Misleading--And Not Worth It

I've been seeing lots of coupons and advertising for affresh, which bills itself as a "dishwasher and disposal cleaner."

Sounded pretty good to me. My dishwasher was looking pretty grungy, and I had been putting off cleaning it just because it is a little tough for me to sit on the floor, and try to contort myself into reaching the back of the washer. So, a few weeks ago, I finally ordered a package from amazon.com, as I didn't have any luck finding it in my local stores. (Gotta love amazon's Prime Shipping!) I tried it the other night, following directions carefully (one tablet in the wash compartment, one in the pre-soak compartment, and one in the disposal). It smelled REALLY nice while the dishwasher was running (on the highest, heaviest cycle), I'll give it that.

The above is NOT the "before" picture. It is the "after" picture. Huh? It doesn't look any different. Rats. Now I'll have to clean the dishwasher the oldfashioned way.

I used Fantastik spray cleaner and a rag and a toothbrush. After wiping up as much of the gunk as possible, I ran another empty cycle using my regular detergent. MUUUUCH better!

As I was working on this post, I grabbed my package and noticed that underneath the words "dishwasher & disposal cleaner" were the words "removes odor from dishwashers and disposals." Doesn't say anything about "removes stains," but to me that was implied by calling it a dishwasher and disposal cleaner.

Lesson learned. While the fragrance was nice, and the dishwasher definitely seemed fresher after using it, it did not do what I expected it to do. I won't be buying this again.

Frugal Readers: Do any of you have a tried-and-true method for cleaning your dishwasher?? Do tell!

They Call 'em "Stick Ups" Because They're Stealing Your Money

Remember when Air Wick first brought out their Stick Up air fresheners, and their tagline was "this is a good place for a Stick Up." Clever. I remembered it just now after more years than I care to remember. They're not terribly expensive (I just checked on amazon.com, and they run less than $2 for a 2-pack), until you realize that they're nothing more than some fragrance and maybe some baking soda.

Here's my super-cheap way to keep your smelly kitchen (or bathroom) garbage can under control: sprinkle plain old baking soda liberally on the bottom of the garbage can itself (not inside the bag). I cover the bottom of my can completely with a thin layer. It absorbs odors exceptionally well, and lasts a long time (several months, if not longer, depending on the thickness of the layer. Switch it out when it starts not doing its job (trust me, you'll know when it's time).

Not only are you saving money, this is easy on the ol' landfill, too, as you aren't having to toss little plastic containers.