Category: Healthy Home

Green Your Labor Day!

Posted on September 3, 2011 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks, Healthy Home

The long Labor Day weekend is here and many families will celebrate the end of summer and back to school season with a cook out.

Here are tips and ideas for keeping your Labor Day party and weekend eco-friendly:

Eco-friendly Drinks. Reduce the wastefulness of plastic water bottles and aluminum cans by serving pitchers of ice water, lemonade, iced tea, or juices. Put out permanent markers for guests to write their names on their cups to eliminate waste. If you do use bottles or cans, be sure to put out clearly marked recycling bins.

Green Paper Products. It is not always possible to avoid paper products, especially during a party, but today there are more eco-friendly paper products available. When you need to use disposable dishes, look for products that are recycled, biodegradable, or made from unbleached paper products.

Renewable paper-ware is made from bamboo, sugar cane, wood, reed, and other natural materials. Compostable paper-ware is made from renewable sugar cane and comes in hip and functional new square designs.

Grill Green. Hot dogs, hamburgers, shrimp, steaks, or corn on the cob on the grill create a smokin' Labor Day menu, but did you know that your choice of charcoal matters? Choosing eco-friendly Forest Stewardship Council certified charcoal (just look for the FSC logo on the bag) ensures that no trees from endangered woodlands were cut to produce the charcoal for your Labor Day barbeque.

Forest Stewardship Council certified charcoal reduces greenhouse gases that are emitted when your charcoal burns. No unhealthy additives are released into the air or onto your food.

Easy Green Tips To A Healthier Home

Posted on August 9, 2011 by oi_admin - Healthy Home, Uncategorized

Want a healthier home? Here are a few tips to follow:

Green Your Air

The number one way to combat indoor air pollution is to never let anyone smoke in your home. Cigarettes are full of toxic chemicals, and secondhand smoke exposure can cause cancer.

Growing plants around your home act as natural air filters, and some plants are particularly effective absorbers of harmful pollutants emitted from carpets, furniture, and electronic equipment. Fill your home with spider plants, Boston ferns, rubber plants, and palm trees.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas and exposure to it can be deadly. To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, install a carbon monoxide detector in your home.

Radon is a radioactive gas that is naturally present in soil, and it can enter your home through cracks in your foundation. Radon is also the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Radon test kits are available at most hardware stores.

Conserve water

Try not to turn on the washing machine or dishwasher until it's full. Each washing cycle uses more than 25 gallons of water.

A shower uses about half as much water as the average bath, as long as you keep it to less than 5 minutes. An egg timer suction-cupped on the shower wall is a good way of keep track.

If you fill the sink with water to do dishes, you will use a fraction of the water that is used by leaving the faucet running.

Only flush the toilet when needed. Up to one-third of the drinking water that comes into the typical Western home goes straight down the toilet, which is a terrible waste of this precious resource.

Household hazardous waste

Inside nearly every household's garage, basement or kitchen sink cupboard lurks harmful substances like old paint cans, used motor oil, garden pesticides and weed killers, used batteries, old computers or electronics, harsh cleaning chemicals, or pest killers. If you dump this noxious stuff down the drain, you will pollute the water supply. If you dispose of it in landfills, they will leak dangerous chemicals. Some cities or counties have monthly or annual pickups. Others have special drop-off sites. Call your local government to learn more.

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about our environment and the health of you and our 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.

Toxic Ingredients Found In Household Cleaners

Posted on July 28, 2011 by oi_admin - Healthy Home, News

Did you ever wonder about the ingredients that make up your cleaning products? Since companies do not have to disclose all the ingredients in cleaning products, how do we, as consumers, know which ones might be harmful to use?

Here is a list of frequently found ingredients that can be toxic to you and the environment:

Ammonia is found in glass cleaners, floor cleaners and bathroom cleaners. It is poisonous when swallowed. Ammonia is a big irritant to the skin or when inhaled.

Diethylene Glycol is found in glass and bathroom cleaners. It is poisonous when swallowed and irritating to the lungs.

Chlorine Bleach is found in a variety of cleaners. It is very irritating to the eyes and skin and is an environmental hazard.

Triclosan is found in antibacterial cleaners and thought to be contributing to antibiotic resistant bacteria.

DEA and TEA are found in many products and used as preservatives. When combined with nitrosomes, they can produce carcinogens.

Petroleum based ingredients are found in all kinds of cleaners. They are very bad for the environment.

Fragrance is found in air fresheners and almost all cleaners. Fragrance usually contains phthalates used to stabilize synthetic scents. Fragrance is a known carcinogen and is a frequent cause of allergies.

