Product Review: Kaboom Foam-Tastic® Tub &Tile Cleaner

The Promise:

From the manufacturer's website:

Kaboom® Foam-Tastic® (Fresh Scent)
Tired of tough scrubbing? Try Kaboom® Foam-Tastic, the only foaming cleaner that changes color to let you know the surface is clean.100% TOUGH®! As it sprays on blue, the OxiClean® stain-fighting bubbles get to work powering through soap scum, hard water, and calcium and lime stains. When it turns white you just wipe away to reveal a deep clean and a sparkling shine with absolutely no dull residue left behind. See the clean! Kaboom Foam-Tastic will not stain surfaces and it leaves behind a fresh scent. No hard scrubbing. Kaboom!…. and the stain is GONE

The Reality:

Recently I had the opportunity to tryout Kaboom Foam-Tastic tub and tile cleaner and I have to say I was pretty impressed with the end result, if not the process. I'll explain.

After reading the instructions on the back (as I recommend doing before using any new or unfamiliar product) I immediately turned my attention to the tub and shower, as that is where the product is advertised to do the most work. As directed I shook the can and sprayed down the shower walls and tub basin. I have to admit, it was a little surreal watching the product dispense from the can in a powdery purple spray of foam. In some places it immediately turned white as promised, while in others it took some time fading from the rich lavender to soapy-white indicating that the cleaning processes was complete. I assume these areas held more soap scum than the others.

After the shower stall and tub had reverted to it's original coloring I wiped down the walls to remove any excess soap scum.and then used a cup to rinse off the walls, shower head, and faucet handles. (Cleaning Tip: Be realistic about cleaners. They are not all going to penetrate all of the grime or scum the area you are cleaning, no matter how outlandish the promise.. You will still have to use a rag and a rinse to get it 100% clean). Let me warn you, use an exhaust vent if the bathroom has one or leave the door open when using this product. While the vapors were not nearly as harsh as some of the other cleaners that I have used it really cleaned out my sinuses. I'd say about like eating a couple of good and hot jalapenos. You may decide to use a dust mask.

During the rinse off I was immdiately impressed. The shower walls and the faucets handles were simply gleaming. (Cleaning Tip: Water will make anything look nice and shiny, as long as it stays wet. As soon as it dries however, the spots show up!) I decided to let it air dry a bit and would come back for the final wipe down before I decided if I liked this cleaner. After finishing off the commode and the sink basin I used a soft towel to wipe down the walls of the shower and bathtub, removing any remaining water drops and drying everything up. This step is crucial in your cleaning process if you want to avoid water spots on everything. Anyway, as promised the Kaboom Foam-Tastic cleaner with the crazy purple spray came through in the end. 

The Good, The Bad, The Clean:

Easy To Use? - Yes

Harshness of Chemicals - Nose-burning

Works as Promised? - Yes

Use Again? - Yes

 

List of Ingredients - Click Here

How To : Put the Shine back into Your Counter Tops

The day that you move into your brand-new home everything is super sparkly and shiny. For the first couple of a months to a year you painstakingly follow all directions to ensure your home retains it's super-sparkliness.  The reality of it is between juggling kids, job, spouse and life in general, your home tends to find itself a little lackluster sooner than you would think.
The good news is you can have that brand new shine on your kitchen or sink counter-tops in as little as 20 minutes depending on how dull your counter-top is.
First Get it Clean
The first thing to do is to clean the counter top. Generally I use a warm rag dipped into a diluted Mr. Clean solution. Other cleaners work just as well, although I would avoid harsh cleaners that contain bleach, ammonia, and especially acetone. Acetone will leave irrepairable marks on "TrueStone" type counter-tops. After your counter-top is good and clean, wipe it down with a dry rag to re-polish and also dry up any remaining water.
Apply the Shine.

So after polishing many counter-tops and using a variety of products I have come to the conclusion that "Gel-Gloss" is by far the best for re-coating as it leaves the best shine and lasts longest. It is super simple to apply and only takes a few minutes to set before you buff it out.

What you are going to need is a rough application rag (like a dish rag) and a soft application rag (like a piece of old sweatshirt or t-shirt will work. Soft is key, that is what pulls out the shine when you buff out the counter-top.
Wax on, Wax off.
Next, swirl a thin ribbon of Gel-Gloss evenly over the counter top. In a circular motion begin to working the Gel-Gloss into your counter top using your application rag. Think 'Karate Kid' : "Wax on, Wax off". Here you are going to want to use a little elbow grease. The more that you work the Gel-Gloss in the better the scratches and scuffs work out.
Now this is the point that I usually tend to other things that need to be cleaned. In the bathroom I will usually clean the shower and bathtub and also commode, like in this case. Basically you want to give the Gel-Gloss about 15 minutes to set in.

A dull sheen will cover the counter giving it a matte-like appearance. Here is where you take your polishing rag and, like in the previous step where you applied the Gel-Gloss, use a circular pattern to buff out the polish. You are also going to need to use a bit of elbow grease in this step also. Depending on how much Gel-Gloss you use in the previous step you may need several polishing rags to get the desired shine.
The Wow Factor.

In the end you will end up with a beautiful shiny counter top. I have maintained this particular counter-top which is why there is not much difference in the shine. If your counter has not had regular maintenance you should notice a remarkable difference. Try this trick out before your next get together and see how many people think you've have remodeled!