What are the best non-toxic cleaning supplies for the home?

What do you all recommend to clean wood floors, wood furniture and metal cabinets? I was using Simple Green, but there are warnings on various sites that it can be toxic. Their FAQ's say it's safe (http://simplegreen.com/faqs) but several sites like Mercola's say it's dangerous for pets:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a...e-green-cleaners-are-deceptive-and-toxic.aspx

The manufacturers of the "Green" cleaning product Simple Green's claim that it is non-toxic, biodegradable, non-hazardous, non-flammable, and non-corrosive. But the Material Data Safety Sheet for Simple Green reveals that the formula contains 2-Butoxyethanol -- a petrochemical solvent.

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This site has Simple Green on the list of the worst cleaners (take a look at some of the others)
http://www.rodalenews.com/environmental-working-group-cleaners-database

To be fair, it looks like Simple Green has removed 2-Butoxyethanol from the ingredients (according to the 2013 data sheets here http://simplegreen.com/data-sheets) and the websites mentioned above may not have revised their reviews. The Simple Green Wikipedia entry states: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_Green)

It is advertised as an environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and biodegradable cleaner. It received critical attention from environmental safety activists because of the toxicity concerns of 2-butoxyethanol (EGBE), which was in the formula at under 4%. As of 2013 Simple Green all-purpose cleaner removed 2-butoxyethanol, and has a NFPA/HMIS rating of 0/mininal for Health, Fire, reactivity, and Special.

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There was a thread I found here about the use of cleaning supplies from June, 2011, but much of what's mentioned sounds toxic to cats.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/232391/cleaning-supplies

Any suggestions?

teeveecat said:

What do you all recommend to clean wood floors, wood furniture and metal cabinets? I was using Simple Green, but there are warnings on various sites that it can be toxic. Their FAQ's say it's safe (http://simplegreen.com/faqs) but several sites like Mercola's say it's dangerous for pets:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a...e-green-cleaners-are-deceptive-and-toxic.aspx
This site has Simple Green on the list of the worst cleaners (take a look at some of the others)
http://www.rodalenews.com/environmental-working-group-cleaners-database

To be fair, it looks like Simple Green has removed 2-Butoxyethanol from the ingredients (according to the 2013 data sheets here http://simplegreen.com/data-sheets) and the websites mentioned above may not have revised their reviews. The Simple Green Wikipedia entry states: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_Green)
There was a thread I found here about the use of cleaning supplies from June, 2011, but much of what's mentioned sounds toxic to cats.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/232391/cleaning-supplies

Any suggestions?

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I had read similar things about the Simple Green products. I never tried them, in favor of using plain old vinegar, baking soda, for many things, including washing our floors. I used to use pine-sol, but stopped this as the ingredients in this product can make cats very sick. Keeping it simple is just better for the environment, and our health.

ETA: What do you all recommend to clean wood floors, wood furniture and metal cabinets?

I use Murphy's Oil soap to clean my dining room table, chairs, cabinets. You can also safely use this on hardwood floors. This product contains water, coconut & plant-derived cleaning ingredients, natural fragrance, and 2% synthetic ingredients.

http://www.colgate.com/murphy-oil-soap#/products/

teeveecat said:

What do you all recommend to clean wood floors, wood furniture and metal cabinets? I was using Simple Green, but there are warnings on various sites that it can be toxic. Their FAQ's say it's safe (http://simplegreen.com/faqs) but several sites like Mercola's say it's dangerous for pets:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a...e-green-cleaners-are-deceptive-and-toxic.aspx
This site has Simple Green on the list of the worst cleaners (take a look at some of the others)
http://www.rodalenews.com/environmental-working-group-cleaners-database

To be fair, it looks like Simple Green has removed 2-Butoxyethanol from the ingredients (according to the 2013 data sheets here http://simplegreen.com/data-sheets) and the websites mentioned above may not have revised their reviews. The Simple Green Wikipedia entry states: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_Green)
There was a thread I found here about the use of cleaning supplies from June, 2011, but much of what's mentioned sounds toxic to cats.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/232391/cleaning-supplies

Any suggestions?

