much neater/cleaner. Also, have a clean, sparkly kitchen is a must for me.
Thank you both, Katie and Kristen.
vinegar and baking soda to clean drains or just vinegar on hard water are my favorite cleaning tips. Make your own de-liming solution with 60 ounces water, 39 ounces vinegar and 1 oz toilet bowl cleaner. Spray on stainless steel, let sit, wipe off.
Just "liked" Katie's page. Thanks for the give-a-way.
I use vinegar and baking soda wherever I can, and I put things like cutting boards and my baby's high chair tray out in the sun to 'bleach' from time to time.
I liked Katie's page on Facebook 🙂
My best tip? Own less! Seriously, the #1 reason I am a minimalist is because I both hate cleaning and have a high standard of cleanliness. Having less =less to clean/care for. Easiest time & money saver 🙂
I put baking soda on my cooking range, spray it with water and let it sit before scrubbing all the baked on food off.
My favorite cleaning tip is to use lemon oil to clean glass shower doors. It does a good job cleaning and repels soap scum from adhering. It has the added benefit of making the bathroom smell great!
We cut up old cotton t-shirts that are beyond repair and use them as cleaning rags. Saves on the cost of purchasing paper towels and the best part is they are washable/reusable 🙂
My best cleaning tip - wash shower curtains in the washing machine - and then just hang them up in the shower to dry!
I do this. Just throw in a couple of towels. Works great.
I mainly use vinegar, baking soda and oxiclean to clean but I have been wanting to try Shaklee, especially their laundry products. I hope I win!
I use cloth diapers and sometimes my washer can start smelling a little funky. I add a gallon of vinegar to a small empty load and the smell is erased.
Vinegar, vinegar, vinegar...
Best tip is to not stress out!
I too love vinegar and use it to clean almost everything. I don't like dingy looking white socks - when they get this way (after being washed of course) I turn them inside out and they made great cleaning rags around my house.
I like using vinegar to clean my stove. It seems to cut grease and make it shine like new when I am done cleaning.
great give away!
I really love to use good ol' vinegar and baking soda ... with a little Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds thrown in every now and then for good measure!!
I love running a lemon rind through the garbage disposal (after using the lemon juice of course) to eliminate stinky odors.
I liked the Healthy Haven facebook page!
My best tip is to pick up daily. With a two year old, that's the only way my house survives 🙂
I love using products that don't harm the environment so I use a lot of vinegar instead of more caustic stuff, but Shaklee seems worth trying 🙂
I've enjoyed reading the comments. Like most of your readers, I, too, am devoted to my vinegar and baking soda, yet I still learned new ways to use them.
As I look around, it doesn't seem that I'm qualified to give cleaning tips, but here's the best I can come up with that I didn't see listed already: I seem to have acquired make-up brushes that I don't need or use. I put these in my cleaning kit and they're perfect for dusting little nooks and crannies that are too small to effectively dust with a dust rag.
Thanks for the opportunity to win. I have been contemplating how to clean a greasy ceiling fan and am wondering if that Basic H would do the trick.
I have always wanted to try this! My favorite cleaning tip, or maybe discovery, is that making your own is so much easier and cheaper than buying from the store. I use vinegar, borax, baking soda, etc.
Would love to give a Shaklee a try!!
I also visited the Facebook page; so I would really like to try it!
my best cleaning tip is to cut bars of soap in half. They sort of wear down into a cute square, easier for little hands to grip. And, they don't become so slimy when someone leaves it in a bowl of water. It's still slimy, just half so much.
What great products!
Use washcloths on counters instead of paper towels, saves money on paper towels.
I have two favourite cleaning tips: like many others I use baking soda and vinegar for just about everything, but I also use soap nuts for washing clothes.
Both of these have been great for my sensitive skin 🙂
I liked their page!
Always make sure clean dishes are put away at night - this means you can keep up with dishes all day long, instead of them piling up.
I don't have any fabulous cleaning tips, but I have to comment because Katie Fisher has my maiden name and I find it funny to meet people with the same name.
For oily stains on clothes, a dab of Dawn dishwashing soap on the spot helps to get it out.
My new favorite is vinegar... nothing earth-shattering here, but I use it as a rinse aid in the dishwasher, fabric softener in the laundry, and to clean the bathroom.
