Crystal Wash Review

I received this product free from Crystal Wash to facilitate this review.

Having to do laundry is one of those inevitable things for all of us. Most of us dread doing it because we believe it is a chore. At least we can say washing clothing and linens has gotten easier over the years. Instead of wash boards we have washing machines and most of us buy our laundry detergent or soap at the store instead of making it ourselves. Society has made things progressively easier for us. But what is the price we pay for the luxury of store bought laundry detergent?

There are a lot of laundry detergents on store shelves that claim this, that, and the other. Most of these have things in them that I wouldn't want touching my skin. My son is highly allergic to detergents with perfume and dye, so I end up getting the stuff that is for sensitive skin and says hypoallergenic on it. Lately, though, I have been looking into maybe making my own laundry soap at home with ingredients I am familiar with or seeing what other products are out there that might be better to use than the traditional detergents that you can find at just about any big box grocery store. I am not into harsh chemicals that might very well be toxic to my family and I...not to mention the Earth! I would rather use something that has ingredients that are safe, efficient, and effective.

I saw a laundry ball called Crystal Wash online and by the description these laundry balls seemed at first glance a great way to do laundry. Crystal Wash comes with two laundry balls that you use simultaneously in the wash together. I have never used laundry balls/washing balls in the past, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I love products that are natural, eco-friendly, and non-toxic and Crystal Wash said they were all of the above. This seemed valid enough, but Crystal Wash has other claims as well that seem to be not backed by actual science. Crystal Wash's claims are very intriguing and appealing, but I am not just sold by claims. I needed to try the product out for myself to see if they work.

If you look up Crystal Wash online you will find a lot of naysayers that say the product doesn't work, is a lot of hooey and quackery, and is backed by pseudoscience. Most of these people haven't tried this product for themselves and don't care to. I, however; like to give products that are supposedly better for you and/or the environment the benefit of the doubt, unless I know otherwise, and test them out for myself before I say they don't work at all.

This is what they say on their website: "These special Bio Ceramics were developed using various minerals with very effective antibacterial and anti-oxidant properties.

The pH level of laundry water impacts the wash greatly. If the water is overly acidic or alkaline it can damage delicate clothes and fabrics, cause colors to fade and cause clothing to still seem dirty even after washing. Most detergents on the market are a pH level of 6.5 – 9, but they use chemicals to achieve these levels."

Crystal Wash claims the bio ceramics in their product...

• produces far infrared rays that effectively reduce negative ions in the water of your laundry machine, which raises pH level to 8.5 or greater
• shrinks the water molecule clusters to a size that allows dirt and soil to be soaked free naturally
• create Hydrogen Peroxide (which yes, is a chemical...just one that you can put on your skin) which disinfects the clothes, kills bacteria and odor
• needs to be recharged in the sun for one afternoon every 30 days (or every 30 loads)

I am still very skeptical about their bio ceramics claims. I do not see actual science to back these things.

What Crystal Wash claims their laundry balls do and my families thoughts:

• Save You Money: Crystal Wash is supposed to last for up to 1000 loads of laundry. Crystal Wash is $50 per 1000 loads, verses around $300 per 1000 loads for store bought detergents. So, if you swapped Crystal Wash for store bought detergent you would indeed save money.
• Make Laundry Cleaner: It also says it will get your laundry cleaner. I am not sure about the science behind Crystal Wash's bio ceramics and its validity, but my husband who understands more chemistry and physics than me says that these claims are a bunch of big words thrown together to make it sound cool. He says these are nonsensical.
• Make Doing Laundry Easier: So, how does Crystal Wash make doing laundry easier? You don't have to go to the store to buy detergent or lug those heavy bottles or boxes of detergent home with you. You don't have to deal with messy detergents at all. No more spilling or having to measure out the correct, exact amount.
• Are More Natural and Better for the Environment: Crystal Wash's laundry balls do not use detergents, (toxic/harsh) chemicals, dyes, or perfumes. They are gentle on sensitive skin and fabric. By using Crystal Wash you are reducing contaminated waste water filtered back into the water supply, saving water by lowering required rinse cycles, and effectively reducing CO2 production by requiring less energy than a traditional detergent based wash. Although you would also be doing this by using just water to do your wash...or water with a bit of homemade soap.