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i do use simple green, and had not read about the concerns you mentioned. i only use it (diluted) to clean the litter boxes a couple times a year, and i do rinse the litter boxes with lots of fresh water after letting the simple green sit on the litter box for a while.

i don't use any chemicals on my floors or rugs. i vacuum, and then use a steam cleaner. i steam clean every 8th day, usually just the flooring. i steam clean the rugs and all the cat trees a few times each year. my steam cleaner is this one -- www.amazon.com/McCulloch-MC-1275-Heavy-Duty-Steam-Cleaner/dp/B0000DF0RB/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405073906&sr=8-2&keywords=steam+cleaner (i couldn't get the link to work properly), and it uses only plain water in it. i've had it for coming up on three years now and it still runs great. the material that the hose is made out of has become disattached from the part that the attachments click onto, but the inner workings in the hose are still securely attached to that part -- i just used duct tape to repair it, and have only needed to change/put new duct tape on that area once in about a year or so's time.

when i clean my tub/shower i use barkeeper's friend (gets off all the soap scum and leaves the tub sparkling/shiny with the least effort, but don't let it get on any grout in tile work). i use that for my kitchen and bathroom sinks and the range hood too. i wipe then rinse it off well and always shower shortly after cleaning the tub/shower, so i feel confident that any chemical residue is pretty washed away.

i use window cleaner with no ammonia in it, just actually a mix of vinegar/water that i mix up myself.

mickNsnicks2mom said:

i do use simple green, and had not read about the concerns you mentioned. i only use it (diluted) to clean the litter boxes a couple times a year, and i do rinse the litter boxes with lots of fresh water after letting the simple green sit on the litter box for a while.

when i clean my tub/shower i use barkeeper's friend (gets off all the soap scum and leaves the tub sparkling/shiny with the least effort, but don't let it get on any grout in tile work). i use that for my kitchen and bathroom sinks and the range hood too. i wipe then rinse it off well and always shower shortly after cleaning the tub/shower, so i feel confident that any chemical residue is pretty washed away.

i use window cleaner with no ammonia in it, just actually a mix of vinegar/water that i mix up myself.

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I tried a combination of vinegar, baking soda and a few drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid to alleviate the vinegar smell, but it still smells horrible. I have Barkeeper's Friend to clean the sinks and stove, and may use it in the bathroom now that you mentioned it, but that's got to be rinsed away thoroughly. Barkeeper's Friend contains oxalic acid which was registered as a pesticide.

1) Read the data sheet: http://www.barkeepersfriend.com/files/file/MSDS_BKF_Powder_1_1_14.pdf
2) The EPA fact sheet on oxalic acid: http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/factsheets/4070fact.pdf
3) Pet warnings about oxalic acid:http://www.ehow.com/list_6757016_pet-warnings-oxalic-acid-plants.html

I had always heard that of all the powdered cleansers, Bon Ami was the safest. It's made up of calcium carbonate (limestone), sodium carbonate and Feldspar (ground minerals).

Data sheet: http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/household/brands?tbl=brands&id=6001001

According to their site:

bathroom

To clean large washable surfaces such as kitchen sinks, stoves, counter tops, bath tubs and showers, sprinkle Bon Ami on the area to be cleaned and rub with a very wet cloth and wipe dry to a gleaming finish. Because there is no harmful residue from Bon Ami, it is safer to use around your family and pets. - Bon Ami Staff

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I would still ensure that these cleaners have been heavily rinsed away with water after application and the area thoroughly dried before the animal is allowed to walk on it. I'm going to have to check Consumer Reports to see what they recommend as the best steam cleaner. Thanks for the link to the one you're using.

oneandahalfcats said:

I had read similar things about the Simple Green products. I never tried them, in favor of using plain old vinegar, baking soda, for many things, including washing our floors. I used to use pine-sol, but stopped this as the ingredients in this product can make cats very sick. Keeping it simple is just better for the environment, and our health.

ETA: What do you all recommend to clean wood floors, wood furniture and metal cabinets?
I use Murphy's Oil soap to clean my dining room table, chairs, cabinets. You can also safely use this on hardwood floors. This product contains water, coconut & plant-derived cleaning ingredients, natural fragrance, and 2% synthetic ingredients.

http://www.colgate.com/murphy-oil-soap#/products/

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It appears that Simple Green took out the 2-Butoxyethanol from their 2013 product releases. I've emailed Mercola to see if they would revise their findings and approve of Simple Green now. I still have an old gallon jug left of the formula that had the 2-Butoxyethanol, I diluted it and used it on the floors a few months ago. I wonder if there's still a problem if you make sure the floors dry before the cat can enter the room.

