Author: oi_admin

Get Some Helpful Green Advice From Maid Brigade This Earth Day!

Posted on April 14, 2010 by oi_admin - News, Uncategorized

Earth Day is a spring celebration which takes place on April 22nd. It is a perfect way to incorporate recycling with some green spring cleaning! This year, Maid Brigade is teaching people about eco-friendly living and how to go green in order to help save the environment.

What can you do to help celebrate Earth Day?

No action is too big or too small when it comes to being "greener". All it takes is a little effort to change day-to-day habits into something eco-friendly.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that households should consider reducing waste around the house and yard. Using grass clippings as well as some kitchen waste and food scraps for compost is a good way to fertilize the lawn.

Find ways to reuse household waste or items that usually get thrown in the trash. Most people have items laying around the house that can easily be recycled. Recycling gets rid of clutter in the home and helps the environment at the same time.

When grocery shopping, try using paper bags instead of plastic ones, or bring your own reusable cloth bags to transport your groceries.

Try switching over to organic foods and vegetables. Visit the USDA.gov website for tips on how to buy organically grown produce. Try creating new recipes with your organic groceries or transform old recipes into eco-friendly ones.

When vacationing, choose hotels that are members of green industry associations, or that have environmental friendly certifications. Consider walking or taking public transportation around town.

Get your children involved. Teach them the purpose behind Earth Day and why it is important to recycle. Work together and create a small garden. Have the children plant the seeds so they can watch them grow.

With green living more popular now than it has ever been, decide on this Earth Day to find ways to be environmentally aware.

Maid Brigade would like to know how you're celebrating Earth Day this year. Comment below with your own Earth Day activities, house cleaning tips, and any other suggestions you may have!

How To Green Clean Your Kitchen Sponge

Posted on April 7, 2010 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Every kitchen has at some time or another been home to a sponge, and why not? A sponge is such a versatile cleaning tool! It wipes up messes on countertops and absorbs liquid droplets quickly. Best of all, it is reusable.

However, that handy kitchen sponge can harbor more than moisture. Things like foodborne pathogens, yeasts and molds are hiding in there. There is also an added environmental danger with many synthetic sponges these days. They are often made with the chemical triclosan. Triclosan is an antibacterial and antifungal agent and is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency as being a pesticide. It is also used in many anitbacterial soaps, deodorants, toothpastes and cosmetics.

While changing your sponge regularly is a good hygienic practice, try to purchase sponges that are made from cellulose fiber, and that the cellulose is sourced from plantation forests or recycled. Be careful not to choose a sponge that contains polyester, a form of plastic.

Another type of sponge that you can use is a Luffa sponge. Luffa is a plant and the fruit is what the sponge is made from.

To help keep your sponge "clean and green" and free of nasty bacteria, try to keep it as dry as possible between uses. Try sterilizing sponges by soaking them in boiled water for a few minutes, or try cleaning them with a mix of hydrogen peroxide and water solution.

Microwave heating a damp sponge or dishwashing with a drying cycle prove to be the most effective methods for inactivating bacteria, yeasts and molds on sponges. These simple and convenient treatments can help ensure that contaminated sponges don't spread foodborne pathogens around your household kitchen or your family.

How do you feel about using kitchen sponges? What else do you use to green clean your home? Do you have a favorite nontoxic cleaner that you would like to share with everyone? Post your favorite green cleaning tips or share your green cleaning stories on our Maid Brigade blog!

Spring Clean Your Allergens!

Posted on April 6, 2010 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized

Spring has sprung and so have your allergies. For allergy sufferers, spring can be the worst season to clean the home. If your allergies are causing sneezing, sniffling, itchy and watery eyes, the last thing you want to expose yourself to are more allergy triggers like particles and pests.

What can you do to reduce these allergies? A thorough green spring cleaning! It can actually reduce symptoms, especially if you are allergic to things that thrive in an unclean house, like dust mites, mold and animal dander.

