I’ve noticed that there something of a natural progression when you start canning, even if it’s on a very small scale. Suddenly you start looking around your home and looking for ways that you can streamline, simplify and make from scratch. Several years ago, I started replacing counter top cleaners with vinegar solutions and powdered bleach scrubs with baking soda. And they were pretty darn good for a variety of basic cleaning.
Thing is, there were a couple things that those more natural cleansers didn’t do particularly well. For instance, the enamel in my bathroom sink is chipped near the drain and it bleeds rust on a daily basis (we haven’t replaced the sink because the whole bathroom must eventually be gutted, but it is still serviceable so we soldier on). It needs aggressive scrubbing with something more potent than baking soda. But after all the energy that went into ridding my home of chemical cleaners that made me light-headed, I didn’t want to invite them back for this one job.
A couple of weeks ago, the answer arrived* in the form of a box of Bon Ami products. Made from feldspar and a gentle soap, it’s an incredibly easy to use and made quick work of my rust stains (it also worked on rust-stained jars). You just rub a web cloth or sponge over the Bon Ami bar and scrub. It’s a fantastic complement to my arsenal of vinegar spray and baking soda (I must say, their spray cleaner is also terrific and has the added bonus of not smelling like pickles).
Now, I realize that I sound a little like an ad here. But truly, I’m a bit smitten with the Bon Ami bar (and the powder too). I’ve always had a weakness for old fashioned ways of doing things (which is probably why I started canning in the first place) and so I get an unnatural amount of satisfaction from using something that my great-grandmother may well have applied to her own sinks and tubs.
You’ll be excited to learn that Bon Ami has given me two more of these cleaning kits to giveaway here. To enter for a chance to win, leave a comment on this post and share a story about cleaning unguents, solutions, powders or soaps (do you make your own cleansers? Did you grow up with Bon Ami? What’s your take on hand soap – bar or liquid?). Comments will close at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, June 7, 2011. The winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. This giveaway is only open to residents of the United States (my apologies to all you reading from Canada and beyond).
One last thing. Because we’re in the social media age and all, I thought I’d mention that Bon Ami is on Facebook and they’re currently running a contest for a chance to win a green house cleaning. If you feel so moved, you can toss your hat in that ring too.
*I was sent this box of cleaning products at no cost to me. However, my elbow grease and opinions are all my own.
have been considering picking up a Bon Ami for those times when a little more oomph is required for dried or baked on gunk… despite enjoying the fizz of the natural scrubbing bubbles of baking soda and vinegar (yay high school chemistry!). Wondering if it can be used on granite and stainless steel as thats my kitchen and bathroom surfaces.
I have switched over to liquid soaps for handwashing… despite being a strong believer in multiple hand washing, being a single person with 1.5 baths and a kitchen sink, have found that bar soaps dry up and dont lather up well as they age. Or, they turn into gloppy messes that are a pain to clean up. The best is the double duty kitchen kind that works for washing dishes and hand washing too!! Like I said, kind of a freak about hand washing….
I vacillate between natural and store-bought cleaners – only because I inherited the apartment I’m living in from an old roommate who signed the lease over to me; she in turn had gotten it from her old roommate who’d signed the lease over to her. But the thing is, both those prior lease holders left a huge stash of Lysol and Mr. Clean and such behind, so I go back and forth between “I want to be environmentally conscious” and “argh, I am sick of this stuff taking up space!”
I use a lot of Dr. Bronner’s, though – the unscented for hand-washing laundry, and then the peppermint for showers in the summer. The peppermint has so much mint oil that the menthol actually has a tactile effect.
Love to give Bon Ami a try. As with many of your friends I thought it was another comet type product. Gone green in many ways but cleanning products are an area that I need to explore more.
I remember having bars of this soap in the basement to clean hands after working out side with my Dad.
I have used Bon Ami in the past and did not realize that it was eco-friendly. I too have some rust and other scrubbing jobs that need more than baking soda and vinegar can handle. I remember my mom being excited when she found Bon Ami cleanser at the grocery store. Evidently she had been looking for it for years! I would LOVE to Win
I grew up with Bon Ami! Reminds me of my grandmother, who who used it daily. I have to confess that I am slowly transitioning to green cleaners, although there are still a fair share of chemicals in my home. Having kids has really forced me to consider the impact of harmful fumes and chemicals in the home, but my naturally thrify nature means that I feel compelled to “use up” what I have before buying anything else, including safer green cleaners.
My mom used Bon Ami when I was younger. I liked it because I could breathe. I have asthma and harsh chemicals were a trigger. I didn’t know that they even offerd a bar soap. I will look it the store for it now.
I remember buying my first can of Bon Ami, I was so excited that it only cost 79 cents! I grew up with it in the house, and started buying it after I got married. I needed something mild to scrub my new pots and pans. I use it around the house too, and finish my chores with a good scrub of the stainless sink. I didn’t know they made other products, so I’d love to win! I’ll head over to FB too! Thanks!