I'll have to try it as a rinse aid - thanks for the tip!
My favorite cleaning tip is to spray hydrogen peroxide on grout to clean it. Let it sit a bit, scrub with a stuff brush, and you have clean and sanitized grout without the fumes of harsh cleaners. I love it for the kitchen!
Would LOVE this win! My cleaning tip is that I do what I can picking up/dishes/laundry, etc. while I'm brushing my teeth. I don't need to watch myself in the bathroom mirror and it is short enough time to get the little things done.
I visited and liked their Facebook page!
I like to use vinegar in the rinse aid dispenser in my dishwasher. It works well, and is cheap.
My favorite cleaning tip is to use coffee filters to clean windows! Nothing else gets them so shiny.
I find for my bathroom mirrors, I usually only need a damp sponge, a dry towel and some elbow grease to get them to sparkle.
sprinkle baking soda on a dirty stove. use a damp scrubber to get all the gross off and wipe with a clean cloth
liked Katie's page on Facebook
erin neu
Vinegar for most things and toothpaste for crayon and scuff marks.
I LOVE Basic H and am currently out, which is not a good thing! 🙂 When you find out how great Basic H is for some many things, you WILL eventually run out! One of my favorite things about Basic H is that it's the best stain remover I've ever used, without a doubt. Just wet the area with water, add a drop of straight-up Basic H and rub it in. You'll be amazed!
Liked Katies' FB page.
my best cleaning tip is to use those Magic Erasers on hard-to-clean spots. The last forver and can get rid virtually any spot! I've used them successfully on my walls, inside the refrigerator...the list goes on!
I've always wanted to try the Shaklee basic cleanser!
I recently found vinegar works great for taking the blue/green marks from copper-tinged water out of the bathtub and sink - I sprayed it on, let it sit a while, and it wiped right off. It's also supposed to be good at removing hard water deposits.
I used Shaklee products way abck in the 80's...never knew they were still being offered. I'd love to try again!
My best tip is to clean as you go. I hate having a dirty kitchen, so if I clean while I'm cooking, it's not a disaster when we're all done eating dinner.
When baking or cooking, wash the dishes as you go...much easier.
my best cleaning tip is using vinegar to wash my wood floors.
Love the post about Shacklee....have often considered trying their products, but haven't yet, so I was thrilled to read your post! I would love me a bottle of the basic cleaning concentrate. I'm trying to simplify my life, ie declutter things like the number of cleaning supplies I have accumulated, and this seems like a great way to do it!
My best cleaning tip is for any type of food related stain....even berries, soda pop, baby spit up and diarrhea. I saturate the stain with Joy dish soap and let it sit a bit, then wash as usual. The stains NEVER survive this! I've been doing this for 25 plus years now, and have raised 3 children in stain-free clothing with this tip ! I hope your readers will find this helpful!
Thanks so much for such a great blog. You and your children never fail to brighten my day! You are certainly a blessing to me!
Wow, I haven't heard about Shaklee products in years. I grew up using Basic H for cleaning around the house. We always used Shaklee products because my mom thought they were better than store bought...especially the basic H. However, at some point they changed their recipe a bit and she liked it a little less. I would love a chance to give it a try as an adult...
I've recently discovered using a 50/50 mix of hydrogen peroxide and water for disinfecting surfaces. Counter tops, cutting board, toilets & more. Cheap & environmentally friendly. Also, I like how it bubbles & fizzes on certain things like drains to let you know it's killing the germs! 🙂
I love to use the squeezed-out hull of a lemon to scrub my wooden chopping boards, sometimes dipped in some salt for a little abrasive scrubbing power. Then I take the lemon hull and drop it down my sink disposal and it leaves a fresh citrusy scent.
I have an old farm house sink that I used to scour once a week. Now I use lemon/orange and cream of tartar to keep it clean longer.
My best cleaning tip is how to wash shower curtain liners! Pour 1/2 cup baking soda in with the load and use a normal amount of detergent, wash on warm with two towels, (i use a delicate cycle because it uses a set water level), then add 1 cup vinegar during the rinse cycle. Dry with the towels for 10 minutes on low heat to get the dripping water off. It works great and my shower curtain liners last a really long time!