What I do know that works for cleaner laundry and why:

• More agitation during the wash means your laundry is getting cleaner. The big dirty secret among detergent makers is that we don't actually "need" them to get our clothes clean. The agitation is what gets the laundry clean not the soap!
• Hot water gets most stains and dirt out better and kills germs. It says to use warm-hot water with these laundry balls. If you are not already using hot water you should know that along with killing germs it also gets most stains out more effectively...even without laundry balls like Crystal Wash.

My observations and tests...
I did a side by side comparison with a load with just my laundry detergent, a load with the Crystal Wash, and a load with just water. It was very hard to see a difference when washing with these verses with my hypoallergenic sans free detergent or just with water. I do not wash my laundry in perfumed detergent or detergent with dyes because my son is allergic, anyway, so there usually isn't anything to cover up odor and my front loading washing machine does just fine.

Crystal Wash Crowdfunding Campaign:
Crystal Wash has a crowdfunding campaign to fund their Crystal Wash 2.0. This lets you get connected with your laundry. Their new Crystal Wash 2.0 will give you recharge notices, real-time wash pH levels, wash complete alerts, wash cycle tracking stats (graphs, counters, social sharing), savings tracking, Crystal Wash (wash cycle counter – time to order new Crystal Wash), stain guide, and a label decoder all in one handy app that is integrated with the Crystal Wash ball for easier washing.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Crystal Wash for sending me this product for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

MiracleFold Clothes Laundry Folder Review and Giveaway

I received MiracleFold complimentary to facilitate this review and the opportunity to also give one away.

I know how to fold clothes, but I find folding clean laundry sort of boring. My kids don't really like doing it and usually end up stuffing their clothes drawers full of wadded up clothing. Then the clothes are wrinkled and don't fit in the drawer well. The drawer ends up staying open because of the mess and the clean clothes that should have been folded to begin with end up all over the floor and stuffed in places they should be. Then those same clean clothes end up in the laundry again to get rewashed. This wastes so much time and energy, let alone resources in the end.

Enter the MiracleFold into our lives and clothing gets folded, clothing drawers are more organized, and my kids are happier because they have something that not only entertains them, but gets the job done. The MiracleFold is also great because it is so easy for littler kids to also join in the folding fun. It folds shirts, pants, and towels really well. My kids were even trying to figure out how to use the MiracleFold for other clothing, garments and linens. This time saving gadget is especially great if you have kids who think folding laundry is boring or not worth their time. It also makes the clothing/linens uniform and more organized in the drawer or cabinet. I have heard that it might not work as well on baby clothes or clothing that is in the extra larger sizes or above. Since I really don't have those sizes in my family this product works really well for us.

The plastic the MiracleFold is made of is fairly robust. I can see that if it is used nonstop that eventually it might break along the plastic hinges where the panels can be folded in. It comes in two great colors: Sky Blue and Orange. They are also going to implement more colors down the line. We picked the Sky Blue because it goes with our home decor better. I did find that the plastic it is made of does attract static electricity so make sure your clothing has ran through the dryer with a dryer sheet that reduces or eliminates static cling. The back of the MiracleFold also has rubber nonslip grippers so that it doesn't slide around while being used.

The MiracleFold also takes up very little space since it is flat and it can be hung on a hook that attaches to the wall with an adhesive sticker. This makes it easy to find and also great for laundry rooms, linen closets, or by where you iron your clothing. We love how compactly it folds up.

Here are the abbreviated instructions (Read the full instructions for the individual items on the MiracleFold website):

1. Lay MiracleFold on a flat surface with the rubber nonslip grippers facing down and open up all panels on it so that it is also laying flat.
2. Lay a shirt, pants, or towel on the MiracleFold. Flatten it out and line it up properly as per full instructions.
3. Fold the panels in as per full instructions to to achieve perfect folds.

WIN IT
Prize: 1 winner will win a MiracleFold in their choice of color, blue or orange.

