Cleaning tips and recommendations for cleaning products

I charged up and used my spinning scrubber today. I was just as tired after using it but instead of only 1/4 of the bath getting done I did the whole bath, tiles abd sink.

It was a bit fun too. I was unprepared for the grip needed when it first made contact so it nearly flew out of my hand. Lol Often went the opposite way to where I was aiming.

Overall it did s far better job than I was doing. Now I only have some limescale bits to deal with.
 
Oh I don’t know if this is useful, I bought a laundry egg last year.

I was finding it difficult to hold and pour laundry liquid. The ecoegg is made of hard plastic, it’s a bit noisy if you sit near your washing machine, but the cleaning balls you fill it with are lasting me a good 3 months, at least double the advertised number of 50 washes. The smell is nice but delicate so I use scent beads instead of fabric conditioners sometimes, with bedding etc.

I did have to do a few cleaning cycles of my machine when swapping over.
 
I don’t know if this will be universally helpful for pwME but I have a new item which I love. It’s called a caravan washing bowl, it cost £3.99. It’s a plastic washing up bowl on little legs, with a big plug in the middle. I think it was from BM bargains or Home Bargains.

I can’t have a butler sink in my new place and I am short so it’s also difficult to lift the washing bowl up out of the sink, so this is the next best thing.

Expensive version as shown on amazon
 

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New device - robot vacuum cleaner!

I caved in to Black Friday promos and spent £60 on a robot hoover. It’s arrived and I’m having fun trying it out!

I checked the reviews a lot, because this is at the cheap end of the market. There is a risk it stops holding its charge after a few months.

Most reviews said it was ok with picking up dust and pet hair, and good on hard floors but not carpets. This suits me I don’t have carpets and I do have a very very floofy cat who kindly shares her fur all over the place. I also seem to have periods of hair shedding so together we are causing a real issue.

Set up was easy enough, it’s controlled via an app and the instructions were clear enough if you are used to pairing things with Wi-Fi.

It’s controlled via the app, earlier it got run down and put itself back on its charger base! The cat is highly suspicious and not thrilled about it.

It’s picked up lots of fluff already. If it gets stuck it can get itself unstuck. It’s great for getting under furniture (which I find hard work) and it’s cost less than 2hrs of home help.

I’m not sure I’d want it set to do its thing whilst I’m asleep (this seemed a popular thing in reviews) I’d rather not harass the cat, or trip over it myself, so I’ve locked it in another room to do some cleaning whilst I’m awake.

I can see that this isn’t 100% easy - you do need to clear things from the floor so it can move around well, and I’d want to be aware of what it’s up to, so it’s not without a bit of effort still.
 
Have fun with it. I bought one during the first Covid lockdown when I decided not to have cleaner or carers until vaccinated. It was a godsend. We don't have pets, but dust accumulates. It was funny watching it zooming around and getting stuck sometimes. A lot less effort than using a vacuum clearer or broom.
 
Ohhh, they sound fun! I've been tempted but haven't succumbed so far (this year's Black Friday purchase was a pair of good noise cancelling headphones, which were £100 cheaper than they've been all year).

Be good to hear recommendations for brands—I'd have to use it when the cat's out because she's scared of her own shadow, but I've also got hard floors and they do get horribly dusty.
 
He is OKP K5 model. It seems to be a Chinese brand. Even if it lasts a year it will be worth the cost (hopefully he lasts longer but you know how things are thesedays). He came with spare parts - two brushes and an extra HEPA filter.
I’m allergic to the cat so it will help a lot.
 
I’ve been thinking of one for years too. I like the idea of something just keeping on top of dust etc is better than nothing even if it can’t get everywhere. I also liked the idea of it getting under sofas?

But those around me keep telling me they aren’t up to snuff yet but I have no idea if that’s the case often people just speak and keep saying things even if it’s out of date

My big worry is whether it’s hard doing the set up with programming as I seem to find that sort of thing a real drain (then I worry I’m getting deskilled vs the world moving on but just like words and grammar don’t work on demand anymore some tech based things turn out fine and simple but others just hit the black hole it’s hard to describe)

And those who seem to be trying to put me off suggest it’s only for people who have clear floors and it would eat and destroy items like clothing items that were left on the floor. Sadly they are the same people I’d need help from f I struggle setting one up. And I’m too tired to check out if that’s nonsense

To be fair there is a mix of terrain in my home including rugs over the wooden floors and narrow corner to get round so I relate to the idea of if there are any bits it would be better for working out how much it could work well for and if the price makes sense for that

I dunno I just feel like I’d feel less disabled and more independent and organised somehow (really getting to me today feeling you know) if it worked well and more so if I had another thing that didn’t work in my space . I’ve never been able to hoover and I don’t know if that’s why this one fascinates me
 
bobbler said:
And those who seem to be trying to put me off suggest it’s only for people who have clear floors and it would eat and destroy items like clothing items that were left on the floor.
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For me there are two jobs: clear the floor, then hoover. With a robot there'd only be one job, so that's a win. But if you're not able to do the first bit, maybe it's less useful?

