Fibro-Friendly Household Products

General
1

Hi everyone!

I was surfing in the internet and I came across this very interesting article at about.com and I would definitely agree to it. At some point fibro symptoms can really make household chores difficult. Thanks to Adrienne Dellwo for the very nice article. She was diagnosed with Fibro in November 26.

The article list some products that can help you save labor so that cleaning the house would not be that difficult. The images may not be the exact picture, but they are just how they look for real. (just so you can visualize <3). Here they are! :-)

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser

Use to remove:

  • Sharpie pen from my wooden kitchen table (without damaging the finish)
  • Pencil, pen and crayon from the walls
  • Hair dye from multiple surfaces in the bathroom
  • Tea stains from mugs
  • Paint stains out of my utility sink

Swiffer Products

Adrienne says: "For floors, I love the Swiffer Sweeper. It has a cleaning head that pivots around easily. That makes it able to get around things, like the base of a toilet, and into a lot of nooks and crannies. That saves me a lot of bending over, which means I can do a lot more before my back and hips give out."

Shout Color Catchers

Adriene says: "They look like a dryer sheet, but you throw them in the washer and they absorb all of the loose dye in the water. Since I've been using them, I've only had one problem with color-run, and that was a new black sock that sat, wet, against a light-colored shirt for a couple of days. Otherwise, my laundry has looked great even when something has slipped past me. Every time I find a Color Catcher that's blue or black or pink in the bottom of the washer, I know it just saved a few items of clothing."

Grandma's Secret Spot Remover

Basically works to get rid of spots.

  • gets motor oil out of husband's clothes
  • gets kids' grass and chocolate stains
  • removes fake blood and zombie makeup

Adrienne says: "I use the spot remover all the time, but because it only takes a few drops, a tiny bottle has lasted well over a year."

Downy Wrinkle Releaser

Adrienne says: "It's really easy to make your clothes look better with this stuff. I usually hang the clothing on my shower curtain rod, give it a few sprays, and then smooth or gently tug out the wrinkles. It's faster and easier. My clothes may not looked perfectly pressed, but they come out pretty darned well."

Other Household Essentials

* Bagless Vacuum for dust allergies

  • Vinegar to deodorize and soften towel really nicely and

Adrienne says: " In a spray bottle, it cleans glass without leaving streaks, so it helps conserve your energy. It's a great option for people with chemical or fragrance sensitivities."

  • Color-Safe Bleach

Clumsy hands + chlorine bleach = disaster, so I use a color-safe bleach to keep things white and bright without the risk.

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I hope this helps. Keep safe everyone! If you want to read the full article by Adrienne Dellwo you may click on the link below.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com/od/Day-to-Day-Life/a/My-Favorite-Household-Products.htm

2

I bought a $50 steam mop cause the swiffer mop stuff really messed with me . I am super sensitive to smells.

Best thing ever. Just uses water and it easy to use and the pads you just wash in the washer and reuse.

I also use a febreeze laundry additive to remove fabric smells. I have a special needs kid so things get funky on occasion.

What else.

Oh, my fav short cut. I have really bad hands so washing silverware is impossible. I put a big plastic cup in the sink with soapy water and toss all my used silverware in it, by the time dinner is over it is full but everything has soaked off of it and it can go right in the dishwasher. Peanut Butter from the morning even is gone by the time I load the washer.

3

Great! Thanks.

4

I have the same problem with the swiffer mop. Where did you find a steam mop? Also, is it heavy? I have a chronic shoulder injury.

Also, does febreeze leave any kind of chemical? I am super sensitive like you. I had heard that spraying it on surfaces was affecting pets, and I want to wash all the throw blankets they shed on. :)

Thanks!

5

Any tips on oil finished wooden floors? I dont have the energy for hands and knees scrubbing.

6

Target. It is a shark brand. They often have a deluxe model at costco for around 80.

The febreeze additive i find at walmart. it leaves no smell like the fabric softener stuff or the spray stuff. It is in a dark blue container and you add it to the soap.

It can get rid of the mold smell from forgetting your wet stuff in the washer for 3 days in the summer.

7

I dont think the steam mop is recommended on all wood floor finishes, you would have to google the shark steam mop and see what it says.

8

I'm not a fanatic earthy person, but I do some reading when it comes my way. I recently found a recipe for laundry detergent. It's relatively easy, but it is a 24 hour process. It uses Fels Naptha (which is a bar of soap you get in the laundry isle). It has to be grated (looks like cheese), powdered Washing Soda, Borax and water. I spent about $5 and made 10 gallons of soap. I use about 1/2 cup in my large top loading washing machine. This is basically unscented. Laundry comes out not smelling anything but clean. To disinfect laundry I add 7 or 8 drops of "tea tree, essential oil" to my measuring cup with the laundry soap. Yes, it was work grating that bar of soap and it was a pain getting the stuff into the milk jugs and large juice containers I had saved, but now I have a product I like. As far as the containers go, it's nice to use smaller ones that are easy to lift on bad flare days. I can add scent by putting essential oils to a jug or by the load. Lavender is nice. If I get an oil or food spot on a shirt I rub it with a little Fels Naptha and water. ( But, I am definitely going to try the Grandma's Spot Remover). AND you don't have to make 10 gallons. I had someone handy to help me a bit. Boy, I'm glad I did it though.

