Author: oi_admin

Easy Recipes For Green Cleaning Your Home

Posted on June 24, 2011 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Going green is easy to do, and most of the ingredients are already in your kitchen. Here are some easy recipes for cleaning products that you can make at home.

Drain cleaners. A simple solution of 1 cup baking soda poured into the sink or tub, followed by 1 cup vinegar should keep your drain flowing freely.

Mold remover. Eliminate mold by spraying with vinegar at 5% concentration, or by scrubbing with a non-ammonia detergent such as borax, hydrogen peroxide, or tea tree oil.

Healthy air freshener. For a lemon-fresh smell in the air, mix 1 teaspoon baking soda with 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 2 cups hot water in a spray bottle. Spray!

Flea control. Wash your dog with 1/4 teaspoon of an essential oil that is insect-repelling, such as citronella, cedarwood, eucalyptus, rosemary, or bay leaf, with 1 teaspoon of a chemical-free shampoo and 1 cup water. Pour it over your pet, let it dry a little, and then rinse.

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about our environment and health of you and your family. For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please log on to greencleancertified.com and maidbrigade.com. To learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in your home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.

Featured Franchise Maid Brigade of Central DuPage and Kane Counties

Posted on June 23, 2011 by oi_admin - About Us, News

Meet Andris Slokenbergs, owner of this week’s Featured Franchise, Maid Brigade of Central DuPage and Kane Counties. A native New Yorker, Andris relocated to the Chicago area where he currently lives with his wife and two sons. Andris spent two years studying abroad in Germany and also has family living in Riga, Latvia—his parents’ homeland. When he’s not spending time at the Maid Brigade office Andris practices Taekwondo and also enjoys reading and watching action and science-fiction movies.

Located in the West Chicago suburbs, this Maid Brigade office is an active participant in the community. Andris and his teams donate their time to the Northern Illinois Food Bank and recently hosted a book drive, collecting children’s books for Wheaton Family Center. The office also provides free cleanings for women suffering from cancer, via the non-profit Cleaning for a Reason, and to Water Street Studios, a non-profit art center.

Click here to see what local specials this Maid Brigade is offering just for you!

Enjoying A Green Summer

Posted on June 20, 2011 by oi_admin - Healthy Soul

This year, why not green your summer vacation? There are lots of eco-tourism destinations worldwide and domestic green lodging. Or, try lowering your carbon footprint by camping and enjoying nature. Better yet, forgo a vacation all together and take a staycation instead.

Leave the car at home. With warmer temperatures, bike, walk, or push your kids in a stroller. Get to know your city's public transit without waiting for the bus in bad weather.

Dry your clothes outside. Let the sunshine do its thing and dry your clothes on a clothesline or drying rack. Save energy and money.

Fire up the grill. Invite friends and family over for an eco-friendly barbeque with reusable cups and plates, clearly labeled composting and recycling bins, and homemade, local or organic food.

Deal with bugs safely and naturally. Bugs already in your house? You can get rid of ants with citrus, and fruit flies with beer. To keep mosquitoes away, plant basil.

Plan weekly trips to your local farmer's market. Support local farmers, lower your carbon footprint, and have delicious produce. What could be better?

Only use the air conditioner when necessary. If you have window units, only turn on the AC for the room you are in. If you have central air, turn the thermostat up a few degrees. It will make a big difference but still keep you comfortable.

Cool down in a kiddie pool. Reuse the water for your garden afterwards.

Choose your sunblock wisely. Use eco-friendly sunblocks and slather it on as needed.

Hydrate with tap water. Try not to buy bottled water. Use a reusable bottle and fill it up with fresh ice water instead.

Featured Franchise Maid Brigade of Mechanicsville, Tri-Cities and Williamsburg

Posted on June 17, 2011 by oi_admin - News

Say hello to one of the newest members of the Maid Brigade family: Margaret Felts, owner of Maid Brigade of Mechanicsville, Tri-Cities and Williamsburg! Felts’ office has been in business for less than a year but the local cleaning service has consistently been generating rave reviews from customers!

