Skip to content

7 House Cleaning Tips for the Environmentally-Friendly Mom

/ / Comments are off for this post.

Balancing the tasks of keeping a home properly cleaned while also providing care and support for a family can often feel like no less than a Herculean effort. Throw in the added concern of adhering to a cleaning routine that is environmentally-friendly, and you may begin to feel overwhelmed.

However, maintaining a clean household while simultaneously utilizing cleaning methods that are environmentally-friendly doesn’t have to be impossible—and it doesn’t have to be difficult. While hiring professional housekeeping in San Diego can help aid in tackling the more laborious home-cleaning tasks for you, there are still small ways in which you can practice sustainable cleaning on a regular basis.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to ditch the toxic, harsh chemicals found in typical cleaning products and strive for more eco-friendly cleaning, this is it. Fortunately, the tasks of keeping your space clean and helping to keep the environment healthy are able to coexist peacefully.

Here are some helpful tips you can use to make your eco-friendly cleaning goals easier and reduce your waste:

1. Kill Germs with Vinegar

Vinegar can do more than just aid in the odd recipe, and luckily, it’s a kitchen staple that you may already have in stock. Believe it or not, distilled vinegar can be particularly effective for cleaning purposes as an eco-friendly liquid capable of killing germs around your home. Housekeeping services often utilize vinegar as well for nontoxic cleaning purposes—because it works!

You can create your own germ-killing vinegar solution by simply mixing white vinegar with water in a 1:1 ratio, and storing it in a spray bottle for convenient use. In addition to breaking up grease, this solution dries quickly and will leave an attractive shine on the various surfaces of your home.

2. Switch to Cloth Diapers

If you have a baby in your household, you are familiar with the struggle of what may feel like endless diaper runs to the store. Unfortunately, the mountains of soiled diapers this creates can be detrimental to the environment, as it adds to the massive paper waste sent to local landfills. This is why cloth diapers have become more popular as an eco-friendly alternative to normal diapers, as they can be washed regularly and reused. However, if the responsibility of regularly washing these diapers feels like too much work, there are a number of diaper brands with their products available online that offer biodegradable or disposable products.

3. Invest in Some Greenery

Unlike artificial air fresheners, having plants in your home can provide both a fresh, pleasant scent while also naturally filtering the air. Plants such as English ivies, peace lilies, and spider plants serve this purpose most effectively. Plus, in addition to acting as natural air filters, houseplants can serve as lovely decorations for your home.

4. Use Reusable Shopping Bags

Using reusable shopping bags for your trips to the store is a simple, yet impactful way to reduce your plastic waste. Reusable bags are highly available, usually for sale at the fronts of stores or online in a variety of different sizes, colors, and designs. Store them in a closet or in your car to ensure that they are easily available for you to use even for your rushed trips out to the store.

 5. Try Lemon Juice 

If you were surprised by the cleaning capabilities of vinegar, wait until you try adding lemon juice to your cleaning routine! To adequately polish hardwood floor, simply mix half a cup of lemon juice with one cup of olive oil to create a pleasantly fragrant, effective polishing solution. In addition, undiluted lemon juice can also be used to remove marks in your bathtub, as well as clear away stains on your furniture, kitchen counters, and carpets.

 6. Wipe Surfaces with Newspapers 

Make use of the old newspapers you may have lying around your home by using them to wipe down surfaces. As an alternative to paper towels, newspapers can be used to wipe down windows and mirrors without leaving grimy streaks or pieces of lint behind on their surfaces.

7. Create DIY Fruit Fly Repellant

Eradicate the irritating populations of fruit flies in your home by creating your own homemade fruit fly repellant. By taking a mason jar or a similar container and mixing equal parts dish soap and apple cider vinegar, you can rid your home of fruit flies without resorting to chemical fly traps or fly tape. The flies will be attracted to the vinegar, and then the soap will be able to trap them within the solution. This may be particularly helpful during the summer when their numbers are growing rampant!

 

Top 10 Cleaning Mistakes that are Wasting Your Time

/ / Comments are off for this post.

12221

When it comes to cleaning, we all want to get the job done quickly, easily and efficiently. As simple as that may be, for a lot of homeowners cleaning becomes a very stressful, time consuming task that ends in frustration and unsatisfactory results. We’ve come to find that the root of the problem generally lies in the methods or products used that only seem to be doubling your work, or causing more harm than good! So as usual, in our bid to help you make house cleaning quick and easy, we’ve come up with a list of 10 common cleaning mistakes that are wasting your precious time and doing more harm than good to your home.

