This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for stopping by. The winner is Jennifer P!  CONGRATS!

We still have at least 6 more weeks of winter, but I wanted to give you a sneak peek at my next series.  One of my New Year’s resolutions is to get the house clean and organized.  Over the weekend I hosted a party (which I’ll tell you more about very soon!).  My husband and I spent Saturday cleaning the downstairs area for the party and it looks fantastic.  Now if I can get motivated to finish the upstairs…

Amanda, Tanya, and I have joined forces once again to help you get clean and organized this year!  And maybe in the process MY house will be clean and organized!   This year, my series is not going to be as heavily focused on products, but rather practical ways to achieve your goals this spring.  And as a green mom, the products I do feature will be all-natural and safe enough to use around your children. The series doesn’t officially begin until March, however, I have a pre-series giveaway to get you excited about spring cleaning.

A vacuum is  a cleaning staple in any household.  One of the first things I look for in any vacuum is a HEPA (high efficiency particulate absorbing) filtration system.  Without one, the dust, dirt, and microbes simply get blown into the air. The Oreck XL Platinum Pilot vacuum has a HEPA filtration system that traps up to 99.9 percent of dust and allergens down to 0.3 microns.  My husband, son, and I all have allergies so this is an important feature for us.

I have to admit that when I did my research on the vacuum (before testing it out) and found out it uses a bag, I was a bit disappointed.  I remember my mom’s old vacuum and what a hassle it was for her to change the bags (it was messy for the most part). We have a bagless vacuum and I have to say that some of the dust particles do in fact get uplifted into the air when I empty it (which is why I do it outside or in the garage).  The Platinum Pilot actually uses self-sealing bags (a concept I’d never heard of before) which means you don’t have to be exposed to dirt, dust, and allergens.  While it is an added expense to purchase bags ($20-$35 for 8 bags), overall I think it’s a cleaner, healthier way to deal with the “stuff” that you vacuum up.  If you have pets, you definitely want self-sealing bags in order to help eliminate pet odors.  While I like to “see” what my vacuum has picked up, I’m more interested in keeping all of those microbes nicely packed away in a vacuum bag…to be disposed of!

Vacuums are heavy.  They also tend to be bulky which makes storing them a challenge.  At only 10 pounds, I can easily take the Platinum Pilot up and down the stairs to vacuum (I can even vacuum the stairs).  It has a slim design which makes it easy to store nicely in our closet downstairs.

I honestly didn’t realize the power behind this vacuum, especially considering how light and compact it is.  We have eco-friendly carpet with a bit of “shag” to it so it’s not the easiest to vacuum.  It traps dirt and dust which means it never really “looks” dirty.  But I know it gets dirty (we can fill up a bagless vacuum with one room).  The Platinum Pilot features a powerful, pile-lifting roller brush to help pull out embedded dirt, dust, allergens, dander, and pet hair. The vacuum also has an anti-microbial agent built into it (and on it) to inhibit the growth and reproduction of bacteria, mold, and mildew.

The vacuum handles well.  Not only is it extremely light in weight, it maneuvers well. The Platinum Pilot features 360° Glide technology (ball-joint and pivot connection) which means it tilts, twists, turns, and moves easily in hard to reach places (it even lies flat!).  The result is that I don’t have to spend nearly as much time going back to places I’ve missed with a handheld vacuum.

A vacuum is a big investment…one that needs careful consideration.  My personal feeling is that it should be effective at picking up and containing dirt, dust, etc., easy to use and maneuver, lightweight, and utilize HEPA filtration.

The Oreck XL Platinum Pilot Vacuum retails for $599 and also includes a lightweight handheld vacuum.  The company offers a 30-day risk-free trial period because they stand behind their products.  For additional information about the vacuum and it’s features, or to purchase the vacuum, simply visit their site.

Win It! One of you will win an Oreck XL Platinum Pilot Vacuum!  Simply check out their website, then come back and leave me a comment with a feature of the vacuum you like.  Comments will close on February 25, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST.  One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Add the “Win an Oreck Platinum Pilot Vacuum” button to your sidebar.  Be sure it’s up for the duration of the giveaway.

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways. Please include this button:

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!

I did not receive compensation for this post. I received a product, courtesy of the company, in order to facilitate this review.