Margaret and her husband live in Chestersville, VA with their two children. She spent 25 years in the financial industry and was ready for a change of pace that would allow her more time with her family. Margaret found what she was looking for with her exciting new career as the owner of a locally owned and operated Maid Brigade. Felts enjoys being able to provide a valuable service to her community and also finds it rewarding to give back to area groups!

Maid Brigade of Mechanicsville, Tri-Cities and Williamsburg sponsors several high school booster clubs and PTA organizations. The office also donates cleaning services to disabled or elderly veterans through the non-profit Cleaning for Heroes.

Click here to read more about Margaret’s local Maid Brigade and find great savings!

Featured Franchise of Western Fairfax County and Leesburg

Posted on June 9, 2011 by oi_admin - News, Uncategorized

If you live in the Washington, D.C. area you’ve probably heard of Maid Brigade of Western Fairfax County or Maid Brigade of Leesburg. Dave Newland is the owner of both of these locations and he’s also one of our Featured Franchisees! Dave was born in Corning, NY and moved to the D.C. area right after college. He is happily married to his wife, Linda and has a total of 4 children ranging in age from 15-25. His 25 year- old daughter serves in the United States Air Force, his 18 year-old stepdaughter is attending the University of Virginia and his 17 year-old son along with his 15 year-old stepdaughter are high school students. When Dave isn’t with his family you can find him along with his house cleaning crew at Green Cleaning and Home & Garden shows in the community!

Dave became a Maid Brigade owner after becoming tired of the corporate grind while working in cost-sell operations for a local retailer. He decided to start looking into other business and came across an ad for Maid Brigade, he was sold after that! As an owner Dave made it his mission to enhance and nurture everyone in his home cleaning business. He provides a flexible paid time off program to all of his employees because he knows that they all have families at home that are their number one priority. Dave has also been sponsor for people to work legally in our country for 15 years!

His mission has paid off because he hasn’t seen any turnover in his Maid Brigade offices for a few years now. Dave is also proud to say that the average green cleaning maid has been with him for 6 years! The General Manager, Wendy Blevins has been with him for 15 years and with those kinds of employees the customers of Maid Brigade of Western Fairfax County and Maid Brigade of Leesburg receive the green cleaning team they are happiest with every time.

Not only does Dave like to help out his employees, but his community benefits from his help as well. Both of his green cleaning Maid Brigade offices participate in Cleaning for a Reason and the Veterans Program.

Check out what Special Offer Dave has for you!

Quick Fixes to Summer Tasks

Posted on June 6, 2011 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Here are some quick and easy tips to get you through your summer.

--When you head to the gas station to fill your lawn mower gas container, place this container inside a heavy-duty plastic bag then inside a plastic bucket. Secure it to prevent it from tipping during travel.

--A handy trick for cleaning hands outside: Cut off an old pair of panty hose just below the knee. Slide your soap slivers into the toe part. Tie the top end around an outdoor faucet. It is a quick way to wash outside.

--Cut off the rest of the leg part just below the panty and place over your cotton dust mop for an inexpensive and reusable "Swiffer". The panty part makes an excellent polishing cloth for shoes!

--For grass stains, pour liquid dish soap onto stains and allow to set overnight. Rinse and wash as normal. Be certain to rinse out the dish soap before laundering, otherwise it may cause too much foam in your washing machine. This also does a great job on soccer and baseball uniforms, and on extra dirty socks.

--Underarm stains on shirts seem to worsen when we sweat. Before washing, saturate the underarm area with a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide to water. Allow to set 30 minutes, then wash as normal. If you have been using bleach to whiten clothes and they are now graying, switch to peroxide. The first time pour 1 to 2 cups peroxide in your washer as it fills along with your detergent. Add the clothes and soak for 30 minutes. After the initial cleaning 1 cup works fine.

--For dusting mini-blinds, put a clean old cotton tube sock over one hand. Spray with a bottle filled with a liquid soap and water mixture. Turn the slats of the mini blind down and wipe over the slats turning the sock as it soils. Reverse the slats and walk around behind them and repeat. To clean the cords, grab a can of foaming shaving cream and gently dab on the cord. Wait 20 minutes then rinse.