My best cleaning tip is: sprinkle table salt and baking soda into your stainless steel sinks and scrub with a nylon scrunchy for a natural and very effective cleaner. Rinses very easily and deoderizes the drains.
Cleaning is so NOT my favorite thing to do! I try to do something everyday so I don't get overwhelmed. Would love to win 🙂
I've very interested in BOTH the Basic H concentrate and the Shaklee products!!!
FG - where do you typically purchase your Basic H?
How can I inquire about Shaklee opp in FL?
Oh I almost forgot my cleaning tip - HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT!!! I was buying Seventh Gen and you cannot believe the cost savings!!! Try it! THere are a ton of recipes out there!
Never heard of Shaklee till your post. I have been wanting to try non-chemically cleaners for awhile now and this looks like a good starter kit,
Include the whole family...my daughter is always very proud when she moves the clothes from the washer to the dryer. She is learning to help me fold the clothes too. It makes her a "big" girl even at 3 yrs old.
gloves - any time I forget, even when using non-toxic products, my sensitive hands rebel. As long as I remember to wear gloves, my hands are protected and I can scrub away!
My best cleaning tip: use less product. I only use about 1 tablespoon of laundry detergent and it works just fine.
My other best cleaning tip: just do it. I like to procrastinate it. But it's better not to. : )
My best cleaning tip is to shake out bathroom rugs. For some reason, my vacuum never seems to get it all, but a quick shake before helps.
Also, I "liked" the Facebook page!
OK...Those of you that try to stay away from chemical cleaners probably won't put this response on your top 10 cleaning tips, but....I love, love, love Scrubbing Bubbles! Spray, wait, wipe and you're bathroom is sparkling. I vaguely remember my mom using Basic-H. Maybe, if I'm one of the lucky winners, I'll be a fabulous testimony! If you can convert me, you can convert anyone!
my favorite home-made cleaner is definitely baking soda and peroxide mixed together to clean almost anything; like the tub, the oven, appliances, the sink, pots and so many more.
Mixing Dawn and vinegar to clean bathtubs, trash cans, and other places that you don't like to clean! It's the best tip I've ever gotten!
My best cleaning tip is equal parts vinegar and dawn and using it as a shower cleaner. AMAZING!!
My best cleaning tip is for hands! To get rid of raw onion or garlic odor on your hands after dicing them, rub wet hands vigorously over your stainless steel sink or faucet then rinse - it eliminates the odor completely!
I use an electric toothbrush to clean my bathroom fixtures. It really cleans the nooks and crannies.
When I can't get a tough laundry stain out with a product such as Shout or OxyClean, I douse the stain again with a pre-treater and then pour baking soda over it. I mix the two together making a paste that I leave sit on the stain for a few hours. I run it thru the washer another time, and more often than not, this method gets out all the stains my kids get it 🙂
I've started cleaning the bathroom while my daughter is in the bath. I'm in the room with her, so she's safe and I can keep my hands busy while I chat with her. I usually only do one task at a time... for example, wipe down the mirror and sink area one night, scrub the toilet another night, dust various surfaces another night.
I also use vinegar for most of my cleaning!!
I love the wipes for inside the fridge and car. Works great.
everyone is saying it but I switched to vinegar a while ago- and for most things- it really does work great!
I use a lot of hydrogen peroxide.....in place of smelly clorox. Much cheaper, too.
I am learning the hard way to clean a little bit each day. I'm finding it gets to be such a mess if I wait! Ugh... Off to clean...
Start the kids young with chore charts and your house will be much cleaner since they will be less likely to make big messes if they know they are ALSO responsible for cleaning!
The best time to clean your shower is right after your done showering. You are already in there and it takes just a few minutes.
I like the idea of buying a concentrate that makes several bottles of spray. I use baking soda and/or vinegar for so many uses, including laundry and as hair shampoo/rinse. Our ancestors managed without all the harsh chemicals. I would like to move more in that direction. Enjoy your blog!
Use whatever cleaners you have and finish them up to get them out of your house instead of keeping 15 bottles around.
My favorite cleaning tip is to use white vinegar to clean....I use it in the dishwasher, washing machine, in the sink drain .....gets rid of odors very well !
