Reviews

Clean + Green Review

I was recently introduced to a new line of products called Clean + Green. I’m pleased to say that the product I tried works. We sampled the Dog-Concrete & Grout Cleaner and were pleasantly surprised. We have a 110 lb. yellow lab and when he uses the bathroom on the garage floor, suffice it to say, the mess is plentiful and smelly. We’ve tried numerous products in an attempt to get the left-over scent out of the concrete floor, but have found they really just mask the smell for a short period of time.

About a week ago there was a storm coming and my husband moved our dog from his pen into the garage. The next morning, there was the usual mess. After mopping it up, my husband went after the can of Clean+Green. He followed the directions exactly, which were incredibly simple: shake can, spray on affected area, allow to air dry. The next day when I went into the garage to get something, there was absolutely no urine odor. That’s something I haven’t been able to say for some time.

Clean+Green contains a large line of pet products. In addition to the concrete cleaner, there are cleaners for carpet, wood & tile, auto, furniture, and cat’s litter box. Another great looking product is the De-Skunk Coat Cleaner. The Clean+Green website says the cleaners are “effective on any common household odors such as animal and people urine and feces, skunk spray, smoke, sweat, and food odors.”

Speaking of smoke, our power went out last week for a few days and we kept warm by burning a fire in fireplace. Even though my husband cleaned out the ashes, the ash smell has remained. I reached for my can of Clean+Green Concrete & Grout Cleaner, and once again, the smell is gone.

It’s obviously important that the products work, but the best thing about them is that they are safe for children and pets and eco-friendly. According to their website, “CLEAN+GREEN is all natural, non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, non-corrosive, and non-flammable. Per the U.S. Federal Regulations Toxic Substances Control Act, Title III, Section 311 & 312, this product contains no health or hazardous materials. It is perfectly safe to use around people and animals when you spray an odor source.”

I can only assume that their other products work as well as this one did. I know I’m sold. Clean+Green products can be purchased online at their website and in stores like Wal-mart, Petsmart, and PetCo.

[Disclosure: We received one free can of Concrete & Grout Cleaner to sample. We are receiving no other payment or incentive for this review. The links in this post are NOT affiliate links. Please see my Review Policy for more information.]

Filed Under: Reviews

Ecousable – How Do I Love Thee?

by Beth 13 Comments

I’ve gotten a little behind on reviews, so you’ll see a few of them here this week. I do hope reviews are helpful to you in that the goal is to let you know about products that I believe are a good value and good for the environment. For more information about my review policy, just click on the link.

A while back Ecousable contacted me to see if I’d be interested in trying out their stainless steel water bottles. I was recently livid disappointed with SIGG’s failure to disclose that their bottle liners contained BPA and was happy to give a new brand a try.

Bottom line: I’m in love.

All Ecousable bottles are made of 304 food grade stainless steel and the tops and sports caps contain NO BPA. One of my favorite features is the grippy black mat on the bottom of each bottle (my husband really liked this feature, too). These are made of non-toxic EVA.

The Ecousable bottles are lighter in weight than my Kleen Kanteen and that is a positive feature, in my opinion. They come in a variety of attractive designs. You can also order Water Wrapz in a large number of prints to personalize your bottle or to keep your hands from getting cold against the stainless steel. The company will provide one free Water Wrapz with the purchase of each bottle. If there’s one draw-back to these bottles, it’s probably the Water Wrapz. They look neat, but aren’t really wide enough to grip. My kids (aged 4), however, think the Water Wrapz are extremely cool.

Speaking of cool, Ecousable also carries “The world’s first BPA Free stainless steel filtered water bottle,” the Ech20. The filter is in the top and “removes up to 99.99% of pollutants for up to 100 gallons of great tasting filtered water.” The Ech2o also received excellent reviews from The Alternative Consumer and Lighter Footstep.

The best thing I can suggest is to visit the Ecousable website and check them out for yourself. I think you’ll be glad you did.

Discount: Ecousable was recently featured on The Martha Stewart Show. By clicking this link, you can receive 10% off your first order with Ecousable. They’ll also donate 10% of your purchase price to a clean water charity.

