Eco- Friendly Cleaning products that really work: Better Life Giveaway

With all the cleaning products claiming to be "Green" that have been popping up all over the place the last few years, it is hard to know what is really green and what really works. I have had the chance to try out the Better Life’s starter kit over the past couple weeks; Which includes four great eco-friendly cleaning products, loofah sponges and an euro sponge ... I am truly impressed. Not only are they green they actually work.


Since none of their products contain any sulfates, ethoxylates, fragrances, dyes, glycol ethers or alcohols there is no need to worry about breathing in harmful chemicals as we clean and it is safe for the kids to get into the action.

You may have heard me complain a time or two that I am so busy between taking care of my children, working and trying to keep up with my blogging. In all honesty, I have falling short in the house cleaning department as of late... I barely have time to shower much less clean one. 

The Clary Sage and Citrus whatEVER! Spray Cleaner is great because I can use it on almost anything. I have used it all over from my kitchen, bathroom and even inside my car... and it has cleaned everything that I have thrown at it. The scent is very pleasent and light not overpowering at all unlike most cleaners.

Another product that I really like is Simply Floored,  It works great removing all the nastiness from my laminate floors without having to get on my hands and knees to scrub the gunk by hand. I have always hated the smell of most floor cleaners, the strong scents make me sick and give me migranes. Simply Floored is unscented so I can have a clean floor without the headache.. literally.

We used the I Can See Clearly, WOW! window cleaner on the windsheild of both of our vehicles and it has clearly made a difference. Before it was streaked and the glare from oncoming traffic while driving at night was unbearable, now we can actually see and without the glare.

The last product that we recieved was Even the Kitchen sink it is a naturally powerful gentle cleaning scrubber works that works on tubs, tile and grout, toilet bowls, shower doors, ceramic, stovetops, glass cooktops, stainless steel sinks, porcelain, enamel, stone, cultured marble, non-polished solid countertops, & laminate. I have not really used this product but my husband  has used it to clean the toilet and bathroom sink. I can not really comment on the ease of use myself but I can say that their is no residue left behind and our toilet looks almost like new.

I really really love the collapsible 6 compartment cleaning caddy that the products arrived in as well, it makes lugging the products around so much easier and would be perfect for someone who cleans houses for a living. If I had the money I would buy one for everyone I know!

Well I may not be able to buy one for everyone I know... However, thanks to Jim from Better life I will have the opportunity to give one away to one of you!

To Enter: Visit either CleanHappens.com or  Better Life's Youtube page and  comment here with something you have either learned or a product you would be interested in trying.

Extra Entries: Leave a comment for each.

1. Subscribe to the Better life Youtube page or follow CleanHappens on Twitter +1 each.

2. *New* Subscribe to get Angela's Bits updates in your inbox +2

3. Subscribe to my blog via RSS feed +1

4. Follow me on google friend connect +1

5. Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post +3 entries

6. Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway +1 daily By either copying the message I have provided below, using the share option at the bottom of this post, or create your own.

RT: I just entered to win a Better Life starter kit full of eco-friendly cleaning products from @cleanhappens and @angelasbits http://bit.ly/alugY7  Giveaway ends 03/14

7. Spread the word about this giveaway online (leave a link to where ) +1 ea.


Gieaway open to U.S residents only. Winners will be selected via random.org and will be contacted via email along with being posted in the Winners thread . Email address must be posted in your blogger profile OR you must post it with your entry. Winners must respond to email notification within 48 hrs or another winner will be chosen. Sponsor is responsible for prize fulfillment, please allow 30 days for delivery

Good Luck!

Disclosure: I was provided with free products to review as stated above, I was under no obligation to review them if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product. Furthermore, the experiences/ opinions posted above are that of my own, your experience with these products my vary.

CSN Stores Review

You may remember me telling you a few weeks back about how excited I was that I was going to do a review for CSN Stores.com.  CSN Stores offers a large selection of items for most home and office goods and with over 200 stores and products ranging from kids bedding to Barstools it was very hard for me to choose which item I wanted to review.

