If you’re a mom of boys (or toddlers), you know how dirty a bathroom can get. There are days when I end the day with cracked and bleeding fingers, simply because we were practicing potty training.
I’ve always used Lysol wipes for quick bathroom cleanups and my homemade shower spray for weekly cleaning, but the Lysol wipes left a residue on everything, making my bathroom look dull (and feel sticky). Also, because my kids have terrible allergies and asthma, I’ve always been concerned about using harsh chemicals around them.
But a clean bathroom is a necessity (especially if you have a potty training toddler).
I didn’t know of any alternatives that would kill the germs in our bathroom while letting me quickly clean in between potty training mishaps, so I continued to invest a small fortune in Lysol wipes and shower spray.
Then e-cloth sent me a bathroom pack, cleaning pad, and mini cleaning mop set to try in my kids’ bathroom and oh.my.gosh! I am in love!
At first I was a little skeptical. Could these cloths really clean? And do they actually kill bacteria? (Answer: no, they don’t “kill” the bacteria, but there are 1.6 million fibers in each square inch of cloth that trap and remove bacteria that normal cleaning cloths leave behind.)
How well do e-cloths really clean?
To test how well the e-cloth products work, I started my cleaning session by using the mop set on the tile wall in the kids’ bathroom and behind the toilet (it fit perfectly, by the way). My son took over for me, which was exciting because my kids always want to “help” but I never let them clean the bathroom. (Thanks, but I’d prefer that they didn’t slop mop water and chemicals everywhere.) But since the e-cloth mop only uses water and is still able to remove 99% of the bacteria, my son happily gained a new chore!
While my son mopped the walls and floor, I cleaned the sink. I’ve always been disappointed after cleaning the sink because, while the Lysol wipes claim to kill 99.8% of bacteria, they leave a dull film behind. I was so excited that the e-cloth left my sink sparkling clean (no elbow grease required), and even more excited to see how my faucet shined. By the way, the faucet hasn’t sparkled like that since we installed it seven years ago!
The most exciting part about my bathroom cleaning experience was the way that the e-cloths cleaned the bathtub. My homemade shower spray cuts the soap scum, but I have to use a lot of it to cover the entire bathtub (depending on how liberally my son sprays the shower cleaner, we can easily use 10 oz. of Dawn dish soap every time we clean the tub). Since you only have to wet the e-cloths with water, you won’t have to buy expensive cleaners (or smell the harsh chemical scent).
Also, when you’re trying to quickly clean the tub on a school night, the time factor is a huge deal. Using shower sprays can be time-consuming because they often need to set for 15-30 minutes before you can wipe them off. With the e-cloth cleaning pad, we were done wiping the bathtub in two minutes and it easily left the tub sparkling.
What are the benefits of e-cloths?
The e-cloth cleaning pad, bathroom pack, and mini deep-cleaning mop are great for quick cleanups in the bathroom. You only need to use water with them (no harsh chemicals), which is great if you have kids who want to help clean. They’re also great if you want to eliminate harsh chemicals from your home.
The e-cloths are all reusable. They come with a 300 wash guarantee, and they’re machine washable. You don’t need to wash the cloths every time you use them, either (it’s fine to reuse them daily to wipe the sink or after using the bathtub). I machine wash and dry mine once a week or after each “deep clean” (I put them in a lingerie bag to protect them), but I only rinse them out after wiping down the sink every night.
With the e-cloths, you won’t spend a fortune (or take up a bunch of space in your bathroom cupboards) on random cleaners that only work on one item. You can use the cleaning cloths and mop set on everything from the floor, sink, shower, and even glass.
The best part? If cleaning the bathroom is part of your kids’ cleaning routine, you can rest easy knowing that your family won’t be exposed to harsh chemicals (but the bathroom will still be bacteria-free and sparkling clean).
Are there any negatives to using e-cloths?
The e-cloths did a great job in my kids’ bathroom, but I had to scrub really hard to remove the soap scum in my shower. If you have a significant amount of soap scum (as I did because it’s farm season – hello, dirt, dust, and random soybeans in my shower drain), you might want to try soaking your shower with a homemade shower spray or even using Bon Ami and a scrub brush.
Once the heavier soap scum is gone, the cleaning cloths will be all you’ll need. If you only have a light amount of soap scum, or to regularly clean your sinks and bathtubs, you’ll be able to easily use the e-cloths to maintain a sparkling bathroom.
The beauty of the e-cloths is that they remove germs and dirt quickly and with little effort. We spent less than 10 minutes cleaning the entire bathroom. If you’re looking for a chemical-free way to quickly clean your bathroom, you just might fall in love with e-cloths!
E-cloth has generously offered to give one Tickling the Wheat reader a bathroom cleaning kit consisting of a cleaning pad, mini deep-cleaning mop, and a bathroom pack. To enter, follow the giveaway instructions below. The giveaway is only open to U.S. residents. For discounts and to learn about e-cloth promotions, you can also sign up for e-cloth’s email newsletter.
Happy cleaning!