In regard to Murphy's Oil Soap, it was discussed on this forum about 4 years ago. Here's a data sheet: http://www.ppd.ufl.edu/pdf/msds/Murphy_Oil_Soap_Liquid.pdf. They put some not so delicious
sounding chemical called potassium hydroxide in it which is discussed at length here:

http://www.blogiversity.org/forums/t/3641.aspx

According to this site: http://www.vspn.org/Library/misc/VSPN_M01290.htm

Alkaline products include sodium or potassium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, sodium or potassium hydroxide, and potassium permanganate. Common sources of alkaline products include drain openers, automatic dishwasher detergents, alkaline batteries, toilet bowl cleaners, swimming pool products and radiator cleaning agents. Agents with pH greater than 11 should be considered to be capable of causing significant corrosive injury. Alkaline agents penetrate local tissue rapidly and deeply, causing liquefactive necrosis. Unlike acidic products, very little pain may be evident upon initial contact with an alkaline product, which may encourage further contact and ultimately result in more extensive exposures. Clinical signs may not develop immediately, and it may require up to 12 hours for the full extent of tissue damage to become apparent. Acute signs include depression, hypersalivation, anorexia, oral inflammation or ulceration, smacking of lips, tongue flicking, dysphagia, vomiting (+/- blood), abdominal pain, and melena. Significant hyperthermia (>104° F) may accompany oral inflammation. Esophageal and/or pharyngeal ulceration may occur. Inhalation of corrosive material may result in coughing, dyspnea, and moist lung sounds. Sequelae can include esophageal perforations or strictures and pleuritis or peritonitis from leakage of ingesta through perforated mucosa.

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What I don't understand is why potassium hydroxide is not listed in the ingredients on the company website: http://www.colgate.com/murphy-oil-soap#/products/

I'm beginning to wonder if it's safer to leave the floors dirty than to use most of these cleaners! Has anyone tried Method Floor Cleaner?

http://methodhome.com/shop/squirt-mop-wood-floor-cleaner/

It's listed here as one of 10 non-toxic cleaners for pets: http://www.pawnation.com/2013/08/15/10-non-toxic-cleaning-products-for-pets/

We use our own. We mix 1/4 vinegar, 3/4 water, and probably 1/2 cup lemon juice. The lemon juice gets rid of the vinegar smell and also disinfects. Works great on all surfaces

We have occasionally used simple green when they are out of cleaning vinegar at the store.

I almost exclusively clean with vinegar and water. I have birds too, so even the "green" products can't be trusted. The only time the bleach or any other chemical cleaner comes out is for the litter boxes or constipated poop accidents.

teeveecat said:

I tried a combination of vinegar, baking soda and a few drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid to alleviate the vinegar smell, but it still smells horrible. I have Barkeeper's Friend to clean the sinks and stove, and may use it in the bathroom now that you mentioned it, but that's got to be rinsed away thoroughly. Barkeeper's Friend contains oxalic acid which was registered as a pesticide.

1) Read the data sheet: http://www.barkeepersfriend.com/files/file/MSDS_BKF_Powder_1_1_14.pdf
2) The EPA fact sheet on oxalic acid: http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/factsheets/4070fact.pdf
3) Pet warnings about oxalic acid:http://www.ehow.com/list_6757016_pet-warnings-oxalic-acid-plants.html

I had always heard that of all the powdered cleansers, Bon Ami was the safest. It's made up of calcium carbonate (limestone), sodium carbonate and Feldspar (ground minerals).

Data sheet: http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/household/brands?tbl=brands&id=6001001

According to their site:
I would still ensure that these cleaners have been heavily rinsed away with water after application and the area thoroughly dried before the animal is allowed to walk on it. I'm going to have to check Consumer Reports to see what they recommend as the best steam cleaner. Thanks for the link to the one you're using.

It appears that Simple Green took out the 2-Butoxyethanol from their 2013 product releases. I've emailed Mercola to see if they would revise their findings and approve of Simple Green now. I still have an old gallon jug left of the formula that had the 2-Butoxyethanol, I diluted it and used it on the floors a few months ago. I wonder if there's still a problem if you make sure the floors dry before the cat can enter the room.

