So... How Come Nobody Ever Told Me?

I recently received an interesting e-mail that was all about the amazing benefits of dryer sheets. Apparently they are the best thing since sliced bread and applesauce, so how come nobody ever told me? I've always thought that dryer sheets were only for sticking in the dryer (when you remember) and then falling out as you retrieve your clothes only to end up on your bathroom floor to get stepped on or stuck in your pants to give you a nice surprise when you put them on! Little did I know that I should be using dryer sheets in every room of my house, my car, in my clothes (on purpose), in the yard, and in my sink!


Anyway, I'm not sure how many of these I actually believe, but I think I'm going to try a bunch out just to see. (I still think this might be a conspiracy from the Bounce company to sell more dryer sheets, but oh well). Have you tried any? What works and doesn't work for you?

1. It will chase ants away when you lay a sheet near them. It also repels mice. (Yeah right! I tried this with the nasty ants in our kitchen yesterday and they walked all over it... the best thing was to spray the little buggers.)

2. Spread sheets around foundation areas, or in trailers, or cars that are sitting and it keeps mice from entering your vehicle. (Can't say I've ever had mice in my car...)

3. It takes the odor out of old books and photo albums. (Mmm... I love the smell of old books!)

4. It repels mosquitoes. Keep a sheet in your pocket or belt loop. (I tried this, and I'm not sure if it worked since I still got bit, but I think I got bit less than I would have otherwise).

5. Eliminate static electricity from your tv or computer screen. (well, it eliminated the dust on my tv, I'm not sure about the static)

6. Clean shower doors with a sheet to dissolve soap scum. (I have a shower curtain, will that work?)

7. Put a sheet in your vacuum cleaner. (I assume that means the bag- I'll be trying this since our vacuum smells like vomit- don't ask because I don't know why!)

8. Freshen your car by putting a sheet under you car seat. (Ok, I can see how that would work- I'll try as soon as I remember to bring a dryer sheet to the ar).

9. Put a sheet in your luggage before storing to prevent musty suitcases.

10. Clean baked-on foods from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in a pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti-static agent apparently weakens the bond between food and the pan. (Hmm... I've found that DISH SOAP does the same thing, but what do I know).

11. Put a sheet in your pocket to keep bees/yellow jackets away.

12. Deodorize shoes or sneakers by placing a sheet in them overnight. (Worth a try for any stinky shoe).

13. Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering. A used sheet of Bounce will collect sawdust like a tack cloth. (next time I get out the drill I'll let you know)

14. Collect cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet will magnetically attract all the loose hair. (Getting rid of the cat can work too...)

Well, there are more, but you get the idea. If you happen to try any out let me know. Maybe I'm too cynical for my own good, but maybe I just feel silly for actually throwing away these magical little dryer sheets.

A Cleaner Home

It's fun to get excited to clean your home when you have some fun toys to play with along the way! I don't particularly like cleaning my home day after day, but there are certain things that make cleaning just a little bit better.

My favorite new cleaning product is the Swiffer WetJet. I've struggled for 7 years of marriage with an uncooperative mop that I always had to talk myself into using, and once I did use it all it would do was push the dirt around and get hair on it- yuck! I hated using it, filling up a bucket with PineSol (the smell of which would knock out a baby seal), pushing around dirty suds on the floor, then cleaning off the mop head again and again without it ever getting really clean. Sigh. Enter my WetJet. I know it sounds lame, but what I really wanted for Valentine's Day was a new mop! Hubby wouldn't let me call it a Valentine's Day present, but I got one anyway so I was happy. The best thing about the WetJet is that you just stick on the pad and you're ready to go. You spray, mop, then throw away the pad and you're all done- and the smell is very pleasant and not too strong.

Ok, now for the fun cleaning giveaways that are going on!
7th Generation Cleaning Products- I've started to want to become more "green" lately and these natural cleaning products sound perfect for me. They offer a wide range of products including Carpet Spot & Stain Remover, Kitchen Cleaner, Natural All Purpose Cleaner, Natural Glass & Surface Cleaner, Tub & Tile Cleaner as well as laundry and dish washing products. With my son and dog around most of the time when I clean, I would feel a lot safer getting a great clean without the harsh chemicals. Go to Shake the Salt to sign up for this giveaway but hurry it ends June 22!

Hoover Carpet Cleaner Platinum Collection- One way to make your house feel clean and fresh is to have the carpets nice and clean, but with husbands, kids, and dogs running around all the time it can be hard to find the time and money for someone to come clean your carpets. So your nice cream carpet is now a nice beige carpet in spots, but still really nice under the couch. Enter the Hoover Carpet Cleaner. You can own your very own amazing carpet cleaner for all those spills, mud tracks, footprints, etc. that add up over the year on your carpet. 3 Kids and Us is giving away one Hoover Platinum Collection Carpet Cleaner. You can also check out other Hoover Platinum products by going to their site. Hurry the giveaway ends June 29!

Dyson DC25 All Floors Vacuum- A great lightweight vacuum with the Dyson ball that turns with just a turn of the wrist. It also is designed to trap microscopic allergens and remove dirt and pet hair from your carpets. It is certified asthma and allergy friendly and will leave your air and house nice and clean. Go over to Mommy Goggles and check out this awesome giveaway! Contest ends on July 11.