I decided to go with a new desk because I had wanted one for some time. My small workstation that I have been using... just wasn't working.

I quickly found what I was looking for at CSN.com... A beautiful, modern desk that has plenty of room for writing as well as holding all my necessary materials. 

Z-Line Designs Manhattan Computer Desk: Product Overview

•Contemporary black glossy powder coat frame with chrome accents

•6mm / 5mm black tempered glass for safety


•Chrome cylinder glass supports


•Pullout keyboard tray with room for a mouse


•Spacious desktop workspace


•Ships ready to assemble


•Product Dimensions: 33.5”W x 21.5“D x 58”H



It arrived fairly quickly in a matter of 3-4 days and was extremely quick and easy to put together.  We managed to have the whole thing set up in less than 30 minutes and the majority of that time was deciding on where to put it.

When I was ordering the desk I was a little leery about it's sturdiness since it  is made of glass but it actually seems quite durable and I believe it will last a long time. The List Price of this desk is: $200.00 but CSN is selling it for $65.99 with free shipping and it is worth every penny. I have purchased more expensive poorly made desk in the past and they have not stood the test of time.


No matter if it's a piece of furniture or an appliance that you're looking for, you should check for it at CSN  first, as there's a good chance that they carry it and at a fair price.



Disclosure: CSN Stores provided me with free product to review, I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product. Furthermore, the experiences/ opinions posted above are that of my own, your experience with this product my vary.

Smelly Towel Review and Giveaway

Sometimes my towels end up with a strange smell, they don't seem to be completely clean, even when I know they are. Who wants to take a shower  and have to dry off with a towel that stinks? I know I don't.

I thought that I was the only one with stinky smelly towels but after a quick google search, I found that was not the case.I recently had the opportunity to review a great new product called Smelly Towel. Smelly Towel Cleaner is designed to remove odors from towels and laundry. The first thing I noticed upon opening the bottle was the fresh citrus scent.

I had a big pile of towels waiting to be cleaned (like always) so I put it to the test. I loaded up the old washing machine with towels along with 1 tbsp of Smelly Towel. When the towels came out, they smelled fresh.  To use Smelly Towel, you just use it in place of your regular detergent and run the washing machine on the hot water cycle. For the more extreme cases, you can soak your laundry for up to two hours.

Why do Towels Smell?:

"Overuse of detergents, using fabric softener and/or using only low water temperatures for washing will cause odor in your washer.  The odor-causing residue and mold spores are transferred to towels and clothing and are impossible to remove until the washer has been cleaned. Towels are more plush than clothing therefore absorb more mold spores.  Also, towels are used near the face and when wet so odor is noticed more."

 Why Smelly Towel  may be your solution

It is designed to remove mold spores from towels and clothing so they not only smell clean, they are clean.

 About Smelly Towel

Smelly Towels is made by Smelly washer and  like Smelly Washer, Smelly Towel is an all natural powder. The difference between the products is..."Smelly Washer Cleaner is for an empty washer and Smelly Towel is for a washer with towels and clothing in it. In short, Smelly Towel Cleaner was made specifically for towels and clothing".

 Where to purchase Smelly Towel

Unfortunately, Smelly Towel is not yet available for sale yet, it will be soon.... But fortunately one of you will have the opportunity to win  your own  bottle, before it available for sale.

 Giveaway

Mandatory  entry: Visit Smelly Washer and tell me either something you learned from the site, or leave a comment telling me a smelly laundry story. If you do both, you'll get two entries. (make sure to leave a separate comment for each.

EXTRA ENTRIES: Leave a comment for each.


1.follow Smelly Washer on Twitter @smellywasher
2.Subscribe to my blog via RSS feed +1
3.Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post +3 entries
4.Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway +1 daily

RT: Win a bottle of Smelly Towel and make Smelly Towels a thing of the past! @smellywasher! http://tinyurl.com/yzrtsql Last day to Enter!!

5. leave a comment on any non-giveaway post. +1
6.Follow my blog on friend connect +1

Open to  U.S residents only, Giveaway Starts 01/15/10 and ends 01/24/10 at 11:59 pm est.

