When household products overpromise and actually deliver

Every now and again you come across a product that makes you stand back and say, “Wow, that worked way better than I thought it would!” These gleeful moments come as a welcome surprise when we’re often disappointed by products that overpromise and under-deliver. When I find these little gems, I store them away in my mental DIY toolbox. This past month, I was happy to add a few more “must have” products that exceeded my expectations.

Spray Nine®–Recently, I was tasked with cleaning a family member’s home who had taken ill. Spills and built-up grease had festered in her unairconditioned kitchen for weeks while she was in the hospital. I needed a disinfectant that could cut through the dried-on grime but not damage surfaces. Thinking back to my boating days, Spray Nine Marine worked wonders cleaning all boat surfaces. It also removed stains. And mold/mildew. I purchased Spray Nine’s Heavy-Duty Cleaner/Degreaser and let me tell you, I was stunned at how quickly and well it worked. Thrilled by the product, I researched the company and was even more impressed learning its history. Spray Nine Corporation, established in 1956, was the first company to package cleaning solutions in a spray bottle. In 1968, they added a disinfectant to kill germs and viruses. “Spray Nine’s ‘Triple Threat’ formula delivers professional strength performance and has been trusted by manufacturers, auto technicians and DIYers for over 60 years. Spray Nine does this all without the use of bleach or corrosive chemicals.”— SprayNine.com

MuckOff®–Frustrated by the sludge in her backyard fountain, my friend wanted to add chlorine tabs to clean the water. I couldn’t yell “don’t do it” fast enough. So many birds visit our backyards in search of water. Adding bleach or chlorine (a bleach ingredient) to water features can kill or damage birds’ respiratory, immune, and reproductive systems. Repeated use of bleach can also corrode your water pump. Bothered by muck in my fountains as well, I did some research and discovered MuckOff. Using it was as simple as tossing a tablet into each fountain. By the next day, water in my fountains cleared and sludge began to dissipate. “CrystalClear® MuckOff® is the first targeted muck-reducing tablet specifically designed for koi ponds and water gardens…Each tablet contains proprietary strains of bacteria that have been carefully selected and tested for enzyme activity and safety, demonstrating effectiveness in backyard water features…”– Jason Blake, President and CEO, Airmax, Inc.

POOPH®–You may have seen those irritating ads where a bearded brash actor squirts “stink” remover in his mouth to prove how it’s “safe for people, pets, plants and the planet!” Being a pet owner of Shih Tzus, despite their ultra-adorableness, it doesn’t trump their occasional pet odors. After the umpteenth time seeing the commercial, I figured I should give it a try. It works! Spraying it on their dog beds and even wiping the sour-smelling tear stains under their eyes, like magic, the odor disappeared. Instructions emphasize that it works at a 1:1 molecular level, so respraying may be necessary to clear the entire source of odor. “The proprietary ingredients in POOPH® took a dedicated team of specialists years of research and development to create. The result is a patented green, environmentally-friendly technology that simply turns any organic odor into clean, fresh air.”–Poophbrand.com

Proven® Insect Repellent–We love spending time in our backyard, but mosquitoes and flies have become a real nuisance. The swatting, shooing, then itching from bites would send us running inside. Determined to find a safe, non-toxic, low-odor, DEET-free repellent led me to Proven. The active ingredient is Picaridin—a synthetic compound designed to mimic the repellent effects of piperine, found in black pepper plants. Research shows that it’s non-toxic to mammals and birds and can be used on children over 2 months. Although it claims to be odorless, the scent is faint and pleasant. I wouldn’t use it on my pets because there’s no specific research for use on dogs. The proof of its effectiveness is clear—with a few strategic sprays on my arms and legs, hours a day in my yard have been “shoo” and bite free.