1,4-dioxane is found in dishwashing and other household cleaners. It has been found to be a cancer causing ingredient.

Formaldehyde is found in a variety of cleaners. It is a known carcinogen.

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.

Raising an Eco-Friendly Pet

Posted on July 27, 2011 by oi_admin - Healthy Home

Want a greener, more eco-friendly pet? Here's how:

In the United States, 70,000 puppies and kittens are born every day, most of them without homes. Since we don't need any more homeless animals than we already have. Instead of buying a pet from a breeder, why not adopt? Log on to Petfinder.com to find your perfect match. Spaying and neutering your pet helps them live longer, healthier lives by eliminating the possibility of uterine, ovarian, and testicular cancer, and decreasing the incidence of prostate disease.
The Humane Society of America recommends keeping cats indoors because of the dangers of cars, predators, disease, and other hazards. The estimated average life span of a free-roaming cat is less than three years. Indoors-only cat gets to live an average of 15 to 18 years.

Most conventional pet-food brands you find at the supermarket consist of reconstituted animal by-products, otherwise known as low-grade wastes from the beef and poultry industries. Unless the can of pet food explicitly states that it contains FDA-certified, food-grade meat, you should know that its contents are considered unfit for human consumption.

Natural and organic pet foods use meats that are raised in sustainable, humane ways without added drugs or hormones, minimally processed, and preserved with natural substances, such as vitamins C and E. Certified-organic pet foods must meet strict USDA standards that spell out how ingredients are produced and processed, which means no pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, artificial preservatives, artificial ingredients or genetically engineered ingredients.

Cat owners should avoid clumping clay litter at all costs. Not only is clay bad for the planet, but the clay sediment is also permeated with carcinogenic silica dust that can coat the cats lungs. The sodium bentonite that acts as the clumping agent can poison your cat through chronic ingestion. Because sodium bentonite acts like expanding cement it can swell up to15 to18 times their dry size and clog up your cat's insides. Eco-friendly cat litters can avoid these problems.

Buy your pets toys made from recycled materials or sustainable fibers (like hemp). You can also buy organic cotton pet beds and recycled PET bottles.

Wash your pets with natural pet-care products.

Use a child/pet-safe de-icer. Rock salt and salt-based ice-melting products, which kids and animals might accidentally ingest, can cause health problems, while contaminating wells and drinking supplies.

Get your pet a hanging tag made out of recycled aluminum or recycled silver.

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.

Save Money and Cool Your Home the Eco-Friendly Way

Posted on July 21, 2011 by oi_admin - Healthy Home

Using ceiling or portable fans are one of the cheapest, most practical ways to cool a home on less energy. They can make rooms feel up to seven degrees cooler, and cost $10 or less to run each month, even if you leave them on for 12 hours a day.

If your home is not insulated properly, you could be spending a lot more money cooling it than you should. Air conditioners have to work extra hard when there is not proper insulation around ducts, or when cool air escapes through cracks in the seals of doors and windows. An energy audit with a professional can help to determine where your home is leaking, as well as identify other ways you can save energy.

Sometimes it’s not just about keeping the heat outside, but eliminating the heat generated inside. All appliances, lighting and electronic devices generate heat while running, so be sure to turn them off when you don’t need them. Try switching your incandescents to compact fluorescents, which use 1/5 the energy and heat.

Become familiar with which sides of the house the sun hits at certain times of the day. Before you go to sleep at night, close the blinds or curtains of the windows that the sun will hit in the morning. Use light-colored window treatments that will reflect light and heat away from your house. Energy-efficient double-glazed windows can help in some cases, but you can also apply heat-reflecting film to the interior surface of windows which can reflect up to 70% of solar heat.

Don’t forget the area surrounding your house! Trees and other plants are nature’s own way of keeping us cool. Planting shade-providing plants around windows and air-conditioning units (without blocking airflow) can reduce utility bills by over $100 per year.

Easy Family-Friendly Ways to Live A Greener Life

Posted on July 14, 2011 by oi_admin - Healthy Home

Still not sure how to incorporate green living in your life? Here are some ideas to help you get started:

Food. Strive to eat eat as locally and organically as you can. Log on to localharvest.org to find a farm near you.

Water. Americans go through about 70 million water bottles a day and only about 14 percent get recycled. Plus, the manufacturing of plastic bottles requires two times more water than the bottles will ultimately contain. Try filtered tap water instead. Avoid hard polycarbonate bottles marked with the resin code 7 on the bottom - they can contain bisphenol A, a possible carcinogen.

