Trying to choose a good cleaner can be a hassle because the store shelves are full of so many different cleaners, and a lot of them basically do the same thing.

Personally, I clean about 200 homes in a year's time -- not including my own home. So I use a lot of cleaning products.

I have tried a variety of different cleaning products, but I usually stick to the ones that I think are the best. 

These household cleaners work the best, in my opinion:

I used to...

With the recent release of the study that found "car steering wheels carry more than twice as many germs as a toilet seat," I feel compelled to share my thoughts.

Helloooo!...

When in the world is everyone going to figure it out?... Toilet seats just aren't that dirty!

Yeah, there's the stink-factor. And the splish-splash that sometimes goes along with it. But when was the last time your butt was actually "dirty"?

I'm talking the outside part... the big cheeky part... the part that actually touches the toilet seat. When you think about it, that's probably one of the cleanest parts ON our bodies!

Mostly because that area rarely sees the light of day. And, therefore, it has very few occasions on which to pick up dirt and grime and bacteria.

So why do you suppose we are so inclined to continue thinking that a toilet seat is obviously "dirty"?

"Surprisingly, toilet seats consistently had the lowest bacteria levels of the 12 surfaces tested." Source

Still don't believe me?...

All this talk about public restrooms, germs, and weird OCD-like behaviors got me thinking...
Is it best to have the toilet paper roll dispense from the top, or from the bottom? Over or under?

According to Northern Bath Tissue, the majority of people (72%) prefer their toilet paper come from the top.

Me? Over. Unless, of course you've got pets. Then, it must be under.

I heard a piece on the Bob & Tom Show yesterday that reminded me of just how germaphobic we are, as a society, these days. Self included, though not nearly to the extreme as others.

Particularly lately, it seems that there have been a number of reports in the news about the phenomenon of germs invading our lives and becoming most prevalent in some of the least likely places: ice cubes at fast-food chains, computer desktops and keyboards, the TV remote control, hot tubs, shopping cart handles, and of course... the whole multitude of places inside public restrooms including toilet seats, electric hand dryers, towel rollers, door handles & more!

My germy quirks, as I call them, could probably be classified more as precautionary steps rather than as a personal paranoia about germs. Regardless, they're still germ-related, so I'm posting them here for your enjoyment.

Okay, here goes...

According to the Mayo Clinic and the FDA, antibacterial soaps DO offer greater protection than regular soaps, but only in one particular instance.

That is: if you have an open cut or sore that could become infected.

Therefore, antibacterial soaps are useful in hospital and school environments, however, they may do more harm than good when used in normal, healthy households.

In reality, regular soap does the job just fine, because it is the combination of scrubbing your hands with ANY kind of soap (antibacterial or regular) and rinsing them with water that actually loosens and removes the bacteria.

An observation: There seems to be this new "thing" where people cough into their arm!

Perhaps you already know about it, or (gasp!) have been doing it for years.

I may just be the last to know about this healthy new way to prevent the spreading of germs from a cough...

We camp A LOT. Actually, we used to camp much more when we lived in Florida (and we could even camp on the beach sometimes!), but we still have a lot of fun camping in and around Tennessee nonetheless.

Truth be told, I am SOOOOoooo thankful for my many years of experience as a solo camper on all those biking trips!

(And, yes I still consider myself a "cyclist", though I'm not nearly as diligent about it as I once was...)

Anyhoo, here are our best tips for surviving your first (or your next) camping trip.