We're big fans of using white vinegar for cleaning most things, but still have a passion for putting new products to the test, especially with cleaners that claim to "do it all."
We put Pledge Multi-Surface Cleaner through the ringer and then some this past weekend, our results are after the jump!
Pledge Multi Surface cleaner claims to tackle most everything (except porous stone and unsealed wood). So to truly test its cleaning power, we tried it out on glass, wood, wood laminate, stainless steel, mirror, electronics and plastic.
We greatly enjoyed the shape of the container (yes, we're easily amused, but that's not the point) as we didn't encounter any drips from the trigger like a standard spray bottle and it was easy to control the spray to put it only where we needed it. It did a fairly decent job, but isn't food safe (not by our standards anyway), but we might just keep a bottle around the house, just in case. Here's the results of each individual test we put it though...
RESULTS:
Glass & Mirror:
We live on the ground level in our building and our windows get dirty quick! We'd been putting off the task of giving them a good washing, so we thought this would be a great time to test it out! It worked out great, although we did have to double up on the wiping clean side of things as it did streak slightly. We used the suggested method of using a rag or cloth, we think a microfiber towel would have make things a little easier (we had the same results with mirror as well).
Wood & Wood Laminiate:
It cleaned wood like a champ, removed all fingerprints, dirt and grime. It didn't leave it with a high gloss shine like a traditional furniture polish did, but clean and kinda shiny is ok by us. We must must out some real polish when the Grandparents come over though.
Plastic
We used it on several different items made from vinyl and hard plastic alike with decent results. If you have an extra dirty surface, a wet rag prior to cleaning might help get extra gunk off. The cleaner did good at light stains and smears, but muddy dog prints we're slightly more difficult for it to physically remove without smearing around.
Stainless Steel
We have all stainless steel appliances and although we thought they were super pretty to look at, fingerprints have been a nightmare to remove. It's a daily process and a rather annoying one at that. Traditional cleaners streak and ones made especially for the task are usually only meant to clean just that, so we can't use them on other things. It did a perfect job on all of our appliances, even the flour that spilled on the lip of the dishwasher from a recent baking adventure and the sticky fingerprints from the handle of the stove. Because it cleans our appliances so well, it's worth keeping in our house for other small jobs that we might need it to tackle at the same time.
Electronics
We tested out the cleaning powers on our monitors, keyboards and home theater components. The major bonus to this product is it's ability to go only where you want it. So if you spray it in just one small area, that's the only place it goes... not all over everything. It made us feel a little safer about spraying the product directly onto our electronics without the fear we would harm inner circuit boards or other parts. It cleaned off the traditional fingerprints, dust, dirt and accumulated "how on earth did my keys get so dirty-grime" on our keyboards. Maybe we'll get to cleaning our electronics sooner, if we clean them when we clean our appliances (see above) we won't have to dirty a second rag or take any extra time!
Have you given it a try? Let us know your results below!
(Image: Pledge)
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Our house cleaner swears by this produce. She asked me to purchase a bottle and used it for cleaning nearly my whole house. It saves time in the cleaning process because it's not necessary to haul several different bottles and rags for each one from one room to another. I agree about the streaky mirrors, but for everything else, it seems pretty good.
They also make it in a wipe. I've kept these in my office for two years now. They work just fine.
why is this ad disguised as editorial content? aren't you required to note somewhere that it is, in fact, advertising?
Leah Elizabeth - This post is not an ad - when and if we do any sponsored posts on Apartment Therapy, they are clearly marked as such.
leahelizabeth - It's in no way an add, I just like to test out new products and write about what they do. I'm a sucker for shiny packaging and truly love disproving a products ability to do what it claims to. This one held up to most it's claims however (outside of streakfree glass).
-Sarahrae
i would suggest newspaper for cleaning glass, i haven't fond anything that works better/ It can even make horrible glass cleaner work at an acceptable level.
So vinegar is great for "most things," but most of those things you'd clean with vinegar should be cleaned with this aerosol product? Way to stick to your guns on eco-friendly cleaning!
Not to mention the packaging.
Pledge sure is targeting the blogs - if AT isn't getting paid, they must be the only one.
sooo, if i use this on my stainless fridge it WONT leave huge streak marks from my trying to NOT leave streak marks? just wondering, cause ive found that most stainless steal sprays still leave behind a mess.
Haven't tried this stuff yet, but your using white vinegar caught my attention.
If, as you say, you frequently use vinegar, how do you then get rid of the smell of vinegar? I once had a neighbor whose place always had a vinegary aroma that to me was extremely unpleasant.
deeboyayay - It didn't leave streaks when we were trying to de-streak the fridge. We had the same problem previously with other products.