Earlier this year, I reviewed the Swiffer Sweeper (which is a fab little cleaning device that sweeps AND mops).  As you may know, October is Breast Cancer awareness month and for the first time, Swiffer is going Pink and offering limited edition Swiffer Dusters and Sweepers.  Proceeds will benefit the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the funds will be used for education on self-examiniation, mammography, and the importance of an early detection plan.

As a nurse, a women, and a mom, breast cancer awareness is something I’m passionate about.  I support companies who direct their efforts towards research and funding to find a cure.  Swiffer is one of 35 participating P& G brands and you can find the new limited edition pink Swiffer Sweepers and  Swiffer Dusters in individual packaging as well as a new three-in-one pack.

So what is a Swiffer Sweeper? It’s like a broom and a mop all in one.  I like the fact that the product allows me to get under the refrigerator and into hard-to-reach corners.  The product comes with both dry and wet cloths which are disposable.  You can use the Swiffer Sweeper on most surfaces including linoleum, vinyl, creamic, and finished wood floors.

The Swiffer Sweeper retails for $10.99 (very reasonable) and the new limited edition products can be found at retailers nationwide.

Last weekend, hubby and I decided it was time for a little cleaning spree (again!).  Either I’m totally nesting (and it’s way too early for that), or I’m becoming slightly neurotic because I keep asking hubby to help me clean or organize something!

So, this week we decided it was time to clean the oven.  Now, if you would have asked me a few years ago how I was going to clean the oven, I would have told you that I (or my husband) was going to don a mask and gloves and attack it with deadly oven cleaner.  Have you smelled oven cleaner?  It’s awful and apparently toxic.  And getting down on my hands and knees to scrub our new oven is not really an option for me at 6 1/2 months pregnant.  Thankfully, our Frigidaire Gallery Range
comes built with a self-cleaning function.  Self-clean?  Yes…That was my question too!

Basically, an oven that cleans itself, uses very high temperatures, which eliminate soils completely or reduces them to a fine powdered ash so they can be wiped away with a damp cloth.  The range we are reviewing has 3 different self-cleaning cycles, depending on how dirty it is. We try not to let foods that are cooking drip (we use baking sheets if we think that is going to be an issue) so we set the timer for the 3-hour clean (you can also set a 2 or 4 hour-clean for light or heavy-duty cleaning). I like that I didn’t have to do anything to prepare the oven to clean itself.  In other words, it truly is a self-cleaning oven.  And because it wasn’t heavily soiled, I didn’t have to wipe away any residue.

One of the things I will mention is that when the oven is in it’s self-cleaning mode, there is an odor.  It smells like something is burning or cooking.  It’s not terrible, but it was enough that I decided to go upstairs and open some windows for ventilation.  When I woke up in the morning (we had set this to clean after dinner one night), the smell was gone.  I’ll most likely be setting our oven to clean while we’re away.

Because the oven is hot…really really hot, it locks itself (I really appreciate that aspect).  The manual has numerous precautions that should definitely be read up on, prior to using the self-clean option (like how to remove spills, what not to use on and inside the oven, what should be removed before cleaning, etc.).

So what about the top of the range?  Well….that’s easy.  Just remove the grates and clean with soap and water (or an approved cleaning agent).

Because Frigidaire’s Gallery line is all about how to save YOU time, I thought this feature was well worth making mention of.  How long does it take you to clean an oven?  Well, that’s how much time you now have to read, spend a little more time with your family or my favorite…sleep!

This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for stopping by.  The winner is Chrysa.  Congrats!

A week ago, I was sitting at a table with Amanda, Tanya, Liz, and Meghan from Seventh Generation.  I’ve been working with Meghan for many many months now and it was so amazing to finally meet her.  I told her I was pregnant (LOL…she could SEE that I was pregnant), we hugged and chatted and I thought to myself, these are the kinds of relationships I am making.

Before I even started working with Meghan and Seventh Generation, I used their products.  Many of you’ve read about my struggle with my son’s diaper rashes and how I finally happened upon Seventh Generation’s diapers (and now Training Pants) which I believe really solved that problem.  I also switched to their cleaning products when I found out I was pregnant with my son because I wanted to rid my household of toxic chemicals.  All this to say, many of the products you see here on my blog are ones we use in our home….either because we used them already or we started using them once we were introduced to them.

