We shouldn’t judge people. But millions of moviegoers—mostly men—thought Bo Derek’s 1979 beach-comedy movie was aptly titled 10. No doubt the model, with her hair in cornrows and sporting a swimsuit, caused a rush to the box office.
I repeat. We shouldn’t judge people, but I am comfortable rating these products on a scale of 1 to 10. Unlike Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath, who was once paid to wear and promote panty hose, I’m doing this for free.
Harris Mouse Trap
When a tiny mouse scurries beneath your feet, do you screech? How many of you have “caught” your finger trying to bait and place a traditional spring-loaded mousetrap, the one on a small wooden board?
Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803-1882, is credited with saying, “Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door.” He’d be proud to know about these two plastic reusable mousetraps. You bait with peanut butter or cheese through on opening on the bottom. No more catching yourself. One is by Harris and another by Tom Cat. We had a long-tail intruder. On the first night—within 10 minutes of turning out the laundry room light—snap!
White Brite
A dozen of my white T-shirts were almost tossed in the cotton-rag box. Filters were losing a battle with iron in our well water. My shirts were clean, but they were dingy. Bleach wasn’t getting the job done, either.
A Little League parent told me about laundry additive White Brite. How many of you have been frustrated by trying to get mud, grass and clay stains out of white baseball pants? Get ready to win that game.
DampRid
You know that damp, musty smell. Under sinks, in closets and in basements, excess moisture invites mold and mildew. For many of us, that means nasty allergic reactions.
If you’ve never tried this product, trust me. It works. Cashiers often ask, “Sir, did you get enough DampRid?” I usually reply, “No, but I bought all you had.”
Fusion razor blades
Yes, I know. Facial hair is big these days, but I like to shave. For 30 years, I used Gillette Sensor blades. I thought they were the best ever. And then there were none on the drug-store shelf.
Reluctantly, I tried Fusion by Gillette. Perfecto. No more bloody nicks. I have retired my styptic pencils. The Fusion blades were an accidental discovery, but now I wonder what took me so long to switch.
Simply Saline
Year after year, I had bouts with nasal issues. If the Olympics had a coughing event, I could have won a gold medal. Laryngitis, bronchitis and the ilk plagued me.
And then my pulmonologist introduced me to saline mist. He said, “Every time you brush your teeth, flush out your nose. So many bad things start there. Just like washing your hands, keep your nose clean.”
There are other steps in the daily regime. But for two years, Arm & Hammer’s Simply Saline has helped me stay away from antibiotics for that other stuff.
Last week, my doctor smiled when he listened to my lungs and peered into my nose and throat. And then—with a very serious look—he said, “I have another recommendation. Are you listening?”
“Don’t slow down,” he said, “but stay off ladders!”
No, I didn’t see the Bo Derek’s movie. But as for these products and doc’s advice, I give them a “10,” too.
dnesmith@cninewspapers.com