-Sarahrae
it certainly reads like an ad, but if that's not the case then i stand corrected.
content aside, this really needs an editor. you mean "laminate", not "laminiate", there is no need to capitalize "Grandparents", and the word you're looking for in the last sentence of the paragraph on plastics is "were", not "we're".
leahelizabeth, you are really a horribly unpleasant person. Clearly you enjoy pointing out the flaws of others, and I thought perhaps you'd like the same done to you.
whatscalcoolus you arent very pleasant either. oh and you spelled calculus wrong lololol
i fail to see how noting typos in a published piece equates to pointing out the flaws of others. in fact, i even referred to the piece needing an editor rather than referencing the author. you need to calm down.
"it certainly reads like an ad, but if that's not the case then i stand corrected."
Wow, that is a condescending little snark.
"if that's the case"? The AUTHOR just said it was NOT an ad. So either, you are saying that she is lying (which is a horrid thing to do since you have no proof other than your opinion of what a post SHOULD sound like versus what an ad SHOULD sound like) or that she does not know if she wrote an ad or not (and that is simply a bizzare conclusion.)
It's fine to play grammar police, but do not use it as a plan B when your attack on the author's integrity falls flat on its face.
the post read very much like an ad to me, specifically in it's recommendation of a brand-name consumer product in a post that mentions no other brand names (other apartment therapy posts that mention specific products usually include them in some sort of round-up). i was wrong, and i do believe that i already acknowledged that above.
the grammar mistakes were included because they leapt out at me as i re-read the piece to see whether my initial impression of it as ad-like was warranted. i see no reason to apologize for pointing out those errors. i did not attack the author ad hominem in any fashion.
Less of this sort of "content" on AT = my vote.
Both this piece as well as the JC Penney bathroom piece of last week brought a lot of negative reaction for being very advertising-ey. It seems clear that this sort of content is not appreciated outside of sponsored posts.
In terms of cleaners that can be used on multiple surfaces, I love isopropyl alcohol diluted with water (50/50) for all of the surfaces mentioned except for wood/laminate. It's cheap, effective and easy.
Ditto JoJenks!
Moving on here folks....
I use this product on everything in my apt. and it even comes with a lovely lavender smell that I find rather peaceful while cleaning.
Havent had any problems with the mirror streaking either..
Hmm, I may have to check this out. I've been using store-brand Windex for everything, mainly because it only cost $2 for an enormous spray bottle. I'm afraid of using vinegar because I worry that the smell will attract fruit flies into my apartment. Even if the vinegar smell evaporates quickly, as I've been told, I imagine that there will still be enough vinegar-y scent to entice the fruit flies to come on in.
I appreciate reviews for cleaning products because it saves me time and lets me know about new products I might never have heard of. I like that it comes in an unscented version--I might have to try this out for the office.
God, I hate to admit it, but this is one of my favorite subjects. I have used this product and I love it. I also keep in my utility closet and my bathroom a supply of Pledge Multi-Surface Wipes. They work on everything: stainless steel, the plastics of electronics, wood surfaces that need dusting, bathroom fixtures, you name it.
I'm not a real bacteria-phobe, but I am sensitive to the fact that a number of my family members have bad allergies, so I try to keep the dust and allergans cleaned off surfaces. If I kill off a few stray viruses and bacteria in my battle to control allergans, all the better.
I was shocked to read one of Martha Stewart's cleaning lists and find I clean telephone surfaces more often than she recommends.
As to the cost of Pledge wipes, comparison-shop because the price can range widely. If you find a source at the bottom of the range, buy them there. It saves an incredible amount of time in cleaning if you just wipe it up when you see it.
I don't mind genuine product reviews, and in looking over Sarah Rae's previous posts it doesn't seem as if she's done any recently. So it's not as if she's shilling for products constantly. This also seems straightforward in describing her experience in using the product, which is what I would hope for from a product review on a site like this.
But I do agree this piece needed some editing. We all make typos, etc., and a few are okay. I don't mind them in comments, because those are typed quickly and not subject to editorial review, but the content of the site should be published more carefully and corrected when glaring mistakes (such as putting the product "through the ringer") are pointed out. If AT wants to be known as a quality purveyor of information and opinion, it's the least the site owners can do, and really only fair to their writers.
What's wrong with 'through the ringer'?
It should be "through the wringer" - it's an analogy. "Through the ringer" doesn't make any sense.
I don't really understand all the objections. I actually PREFER this to the sponsored posts. I am always happy to hear anyone's experience with all kinds of products. It saves everyone else a lot of time. Keep 'em coming!
This product is good, but for perfect stainless all the time... use the original Pledge. It's amazing. I learned about it from my mother's housekeeper. You have to put it on with one cloth and then buff it off with a dry cloth, but it will make your stainless appliances look brand new and it somehow keeps the fingerprints off (or at least from really standing out). Now it looks like i have a houosekeeper :) The pledge multi surface is great for in between touch ups and awesome for granite couontertops. I am in no way paid for this sort of review... just a product I would also receommend.
leahelizabeth - Staying on topic, you need to find the "Caps Lock" button...
So, ignoring all the cat fighting, I surmise it is safe to use this product on my LCD.