MUST HAVE CLEANING PRODUCT

Piggybacking on yesterday's SPEED CLEANING post, I thought it would be fitting to give you a little help in the product department. Standing in the cleaning product aisle can be intimidating. They all claim to do the same thing - so how do you know which one actually works!?!? Like I said yesterday, there are only a handful of products you need to clean your entire house; multi-purpose cleaner or glass cleaner, Clorox bleach or powdered abrasive cleaner, tile cleaner, disinfectant wipes or a Lysol disinfecting spray and vinegar. What I forgot to mention is that WINDEX should never be the cleaning bucket. Personally I believe that Windex might be the worst product on the market. It's too watery, leaves awful streaks and takes far too much time to wipe up slowing down the speed cleaning routine tremendously. So you ask - what do I use on mirrors and windows then? The answer and your cleaning lifesaver - SPRAYWAY GLASS CLEANER!!

Every household should have this product. I would trade 20 bottles of Windex for one can of Sprayway. Unlike other cleaners, Sprayway is a thin white foam rather than a liquid. It actually stays in place instead of racing for the bottom like liquid solutions. The foam also makes it very easy to see what part of the glass you've sprayed and what you haven't. It dries slowly until you wipe it with a rag or paper towel, then it evaporates with astonishing speed, leaving no streaks or film whatsoever.

Although it says 'Glass Cleaner' it works as a multi-purpose cleaner. In addition to my mirrors and glass, it works wonders on my granite countertops, to wipe down walls, microwave, fixtures, furniture, computer and tv screens, stovetop, inside my refrigerator. You name it and it works. It is ammonia free and can be used on acrylics, tile, porcelain and chrome as well.

You can find Sprayway at Costco in a 4 pack for roughly $7-8. If you aren't a Costco member (shame on you), you can find it at Home Depot and Ace Hardware in individual cans. If you want to buy in bulk, check out Ebay. You can usually find a 12 pack for as little as $2.40 per can. Still not as cheap as Costco but still worth it.

I promise you - Sprayway's versatility will change how you think about cleaning. I'll grab a can and a rag and walk around my house spot cleaning most everything in sight. My one recommendation to see fantastic results on mirrors and windows, no matter what product you use, is to go back over it with a dry rag to polish it off. I also recommend only cleaning with white rags. Another speed cleaning tip. They work great on mirrors, windows, countertops, dusting, drying off toilets, polishing fixtures, wiping baseboards - basically everything. Costco has a jumbo pack of white rags for cheap. These save on using paper towels and all you have to do is throw them in the wash with bleach for the next cleaning sesh. If you go out to buy a pack, WASH THEM BEFORE USING!