Author: oi_admin

Household Cleaning for Flu Season

Posted on November 8, 2010 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized

With this years flu season and the additional worry of the H1N1 virus, many of us are spending extra time wiping down high traffic and germ prone surfaces, such as banister railings, bathrooms, and kitchen counters, in our homes and workplaces.

Using inexpensive, homemade cleaning products to keep surfaces germ-free is a safe and healthier way to clean. There are some reliable disinfecting solutions that can be made from products that can be found right in our own homes.

Full strength vinegar kills 99 percent of bacteria and 82 percent of mold, a claim that some well-known disinfectants have proven to be ineffective at.

Vinegar can be made into an even more powerful antiseptic by adding a few drops of tea tree oil. Another way to increase vinegar's effectiveness is to add baking soda.

Three percent hydrogen peroxide is another product that is a good household cleaner. It is a germicidal agent that is made up of only water and oxygen. This solution kills micro-organisms by oxidizing them.

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about the health of you and your family. For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please log on to greencleancertified.com or maidbrigade.com. For more information on "Household Cleaning Products and Breast Cancer", please watch our video at www.greencleancertified.com/greentv.

This Cold and Flu Season, Keep Your Carpets and Floors Clean the Natural Way

Posted on November 4, 2010 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Cleaning products can contain many dangerous chemicals, which are usually not listed on the labels.

This cold and season, protect your family from harm by making your own natural homemade cleaners. In fact, it's easy, far less expensive and just as effective. Most ingredients for homemade cleaners can be found in your kitchen.

Here are some ideas to keep your carpets and floors clean:

Vacuuming is an important part of floor maintenance. Using a machine with a HEPA filter. The HEPA filter traps very small particles that are otherwise blown back into the room in the vacuum's exhaust. Be sure pass over carpet several times and more in heavy traffic areas.

Linoleum: For extra grease-cutting, mix 1/4 cup washing soda, 1 tablespoon of liquid soap, 1/4 cup vinegar and 2 gallons hot water. Put the washing soda in the bucket first and add the liquid ingredients — this way the soda won't splash out. Caution: Do not use this formula on waxed floors! For an extra polish, combine 6 tablespoons of cornstarch per cup of water in a bucket.

Disinfect floors: Add 2 gallons of hot water to 1/2 cup of borax. (Put the borax in the bucket first, then add water to avoid splashing.)

Wood floors: Vinegar is a natural disinfectant which pulls dirt from wood. Use 1 cup vinegar per pail of hot water to clean wood floors. The vinegar smell should disappear right away. You can also use vinegar on other types of floors because it is a gentle, but effective floor cleaner.

Carpeting And Rugs: Regular vacuuming will help keep carpets their cleanest. Sprinkle baking soda over the surface of the carpet and let it stand for 15 – 30 minutes before vacuuming to soak up and eliminate odors. Try to avoid using chemical carpet cleaners because of health concerns associated with their ingredients. If you want to steam clean your rug, use plain water and make sure it dries thoroughly.

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about the health of you and your family. For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please log on to greencleancertified.com or maidbrigade.com. For information on "Cleaning Products and Breast Cancer," please view our video at www.greencleancertified.com/greentv.

Proper Kitchen Cleaning for Cold, Flu, and Virus Season

Posted on November 2, 2010 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Sanitizing your kitchen is one of the best ways to help prevent H1N1 at home. Kitchen counters have always been a breeding ground for germs. With frequent snacking and hand-to-mouth activities in the kitchen, the risk of spreading bacteria increases.

Wipe down counters, kitchen tables, refrigerator and dishwasher handles, and any other commonly touched areas with a non-toxic, natural, homemade disinfectant cleaner.

Mix 2 teaspoons borax, 4 tablespoons vinegar, and 3 cups hot water. For stronger cleaning power, add 1/4 teaspoon liquid castile soap. Wipe on with a damp cloth or use a non-aerosol spray bottle.

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about 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.

Check out Maid Brigade's video on "Cleaning Products and Breast Cancer" at www.youtube.com/watch.

Could You Be Allergic To Mold?

Posted on October 21, 2010 by oi_admin - Healthy Body, Uncategorized

If you're allergy symptoms get worse in damp weather, you may be allergic to mold.

Mold allergies can flare all year long. Indoor mold can be a problem in winter months, because mold will grow in your house where there is enough moisture, like on basement walls, in crawl spaces, on damp carpet, or behind bathroom tile.

