Hi - As we all know, life with Sjogren's can present challenges to us when it comes to using up our spoons on day-to-day tasks that a "normal" person just breezes through.
As with anything, if you ask 100 people to try something, you will end up with 100 different replies. For instance, if you asked someone to taste some soup . . . one person thinks it's the next best thing to pockets on shirts (phrase my hubby uses ::)), one might say it's too salty, another too spicy, another one might say it has too much garlic, another might say it tastes bland, etc. Everyone has their own opinions on things (imagine that!! ;) ).
All of us fellow Sjoggies are no different - we all have different life experiences and opinions. What works for some, doesn't for others.
This thread is for products that you think help in your Sjoggie life - that makes your life easier. (I'm looking for "products", not medicines).
I've mentioned this one before, but I'll mention it again - one time, years ago, I found these furniture sliders you place under your furniture and you can "slide" the piece anywhere you want with no effort at all. These are sooooo cool. I use mine all the time. I can move a "loaded" entertainment center (with tv, stereo, etc.) all by myself and don't EVEN work up a sweat!! The box I have comes with four large sliders and four smaller sliders. It can move objects up to 3,200 pounds on carpet, cement, linoleum, ceramic tile. In fact, I've bought two more boxes of these and they've come in handy on many occasions. You can buy these at Walmart, Lowe's or other retail stores.
Another useful tool I've found and use all the time is called One Touch Can Opener - you place it on top of your can, push down on a button and the unit moves around the top of the can to cut the lid off (it's run by 2 AA batteries). These run about $20 in the store, I got mine for 50 cents at a garage sale. :D
Some input I'd like from any of you . . . . what kind of vacuum cleaner do you use? Right now I have a Riccar upright. I've had this vacuum since we got married 21 yrs. ago. It's a good vacuum - I've never had any repairs to it, but it's heavy to push and makes my arms and back ache after using it. I'm looking for something that is less stressful on the body to use. I know some of you use those rumba vacuums that scoot around the room by themselves - I'm looking for a regular vacuum whether it be an upright or a canister. I'd like something that uses a bag. Any suggestions?
Share your Sjoggie Consumer Product Report on any products you think help in making our Sjoggie lives easier. This could also be any pro's and con's of a product too.
Remember, it's this websites policy that no links can be posted if the direct link sells a product. You can mention the item by name and manufacturer, but not post a direct link.
Bucky
Dyson DC40 Multi Floor Upright features:
Radial Root Cyclone? technology
Ball? technology
Self-adjusting cleaner head
Lightweight and durable
We got this Dyson last year. It does not have a bag. It has a see through canister that you take off the front and empty into the trash. It is very lightweight. And, it has a 10 AMP motor so it really picks up. We have a cat and you should see it suck up cat hair! I would never purchase another brand of vacuum.
My favorite new product:
Lemi Shine Original Dishwasher Detergent Additive:
Recently, I noticed how bad our dishes looked when they came out of the dishwasher. They came out covered in a white haze and were spotted too. I was having to wash the glasses again to get them clean. Our dishwasher isn?t that old so that was not the problem. I did a search on the Internet and found out that awhile back the dishwasher detergent manufacturers were made to take the phosphates out of their detergents. Phosphates are what soften the hard water and get your dishes clean.
My next step was to look for a solution. Everyone on the Internet, including GE the maker of our dishwasher, recommended Lemi Shine. I thought I would order some and give it the big test. I have fallen in love with it and have ordered the rinse aid and the machine cleaner as well.
I?ve also switched my detergent from Cascade Liquid Gel to Finish Quantum Powerball Tabs. The Powerball Tabs are rated #1 on by Consumer Reports.
Per Lemi Shine?s Instructions, check manufacturer's cleaning instructions on all dishwasher safe items, Not recommended for painted glassware, painted mugs, aluminum, fine china or any enamel coated cutlery or cookware. Do not use with nonstick coated cookware or removable stove top components.
As far as the vacuum... We recently bought a Kirby and I absolutely love it!! They now come with a transmission on them so you can put it in drive and it basically pushes itself! And it has a bag that holds a LOT of dirt. It pulls out more of the dirt and junk out of the carpet than a lot of the other machines. I am not familiar with how the dyson's work, so I cannot compare them. I am sure they are very good machines as well. Both are quite pricy, but, in my opinion, worth it if you are looking for a great vacuum!
