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UVe uses UV light to clean countertops

Most people use cleaning fluids to clean off their kitchen counters. But the chemicals in those cleaning solutions can be dangerous, especially for people with asthma and other breathing conditions.

UVe is a device that uses UV light to disinfect kitchen counters and other surfaces in the home and can operate whether the user is home or away. No dangerous chemicals are needed. Although it’s basically a countertop version of the Roomba, UVe can also be used to eliminate germs on hard floors and any other flat surface large enough for it to safely move around on, including hardwood, tiles, stone, concrete and foam floor mats, its maker says. The device also features smart ledge detection that enables it to know when it’s reached the edge of a counter. UVe is being sold to Kickstarter backers at the early bird price of $89 and will cost $99 after that special pricing, which, according to the campaign, is still cheaper than the undisclosed planned retail price . UVe will ship in November. Its maker has set a Kickstarter goal of raising $50,000 by Aug. 11.

UVe should appeal to many consumers globally. But customers outside the U.S. will, at least initially, have to supply their own plug adapter because it will ship only with a charger designed for the U.S. The charger can accept 110-volt and 220-volt input, so buyers outside the U.S. won’t need a voltage converter/transformer, according to the campaign.

 

 

 

 

Categories
Automotive

Gleamfire saves water for washing cars, may save California from dusty rides

Washing your car is a great way to keep it clean and preserve its paint job. Frequent trips to the car wash can be costly, though. And washing it yourself uses a lot of water.

patent-claimedGleamfire hopes to save water while also delivering a super clean car. This product goes beyond the bucket, as its campaign says, and uses only one and half gallons of water to get the job done. The clear cylinder holds the water and no-rinse car wash soap. To use, insert the washing mitt into the cylinder and pump up and down to rinse it. The pump contains a filter so it keeps the mitt in clean water eliminating the need for additional fresh water. The special soap doesn’t require an additional rinse, so washing the car with the mitt is enough to get it sparkling clean.

Gleamfire offers a great way to save water, especially important right now in California with its epic ongoing drought. It uses simple innovation to cut down on the water usage and cost associated with washing one’s car. Those who would like one will need to donate $97 for delivery in April 2016. Gleamfire is looking to raise $129,000 on Indiegogo.

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Home

Handi Sani wipes bathroom germs off your toilet brush with a flush

Finding an easy way to keep the toilet bowl brush sanitized can be a challenge. But impressively, the Handi Sani self-cleaning toilet brush presents a hands-free way to make that happen.

The way it works is quite simple. The Handi Sani cleaning apparatus attaches to the side of the tank with one small hose running into the tank to take advantage of clean water, and another hose running into the toilet bowl for proper draining. The brush is placed inside the Handi Sani so that when the toilet is flushed, the attachment fills up with clean water while simultaneously draining the dirty water into the toilet bowl.

Interested backers might also like to check out RollPull, and Shower Shimmy. This campaign seeks to raise $178,000 by April 13, 2015.  Early bird backers get one product for $20 with an expected delivery of October 2015.

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Health and Wellness

Loodini allows you to escape public restrooms without touching germy surfaces

Ever shudder to imagine what germs lurk around public bathroom faucets, stalls and doors? The folks at Loodini certainly have. This British product is held in the hand and can twist, turn, poke, and rotate all in the name of keeping those germs away. It covers your hand and does all the contact stuff for you so you don’t have to touch anything in that bathroom. Loodini comes in five different colors, is made out of plastic and uses an antibacterial agent to maximum cleanliness. To clean, use warm soapy water to rid this product of all it has picked up. For £9 (~$14), backers will receive a set of three for delivery in December 2014. Loodini hopes to raise £3,000 (~$4,800) on Kickstarter.

There are lots of germaphobes out there who can’t stand public restrooms until it becomes an emergency. For many, a tissue would suffice as protection, but for the truly clean, Loodini is the way to go. It’s versatile, easy to clean and even works to kill bacteria making it more effective than tissues.

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Lifestyle

ClickStick overengineers the deodorant applicator because stains are the pits

Ever since deodorant first came into existence, there has always been the question of how to keep it from getting all over one’s clothes during application. From sprays to gels to those “invisible” solids, it seems that even if those white streaks are avoided, that there is still that feeling of something cold, wet and slimy hanging out in one’s armpits. So the creators of ClickStick have attempted to fix this problem by creating a specially engineered “smart” deodorant container that apparently knows exactly how much to apply, reducing overuse and waste of the product. Oh, and it’s eco friendly too. For those who don’t mind sharing with the digital world via an app about their personal care products and habits, the refills for ClickStick can even be ordered online and shipped directly to one’s home. The type of container in which those refills arrive isn’t stated, though the refillable idea is about cutting down on the plastic consumption that used deodorant containers apparently generate in general. While reusable is nice, it may be a hassle to have to order refills. After all, running out of deodorant and going without isn’t ideal. This campaign seeks to raise $55,000 by December 3, 2014. “Midday” bird backers who missed the early bird offer can get one product for $21, with an expected delivery of May 2015.

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Automotive

BeeDry Mat covers your car seats from water, sand and snow

One of the biggest annoyances of daily life is keeping the car clean and odor free. If there are kids, a clean car is a near impossibility. One item that can help bring some sanity and sanitation to your car, even for a family constantly in motion, is BeeDry Mat. It seems to be the ultimate multitasking wonder where keeping the car clean is concerned; protecting car seats from sweat after that great workout, pet hair, the grime factor that comes with sport enthusiast kids and more. The mat is made of a water resistant, washable material but is still soft with a bit of extra cushioning for added comfort. It also has a convenient strap and simple plastic-looking locking mechanism so that it can be easily rolled up and stored behind the car headrest when not in use. The foam mat is supposed to be water-resistant, but whether or not a chemical is used to enhance that isn’t clearly stated. This campaign seeks to raise $15,000 by November 24, 2014. For $44, early bird backers get one product with an expected delivery of March 2015.