In regard to Murphy's Oil Soap, it was discussed on this forum about 4 years ago. Here's a data sheet: http://www.ppd.ufl.edu/pdf/msds/Murphy_Oil_Soap_Liquid.pdf. They put some not so delicious
sounding chemical called potassium hydroxide in it which is discussed at length here:

http://www.blogiversity.org/forums/t/3641.aspx

According to this site: http://www.vspn.org/Library/misc/VSPN_M01290.htm
What I don't understand is why potassium hydroxide is not listed in the ingredients on the company website: http://www.colgate.com/murphy-oil-soap#/products/

I'm beginning to wonder if it's safer to leave the floors dirty than to use most of these cleaners! Has anyone tried Method Floor Cleaner?

http://methodhome.com/shop/squirt-mop-wood-floor-cleaner/

It's listed here as one of 10 non-toxic cleaners for pets: http://www.pawnation.com/2013/08/15/10-non-toxic-cleaning-products-for-pets/

Click to expand...

I don't see that ingredient at the website, or on my bottle of MSO, but it could be there in small quantities? When I use this product, it is diluted in warm water. As I only use this on my table-tops, chairs, I am not too concerned that this ingredient is an issue, as I dry my wood surfaces to prevent leaving water marks. I would agree that drying floor surfaces before cats walk there, is a good idea. I usually wait until everyone is outside, before doing floors, just makes the process easier.

When I wash floors using vinegar and water, this is diluted with a fair amount of water. While I can smell the vinegar when washing, the smell dissipates pretty quickly when it dries. I also boil vinegar in a kettle when I want to remove calcium, and also to remove cooking smells from the air. It works really well for both of these uses.

I've been using a steam cleaner on our floors - stone tile, wood and laminate - weekly for over 14 years. It does a great job, doesn't wreck the floors, and there are no chemicals involved.

You might be interested in the suggestions in this thread: By Request: Homemade, Natural, Safe Household Cleaning Solutions

We also use a steam cleaner for our tile/hard wood floors. As for the carpets, we sprinkle baking soda and brush it in, wait 3 days then vacuum it up! It helps keep fleas under control and also deodorizes. When it comes to shampooing the carpet we rent a "Rug-Doctor" from a local WinDixie or something. It comes with soap but we prefer to get pet pet friendly soap or make our own.

teeveecat said:

I tried a combination of vinegar, baking soda and a few drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid to alleviate the vinegar smell, but it still smells horrible. I have Barkeeper's Friend to clean the sinks and stove, and may use it in the bathroom now that you mentioned it, but that's got to be rinsed away thoroughly. Barkeeper's Friend contains oxalic acid which was registered as a pesticide.

1) Read the data sheet: http://www.barkeepersfriend.com/files/file/MSDS_BKF_Powder_1_1_14.pdf
2) The EPA fact sheet on oxalic acid: http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/factsheets/4070fact.pdf
3) Pet warnings about oxalic acid:http://www.ehow.com/list_6757016_pet-warnings-oxalic-acid-plants.html

I had always heard that of all the powdered cleansers, Bon Ami was the safest. It's made up of calcium carbonate (limestone), sodium carbonate and Feldspar (ground minerals).

Data sheet: http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/household/brands?tbl=brands&id=6001001

According to their site:
I would still ensure that these cleaners have been heavily rinsed away with water after application and the area thoroughly dried before the animal is allowed to walk on it. I'm going to have to check Consumer Reports to see what they recommend as the best steam cleaner. Thanks for the link to the one you're using.

It appears that Simple Green took out the 2-Butoxyethanol from their 2013 product releases. I've emailed Mercola to see if they would revise their findings and approve of Simple Green now. I still have an old gallon jug left of the formula that had the 2-Butoxyethanol, I diluted it and used it on the floors a few months ago. I wonder if there's still a problem if you make sure the floors dry before the cat can enter the room.

