How does Scooba know what you put in the cleaning tank? Two reviewers noted that if you don't use the special Scooba/Clorox solution, Scooba won't run! Does anyone know how it can tell the difference between Clorox and another brand, or Clorox and plain water? I really prefer to use only natural cleaning products, so I won't be buying a Scooba until they make one that isn't so picky, or until I figure out how to fool this one. Of course, I wouldn't want to spend a few hundred dollars on a Scooba and then ruin it, either. I guess what I'd really like to know is what ingredients Scooba needs to run properly, so that I can find a natural product with the same properties. Any feedback would be appreciated! How does Scooba know what you put in the cleaning tank? Two reviewers noted that if you don't use the special Scooba/Clorox solution, Scooba won't run! Does anyone know how it can tell the... » Read More How does Scooba know what you put in the cleaning tank? Two reviewers noted that if you don't use the special Scooba/Clorox solution, Scooba won't run! Does anyone know how it can tell the difference between Clorox and another brand, or Clorox and plain water? I really prefer to use only natural cleaning products, so I won't be buying a Scooba until they make one that isn't so picky, or until I figure out how to fool this one. Of course, I wouldn't want to spend a few hundred dollars on a Scooba and then ruin it, either. I guess what I'd really like to know is what ingredients Scooba needs to run properly, so that I can find a natural product with the same properties. Any feedback would be appreciated! « Show Less
596990
I am not sure that Scooba really picked up the dirt; I think that Scooba/Clorox solution dissolves the dirt to smaller particles and the dirt is still in the house. It dose not take much dirt to make water look brown. And why Scooba will not work with anything but there cleaner.
596991
I just received my scooba and the manual clearly states that plain tap water may be used or vinegar/water. I believe that other cleaners would be too caustic to the electrodes inside where as the Clorax brand is buffered correctly. I first cleaned with the supplied clorax (nice scent) and then with plain water and BOTH did a super job.
596992
On the i-robot website they said that the solution must have a certain electrical conductivity to work correctly (water would not work). They suggested white vinegar and water as an alternative (provided its safte for you floors)
252144
not on it's own- I have no idea if you could create a formula though. It's bubbles too much for machines. Vinegar would reduce the bubbles- but I wouldn't try it without some sort of recipe. BioKleen and Seventh Generation are good brands for machines. For more info on making your own cleaning recipes- I love the book Clean and Green. It talks about recipes you can make for the washing machine and dish washer- but while all her other formulas are 1. Cheaper than the store bought, 2. Better at cleaning, and 3. Safer for the the environment than store purchased cleaners- she says herself that the recipes for the washing machine and dish washer are at best equal to Seventh Gen or BioKleen. I agree. So- for all purpose, bathroom, floors, and everything else where you would buy a bottle- I prefer the homemades- and use this as one of the ingredients- but for the machines- I just buy one of the environmentally friendly brands, made for machines.
161107
The best answer I can give, is that the directions included with the product are very good. I took it to a pill and spa store and they were able to get me everything I needed.I use mps, after each use, and shock occasionally. I use the frog strips for testing the ph and alkalinity. What I like best about this product is that I have little to no chlorine odor and the water feels soft. Be sure to keep up on all your chemical maintenance though, as this is not a once and done system. I'm sure it takes just as much involvement as other standard systems, but with no chlorine to eat away at the insides of your spa. The best answer I can give, is that the directions included with the product are very good. I took it to a pill and spa store and they were able to get me everything I needed.I use mps, after each use, and shock occasionally. I use the frog strips for testing the ph and alkalinity. What I like best about this product is that I have little to no chlorine odor and the water feels soft. Be sure to keep up on all your chemical maintenance though, as this is not a once and done system. I'm sure it takes just as much involvement as other standard systems, but with no chlorine to eat away at... » Read More The best answer I can give, is that the directions included with the product are very good. I took it to a pill and spa store and they were able to get me everything I needed.I use mps, after each use, and shock occasionally. I use the frog strips for testing the ph and alkalinity. What I like best about this product is that I have little to no chlorine odor and the water feels soft. Be sure to keep up on all your chemical maintenance though, as this is not a once and done system. I'm sure it takes just as much involvement as other standard systems, but with no chlorine to eat away at the insides of your spa. « Show Less
731939