Giveaway: I am giving away 2 Ecousable bottles to one lucky commenter. I have 1 white 16 oz. bottle (the wrap will be different from the one above) and 1 18 oz. red Ech2o filtered water bottle up for grabs. I’ll cover the shipping cost. Just leave a comment below to enter. You get an extra entry for tweeting the giveaway (just come back and leave a separate comment letting me know you did so). I’ll use a random number generator to select a winner on Friday, November 20.

[Full Disclosure: Ecousable sent me a few bottles, free of charge, to try out with my family. Other than the free samples, I am receiving no compensation from Ecousable for this review, nor are any of the links to their site affiliate links.]

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: ecousable bottles

Unclutter Your Life In One Week: Book Review

by Beth 2 Comments

I actually wrote yesterday’s post, Some Thoughts on Clutter, a couple of weeks ago. I’d been thinking about my clutter and scribbled out the words by hand. Before I had a chance to upload it on the site, I learned that Erin Doland, Editor-In-Chief at Unclutter.com, was preparing for the launch of her new book. I really like the website, but didn’t know if I wanted/needed to read yet another book on getting rid of clutter. As I mentioned yesterday, I’ve read a lot, but still haven’t taken much action. On a whim, I emailed Erin and asked for a review copy of her new book. She kindly agreed and sent it to me.

Many of the positive things in my life have come about as the result of a whim. I’m so glad that I took the time to contact Erin. I found the book inspiring and, most importantly, do-able. Erin’s motto: simplicity is revolutionary. Clear the clutter so you can pursue what you love the most.

The problem I’ve had with many of the other books I’ve read is that the tone can be off-putting. Some authors attempt to amuse you and much of the time reading the book is taken up with skimming and skipping around silly jokes to get to the point. Other authors take a more therapeutic approach and try to assume the persona of a dear old friend who wants to counsel you through your issues with clutter. Others assume the reader is exactly like they are, and so they provide the one set of steps and tips that worked for them.

When I take the time to read a book about simplifying my life, I’m not interested in being entertained or looking for a friend, and the way my personality works and the way my life runs may not be exactly like that of the author.

Enter, Erin Doland’s book, Unclutter Your Life in One Week. This book really is different and if I’d found it first, I could have saved myself a lot of time and money.

What I like:

◊ The tone of the book is casual, but to the point. The impression I came away with is that Erin is like a lot of us — she once struggled with clutter, but has found a way to straighten it out. She does, however, realize that everyone has a different style and that what worked for her may not work for everyone. For each of the “steps” she walks the reader through, she offers several methods of accomplishing the tasks that are sustainable for a variety of personality types.

◊ The book is comprehensive. Erin addresses all three of the main types of clutter: clutter in your home, clutter at work, and clutter in your life. There are tips for reducing the clutter in each of these areas each day.

◊ The goal is clear from the beginning. When you reduce the amount of stuff in your life and streamline your routines you have more time and space for the things you enjoy. In the first section, titled “Foundations,” she writes, “Simple living isn’t about depriving; it’s about enriching. You’re getting rid of what doesn’t belong to make room for what does.”

What’s inside:

The book is divided into days of the week. There are 3 primary tasks for each day.

Monday: Your Wardrobe, Your Office, Your Reception Station

Tuesday: Your Bathroom, Your Files, Your Chores (Creating Routines)

Wednesday: Your Bedroom & Commute, Communication at Work, Your Kitchen & Dining Room

Thursday: Your Living Spaces, Working at Work, Your Home Office

Friday: Scheduling Strategies, Routines at Work, Living with Clutterers

Weekend: Taking Care of Yourself, Preparation, Making the Most of Your Personal Time, Vacations, Socializing

And finally a section on “Celebrating and Maintaining Your Success”

Throughout the book, Erin includes worksheets and charts to make the whole process easier. There is even a comprehensive list for both Fall and Spring cleaning.

This may just be the resource that helps me finally tackle my clutter. I plan to post periodic updates of my progress in hopes that doing so publicly will encourage me to achieve the goal.

If you feel at all overwhelmed by your stuff or if you feel like you need a plan to make your days run more smoothly, I can’t recommend Unclutter Your Life in One Week enough. It’s available on Amazon in hardcover for only $14.96 and the Kindle edition is $9.99.