Beverages. Pesticides and chemical fertilizers are used to produce juice, milk, coffee, tea, wine, and even cocktails. Try organic, shade-grown coffee, cocoa and wine instead.

Fish. Since some fish are near extinction and their habitats are being damaged, going green is important. Choose seafood that reproduces in great numbers and is obtained without damage to any natural habitat. Text Blue Ocean Institute at 30644 with the message "FISH" and they will send you better alternatives.

Paper/Plastic. The united States alone goes through 100 billion plastic bags per year, less than 1 percent of which get recycled. Bringing a tote wherever you go is one of the easiest changes you can make for our Earth.

Growing Veggies and Herbs. Even if you have a small outdoor space or windowsill, try and grow something. There is nothing like eating your own home grown food! Try growing tomatoes, beans, and greens.

Ordering Out. The next time you order food out, decline the paper napkins, plastic utensils and individual condiment packets.

Processed Foods. Almost 30 percent of the energy used by the food industry goes into processing the things we eat. Eliminating all processed foods could cut your food-related carbon footprint by a third.

Meat. Big industrial beef and pork farms pollute water and threaten biodiversity, and the methane emitted by cows is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Producing enough meat for one hamburger emits the same amount of gas as a six mile car ride. Cutting down by preparing or ordering less, automatically reduces your carbon footprint.

A Healthy Home is A Happy Home!

Posted on July 11, 2011 by oi_admin - Healthy Home, Uncategorized

Health begins in your home, so making your living environment eco-friendly and green is a great start.

Here are some ways that your home can be a healthier place for your family:

Eliminate mold by using vinegar, which is naturally acidic. Acid is the key to getting rid of mold and other fungi that grow in humid environments like bathrooms. Straight vinegar (5% concentration, with no water added), is a natural mold killer. It also kills bacteria, germs, and fungi.

If you are not using a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter on your vacuum, then you are not cleaning! HEPA filters suck air in and clean it out. They pull allergens like pet dander, mold, and fungi out of the air and trap them in an exhaust system rather than blowing then back in the the environment. A HEPA vacuum with a minimum efficiency of 99.97% at a particle size of 0.3 microns is good.

When it comes to minimizing mildew, mold, and dust mites, dehumidifiers are the best! Humidity levels in your home should be below 50%. Dehumidifiers are an inexpensive way to lower your allergen and exposure levels to molds and dust mites.

Clean green air is a must when you are improving your home to improve your health. Place houseplants around your home. Potted plants take in toxins and give out oxygen, which is a natural way to purify the air you breathe. Plants like butterfly palm, rubber plant, and philodendron, strip toxins such as benzene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide out of the air. Water plants frequently.

Gas fumes from gas-powered stoves may cause dizziness, nausea, depression, muscle aches, allergies, and asthma, so make sure the venting over your stove is installed so it draws smoke outside instead of in. Always turn the vent on when cooking.

The biggest contributor to poor indoor air quality is cigarette smoke. Any changes you make to try to improve air quality in your home are trivial if you do not quit smoking. Secondhand smoke is a known carcinogen, containing nicotine and toxic chemicals. Even thirdhand smoke (the residue from tobacco smoke that clings to furniture, clothes, rugs, and walls) can affect your health. Thirdhand smoke can hang around your house for months, mixing with common pollutants to form carcinogens.

Environmentally-Friendly Boat Cleaning and Maintenance

Posted on July 3, 2011 by oi_admin - Healthy Home

Did you know that the volume of oil pollution entering our waters every year from recreational boating is estimated to be more than 15 times the amount of the Exxon Valdez spill?

This is because about 30 percent of all fuel and oil from boats ends up in the water.

Fish, shellfish, sea birds and other forms of aquatic life need a balance of nutrients, oxygen and clean water to survive, and even small quantities of toxic products in the water can disrupt this balance, with lasting harmful effects.

Here are some boat cleaning tips that can help reduce harmful effects:

Keep a supply of oil-absorbant rags on board for spill cleanup of oil and fuel. Even small spills of oil can contaminate a large volume of water.

Properly dispose of used oil and filters. Facilities are available to handle these elements which are toxic to the marine environment. In the US call 1 800 CLEANUP.

Keep used solvents separate from used oil. Never mix wastes, or pour hazardous wastes down drains, on the ground or into surface waters.

A good coat of wax on a fiberglass hull prevents surface dirt from becoming engrained. This will reduce the need for detergents when washing the boat.