On the other end of the spectrum is the $42.95 Bissell I bought from Walmart that uses a bag. My previous Bissell was the one with all the filters and needed to be taken apart and washed and cleaned every time I turned around. It worked really well, but it made vacuuming so much of a chore that I would put it off. Now I vacuum more in spite of the fact that I know I am not getting everything filtered really good. Who would have thought they would make a "disposable" vacuum cleaner.
I started out thinking that I wanted a better quality one and after doing search and reading all the sale flyers I got tired trying to figure out which one to buy and made an executive decision to go cheap. Irish
Love this thread!
Ok, love my dyson too. I have two ( 3 story house, lots of vacuuming )
But I just discovered this really great glass cleaner, it's called Invisable Glass and you find it in the automotive department at Target. It's amazing. My glass tables and inside my car windows look sparkling ith no buildup ir streaking. I even use it on my glass cooktop and and chrome faucets
My son and granddaughter moved in; he had a vacuum cleaner so I thought great...now I do not have to wait to ask DH to take the vacuum up and down the stairs for me ...one up and one down....except sons' doesn't seem to work work right....bummer. Have to take it apart and take a look.
I found this product because our old cat was ...well going in the dining room.
Some of the pet products had lightened the carpet...wall to wall from dining room to living room...
Then before I brought Mom home, I cleaned her bedroom using this product. I even put it in the water for the carpet machine. I used Eucalyptus, which I was told smelled like baby powder? One gallon, makes 32 gallons. I keep some made up in spray bottles for cleaning the bathrooms, etc.
OdoBan® " is a Hospital Disinfectant Cleaner that is effective against a wide variety of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. It is also an excellent deodorant and leaves a clean fresh odor"
http://www.odoban.com/products/odobanr-concentrate/original-eucalyptus-scent.php
It says it works on mildew ...and I am sensitive to it. I can smell it when others cannot. So I am going to try it in the power cleaner...I know there is some in the basement, from when the pump stopped working during a major storm.
It was about $10/gal
Has anybody used any of the dryer vent lint remover products? I've read some reviews on the "As Seen on TV Lint Lizard", and people said the tubing was too stiff and wouldn't completely straighten out.
Bucky
I'm not sure that the lint vacuum thing is particularly useful. If you faithfully empty the lint screen every load, and once every few years or so disconnect the dryer vent and vacuum it and inside the dryer you should be safe.
Before I buy anything "as seen on TV" I do an internet search of it with the word "scam" and "ripoff" and "review" and see what others say about it.
Also, if it isn't in Walmart or Walgreens or Kmart, etc., it probably isn't any good.
Sharon
My favorite thing is the cheapo mouth guards in Walmart for (now) $1.29 each. I have dogs who think they are delicious, and when they get one I'm not out a lot of money.
Sharon
Dogs. We just added a new member to our family. Baily is rescue that is about a year old. We purchased a new house for her, toys, and food. She is getting used to us slowly but loves her house. She was not allowed on the couch in her foster home so it was interesting when she met our daughters she learned that we allowed dogs on the couch and spent the afternoon sleeping there with a pillow under her head. She has trouble going in and out of doors. House doors, and car doors. We are trying to get her used to going in and out, coming when we call. I am sure it will take a while.
Because of falling problems she spends the night in her house. She walks out of her house, gets a mouth full of food and hurries back to her house to eat it. Her tail has come up and wave a couple of times yesterday.
What a great story Joe - you and your family rescuing Baily. Lucky dog...
Quote from: Joe S. on April 07, 2013, 06:54:56 AM
Dogs. We just added a new member to our family. Baily is rescue that is about a year old. We purchased a new house for her, toys, and food. She is getting used to us slowly but loves her house. She was not allowed on the couch in her foster home so it was interesting when she met our daughters she learned that we allowed dogs on the couch and spent the afternoon sleeping there with a pillow under her head. She has trouble going in and out of doors. House doors, and car doors. We are trying to get her used to going in and out, coming when we call. I am sure it will take a while.
Because of falling problems she spends the night in her house. She walks out of her house, gets a mouth full of food and hurries back to her house to eat it. Her tail has come up and wave a couple of times yesterday.
All of our "kids" are rescues. It is such a joy when they learn the lack of house rules and we get to learn who they really are!
Enjoy!