I have been on the brink of switching to natural cleaners. Your post served as a good reminder that now is a good time to abandon those toxic cleaning solutions.
I love bar soaps, probably because I always seem to get them as gifts, so they become part of my “using it up” philosophy. But I also find them less drying than liquid soaps.
I always use vinegar in the kitchen but like you said…it would be nice to have a natural cleaner that doesn’t smell like pickles every once in a while
I’ve looked at these products in the store but never bought. I’ll love to try them.
Huge bon ami fan
I to have been going more natural in the cleaning department, been making my own laundry soap for a couple years & use a lot of vinegar & baking soda. But I agree, there are areas that this just doesn’t cut it….we have lots of rust & it just needs that extra kick! I would love to try these products & see if they got the power but yet not the chemicals! Thanks for the info!
Wow, blast from childhood! My Dad always had a can under the sink or in the garage. Haven’t seen it in years……. Going to have to hunt it down! Thanks!!
I wonder if this would work on my hard water stains in the shower?
I am a vinegar freak for cleaning! Counters, laundry….you name it!
We have softened water in the house, except for our drinking water. Our house uses a well and the water is delicious, but very hard. Our softener plugged up and did not realize it right away and ran a load of dishes. They came out all caked and coated. We have had the softener fixed, the dishes I have washed in vinegar and managed to get the rime off. The inside of my new stainless steel dishwasher though is still streaked, no matter what I have tried. I bet trying Bon Ami would work, where the vinegar and soda did not.
I have taught my daughters, proudly, to clean with Borax, lemon juice, white vinegar, kosher salt and baking soda. They’ve grown up thining this is perfectly normal and that purchased cleaners are only for really stubborn, special jobs. I would love to give Bon Ami a try. 🙂
I’m a Mrs. Myer’s devotee. The basil scented handsoap is my very favorite thing.
I use their powder cleaner all the time, but have not tried the bar or the spray. I’ve always been really happy with the powder so I’d love to give the others a try!
I’m a big fan of doing as much of my cleaning as possible with baking soda, vinegar, lemons and salt. But a little extra oomph in the form of Bon Ami would be a welcome addition!
I have never used Bon Ami, mom never purchased the product. By the time I was on my own it was not available in my area. I much prefer home cauldren of cleaning agents not only for the cost savings, but the fact they are far more effective. I love the the movie “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken” promoted Bon Ami.
I’ve never tried Bon Ami – it’s not something that I come across at my grocery store here in Canada, although I’m sure it must be available somewhere! I’ve heard nothing but good reviews. I make my own cleaners, mostly with baking soda, vinegar, and the occasional dose of borax. It’s so nice to clean with products that you’re not afraid to breathe in!
I too use vinegar and baking soda in my everyday cleaning but it is harder to scrub with the baking soda at times. I would love this kit as I totally forgot about BonAmi! My grandmother used to use a wet rag and the Bon Ami bar to do her windows. I remember it would dry white on the glass and then she would use another cloth to wipe the windows clean and no streaks!
I have used the Bon Ami powder before but am very interested to try the other products they make. We are trying to cut out harsh chemicals and use mostly vinegar and baking soda for cleaning. Thanks for the opportunity to win.
I love natural cleaning products! I use vinegar and baking soda also. along with my fav essential oils
I LOVE Bon Ami and haven’t been able to find it locally. Another product that I’ve always loved but can’t find any more is Red Cross Nurse disinfectant spray. It had a beautiful light lavender scent.
I knew Bon Ami came in a powder, but I wasn’t aware of the bar form. Great product! Another old-time bar product I like is Fels-Naptha, for treating laundry stains–great for rubbing on “ring around the collar”.
I love Bon Ami. Grew up with it and still have a little under the sink. We primarily use vinegar and water but have rust stains from well water and would love to try it on these. Thanks.
I’m always looking for gentler, less caustic ways to clean. I would love to try this! Right now, Mrs. Meyers is my go-to because it smells so fresh (basil scent) and seems gentle.
I am trying to be more environmentally friendly with the products I use. I would love to try Bon Ami.
I’ve only recently started using gentler cleaning products, like borax and vinegar. It’s been an adjustment–I need to re-wire myself not to think that something has to smell like chemicals to be clean!
I have not thought about Bon Ami. I am glad to know it works well. I am going to look for it next time at the store.
I enjoy making homemade cleaning supplies and personal hygiene products using as many local products and recycled bottles as possible. Please feel free to share this link which contains six recipes for some common green cleaning products:
http://theintentionalminimalist.blogspot.com/2011/06/homemade-cleaning-supplies.html
Thank you for sponsoring the giveaway!
