Ever stared balefully at that spot light in your cathedral ceiling and know you want to change the light bulb, but you do not fancy either standing on a 20ft ladder or paying the local handyman anywhere between $25 to $45 for changing that single bulb? So if you are like me, you let it go until a few more have gone out and you are creeping around in semi darkness? Then when several lights are out, you can justify calling in a handyman. And do not think compact fluorescents are the answer. Most of them do not live up to expectations and I have found many of them only last a few months instead of years as advertised. This is where the LED light bulb comes into its own. It is 10 times more efficient than regular incandescent light bulbs and 5 times more efficient than compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). What’s more since they last for 50,000 hours or more, once you have paid for that handyman to change those cathedral ceiling light bulbs, you will not be changing those LED light bulbs any time soon, probably not for 10 to 15 years, and that suits me just fine.

Starting at $18.99.

http://www.greenandmore.com/led-light-bulbs.html

I bought myself a soda and seltzer maker for Christmas and I am happy to report that it works like a charm! I chose the less expensive Fountain Jet Soda Maker model in black and silver at $89.99 and it now adorns my counter top in the kitchen. I use it every day since I drink at least a liter of water on a daily basis. I did find the instructions a little sparse and it took me a while to figure out that the easiest way to screw the empty bottle into the machine is to do it while the machine is tilted outwards at 45 degrees and not on the vertical. Once I had figured out the obvious, I was good to go. The soda maker will have paid for itself in about 2 months, saving me hundreds of dollars every year.

Starting at $89.99 and available at GreenandMore.com

http://www.greenandmore.com/home-soda-pop-seltzer-water-makers.html

We own some rental properties and last week my husband arrives home and said we needed a new water heater in one of them, and he has authorized a firm to install a new one at $1750.While I leave my husband to manage our property this time I interferred. I reminded him that I had just installed a Tankless Water Heater system in the condo I maintain near our offices with great success and for a great deal less money. He came into the Boston area recently and inspected this new marvel in person. He had actually been using it for weeks without even knowing it, and I pointed out to him that his long showers no longer ran cold and my electricity bills were less since the tankless installation. Needless to say, this is what is now being installed for our tenant- and they are thrilled at the prospect of saving on their energy bills. And since a tankless hot water heater system will last for about 20 years, I know that is one complaint I will not be dealing with again. The savings in the initial purchase and installation is about $500.

Starting at $379.99.

http://www.greenandmore.com/tankless-hot-water-heaters.html

Periodically my cleaning lady cannot resist buying a bottle of Windex, and I have a nutty because I have mild MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity) and also hate the odor of chemicals. So I have stocked up on our new EcoDiscoveries line of eco-friendly, non-toxic cleaning products, and for now my cleaning lady and I seem to have made peace. I would advise getting their introductory whole house kit and trying all the products in their line up and save on shipping. One of the brilliant things that they have done is ship the bottle empty and give you a little bottle of concentrate which actually makes two whole bottles - you just fill up with water. So you actually get two bottles for the price of one. You can get the refills at anytime and be good to the environment. And all their products work just as well as the supermarket chemical ones- but without the health hazards. I give this brand two thumbs up.

Available as a complete cleaning kit (now on sale for $52.95, or sold individually starting at $9.95 for a bottle).

http://www.allergybuyersclubshopping.com/ecodiscoveries-natural-cleaning-products.html

Given that I have been recovering from an injured back, I was looking for an exceptionally lightweight sweeper to pick up crumbs, sand, and other debris tracked around my kitchen and den. I had been resisting lugging the vacuum cleaner out from the closet leaving it to my cleaning lady to handle - and in the meantime, I could hear crunchy noises beneath my feet as I walked around. The Germ Guardian UV-C light cordless sweeper did not disappoint. It picked up all the muck on my kitchen tile floor and adjacent hardwood floor in the den, and it did so quickly and effectively without back strain. It is also did a pretty good job on a couple of thin cotton rugs. Emboldened by that, I tried it out on cat hair on the chocolate velvet couch, but this is where it met its match and needed the hand turbo brush which comes with my Sebo vacuum. So the cat hair awaits the cleaning lady. When it came to emptying the container which while ample was filling up fast, I was momentarily perplexed - as usual I left the office without a manual - as to how to open the container to dump out the dirt- not really a task recommended for the allergy sufferer in your house. This time my husband came to the rescue and said “pull” and then of course I could see how easy it was. Duh! So all in all I am as pleased as punch with this little addition to my house, which I can pull out at a moment’s notice and clean up and not strain my back. So I liked it and am now giving it permanent house room.

Starting at $59.95 and runs for 30 minutes on a full charge.

http://www.allergybuyersclubshopping.com/germ-guardian-uv-c-light-sweep-ggls11-cordless-sweeper-vacuums.html

Somebody was grumbling at a family party the other day that they did not like LED light bulbs because they only came in bright white, and they preferred a warmer color. I agree with them- warm white is somehow much more soothing, and we are more used to that color with our incandescent lighting. However, the good news is that LED lights are now available in warm white, and there are also dimmable LED light bulbs. Given that LED lights will last a good 12 to 15 years and use a tiny fraction of the cost to run compared to incandescent lights, I predict they will become the new standard of the future.

Starting at $18.99 and available at GreenandMore.com

http://www.greenandmore.com/led-light-bulbs.html

I need to tell you about the new Miele S7 upright vacuum cleaners; seldom have I been so excited about a new vacuum and I took this vacuum apart in our offices. I do not use an upright vacuum myself as I have so little carpeting in my home, and with a bad back even lifting a gallon of milk is a challenge- let alone a full size upright vacuum cleaner. But if you prefer uprights to canister vacuums and have carpets - read on.