If you’re interested in reading any of my reviews, I can definitely point you in the right direction.  Right now, I have two incredible opportunities I’d like to share with you.

1. Seventh Generation is hosting an “Under the Sink Makeover Contest” which ends on August 14, 2009.  Here is what you need to do:  Seventh Generation asks that you reveal your best friend’s dirtiest secrets – those hiding under the kitchen sink, that is in order to enter. With the area under the kitchen sink as a family’s typical dumping ground for chemical products, Seventh Generation wants families nationwide to know about – and detox – this potentially hazardous area, usually within arm’s reach of kids.

The “Under the Sink Makeover Contest” is seeking nominations on www.SeventhGeneration.com/under-the-sink through August 14, for under the kitchen sink areas that are in desperate need of organization and detoxification. Submit a photo of the area under a friend’s sink and a 250-word description on why they deserve an under the sink makeover (e.g., she’s concerned for the health of her family and the environment, the area under her sink a toxic wasteland, she’s overwhelmed by the chaos of motherhood and wants to change but doesn’t know where to begin, etc.), for a chance to win great prizes.

One lucky grand prize winner will receive a package that includes:

· An in-home consultation at the friend’s house with Dr. Alan Greene, practicing pediatrician and specialist in green living

· A one year supply of Seventh Generation products for both the entrant and the friend in need

· A trip to New York City for the entrant and her friend that includes a one-night stay at the W New York – Times Square hotel

· A day of pampering at New York’s Green Spa that will include a Body Polish, Wellness Massage, Ocean Vegan Spa Manicure/Pedicure along with a one hour make-up application and lesson

Four other finalists and their friends will receive a Seventh Generation Living Home Starter Kit containing a variety of home-cleaning products for their own under the kitchen sink makeover, in addition to a luxurious Lavera home spa kit containing Lavera’s customer favorite BODY SPA shower gel, body scrub and bath salts, and premium LAVERÉ Anti-Aging body lotion to pamper themselves.

Win It! One of YOU will win a Seventh Generation Living Home Starter Kit.  I received this kit a few months back and a. LOVE it b. Still have products from the kit c.  Use them whenever I clean.  All you need to do is head on over to the site and take a look around.  Come back here and leave me a comment with a product you’d like to try.  Comments will close on August 19, 2009 at 10 PM PST.  One comment per person, please. US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.

Spread the word about the contest.  You can blog, share on Facebook, etc.

Submit an entry to the Under the Sink Makeover Contest.

Disclosure:  The information for the contest and the giveaway were both provided by Seventh Generation.

Every day it’s the same.  One of us cooks, we eat, our toddler throws spills all some of his food on the floor, I we clean up.  The “cleaning up” part is the most monotonous and time-consuming, especially at the end of a long day.  If the mess encompasses more than just a small area, we have to break out the “big” vacuum.  Well, thanks to Vroom, we don’t have to break out the big vacuum as often!

I recently had a fabulous opportunity to check out the brand-new Vroom Solo vacuum!  Before I go into my review, here is a little more information from the company:

This small, but powerful, vacuum can clean up a mess in less time than it takes to find a broom or go get the cleaning supplies. Vroom installs in kitchen and bathroom cabinets or under the counter in workrooms so you won’t ever have to go looking for it. Vroom is always there, always convenient and an auto on/off means it’s ready when you need it. And with up to 24 ft. of retractable hose, Vroom goes a long way towards making your life easier!

The first thing we had to do was install it in one of our cabinets under the sink.  I left that task to my husband, which took him approximately 30 minutes.  He said it was fairly easy to install with minimal tools required for the actual installation.  If you don’t have a super savvy guy to install it for ya (love ya hubby!), you can go online to find a dealer who will install it.    And while we’re talking about installation, I should note that it doesn’t have to be installed underneath your kitchen sink. It will fit standard kitchen and bathroom cabinets and makes a great clean-up tool for the garage, laundry room, or basement!  The Vroom Solo comes with it’s own power source and plugs into an electrical outlet which makes it very versatile.

