Category: Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Every day we learn another reason why using toxic household cleaners to clean our homes is unhealthy for us.  

Because green cleaning is a very important aspect of healthy green living, I love when I come across an item that I can use to clean my home and make it safer for my family.  

Castile soap is a plant-based soap that loosens grime and dirt from surfaces.  It is more gentle than soap, so it won't dull surfaces.  Castile soap can be used in many different ways:

For washing the car, mix ¼ cup liquid Castile soap with hot water in a bucket, filling the bucket almost to the top. Rub a generous amount of the solution on your car’s exterior, windshield, hubcaps, and tires with a large sponge, then thoroughly hose it off.

To clean your floors, make a solution of ¼ cup liquid Castile soap and 2 gallons warm water. If the floors are greasy, add ¼ cup distilled white vinegar to the bucket.

For cleaning my leather couch, add 2 drops liquid Castile soap to 1 quart warm water. Apply to the leather with a barely moist sponge.
 
Stir 1 tablespoon liquid Castile soap into 1 quart warm water. Dampen a cloth with the solution and wipe down countertops.  Rinse, then dry with a clean cloth.
 
Create a homemade soft scrubber that you can use to clean sinks, showers, tubs and tile, by combining 1 tablespoon liquid Castile soap and 1/3 cup baking soda.
 
Add a few squirts of liquid Castile soap to 2 cups hot water and apply to your stovetop.  You can also use Castile soap to clean the grease off of the burners, and the vent hood.

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.  Watch our video on achieving work/life balance at greencleancertified.com/greentv.  To learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in your home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.

Source:  www.drbronner.com

Having trouble fitting cleaning into your busy work week?

Simplify your life by learning how to clean smarter:

1. If you have a busy schedule, don't overwhelm yourself by trying to clean the entire house in one day.  Make life simpler and cleaning easier by cleaning one room a day.
2. Instead of vacuuming the entire rug in each room, just vacuum pathways, focusing on high traffic areas the most.  Save the rest of the vacuuming for a later date.
3. Keep a spray bottle of vinegar and water solution in the bathrooms and kitchen.  This way it is easier to wipe up stains on countertops and around sinks right after they happen.
4. Using a vinegar/water solution, spray and wipe down door handles and light switches to lessen day to day germs.
5. Wipe down fingerprints and crayon marks on walls with a baking soda/water paste.
6. After spraying cleaning solution on tables, countertops, and stoves, let it sit and do its job for a few minutes before wiping it off.  Stains will come off a lot quicker.
7. Fluff up blankets and throw pillows by putting them in the dryer for a few minutes.
8. Dust furniture with a damp cloth or a dry microfiber cloth.

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.  Watch our video on achieving work/life balance at greencleancertified.com/greentv.  To learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in your home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.

Let's face it, nobody likes to clean the bathroom.  But sooner or later, it has to be done.  Why not make cleaning quick and easy by using a few natural cleaners that you can probably find right in your own home?

To clean my bathroom, I basically use borax, vinegar, baking soda, and liquid soap.

To clean the sink, shower, tub, and tiles, I dilute some liquid soap and scrub with a nylon scrubbing pad....it's that easy!  You can also scrub tub and tile surfaces with baking soda mixed with a small amount of water.

If there are any mildew spots, I usually scrub them with a solution of borax and water.  Mix a half cup of borax with one gallon of water.

Those annoying mineral deposits found around faucets can be cleaned by soaking a paper towel in vinegar and letting it sit on the deposits for about one hour.  After an hour wipe faucet down.

To clean the toilet bowl, I put 1/4 cup borax in the toilet bowl and let it sit either for a few hours, or overnight, depending on how much time I have to clean.  Clean around the toilet with a mix of borax (1/2 cup) and water (one gallon).

To clean those clogged drains, pour 1/4 cup baking soda down the drain, followed by 2 ounces of vinegar and let it sit for about 15 minutes.  Rinse with two quarts of boiling water.  I use this pretty often to prevent clogged drains.

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.  Watch our video on achieving work/life balance at greencleancertified.com/greentv.  To learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in your home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.

