{ Posts Tagged ‘cleaning’ }

clean your home with cesar millan + win a swiffer prize pack

Dog hair — it has taken over my home. Unfortunately, I can’t get mad because it belongs to my adorable puppy, Wendel, who melts my heart with a single bat of his eyelashes. I brush him and I bathe him, but it doesn’t seem to make a difference — Wendel is a shedding machine.

So, you can imagine how excited I was to get a call asking if Wendel and I wanted to meet Cesar Millan to talk about achieving a clean and harmonious home with pets. Cesar has recently teamed up with Swiffer to talk about quick clean-up products and his unique approach to making pets comfortable around cleaning tools {Wendel has peed on the carpet twice when I’ve startled him with the vacuum}.

cesar milan wendel clean your home with cesar millan + win a swiffer prize pack

My dad, Cesar, myself, and the little furbaby

I had 20 minutes of one-on-one time with Cesar, which was just enough time for him to teach me the basics of making your pet comfortable while cleaning your home. Here are a few of his quick tips:

  1. Before using a new cleaning tool, leave it around for your pooch to smell and become familiar with.
  2. Stay calm while cleaning — dogs can sense frustration and will associate it with the cleaning process.
  3. Recognize that your pet is in the vicinity before reaching for your cleaning tool and face your dog while picking it up. This will reflect assertiveness on your part.

I left the meeting with a new outlook on cleaning up around a dog, and snagged a new Swiffer SweeperVac, too {it’s a-ma-zing; lightweight, quiet, and picks up all the pet hair and food crumbs}.

But here’s the best part – I’m giving away two Swiffer prize packs, which include a classic Swiffer broom, a Wet Jet and the new SweeperVac. To enter, just leave a comment below letting me know your best cleaning tip and I’ll pick my two favourites on March 18th.

Good luck and happy cleaning!

Contest closes March 18th, 2011 at 12pm EST. Open to all residents of Canada, except those in Quebec. Not open to any Transcontinental Media employees, their families, or any other persons with whom they reside.

lg kompressor: my new favourite toy

Okay, I realize most people may not think of a vacuum as a ‘toy’, or even associate it with fun, but trust me — the new LG Kompressor makes cleaning enjoyable.

In my new house, we have white carpet in place until we get hardwood. We also have a cute little beagle named Wendel who sheds like it’s going out of style. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a recipe for disaster. Our old vacuum worked great in our previous parquet-tiled apartment, but it was no match for wee Wendel’s falling hair, mucky feet and peanut-butter filled toy that he totes around in the new house. So, now when I say that the LG Kompressor vacuum is my new favourite toy, you may understand the joy that it brings to me.

51Kj3+awnvL 460x460 lg kompressor: my new favourite toy
What I love about LG is that they consistently get it right the first time. This is their first entry into the vacuum market and I have no complaints! I got to chat with Frank Lee from LG — who gets just as excited about new products as I do — and he filled me in on what makes this vac stand out from the rest.

  • It fluffs up the carpet while cleaning. Trust me, this makes a world of difference — it actually made my carpets look brand new. Frank says it’s because the vacuum has an individual motor just for the powerhead, which lifts the carpet fibers.
  • It’s certified asthma- and allergy-friendly. Gathering 99.7% of dust mites, pollen, allergens and pet dander, it’s great for my boyfriend, who is allergic to Wendel’s fur.
  • You can control the settings from the wand. Not only that, but the wand detaches to give you 15 feet of reach. Frank also pointed out that the hose doesn’t have metal springs in it, so there’s no constant fight to stretch further.
  • It features a 40 foot cord — the longest on the market. I can pretty much vacuum my entire house without having to switch outlets.
  • It’s bagless and minimizes the mess. Probably my favourite feature is the blade in the bin that compresses the dust and clumps it together for easy disposal. And since this vac picks up three times the amount of dust that a standard vacuum does, it means you won’t be enveloped in a cloud of dust when emptying the bin.

I’m sure those of you with carpet in your home are now drooling over the Kompressor — I definitely did the first time I used it! It comes in the higher price range at $500 a pop, but you will not be disappointed with the quality, design and cool features it offers.

xo,

Lauren

dyson dc25 animal

dysonanimal1 dyson dc25 animalAhhh, the smell of spring is in the air! Well, not quite, considering the below-zero temperatures we’re still feeling. But spring hath sprung, and whether we sense it in the air or not, it’s time for that often dreaded spring clean.

Enter the Dyson DC25 Animal vacuum, the answer to your cleaning prayers. Fitted with Dyson’s innovative Ball technology, this sucker pivots to pick up dirt out of any nook and cranny. You can also breathe easy, because the Animal is scientifically designed to reduce allergens, and the washable filter means air expelled from the vacuum has up to 150 times less mold and bacteria than other products.

Priced at $699 and with a 5-year warranty, this vacuum’s an investment, but one that has quality to match its pricetag.

Look for the Animal to hit major department stores nationwide this coming April.

Looking for a smaller, hand-held version? Check out web editor Natalie Bahadur’s blog for info on the Dyson DC16 Animal.

Pick up the May 2009 issue of Style at Home, on newsstands April 6th, for details on how to win your own Dyson DC25 Animal!

spring cleaning with steven and chris

picture 3 spring cleaning with steven and chris

When I was speaking with Steven and Chris yesterday, we somehow got on the topic of spring cleaning (I’m a master at going off on tangents!), and I asked the guys specifically about their strategy for a spring freshen-up. Here’s their recipe for success:

Chris: “Get rid of things that are blocking your energy. If there’s something in your home that doesn’t make you smile, and you don’t actually need it, let it go.”