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product complimentary to facilitate my review and the opportunity to give another away to my readers. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Purex Natural Elements Tropical Splash Detergent Review and Giveaway

I'm reporting to you as your friendly Purex® Insider. Purex® Natural Elements® Tropical Splash Detergent is a new fragrance to the Natural Elements® line. It has a wonderful scent of exotic fruits like pineapple and coconut combined with flowers to whisk your thoughts away to a tropical vacation. The Natural Elements® line of laundry detergent is made with naturally sourced ingredients and natural fragrance extracts. This detergent is also hypoallergenic and dye-free for sensitive skin. The formula is also biodegradable and so it is better for the environment and promotes green cleaning practices.

New to 2013 and now enhancing all the Purex® detergent line is their Dirt Lift Action™. This new special formula works deep into the fibers of your clothes to get them so bright, white, and clean for an average of half the price of the leading brand. The Dirt Lift Action™. helps to remove stains with its superior cleaning.  All detergents from Purex® work in both traditional and High Efficiency (HE) washers.

I received a 50 fl oz (33 load) bottle of the Purex® Natural Elements® Tropical Splash Detergent. I love, love, love this detergent!! The smell is amazing, in my opinion! I also love that I can use it for my kids who have skin sensitivities to most detergents with fragrance. It is awesome that it is hypoallergenic and dye-free! I am also a firm believer in products that are better for the environment and this is one of those. I will definitely be purchasing this product to have in my home again after this one runs out!

BUY IT
You can purchase this detergent in the liquid detergent aisle at your local Purex® retailers. Purex® detergent is an average of half the price of the leading brand which makes it a great value and very affordable.

WIN IT
Prize: 1 winner will win 2 coupons for a FREE bottle of Purex® Natural Elements® Tropical Splash Detergent.

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Purex® for sending me product for free and promotion information to facilitate my review and free coupons for this giveaway. By posting I will be entered to win prizes. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

Purex Experience the Enchantment Sweepstakes

Purex Experience the Enchantment Sweepstakes: One lucky grand prize winner will receive $1,000 and a year of FREE Purex detergent plus Fabric Softener, while 500 second place winners get to try this powerful, fresh detergent for FREE! That is over $4,000 in prizes!

Enter to win here: http://insiders.purex.com/experience-enchantment/?id=1254

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Purex for providing me this promotion information. By posting about this sweepstakes I will be entered to win one of 5 $25 Amazon gift cards for driving traffic using my unique URL! My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

Purex plus Fabric Softener with Crystals Fragrance and Dirt Lift Action Review and Giveaway

I'm reporting to you as your friendly Purex® Insider. Purex® plus Fabric Softener with Crystals Fragrance and Dirt Lift Action™ combines the Purex® plus Fabric Softener laundry detergent with the "Fresh Spring Waters™" scent of Crystals. This fragrance combines clean blue skies and spring breezes with line-dried fresh notes and flowery scents. New to 2013 and now enhancing all the Purex® detergent line is their Dirt Lift Action™. This new special formula works deep into the fibers of your clothes to get them so bright, white, and clean for an average of half the price of the leading brand. The Dirt Lift Action™. helps to remove stains with its superior cleaning. All detergents from Purex® work in both traditional and High Efficiency (HE) washers.

I received a 50 fl oz bottle of the Purex® plus Fabric Softener with Crystals Fragrance and Dirt Lift Action™ in Fresh Spring Waters scent. For me this detergent has an overpowering smell that wasn't my favorite. I usually buy detergents free from fragrance and dyes because my son is usually allergic and has very sensitive skin. I wish that they had the fabric softener one in the Tropical Splash instead because I prefer that fragrance to this one myself. If you love strong scent this detergent would be perfect for you.

BUY IT
You can purchase this detergent in the liquid detergent aisle at your local Walmart, Target, Kroger, and other Purex® retailers. Purex® detergent is an average of half the price of the leading brand which makes it a great value and very affordable.

WIN IT
Prize: 1 winner will win 2 coupons for a FREE bottle of Purex® detergent plus Fabric Softener with Crystals Fragrance.

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Purex® for sending me product for free and promotion information to facilitate my review and free coupons for this giveaway. By posting I will be entered to win prizes. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

Borax - Fresh Year, Fresher Laundry Facebook Sweepstakes

The Borax - Fresh Year, Fresher Laundry Facebook Sweepstakes is LIVE! Borax is the All Natural Laundry Booster!