To rid your home of allergens for good, first know what you are allergic to so you are better prepared to tackle cleaning tasks that stir them up.

To get rid of dust mites that might be lurking in your bed sheets, wash your bed linens in 130 degree water weekly. The hot water will kill the mites. Remember to wash the decorative pillows and stuffed animals in hot water every 1-2 weeks.

Try not to dust with cotton cloths because they can spread particles around on surfaces which sends them back into the air. Use microfiber cloths instead. They trap dust and remove dust mite allergen that accumulates on hard surfaces.

Buy a vacuum cleaner with a hard-shell container or a bag vacuum with a HEPA filter. HEPA filters prevent smaller particles from blowing back out.

To remove bathroom mold, use a solution of borax and water.

Spring cleaning a house from top to bottom is a big job. If you are not up to the task of cleaning because of your allergies, hire someone to do your spring cleaning. Maid Brigade house cleaning services can clean your house in a couple of hours!

What Harmful Chemicals Are You Cleaning With?

Posted on April 2, 2010 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks, Healthy Body

Most people go to great lengths to keep their home smelling fresh and looking clean, but did you ever wonder what you are actually cleaning your home with?

For years, consumers kept their houses clean to ward off disease and infection by using a wide variety of cleaning products and disinfectants. Today, the cleaner is frequently more dangerous than the things we are trying to clean up. The conventional cleaning supplies lurking under your sink may contain a potent mix of chemicals that aren't even listed on the product itself. Most of the time, people have no idea what they are spraying around the house.

Senator Al Franken and Congressman Steve Israel introduced the Household Product Labeling Act (H.R. 3057) which would require household cleaning products to carry labels that list all of their ingredients. Moms and Dads have the right to know whether harmful chemicals are present in their kitchen cupboards, and this bill is just a commonsense measure to help parents keep their kids safe and healthy.

Current law requires product labels to list immediately hazardous ingredients, but there is no labeling requirement for ingredients that may cause harm over time, which means what you use to wash cribs, pacifiers, floors and surfaces with may not be as healthy and clean as you think.

To learn more about the Household Product Labeling Act, please go to Maid Brigade's Green Clean Certified website at www.greencleancertified.com. Let us know how you feel about this bill.

Maid Brigade cares about the health of your family. For tips and ways to green clean your home without using toxic chemicals, please read more tips at https://maidbrigade.com/green-house-cleaning/e-guide-green-cleaning/.

Green Your Spring Cleaning and Celebrate National Cleaning Week!

Posted on April 1, 2010 by oi_admin - News

Maid Brigade cares about your health and the environment!

It is day four of National Cleaning Week and our quick and easy green cleaning tips continue!

Kick the chemical cleaning habit and learn the art of green cleaning by trying some of our recipes to keep your house smelling fresh, healthy and green clean!

Laundry:

Eliminate the need for chemical fabric softeners by adding 1/4 cup of vinegar to your washing machine's rinse cycle.

To clean laundry, combine 15 ml castile soap, 1 cup of washing soda, 1 cup baking soda and 1 cup of white vinegar. Fill washer with water and add each ingredient one by one in the order given. Launder as usual.

Furniture Polish:

In a spray bottle, mix the juice of 1 lemon, a teaspoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of water. Shake and apply to the furniture. Allow the mixture to sit on the furniture for 5 minutes before buffing it with a dry polishing cloth.

Window Cleaner:

In a spray bottle, mix 1 cup warm water and 1/2 cup white vinegar. Shake and spray. Use a dab of rubbing alcohol and a dry cloth for stubborn fingerprints.

All-Purpose Cleaner:

Combine 2 cups warm water, 1 teaspoon borax, 1 teaspoon liquid soap and a few drops of lemon juice. Dissolve borax in water, then gently add soap and lemon juice. Pour through a funnel into a refillable spray bottle.

In a spray bottle, combine 3 tablespoons white vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon washing soda, 1/2 teaspoon castile soap, 2 cups of hot water. Shake and spray!