Mold is a fungus that breaks down plant or animal matter, like leaves, dirt, wood, and food. Mold is found indoors and outdoors. We are all exposed to mold spores. With mold allergies, mold spores can trigger reactions like allergic rhinitis or asthma. Molds can also produce volatile organic compounds, or VOC's, which is the musty odor that can irritate eyes, nose, and throat.

Coughing, wheezing, runny nose, or irritated eyes and throat are all signs of mold allergy. Mold allergies can also trigger an asthma attack, with symptoms like wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath. An allergist can diagnose mold allergy with a skin test or a blood test.

Reduce indoor humidity by venting bathrooms, dryers, and other moisture-generating sources. Exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens can help. If you don't have exhaust fans, crack open a window in the kitchen when you are cooking, or in the bathroom when you are bathing.

Use air conditioners and dehumidifiers inside your home. Change filters regularly. Use a dehumidifier to get rid of dampness in basements.

Wash mold off hard surfaces with soap and water, or use a mix of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide to kill mold. When cleaning mold, always wear a filtered face mask so you won't inhale mold spores.

How do you get rid of mold? Share your comments with us!

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about your health. For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please log on to greencleancertified.com or maidbrigade.com.

To view Maid Brigade's video on "Household Products and Breast Cancer," please log on to www.youtube.com/watch.

Chemicals, the Environment, and Breast Cancer

Posted on October 12, 2010 by oi_admin - Healthy Body

What do cookware, deodorant, cosmetics, plastics and pesticides have in common?

They are all suspected of increasing the risk of breast cancer. Janet Gray, professor and chariman of the department of psychology at Vassar College, together with experts from the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, compiled a report on the environmental links to breast cancer.

According to Gray, a compilation of epidemiological studies, cell culture studies, and animal data show us that some of what women are exposed to every day may be increasing their risk of breast cancer.

Gray also says that the evidence is starting to mount indicating that exposure to low levels of many different chemicals does matter which can yield a result similar to a high-dose exposure to one chemical.

EWG has reported that 455 different chemicals were found in the blood and urine of 72 adults. Since these chemicals should not be in the body, are they doing harm to the body?

EWG reported that an average adult is exposed to 126 chemicals everyday in personal care products alone.

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

Chemicals, Cleaning Products, and Your Health

Posted on October 8, 2010 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks, Healthy Body

Did you know that indoor air can be more polluted than outside air?

Doctors have finally realized that common chemicals in cleaning products can adversely affect you and the air you breathe. Household cleaning products are among the most deadly substances encountered daily.

Synthesized chemicals appeared after World War II. These are found in carpet, oven, drain and floor cleaners, and in laundry detergents. These items are mostly petrochemical, petroleum-based, and are quite toxic to your body when breathing and swallowing. These cleaning products can cause damage to the heart, lungs, liver, brain and kidneys. They can also cause dizziness and irritation to the skin and eyes.

The EPA found that some homes have chemical levels that are 70 times higher than the outside air. Most automatic dishwasher and laundry detergents contain bleach, and when these are mixed with water they form vapors that pollute the air in the house.

A study conducted for more than 15 years concluded that women who worked at home had a 54 percent higher death rate from cancer than women who worked away from home. Toxic household cleaning products have been accused of causing an increase in cancer, ADD, Alzheimer's, chronic fatigue syndrome, allergies, asthma, lupus, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and other ailments.

Not many human studies have been done on most of the chemicals in cleaning products. It has been assumed by the industry that they are "safe until proven toxic,'" and that if a product is available on the store shelf, it is safe. However, many people found through painful experiences that this is not always true. Most toxic products are not required to list ingredients.

Changing your cleaning products to natural ones, such as vinegar, baking soda, borax, and hydrogen peroxide is ideal for people who wish to reduce their exposure to unhealthy and hazardous ingredients. Many natural cleaning products on the market are cheaper and better than the toxic ones.

A Natural Way to Kill Germs

Posted on October 5, 2010 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized

What can you do when you want to avoid exposing your children to toxic chemicals like bleach, but still kill the germs that will make them sick?

Keep white vinegar in a spray bottle, and 3% hydrogen peroxide in another (the bottle containing the hydrogen peroxide should be opaque, as it will degrade in a clear bottle).

Spray your contaminated surfaces with the vinegar and follow with hydrogen peroxide.

This lethal (to germs) combination has been shown to be as effective as chlorine bleach, killing 99% of bacteria.

You can also use distilled white vinegar to prevent mold, and use a mixture of borax and white vinegar to prevent mold from growing.