Getting Back in Balance - Tips on Balancing Chores, Work, and Home

Posted on June 3, 2011 by oi_admin - Healthy Soul

1. Keeping a clean house can be tough, if you don't want to spend the entire day cleaning. When you and the kids are home all day, the house naturally gets messier than when you're gone. Keep the clutter under control by cleaning as you work.

Make a habit of integrating household chores into your movements around the house. Clean up toys as you make your way to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. Throw in a load of laundry when you pass by the laundry room. Fold it while you're on the phone. Throw the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher while your computer starts up.

Not only will this help clean up the existing clutter in your house, but if it is constantly on your mind, you'll find that you (though maybe not the kids) make less mess in a day home.

2. It is easy to get off track when you have kids at home. Moms can get side-tracked with household chores or too much multi-tasking. Particularly for self-employed work-at-home-moms, professional work gets tossed to the back of the line.

So begin each day by taking a 15 minute daily review. Look at the calendar for any appointments/phone conferences. Then ask yourself what must be done at the end of the work hours.

3. Make a list and be realistic. Try not to fill the list with things you cannot possibly get to. Break complicated projects down into steps.

Make more than one list. Put all those long-term things on another list. You can also divide your list, separating work and home projects.

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about our environment and health of you and your family. For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please log on to greencleancertified.com and maidbrigade.com. to learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in your home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.

Featured Franchise Maid Brigade of Spokane!

Posted on June 2, 2011 by oi_admin - News

Husband and wife duo Terry and Laura Carty are the owners of Maid Brigade of Spokane—this week’s Featured Franchise! The pair brings an impressive resume of combined corporate experience to their role with Maid Brigade and it’s clear their business savvy is paying off. Maid Brigade of Spokane recently celebrated its sixth year in operation!

Terry and Laura are proud of their hard-working teams and encourage them to make suggestions on how to improve Maid Brigade’s already great service. The Carty’s also put special emphasis on employee safety, offering a bonus program for team members with continued safety records.

Maid Brigade of Spokane pays special attention to groups in the community too! The office regularly collects donations from customers for Union Gospel Mission. Says Laura, “We were impressed by the way [UGM] maximized every contribution and that it goes immediately into the local community.” The Cartys also participate in a localized version of ABC’s Extreme Home Makeover. Maid Brigade of Spokane provides free cleanings for the homes that have been newly constructed/remodeled to make sure everything is perfect for the family moving in.

The Cartys have some great deals in store for you!

Green Clean For Your Health

Posted on June 2, 2011 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Green cleaning can help keep your home sparkling clean and healthy. And, most of the ingredients you need are already in your kitchen cabinets. Here are some cleaning products that you can make at home:

Natural drain cleaners. Pour 1 cup baking soda, followed by 1 cup vinegar, into the sink or tub. After some bubbling and fizzing, your drain should be flowing freely.

Non-toxic mold remover. Eliminate mold by spraying with vinegar at 5% concentration, or by scrubbing with a non-ammonia detergent such as borax, hydrogen peroxide, or tea tree oil.

Healthy air freshener. For a lemon-fresh smell to deodorize the air, mix 1 teaspoon baking soda with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 2 cups hot water in a spray bottle.

Eco-friendly flea control. Wash your dog with 1/4 teaspoon of an essential oil that is insect-repelling, such as citronella, cedarwood, eucalyptus, rosemary, or bay leaf, with 1 teaspoon of a chemical-free shampoo and 1 cup water. Pour it over your pet, let it dry a little, and then rinse.

Organic furniture polish. Two cups of olive oil and one juiced lemon in a glass makes for a natural furniture oil. After testing on a small section of your favorite furniture, apply with a soft polishing cloth and buff to a shine.

Green cleaner. A simple mixture of 1/2 teaspoon washing soda (sodium carbonate) and 1/2 teaspoon liquid Castile (vegetable-based, not animal-fat based) soap mixed with 2 cups hot water in a 16-ounce spray bottle makes for an all-natural, all-purpose cleaner that can be used on most surfaces.

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about our environment and health of you and your family. For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please log on to greencleancertified.com and maidbrigade.com. to learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in your home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.

