BillyKnowsBest

The Best Laundry Softener/Fragrance: Good Home Co. Pure Grass

My mother has many talents and strengths, but cooking and cleaning aren't among them.  Still, she tries, and appreciates a good laundry product as much as anyone.  She fell in love with the Good Home Co. Pure Grass Laundry Fragrance, but could not bring herself to pay the steep price ($25).  Yes, if you compare it to Downy or Snuggle it's mighty expensive, but on a per-wash basis, it's an affordable luxury, and it is natural, biodegradable and not animal tested.  So she got it for Mother's Day... because the mother of the son who knows best, deserves the best.  Skip the 32oz glass bottle, and go for the  64oz "refill."  And get free shipping when you order it from drugstore.com/beauty.com , where you can shop both stores with a combined checkout.  Other fragrances include Lavender, Paris Rain, Beach Days and Italian Citrus, but Pure Grass is our favorite.

The Best Way to Wash Delicates: Woolite Evercare Wash Bag

I don't mind hand washing delicate clothes.  But I hate hand rinsing.  You shouldn't really wring delicates, and without wringing, I always feel like I'm not getting all of the dirt and detergent out.  But put your delicates in a washing machine, and you risk snagging them  - on the machine itself, or on the snaps, zippers and Velcro of other clothes.  My solution: A mesh wash bag.  Fill it loosely with your sweaters, swimsuits, etc. and toss them in the washer with your regular load.  Simple, easy and efficient.  On sale this week at drugstore.com for $2.99.

The Best Vacuum Cleaners

As penance for my long posting absence, I'm tackling a really tough subject.  Vacuum cleaners.  I've had almost as many requests to write about them as I've had vacuums themselves.  The simple truth is that a lot of vacuums suck. And not in the really good way we want them to.  I've bought lots of them - uprights and canisters, at every price level, from less than $100 to more than $1,000.  And still I don't have one I love, nor a stellar recommendation.

Someday, I'll live in a home with a central vacuum system.  Until then, I  have some valuable observations, and a few really good options. 

Important Observation #1:  The lighter the better.  If you look at the vacuums used by cleaning professionals, they all have one thing in common. They're light.  If just getting the vacuum out of the closet is a chore, you're not going to use it as much as you should.

Canister vs. Upright: Conventional wisdom generally holds that uprights are best for carpets, and canisters are best for bare floors.  What if you have both? Uprights that have a beater brush you can turn off work fine for floors.  And canisters with a motorized beater brush option work on carpets. 

Bagged vs. Bagless: Vacuum bags are a small price to pay for never having to see that mess of dust, dirt, pet hair and god-knows-what again.  I have yet to see a bagless vacuum that didn't make a mess when you emptied it.  Do you really want to take the vacuum outside to empty it?

Luxury Vacuums: Yes, the Miele is like the BMW of vacuums.  It's manufactured with German precision, it's powerful, quiet and comes with all sorts of available options -- like a radiator cleaning tool.  But functionally, it's no better than the models I've recommended below. 

Best All-round Vacuum: Electrolux Harmony/Oxygen
My mother and grandmother had the original Electrolux, a workhorse of a vacuum that lasted forever.  The company that made those vacuums is now called Aerus, and the Electrolux name is now on vacuums made by Eureka.  But Eureka vacuums rate highly, and their premium Electrolux-branded vacuums are stylish, feature-rich, well-priced, and not too heavy.  I have the Harmony at my house on Fire Island.  It has an air-powered carpet brush, which is suitable for low-pile carpets.  If you have deep pile, you'll need to go up to one of the Oxygen models which have a powered brush head.  The Oxygen rates #2 at Consumer Reports, despite highest cleaning performance ratings, because of noise and ease in maneuvering.  I still prefer it. Buy the Harmony for $228 at Amazon.com.  Buy the Oxygen for $359 at buydig.com.

Best Upright Vacuum: Sears Kenmore 35922
Top-rated by consumer reports, it's hideous, and a little unwieldy at 21 pounds.  But if you like the convenience of an upright, and don't have to carry it up and down stairs, it's a great option.  On sale through November 3 for $269.99 at Sears.com, where you can buy it online, and pick it up at the store with out waiting!

Best Mid-Priced Upright Vacuum: Eureka Boss 4870
Another hideous and heavy option; this one is a Consumer Reports Best Buy.  It does have a carpet/floor switch, though there are an inordinate number of reports of problems out-of-the box (covered by warrantee/return policies) and high repair costs on this feature (after 1-yr warranty; 3 yrs with Buyer's Advantage) .  Get it for   $149.99 at Amazon.com with free shipping and no tax.
 

Best Budget Vacuum:  Sharp EC-7311
This compact canister vacuum is a real winner.  I use it in my NYC apartment.  It has great suction, is easily maneuvered and has the essential on-board crevice and upholstery tools.  Read more about it at epinons.com, buy it for $81 at vacuumcleaners.net with no tax outside of New York.

Best Budget Upright: Hoover Tempo Widepath
This upright is relatively lightweight (at 16lbs), and rates a Consumer Reports Best Buy.  It has on-board tools, extension wands and an allergen filtration system, though the brush does not turn off, making it less suitable for bare floors.  Buy it for $59.84 at Amazon.com with free shipping and no tax.

