Best and Worst Cleaning Products

[BABY1]

TweetConsumer Reports rates household cleaning supplies


Two types of Tide detergents we tested provided good cleaning at 19 cents a load for top-loading machines and 25 cents a load for front-loaders. For dishes, Cascade's Complete with Bleach Hydroclean Action Powder cleaned well for only 12 cents a load; greener-minded consumers can choose a phosphate-free cleaner from Method that cost 25 cents a load.
In our Ratings of carpet cleaners, the Hoover Dual V Steam Vac All Terrain With Spin Scrub F7452-900, $270, cleaned carpets almost as well as a professional service. But we also found carpet-stain removers and paper towels from Dyson and Earth Friendly that provided much poorer performance at a much higher price than our standouts in the "Best & Worst" categories.
Cascade and Wave
dishwasher detergents Dishwasher detergents
At just 12 cents per load, Cascade Complete with Bleach Hydroclean Action Powder excelled at cleaning dishes, thanks in part to phosphates, which can harm the environment. The best phosphate-free product we tested was Method Smarty Dish tablets, 25 cents per load, which was fine for cleaning dishes but not so good at pots. Avoid phosphate-free Wave 2X Ultra High Performance, which left our loads pretty dirty and costs 33 cents a load.
Tide and Xtra laundry
detergents Laundry detergents
For washing away tough stains, the top scorer is Tide 2X Ultra with Color Clean Bleach Alternative, 32 cents per average load; Tide 2X Ultra for Cold Water did almost as well and costs only 19 cents a load. Pass on bottom-rated Xtra 2X Concentrated Lasting ScentSations Spring Sun Shine. If you have a front loader, use a high-efficiency detergent such as top- rated Tide 2X Ultra with Color Clean Bleach Alternative HE, at 25 cents per load. Skip Purex Ultra Concentrate HE After the Rain.
Walgreens and Earth
Friendly Products
paper towels Paper towels
Walgreens Ultra Quilted was absorbent and survived more than 100 scrubs over our test tiles. It costs just $2.50 per 100 square feet. Earth Friendly Products lasted only 15 scrubs, held little water, and cost almost twice as much.
Bissell and Dyson
carpet stain removers Carpet stain removers
Bissell and Dyson carpet stain removers None of the products we tested were great, but Bissell's OxyPro Carpet Spot & Stain Remover, $4.85, was best at lifting French dressing and spaghetti sauce. Dyson's Dyzolv Spot Cleaner, $13, left much of those stains behind and was even worse on coffee and red wine. Improve your odds by attacking stains as soon as possible and using a wet/dry vacuum to suck up the spill and the remover.
Hoover and Bissell
carpet-cleaning machines Carpet-cleaning machines
The Hoover Dual V Steam Vac All Terrain With Spin Scrub F7452-900, $270, left, cleaned almost as well as a professional service we hired. The Hoover left very little solution behind, so the carpet dried faster. Bissell's QuickSteamer 1770, $80, left most of the dirt where we put it, in the carpet.
Ridgid and Shop-Vac
wet/dry vacuums Wet/dry vacuums
Here's what $100 gets you: the midsized Ridgid WD1450, left, which excelled at sucking up nails, bolts, and tile shards, or the bottom-rated, midsized Shop-Vac Quiet Plus 585-12-00. It had an overall score of only 55 (compared with the Ridgid's 83), mostly because of its so-so performance at wet and dry pick-up. The Ridgid is sold at Home Depot.

[BABY1]

TweetI am sure not many men even know what these are, lol, but let your ladies know this please.