Steven: “We recently had Peter Walsh — the king of de-cluttering — as a guest on our show. We learned so much about how physical clutter in your house can lead to a kind of “mental clutter” in your brain — the two go hand in hand.”

Chris: “I think it’s time for ‘less is more’, and that’s not as simple as having a modern, minimalist home; it’s about paring down. If you’re not using it, lose it.”

 

And there you have it! Make it your spring cleaning mantra!

dyson DC16 animal handheld vacuum

picture 20 dyson DC16 animal handheld vacuumBack in August, I got a cat. I love cats and had one (three actually, at one point) for years while I was in university and in the years after that. I won`t bore you with the details concerning why I no longer had a cat (don`t worry; no animals were harmed in the story) but let`s just fast forward to the summer, when I got a new one. He`s the cutest little guy you`ve ever seen. Incredibly obedient and when he looks at me, I melt. He`s got the sweetest little face and he just loves to cuddle. All sounds great, right? Well, it was until I discovered that the cuddly little creature sheds like a … well, whatever sheds a lot. Seriously, it`s nearly impossible to stay on top of the cleaning because he sheds so much. My once spotless condo is often covered in a thin layer of fur despite my most diligent efforts. Enter The Animal! The Dyson DC16 Animal is the answer to all my cleaning needs. This thing is a lifesaver and has restored my furniture back to its pre-cat glory. I was amazed by the suction power and by how thoroughly it sucked up pet hair that had gotten trapped in the fibres of my couch. I`d tried other handhelds before, lint brushes, those sticky roll-y brushes, even tried cleaning it by hand but nothing produced such staggering results — and that`s not even mentioning how quick and effortless it is to use The Animal. It takes three hours of charging to give you six minutes of use, which I initially thought was nuts — but since it`s a handheld, you probably wouldn`t use it for much longer than that in one go anyway. It hasn`t turned out to be a problem for me and for this kind of suction power, trust me –  it`s worth the wait!

Interested in winning one of these beautiful beasts? Enter the Dyson Next Top Animal contest for your chance to win great Dyson products, plus cool stuff from Pedigree, Whiskas and Bark & Fitz.

Price: $229.99

green works winner!

The first winner of a Go Green Works Starter Kit, including the following products, is Steven Miscione of Dundas, Ont.! (To see the original post announcing the contest, click here.)

  • Green Works Dishwashing Liquid
  • Green Works Natural All-Purpose Cleaner
  • Green Works Natural Glass & Surface Cleaner
  • Green Works Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner
  • Green Works Natural Dilutable Cleaner
  • Green Works Natural Bathroom Cleaner

You still have a chance to win one of the remaining three kits. All you have to do is be a subscriber to my blog. If you’re not a subscriber already, sign up to have the Natural Chic blog delivered directly to your e-mail inbox for a chance to win. To do so, just click this icon: emailfeedicon green works winner!

I`ll pick one more winner a week for the next three weeks. Good luck!

Do you have a product you’d like to recommend for this blog? Email me at naturalchic@styleathome.com!

clean for the cure with dyson

dyson2 clean for the cure with dysonAs I mentioned yesterday, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) has partnered with a variety of companies to raise funds for breast cancer research. Dyson is one of those companies and to support the cause, they have launched two limited edition pink vacuums; an upright (pictured left) and a canister vacuum (pictured right). While Dyson vacuums are known for their superior quality and easy handling, these two special designs are a wonderful way to support the CBCF`s efforts and bring home a vacuum that`s the perfect marriage of form and function.

Prices:
DC07 Upright: $499.99
DC21 Canister: $599.99

Available: while supplies last at The Bay, Home Outfitters, Future Shop, Best Buy, The Brick, Bed Bath & Beyond, Sears, Lowes, Home Depot and Dyson authorized independent retailers.

Proceeds from the purchase of these vacuums go towards a minimum donation of $50,000 to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

To find other CBCF partners, click here.

biodegradable towelettes

towelette11 biodegradable towelettes

Many wipes used in households today, whether they be baby wipes or other wipes, contain polyester, a petroleum product, and chemical-based liquids.

Go totally green with these handy towelette rolls. Made of vegetable fibres and packaged in easy-to-carry rolls, each has 10 tabs or wannabe towelettes; just add 2 tsp of liquid (water, lemon water, rosewater — your choice!) and you end up with a wipe that measures 8 1/2 by 12 inches.

No worries about leaking, dripping or drying out!

Available at: www.ashtongreen.com

Price: $2.95 for 10 tabs to $24.95 for 100 tabs

Do you have a product you’d like to recommend for this blog? Email Laurie at naturalchic@styleathome.com!

earth-friendly cleaning products

attitude blog earth friendly cleaning productsUsed to be that environmentally friendly products were a scarcity, hard to find and limited in options. These days, it`s easy to do your part. So think about protecting and preserving our planet. This great line includes products for fabric, dishes, hard surfaces and hand soap, too. I love the laundry detergent. Free of petrochemical derivatives, this concentrated laundry formula is hardworking; a one-litre bottle suffices for 35 loads. I love that this product is hypoallergenic, free of phosphates, dyes and artificial fragrances. Scented with essential oils, the laundry detergent comes in  the following fragrances: Lavender & Grapefruit, Bergamot & Tangerine and Ylang-Ylang & Lime.

For more information, visit: cleanattitude.com

Plus, check out great organizing ideas for your laundry room.