Once my husband installed it, I was anxious to try it out.  Check out the video review I did:

The Vroom Solo cleans up messes in seconds.  I can actually do my entire kitchen floor and the counters quickly without using the “big” vacuum.  The Vroom Solo will easily pick up everything from my toddlers smooshed Cheerios to the glass I broke the other day.  I like the fact that I can also get in my utensil drawers where crumbs seem to magically accumulate. Here are a few more features you may be interested in:

My review for the brand-new Vroom is almost ready!  But I didn’t want to delay in letting you know that TONIGHT…in one hour…there will be a virtual Tweetup (follow hashtag #vroomvac). They will be talking about tips and challenges to keeping a clean house Two Vroom Solos will be given away so be sure to follow @vroomvac!  See ya there!

Whew…the Potty Party has finally come to an end, but that doesn’t mean that the fun stops there!  I have some exciting news for you.  Winter is quickly passing us by (although we have had our share of wind, rain, storms and snow in the mountains) and that means spring is on the horizon.  I don’t know about you but since we’ve moved into the house there is a ton of cleaning and organization still left to be done.  Starting March 2, I’ve teamed up with 2 awesome bloggers, Mommy Mandy and Mommy Goggles,  to present to you a Spring Cleaning Event.  Not only will there be tips and product picks, but the giveaways are AWESOME!  Come back in 1 week and join the fun!  BTW…I’d love to see your spring cleaning projects and tips so sign Mr. Linky if you’d like to participate. Hoover Platinum Collection Giveaway (ends March 31) Stinky Carpets Are So Yesterday My Green and Clean Bathroom (giveaway) (ends March 17) Shaklee (giveaway) (ends March 19) Woolite Power Shot (giveaway) (ends March 23) Perfect Curve (giveaway) (ends March 23) Clorox Decor Canisters (giveaway) (ends March 27) Windex Outdoor All-In-One (giveaway) (ends March 29) Steamboy Steam Floor Mop (giveaway) (ends March 30) Skoy Cloth (giveaway) (ends April 2) Swiffer Sweeper (giveaway) (ends April 3) Mabel’s Labels (giveaway) (ends April 4) Febreze Destinations Collection (giveaway) (ends April 5) Dial (giveaway)  (ends April 14) E-Cloth (giveaway)  (ends April 14)

Add this code:

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Many thanks to our sponsors:

Please sign the Mr. Linky below letting me know you added the button and you’ll get two extra entries into each giveaway!

This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for stopping by.  The winner is glfrog63.  Congratulations!

I love our little Niko!  But…our soft, fluffy Maltese Terrier mix sheds like crazy.  His hair is everywhere and it’s annoying.  I’ve found it everywhere…even in my food!  One of the places where dog hair seems to accumulate most is on the furniture.  Vacuuming never works….ever!  Apart from taking some tape and removing it myself, old-school style, it’s not going to happen.

What I (and you pet owners) need is the Pledge Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair.  The Fabric Sweeper “quickly and effectively removes pet hair from upholstered furniture.”  Pledge has been around a really long time and it’s a brand that I know and trust.

So how does it work?  The Fabric Sweeper comes assembled and all you do is take it out of the box, identify the source of the pet hair, and slide it side to side in short strokes. It has two rollers that rotate back and forth to lift and trap pet hair. I’ve never used sticky roller sheets, but for comparison, one Fabric Sweeper picks up as much pet hair as 145 sticky roller sheets.

I actually really enjoyed using the product.  As a mom, I’m all about simple, effective solutions.  The Fabric Sweeper is easy to use and I like that all the hair is contained in the plastic chamber.  It’s clear, which means you can visually see the hair being lifted off your couch.  It’s also disposable.  Once it’s full, simply toss it.  The Fabric Sweeper has a built-in system to clean itself so you don’t have to worry about putting hair all over the place when using it on multiple surfaces.  For a list of surfaces that may not be appropriate for the Fabric Sweeper, check out their website.

The Pledge Fabric Sweeper retails for approximately $5.99 and is available anywhere cleaning products are sold.

Win It!  One of you will win a Pledge Fabric Sweepr for Pet Hair.  Simply head on over to the site and take a look around.  Come back here with a comment indicating something you like or learned from the site.  Comments will close on February 27, 2009 at 10 PM PST.  One comment per person, please. US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Place my button on your site. If you have difficulty, please let me know.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!