Sharon
I found out that she has some sore ribs and her rear haunches are sore. She is till skittish. She did jump into the van tonight. I think it was so she could get out of the rain. She moved onto Jan's seat when she went into work tonight. She watched Jan walk into work as we drove by. She is in her house for the night now with her three stuffed toys and her blanket. We added a sheep wool pad for her to sleep on.
I do not want to trip over her hat night. I have balance trouble. I forgot the additional work of having a dog. An exercise program for me. Even though she has a fenced in hard to run in, she likes to have some one out with her.
What is a good vacuum for pet hair?
Welcome Baily !!!
Joe we bought an attachment, universal fit @ Lowes. The one that came with the vacuum just did not pick up the hair of our adopted cats, esp. the old one.
Pet:Power Paw stair & upholstery brush (works great on the comforter too). It is not a brand name, so if you google not Eureka.
We brought my mothers golden lab home. He has leukemia and we were told about 2weeks, that was in Oct. 2012.
He was allowed on the couch...so I put a stretch jersey twin sized fitted sheet on the sofa. Because it is not just hair.
The back seat of the car you can use a fitted crib sheet.
Easier to throw a sheet in the wash ...than try to clean seats and sofas.
Plus when I get bored I put a different color fitted sheet on the sofa...makes the family room look a bit fresh.
Thank you. Bailey is a moma's girl. She coned Jan in to letting her sleep with her to night. Bailey is moping because I took her out to go potty and have not let her back in.
So you told Jan she can sleep on the couch??? with Baily. Max couldn't use one leg..so when we brought him here ...yep I slept on the couch with him.
PS...The fitted sheet/sofa...I just put it on the cushions you sit on. The knit jersey (T-shirt material) keeps them tight and not looking ...puckered, wrinkled, totally askew...yadda, yadda. I pick them up for a $2 or so at thrift store/yard sale. Actually even a large beach/bath towel will do.
I will have to check out the sheets. Jan has a king size bed. She naps a couple of hours on the couch before going to her bed. Bailey took half of her bed last night. She shredded a a dryer sheet and stuffing from somewhere. it was not one of her toys. Since moving in she has three soft toys with squeakers and a hard bone that we put peanut butter in for her as a treat. She is spoiled already.
Joe they like a hard toy they can chew on...I forgot Max's but, he has a neon yellow tennis ball he loves. (And I can see ;)
I love my Massage Brush.. :)
Great for 'an itch...ahhhh!!!, soap up with Dove Aloe and massage and this is what I use instead of a regular hair brush.
(http://www.allure.com/images/beauty-products/hair/2012/olivia-garden-ionic-massage-bamboo-brush.jpg)
I know that everyone here understands the torture of dry skin and the search to get some relief. I have tried more brands than I care to admit too. Recently I saw a commercial for a spray on Vaseline and decided to try it. I am pleased to say that I have been using it for several days and it helps me feel a little more comfortable in my skin. The tightness comes back much later in the day but this is the best it's been in awhile. I previously tried using the Vaseline in the jar but it did not go on as smoothly.
It probably also helps that I use Nivea crime on my hands and elbows each night. I am not crazy about how it feels during daytime use but using it before bedtime works fine.
Joe--We get to do the dog thing with our grand-dog. She is a member of the family. Gramp is her favorite because he is so much fun and will get down on the floor and play with her. He also can't tell her no.
She jumps on him in his recliner and sits on his lap like she is the queen. Then she jumps down and back and forth. I do not let her sit on the couch where I sit most of the time. If I'm in my chair, she can sit in my lap. My daughter always brings her when she comes out. We look forward to seeing Kaiya..oh and my daughter too. lol
We were looking at some Bissells last night, both were bagless uprights, looked light enough for me to push around. Otherwise we''ll probably get a Hoover self propelled which are very highly rated.
Other fave products:
Inexpensive pair of exfoliating gloves-- use them once a week to help keep skin soft
Curel intensive moisture cream with no fragrance--inexpensive compared to other brands. Caveat, it goes on like paste because it's so rich but leaves skin silky soft with no greasy feeling.
Woolite for washing, can't use other soaps or I itch like crazy
Cetaphil for washing my face, very mild but surprising cleaning power
Earthworm cleaning products -- all natural, mold remover is terrific
Brooks sneakers -- expensive but worth it for protecting joints and mucles