Category: Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Power Clean like a Pro

Posted on March 10, 2010 by - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Keeping up the house is a LOT of work – that’s why so many people turn to Maid Brigade! When customers ask us for "power clean" tips they can do in between our cleaning visits we share these three “Power Clean” tools that really save time:

 

Microfiber. Scientifically woven to pick up more dust, dirt and germs than traditional cotton cloths or paper towels, they require little, if any, cleaning solution because they are so effective at cleaning mirrors, glass, counters, furniture dusting, etc. using water alone. They really save time – and money too!

 

Bucket.  Keep all your house cleaning supplies in one bucket, and keep one bucket on each floor of your home. You’ll be surprised how much time it saves when you don’t have to stop cleaning to retrieve supplies from another area or level of your home.

 

Cobwebber.  This handy tool telescopes so that you can quickly reach high places, low places and corners. The average home can be cobweb-free in just a few minutes with this tool. Don’t forget the front porch – this is where lasting first impressions about your housekeeping abilities are made first!

Clean Green!

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

After a long winter, a good spring cleaning is a great way to bring a sense of renewal to your home.  This year, try green cleaning your home.  Families across the country are adopting new ways to clean that are good for the environment and healthy for their families.  The main goal of green cleaning is to use cleaning solutions and methods that will keep our environment healthy.  Try using non-toxic cleaning products.  Look for green cleaners that are "biodegradable", "phosphate-free", or "petroleum-free".  Choose cleaners that do not contain ammonia or chlorine because they give off toxic fumes that can irritate eyes and respiratory systems.  Try making your own cleaners at home.  Even the biggest messes and toughest stains can be tackled with baking soda, borax, lemon juice and more. 

"Wipe Away" Those Winter Blues

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

Springtime and spring cleaning are right around the corner, but before you can think of cleaning your home, you need to organize it first.  Home organization is about finding the right place for the things you have in your home and letting go of those things which no longer need to be there.

Take a walk around your home and identify the clutter areas, the areas where things pile up the quickest.  These are usually kitchen countertops, kitchen drawers, and closets.  Start small, go through one area at a time.  Try to categorize the clutter into groups, such as important paperwork, magazines and articles, clothes, jackets, etc.  Make sure you store similar items together in an easy accessible place.  Go through clothes closets and get rid of clothes that aren't worn.  Lessen the "free items" that come into your home.  Do you really need every free t-shirt, bag and coffee mug that is offered to you?  Limit the free items to those that you will actually use and enjoy.  

Every couple of days, scan your home for clutter spots.  Try and clean these spots before the clutter accumulates too much.  Some areas, like kitchen counters, might need daily de-cluttering.  However you decide to de-clutter and organize, the happier you will feel.

 

De-clutter this winter

Posted on February 16, 2010 by - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized

Around the house, a thorough de-cluttering this winter will help you feel calmer and more balanced going into the first spring of the new decade. Purging and de-cluttering is not easy and involves physical and often emotional effort. Here are some ideas to make the task more manageable:

One at a time. Look at the trees, not the forest. This project is really a series of small projects, not one massive one. Focus on the immediate closet, or dresser, or room you are de-cluttering. Don’t think about the next area until you have completed this one.

Take the history test. If you haven’t used an item in over a year, do you really need it? Of course this can’t be a hard and fast rule, but if you put each item to the test, you’ll be surprised how much clutter you can eliminate.

Make it green. Recycle or donate what you’ve purged to reduce landfill waste. If you’re going to have your home cleaned after you’ve de-cluttered, hire Maid Brigade, the only cleaning company that is Green Clean Certified® for your family’s health.