Life Tips > Products that really work

Tide to Go--This is amazing stuff!! It makes all fruit stains disappear, and even takes out some stains that have been washed and dried, but didn’t come out during the process. It is small enough to keep in your purse or kitchen drawer. it runs out quickly, but I figure it’s a lot cheaper than buying a new outfit! It is not suitable for large stains, and it does not remove blood stains. It is being sold in Japan, now--my local Seiyu carries it.

Clorox II--Is color-safe for colored clothes. This is what I use when the stain is big, or in lots of little spots, such as a table cloth, or blood. It takes out most all stains, including the Tokyo “gray” that all my curtains turn. I try to soak them all annually, or the gray becomes permanent.  Mechanical grease needs to be removed with cooking oil, first, then soaked in Clorox II to get the cooking oil out. Anything that the Clorox II doesn’t get out, I use Attack spray to finish the job. This is sold at Costco in Japan, and American grocery stores and Walmart.

White sponges--I don’t know what I did before these were invented! They are called “Erasers” in America, and they do tend to disintegrate quickly, so I don’t use them for normal cleaning. But what ever I can’t get off with normal measures, the white sponges almost always cleans, unless the surface is rough (it disintegrates before it can clean) or made of fabric. It can scratch soft surfaces such as plastic or painted surfaces, so do test it in a spot that is out of sight. They are great for stainless steel, tile, glass, wall, floors, etc. It takes off mineral deposits and scum in the bathroom, and oil build-up in the kitchen. Just use with water and some elbow grease, no cleanser is needed. Found at most 100 yen stores, grocery stores, and home centers in Japan, Walmart and grocery stores in the U.S.

Microfiber cloths--These can be washed and used over and over. Like white sponges, you do not need cleaner, but they still clean great.  I like to put them on my mop, not only for cleaning floors, but also for cleaning walls and ceilings.

Wave duster--These are statically charged, so the dust “jumps” onto it. The handle length adjusts easily, so you can clean chandeliers, baseboards and everything in between without having to bend over or drag a chair. I used to be against using disposable cleaning materials, but I got so tired of the triple cleaning required from living in Tokyo (dust, wash the cloth, clean the drain) that I became a fan. I also didn’t worry too much about dust until my children started getting allergies, and I learned that dust is created by dust mites eating and pooping. Think about breathing that, and start dusting! Sold in most home centers and grocery stores.

Reflector sheets--My foyer used to get beastly hot because of the window getting direct afternoon sun. Once I put this film on them, and it still warmed up, but it didn’t get hot like it used to. It tints the window gray, but you don’t notice it as long as the whole window is covered. I just used the kind sold at 100 yen stores.  Although the instructions say to spray water to make positioning easier, it did not stick as well to the window, and left bubbles. It is a little tricky putting it on since it is so sticky, and even the slightest overlap or gap shows up a lot. Home centers, such as Keiyo D2 sell larger sheets for quite a bit more. I have not purchased this, so I don’t know if it is better or not, but is probably worth it if it means you don’t have to patch it together to cover the window.

Mold Killer--This quickly and easily kills mold, as the name says. Just spray it on, wait 10 minutes and then rinse clean. Although it is a spray, it comes out as a foam so you don’t have to worry about breathing the droplets, but you still need to worry about breathing the fumes, so open a window and turn on a fan. I do not use it on the ceiling because it might drip into my eyes or skin.

Combat--This is roach poison encased in a plastic case, and as long as you replace it every 6 months, you will never see a roach. I put one in each bathroom, under all sinks, near the trash, and in some cupboards.

Vacuum  attachment--I bought this at a hundred yen store, and it works great! It cleans baseboards, under the piano and other low furniture, and in narrow areas like tracks for windows and screens. For tracks, sometimes it works better in combination with a brush (such as a used toothbrush) to loosen the dirt.

Oil sprayer--This is pressurized by pumping the cap. It allows you to spray your choice of oil onto pans, and you can refill it whenever it runs out. No aerosol cans.

Grapefruit seed extract--This is a thick liquid that comes out in drops, that is diluted in water, and has myriad applications. It kills germs and mold. I use 4 drops in a bowl of water to wash vegetable before eating them raw, I keep a spray bottle of water and 4 drops to spray on counters, cutting boards, the kitchen sink and drain board.  It can be used as a nasal spray to fight a cold, so I also use it to clean our air conditioners--it should be safe to breath. You can add it to the rinse cycle for washing clothes, and in the dishwasher--both helpful when you can’t use hot water. It is pricey--$10 for a 2 oz. bottle, but one bottle lasted 4 years, so per-use, it is really cheap. Found at health food stores in America.

Cookie scoop--This is definitely a luxury, but it has made baking cookies SOOO easy. It looks just like an ice cream scoop, but smaller. Different brands are different sizes, so choose carefully if you care whether your cookies end up big or small. Found with cooking utensils in stores like Walmart.

Silicone hotpads

Silicone pastry brushes

Baking Soda

Vinegar

   This is not an advertisement--I do not get reimbursed  for endorsing these products. They helped me, so I figured they might help you, too.