On a quest to clean the scorch off my glass top stove: Barkeeper's Friend Cooktop Cleaning Kit review (NOT SPONSORED)

In my quest to clean the scorch off my glass top stove, I tried baking soda and water. I also have tried the Weiman Cook Top Scrubbing Pads (see my review here). I was elated when I discovered that Barkeeper's Friend made a product for Cooktops. Surely, this product would be the one that got the scorch marks off. The regular Barkeeper's Friend product is a miracle worker (see this post for some examples of how you can use it). 

Here is a picture of the kit, what comes in the kit (a scrub sponge, the cleaning solution, and a scraper), and my stove in process:

The cleaning solution looks a bit abrasive but it's not really. And the scraper that it comes with is a plastic razorblade-shaped scraper. It's meant to get the carbon off your cooktop. It didn't really do that good of a job and I left the solution on for a few minutes. I may try again to see if a second go-around makes a difference.

Here are some before and after images of my cooktop:

My cooktop looks BETTER, but I think I'm just going to have to live with the scorch marks, unfortunately. I hate this glass cooktop. It was in the condo when we bought it, we would never have picked this out and when it dies, we will not replace it with one.

VERDICT: Barkeeper's Friend Cooktop Cleaning Kit is a low-price cleaning solution for light to moderately dirty cooktops. It works okay but don't expect any miracles. B-

Weiman Cook Top Scrubbing Pads review (NOT SPONSORED)

The other day I was placing an Amazon Fresh order and was short on the minimum for free delivery. I saw the below Weiman Cook Top Scrubbing Pads and thought I'd give them a try.

Outside of their bright red color, they didn't look like anything special. They looked like those green scrubby pads that have been around for years. Last night's dinner happened to make a mess of our glass cooktop so today was the perfect opportunity to try these scrubbing pads out.

To give you an idea of the condition of our stove because I don't know if the below picture will convey it, we cook a LOT. Sometimes multiple times a day. And my husband's a messy cooker, I love that man but just sayin'. The burners are scorched. I had envisioned these pads getting rid of those scorch stains, making our stove look brand new again. That was what I pictured.

The directions don't say to wet the pad but I went ahead and did it anyway. It just made sense. I scrubbed and scrubbed and the biggest stain from last night came off but the scorch marks did not. I finished the cleaning off with some glass cleaner to shine it up. 

VERDICT: I would not buy these pads again. I can clean the cooktop just as effectively with a sponge at a cheaper price. They got me! I found another product I'm going to try, made by Barkeeper's Friend (which I'm a big fan of). Bar Keepers Friend Ceramic & Glass Cooktop Cleaner. I ordered that and will do a review of that once I get it in a few days. Surely, it has to be a better product! D

WW and support.

When you become a WW, you are jumped in for life. Or at least in my head, I was. I joined back in 2009 and I flitted in and out of membership status. My longest non-member period was most recently: I was a non-member for about 2 years until March 1st, 2020 when I could not stand the insanity of the way I was living any longer and signed up again on a desperate Sunday morning, tears in my eyes as I tapped my credit card information into the computer screen. 

Many, many, many people join and quit and rejoin. I no longer feel shame for doing it, I've seen so many people on Connect (WW's version of a combination of Facebook and Instagram) posting about rejoining. The important thing is that they are back and giving it another go. Some people, it takes 5 or more tries before it "sticks". 

I don't know what it is about WW but it always gives me hope to be a member. I don't feel so alone in my journey, I know that there are others out there fighting the fight along with me. Like most people, since rejoining, my weight loss journey (WLJ) has been like a rollercoaster up and down, but overall, I am down -15.7 lbs from March 1st. My average rate of loss is -1.2 lbs a week. Not the fastest but surely not the slowest. 

Along with WW, on a daily basis, I visit a message board on another site and have for several years. It's a small group that goes to this board, the same 3-4 women. Every once in a while, a new person will join or will pop in, but overall it's the same group supporting each other on their WLJ. I've gotten some good advice on Connect and also on my message board. I encourage you to find your own support system, whether it be in real life or virtually. Support makes all the difference. Right now, with COVID-19 making it impossible to attend WW meetings, the message board and WW's Connect are vital forms of support for me. Sure, I have my in-real-life supports but these virtual forms of support really KNOW what it's like to be on a WLJ. Want more info? Check out the following:

Social support: A necessity for weight loss

7 Places to Find Support on Your Weight Loss Journey

Weight Loss: 7 Ways to Get Your Family's Support

Support increases weight loss success

My love for the Ninja Foodi runs deep.

I'm in love with my Ninja Foodi (NOT SPONSORED). As someone that follows the WW plan, it makes my life so much richer and easier. Here are my favorite easy things to cook in my Foodi:

1. AIR FRYER TORTILLA CHIPS - easy, cheap, and healthy. Crunchy just like the greasy chips from the bag!

2. AIR FRYER BACON - you will never make bacon another way once you do it this way! ;)

3. CRISPY AIR FRIED TOFU - total game-changer. If you don't know how to cook tofu, this is your recipe.

4. AIR FRYER FROZEN FRENCH FRIES - you thought you would never have crisp fries again, didn't you???

5. AIR FRYER CHICKEN FAJITAS - Forget Taco Tuesday, Fajita Friday is the new thing!

My dog appreciates that I bought the Foodi as well. Every week, I make him chicken jerky in it using the dehydrator function. I bought this dehydrator rack and use it in the Foodi: I slice up some plain boneless skinless chicken breast 1/4" thick, put it on the rack, and dehydrate at 150F for 6 hours. My pooch LOVES it! It's healthy for him and cheap.