Arm & Hammer Complete Care Plus Whitening Toothpaste Delivers Clean, Healthy Teeth!

The Good: Cleans teeth well, Inexpensive, Stops oral irritation, Appears to effectively block stains, Does not taste bad
The Bad: Does not noticeably whiten teeth.
The Basics: Arm & Hammer Complete Care Plus Whitening toothpaste is effective at doing what it promises, though the whitening aspect is still up for debate.


Whitening toothpastes are a much harder sell for me than for other people, I suspect. First, I don't smoke or do anything else that has left me with already stained teeth. Second, I tend to use firm-bristled toothbrushes, so my daily coffee does not net new tooth stains. Finally, the amount of time it takes to whiten teeth is usually well beyond a single tube or couple of months. I have been using Arm & Hammer Complete Care Plus Whitening Toothpaste for the past two months and my teeth have not gotten noticeably whiter, but they have also not gotten any stains (which is a promise the toothpaste makes) and it does very effectively freshen my breath first thing in the morning when my breath is at its worst.

I purchased the 6 oz. tube of Arm & Hammer Complete Care Plus Whitening toothpaste a little over two months ago and it has lasted at least that long with me using it twice daily. The key selling points of the toothpaste were the tartar control, anti-cavity, stain guard, breath freshening and teeth whitening aspects, though the latter was not the best execution of the idea. After two months of using Arm & Hammer Complete Care Plus Whitening toothpaste twice a day, I noticed no significant color change in my teeth.

Arm & Hammer Complete Care Plus Whitening is an inexpensive, but generally effective, toothpaste with several selling point functions. It comes in a classic tube design with a plastic top that unscrews from the tube. The 6 oz. tube is seven and a half inches long by two inches wide and it tapers near the end with the nozzle. When the cap is unscrewed, there is a hard plastic nozzle which directs the product out of the tube and onto one's toothbrush. Toothpaste is easily dispensed from this type tube by flattening the plastic tube from the bottom toward the top and this also allows the user to get the most out of it.

To use Arm & Hammer Complete Care Plus Whitening, simply dispense a small amount onto the bristles of a toothbrush and bring the brush up to your mouth and spread the toothpaste over teeth using the brush. Then agitate the toothpaste into a foam to clean teeth entirely and expectorate the product (the process takes about a minute). Rinse mouth to remove any excess toothpaste and theoretically, the process should be complete and your teeth ought to feel wonderful.

The reason I continue to use Arm & Hammer Complete Care Plus Whitening is that it seems to work very well and it did not taste bad. Unlike many whitening products, there was no chalky flavor to this toothpaste. Since starting to use this toothpaste, I have developed no cavities and there has been no noticeable tartar or plaque build-up on my teeth.

Arm & Hammer Complete Care Plus Whitening significantly freshens breath. The toothpaste tastes mildly minty, with a grit that proves the presence of the promised baking soda within the toothpaste. After agitating the toothpaste in one's mouth and on the teeth, Arm & Hammer Complete Care Plus Whitening makes teeth, gums, tongue, cheeks and throat feel cool and fresh!

Arm & Hammer Complete Care Plus Whitening cleans very well and does appear to do what it promises in terms of protecting teeth, freshening breath and guarding against new stains, making it worth recommending.

For other oral care products, please visit my reviews of:
Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Clean Mint toothpaste
Alcohol Free Colgate Total Daily Repair mouthwash
Burt's Bees Tropical Pineapple Flavor Crystals Lip Balm

8.5/10

For other health and beauty reviews, please visit my Health And Beauty Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Clean Mint Toothpaste Delivers Decent Results!

The Good: Tastes good, Cleans teeth well, Inexpensive, Stops oral irritation
The Bad: Does not whiten teeth noticeably.
The Basics: Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Clean Mint toothpaste is good, but not truly exceptional on the whitening front.


When it comes to toothpastes, I have surprisingly little brand loyalty. Given that I do not have any form of dental insurance, I will try anything that claims to promote good dental health and strengthen my teeth to keep them clean and healthy. The latest toothpaste I have tried in my quest to keep my teeth strong and clean is Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Clean Mint Toothpaste. And after a few weeks of use, it does appear like the Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Clean Mint Toothpaste works!

My wife and I purchased the 4.3 oz. tube of Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Clean Mint, which lasted about a month when using it twice daily. The key selling points of the toothpaste were the tartar control, anti-cavity, breath freshening and teeth whitening aspects, though the latter was not the best execution of the idea. After three and a half weeks of using Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Clean Mint twice a day, I noticed less yellow on my teeth, which confirmed that whitening aspect of the toothpaste was working, but it was not a truly noticeable difference; it's not like my teeth were especially yellow beforehand!

Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Clean Mint is an inexpensive, but generally effective, toothpaste with several selling point functions. It comes in a classic tube design with a plastic top that unscrews from the tube. The 4.3 oz. tube is five inches long by two inches wide and it tapers near the end with the nozzle. When the cap is unscrewed, there is a hard plastic nozzle which directs the product out of the tube and onto one's toothbrush. Toothpaste is easily dispensed from this type tube by flattening the plastic tube from the bottom toward the top and this also allows the user to get the most out of it.

To use Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Clean Mint, simply dispense a small amount onto the bristles of a toothbrush and bring the brush up to your mouth and spread the toothpaste over teeth using the brush. Then agitate the toothpaste into a foam to clean teeth entirely and expectorate the product (the process takes about a minute). Rinse mouth to remove any excess toothpaste and theoretically, the process should be complete and your teeth ought to feel wonderful.

The reason I continue to use Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Clean Mint is that it seems to work very well and it did not taste bad. Unlike many whitening products, there was no chalky flavor to this toothpaste. Since starting to use this toothpaste, I have developed no cavities and there has been no noticeable tartar or plaque build-up on my teeth. Add to that, my teeth have gotten marginally lighter, though only a little bit.

Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Clean Mint significantly freshens breath. The toothpaste tastes minty, with a mild peppermint flavor. It has an instant cooling effect to it that makes my whole mouth taste fresh and clean. The taste of mint is appropriately strong and the intensity of the toothpaste is refreshing. It instantly makes my teeth, gums, tongue, cheeks and throat feel cool and fresh!

Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Clean Mint cleans incredibly well and does appear to do what it promises in terms of protecting teeth as well, even it if is not the most potent teeth whitener.

For other oral care products, please visit my reviews of:
Listerine Zero Clean Mint Mouthwash
Oral-B Glide 3D White Floss Picks Radiant White
Crest Be Dynamic Lime Spearmint Zest Toothpaste

8/10

For other health and beauty reviews, please visit my Health And Beauty Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2016 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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If Only The Cats Would Use It . . . Arm & Hammer Advanced Care Dental Water Additive Is Unusable!

The Good: Only theoretical
The Bad: Cats avoid it entirely.
The Basics: Arm & Hammer Advanced Care Dental Water Additive might have been a great product . . . if only my cats could possibly be coaxed into ever using it!


Every now and then, I discover a product that is absolutely impossible for me to recommend, despite what appears to be inherent quality to it. Like a food with great (quality) ingredients that is nevertheless inedible and has poor nitritional value, Arm & Hammer Advanced Care Dental Water Additive comes from a good company and has a decent (supposed) benefit. Unfortunately, after two months of trying to get my cats to use the Arm & Hammer Advanced Care Dental Water Additive, both adamantly refuse - up to and including drinking less-clean water and water out of the toilet - to drink water that includes the Arm & Hammer Advanced Care Dental Water Additive! As a result, this is an absolutely worthless product.

Basics

Arm & Hammer Advanced Care Dental Water Additive is a liquid that is supposed to be added to water in order to promote dental health for cats. The 8 fluid ounce container is supposedly odorless and flavorless. To my senses, it lives up on those fronts. Given that we spent almost $10 on the 8 oz. bottle, I had high hopes for the product and expected to get several months of use out of it. After two months, the bottle has only been depleted by, at best, an ounce.

Ease Of Preparation

The Arm & Hammer water additive is a health care supplement designed to increase the oral health of cats, so preparation is as unscrewing the cap and pouring fluid. The proper dosage is one capful of the Arm & Hammer Advanced Care Dental Water Additive to 8 oz. of water. I've experimented with down to a single drop in the same 8 oz. of water and the results are the same: my cays absolutely, adamantly, refuse to drink from a dish of water that the Arm & Hammer Advanced Care Dental Water Additive has been added to.

Elim And Timber’s Reaction

Arm & Hammer Advanced Care Dental Water Additive might be odorless and flavorless, but my cats, Timber and Elim, know whenever I have added it to their water. Regardless of how little is added to otherwise clean water, both of my cats have avoided ater with the Arm & Hammer Advanced Care Dental Water Additive at all costs. Timber recoiled from the water dish whenever the additive was used. When placed side by side with clean, unadulterated, water, Timber chose the clean water each and every time. When placed side by side with unclean water, Timber chose the water with sentiment and scum! Elim avoided the water with any quantity of Arm & Hammer Advanced Care Dental Water Additive added to it as well. Elim ran away from his water dish when the Arm & Hammer Advanced Care Dental Water Additive (in any amount) was added to his clean water. He ran to Myah's (our Siberan Husky's) water dish which is less clean and inconveniently located for him and drank from her slobber-tainted dish rather than drink even a sip of water that was filtered and clean but had drops (not even the full recommended dose!) of Arm & Hammer Advanced Care Dental Water Additive added to it!

