Clean all the things!

Okay, so I had this craving to clean all the things! Mostly the bathroom...
I decided to create my own cleaners than to buy icky smelling chemicals. Grabbing the recipes from here.
So off to the local Walmarts I went. My overall total, if you include bottles, was about $14.

Tub and Tile cleaner:
Fill a spray bottle with:

• 1 1/3 cup Baking soda
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil-based liquid soap
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 Tbsp Vinegar

(shake before using)
Apply with cloth or sponge and rinse well

I used this and it worked pretty well! I would recommend you get a really good spray bottle though, mine clogged up and stopped working at some point. I just dumped a little bit on my sponge as I went along. You have to rinse well, otherwise you are going to have dry patches of powder.
I also used this on the floor, I think it meant tiles that are on bathroom walls. Not laminate floor tiles. My floors didn't seem to shine after rinsing.

Glass Cleaner:

• 1/4 Vinegar
• 4 cups warm water

This works as well as Windex and so much cheaper! No streaks of any kind. The vinegar smells stronger after the water cools. Unless you hate vinegar, I'd recommend doing this.

Scouring Powder:

• 1 cup Baking Soda
• 1 cup Borax
• 1 cup Kosher Salt

Sprinkle on desired spots, wipe with sponge and rinse.

It works well on tough stains. I used this on the floors, it took the stains off without much problem. Let is soak for a minute or so.

Overall my cleaning excursion was fun! I may do another one of these when I clean other areas of the house using other green products.

Do you use any 'green' or 'do-it-yourself' cleaning products?
Comment below!

Products and services I use and recommend

Products and services I use:

Phone Service: Straight Talk

Straight Talk is the best, just pay $45 a month and have unlimited talk and text. You could save money buying the yearly card (at the high cost of $495). Almost everyone in my area uses this service. The coverage is great and I can cancel anytime. Not that I will be canceling anytime soon.

Internet Browser: Firefox/Google Chrome

It's a tie between Firefox and Chrome. I've switched to Chrome, because I heard it was faster, with all these apps and games I could download, and the integrated address/search-bar makes searching easier. But I've had Firefox for many years, it's been like a good friend to me. Firefox is super customization, plus it doesn't watch what you search, unlike Google. For now, they tie, having a special place in my desktop.

Email: Gmail

Before I swapped to Chrome, I had Mozilla Thunderbird as my mail client. It easily took my Verizon email address, plus I could create filters and folder, much like any other email service.

E-Reader: Kindle (w/ Keyboard)

I'm an Amazon girl, when I shop online, I go there. So naturally when E-readers came out I wasn't sure which one to get. Nook or Kindle? After researching, I chose Kindle for the fact that it's based with Amazon. Two for one deal!

Laptop: Acer One

Technically this is a netbook, due to the fact that it doesn't have a CD drive. I mainly bought this laptop for school. Since the semester is over I've been using this one for my main internet usage. It took a few weeks to get use to the screen size. Now, I need to adjust to larger screens.
My other computers are a Dell, which I use for my art, and a crash-happy desktop. Besides crashing, I also don't use my desktop because it's currently residing in my my brothers' bio-hazard of a room. I try not to venture there if I don't have to.

Game Console: Xbox 360

If I were to have to choose on one console, I would have to choose my Xbox. I also own a Wii, PS2 and SNES. Out of all of them I use the Xbox the most.
Runner up: Nintendo DS
For handheld gaming I mainly use my phone or DS. Since a phone isn't technically a gaming console, the DS wins.

Facial Lotion: Aveeno positively radiant moisturizer

Since I have pale, sensitive skin, not many products can go on my face without irritation. I have found that Aveeno are one of those products that are perfect for my skin type. Even though it's a little expensive. I love how this lotion makes my skin smooth and has spf 15! It has a little pump, perfect for portioning out lotion.

Hair Straightner: Instyler

I have a massive head of hair, so having something like the Instyler is a lifesaver! It cuts down my straightening time in half. It's basically a rotating flat iron, it has three settings, I tend to use it to the highest setting. Be warned, it is very, very hot. I have burnt myself once and I had a pretty good burn for a few weeks. It comes with a burning shield that I seem to often discard and misplace. Overall, I love this! It normally costs just under $100.