Although...if you were able to move just the problematic things (like socks and charging cables) off the floor and leave the not-problematic things (like empty mugs, or anything not made of hoover food), it would probably work. It would just bump into them then go around.

It could potentially become easier over time, if you were able to get into the habit of at least leaving bits and bobs that would get snarled up above ground level if you're not able to put them away. That would mean there was little or no picking up to do when you needed to set the device going. Might even be worth trying that first, to see if it's do-able in real life?


ETA: But sorry if those are unhelpful suggestions. I've never been bedbound for more than periods of months, and it was a long time ago. You forget how it was.
 
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Kitty said:
For me there are two jobs: clear the floor, then hoover. With a robot there'd only be one job, so that's a win. But if you're not able to do the first bit, maybe it's less useful?

Although...if you were able to move just the problematic things (like socks and charging cables) off the floor and leave the not-problematic things (like empty mugs, or anything not made of hoover food), it would probably work. It would just bump into them then go around.

It could potentially become easier over time, if you were able to get into the habit of at least leaving bits and bobs that would get snarled up above ground level if you're not able to put them away. That would mean there was little or no picking up to do when you needed to set the device going. Might even be worth trying that first, to see if it's do-able in real life?


ETA: But sorry if those are unhelpful suggestions. I've never been bedbound for more than periods of months, and it was a long time ago. You forget how it was.
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No they are helpful and you nailed it with the socks and cables being the likely missed items. I've definitely got the odd fun socket area I'd need to work out where to put the adaptor high and work out how to sort the bundle of wires if it goes eg under the thing with the TV on just in case and then there are cables from heated blankets and heatpads that might drape down depending on how I've left them.

Plus that thing of wherever I've been for a while might have had a stash of things I need in reach (meds etc) that can end up plonked or knocked on the floor, same with that throwing off and on of clothing items. I get some time out of bed but it comes at points I can't predict and an egg-timer that means I don't sweat the small stuff if I did 'that main thing', or of suddenly feeling ill and having to do an abandon ship and not look back at what I left in my wake.

I don't know whether throws from furniture would get caught if the end drapes onto the floor?

Maybe items that I missed the bin on like crisp packets but I don't mind it destroying those.

I kind of had visions of it being programmed to do it x times a week and not to have to think about it, rather than (or as well as) the once a week hoover person, but I think it might only work with a different approach
 
bobbler said:
I've definitely got the odd fun socket area I'd need to work out where to put the adaptor high and work out how to sort the bundle of wires if it goes eg under the thing with the TV on just in case
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Yes, I thought about that. I haven't got it in me at the moment to get down on all fours and tape them up. But I've got a lightweight flat mop that I use to dry the bathroom tiles after showering, and a yard brush—if I placed the handles across the corners involved it would barricade the hoover out if it was operating unsupervised. Also, they wouldn't be in my way if I didn't get round to picking them up until I needed them for their actual purpose.

As for the bits and bobs of meds on the floor (and the scissors I got out to open a package, and the hair clips, rubber bands, non-functioning biros, and a weird bit of plastic I daren't throw away because it might be a crucial component of something), I started putting them in a little Curver box by my feet. Basically because either I or the cat regularly scattered them across the floor, and loose stuff also dissuades me from quickly running the stick vacuum over the rug if I'm on my feet anyway waiting for the microwave to ping.
 
Do any of you use Swedish dishcloths? They are a combination of cellulose and cotton and can used to wash dishes or wipe surfaces. They are rigid until you wet them. They are more sanitary than ordinary sponges because they are thinner and dry a lot quicker. I hang mine over the faucet to dry.

You can get solid colors, but there's a galaxy of cool prints. My favorite on Amazon is Cunhill Ocean Animals. It's a 6-piece set. The designs and colors make the kitchen look more cheerful, and I'm using fewer paper towels. They also make nice, inexpensive gifts.
 
I just use old fashioned cotton cloths that you can steep in bleach.

The type I use are technically floorcloths. They're more robust than dishcloths, but I find the tough cotton and openwork weave gives me a bit of friction for wiping up dried spills. The larger size means I can wring them out better so they don't drip when wet.


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Mij said:
How long do the Swedish dishcloth last?
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Each lasts for several months, but the colors are really faded by then. You can put them in the washing machine, but the colors fade more quickly that way. After using one of the dishcloths, I give it a quick rinse and squeeze and maybe once a week put it in a small bowl with dish liquid to soak a few minutes.

I've given a lot of these as gifts, whether it's one or two or the whole set. People really like them.
 
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