Using Product to convert Text(Numbers) to Numbers

In 4 columns I have numbers in multiple cells that are numbers stored as text. To resolve this I wanted to simply times each individual number by 1 to convert it. Its not working though the numbers remain as numbers stored as text.

Dim MyTotal As Long
    NumberAmmend = Cells(Rows.Count, 1).End(xlUp).Row
    For j = 2 To NumberAmmend
        If Worksheets("Sheet1").Range("AI" & j & ":AL" & j).Text > "" Then
        MyTotal = (Worksheets("Sheet1").Range("AI" & j & ":AL" & j).Product(1))
        End If
    Next j

and

Dim MyTotal As Long
    Dim MyRange
    NumberAmmend = Cells(Rows.Count, 1).End(xlUp).Row
    For j = 2 To NumberAmmend
        If Worksheets("Sheet1").Range("AI" & j & ":AL" & j).Text > "" Then
        MyRange = (Worksheets("Sheet1").Range("AI" & j & ":AL" & j))
        MyTotal = (MyRange.Product(1))
        End If
    Next j

but no success