I remember growing up, my father always had the orange, gritty GoJo in his construction trailer. And at home on the sink, for that matter. Although he was a general contractor and not a mechanic, he learned from his mechanic friends how well the stuff worked, and it really did get the grime off. My mother loved that my dad no longer had grimy hands at the dining room table. Later, when I ran a horse barn, I used GoJo in the stable bathroom to clean up after riding or stall-cleaning.
GoJo has come a long way since then. In 1983, GoJo broke out of the heavy duty hand cleaner niche and created a new one- that of dispensers (which they originally patented in 1952) and sealed refill soaps for washrooms everywhere. From there, they set their sights on new markets and countries, and their products only got better as the years passed.
I was at the gym the other day (okay…maybe it was more like a year ago…) and in the locker room showers, I happened to notice that they had installed new soap and shampoo dispensers, which I thought was a nice touch. To my surprise, it was GoJo products. I say that because I had only known GoJo, up to that point, to manufacture hand-washing soaps and as the company behind Purell hand sanitizer. Lo and behold, they now had a line of luxury soaps for body wash and shampoo! AND IT WAS GOOD!
Since we sell them on the site, I figured I would try them at the house. Smart move! They last forever in a home, and the dispenser makes it so nice! I don’t have to worry about little slivers of soap getting underfoot in the shower and no more soapy residue under body wash bottles; hey, anything to make cleaning my house easier. AND they also manufacture body lotion too! And it’s just as great as any you get at the drugstore. It also comes with a dispenser, so it’s a cinch to apply! What are you waiting for? Go, get some GoJo and make life easier!
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: body wash, cars, garage, gojo, gym, hand sanitizer, liquid hand soap, mechanic, orange pumice, purell, shampoo, transportation
Every minute of the day that your local business’ bathroom is not clean is another chance to give a local, longtime customer the bad experience that will prevent him from coming back. Normally there is no way to tell whether you have lost customers on account of a dirty bathroom. In the same way that your business can earn a reputation around town, your business’ bathroom also gets a reputation that will stick, so to speak.
Walk into your restroom and try this exercise; can you wash your hands, dry, and leave the bathroom without making contact with any surface whatsoever? No? Well, we can help you fix that. First, use a wall-mounted touchless soap dispenser. Hygiene leader Gojo has dispensers that use factory-sealed soap refills. These are superior because they are guaranteed to be sanitary. Studies have shown that approximately 25% of open bulk soap dispensers in public restrooms contain unsafe levels of bacteria.
Next you’ll need a touchless paper towel dispenser by the sink. A step-on trash-can should be located right underneath the paper towel dispenser near the faucet. This way you can use a paper towel to turn the faucet off and throw it away, all without touching anything. You should also provide a small wastebasket near the door for those customers who like to open the door with a paper towel, so that they don’t have to make a prayer shot from half-court to throw it away. In the end it will create less work for you.
Don’t forget toilet seat covers. People use them, and its better (and more cost efficient) to have them available, instead of your customers wasting toilet paper. They will lay strips of toilet paper on the seat, and then it ends up on the floor most of the time, which means now you’ve not only wasted money, but the bathroom looks dirty and unkempt. Never underestimate the power of a clean bathroom!
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: Bathroom, clean, clean bathroom, paper towels, sanitary, saving money, soap dispensers, toilet seat covers, towel dispensers, waste
The big holidays are over, but other small ones are fast approaching, and this begs the question: How are you going to send home leftovers from that party and get your storage containers back? I hate sending leftovers home for just that reason, because those little containers are pricey!
Well, that’s an easy fix! Last year, I bought take-out containers. That way, I send home food so it doesn’t stay in my house and get tossed, and I don’t worry about having to go out and buy a whole new slew of plastic storage containers! And I really hate having to do that…
The beauty is, you can get whatever you want, for whatever budget you have. You can get foam food containers, in a one compartment, two compartments, or three compartments. You can get plastic deli containers or aluminum containers. Heck, you can even get foam trays and just use plastic wrap to seal it up.
Personally, I like to use the little Chinese restaurant containers for a funky touch, or you can get the paper food trays like they use at fairs and festivals. With Valentine’s Day and St Patrick’s Day coming up (my husband and his family are Irish, so we have huge St Paddy’s Day parties), I have to dig my containers out of storage for the occasion. That’s another plus! They last forever, unless of course you throw massive parties with 300+ people! Party on, and send home leftovers without fear!
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: aluminum containers, cooking, cooking supplies, food, food containers, food storage, fun, funky, kitchen supplies, leftovers, parties, party planning, planning, plastic deli containers, plastic storage containers, restaurants, st paddy s day, take out containers, take-out, unique, valentines day
We are living in a digital age, that’s no secret. Computers, smartphones, tablets, gaming systems…all around us are digital products that keep us connected. And have lots of power cords. Power cords are essential (obviously) and you need a place to plug them in. Unless you’ve built your home to include an insane amount of electrical outlets, that means you use power strips, otherwise known as surge protectors.
Power strips are great, and they come in many shapes and forms, but they too become overloaded with cords. The space between my wall and entertainment center looks like a tangle vine of cords that is just waiting to trap the cat should she venture back there. I keep waiting to hear plaintive meowing that we have to track down so we can rescue her.