Alternatives to Chlorine Bleach

Posted on September 23, 2010 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Chlorine bleach is one of the oldest cleaners. It is also one of the harshest. Chlorine bleach kills germs on contact, and isn't much friendlier to your skin, if accidentally splashed.

Manufacturers include chlorine bleach in a wide variety of cleaning products as well as some laundry and dishwasher detergents.

Bleach is also renowned for its mold-killing ability, but it's not the only way to kill mold and mildew. Hydrogen peroxide or vinegar also works to kill mold.

Because it is used so frequently, chlorine bleach is the most common cleaner that kids accidentally swallow. When mixed with ammonia, another common ingredient of cleaning products, and acidic cleaners, like toilet bowl cleaners, the mixture releases poisonous gases. Since it is hard to know what is in every product, it is best to not mix cleaning products at all.

What are the alternatives?

Use a hydrogen-peroxide-based bleach in your laundry instead of chlorine bleach. Hydrogen peroxide kills mold and mildew, sanitizes counters and cutting boards, and removes stains from counters.

For household cleaning, look for "chlorine-free" products to eliminate the risks.

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

Avoiding Irritants by Cleaning Green

Posted on September 21, 2010 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Delicate membranes line the inner surface of the nose, windpipe and lungs. Some of us are more sensitive than others when inhaling things that fly through the air. There is some evidence suggesting a link between certain chemicals found in some household cleaning products and breathing ability.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences did a study of almost one thousand adults, showing a link between a chemical called 1,4 DCB (dichlorobenzene) and lung function. Those who had the highest levels of this chemical in their blood had worse lung function. 1,4 DCB is a white solid with a scent similar to mothballs, used in some room deodorizers, toilet bowl blocks, and for moth control.

Ingredients from solid and liquid cleaners can actually get inside our bodies. Many liquids and even some solids give off vapors that we inhale, and some of these substances actually enter our body tissues.

Select cleaning products without harsh scents. Choose simple, natural products whose labels do not carry serious hazard warnings. Plain soap, water, salt, baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice, along with a little elbow grease and a scrubbing sponge, can take care of many routine cleaning tasks.

Is a UV Wand Safer than Disinfectant Spray?

Posted on September 20, 2010 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks, Healthy Body

Who feels good about spraying small droplets of N-alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chlorides all over their home?

According to www.goodguide.com, which rates household products on their impact on health and the environment, these quaternary ammonium chlorides have been linked to asthma, as well as birth defects and fertility issues.

Still, it's surfaces like telephones, doorknobs and computer keyboards that harbor unsuspecting germs and help spread illnesses through an entire family.

James M. Steckelberg, M.D. of the Mayo Clinic says that, "the length of time that cold or flu germs can survive outside the body on an environmental surface, such as a doorknob, varies greatly. But the suspected range is from a few seconds to 48 hours, depending on the specific virus and the type of surface."

Flu viruses tend to live longer on surfaces than cold viruses do. It is generally believed that cold and flu viruses live longer on nonporous surfaces, such as plastic, metal, or wood, than they do on porous surfaces such as fabrics, skin, or paper.

This is where the natural germ-fighting properties of a UV light come in handy. A UV sterilizing wand kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses when you simply wave it over soft or hard surfaces.

Are Antibacterial Wipes Safe?

Posted on September 18, 2010 by oi_admin - Healthy Home

If you have kids, chances are you've had a few packets of antibacterial wipes in your diaper bag or purse at on time or another.

To start with, these individually wrapped wipes are not eco-friendly from a packaging standpoint.

And, just as with hand sanitizers, these one-time wipes contain the pesticide triclosan.

If grocery carts and restaurant high chairs are your primary concern for your little ones, consider using a washable, reusable cover instead.

Or, if you are often on the go and need a wipe-down, consider making your own vinegar spray that you keep in the car or baby stroller.

Green, Eco-Friendly Cleaning!

Posted on September 15, 2010 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Many homeowners are making an effort to "go green" and help the environment by reducing energy use, oil dependency, and pollution. However, sometimes turning off the lights just isn't enough!

Cleaning products contain many chemicals and toxins that can be harmful for the environment, and yet they are simply washed down the drain and into the water supply. Finding ways to green clean is a simple solution to this problem.

Green cleaning is an environmentally friendly way of cleaning the house. Using basic cleaning supplies instead of chemicals can help families keep their house sparkling clean without damaging the environment.

The following basic cleaning supplies can keep any house clean and tidy:

White vinegar
Baking soda
Liquid soap
Borax
Washing soda
Club soda
Essential oils
Spray bottles
Microfiber cloths

Stay tuned for more recipes and tips on green cleaning!

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