 

Disclosure: Smelly Washer  provided me with samples to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product. Furthermore, the experiences/ opinions  posted above are that of my own, your experience with this product my vary.

ECOBAGS Review

 About EcoBags

Eco-Bags Products, Inc. opened for business in 1989 with a simple goal; to produce quality bags at great prices so that "Reusable becomes a way of life." We started with the ECOBAGS^® Brand Classic String Bag, a simple lightweight, expandable daily tote used in Europe for generations, long before paper and plastic bags.

We introduced our bags at the 1990 Earth Day celebration on Sixth Avenue in New York City. The bags were a hit. We sold out in four hours. Now, we carry a complete line of ECOBAGS^® Brand bags in natural and certified organic cotton, recycled cotton and hemp/cotton blends. 

We are all aware of the need to take better care of our planet, by using less and recycling more... Now, I am not the greenest  person by far, but I am a firm believer that every little bits helps; By using reusable bags we can do our part. 

I was recently given the opportunity to review a Classic String bag from ECOBAGS, similar to the ones pictured above.  I am fairly impressed by the sturdiness of the product, I was able to stuff it full with items with no worries on it breaking.  

I think that this would be a great bag to take to the beach, you could safely fit a couple towels, swimsuit, sunblock and bottle water into this bag. With its string design you would not have to worry about bringing the sand home with you, because it would simply fall out.

Not a fan of the string design? No worries they carry a large variety of products on their website, I am sure you could find one to suit your taste.

ECOBAGS^® Brand products can be found in many natural foods, gourmet, eco, grocery and drug stores or online at ECOBAGS.COM

Special savings, from now until 12/31/09 you can save 20% of your entire purchase at EcoBags.com 
by using the promo code.   FF09 at check out! 

ecostore usa *Giveaway*

I have had the pleasure of trying two fabulous, eco-friendly products from ecostore USA recently. I love the fact that all their products are all natural and contain "No Nasty Chemicals", matter of fact that is the ecostore philosophy and the foundation of their entire product line.

The first product I used was the liquid laundry. I was a little taken back by the small awkward bottle at first, but after reading the directions, I could see why. With my regular laundry soap, I need a full cup to get my laundry clean, With Liquid laundry it only takes    2-3  tbsp. due to it being heavily concentrated.

The scent is light and fresh, and smelled slightly of citrus, unlike the heavily perfumed laundry detergent, I am accustomed to. Which makes this product great for those of us with sensitive skin. Overall, I was quite pleased with liquid laundry my clothes came out of the washer, fresh and clean.

Liquid Laundry is composed of "100% certified organic eucalyptus oil and other plant based products." Which can be easily found on their website.

I also had the opportunity to try the Pure Oxygen Whitener, the first thing I noticed that like the laundry liquid it had a light, fresh citrus scent. My husband is a mechanic that comes home with nasty, smelly socks, I have tried many products to try to get the oil stains out, to no avail. I decided that these nasty little things would be the ultimate test.

I left the laundry soaking in the whitener overnight and seen a huge improvement in brightness. While it did not necessarily take all of the motor oil stains out of my husbands socks, nothing really had in the past either. In my opinion this whitener works as good as the leading brands, without the mess.

                                                WIN IT!

                                              Enter to win: 
          one $25.00 ecommerce Gift Certificate to be used at ecostore USA.


Main Entry: Visit the online store at ecostore USA and choose one product that you would like to purchase with this $25 gift certificate, then come back here and tell which one.



Extra Entries: 

1. leave a comment on any non-giveaway review post. +1
2.Follow my blog on friend connect +1
3.Subscribe to my blog via RSS feed +1
4.Grab my new button or my birthday bash button +1 each
5.Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post +3 entries
6.Follow me on twitter and tweet about the giveaway +1 (You may tweet daily)

This giveaway will start on 12/01/09 and conclude on 12/08/19 at 11:59 pm est. open to residents of U.S and Canada.