In my bedroom at least, I’ve tried to take a proactive stand against cord overload. I’ve purchased two USB hubs that plug into my electrical outlets so that I don’t have to have everything plugged in together. One hub charges my iPhone and our two Kindles, and another charges my husband’s spare phone battery and his Bluetooth.
I know it seems that it’s still a whole slew of cords, but they are easier to unplug the cords during the day and I don’t have a whole power strip sitting on my floor that someone can trip over! And most of my power strips are what I lovingly refer to as Squidward, because instead of being a standard strip, it has five movable arms that spread out. For my electronics I have color coded strips so I don’t unplug the wrong thing, which can be bad if someone is playing a video game and you accidentally unplug their game. They get grumpy when that happens…
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: Bluetooth, Computers, electrical outlets, electronics, gaming systems, home theater system, iPhone, Kindle, laptops, movable arms, power cords, power strips, Samsung, smartphones, squidward, tablets, usb hubs, whole slew
Even though it’s a school holiday today, I thought that I would talk about the top five things that a teacher might need in their classroom, besides the mental strength to deal with children of all ages. Especially nowadays, teachers have to supply a lot of their own classroom materials, and that can get pricey.
Obviously, there are more than five things that a teacher needs for the classroom, but I’m going to showcase the most important, can’t-do-without items. Obviously maps, reference books, and other school supplies are essential, but a teacher can’t do without:
5) Grade Book/Lesson Planner: Whether its an old-fashioned write-in type, or a program on your computer, teachers MUST have a grade book and lesson planner.
4) Stickers: For immediate rewards and gratification, stickers are a must have. Children love stickers, and what better way to show them right away that they are accomplishing goals and doing a good job?
3) Awards: For long-term goals and achievements, award certificates are priceless. Its something that a student can keep with them through the years, and is tangible evidence of their accomplishments.
2) Basic Supplies: Pens, pencils, markers, crayons, highlighters, paper…need I say more?
1) A Sense of Humor: Let’s face it: if you can’t laugh away a stressful situation or day, then why bother? Being stressed in the classroom, or bringing it home to the family isn’t healthy for anyone.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: awards, classroom supplies, education, grade books, pencils, pens, school, School supplies, stickers, teacher essentials, teacher planners, teachers
Sometimes even with people we know and love, it’s hard to find the perfect present. I admit, I am not good at present purchasing. I just never know for sure it’s the right thing, or if they’re going to love it, or if I’m going to get the polite “Oh it’s great” statement with the slight eye roll that really tells me they think it sucks. I have that problem with my husband and son, especially.
My son wants clothes this year for Christmas (and iPhone 5 ear buds, go figure) but I want him to have more than just clothes to open up on Christmas morning. So, I was thinking to myself, What does he really like to do (besides video games) that I can get him? And then I hit on it: he really loves to draw. So I thought art supplies! Just a little portfolio with sketchbooks and supplies to keep him busy when he’s got time to kill at school or at home.
I didn’t just want to get him a sketchbook, so I searched through our site and put together a little grouping I think he would like. Even if he doesn’t use it at home, he can use it when he’s with his Art Club, and thank goodness he doesn’t read this blog! The cat would definitely be out of the bag! Anyway, I got him a sketchbook, some pencils, erasers, and a sharpener, along with the portfolio to keep it all in.
Sometimes it’s about digging deep and building a gift from a hobby that someone likes, or maybe in the case of a teenager, putting something together that has to do with a career choice they’re thinking of making (in the case of my son, he either wants to be a chef like his father, or a DJ). It’s nice not having to stress about whether or not he’ll like what I got him.I might borrow one of the sketch books and doodle a bit as well! Happy shopping everyone!
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: art supplies, arts, Christmas, Christmas shopping, ear buds, eye roll, Hanukkah, hobby, Holiday shopping, husbands, illustration, iphone 5, portfolio, sketch books, teenagers
I admit, I have a lot of “specialty” cleaners in my house, but that’s because I’m a product…um…connoisseur. Yeah, that’s a good word for it. I need a different cleaner for my bathroom, for my kitchen, for my floors…you get the picture. I do have some all-purpose cleaners, however, and when I use them, I am never disappointed.
There are a few you should be familiar with. One is Fabuloso and it really lives up to its name! A lot of “name brand only” people stay away from it, but it IS a name brand, and it’s been around for a long time. I first became familiar with it when I was a teenager working in a movie theater. We used it for everything. We cleaned the concession stand with it, mopped the theater floors with it, and cleaned the back room. Back then it was only available in concentrate, but now it’s even packaged in a ready-to-use spray bottle.
The old stand-by Pine Sol is another. I happen to like the smell, but some people think it’s too hospital smelling but hey, if they use it in a hospital, then common sense follows that it would work great in your house. Also, it comes in different scents now, and the old-fashioned pine smell shouldn’t be an excuse not to use it! I like to use it as a concentrate and fill a bucket of water with it. I use it everywhere. You just can’t go wrong with Pine Sol.
