Real Simple Clean - NEW Cleaning Products By the Pros Who Know


The first issue of REAL SIMPLE Magazine launched in April 2000, and I've been glued ever since.

The bible for decluttering, organizing and cleaning has been a source of great info, advice, and inspiration since its inception. The "6 Clever Items to Simplify Your Life" section is a particular favourite, featuring handy tools and hacks that help streamline tasks.

So when I discovered  heir just released Real Simple Clean line of cleaning products, I couldn't wait to take them for a test drive. After all, who better to develop cleaners than the folks who know the best way to get blood and beets out of a t-shirt, make glass and mirrors gleam, and who no doubt, don't spend half their lives scrubbing pots and pans like we do.

In keeping with our modern day demands and ethos, the entire collection is made with plant-based formulas and essential oils. Free of caustics, chlorine dyes, formaldehyde, synthetic fragrances, parabens, phthalates, phosphates and triclosan, they're better for us, our kids, pets, the environment, and the things we're cleaning. Great. But sometimes "natural" cleaners aren't as effective as conventional ones. So how does the Real Simple Clean Collection stack up?

Take a look:


I'm always skeptical of cleaner combos. Don't you find that they always do an okaaay job on glass and mirrors and pretty good everywhere else, but you're never blown away like with single-focused products?

Real Simple Clean however, has this one on lock. I did all the mirrors, glass and surfaces in the house and in just moments, the whole place twinkled like an old Disney musical number, replete with bluebirds, princesses and sunshine. No smudges or streaks either. 

And the light mouthwash scent (eucalyptus, to be exact) delivers a "just cleaned" fragrance that alerts guests your place doesn't just look spotless - it is.


Upon moving a couple of years ago, I was thrilled to discover a ceramic cooktop - no more having to take the elements out and having to clean each one separately and continually line them with foil. Hallelujah. 

But while a ceramic cooktop starts out gleaming and looking all kinds of wonderful, just wait until you've used it awhile. God forbid something should boil over (I blame Netflix) - you'll be stuck with a permanent reminder.

After years of slow cooked stews and rushed stir-fried suppers, my stove was in desperate need of a cooktop revamp. Yet no matter how many different types of cleaners I used, nothing made it glisten like it used to.

Unlike previous powders, creams and sprays (I told you I tried everything to fix it), I didn't have to leave anything to set or sink in - just a quick spray and buff and the surface comes up super shiny. Pop the confetti. No smears or blotches, or need to rinse either (white creams are the worst, unless you want your stove to look like it's outlined in Liquid Paper). Scratch the confetti and pop the champagne.

Not only does it work (that forever baked on Thai green curry came off like a dream), my stove looks impeccably clean no matter how much I've been cooking. Which is usually a ton (Tonight's menu: Duck with Balsamic Reduction, Pesto Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus Drizzled with Pumpkin Seed Oil, and Honeyed Carrots).

It helps protect it, too. Which is very important. Especially after Coq au Vin Catastrophe of Winter '16.

p.s. While there's a slight "citrus" scent, it's not as citrusy as you might think. I find all cooktop cleaners have a kind of flat aroma to them, including this one. But it's not unpleasant, unlike the popular brand name that leaves your stovetop smelling like herring.


Not one of the many household cleaners cluttered under my kitchen sink is safe to use on my granite countertops. I know because I've checked and double checked. They explicitly warn: not be used on granite or other porous surfaces.

What's a girl to do?

You can try and find one at your local mall, though you'll likely pay through the nose (personally I'd always rather have a bottle of wine or burger for that price). Or you could go and make a special trip for it. Because your schedule isn't jam-packed at all.

What I've done in between finding the correct cleaner: spraying my counters down with water sometimes,  but mostly gasp! - glass cleaner. l know, it's just as harmful if not more so, than using an eco cleaner, but company was coming and I panicked.

So imagine my immense relief when I discovered Real Simple Clean Granite Countertop Rejuvenator. Now I clean them with abandon (which let's face it, is how I almost always clean, but it now includes my granite for the first time in forever).

I've never been in love with the colour of my countertops (they came with the house), but I have to say, they've never looked this good. A couple more goes, and I might just come to love them after all.

And the fresh citrus scent? Lovely, not too cloying at all.


I bet I'm the only person that you know - as well as in my circle of friends - that cleans their washing machine. If my pals were ever asked, "Which friend of yours is most likely to clean her washing machine," there's no doubt my name would be the first - and only one - that came to mind.