I think I would choose the scooba over the brava (formerly known as mint) I do not have experience with the brava, but from what I can tell, it just pushes a cleaning cloth around on the floor, without any vacumn power. I guess you have to keep changing the cloth. The scooba is more like the roomba, it actually squeegees the floor, and then, sucks up the dirty water into a separate tank,so you are not reusing any dirty water . I love my scooba, it's a bit noisy, but really gets the floor clean. I use on my kitchen laminate, and on my polyurethane finished living/dining room floor I have had the roomba and scooba for 1.5 years. Make sure if you have a wood floor , that it is sealed with polyurethane , not wax, or the scooba will start removing the wax, and raising the grain of the wood. Hope this helps, ll
869226
I have had the same experience and that is exactly why I dun this product in my review. What is happening is algae and scum are growing inside the plastic tube that feeds the spinner. It's exactly like atherosclerosis. The passage inside the tube gets smaller and smaller. Another event which is caused by the same condition is the holes in the spinner get clogged with growth. You can clean the holes with a toothpick and soaking in hot water but the tube is much harder to clean. What I did is hook a really narrow strip of terry cloth (about 1/4 inch wide and three inches long) to the end of a piece of 20 gauge copper wire (any kind of skinny wire will do) and I pull the cloth through the tube. You'll be quite grossed out when you see the scum that the cloth will drag out. After cleaning the spinner and the tube you must then disinfect the entire apparatus with a mild bleach solution in order to kill the microorganisms which will grow like mad as soon as you refill and use the unit after cleaning and de-gunking If you fail to disinfect carefully, the same build up will begin immediately and after growing a few bowls of sprouts you'll be back to square one. the unit is a pain and perhaps unhealthy too. You absolutely must change the water at least two times per day and preferably three times. You already know that the water will begin to stink badly just like any algae, bacteria-filled container of water. If you fail to maintain really clean water you're asking for a health issue in my humble opinion. Your sprouts will have been doused with stinky water about 30 times each day.......maybe more. My unit ran every few minutes. I never could determine what kind of timer was used. It was not always exactly the same interval sequence but regardless, this unit is a real hassle and it's always going to cause problems exactly like you are dealing with. Good luck
243566
I never use Bacteriostatic treatment in my humidifiers. I bought a bottle and read the label which said use gloves to handle. I certainly wouldn't want to be breathing that in especially since I purchased this for my kids room who were infants at the time! I instead invested in a bottle of grapefruit seed extract (purchased on Amazon - Nutribiotic Gse Liquid Concentrate) which is a natural purifier. My wicks now last all winter long. I have never seen mold or mildew on them or in the reservoir by simply adding 10-12 drops every time I fill the tank. One bottle has lasted me 4 years and is still 1/3 full. I never use Bacteriostatic treatment in my humidifiers. I bought a bottle and read the label which said use gloves to handle. I certainly wouldn't want to be breathing that in especially since I purchased this for my kids room who were infants at the time! I instead invested in a bottle of grapefruit seed extract (purchased on Amazon - Nutribiotic Gse Liquid Concentrate) which is a natural purifier. My wicks now last all winter long. I have never seen mold or mildew on them or in the reservoir by simply adding 10-12 drops every time I fill the tank. One bottle has lasted me 4 years and is... » Read More I never use Bacteriostatic treatment in my humidifiers. I bought a bottle and read the label which said use gloves to handle. I certainly wouldn't want to be breathing that in especially since I purchased this for my kids room who were infants at the time! I instead invested in a bottle of grapefruit seed extract (purchased on Amazon - Nutribiotic Gse Liquid Concentrate) which is a natural purifier. My wicks now last all winter long. I have never seen mold or mildew on them or in the reservoir by simply adding 10-12 drops every time I fill the tank. One bottle has lasted me 4 years and is still 1/3 full. « Show Less
139302