Disinfectant:

Combine 2 cups warm water and 1 tablespoon borax. Dissolve borax in water and pour mixture through a funnel into a refillable spray bottle.

Linoleum and Laminate Floor Cleaner:

Combine 2 gallons warm water and 1/4 cup lemon juice or white vinegar. Mix together in a bucket. Add 1/4 cup liquid soap for added cleaning power, if desired.

Carpeted Floors:

To green clean carpeted floors, make sure to buy a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter. Vacuum at least 2-3 times a week. Avoid chemical rug cleaners. Instead use a low-moisture or dry cleaning rug shampoo with hydrogen peroxide or biological/enzymatic cleaners.

Tile Floor Cleaner:

Use a gallon of water with a few teaspoons of tea tree oil. Add a few squirts of liquid soap. This can also be used on linoleum floors.

Hardwood Floors:

Dampen a towel using a solution of 1/4 cup vinegar to 1 gallon of water. Wring all the moisture out of the towel until just barely damp. Towels are the only safe way to damp mop a hardwood floor. Excess water from self wringing mops works down between the boards eventually warping the boards at the edges.

Microfiber Cloths and Terry Towels:

Hand-sized terry towels are a bacteria-free alternative to sponges. Use wet or dry and throw into the wash when dirty. Microfiber cloths are terrific for dusting and polishing, no cleanser required.

Computer Keyboard and TV Remote:

The TV remote and the computer keyboard are probably two of the germiest things in the home. Wipe the tv remote down with an alcohol wipe at least twice a week to prevent the spread of germs and viruses.

To clean your keyboard, gently shake out the crumbs or vacuum it. Wipe the keys and the mouse with an alcohol wipe or a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol dabbed on it.

Celebrate National Cleaning Week with us! Try our green household cleaning tips and let us know what you think or share your own favorite recipes with us. Together we can learn to live healthy and green!

Maid Brigade Celebrates National Cleaning Week!

Posted on March 31, 2010 by oi_admin - News

It is day three of National Cleaning Week and Maid Brigade is celebrating by offering useful tips that will help keep your home feeling fresh, healthy and green clean!

Fresh Green Air:

Most people associate clean with what they smell. We want everything to smell clean. Here are some ideas that will keep your home smelling green clean:

Burned Food:

Boil a few slices of lemon in a saucepan to clear the air of the smell of burned food.

Fried Food:

Place a small bowl of white vinegar next to the stove when you fry foods. The odor seems to disappear.

Refrigerators:

To get rid of strong odors, nothing works better than dry, fresh coffee grounds. Put them in a bowl and leave them in the fridge until the odor disappears.

Cars:

If you smoke in the car, put a layer of baking soda in the bottom of the ashtray to absorb smoke odor. You can also put dryer fabric softener sheets under the seats to keep the smoke smell under control.

Home Odors:

Put a few drops of Wintergreen oil on cotton balls and stash them in plants, decorative pieces, etc., around the house.

Make Your Own Air Freshener:

To absorb odors, place bowls of vinegar or baking soda around the house. Be sure to keep them out of reach of children and pets!

To make the air more fragrant, use essential oils or boiled herbs. To make boiled herbs, choose any herb or spice that you like, boil it in the water for a few minutes until the heat causes it to release its odor. Let it cool a little and put it out in a bowl. You can also add salt to discourage the growth of fungus.

Change Air Filters Regularly:

Replace the air filters in your furnace every three months or so. A clean filter will catch more of the dust and particles in the air and will also reduce the energy your furnace consumes.

Vacuum the Right Way:

Chemicals and allergens accumulate in household dust. Using a vacuum that has a strong suction, rotating brushes, and a HEPA filter ensures that dust and dirt won't get blown back out into your home. For best results, vacuum two or more times each week and wash out your filter regularly.

Keep your air smelling fresh and green clean! Join us and share your green cleaning stories and tricks and learn from everyone else's! Celebrate National Cleaning Week with Maid Brigade by going green!