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Technology

SteriShoe 2.0 zaps the noisome from your Nikes

Shoes are rarely cleaned, even though we spend all day in them. There’s no real way to disinfect them. Most will either wash their insoles, risk ruining the shoes in the wash or simply throw them away when they become too smelly. There’s a ton of gross bacteria that can build up in our shoes and we pretty much have no way of fight them. Introducing the SteriShoe 2.0. This updated version of the SteriShoe uses UVC lights to disinfect shoes. The product is shoe, shaped, obviously, and has two metal prongs that sit in the shoe. It also features a fan to dry the shoes since lots fungi thrives in dark wet environments. One of these sterilizing footwear products will cost backers a $99 donation or only $89 if they’re early enough. Estimated delivery is set for December 2014. SteriShoe 2.0 has a campaign goal of $60,000 on Kickstarter.

The new SteriShoe 2.0 improves upon the old model’s controller and prong shape. SteriShoe 2.0 is a great solution for shoe ickiness problems. It would be nice if the campaign provided a little more data on the product’s effectiveness in fighting germs. Still if it at least eliminates odor then it’s a worthy investment, especially since it’s not a disposable product like most shoe fixes seem to be. Going off of the first SteriShoe model’s Amazon reviews, it looks like the one complaint was that the shape was not ideal for high heels, but still works great for loafers and sneakers. All in all, a good way to fight smell and bacteria in a simple way.

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Home

Soapseat provides a goop escape route for your wet soap

Most soap dishes allow your bar soap to sit in its own gooeyness resulting in mold or, at the very least, a soggy soap puck. SOAPSEAT promises to CHANGE that. It’s essentially a soap dish with raised ridges in the middle that spill into the sink. One side curves downwards while the other side grips the edge of the sink. In this way, the water can flow down so that your soap stays fresh. This product comes in three different finishes, all dishwasher safe. One of these vamped up soap cradles will cost backers $25 for estimated delivery in February 2015. SOAPSEAT has a Kickstarter campaign goal of $10,000.

If fresh soap really means a lot to you, then this is a useful product. Most probably don’t care, or opt for those soap dishes with holes in the bottom so the liquid collects in a bottom tray that’s cleaned out. SOAPSEAT is lower maintenance, but still a high price for such a simple product.

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Personal Transportation

Ion Smartscooter looks like non-electric models, gets you on your way

The last miles of any commute are some of the most painful. Who wants to walk twenty minutes at the very beginning of the day or after having worked eight hours every day? Although there are some solutions, bikes and scooters are either too bulky to transport easily or too dirty in terms of fuel.

Probity Cell LLC has created the ion SmartScooter as a low-cost, clean alternative that will get you where you need to go, fast. It’s top speed of 15mph is powered by a lithium-ion battery that charges in three and a half hours and lasts for more than 1,000 cycles, ensuring a long and sustainable life. In addition, its foldable nature makes it so that it can be more easily transported than a bike, especially because it only weighs 26 pounds. The ion SmartScooter joins scads of other personal transportation devices like the Me-Mover and Halfbike.

The company is starting off slow with just two production runs, but they want to minimize any issues through their Kickstarter campaign. They were aiming for a modest $40,000 to do so, a goal that has shown interest by many. If they’re able to back up their claim of squeezing 500 miles out of the scooter for less than a dollar’s worth of electricity, they’ll be able to convince many more to grab one of their own for the introductory price of $399.

 

 

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Home

Cleandicator solves the mystery of dishwasher load cleanliness

The Premise. Those who detest doing the dishes often see an automatic dishwasher as one of the best inventions since electricity. While it’s no longer necessary to stand at the sink and do the washing and rinsing, it’s still necessary to load and unload the dishwasher. And as busy as life gets, it can be easy to forget when the dishes are clean verses when they are dirty.

The Product. Cleandicator is a device that lets the user know when the dishes in the dishwasher are clean and when they are dirty. Basically, a bright blue floatation devise rises up into the clear cover when the dishes are clean, creating an easy-to-notice visual for the user.  The flotation device remains down when they are dirty. The device activates when water from the dishwashing cycle gets inside of the gadget. It appears to require a reset after each use.

The Pitch. While one might initially question how Cleandicator can actually be manufactured with only the requested $500 goal, backers may want to keep in mind that the only material that presently seems to be needed to create this product is the plastic. The injection mold is already built and the creators seem to have the support of the Metcalfe company. It is also unknown to what other resources the product creators may have access that will help with the creation of the product.

The Perks. This campaign doesn’t offer as many tiers as most, but backers are able to get one product for $15. Expected delivery is December 2014.

The Potential. If this product is as effective as it appears is should be, certainly any household with an automatic dishwasher would find it useful. It appears that the product fits most commercial dishwashers in the consumer marketplace. The product seems like it is easy enough to use and able to be quickly and easily observed in regard to whether or not dishes are dirty or clean. Perhaps the biggest challenge will be for whoever empties the dishwasher to remember to reset the product once a new wash cycle is started. That being said, it’s unclear if this particular product is going to be any more effective than using magnets or sticky notes, or in some cases, the built-in mechanism that many of the newer models have for helping users to remember whether or not the dishwasher has been run or not, but it does seem to have some potential.