Enter to win the $1,500 Grand Prize, or one of 171 coupons for FREE BORAX! Why 171 coupons you ask? The TOTAL prize value is $2013!, which is very appropriate for the new year ;-) So make sure you sign up once a day until February 22nd, 2013 to try and win!

Enter to win here... http://insiders.purex.com/Borax-fresh-year?id=1254

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: If you sign up by clicking my unique link (provided above), I'll automatically be entered to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card. Thanks to Purex and 20 Mule Team Borax for sending me this promotion information.

20 Mule Team Borax Review and Giveaway

Borax is the common name for sodium tetraborate: a naturally occurring substance produced by the repeated evaporation of seasonal lakes. 20 Mule Team Borax comes from California where one of the world’s largest deposits was discovered in 1913. Absolutely nothing is added. No phosphates, per-oxside, chlorine, or other additive chemicals.

20 Mule Team Borax is a laundry booster and multi-purpose household cleaner. It removes stains and neutralizes odors. Borax naturally softens hard water and improves your detergent’s cleaning power. It also helps keep stains from being re-deposited back onto clothes. It is also a wonderful all natural alternative to color safe bleach. To boost your detergent, simply add 1/2 cup of 20 Mule Team Borax to every load, along with your regular detergent. You can also use 20 Mule Team Borax to pre-soak tough stains.

Over 85% of homes have what most people call “hard water.” Hard water is defined as water that contains calcium and magnesium (ions). Since I live in Oregon I am one of the lucky ones that has soft to only slightly hard water. Even though I do not have that hard of water here, I have found many other ways of using Borax besides keeping my laundry smelling fresh and looking clean too.

Handy Uses for 20 Mule Team Borax:

Cleaning

• Laundry: Add 1/2 cup of 20 Mule Team Borax to every full load, along with your regular detergent.
• Dishes: Dishwasher detergent - put 1 cup washing soda or 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax (additionally you could add these optional ingredients: 1/2 cup of table salt and 1/2 cup of citric acid) in a glass jar. Secure tightly with lid. Shake to combine. Add 1 tbsp. of dishwasher detergent to each load. Add distilled white vinegar to the rinsing compartment to give the dishes a sparkling shine (plastic dishes will need sprayed with additional vinegar and rinsed by hand to get the sediment off). Handwashing Dish detergent - fill kitchen sink halfway with hot water and add a quarter of a cup of Borax, and a quarter of a cup of washing soda or baking soda. Mix well until dissolved, then add dishes. Clean dishes normally and rinse thoroughly. You can also use a little Borax on a dish cloth or scouring pad on dishes, pots, and pans that need extra scrubbing power.
• Deodorizer: Add 1/2 cup of Borax to a 12 ounce spray bottle of water and shake until dissolved. Spray on area needing deodorized. Example: Mattresses, Upholstery, clothing.
• Carpet and Upholstery Stains and Deodorizer: Stains - Pre-treat tough stains in carpet and upholstery. Make a paste of Borax and water and rub into stain. Let dry and vacuum. You can also place 1/2 cup of Borax per gallon of water in carpet steam cleaning machines (Warning: You are doing this at your own risk...the risk of possibly breaking your cleaner. The manufacture guidelines and specifics in the manual are usually put there for good reason.). Deodorizer - Sprinkle Borax on carpet, let stand overnight and vacuum.
• Tile and Grout Cleaner: make a paste and use a toothbrush for cleaning.
• Garbage Disposal and Unclog a Drain: Disposal - dump 1/4 cup into disposal and splash in a bit of water. Wait an hour and rinse with hot water. Clogged Drain - dump 1/2 cup into clogged drain and wait 15 minutes. Rinse with hot water.
• Surface Cleaner: Borax is safe to use on most surfaces including tile, ceramic, porcelain, slate, marble, granite and stainless steel. Great for toilets: put 1/4th cup into bowl, wait a bit then swish with toilet brush. It is great for removing soap scum, hard water deposits, and dirt!