When washing your boat, limit dock side hull cleaning to the above water surface area only, from the boat stripe up. Use a sponge to remove growth without creating clouds of heavy metals caused by scrubbing. Rinse boat with fresh water.

Use non-toxic cleaners. Many cleaning products contain phosphates and other chemicals that are toxic to aquatic ecosystems. Before using products with hazardous warning labels, try natural cleaners like vinegar.

Natural Boat Cleaning Recipes:

For fiberglass stains, make a paste of baking soda and water. Use a sponge or soft cloth and gently rub the mix into the stain. Also use paste to clean showers and heads. Use lemon or lime juice as a final wipe-down for a shiny, fresh-smelling finish.

For windows and mirrors,mix vinegar, lemon juice and warm water. Fill a spray bottle with the solution. Spray it on your windows and wipe with paper towels or newspapers.

To clean chrome,use apple cider vinegar on a soft cotton cloth. Use a fresh cloth with a dab of baby oil to restore it to a bright shine.

For brass,use a mix of Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and salt solution.

To clean copper fittings,make a paste of either lemon or lime juice and salt.

For stainless steel,clean with a cloth dampened with undiluted white vinegar.

To clean aluminum,use a soft cloth and a solution of cream of tartar and water.

For plastic surfaces,use a mixture of one part white vinegar and two parts warm water.

On decks,use a mixture of one part white vinegar and eight parts warm water.

Interior woodscan be cleaned by using olive oil or almond oil. The oil will provide natural moisturizers for the wood and add shine at the same time. Don’t use these oils on exterior surfaces, they won’t hold up in direct sun.

Controlling Ants Naturally

Posted on May 26, 2011 by oi_admin - Healthy Home

Pesticides can be used to get rid of ants in your home, but the potent chemical compounds may be more harmful to you and the environment than the pests. Here are some natural, non-toxic ways to get rid of ants.

First, remove attractants. Keep counters free of crumbs and sticky spots. Cover the sugar. Cut off water sources such as drips or dishes left soaking overnight.
Keep a small spray bottle of soapy water handy and spray the ants.
Set out cucumber peels/slices at the ants point of entry. Ants do not like cucumber, especially bitter cucumbers.
Leave mint tea bags near areas where ants are. Dry, crushed cloves or mint leaves also work.
Make a trail line of cayenne pepper, citrus oil, lemon juice, cinnamon, or coffee grounds near the ant column point of entry.
For those ants crawling around the deck, slip a few cut up cloves of garlic between the cracks.
For long-term nontoxic control of ants, sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth where ants congregate.

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.

All About House Dust Mites

Posted on May 24, 2011 by oi_admin - Healthy Home

While usual household insecticides have no effect on dust mites, there are ways that allergic people can reduce exposure to dust mites in the home - first, take actions to reduce dust mite populations and second, reduce exposure to dust.

Lower humidity: Reduce humidity levels to less than 50 percent inside your home, especially in the bedroom. This isn't hard to do in the winter, but can be a challenge during summer months, especially in homes without air conditioning. Studies have shown air-conditioned homes have ten times fewer dust mite allergens than non-air-conditioned homes. In addition to cooling the house, air conditioning reduces the humidity dust mites need to thrive.

Pets: If you are a pet lover, locate their sleeping quarters as far from yours as possible and furnish their sleeping area so it can be cleaned easily. Hardwood or vinyl floors with washable area rugs are ideal.

Reduce air infiltration: Airing out the house with open windows allows entry of pollen, which is another allergen as well as food for dust mites. In some climates, incoming air may be humid, which promotes dust mites.

Cleaning: Wash all bedding weekly. Research has shown laundering with any detergent in warm water (60 °C or above) removes nearly all dust mite and cat allergen from bedding. If you cannot launder blankets, dry clean them at least once a year. Shampoo, steam clean or beat non-washable carpets at least once a year.

Select appropriate furnishings: Avoid overstuffed furniture because it collects dust. Also avoid wool fabrics/rugs because wool sheds particles and is eaten by other insects. Use washable curtains and rugs instead of wall-to-wall carpeting. If you cannot replace carpeting, have it steam cleaned at least once a year, springtime is best. This will prevent a build up of dust mites feeding on skin cells in the carpet during the summertime. Enclose mattresses and pillows in plastic to decrease mite populations in the bed. Replace feather pillows with synthetic ones.

Air Purifier: A HEPA air filter is very effective at removing dust.

All About Dust Mites:

House dust mites are tiny microscopic creatures that are an important cause of allergic reactions to house dust. They belong to the family of eight-legged creatures called arachnids. This family also includes spiders, chiggers and ticks.