I just "liked" her Facebook page!
I liked her Facebook page yesterday.
Heat 3 c. vinegar then stir in 1/2 c. Dawn. Pour into a spray bottle & use on faucets, stainless steel & glass shower doors. Works sooo much better than the toxic stuff I used to use!
I make cleaner out of castille soap, Borax, vinegar, water, and essential oils. I keep this in a spray bottle and clean everything with it.
I love the cleaning properties of citrus! I use them to clean the food disposal as well as using citrus castile soap in many of my homemade cleaners. Plus, it smells great!
My best cleaning tip is to let your cleanser do the work for you. Spray the shower with cleaner while you work on the rest of the bathroom, and by the time you come back, the cleaner will have done most of the work, making it easy to wipe down!!
As a science fair project with my niece one time we tested various cleaning products and their effectiveness against E-Coli. I tried some of my homemade cleaners. The most effective cleaner (besides bleach - which I don't like to use) was Hydrogen Peroxide. Hydrogen Peroxide is cheap! I just put a sprayer on the bottle and use it to disinfect my kitchen. You do need to keep it in the original sun proof bottle however.
I don't use a lot of commercial cleaning products, but I'm crazy about Magic Eraser pads. We have hard water, and normally I would have to use a heavy-duty toxic cleaner, soak, and scrub to get my shower clean, even on a weekly basis. Magic Erasers remove everything in the shower with a single swipe and no other cleaners. I get a lot of use out of each one, and they disintegrate as I use them, so I'm not throwing anything into a landfill. They're also great for removing coffee/tea stains from cups, and a million other things.
The most important one for me is have a cleaning cloth for the kids so they don't clean w something they aren't supposed to use. And having bins and shelves to help teach your kids that everything has a place. 🙂 It's a work in progress when they are a toddler, but will be worth it as they learn to help clean house 🙂
A drop of Murphy's oil soap in my spray mop with some water. Love the smell.
I liked her on Facebook
Vinegar and water with a microfiber cloth works as well as window cleaner
Instead of toxic drain cleaners, I've been using baking soda, vinegar, & hot water to unclog drains in the sink and shower. Also, if needed, I use something called "Turbo Snake" to remove hair from drains. It's a coated cable that grabs a hair clog.
My best cleaning tip... only use 1 bathroom in your house!
My favorite tip is clean as you go.
I really like using water/vinegar/baking soda & lemons. I also like using the Method general cleaner (citrus) from Target as well. Olive oil and lemons work great as a furniture polish.
Vinegar always helps!
My best cleaning tip is hot vinegar in a spray bottle to remove hard water stains from showers, toilets and everything. It's not very original though as I scroll down the list, but it is my favorite. I shall be revisiting this list alot. There are some great tips:)
I have been trying everything under the sun and will definitely try this one as nothing has worked so far!!
I love to make my own laundry detergent, and I just started making my own dishwashing detergent! It has Washing Soda, Borax, Kosher Salt, and Citric Acid. Works great!
I "liked" Katie's page on Facebook. Thanks for the giveaway!
This one may have been already mentioned, but it's one of my shortcuts. Put a bowl of water in the microwave and "cook" for 2 minutes. Let it sit for a few more before opening. Remove bowl after a few minutes and all of the gunk and splatters should wipe away easily.
My best cleaning tip is vinegar & water in a spray bottle - I use it on our wood floors, kitchen counters, etc. I use microfiber cloths with just a bit of water to clean all surfaces & windows.
I buy Dr Bonners liquid castile soap for cleaning the toliets & tubs.
I also make my own laundry soap with Kirk's natural castile soap, washing soda & borax. We also don't use dryer sheets, but I've found a great alternative with these lavendar laundry satchels from Trader Joe's. They work really well and you don't walk around all day smelling like a dryer sheet.
Thanks for all the great tips in the comments everyone!
My best cleaning tip is to maintain a clean house, rather than have to totally scrub it over and over again! Every Friday I dust, vacuum, mop, and straighten up the entire house (all in about an hour and a half), this way, if there is a week where I'm not feeling too well the whole house doesn't go to pieces because I just cleaned it the week before and will clean it again the following week (not to mention put away things that are sitting out daily).