Insecticide

• Ants: Mix equal amounts of Borax and powdered sugar, place near ant problem area (especially around anthills) - keep away from pets and small children. Others have said this also works for other bugs too including: silverfish, bedbugs, water bugs and roaches.
• Fleas: Sprinkle Borax on carpet and upholstery, let stand overnight and vacuum. 

Gardening

• Weed Control: Dissolve 10 ounces of Borax in 1/2 cup warm water and place it in a 5 gallon bucket. Dilute with 2 1/2 gallons of water. Fill empty spray bottles or a garden sprayer with solution and spray over problem area evenly and quickly. The borax solution will treat 1,000 square feet. You can cut the recipe in half if you need to cover as smaller area. Don't spray it on other plants you do not wish to kill. Remove weeds by hand around plants that you are planning on eating.
• Boron Supplement/Soil Fertilizer: Depending upon the amount of boron in your soil your garden crops and flowers might be suffering from boron deficiency. Hollow stalks in broccoli or celery, black spots on leaves, rot and fruit-pitting might be indicators of this. Test your soil to make sure and if it is lacking, make a borax solution. Add 2.5 oz. of borax into 5 gallons of water. Spray the solution evenly on plant foliage. Do not concentrate the solution in one area.

Crafts

• Crystal Snowflakes: Twist three 5-inch pieces (one pipe cleaner cut into 3 equal sections will do nicely) of white pipe cleaner together in the middle to form a 6 sided snowflake, then add a 1 1/2-inch piece to each point. Tie the flake with 4" string to a pencil on the opposite side. Find a big enough jar so the suspended flake won't touch the sides or bottom. Fill with 3 tablespoons borax and 1 drop food coloring of choice per 1 cup of boiling water. Hang the snowflake in the jar and make sure snowflake is completely submerged in the solution. Let sit overnight without interruption; remove and hang where you want to display. Science behind it: as the water cools, borax forms crystals that cling to the pipe cleaners.
• Goop: Goop has many names including: flubber, glurch, glorax and GAK. Pour 1 1/2 cups of warm water into a container and then add in 2 cups of white glue. In another container, mix 1 1/3 cups warm water and 3 tsp. of borax. Mix both containers well. Then empty the second container into the first and mix again. You can put in a few drops of food coloring at this point if you like. Stir or knead the mixture by hand until all the liquid has been soaked up and the material looks thick. Some people find that borax irritates their skin, so you should wash your hands after working with it and, of course, never eat it. Be careful as it might stain if you put in the food coloring.
• Dried Flowers: Mix 1 part borax and 2 parts of cornmeal with one tablespoon of uniodized salt. The Uniodized salt helps retain the color of the flower while drying. Spread half of the dry mix across the bottom of an airtight container. Prune back stems and leaves of picked flowers and place the blooms into the container. Carefully sprinkle the rest of the borax mix over the flowers (avoid crushing them). Cover and dry for a week to 10 days.

WIN IT
Prize: Win 1 coupon for a FREE box of 20 Mule Team Borax (3 Winners!)

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to 20 Mule Team Borax for sending me product for free and promotion information to facilitate my review and free coupons for this giveaway. This opportunity was provided to me because I am a Purex Insider. By posting I will be entered to win rewards. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

Purex Plus Oxi Review and Giveaway

I'm reporting to you as your friendly Purex Insider. Purex Plus Oxi is a new stain-fighting liquid detergent from Purex. It has Oxi AND Zout stain removers. This is the most powerful Purex detergent available with 3 stain-fighting enzymes that work against 101 different stains! It, like all Purex liquid detergents, works in both high efficiency washers and traditional washing machines.

I received a 43.5 fl oz bottle of the Purex Plus Oxi in Fresh Morning Burst Scent to try out for free. I found it to be an excellent stain pretreatment. Just pour a little of it onto the stain, rub stained fabric together and let sit for about 5 minutes before putting into the wash load. Then you can also add the same laundry detergent to the washer too. It also gets clothes super bright, white and clean! I tried it and I don't usually like detergents with a scent, but this one is mild and nice and is still hypoallergenic. My son got his pants all dirty with dirt and grass stains (boys will be boys). This got the stains and dirt out and left the clothes fresh smelling and clean.