Nutrition

Made primarily of water, sorbitol, and polysorbate, the purpose of the Arm & Hammer Advanced Care Dental Water Additive is to whiten teeth and strengthen cat's teeth while freshening their breath. Given how the cats refuse to use it, it does nothing for cats.

Overview

The Arm & Hammer Advanced Care Dental Water Additive fails to do any of what it is supposed to, making it absolutely impossible to recommend.

For other cat products, please check out my reviews of:
Fresh Step Premium Crystals Cat Litter
Friskies Indoor Adventures Chicken Flavor Cat Treats
Hartz Mini Mice

0/10

For other pet product reviews, please visit my Pet Review Index Page!

© 2015 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Smells Good While Drying, No Scent Afterward, Arm & Hammer Essentials Lavender & Linen Fabric Softener Sheets Work!

The Good: Adequately dissipates static electricity in the dryer, Smells good while the dryer is on
The Bad: No real scent after use, More expensive than other, comparable products
The Basics: Arm & Hammer Essentials Lavender & Linen Fabric Softener Sheets cost a little more than comparable products, but do essentially the same thing,


After a year in our apartment together, my wife wore me down on buying fabric softener sheets. We have an admittedly dry apartment, which is excellent for the transmission of static electricity, but fabric softener sheets have always just seemed like a waste of money to me. Still, when we found them on sale and had a coupon, my wife convinced me to pick up some Arm & Hammer Essentials Lavender & Linen Fabric Softener Sheets.

The box of 144 Arm & Hammer Essentials Lavender & Linen Fabric Softener Sheets was locally available in the $3.50 range. We selected these because they were on sale, we had a coupon, and my wife loves lavender-scented things. Each sheet of Arm & Hammer Essentials Lavender & Linen Fabric Softener is 9” long by 5” wide when unfolded. The sheets are paper-thin, permeable, and look virtually like every other fabric softener sheet on the market.

Use of the Arm & Hammer Essentials Lavender & Linen Fabric Softener Sheets is simple: place one (or two, if the load is large) sheet in the dryer when running it and turn on your dryer. There is nothing else to using these fabric softener sheets, save remembering to dispose of them after the load is done drying!

Before going into the dryer, the Arm & Hammer Essentials Lavender & Linen Fabric Softener Sheets have a vaguely floral scent. Lavender is a very distinct aroma and these sheets lack the spicy quality that lavender possesses. There is something much more generic about the scent these sheets have before use than actual lavender, though the aroma is not at all unpleasant. In the dryer, the Arm & Hammer Essentials Lavender & Linen Fabric Softener Sheets smell floral for a few minutes, but the scent dissipates. Within fifteen minutes of our dryer getting up to heat, there is no aroma coming from our laundry area. When the clothes come out, there is no scent on them.

I’m not sure what the point of scented fabric softener sheets are if they do not make laundry smell richly of the claimed scent, but despite that defect, the Arm & Hammer Essentials Lavender & Linen Fabric Softener Sheets work. Our clothes and blankets consistently come out of the dryer static-free and softer than from the clothes washer alone. We have pretty hard water locally, so the fabric softener sheets seem to work to prevent any issues with our clothes that might result from any sort of minerals left after washing our laundry.

Ultimately, the Arm & Hammer Essentials Lavender & Linen Fabric Softener Sheets are good, but because the scent does not endure, I find them harder to enthusiastically recommend for their price. If you can find them on sale and have a coupon, by all means, pick them up, but at full price, those who truly want a high-quality scented fabric softener are likely to find their needs met elsewhere for less cost.

For other laundry-related reviews, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Lavender And Vanilla Xtra Laundry Detergent
Frigidaire FTF2140ES Tumble Action Frontloading Washer
Tide Coldwater Fresh Scent Detergent

4.5/10

For other household cleaners, please visit my Tools And Cleaners Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Mildly Whitening, Arm & Hammer Sensitive Whitening Fresh Mint Toothpaste Works!

The Good: Tastes good, Actually whitens teeth, Inexpensive, Stops oral irritation
The Bad: Does not whiten teeth very fast.
The Basics: Arm & Hammer Sensitive Whitening Fresh Mint toothpaste is good, but not the miracle whitener one might hope for.