Disclosure: ecostore usa provided me with 2 free products to review,  I was under no obligation to review them, if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product. Furthermore, the experiences/ opinions  posted above are that of my own, your experience with this product my vary.

Reusablebags.com Acme Bag Workhouse Review

         Acme Bag Workhouse  "Worlds Smallest Shopping Bag Set"

We all know that taking our own shopping bags with us to the store, is a friendlier green option than using the stores plastic bags. It is not always a convenient option though, especially since I often forget them at home.

That is why the  "Worlds Smallest Shopping Bag Set" are the perfect bags for me.  These bags are comparable to the size of the plastic bags that they use in the store, and fit into a little sack (which is also included) that is about the size of a grapefruit.  Do not let the size fool you, these bags are sturdy and can carry over 30 lbs.

These bags are perfect for storing in your glove box or trunk and can be easily stored in your coat pocket or purse. Therefore, they are there when you need them.



The Acme Bag Workhouse  "Worlds Smallest Shopping Bag Set" can be purchased from reuseablebags.com
for 29.99.

Flair4all

One of the downfalls of renting is the inability to customize our space, leaving us with plain boring white walls that does not represent our taste.  Flair4all has made it easy for you to incorporate a little but of you into any room with flair, with their remarkable,removable, reusable wall decals.

                 About Flair4all: taken from flair4all.com

Flair4all™ is a design and product development company located in Madison, WI, that’s all about home décor. We believe that everyone needs a little style, or flair, in the space they call their own. We’re about helping you realize the untapped potential of using your walls, dorms, lockers and bookshelves–almost any surface–as a place for risk-free self-expression and creativity.

WHAT: Flair4all is a brand of reusable wall decals that stick and restick to almost any surface without leaving a mark. More than 100 SKUs available in more than 70 design styles, seven core color palettes and 28 secondary palettes, flair4all wall decals provide endless opportunities to make a personalized style statement.

HOW TO USE IT: Flair4all is made with SmartRelease® adhesive. This proprietary formula allows flair4all to easily stick on and come off of almost any surface, from textured walls to painted cinder block to mirrors and laptop covers. To apply flair4all, simply peel off the paper‐backing sheet and place on the wall, door, mirror, locker or other surface. When it’s time for a change, simply peel the flair4all decal off the surface and place it somewhere else…or back on the backing sheet for later use.

                         
                         My Review:

I received the Rocker Memos wall decals in Fiery to review, for my 10 yr old son's room. This flair pack includes photo wall stickers, full size dry erase whiteboard, and cool wall sayings such as: Rock, Dream, Metal and My Angel. They were really easy to apply and look great, but the best part of all is that this entire package is dry erase!

He has had so much fun with these decals from arranging them on his walls to choosing his favorite photos for the frames. We would recommend Flair4all to anyone that is looking to add a touch of attitude to their walls.

             HOW TO BUY IT: 
Flair4all is sold exclusively online at flair4all.com or by phone at
1‐877‐FLAIR4ALL (1-877-352-4742) 

A pack of three 12 x 17‐inch sheets (called a flair‐pack) retails at $20 plus shipping and handling. Flair‐packs include decals in a variety of sizes and designs. The exact contents of each package are visible on the Web site.

Exergen Temporal Scanner

I recently received the Temple Touch thermometer to review and did not have the best results. Surprisingly, the following day I was contacted by Chari from Take time to smell the rose notifying me that I had won the Exergen Temporal Scanner from her blog. I had it in my hands with-in 48hrs and quickly put it to the test.

I tested it on both children 3 times and received a fast accurate result every time. Finally I have found a fast non-invasive accurate thermometer.

Information from the packaging about how the Thermometer works...

*Gentle stroke of forehead captures naturally emitted heat from skin over the temporal artery.
*Red LED light and soft beep indicate correct scan.
*Takes 1,000 reading per second selecting the most accurate result.
*Arterial heat balance computes the correct temperature.
*Fast non-invasive readings



Disclosure: I am sharing my personal experience with this product your results may differ from mine. Furthermore, I was not compensated for this review and have posted this on my own accord.