PUREX SWEEPSTAKES

Scare Away Stains with Purex plus Oxi
Runs through 10/15-11/16
There will be one (1) Prize. The Prize winner will receive $1,000 in the form of a check or gift card and a (1) year supply of Purex plus Oxi detergent in the form of 10 “Free Coupons” valued at up to $6.00 per coupon.

Save Big on Appliances + Win a Whirlpool Washer & Dryer from Purex
Runs from 10/15-11/9
The promotion allows users to sign up for special savings on Whirlpool appliances.  There will be one (1) Prize. The Prize winner will receive a 4.3 cu. ft. Whirlpool Duet® Steam Front Load Washer with Precision Dispense Ultra, a 7.4 cu. ft. Whirlpool Duet® Steam Electric Dryer with Advanced Moisture Sensing and pedestals. Prize includes delivery and set in place only. Installation and removal of old appliances are not included. The sweepstakes is hosted as a Facebook fangate.  Participants are asked to "Like" Purex before they can enter.

Purex plus Oxi Sweepstakes
Runs from 10/15-11/30
There will be one (1) Prize. The Prize winner will receive $1,000 in the form of a check or gift card and There will also be 250 2nd place winners that will each win $25.

Have you tried Purex yet? If not, go HERE to get a free sample and try it for yourself!

WIN IT
Prize: 1 winner will win 3 coupons for a FREE bottle of new Purex plus OXI Detergent.

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Purex for sending me product for free and promotion information to facilitate my review and free coupons for this giveaway. By posting I will be entered to win prizes. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

Purex Tweetstakes

I'm reporting to you as your friendly Purex Insider. Purex is having their first ever Twitter-only Sweepstakes, a Tweetstakes if you will! They’re giving away 25 Bottles of Purex Triple Action liquid laundry detergent for 5 days – That's 125 winners!

Visit www.purex.com/tweetstakes to sign up. Fill out the form. Tweet an honest confession with hashtag #PurexLetsBeHonest and the promo URL, then Follow Purex on Twitter to see other's confessions! You can enter once per day! This promotion started today, July 16th, and ends this Friday, July 20th.

Have you tried Purex yet? If not, go HERE to get a free sample and try it for yourself!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Purex for providing me this promotion information. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for posting this promo.

Purex Triple Action Detergent Rafflecopter Giveaway

I'm reporting to you as your friendly Purex Insider. Purex still has their Let’s Be Honest promotional campaign going. Every few days through mid-July at www.purex.com Purex has been featuring Second City Comedian Molly Erdman in a series of funny, short videos sharing honest moments from everyday life, laundry, etc.

The best part is that you can also enter their sweepstakes to win a full year of Purex laundry detergent. I really love their Free and Clear Detergent!!

Have you tried Purex yet? If not, go HERE to get a free sample and try it for yourself!

Also enter my  Purex Triple Action Detergent Rafflecopter Giveaway below...

WIN IT
Prize: 1 winner will win 3 coupons for a FREE bottle of new Purex Triple Action Detergent.

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about the Let's Be Honest Purex Campaign I am getting coupons for Purex. Thanks to Purex for providing me this promotion information and free coupons for this giveaway. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Clorox Green Works Kids Clothing Swap and Review

I had the chance to do a Clorox Green Works® Kids Clothing Swap House Party ™ sponsored by Better Homes and Gardens on Saturday, October 03, 2009. I had fun putting the whole thing together and we all tried out and learned about the products. Most the guests were camera shy, so I only ended up taking a few pictures, but our party turned out great!


We exchanged gently worn kids' clothing items that were all washed previously in NEW Green Works ™ Natural Laundry Detergent. I love the fact that the Green Works natural laundry detergent is safe for my family and cleans my clothing well. It is made by a company I trust, Clorox. It leaves no residue behind on your clothing or your skin while wearing your clothing. It has no harsh chemical fumes that would make me nauseous. It is made with plant based, biodegradable cleaning ingredients which are also safe for the environment. Made with no phosphates or bleach. I love that this product is hypoallergenic and won't irritate the skin.

After the swap, I shared going green tips and each person that came got to take home green goodies.