Tips for Green Cleaning Your Bathroom

Posted on March 30, 2010 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

It is day two of National Cleaning Week and Maid Brigade is celebrating by offering helpful green cleaning tips for your home.

Here are some great ideas that will keep your bathroom smelling fresh and clean:

For a great non-abrasive scouring powder for disinfecting combine:

4 parts of baking soda
1 part Borax
Store in a shaker container

To Clean Fiberglass Showers and Tubs:

Heat white vinegar until it is hot, but not too hot to pour into a spray bottle and work with. Spray it on the shower and tub heavily. Wait 10 - 15 minutes and then moisten a scrubbing-type sponge with more of the vinegar and scrub down the shower. Rinse well and dry.

Tile and Grout Cleaner:

Combine 2 parts baking soda, 1 part borax, and 1 part hot water, adding additional water as necessary to form a thick paste. Apply to the tile and grout and scrub with a soft brush. Rinse well.

Cleaning Soap Scum and Mildew off of Plastic Shower Curtains:

Put the shower curtain in the washing machine with 1 cup of white vinegar, 1/4 to 1/2 cup of liquid laundry detergent, and several old, light-colored towels. Fill the washer with warm water and run through complete wash and rinse cycle. Remove from washer and hang on the shower rod immediately.

Cleaning Chrome Faucets:

Use white vinegar on a cloth or sponge to remove water spots and soap scum. Dry and buff with a soft cloth. Rubbing alcohol is also a great spot remover. Apply, then dry and buff.

Removing Hair Spray Residue:

Mix a solution of 1/3 liquid fabric softener and 2/3 water in a spray bottle. Spray on surface to be cleaned, and wipe.

Cleaning Shower Door Tracks:

Plug the drain holes in the door track with a little bit of paper towel made into a ball. Pour in undiluted white vinegar. Let this soak for 30 minutes, unplug the holes and rinse the track with a spray bottle of water. Wipe with cloth.

Window and Mirror Cleaner:

Use 3 tablespoons vinegar per 1 quart water in a spray bottle.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner:

Sprinkle baking soda around the inside of the toilet bowl and then clean with a toilet brush. Also try letting white vinegar sit for a few minutes in the bowl before cleaning with the toilet brush.

You can also clean the toilet by mixing 1/2 cup borax and a cup of lemon juice to keep it smelling extra clean.

To remove toilet stains, pour table salt directly on the stain. Squeeze a fresh lemon onto a bowl brush and scrub the affected area. The acid in the lemon combined with the salt should remove the stains.

Drain Cleaner:

Pour about 1/2 cup baking soda down the sink. Add at least a cup of vinegar. It will start to fizz. Put the cover over the drain. Rinse the drain with a mixture of boiling water and salt.

To Prevent Mold and Mildew:

Keep a spray bottle in your bathroom filled with 1 cup of water and 1 drop of tea tree oil. Simply spray on the stains and watch as it removes them.

To Clean Mildew:

Combine 1 teaspoon borax, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 2 cups hot water, 1/4 teaspoon lavender essential oil, 3 drops tea tree essential oil. Pour into spray bottle. Spray. Scrub and rinse with a clean, damp cloth.

To Clean Mold:

Wipe distilled white vinegar onto the mold with a sponge. Wait 15 minutes and repeat again. Let the vinegar work overnight. The next day, sponge hydrogen peroxide on the affected area to eliminate any traces of the stain and to prevent the mold from returning.

To Dissolve Soap Scum and Hard Water Deposits:

Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on the cut section. Scrub area and rinse.

Try these simple cleaning tips and learn to kick the chemical cleaning habit! What recipes do you use? What is in your green cleaning bucket? Do you have any favorite recipes or products that you would like to share? Join us in keeping our health and our environment green clean!

Tune in tomorrow for more tips in keeping your home healthy and clean!

Come celebrate with us!!! Green Spring Clean Your Home!!!