Best Ultra-Lightweight: Simplicity F3500
I have to admit.  I loved my Oreck XL upright. It was so light.  (Re-read Important Consideration #1, above).  And it really went to town on the deep pile carpets in my former apartment.  The Simplicity F3500 (formerly the Riccar RSL3, about $380) is higher-rated, less expensive, and 2 lbs lighter.  The big down side: Like the Oreck, it only works on floors. No attachments, no detachable hose. If you need to vacuum furniture, drapes, crevices -- anything other than floors -- you'll need a second vacuum. Simplicity is super protective of their sales dealers, and does not allow online sales or out-of-state shipments. You'll need to locate a dealer near you to buy one.  When I have to do it again, this is the combination I'll choose. A super-lightweight upright for every-day (okay, every week) floor cleaning, and a small shoulder-canister (like the Simplicity Sport or Oreck Housekeeper, $199) for occasional furniture, crevice and, yes, radiator cleaning.

The Best Way to Clean a Toilet

If you squirt and swish like most people, allow me to share this better method, which I learned today.  (I learned it by reading the instructions on the back of a bottle of Safety Foam toilet bowl cleaner.)  Before you squirt (and swish), lower the water level in the toilet by plunging it with the toilet brush.  By doing this, you allow the cleaner to better contact stains below the waterline, and keep it from becoming diluted by the excess water.

The Best Sheet and Linen Spray: Restoration Hardware Cleaning Collection

If you love the feeling of slipping into a bed made with clean sheets, here's a way to extend that feeling without doing a lot of laundry.  Linen spray gives your sheets that freshly-laundered smell, with a variety of scents to match your mood.  I'm particularly fond of the citrus varieties, so I was excited to discover that Restoration Hardware offered so many in that category -- even more so to find them on sale ($10) through January 31st.  At 20% off, pick up a few, like Lemongrass, Sweet Orange, Meyer Lemon, Grapefruit Ginger, and Cucumber Mint.

The Best Metal Polish: Maas Metal Polishing Creme

When I was a kid, my dad used Noxon Metal Polish. I swear, the name was short for noxious. Up until last week, just thinking about polishing metal made me nauseous, because that stuff smelled so bad.  But once again tripping through Home Depot, I discovered MAAS metal polish.  Developed by a homemaker in conjunction with a chemist friend, it's made with a base of ultra-refined jewelers rouge and has a mild scent.  Not only does it work on all metals, but it works on almost any non-porous surface: glass, linoleum, fiberglass, Plexiglas.  Add me to the impressive list of testimonials.  I haven't tried the liquid, spray, gloves or cloths yet, but I intend to. Look for it at the Depot, order from amazon.com, or buy the full product line direct from MAAS.

The Best Dusting and Polishing Cloth: Brawny Microfiber Cloth

The Brawny microfiber cloth is particularly plush (and inexpensive).  It is great for dry dusting, and because it's so thick, for polishing irregularly shaped items with tight corners. It's also well suited for use with cleaning products and polishing creams for silver and other metals.  Just $2.99 at drugstore.com.

The Best Streak-free Cleaning Cloth for Glass, Mirror and Stainless Steel: Mystic Maid

My friend Liz and I share a penchant for eco-friendly cleaning products and an aversion to greasy fingerprints and streaky windows.  She swears by the Mystic Maid Original Microfiber Cleaning Cloth, using them with plain water to clean up after her three boys... I mean, her two boys and husband. Either way, it's six grubby hands.  Because these microfiber cloths are easily wrung out, they're particularly good for cleaning stainless steel, glass and mirrors, leaving them clean and streak free.  And while they're expensive ($14 including shipping when ordered from Mystic Maid), they quickly pay for themselves in what you save on cleaning sprays.  Just toss them in the washer to clean; they'll last for years.  (Oh, and Liz told me to remind you to never use fabric softener when you wash them.) Get a set of five for $49.95 from Organize.com.   If you find a few more items to feed your cleaning frenzy on their site, use coupon code A9639 to save 10% on orders over $100.

The Best Wood Floor Cleaner: Bona X Swedish MicroPlus Hardwood Floor Cleaner

This non-toxic cleaner and microfiber mop head keeps polyurethane-finished and factory pre-finished wood floors shining without any sticky residue or buildup.  Simply spray the cleaner on the floor and wipe with the microfiber mop. When you're done, pull the cleaning pad off the mop (velcro makes that simple) and toss it in your washer.  The starter kit includes the mop, microfiber mop head and a 32oz spray bottle of cleaning solution. It's regularly $26.50 from 1877Floorguy.com, but is on sale for a limited time for just $19.50. 

The Best Lens Cleaning Cloth: 3M Microfiber Lens Cleaning Cloth

It's microfiber week at BillyKnowsBest: A week of products made from this miracle polyester or nylon fiber that will change the way you think about cleaning.  First up is a product from the folks who brought you Post-It notes.  While these will never be as ubiquitous as those little yellow squares, you'll still wonder how you lived without them.  They're the best way to lift dust and smudges off your eye glass lenses, camera lenses, binoculars, microscopes, computer screens and other delicate surfaces.  $2.79 from Amazon.com, you'll want one for your dresser, your desk, your glove compartment, camera bag, and a few extras for your friends who won't want to give them back after you loan it to them.  One caution:  Although microfiber can't scratch, the dirt it picks up can.  Be sure to wash them often.