Be sure to check out the Potty Party…going on right now!

This post was written for Family Review Network as part of a program by SC Johnson, who also supplied the product for review and giveaway.

This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for stopping by.  The winner is Mrs. Peets.  Congratulations!

For as long as I can remember, my parents had a can of Pledge in the house at all times. I remember using it to clean everything from tables to televisions.  The fresh lemon scent is all too familiar and it is just as effective as it was 15+ years ago.  It’s super easy to use…simply spray it on and wipe the dust away!  It leaves your surfaces shiny, smooth and dust-free.  I like that I don’t have to worry about inhaling flying dust when I wipe off dusty surfaces.

Pledge is now better than ever with it’s ability to remove 84% of allergens from dust mites and pet dander. Plus it still shines, restores, and refreshes wood surfaces, protects against spills and stains, and does not leave a waxy build-up.  You can use it on most surfaces in your home including vinyl and leather. Pledge is available as an aerosol spray or wipes and can be found in any store that sells cleaning products.

Win It!  The company has generously donated a can of Pledge to one of my readers.  Just leave me a comment indicating whether or not you’ve used Pledge and what you like about it.  Comments will close on January 12, 2008 at 10 pm PST.  One comment per person, please. US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.

Subscribe to my feed.

Blog about this giveaway.  It doesn’t have to be a separate post.  Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Place my button on your site.  If you have difficulty, please let me know.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc.  Just let me know what you did in the comments!

Looking for more giveaways?

“This post was written for Family Review Network as part of a program by SC Johnson, who also supplied the product for review and give away.”

My husband absolutely insists on having a clean house.  I, on the other hand, am not as keen on the actual process of cleaning.  Somebody has to do it (i.e. ME!) and cleaning is always so much better when you have the right equipment (isn’t that true in life?).  

This holiday season I’m so proud to be able to open our very own home for the first time to friends and family.  Now that means I’ll have to break out the vacuum, mop, and cleaning solutions!  Of course I’ll be cleaning “green” this season and thanks to Weiman, we’ll have shiny floors that our guests can eat off (although I promise, mom…we’ll get a kitchen table very soon).   Perfect Planet is Weiman’s environmentally friendly line of cleaners designed to be safe for you, your home, and the environment.  Featuring natural vegetable and plant-derived ingredients, these products are as effective as they are safe.  The Perfect Planet line has been certified by the EPA Design for the Environment Program which means you won’t find petrochemicals, heavy metals, ammonia, formaldehyde, solvents, alcohols, bleach, volatile organic compounds and phosphates.  The packaging is recyclable and the solutions are biodegradable.  I can’t think of a greener way to make a cleaning solution!

Recently I tried both the Floor Cleaner and Floor Polish on my laminate floors.  I started with the Floor Cleaner which is designed to clean and protect hard surface floors while removing dirt, dust, grease and smudges.  My laminate floors were super shiny after using the Floor Cleaner and I really didn’t think I needed the polish but I thought, why not?  I’m not going to hold anything back for my future guests!  I didn’t think my floors could get any shinier but they did after using the Floor Polish. The Floor Polish is designed to shine and protect most hard surface floors, strengthening the floor and leaving a streak-free, shiny finish that resists dirt, scuff marks and scratches.  Perfect Planet surprised and impressed me with it’s effectiveness.  Because I only use safe, eco-friendly cleaning products, I’ve done a ton of research and product testing to find a company whose products do what they claim to do. In the past I’ve found that “green” cleaners don’t always clean!  I liked not having to dilute anything.  My time is limited which requires simple, effective solutions.  I also liked the fact that there was no smell.  I used to associate a clean house with the smell of Pine-Sol.  I now know that VOCs are the offending culprit in those types of cleaning solutions.  

You can purchase Weiman’s Perfect Planet line of products for less than $5.00 each!  To find a retailer, please visit the site.

Win It!  Who wants a little help cleaning this holiday season?  One lucky reader will win $100 worth of cleaning products courtesy of Weiman and Filterstream.  Stay tuned later this week for details!

Profuse thanks to Weiman, Filterstream and the Family Review Network for this review opportunity.