All About Salt

Posted on May 31, 2011 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Salt is a common household product that is not appreciated enough for its cleaning properties. Mixing salt with alcohol (1 part salt to 4 parts rubbing alcohol) creates a great product for tackling grease.

Salt is also a fantastic stain remover. To clean spilled red wine or to clean blood stains, pour a generous amount over the stain and watch it absorb and lift the stain.

What are your favorite natural green products that you clean your home with? Do you have any house cleaning recipes for using baking soda, vinegar, lemon or salt? Share your thoughts with Maid Brigade!

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about our environment and health of you and your family. For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please log on to greencleancertified.com and maidbrigade.com. to learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in your home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.

Hydrogen Peroxide and Mold

Posted on May 31, 2011 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized

Hydrogen Peroxide and Mold:

Hydrogen peroxide is an anti-fungal, an anti-viral, an anti-bacterial, and it can kill mold. Hydrogen peroxide is a good alternative to chlorine bleach because it is safe to use and it doesn't harm the environment. It also doesn't leave behind toxic residue or produce toxic fumes like chlorine bleach does. Hydrogen peroxide is also inexpensive to buy.

Hydrogen peroxide kills mold effectively on many materials such as clothes, floors, bathrooms fixtures, walls and certain items such as kitchen appliances. Since hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent, it can also help fade the stain that mold leaves behind. Always remember to spot test hydrogen peroxide on the material before cleaning to make sure it won't fade the material colors.

Recipe for Killing Mold with Hydrogen Peroxide:

Pour 3% concentration of hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle.
Spray the moldy surface so that the moldy areas are saturated with hydrogen peroxide.
Wait about 10 minutes, then scrub the area making sure to remove all the mold and mold stains.
Wipe the surface down to remove residual mold and spores.

Vinegar can also be used with hydrogen peroxide during the cleaning to remove the mold more effectively.

Remember to store the spray bottle in a dark place since light diminishes hydrogen peroxide's effectiveness.

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about our environment and the health of you and your family. For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please log on to greencleancertified.com and maidbrigade.com.

To learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in the home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.

Using an All-Natural Bug Spray

Posted on May 29, 2011 by oi_admin - Healthy Body

All over the country, people are purchasing insect repellent products made with DEET. They are spraying them on their skin, soaking their clothes in the chemicals, and even eating foods after they have spread lotions containing DEET on their bodies with their bare hands. There's little doubt that DEET is effective at repelling insects such as mosquitoes, but growing questions remain about the health consequences of using DEET.

DEET is a known eye irritant and can cause rashes, soreness, or blistering when applied to the skin. DEET has also been linked to neurological problems. According to the EPA, at least 18 different cases of children suffering adverse neurological effects, as well as the deaths of two adults, have been associated with DEET.

DEET has been shown to have a negative impact on wildlife and water sources in production and during use. DEET is toxic to birds and aquatic life and it has been found in approximately 75 percent of U.S. water sources.

Make your own natural bug repellent:

Save money while you protect the earth and your health from toxic chemicals like DEET, by making your own natural insect repellent at home. Some people claim that applying rubbing alcohol, Vick's Vaporub, or pure vanilla to the skin works as an effective insect repellent. Other recipes are slightly more complex, relying on essential oils to repel bugs.

The simple rule of thumb with essential oil-based homemade bug spray is to choose an oil that repels insects and mix it with a carrier, usually an alcohol or oil. Insect repellent essential oils include clove oil and citronella (also called rose geranium), which are the most effective against mosquitoes, as well as lemongrass, eucalyptus, castor oil, peppermint, tea tree oil, lavender, and cedar. A homemade insect repellent of essential oil can be made by combining 1 part of your selected essential oil with 10 parts rubbing alcohol, witch hazel, vodka, olive oil, or jojoba oil.

It's important to remember not to use essential oils internally—they are designed to be used on the skin and on clothing. Also, test oils on a small patch of skin before applying widely to your body to avoid allergic reactions or skin irritations.

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services would like to wish you a very happy, healthy, safe and "green" Memorial Day. For more information on green living, please go to greencleancertified.com and maidbrigade.com.