Dust mites are hardy creatures that live well and multiply easily in warm, humid places. They prefer temperatures at or above 70 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity of 75 percent to 80 percent, and die when the humidity falls below 40 percent to 50 percent. They are rarely found in dry climates.

As many as 10 percent of the general population and (in some regions) 90 percent of people with allergic asthma are sensitive to dust mites. Recent studies in the United States suggest that at least 45 percent of young people with asthma are allergic to dust mites.

Dust mite particles are just the right size to be inhaled. They are found in the highest concentrations in pillows, mattresses, carpeting and upholstered furniture. They float into the air when anyone vacuums, walks on a carpet or disturbs bedding, but settle out of the air once the disturbance is over. A dust mite allergic patient who sleeps for eight hours every night spends one third of his life with his nose in direct contact with a pillow loaded with dust mite particles!

There may be many as 19,000 dust mites in one gram of dust, but usually between 100 to 500 mites live in each gram. (A gram is about the weight of a paper clip.) Egg-laying females can add 25 to 30 new mites to the population during their lifetime. Mites eat particles of skin and dander, so they thrive in places where there are people. Dust mites do not bite, and cannot spread diseases. They are harmful only to people who become allergic to them.

Great Ways for Reducing Pollen and Other Allergens in Your Home

Posted on May 22, 2011 by oi_admin - Healthy Home

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, pollen grains are the tiny male cells from flowering plants and trees. Bees and other insects carry pollen from plant to plant, but sometimes plants release the pollen into the air for the wind to carry. This can cause sneezing and stuffiness in humans with over-sensitive immune systems who are exposed to these airborne cells.

Cleaning can reduce the amount of allergens (substances you are allergic to) in your home, which can help alleviate allergy symptoms. Be careful, though, because many cleaning products are known to cause allergy-like symptoms in some people.

The cleaning product does not trigger an allergy, but it is an irritant, and an irritant can cause the same symptoms as an allergy. Symptoms of irritation that can be caused by cleaning products include sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, congestion, asthma attack, wheezing, and skin rashes.

The best way to avoid irritation from cleaning products is to have someone in the household who does not have allergies do the cleaning. Even the act of cleaning, especially doing things like sweeping, can trigger an allergic reaction, because dust and other allergens can be stirred up.

However, if you suffer from allergies and must do the cleaning in your home, it can help to use products that are less likely to cause allergy symptoms.

Avoid using cleaning products that contain harsh, potentially irritating chemicals. Common home cleaning chemical ingredients that can be irritating, include formaldehyde, ammonia, sodium lauryl sulphate, and sodium hypochlorite.

These chemicals are found in cleaning products like furniture polish, disinfectants, dish detergents, dish soaps, laundry detergents, fabric softeners, all-purpose cleaners, and drain, oven, and glass cleaners. Read the labels and avoid staying away from cleaning agents that have these ingredients.

For allergy sufferers, the best types of cleaning products are those that are non-toxic. Green cleaning products are better for those with allergies, but read the labels carefully, as some of these products still contain irritating substances.

Using all natural products to clean is also an option. Bakng soda and vinegar can get just about anything cleaned, in different concentrations for different uses. White vinegar and baking soda can be used almost anywhere. For example, use vinegar and salt for a surface cleaner, use baking soda and water to clean baby bottles, and use olive oil or lemon juice with vegetable oil to clean furniture. To freshen air, ventilate, or use cinnamon, cloves, or steeped tea.

To reduce indoor allergens, reduce dust-collecting clutter. Vacuum carpeted floors regularly with a double-bag or HEPA filter vacuum. Regularly wash blankets and throw rugs. Wash all bed linens in hot water every week. Keep counter surfaces clean and dry. Do not leave food around, and store food in sealed containers.
Taking a few simple steps to keep dust to a minimum, preventing molds from growing, and controlling cockroaches and other pests may help minimize your allergy symptoms.

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

Tips for Reducing Dust Mites in Your Home

Posted on May 22, 2011 by oi_admin - Healthy Home

Dust mites, as small as they are, produce waste that is a common cause of allergies and asthma.

The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions to help you get rid of dust mites:

Cover your mattress in a dust-proof cover with a tight weave.

Wash all bed linens weekly in very hot water.

Place pillows in dust-proof covers or wash them weekly.
Avoid putting carpeting in your bedroom.

Vacuum all carpeting and upholstery in your home weekly.

Use an air filter that helps get rid of dust mites.

Wipe down hard surfaces.

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.