Recently, I had my long-present split molar removed. It was, honestly, a relief to me after all this time. However, it left my mouth in a lot of pain and vulnerable to infections. So, in addition to using Listerine Total Whitening (reviewed here!), my wife and I started using Arm & Hammer Sensitive Whitening Fresh Mint toothpaste. This is significant because the “Sensitive” aspect of the toothpaste comes from some Orajel-like additive that numbs mouth pain and it legitimately worked.

My wife and I purchased the 4.5 oz. tube of Arm & Hammer Sensitive Whitening Fresh Mint, which lasted more than the full month of my convalescence when using it twice daily. The key selling points of the toothpaste were the whitening aspect – which it did not deliver exceptional results very quickly – and the Orajel which worked to numb the area where my tooth was extracted. After about four weeks of using Arm & Hammer Sensitive Whitening Fresh Mint twice a day, I noticed less yellow on my teeth, which confirmed that whitening aspect of the toothpaste was working, but it was not working all that quickly.

Arm & Hammer Sensitive Whitening Fresh Mint is an inexpensive, but surprisingly effective, toothpaste with several selling point functions. It comes in a classic tube design with a plastic top that unscrews from the tube. The 4.5 oz. tube is five inches long by two inches wide and it tapers near the end with the nozzle. When the cap is unscrewed, there is a hard plastic nozzle which directs the product out of the tube and onto one's toothbrush. Toothpaste is easily dispensed from this type tube by flattening the plastic tube from the bottom toward the top and this also allows the user to get the most out of it.

To use Arm & Hammer Sensitive Whitening Fresh Mint, simply dispense a small amount onto the bristles of a toothbrush and bring the brush up to your mouth and spread the toothpaste over teeth using the brush. Then agitate the toothpaste into a foam to clean teeth entirely and expectorate the product (the process takes about a minute). Rinse mouth to remove any excess toothpaste and theoretically, the process should be complete and your teeth ought to feel wonderful.

The reason I continue to use Arm & Hammer Sensitive Whitening Fresh Mint is that it seems to work very well and it did not taste bad. Unlike many whitening products, there was no chalky flavor to this toothpaste. Since starting to use this toothpaste, I have developed no cavities and there has been no noticeable tartar or plaque build-up on my teeth. Add to that, my teeth have gotten lighter, though only by a shade or two. Arm & Hammer Sensitive Whitening Fresh Mint only whitened my teeth about one shade on the color shade chart after a month of use. Despite not claiming to be tartar control, I have noticed less tartar on my teeth, though I suspect the fact that I increased my regular flossing may be as responsible for that as the toothpaste.

Arm & Hammer Sensitive Whitening Fresh Mint significantly freshens breath. The toothpaste tastes minty, with a mild peppermint flavor. It has an instant cooling effect to it that makes my whole mouth taste fresh and clean. The taste of mint is appropriately strong and the intensity of the toothpaste is refreshing. It instantly makes my teeth, gums, tongue, cheeks and throat feel cool and fresh. . . until it mildly numbs them! After brushing with Arm & Hammer Sensitive Whitening Fresh Mint, my mouth left me feeling numb, but fresh.

Arm & Hammer Sensitive Whitening Fresh Mint works well and though it might not whiten very fast, it is a great option for those who have oral surgery and mouth pain and want to brush their teeth and feel all right.

For other oral care products, please visit my reviews of:
Aquafresh Extreme Clean Whitening Action Mint Blast toothpaste
Colgate Whitening Rinse
OxyFresh Dental Gel

9/10

For other health and beauty reviews, please visit my Health And Beauty Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Arm & Hammer's Carpet & Fabric Pet Fresh Odor Eliminator Does What It Promises!

The Good: Eliminates odors quite well.
The Bad: Does nothing more than that.
The Basics: An average product that does exactly what it promises, though nothing more.


I have been known to be hard on cleaning products that are designed for pet owners. I understand and accept that and I think it makes those few reviews I've done for such things a little more valuable to those who read them. The truth is, ideally a pet cleaner does three things: it eliminates stains, eliminates pet odors and effectively discourages pets from resoiling the same spots. I've yet to find one that does all of those things. Why, then, am I recommending Arm & Hammer's "Carpet & Fabric Pet Fresh Odor Eliminator?" It's quite simple: it does exactly what it promises to do. Nothing more, nothing less.

First, the backstory: I have two beautiful cats named Brillo and Gollum. Brillo is a little heavy Siamese mix with the tendency to whine whenever he is taken from the house and put in the car and to soil areas around the house as an act of rebellion. Gollum is an obedient little black cat who dutifully uses his litterbox. Brillo is the reason I was in the market for a carpet stain remover for pet stains. Brillo is not a fan of me leaving the house for days on end and illustrates this quite well by being sure to urinate somewhere inappropriate within twenty-four hours of my return to the house. Indeed, when I recently reviewed Resolve's Resolve For Pet Stains (reviewed here!) it was Brillo who assisted with most of the research.