I really don't know, I use 1 cup soap flakes, 1 cup borax, and 1 cup washing soda in 5 gallons of water (dissolve soap in 2 qt or so water, add borax and soda and hot water to fill a 5 gallon bucket (I use bathtub water at it's hottest). I use 1 ounce for my top loader (don't have an HE machine), so that's roughly 1/640 cup of soap flakes in each load. I don't ever have residue problems with my cloth diapers using this amount either. I modified this recipe from the duggar family's recipe website, and they did say you could use it in he machines. It does clean WONDERFULLY, and if I have really stinky dishrags or something like that, 1/4 cup Super Washing Soda added always gets the stink out. I really don't know, I use 1 cup soap flakes, 1 cup borax, and 1 cup washing soda in 5 gallons of water (dissolve soap in 2 qt or so water, add borax and soda and hot water to fill a 5 gallon bucket (I use bathtub water at it's hottest). I use 1 ounce for my top loader (don't have an HE machine), so that's roughly 1/640 cup of soap flakes in each load. I don't ever have residue problems with my cloth diapers using this amount either. I modified this recipe from the duggar family's recipe website, and they did say you could use it in he machines. It does clean WONDERFULLY, and if I have... » Read More I really don't know, I use 1 cup soap flakes, 1 cup borax, and 1 cup washing soda in 5 gallons of water (dissolve soap in 2 qt or so water, add borax and soda and hot water to fill a 5 gallon bucket (I use bathtub water at it's hottest). I use 1 ounce for my top loader (don't have an HE machine), so that's roughly 1/640 cup of soap flakes in each load. I don't ever have residue problems with my cloth diapers using this amount either. I modified this recipe from the duggar family's recipe website, and they did say you could use it in he machines. It does clean WONDERFULLY, and if I have really stinky dishrags or something like that, 1/4 cup Super Washing Soda added always gets the stink out. « Show Less
690185
I think this is good advice. I have my shop vacuum cleaner ready to clean up the mess when I open up the central vacuum canister; it's a big mess! I have never cleaned the pipes in the walls, and because the system has worked just fine since the house was built in 1986, I don't think I need to. However, some on-line central vacuum system suppliers sell special treated or impregnated cloths that you let the system suck through the pipes. The objective is to clean the insides of the pipes and make the air coming out of the canister smell better. I would hesitate to put these in my system for fear of clogging the pipes. I think this is good advice. I have my shop vacuum cleaner ready to clean up the mess when I open up the central vacuum canister; it's a big mess! I have never cleaned the pipes in the walls, and because the system has worked just fine since the house was built in 1986, I don't think I need to. However, some on-line central vacuum system suppliers sell special treated or impregnated cloths that you let the system suck through the pipes. The objective is to clean the insides of the pipes and make the air coming out of the canister smell better. I would hesitate to put these in my system for... » Read More I think this is good advice. I have my shop vacuum cleaner ready to clean up the mess when I open up the central vacuum canister; it's a big mess! I have never cleaned the pipes in the walls, and because the system has worked just fine since the house was built in 1986, I don't think I need to. However, some on-line central vacuum system suppliers sell special treated or impregnated cloths that you let the system suck through the pipes. The objective is to clean the insides of the pipes and make the air coming out of the canister smell better. I would hesitate to put these in my system for fear of clogging the pipes. « Show Less
1305743
Do not use this brand, Its seriously less effective and gross compared to other brands. I have tried both and there is something wrong with these ones, they are from China so it makes me wonder if they actually have chemicals on them or something like that. I use Nutrioil now, I only bought these once and ended up throwing the rest of the bag away. YOu can use good soap nuts as you look for recipies for soap, shampoo, dishwasher soap, all kinds of things. :)
748445
I think that's more of a issue of what cleaning liquid you use. If the odor is still there, so is the urine (you just can't see it - sorry). I've used this with the pet stain cleaner that came with it and I don't detect an odor anymore. I loaned the cleaner and the cleaning solution to my neighbor and she says the odor in her house is gone, too. YMMV
1792795
I've only had to use this product when I had a problem with setting up a new tank. I just use their conditioner once a month after the tank is well established.
2136921
Mine came with one bottle, and it is easily refillable from a bigger bottle of cleaning solution. It has never leaked, and I have refilled it multiple times (I have a lot of hardwood). I love my Bona mop! If you have stainless steel appliances, it also works great on them. I spray them and run the mop over them. It's something about the way the solution and the microfiber head work together. I've tried wiping with a cloth, but the mop works much better. Seriously, when I'm mopping my hardwood kitchen floor, I spray the frig, stove, and dishwasher and rub the mop over them. Quick and lazy! Mine came with one bottle, and it is easily refillable from a bigger bottle of cleaning solution. It has never leaked, and I have refilled it multiple times (I have a lot of hardwood). I love my Bona mop! If you have stainless steel appliances, it also works great on them. I spray them and run the mop over them. It's something about the way the solution and the microfiber head work together. I've tried wiping with a cloth, but the mop works much better. Seriously, when I'm mopping my hardwood kitchen floor, I spray the frig, stove, and dishwasher and rub the mop over them. Quick and lazy!