After living with pets, very sweaty, smelly fellas, and working out like a demon at the gym (go ahead and scroll through your phone while you "workout" - I'll be over here building up enough sweat for the both of us), I know that sometimes laundry gets rank. And that means your washing machine does too. All that wetness is a breeding ground for mold, mildew and other funk.

Now that I'm a gym rat and my workout clothes drenched in sweat make up at least half my laundry every week, it just makes sense to keep the machine as pristine as my gear.

Still not convinced your washer needs a good rinsing out? Think of it like this - just because your water bottle is filled with only water doesn't mean you never clean it, does it?

Real Simple Clean Washing Machine Cleaner is unlike any other I've ever used. No need to dedicate and run an entire separate cycle for just cleaning and rinsing. Just spray inside the machine and let sit for 30 minutes. Toss in your laundry and go. Natural enzymes fight mold, mildew and the odours they produce.

And the blend of Bergamot, Citronella, Ginger Root, Lemon Peel, and Rosemary essential oils ensure the machine - and your laundry - smell great.

Ahhhhh....

My job as a food and restaurant writer means there always tomato sauce, duck fat and oil stains seeping somewhere into my clothes.

Then there's regular life happenstances - your coffee cup wobbles just a tiny bit more than usual on your way to your desk, Ripasso sloshes out onto the couch as you get up to check your phone, the self-tanner bottle explodes across your new blouse just five minutes before you're to head out the door (All true stories. That last one happened twice).

I counted, and just this week alone, I've used stain remover twice. And it's only Tuesday.

That said, the saving grace here is that most everyday stains can be removed with ease.** Just shake the bottle and spray quite a bit on the splotch in question. Let it sink in for a few minutes, longer if it's a deep stain (or odour - see below) and then scrub away with a cloth or brush. Wipe clean with a sponge or dry cloth. You might not have to toss it in the wash after all, which has always been my move.

This way, you really get to enjoy the lemon, ginger, and rosemary scent.

**The only time I wasn't able to save an item: I was sat on the patio while critiquing a restaurant. A gust of wind came along  and dumped a whole bottle of Marques De Riscal Rioja Reserva across my chest and lap. I had worn a new dress for the first time. One that I'd lusted after for three seasons and then found it ridiculously on sale. I was soaked collarbone-to-peep-toe. The dress was ruined despite repeated attempts by the most admirable dry cleaners. The restaurant? Closed four months later (I told you the shrimp was overcooked and the lamb mealy).

Note: This is also an odour treatment, but I haven't had cause to use it yet. Check back in six months. I may have another pet by then.


For me, a spray that eliminates creases and wrinkles is one of the best inventions ever. 

I do not enjoy ironing (scratch it up to having to iron pristine creases in my cadet uniform a couple times a week as a tween) and while I have a steamer, sometimes time is of the essence. I have to get out the door whether I like it or not and there's a rumpled arm/leg/collar that needs fixing stat.

Despite wanting to be the type of person who lays out my clothes the night before or spends an hour getting ready, the reality is: I work to deadline, race to my closet to find something to wear, scramble into it as I hop to the front closet for shoes, coat, etc., and stumble out the door to said restaurant/event/date night, possible with shoes unbuckled and blouse mis-buttoned.

Thus, the occasional awkward folds across my dress or pant cuff.

So it's no wonder I put a very high value on Wrinkle Release. It gets me out the door looking crisp and pulled together, despite the typhoon that just occurred in the house.

I'm stocking up on this one. I suggest you do the same.

Available in three scents: Fresh Citrus, Lavender, and Unscented.

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There is much more to the Real Simple Clean line than just the products I tried. There are entire categories I've yet to explore - Clean Hands and Clean Dishes.

I love that there's no "all purpose" cleaner in this lineup. There's no one-disinfectant-fits-all anymore because our tools and world have become more varied and complex. Real Simple Clean instead, hones in on specific areas so that you get the cleanest clean for each - i.e. Cutting Board Oil, Leather Furniture Cleaner, and Stainless Steel Cleaner.

The spray nozzle, while not adjustable, lets out a delicate, wide, and even mist, making cleaning up quick and easy.

And let's talk about the bottles themselves because I would love duvets, pillows, blankets, dresses, dish towels and well, one of everything in these soft, pastel hues. How wonderful to get cleaners out of the cupboard that don't look like cleaners.They're so pretty in fact, you might just leave them out on the counter.

Your beautiful, sparkling, clean counter.

Shop Real Simple Clean now.

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