In regard to Murphy's Oil Soap, it was discussed on this forum about 4 years ago. Here's a data sheet: http://www.ppd.ufl.edu/pdf/msds/Murphy_Oil_Soap_Liquid.pdf. They put some not so delicious
sounding chemical called potassium hydroxide in it which is discussed at length here:

http://www.blogiversity.org/forums/t/3641.aspx

According to this site: http://www.vspn.org/Library/misc/VSPN_M01290.htm
What I don't understand is why potassium hydroxide is not listed in the ingredients on the company website: http://www.colgate.com/murphy-oil-soap#/products/

I'm beginning to wonder if it's safer to leave the floors dirty than to use most of these cleaners! Has anyone tried Method Floor Cleaner?

http://methodhome.com/shop/squirt-mop-wood-floor-cleaner/

It's listed here as one of 10 non-toxic cleaners for pets: http://www.pawnation.com/2013/08/15/10-non-toxic-cleaning-products-for-pets/

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re rinsing the barkeeper's friend thoroughly off the tub -- i always clean the tub just before i shower, then shower. after my long day of cleaning, yard work, gardening, moving/cutting firewood, and more i take a very long shower -- usually a bit over an hour in the shower with the water running. it's getting me clean, but also the shower revives me after my long tiring day. that you for the info about oxalic acid. i do feel confident that it's all been washed away by the time i'm finished showering.

i've heard (from a former landlord, so not sure how accurate this info is) that murphy's oil soap should not be used on wood floors that have a clear coat finish applied to them, because it can strip off that clear coat over time.

by the way, i also leave a cleaned out 15 oz jar without the lid filled with cider vinegar and a little water in my kitchen on the counter next to the sink. this seems to do very well at absorbing or neutralizing odors from things like onions or other cooking smells. it just smells "clear" in my kitchen, fresh. i top it up with more cider vinegar and water as needed.

mickNsnicks2mom said:

 
i've heard (from a former landlord, so not sure how accurate this info is) that murphy's oil soap should not be used on wood floors that have a clear coat finish applied to them, because it can strip off that clear coat over time.

by the way, i also leave a cleaned out 15 oz jar without the lid filled with cider vinegar and a little water in my kitchen on the counter next to the sink. this seems to do very well at absorbing or neutralizing odors from things like onions or other cooking smells. it just smells "clear" in my kitchen, fresh. i top it up with more cider vinegar and water as needed.

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All hardwood floors feature some sort of varnish, but there really isn't anything in Murphy's soap that is harsh, so I can't imagine why or how it could strip off clear coat? It's recommended for wood. Maybe your landlord was referring to laminate?

Murphy's Oil Soap leaves a residue, even when rinsed.  I used it on a pair of suede chaps and almost never got it back out.  Not the same as wood, I know, but I can rinse chaps much easier than I can rinse a floor.

Here's one of the sites saying not to use it on wood flooring:  http://woodfloordoctor.com/_product_reviews/articles/cleaning_with_murphys_oil_soap.shtml

peaches08 said:

 
Murphy's Oil Soap leaves a residue, even when rinsed.  I used it on a pair of suede chaps and almost never got it back out.  Not the same as wood, I know, but I can rinse chaps much easier than I can rinse a floor.

Here's one of the sites saying not to use it on wood flooring:  http://woodfloordoctor.com/_product_reviews/articles/cleaning_with_murphys_oil_soap.shtml

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Well, I have been using Murphy's Oil for years, and my mother before me. I have a maple wood dining room table, chairs, hutch, sideboard that features a clear finish. It is still in beautiful shape after 10 ten years of ownership. The most important thing when cleaning wood, is not to leave any moisture behind. That said, I can see how you would have ended up with residue when using Murphy's on swede, which is an entirely different surface more capable of absorbing and retaining liquids, especially oils. 

This site recommends Murphy's for oiled wood floors : http://www.woodmeister.com/caring-for-wood-floors

ETA: Off topic, incidently, Murphy's soap reminds me of the old saddle soap that I used years ago. Is this what you were thinking when you thought to use this on your chaps? If I recall, the properties in saddle soap are linseed oil?

Yes, suede is a different material from wood.  But I have more confidence in the rinsing abilities of my washing machine than I do a rag or mop.  It's just worth noting that things don't rinse that easily from flooring, and it should make anyone think about what they're putting on their floors.

Saddle soaps are usually glycerin based, whereas linseed oil is from flax seed. 

oneandahalfcats said:

 
All hardwood floors feature some sort of varnish, but there really isn't anything in Murphy's soap that is harsh, so I can't imagine why or how it could strip off clear coat? It's recommended for wood. Maybe your landlord was referring to laminate?

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they were real hardwood floors with like a clear smooth kind of thick coating over them. it was an apartment that i was renting in an old victorian style house, so when my landlord told me not to use murphy's oil soap i didn't. landlord also wanted me to use comet to clean my shower tiles, in other words bust my butt scrubbing the tiles.

mickNsnicks2mom said:

 landlord also wanted me to use comet to clean my shower tiles, in other words bust my butt scrubbing the tiles.