I love Bon Ami!
I grew up with a Mom who used Bon Ami powder, but she always insisted on saying it “french” which caused me some embarrassment growing up in the deep south where everyone would say, “bawn ammy.” I actually haven’t had occasion to purchase cleaning products in a while since uncovering a massive stash of soaps and powders in an old packing box. I’ve played around with the vinegar/water spray solution, but find that I feel like everything smells like pickles after I use it…which reminds me, back to canning!
I’ve never seen the bar, but my wife has always picked the powdered cleanser over other things.
I made my own laundry detergent and have made some other cleaners. I love Bon Ami but haven’t tried the spray or bar. Thanks for the giveaway!
I was just lamenting my lack of good/safe cleaning agents this morning. As a pregnant person I’ve just been using warm water around the house to wipe up messes…fingers crossed I’ll get to try out a new safe cleaning supply!
I make my own bar soap and I’m slowly getting to where I’m ready to make the liquid soap.
My husband detests the smell of vinegar…so I have clean my cupboards on the fly when he’s not around! I wish his nose wasn’t so sensitive, or I had something to mask the smell of the vinegar…
It has been a long time since I have used Bon Ami. I didn’t know they were still in business. I use a large bottle of alcohol that I attach a spray nozzle to clean in my bathroom, which is very cheap and in the kitchen I use hydrogen peroxide bottle with a spray nozzle to clean counters and etc. I use another brand of sink cleanser to scrub my kitchen sink and then spray it good with the peroxide at night before I go to bed. It whitens it as good or better than Clorox without the smell or risk of harming my clothes etc. The peroxide kills most all germs and so does the alcohol and both are cheap. The peroxide is orderless and as effective as Clorox.
Ah, ‘Good Friend’, Marisa (another word for Bon Ami) Thank you for the Food in Jars site & your ever welcome plethora of good Motherly Earth suggestions for living simpler & more basic lives the way our ancestors did. You asked for me share? This is a gift for everyone to try. It’s superb and has multiple benefits. I clean every surface in my house with this homemade cleaner including windows which cut through the chemicals used in window cleaners and leaves windows perfect – after using it a few times to remove residue of window cleaning products. Use it on wooden cutting boards, inside refrigerator, even ‘near’ food because it won’t contaminate or poison foods:
2 cups of water, 1/2 cup vinegar, 2/3 cup hydrogen peroxide, 20 drops teatree oil, 20 drops lavender or lemon grass essential oil, 1 TBPS castile soap. It goes after virus, bacteria, mold, spores, grease, dirt, stains. Health note: in the heat of summer, I had a painful, oderous, red rash with raised pustules on my abdomen in the sagging skin folds caused by a C/S after my daughter was born. Instead of going to the Dermatologist, I used the homemade spray on the deep maroon skin blotches, and it was gone within 24 hours. I didn’t need anti-fungal cream or an expensive trip to doctor. I shared recipe with my 85 year old Dermatologist and he loved it. This homemade product kills spores (fungal) bacteria and viruses. My cast iron enamel sinks, tubs are daily cleaned wth my homemade product to kill germs, but I need the power of Bon Ami to remove dark brown dissolved iron stains that come from the iron which is naturally occurring in the aquifer water underneath the island I live on.
I’m ready to trade this family secret housecleaning recipe with you and the world in exchange for the Bon Ami products you are giving away. I’m on disability and could use every little bit of help to keep my world healthy and clean. And thank you for sharing the tip to use Bon Ami on VERY old canning jars I was given by an 85 year old woman. I never thought of that.
Thank you so much. Linda
I like cleaning with baking soda. It does the job better and faster than any other chemical cleaning products I’ve found. But, it has its limitations, and I would love to try Bon Ami products.
I really want to switch to all natural cleaners. I’ve thought about making all of my own cleaning supplies but haven’t made the leap yet. I think this would be a good intermediate step for me.
I clean my whole house with vinegar and baking soda. It feels so good to know that there are no toxic chemicals anywhere!
I use the powder, but Ive never seen the bar soap or the spray! I would love to try them! I gave up nasty chemical cleaners when I had my baby and have never looked back!
I grew up with BonAmi and when I got married and “set up housekeeping” I changed up to “modern” products. Never worked as well and I may as well have been throwing money into the wind! Haven’t tried the bar and would like too!
I’d never heard of Bon Ami until my husband and I began dating. One of his jobs each year for his grandmother was to clean all of her windows. He swore by Bon Ami glass cleaner, and I must say, it does an amazing job. I mostly use microfibre now, but when I need to bring out the big guns (like for the outside windows), we pull out the Bon Ami.
I love Bon Ami. But I didn’t realize it had a bar soap too. Very neat… really! I can’t count how many times I’ve knocked over my Bon Ami can. I agree with your smelling like pickles comment…. small price, right?