Brillo is a little bit of a jerk, but I do love him. I do not, however, like the way he pees in front of my fireplace (yea, heat and urine smell!) and have gone through many products to try to find one that truly works. This led me to first to Resolve For Pet Stains, a carpet stain remover formulated for pets and now to Arm & Hammer's Carpet & Fabric Pet Fresh Odor Eliminator. Because Brillo's soiling place of choice is a dark rug, an odor eliminator eventually made more sense than a stain remover. Both Brillo and Gollum have shown an affinity for their cat litter, so I know that Brillo's poor behavior occasionally truly is the result of his temperament. I want a product that truly lives up to its promises, especially discouraging my cats from resoiling areas, but barring that, for the primary location, I just need something to eliminate the smell. The Pet Fresh Odor Eliminator does just that.

Arm & Hammer's Carpet & Fabric Pet Fresh Odor Eliminator comes in a 24 oz. bottle with a spray trigger top. The nozzle ends in a simple, pretty standard, rotating cap that offers two spraying options: Off and Spray. The "Off" function locks the trigger and prevents anything from being sprayed. This is handy for those who have children kicking around who might otherwise enjoy getting into a bottle like this. So long as the kid has a short attention span, this will thwart them from spraying the product around. The "Spray" setting creates a fine mist that dusts a decent area, about six inches square when held a foot away. The "Spray" function creates a wide dispersion of the Pet Fresh and that works fine for covering the assumed area of soiling (dark carpet, I'm done with feeling around for the wet spots!).

The actual product is a clear, slightly yellow, liquid with a faint smell to it. The scent is inoffensive and almost unnoticeable, something between a mild detergent and just a hint of citrus scent.. Having had plenty of this stuff on my skin - including in an open wound on my hand - I can honestly say that it does not irritate the skin. I'm not tasting it, even for a review!

The directions for use are ridiculously simple. The bottle simply directs: "Spray evenly in a sweeping motion on carpeting, upholstery or any other fabric surface until slightly damp. That's until the fabric surface is slightly damp, not the user or the spray bottle (just thought I'd make that clear). Because this is not designed for stain removal, that's all there is to it.

The directions also recommend testing the product on a discreet area to make sure that it does not have an effect on color fastness of the fabric being sprayed. I've yet to find a fabric that bleeds when this is used on it and I've tried it on the rug, denim, and my curtains. And it does effectively get odors out of all of those fabrics and carpets.

This is a remarkably easy product to use. I flip the cap to the spray setting (yeah, I keep it "Off" otherwise, though I don't know why) and spray it exactly as it mentions on the bottle. This will form a light foam where it comes in contact with cat pee and the foam dissipates within five minutes. There have been times I have sprayed the Pet Fresh and walked away for ten minutes and been unable to find where the stain had been without sticking my hand in it (yea antibacterial soap!).

I have a rich red rug with a decent pile to it. This rug extends to in front of the fireplace, which is where Brillo most frequently likes to make his statements of protest. There is no possible way for me to tell if the urine stain is out by coloring as I can never tell that Brillo has peed there by color. The rug is too dark to carry the color of a urine stain. This is why using the Odor Eliminator instead of a stain remover ultimately made more sense to me. Despite this, it is always quite clear by smell and touch when Brillo has urinated anywhere on that rug. The Pet Fresh cuts through the odor and eliminates it, permanently. It is very effective at that and within moments of applying it, my living room no longer smells bad.

Unfortunately, the product does nothing to truly discourage Brillo from peeing in front of the fireplace later on. The reason this does not bother me too much with the Pet Fresh is that it doesn't promise it will. Do I wish it did more? Certainly. But it doesn't claim to, so it's all right in my book.

The Pet Fresh lasts, even with my disobedient cats. I can usually make a bottle last for six months. The cleaner mentions it contains hydrogen peroxide, but it does not seem to bleach fabrics or hair, which is nice. The scentless quality of the soiled areas often lasts until Brillo decides to make his next protest on the rug. Sigh. Neither Brillo nor Gollum has ever gotten ill from my using this product and it does effectively eliminate pet odors.

For other household cleaners or pet care products, please check out my reviews of:
Speedy White Hearth & Glass Cleaner
Flexi 10' Leash
Four Paws Wire Rake Pooper Scooper

6/10

For other pet products, please check out my reviews on the subject by clicking here!

© 2011, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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