Posted on March 29, 2010 by oi_admin - News, Uncategorized

Celebrate National Cleaning Week with Maid Brigade by green spring cleaning your home!

If you ever wanted to make the change to "go green," now is the time to do it! All week long, Maid Brigade will be celebrating National Cleaning week by offering quick and easy cleaning tips that you can use to help keep your home clean, healthy, and chemical free!

Tips for the Kitchen:

- To clean the microwave, heat a bowl of water and lemon slices in your microwave for about 45 seconds, then wipe. Stains will be easier to remove and old food odors are neutralized.

- Half a lemon stored in your fridge will help control and eliminate unpleasant smells.

- Hot lemon juice and baking soda is a good drain cleaner that is safe to use in septic systems. If you have a garbage disposal unit, throw in some lemon peel from time to time while it's working in order to keep it smelling fresh.

- Rub lemon juice into your wooden chopping board, leave overnight and then rinse. Wood chopping boards appear to have anti-bacterial properties anyway, but the lemon will help kill off any remaining germs plus neutralize odors.

- A teaspoon of lemon juice added to your dishwashing detergent can help boost grease cutting power.

- For a great oven cleaner, combine 1.2 liters of warm water, 2 teaspoons borax, and 2 tablespoons of castile soap. Spray on solution, wait 20 minutes, wipe with a cloth and rinse with clean water.

- For an all-purpose cleaner, combine 3 tablespoons white vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon washing soda, 1/2 teaspoon castile soap, and 2 cups of hot water in a spray bottle. Shake and spray!

- To remove rust, sprinkle a little salt on the rust. Squeeze a lime over the salt until it is well soaked. Let the mixture set for two to three hours. Use the leftover rind to scrub the residue.

- To make a cleanser that is great for countertops, mix 4 tablespoons of baking soda with 1 cup of warm water.

- To clean your floors, mix 1 gallon of water with 1/8 cup of liquid dish soap, and 1/8 cup of white vinegar and damp mop.

- For a good window cleaner, mix 3 tablespoons of white vinegar with one galloon of cool water. Wipe with a newspaper to avoid streaks.

- Sprinkling baking soda in the bottom of garbage bags will help to control odors as you add trash.

- To give your dishwasher a good clean, run it through a cycle and use baking soda instead of detergent.

- Sprinkle baking soda onto a damp sponge for cleaning out the fridge without scratching it.

- Clean stainless steel sinks with a paste of baking soda and vinegar. Don't let the foaming scare you - it works great!

Come celebrate with us! Make house cleaning more simple for you and healthier for your family by cleaning green! Try some of our quick and easy cleaning tips and share your thoughts with us!

Join us tomorrow to find out ways to tackle the mold and mildew in your bathroom!

Clean your Home with Natural Green Cleaning Supplies

Posted on March 25, 2010 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized

Cleaning products don't have to be harsh or toxic in order to clean your home effectively. Use natural green cleaning products instead. Choosing environmentally friendly cleaning products can help decrease lung irritants and the amount of chemicals into the home. Some of the best natural green cleaning supplies can be found right in your kitchen cabinet.

Vinegar can be used to clean your home in an environmentally friendly way. Vinegar can be used to clean toilet bowls and showers, and also to remove stubborn stains.

Baking soda is the most popular non-toxic cleaning product. It is very useful and cleans in a gentle, but effective way. Baking soda can be used in a variety of ways, from cleaning drains to deodorizing carpets.

Castile soap is a bar of soap that can be made into homemade laundry soap, liquid soap, or bath soap. Castile soap has cleaning and disinfectant properties.

Using natural green cleaning products is a healthy and inexpensive way to clean!

Under the Sink: Cleaning Supplies

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

A great deal of cleaning goes on in most homes. We wash, scrub, vacuum, spray, and polish so that our homes stay clean and neat. Strange as it may seem, some of these cleaners also can cause pollution, both indoors and outdoors. How green are your cleaning supplies?