I also keep a lot of hydrogen peroxide and vinegars around for cleaning. I used to be a real bleach freak, but when someone mentioned to me that you never smell bleach in a hospital, it got me thinking. Bleach isn't the only disinfectant out there.

The first website is the recipe for laundry soap. Second website is for more natural cleaners.

http://thefrugalgirls.com/2010/08/how-to-make-homemade-laundry-detergent.html

http://desiringvirtue.com/2012/06/eight-ways-to-ease-into-a-natural-home/

Happy Cleaning - Yuck!

L-Kitty

9

Hi One more mile. I have hard wood floors that are very used. Brand new when we moved here 26 years ago, but since then they have suffered. I sweep with a regular broom regularly or as needed. To get clean I use an old fashioned dust mop. I lightly use lemon oil or orange oil with the dust mop. Floors come out beautiful. I don't wash the mop head until it's been used several times so I don't waste the oil that's still in there. Using the dust mop is easy and fibro friendly. I notice that not all stores carry the lemon oil anymore. It's usually with the dusting products. Makes me feel like hoarding. LOL! It's a scent I tolerate well.

Hope you're having a good day.

L-Kitty

10

I use no-fragrence laundry detergent because IC made me super sensitive to anything with bleach or chemical in it (took me all of senior year of high school to figure that one out, blegh).

I use a combo of vinegar and baking soda for a lot of cleaning things. I have a garbage disposal, and man can they get funky. I found pouring a little baking soda down, then some vinegar, let it fizz up, then rinse, and the smell is gone. I also use vinegar on funky smelling clothing. I even use a mix of vinegar, baking soda, and dawn soap to clean the cages for my pet rats, gets rid of any funk (though rats are surprisingly clean little buggers). The combo of baking soda and vinegar is a great grease eater I've found, helps me not have to scrub so much and kill my wrists.

I've got a swiffer now and I love it, I live in an apartment and my floors are small and weirdly shaped. The swiffer does a great job. I am getting a steam mop though hopefully when I get married this year.

11

Maybe using a food processor type grater? Then wash really good. Not much would fit in my coffee grinder.

12

Thanks, Lyra! That is so helpful. I really need to get rid of my swiffer. It is way too fragrant!

13

What's the easiest way to clean tile floors? Would a steam mop work on tile as well?

14

The magic eraser sponge is the best thing I have come across. I have removed marks from the wall, soap scum from shower doors, and goop dried on granite counters. Talk about all-purpose! I just have to find a place where I can buy them in bulk so the family doesn't switch sponges on me. :)

15

I'm confused. What would be the purpose of grating soap? I am really curious about how it would be applied. (Pardon my fibro brain, please)

16

Hi Scribelle. It makes a detergent with fewer additives in it. Better for us and greener. The Fels Naptha bar soap has to be grated in order to make the liquid (really more gel like) laundry soap. Borax, Washing soda and lots of water are added to the grated soap. The mixture is left over night to dissolve, stirred (which I had help with) and then more water is added and it's all funneled into containers. I made mine the week after Christmas and have used it exclusively. I have months worth of it left. 3 adults in the house.

Oh, btw, it doesn't suds much at all, but definitely cleans. I do have to pre-treat spots though.

Again, if anyone plans on making this it might be good to enlist a partner.

L

17

Yeah, it's kind of a fun concept. I've always enjoyed a project here and there to distract me and this one has a definite benefit. Especially the $! I think I'll use the electric grater version next time.

See if you can get help if you plan to make it. The stirring especially. Uses a lot of arm work, which is exhausting for me.

L

18

I am saving for a Shark. I saw an add on tv yesterday. Looks and sounds great. After I get my kitty fixed I'm getting a shark.

L-Litty

19

Are there particular proportions used for the soap, borax and washing soda. (Also what is washing soda?)

I have been using Advantage cleanser, which is all purpose and can be used for nearly everything. It's wonderful and fragrance-free, but with meds coverage less than last year, I need to come up with an alternative. Advantage requires $$. :(

20

My husband was at Target this past Saturday and found a new alternative to Swiffer mops. There is a similar one called "Freedom" mop. It has a cleanser container built in, with a lid on top. You can put any cleanser you want in it. Finally! One that doesn't lock me into a certain cleanser!

The refill pads for the bottom are about $10, and can be put in the washer. Since they are so similar to dishcloths, I figure to try dishcloths or microfiber wipes that I buy at the 99-cent store!