The new Miele S7 upright vacuum cleaners are in a class of their own, and provide Miele customers with an upright vacuum cleaner design to which no other manufacturer even comes close! Miele has taken seven years to design this vacuum cleaner and have thought of everything to make vacuuming a pleasurable and efficient experience. Our five star rating suddenly seems inadequate to describe how superb the design is which Miele has achieved. Miele has introduced its new swivel neck and plethora of other innovative features, so that you will glide around the house cleaning every edge, every curve and every corner without exertion. These features include the Miele S7’s patented Swivel Neck™ design plus 360 degree swivel front casters, retracting rear wheels and an ergonomic handle, all cleverly designed that you use less effort, while being very nimble as you vacuum.

These vacuums have an impeccable sealed HEPA filtration system so nothing escapes, and you will find that changing the bag and filters has never been so simple or hygienic. This is an upright vacuum cleaner where the needs of the user have been taken into account from the get go, whether it is the eight LED headlights on the power head, the finger tip controls on the handle, automatic carpet height adjustment, 4-stage suction control, finger tip brush roll and power controls, 12 ft. extra reach hose, stainless steel telescopic suction wand or three full-size onboard accessory tools. If you can dream it, Miele now has it. A dream of an upright vacuum cleaner that looks good, feels good, and most importantly does a superb job of vacuuming. You will not be disappointed with any of the new Miele S7 Series Upright Vacuums!

Starting at $749 and available in a wide range of colors and styles.

http://www.allergybuyersclubshopping.com/miele-s7580-tango-swing-bolero-upright-vacuum-cleaners.html?itemId=3515

Given the Haan steam mops have been flying out the door and everyone at work was buzzing about them, as steam cleaner fan-in-chief, I decided to take one of these babies home with me to test. I was particularly interested in doing so because I was told it not only did floors but had a short handle so you could clean flat surfaces like my electric stove top. I have found that I am incapable of having any saucepan on the stove without something spilling over at some point. It is just the way it is and I have the toughest of times cleaning the stove top. My floors are also getting a pounding in winter and eagerly await the cleaning lady. However in between her visits the floors look a bit ragged and because of my fragile back which is still recovering from an injury, I am less likely nowadays to take out my beloved Ladybug Vapor Steam Cleaner.

So bear in mind that as a Ladybug fan, I have a tendency to compare the steam mops to multi purpose vapor steam cleaners that cost more. I tested the Haan F30 Burgundy steam mop (starting at $99.95) since the Haan FS-20 steam mop (starting at $99.95) was at a trade show. I filled up the steam mop with no trouble at all; it is nice and lightweight and heated up within 5 minutes or less. This steam mop does not have a “ready light” indicating the steam has reached optimum temperature like more expensive machines, but I knew enough not to start cleaning the moment the machine starts to emit steam, but let it stand a little longer on its heat proof stand. Do not let it stand on your wood floors unprotected otherwise you can burn them, so be warned. The steam mop ran a little wetter than I was used to, but mainly only while it was still heating up to optimum steam temperature levels. I used it on my kitchen floor and the real test was the encrusted cat food droppings that my little darlings so thoughtfully spill all over the floor near the cat bowl. You cannot get this crud clean with a regular mop - trust me - even my obsessive cleaning lady is beaten by this cleaning challenge. The Haan steam mop rose to the occasion- not as fast as my LadyBug, as I had to go over the area a few times to get it really clean- but it did get the job done and the rest of my kitchen floor was really clean without any odor of chemicals. The Haan Steam mop moved around my kitchen floor really easily, and I also did the nearby den wood floor and the wood floor of our entrance way. What I liked was the floor pad was nice and large, and the Velcro attachments are just brilliant! This model has an ergonomic handle, and I confess it did feel nice and easy in my hand.

I am looking forward to testing other models, but I have to say that all in all this is the best floor mop I have tested at this price point, and one of the Haan Steam Mops will find a permanent place in my home. Steam cleaners just do a better job without chemicals, than the mop and bucket routine, and for someone like myself with back problems, they are very user friendly.

http://www.allergybuyersclubshopping.com/steam-mops.html

Fragrance Free Textile Candles Starting at $18.89

We managed to launch our new line of allergy friendly Imagination candles the week after Christmas. Not the best of timing, but we wanted to make sure that this line of simply beautiful candles did not add any pollution to the room - and our testing team was backed up with new product testing.

I have been depriving myself of candles for years because I did not want to add particulates to any room of my home. When I saw these fragrance free candles and was stunned at their exquisite patterns, achieved by a patented process, I begged our testing team to add them to their schedule. I am pleased to say that they came out with flying colors, and no increase in particulates was detected after several hours of candle burning in a tiny room.

I am especially enchanted at their textile design which has a candle at the bottom of a wax wall, so the light can shine through the pattern. The effect is stunning. My only grumble is that you definitely need a long taper to light the candle. Lighting the candle with a twisted up piece of long paper is NOT the way to go and left a black sooty mark on the candle wall. So now I am informed. But I am also in love. If you like candles or have a loved one who likes candles, these ones are fragrance free and have dozens of patterns to choose from. They would make a great gift to cure someone of the winter blues or for upcoming Mother’s Day. Starting at $18.99.

http://www.allergybuyersclubshopping.com/candles.html