Headphones/Microphone: Fatal1ty Creative

A friend gave these to me because they didn't fit him, they feel perfect for my ears. They go right over and are so comfy I almost forget I am wearing them. Plus, they have a detachable microphone! As much as I like the earbuds of smaller headphones, they sometimes hurt my ears.

What type of products and services do you use and why? Do you recommend something else? Let me know in the comments below!

As Seen On TV: The Commercialism Spammer

As Seen On TV: The Commercialism Spammer

I noticed the other day one of those 'Perfect Pancake' pans. I thought, 'Are people really that lazy to perfect something as simple as a pancake?'. I mean, yes, I would enjoy a perfectly stacked pile of pancakes, but they're going to be eaten within a matter of minutes! Truthfully, I would see this pan only really being used in an Ihop.

Personally, when I see As Seen On TV product, I approach it with a lot of skepticism. As much as I like my life to be easier, I don't think we need a whole lot of these contraptions. Is society really becoming so dependent upon production lines that will eventually no longer be self sufficient?

I agree that some of these inventions are ingenious, but do we really need them? To quote from an article I recently read from Thought Catalog.

"We’ve been led into a culture that has been engineered to leave us tired, hungry for indulgence, willing to pay a lot for convenience and entertainment, and most importantly, vaguely dissatisfied with our lives so that we continue wanting things we don’t have. We buy so much because it always seems like something is still missing."

So to fill in the gap, we buy, buy, buy! One main reason As Seen On TV products are so appealing is that they promise to provide convenience.

Save a buck:

I find the As Seen On TV commercials extremely funny. That's probably why I consider their products a joke. Unless you want to laugh at your own expense, here are a few products I consider unnecessary:

The Stealth SSA:

This product is basically an amplifier, while making it look like you're wearing a Bluetooth headset. The thing is, would you really wear this everywhere you go? Like, for example sitting down at the table. If you did it would look pretty rude. Also, what if you have difficulty hearing in both ears? Now you're wearing two "Bluetooth headsets" and just look silly while doing so. I think hearing aids are a smarter step and just skip this product altogether.

Slushy Magic:

I've read a couple of reviews before actually commenting on this one. I assumed that the cubes were a one-use thing, rather, they are these gel ice-cubes that you reuse over and over again. I have a problem with the the constant shaking to getting your slushie. You'd end up with a cool drink and tired arms.
Get a slushie machine or just go and buy a slushie at your local super market, provided that they have any. Or to be super cheap, take ice-cubes and use a blender!

Old Brooklyn Style Lantern:

Lets face it, this product is just for show and nothing more. I really like this design and the old fashioned look, but you can get a similar LED lantern for about the same price or less in the camping section at Walmart.

Alternatives to As Seen on TV products:

Sometimes ASOTV products are great and should be bought, other times there are better alternatives. Here are a few products I felt should be reconsidered and/or swapped for something else:

Pillow Pets, Pillow Pet Dream Lights, Tummy Stuffers:

I agree that it's a unique idea for a stuffed animal to also be a pillow, backpack or nightlight, but these and other similar products are only out to get your money because of the Pillow Pet craze. Disney Pillow Pets anyone?
You can easily buy any other stuffed animal and I bet you that a kid somewhere will sleep on it like any other pillow. I have one friend who did just that when he was a kid.

Wuggle Pets

This is basically stuffing your own stuffed animal, that's it. If you wanted a real special experience for stuffing your own animal, there's Build-A-Bear Workshop, or even just sewing your own stuffed animal (for people who are old enough to play with needles, scissors, and sewing machines!).

Pocket Hose

For $20, you can buy a much longer hose for the price of this retractable one.
The only problem I see with this product is what this material is made out of. It looks and feels like it's some sort of fabric, and fabrics tear. If there's a rip, your hose won't be at its full potential.
Also, another flaw I possibly see is the expand/contract feature. If after so many uses, the hose doesn't retract? You're now stuck with a plain regular hose now. Think of it as an elastic band, it won't stretch back to its previous form after so many stretches.

Will you buy?:

Really weigh the pros and cons when buying ASOTV products. Ask yourself 'Will I be able to use this product in more ways than one?' 'Is there an alternative way to get this result without this product?' And most importantly, 'Do I really need this item?'

What do you think? Are As Seen On TV items a joke? Do you have any As Seen On TV items you love/hate?