Over the past few years, because of the H1N1 virus, infection control has become more of a trending topic than it ever has before.  Since germs and bacteria are all around us, it is important to be proactive in preventing their spread.

While many illnesses and infections are prevented through proper hand washing, infection control also needs to be addressed in your cleaning.

Wiping products are used in all areas of cleaning and are often crucial in helping to stop the spread of germs.  There are several wiping options known to reduce the spread of infectious germs and bacteria, such as color-coded microfiber cloths, mops and rags.  Microfiber technology is extremely helpful in preventing cross-contamination. 

For example, using red tools for toilets, yellow for sinks and mirrors and blue for windows and dusting, can help you avoid cross-contamination and spreading germs from room to room.  Color coding is a way of simplyfying your cleaning.  It is also easier to recognize what product to use and where.

Microfiber cloths and mops also contain about 95 percent of bacteria on a surface, while traditional products may spread the bacteria around. Plus, microfiber cloths and pads are easier to swap out from room to room, so they are less likely to be used in multiple settings.

Even though the initial cost is more than a cotton mop, microfiber products are washable 400 to 700 times.  Microfiber cloths can be used and reused if you simply wash them in a gentle cycle with detergent.  

What are microfiber cloths and mops made of?

Microfiber cloths consist of an interlocking blend of two fibers: Polyester and polyamide, a nylon material.  Polyester is an effective scrubbing and cleaning fiber, while polyamide is an absorbent, quick-drying fiber.

Combining the two is what makes microfiber such a unique and effective material, as they do not harbor bacteria like their cotton counterparts.  In fact, microfiber is a naturally antibacterial material.

Each microscopic strand of microfiber has been split, creating millions of tiny hooks that attract, absorb and remove all kinds of dirt, dust and bacteria.

Unlike traditional cotton and paper wiping products or cotton mops that tend to push or smear dirt and grime, microfiber actually gets underneath the dirt and germs, scraping them from the surface and trapping them until the cloth or mop is laundered.

Microfiber has become a universally used cloth because of its cleaning capabilities and cost effectiveness.

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.  Watch our video on achieving work/life balance at greencleancertified.com/greentv.  To learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in your home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.

Is clutter taking over your home? Here are some easy ways to help you declutter your home and your life today:

Tackle messes one room at a time.

For every new item you buy, get rid of an old item.  

Remember that improvements in one room can spread to the rest of the house.

Make cleaning up fun for your kids.

Create a vision for the room you're cleaning.

Teach your kids how to sort.

Use a hanger system to determine which clothes you wear most.

Ask yourself if you really need something. If you hesitate, you don't.

Establish a "magic triangle" in your kitchen between the stove, refrigerator and the sink. Keep the items you use most in that area.  Anything you use less often, keep outside the triangle. It will save you a ton of time.

Identify useful utensils with the cardboard box test:  Take all the utensils out of your drawers and put them in a cardboard box. For the next month, whenever you use one of the utensils, put it back in the drawer. If after four weeks it's still in the box, you probably don't need it.

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.  Watch our video on achieving work/life balance at greencleancertified.com/greentv.  To learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in your home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.

Don't let stains get you down this holiday season!  Treat them naturally.  Here are some ways:

Red wine stains.  As soon as you notice the stain, pour club soda on the stain to dilute it.  Blot with a paper towel.  Coat the stain with table salt to absorb it and prevent it from setting.  Rinse in cold water, gently rubbing out the stain.

Salad dressing stains.  Sprinkle on baking soda or cornstarch to absorb as much oil as possible.  Launder in the hottest water that is safe for the fabric (check the care label).

Chocolate.  Scrape off as much as you can with a dull knife or spoon, and immediately treat with 3% hydrogen peroxide.  Rinse with cold water.

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.  Watch our video on achieving work/life balance at greencleancedrtified.com/greentv.  To learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in your home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.

You've worked hard all year long.  Reward yourself by having someone else do the housecleaning.

With all of the extra free time you will have, you can catch up on hobbies, sleep, exercise, and even spend quality time with your loved ones.

For more information on gift certificates, or to find a Maid Brigade near you, please log on to maidbrigade.com or greencleancertified.com. 

Take care of yourself!