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I can't get anything else to get the hard water/soap scum off!  I use vinegar to get it to loosen, but that just gets it into a gummy substance.  Those Kaboom! products?  Pfft...worthless for me.  Even with scrubbing.  But my water is HARD.

peaches08 said:

 
I can't get anything else to get the hard water/soap scum off!  I use vinegar to get it to loosen, but that just gets it into a gummy substance.  Those Kaboom! products?  Pfft...worthless for me.  Even with scrubbing.  But my water is HARD.

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honestly, i don't spend a lot of time scrubbing the tile in my shower. i plan on replacing that shower/tub with a nice modern shower enclosure with spa jets and a rainshower shower head coming up, so as long as the current shower/tub is basically clean that's enough time spent on it for me.

vinegar did the same for the soap scum on my tub too. the barkeeper's friend loosens the soap scum lickety split, and i then wipe it off with the sponge.

We replaced our tiled shower stall with a surround (shower enclosure). While tile is nice, I really did not enjoy having to clean it. We live on a well with hard water that we have chosen not to soften, and so soap scum does build up more readily. Baking soda works well to break this up, but my husband prefers blasting the shower stall with the product, Scrubbing Bubbles. This works great by the way, but the chemicals are not good for the septic tank, and the smell can be overwhelming. I could see the vinegar working well, as it does a good job of unclogging the shower head.

oneandahalfcats said:

 
We replaced our tiled shower stall with a surround (shower enclosure). While tile is nice, I really did not enjoy having to clean it. We live on a well with hard water that we have chosen not to soften, and so soap scum does build up more readily. Baking soda works well to break this up, but my husband prefers blasting the shower stall with the product, Scrubbing Bubbles.

This works great by the way, but the chemicals are not good for the septic tank, and the smell can be overwhelming. I could see the vinegar working well, as it does a good job of unclogging the shower head.

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i have public (town) water, but do have a septic tank. i read about barkeeper's friend being used for shower enclosures on the manly housekeeper dot com. that guy did a test with 6 different cleaning solutions to find the best cleaner for his shower enclosure -- http://www.themanlyhousekeeper.com/2011/03/11/solved-soap-scum-and-hard-water-stains/   and barkeeper's friend and lime-a-way came in pretty much tied as the co-winners.

i don't use scrubbing bubbles because of that overwhelming smell. i figure it can't be good for me to be inhaling those chemical fumes.

some of my reasons for remodeling my bathroom with a shower enclosure are:  no tiling to clean, i never use the tub only the shower, and i want to update the bathroom to a more modern-ish style. i'll still have a tub, but that will be in the new upstairs bathroom and will be an acrylic claw foot tub.

mickNsnicks2mom said:

 
i have public (town) water, but do have a septic tank. i read about barkeeper's friend being used for shower enclosures on the manly housekeeper dot com. that guy did a test with 6 different cleaning solutions to find the best cleaner for his shower enclosure -- http://www.themanlyhousekeeper.com/2011/03/11/solved-soap-scum-and-hard-water-stains/   and barkeeper's friend and lime-a-way came in pretty much tied as the co-winners.

i don't use scrubbing bubbles because of that overwhelming smell. i figure it can't be good for me to be inhaling those chemical fumes.

some of my reasons for remodeling my bathroom with a shower enclosure are:  no tiling to clean, i never use the tub only the shower, and i want to update the bathroom to a more modern-ish style. i'll still have a tub, but that will be in the new upstairs bathroom and will be an acrylic claw foot tub.

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That's interesting about the barkeeper's friend. I purchased some of this to use on tough calcium stains on porcelain, but would never have thought to use it on acrylic surround? I could see how it would work but thought it might be too caustic a product to use. Hmmm.

I agree re. the scrubbing bubbles. Really horrid stuff. My husband used this a couple of times, and then I purchased and handed him a shower sponge with the suggestion to just give the stall a wipe down after each use. I find the baking soda does a great job, and deodorizes at the same time.

Re. the claw foot tub, that sounds nice. I grew up with these deep tubs in my youth. Love them. We have an ensuite bathroom upstairs but no tub/shower as yet. I want to put in a soaker tub (acrylic or similar lightweight model).