>>>And, with 5 little ones, and a Mom with a disability, of COURSE you can't keep everything perfect! Go ahead and invite people anyway - if they're decent human beings, they'll understand : ) And, they might be a little relieved about their own housekeeping

<<< I've always said my ministry was to make other women feel good about their housekeeping.

Ventured into this thread because it's what I am doing. The house was essentially a halfway done fixer-upper. I had to buy a degreaser for the kitchen cabinets. I told my dh, these are the nicest, dirtiest cabinets I have ever had. It's working wonders. I have been spraying it on the tile floor, too. It says it has citrus but I detect no overpowering smell. Got it at home depot. I usually use hot water and vinegar to mop. Brought my fav cleaning tools, my original swiffer that I use with crocheted pad and wash cloths (Walmart has cheaper 'kitchen-bar' washclothes that are way cheaper) and my corn brooms. Small one for inside, large one for outside. I like Ajax for kitchen sink/toilet. Comet sells a spray tub and tile made of citric acid that doesn't make me gag. I love fabulouso but the smell is overpowering.

I agree with Anna, clean stuff should just smell clean. There was a time I could not venture down the detergent aisle. My kids had to go retrieve things for me. I think it's been better now that there are not so many powdered detergents. (I remember they use to put drinking glasses in those boxes). I was allergic to bounty. Now I use suavitel because my aunt used it and her linens smelled nice. But I am more apt to just use vinegar in the rinse cycle.

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"...with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26

My favorite degreaser is dry baking soda & a damp microfiber towel : )

A few years ago, I bought an antique wooden cabinet (the finish was already a bit damaged, so I wasn't antique-road-show careful ; ) and I used my baking soda & microfiber to get off a huge about of black, greasy junk. Worked like a charm : )

I also use it on places like the range hood.

I DO remember when they had free prizes in detergent - just like in cereal boxes : ) I miss those days! I remember one promotion where they were giving away dish towels in detergent (Lux?) and the TV commercial had a purchaser gleefully exclaim, "You don't BUY it, you just GET it!" with a HEAVY Southern/Appalachian accent. So it sounded to us like "Yuh don' baaah eet, yuh jus' giiiit it!" My sisters and I would quote that commercial regularly.

They still give away lots of prizes with purchases in Europe - and I'm like a kid in a candy store when we shop for necessities, "Oh, look honey, this one has a free demitasse cup!"

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