Baking soda is a  wonderful, all-natural cleaning product. It solves a myriad of household cleaning woes.

Sprinkle some on your counter-tops or stove for scouring. Use it to scrub pots and pans. The slightly abrasive quality will remove any baked-on food.

If you have problems with mold or mildew in fabric, books or furniture, sprinkle baking soda over the surface and let sit overnight. Brush it off in the morning.  Repeat the process until the mildew smell is gone.

Cover the inside of a litter box with a thin layer of baking soda before pouring in the litter. This will help deodorize her box and keep your house smelling fresh.

Pour a thin layer of baking soda into the base of your trash can to keep odor under control.

To clean pet stains, lightly dampen the surface and apply baking soda, creating a paste. Let dry and then brush off.  Repeat process until smell is gone.  

Use baking soda in your laundry to disinfect and brighten whites.  

Sprinkle baking soda around the inside rim of the toilet to remove any water stains. Scrub with a toilet brush.  

Sprinkle a layer of baking soda into any coolers that might be going into storage to keep mildew away.

Vinegar has a very distinctive smell that most of us do not like, but when it comes to cleaning with vinegar, it works.  

Add some vinegar to a spray bottle filled with water to clean counters, mirrors, the tub, and around the toilet.

You can also use your vinegar spray bottle to wash fruits and vegetables.

To clean and disinfect hardwood floors, add about 3/4 cup of white vinegar to a bucket of water.

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.  Watch our video on achieving work/life balance at greencleancedrtified.com/greentv.  To learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in your home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, cleaning products may contain many dangerous chemicals that may not be listed on their 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:

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.

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 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.  Watch our video on achieving work/life balance at greencleancertified.com/greentv.  To learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in your home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.

For more information on cleaning products and breast cancer, please watch our video at maidbrigade.com.  To find out ways to protect your family's health against breast cancer, please log on to greencleancertified.com.

This Halloween, why not find a few ways to save green and go green with your Halloween decorations, costumes, and candy?

Decorate for Halloween without buying, especially non-biodegradable plastics.  Consider using natural materials like straw, pumpkins, leaves, acorns and pine cones.

Use reusable bags for trick or treating and decorate them.  These bags can be used long after Halloween is over.  Cloth bags or pillow cases are also good to use.

Visit thrift stores or consignment shops for costumes or costume ideas.

Use chemical-free soy candles to set the spooky mood, or light the way with LED sparkling lights.  Carry solar powered or rechargeable battery flashlights.

Don't trick or treat and drive.  Walking is better for you and the environment.

Create a scarecrow.  Use old clothing to dress your scarecrows body and straw to make the body.

Repurpose an old broom to create a scarecrow or witch by placing the broom handle side down into the ground.  Create the face of your scarecrow or witch on the straw portion of the broom.  Hang a coat hanger around the neck of the broom and dress your scarecrow or witch in clothing.

Create a sock ghost centerpiece using an empty jar or a Pringles can.  Slip the sock over the can and draw on eyes and a mouth.

Create a ghost using a pillowcase.  Fill the top with old t-shirts, pantyhose, socks, or newspapers.  Tie some twine, string, or a bandana to create the neck.  Pin on facial features.

Make eco-friendly ghosts and goblins by painting empty milk gallons and drawing on eyes and mouths.  Cut a hole in the back and insert clear lights from Christmas.

There is a growing variety of eco-friendly candy such as organic chocolate, candy, lollipops and crispy rice bars. Organic Halloween candies may be better choices for kids with food allergies.  Some companies offer candy that is "USDA and EU certified organic, gluten-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free, and without corn syrup."

Think about giving out toys instead of candy. You can find playing cards, small packages of Lego sets, minipuzzles, toy cars, a Slinky or modeling clay.  Pencils, bubbles, coupons to food places, or even a handful of pennies are also good choices.

Compost your pumpkin after Halloween is over.  Chop it up and bury it in your flower bed.

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.  Watch our video on achieving work/life balance at greencleancertified.com/greentv.  To learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in your home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.

For more information on cleaning products and breast cancer, please watch our video at maidbrigade.com.  To find out ways to protect your family's health against breast cancer, please log on to greencleancertified.com.