The last two all-purpose cleaners I’d like to mention are Greenworks and Method. Both are ecologically friendly with serious cleaning power. I admit, when it came to cleaning products, I was leery of going green because I wasn’t sure how good non-chemical cleaners could clean. Well, these two amazing products proved me wrong in a big way. Plus, their light scents make the house smell sparkling clean too! Fear not the all-purpose cleaner and embrace them! You’ll be happy that you did.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: all-purpose cleaners, cleaning house, cleaning power, Fabuloso, Greenworks, Method, pine smell, Pine Sol, specialty cleaners
I remember growing up, my father always had the orange, gritty GoJo in his construction trailer. And at home on the sink, for that matter. Although he was a general contractor and not a mechanic, he learned from his mechanic friends how well the stuff worked, and it really did get the grime off. My mother loved that my dad no longer had grimy hands at the dining room table. Later, when I ran a horse barn, I used GoJo in the stable bathroom to clean up after riding or stall-cleaning.
GoJo has come a long way since then. In 1983, GoJo broke out of the heavy duty hand cleaner niche and created a new one- that of dispensers (which they originally patented in 1952) and sealed refill soaps for washrooms everywhere. From there, they set their sights on new markets and countries, and their products only got better as the years passed.
I was at the gym the other day (okay…maybe it was more like a year ago…) and in the locker room showers, I happened to notice that they had installed new soap and shampoo dispensers, which I thought was a nice touch. To my surprise, it was GoJo products. I say that because I had only known GoJo, up to that point, to manufacture hand-washing soaps and as the company behind Purell hand sanitizer. Lo and behold, they now had a line of luxury soaps for body wash and shampoo! AND IT WAS GOOD!
Since we sell them on the site, I figured I would try them at the house. Smart move! They last forever in a home, and the dispenser makes it so nice! I don’t have to worry about little slivers of soap getting underfoot in the shower and no more soapy residue under body wash bottles; hey, anything to make cleaning my house easier. AND they also manufacture body lotion too! And it’s just as great as any you get at the drugstore. It also comes with a dispenser, so it’s a cinch to apply! What are you waiting for? Go, get some GoJo and make life easier!
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: body wash, garage, gojo, gym, hand sanitizer, liquid hand soap, mechanic, orange pumice, purell, shampoo
Few things in the cleaning world make me as happy as my Swiffer products. Seriously. I do a massive cleaning of the house once a month (no, we don’t live in filth at other times, I just clean with a lick and a promise the rest of the month) and I don’t want to spend all day long cleaning. As it is, I spend about five hours on that one Saturday a month, and my cleaning time has been cut in half thanks to my Swiffer collection. It lowers the amount of big cleaning ammo that I need to use on that day.
First, there is the original Swiffer dry sweeper. I would go around all of my floors with that. And every room in my house is tiled. No carpet here. THEN Swiffer came out with the Sweepervac. This I utilize every week and it’s wonderful! On my tile floors, it picks up everything that the dry sweeper doesn’t get in the first pass.
Once that’s done, I grab my WetJet. This thing is a god-send. It eliminates me having to drag out the big yellow bucket and cotton mop more than once a month, and if there is a spill in the kitchen (or anywhere else for that matter) all I have to do is grab it a press a little button. No filling up the mop bucket and slogging it around the floor.
The other items in my Swiffer arsenal are the Dusters and the Dust & Shine. I use the Dusters to get the buildup of dust off my tables, bookshelves, and entertainment centers and then follow up with the Dust & Shine to condition and shine them up. You can even use it on granite and quartz counter-tops Swiffer is just a lifesaver for me. Are you a Swiffer fan? If not, I highly recommend you become one!
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: cleaning, counter tops, dusting, easy, granite, mop bucket, mopping, proctor and gamble, quartz, quartz counter tops, Swiffer, tile floors, wetjet
There’s nothing in the world that smells as fine as white clothes pulled fresh from the dryer. More than colors, whites smell like…sunshine. The detergent, softener, and most importantly the bleach all combine to make the clothes smell heavenly. I never mind washing the white clothes.
Clorox is more than just bleach, however wonderful said bleach is. Just the bleach alone though does more than keep your whites brilliantly white. It disinfects, it kills bugs, and you can even use it in stainless steel cookware to clean off burnt on messes. Where Clorox brand shines though is in its other products.
Take the Clorox Bleach Pen. It does double duty as a stain lifter from white clothing, but it also cleans grout, caulking, porcelain, tile…everything! We use them at my house constantly (my husband is messy) and it never fails to do the job that I need it to do. I also use it on my fridge’s water well under the ice dispenser and it takes care of the buildup that I’m too lazy to clean every day.
Another line of the Clorox Brand is Green Works. A cleaning product that is affordable, made from plant and mineral based ingredients, and packaged in sustainable bottles is A+ in my book. The lack of chemicals doesn’t detract from the line’s cleaning power, and the products perform like pros!
Whatever your need – fresh-smelling whites, clean grout, or a green cleaning product, Clorox has a product that will work for you!
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: bleach, bleach pen, cleaning, cleaning product, Clorox, clorox bleach pen, Green Works, home, laundry, porcelain tile, stain lifter, white clothes