In the kit I received:

* Green Works™ Laundry Detergent samples (See above for my review.)
* Green Works™ Cleaning Wipes samples (I loved these for cleaning. They have a wonderful lemon scent and are 99% natural, are compostable and biodegradable.)
* Sierra Club note cards (Cute note cards!)
* GE Reveal® CFL Bulb coupons (Reveal CFLs lasts up to 8 times as long as incandescent bulbs and use 75% less energy! That is wonderful for my savings.)
* Burt's Bees® 25th Anniversary Lip Balm and Lotion samples (I love Burt's Bees products! This is definitely one of my faves! It has a wonderful peppermint smell and makes your lips tingle with refreshing soothing and cooling. It glides on smooth and feels great! It is made of beeswax to seal in moisture and has all natural ingredients. This is perfect to refresh dry or chapped lips. I highly recommend it!)
* Brita®FilterForGood® reusable Nalgene® bottles (I love these bottles! They are now BPA free so are a healthier choice than many options out there and saves on water bottles going to the landfill since they are reusable. They are great for taking on trips and backpacking.)
* Brita® coupons (I handed these out to my guests, but have not tried this filter out for myself.)

DISCLAIMER: Thanks to House Party ™ for providing me with this opportunity to host a Clorox Green Works® Kids Clothing Swap sponsored by Better Homes and Gardens. I received the above samples and coupons to hand out to hand out to guests and test and review myself. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. House Party connects people through parties. You too can use the helpful tools to plan your party, create invites, join sponsored events, share pictures and video, and explore thousands of parties being held in homes around the country.

LTDchix Review and Giveaway

The people that know me well know that I am a mom that wouldn't trade motherhood for anything even with all the chaos and insanity of it all!! I have 4 kids! Two of which are rambunctious adventuresome boys (8 and 7 years old). The other two are a special needs, medically involved 5 year old daughter and a breastfed, pampered one year old daughter. I know hectic when I see it! So, when I was asked to review a t-shirt from LTDchix I jumped at the chance. I received a medium fitted Multi-Tasking Mom short sleeve t-shirt in Sherbert/White from the ladies at LTDchix to review.

Nina Frye and Cindi Schmitzer are very talented ladies that traded their working, paying jobs out in the corporate jungle for motherhood. LTDchix was born from the realization that the idea of a perfect motherhood was far from reality, that they had stepped into a very different kind of jungle, and loved every crazy moment of it! In their own words... "We came to a few conclusions that day. First: this was it. We were Living the Dream. Being a Mom really is tough sometimes, we’re faced fairly often with some pretty insane and chaotic situations, and WE LOVE IT! We wouldn’t trade it for the world!". I really couldn't have put it more beautifully myself! This is exactly how I feel!

The t-shirts on their website are illustrated with a very happy looking mom that is overwhelmed by some task/chore of daily mommy life. These are just too cute! I just wish all of the designs came in all the colors, styles, and sizes they have...not just a few to pick from. The t-shirts are made from 100 percent cotton and are very comfortable to wear. Moms in any situation can relate at some point in their lives to the LTDchix signature mom. I know I can!

Win it! Nina at LTDchix is generously giving one Laundry Mom t-shirt in short sleeve. You can choose a fitted style in lipstick/light pink or sherbert/white OR a loose style in light blue. The fitted is size S-XL and the loose is size S–2XL. Please note that fitted t-shirts run a size small.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the LTDchix website and tell me which short sleeve Laundry mom t-shirt you want.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by blogger, by email, or both and let me know. (1 extra entry)

2. Become my fan on facebook. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and LTDchix in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button - See Sidebar to the left - Leave your link (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. Add me on twitter and retweet this: @finamoon: @LTDchix1 WIN: LTDchix Laundry Mom t-shirt http://bit.ly/N5VNI
(Daily Extras are Available)

7. Put up a link on your blog to the LTDchix blog and let me know your blog url, and where it is located on your blog. (1 extra entry)

8. Become a fan of Living The Dream - LTDchix.com on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

9. Follow LTDchix on Twitter.

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. If you blogged about this leave 2 entries saying you did. This contest ends on Friday July 03, 2009 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is only open to U.S. only.