471726
Since I have not used the one that says "Pure" I would assume one has other add mixtures and the other does not. All I can say is the one I bought DOES NOT WORK FOR ME...
213307
I found its not very easy, but doable. I vigorously shake the container first (doesn't do much to rid it of the clumps) but I think it distributes the ingredients in the container if needed. Then I measure out the amount to go in water. Since I use a pump sprayer its fairly easy to VIGOROUSLY SHAKE the pump sprayer after adding the 3&1 to the measured out water. Then I pump it to pressure and spray one plant. While moving to the next plant I shake the sprayer again. Since its never clogged the nozzle I think that pretty much works. One thing - after spraying it really does create a not-too-pleasant odor. But the stuff does work on powdery mildew which is the main problem I use it for. I found its not very easy, but doable. I vigorously shake the container first (doesn't do much to rid it of the clumps) but I think it distributes the ingredients in the container if needed. Then I measure out the amount to go in water. Since I use a pump sprayer its fairly easy to VIGOROUSLY SHAKE the pump sprayer after adding the 3&1 to the measured out water. Then I pump it to pressure and spray one plant. While moving to the next plant I shake the sprayer again. Since its never clogged the nozzle I think that pretty much works. One thing - after spraying it really does create a... » Read More I found its not very easy, but doable. I vigorously shake the container first (doesn't do much to rid it of the clumps) but I think it distributes the ingredients in the container if needed. Then I measure out the amount to go in water. Since I use a pump sprayer its fairly easy to VIGOROUSLY SHAKE the pump sprayer after adding the 3&1 to the measured out water. Then I pump it to pressure and spray one plant. While moving to the next plant I shake the sprayer again. Since its never clogged the nozzle I think that pretty much works. One thing - after spraying it really does create a not-too-pleasant odor. But the stuff does work on powdery mildew which is the main problem I use it for. « Show Less
310543
If you go to the manufacturer's website, they give a description of which does what best. I hope that helps. http://advanagedp.com/Merchant5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store;_Code=A&Category;_Code=wonder_cleaners
409202
John, I can't tell you the main ingredients. There is no listing of ingredients of the cleaning solution for the Spin Clean Record Washer system. The bottles do not list the ingredients nor does the instruction sheet or box. Also I haven't used my system yet so I can't report how well it does. The company address is Spin-Clean International PO Box 15200 Pittsburgh PA 15237-0200 or email at spincleanrecordwasher.com or phone 800-931-5850
788863
The advice to use special detergent is really not necessary. In order to prep cloth diapers made of natural fibers (cotton, bamboo, hemp), it is recommended that you wash then dry 3 to 5 times. You should dry between each wash. Because they are not soiled with human waste, feel free to throw them in with your regular laundry such as towels. The reason for the multiple washes is to help get the natural oils off the cloth that are present with natural fibers. For this reason, it is often recommended not to prep them with your other cloth diapers (for the concern of the other diapers getting the oils on them and then causing repelling issues.) I have never done this though, and I've never experienced an issue with repelling. Also, in regards to special laundry detergents... Rock n Green and other "CD Safe" detergents are a total joke. They don't clean well at all, and most people who start out using this detergent end up with stink issues in their diapers (they look clean but smell awful when wet) and even rash issues. It's not complicated with cloth diapers. Just be common sense about them... (don't use fabric softener as that coats the diapers and can cause them to be less absorbent.) Consider them your dirtiest clothes. Wash with a good mainstream detergent such as Tide Ultra Powder and use plenty of detergent (a full scoop) because you want to get out all the yuckies! Rinse a couple of times if you have lots of suds. I know this answer is above and beyond your question, but I just hate to see bad information shared! Cloth diapering fails when it becomes too complicated and when rashes happen due to diapers not being cleaned well. Good luck and have fun with it!