1. Laundry detergent: Your washer sends a lot of dirty water down the drain. Besides dirt, what is in that water? Many detergents contain phosphates, chemicals that help get clothes clean. When phosphates get into waste water, they speed the growth of algae, which can kill fish and plants that live in the water.

Besides phosphates, some detergents contain concentrated chemicals, like surfactants (which help with cleaning) and bleach (which removes stains). Surfactants are made from petroleum, the nonrenewable source from which oil and gasoline are made. Most bleach contains cancer-causing chlorine.

Some detergents claim to be "biological", meaning that they contain enzymes to help dissolve stains and make the detergent work in cooler water. Some detergents claim to be "biodegradable", which means that the detergent breaks down and becomes harmless in the waste system. But this doesn't always happen.

2. All -purpose cleaners may contain ammonia, which can be harmful to your lungs, and chlorine, which can form cancer-causing compounds when released into the environment.

3. Drain Cleaners contain very strong chemicals such as lye and hydrochloric and sulfuric acids. These can burn your skin and can cause blindness if they get into your eyes.

4. Flea and tick control products contain ingredients that have never been adequately tested for safety. While not intended for use on people, they can rub off your pet onto furniture, exposing you to the risk of cancer and other diseases.

5. Floor and furniture polishes contain phenol, which causes cancer in laboratory animals.

6. Metal polishes contain ammonia, phosphoric, and sulfuric acids, which are not healthy to breathe.

7. Mothballs contain p-dichlorobenzene, which causes cancer.

8. Oven cleaners contain lye, a powerful chemical that can burn your skin and lungs or cause blindness if splashed in your eyes.

9. Toilet cleaners contain chlorine and hydrochloric acid, which can burn your skin and eyes.

Take a good look at the cleaning products you use to clean your home with. Note which ingredients they contain that may be harmful. Why expose your family to all these toxic chemicals? Help save the planet and keep your family healthy br green cleaning your home.

Toxic Chemicals in Household Cleaners

Posted on March 22, 2010 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized

Every year, the average American household uses between twenty-five and forty pounds of toxic cleaning products in their home. For decades, consumers believed that a home can not be clean or smell fresh unless you could smell the chemicals from the cleaning products.

A 2007 study published in Insidemedicine, a physician-led news publication, says that household cleaners and sprays that are used as little as once a week, account for one in seven cases of asthma. There are also suspected links to toxic household chemicals and behavioral issues, ADHD, and ADD.

The Environmental Protection Agency has stated that volatile chemicals in cleaning products can affect health and the environment. The EPA has also stated that indoor air is three to seventy times more polluted than outside air. Fumes from toxic chemicals used to "clean and freshen" have no where to go, therefore they build up in the home.

Almost all consumers can feel the short term effects of household cleaners when using them in a poorly ventilated area. Most symptoms are minor and include nose, eye, and skin irritation. When using these products over a long period of time, they can have a more serious impact on human health. A study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine stated that the use of household cleaners which contain certain volatile organic compounds resulted in an increased risk of developing asthma. Another study suggested other cleaning sprays can reduce lung function by up to four percent.

Clean your home in a healthier way. Make the move to "green" clean your home. Green cleaning products and homemade cleaning products are safer for your health and for the environment.

Go Green Clean!!!

Posted on March 18, 2010 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Green cleaning products are in! From kitchen sprays and liquid soaps to bathroom scrubs and laundry detergents, cleaning products are becoming healthier while trying to protect the environment at the same time. Cleansers are going green...or are they?

Since federal law doesn't require manufacturers to list all chemicals on the products, it is difficult for most people to know whether the products are safe.

Green cleaning is the way to go when it comes to cleaning. Green cleaning is removing contaminants, which produces a healthier greener environment. It is a combination of products, equipment and procedures that are safe, environmentally friendly and non-polluting.

Try and use products that are certified by Green Seal to be safe and effective. Avoid products that contain harmful iingredients such as ammonia, chlorine, ethanolamines, and APE's (alkylphenolethoxylates).