1. Dirty Rags Don’t Clean!

Cleaning rags are often left dirty after they’ve been used, and we grab those same rags the next time we need to clean. Only this time, we’re not actually cleaning; we’re transferring old dirt onto the surface as we wipe up more recent dust. It’s a back and forth cleaning disaster. Here’s a simple solution; after you’ve finished using a dust rag, rinse it out thoroughly under running water till the water runs clean. Furthermore, if a rag gets too dirty in the middle of cleaning, rinse it (or take a clean one if you don’t want to use a damp cloth on that particular surface) and continue cleaning.

2. Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Why Aren’t You the Shiniest of Them All?!

This one is a classic rookie mistake in cleaning. You spray your mirrors with glass cleaner and use a microfiber cloth, squeegee or newspaper to wipe it clean, yet the result is a slightly murky mirror with streaks of dirt smudged across the surface. This is because mirrors need a good wipe down with a clean cloth first to remove all the dust and dirt sitting on it. Once you’ve got that done, the use of glass cleaner will take care of the rest.

3. Un-soaked Dishes Mean Double the Scrubbing Time

It only takes a couple of seconds to pour some water into your dirty dishes and leave aside while you do something else. This soaking time will save you a good amount of effort and time that would otherwise be wasted in scrubbing away hardened food or gravy. Similarly, using hot water will also help in scrubbing clean dishes with ease, speeding up the entire process.

4. Cleaning Windows: Dust, Spray, Wipe and Repeat?!

There needn’t be a repeat process when cleaning windows if you do it during the right time of day. Never do windows when the sun is blazing out in the sky; either you choose a cloudy day, or early evening when the sun’s heat is not harsh. The reason being that the sun heats up your windows and quickly dries up the glass cleaner, leaving it streaky after wiping. Hence, you need to clean it repeatedly till the streaks have gone. Try doing it on a cool day and we guarantee you’ll only need to do it once!

5. Carpet Stains: Blotting vs Scrubbing

In a state of panic, fresh carpet stains are attacked by vigorous scrubbing that not only spreads the stain, but also damages the fibers beyond repair. Blotting, on the other hand, does a much better job at absorbing the moisture and color of the stain without causing any harm to the carpet. However, use multiple clean cloths to soak up the stain until there is no more moisture to absorb. After that, you can proceed with the steps to remove the carpet stain.

6. Know Your Cleaning Tools

Sometimes it’s the cleaning tool you’re using that’s really eating up your time. Do a little research and make sure you’ve got the right cleaning aid for the job. For example, use abrasive scrubbers when cleaning the bottom of pots and pans rather than soft sponges. If you choose the latter, you’ll be stuck at the kitchen sink for ages.

7. Cleaning Products: Less is More

It’s quite natural to think that the more product you use, the cleaner the result will be. But have you ever put too much detergent powder in the washer when doing laundry? If you have, you would have noticed that the clothes came out with a powdery residue of detergent or just felt stiffer and needed another clear rinse. It’s the same case when using furniture polish; if used in excess, it leaves a film on the surface which requires more vigorous cleaning to remove overtime. Apart from that, you end up wasting a large amount of product!

8. Empty the Vacuum Bag More Often

A dust filled vacuum bag makes vacuuming useless. It won’t pick up much dirt, and may even be blowing out dirt from the exhaust! Therefore, it’s important to clean out your vacuum cleaner bag frequently to keep it in tiptop condition, making your vacuuming experience quick and less strenuous.

9. Don’t Compromise on Standing Time for Cleaning Products

Some cleaners require a minimum amount of standing time before the next cleaning step can be undertaken, or they won’t be as effective. If you don’t allow that, you’ll end up cleaning for a longer time and using more effort. For example, toilet bowl cleaner should be left inside for a few minutes before brushing it clean so that the stains come out quickly and thoroughly.

10. Always Start from Top to Bottom

Sometimes we like to start with the bigger, more disliked cleaning areas, but practically speaking, cleaning needs to be done systematically. By starting from the highest point (i.e. fans, ceilings, cabinet tops, higher shelves, etc), you ensure that you’re bringing the dirt down to the ground where it will eventually be swept or vacuumed away. If you wipe tables and then clean shelves, you’re only unsettling dust and dropping dirt on surfaces you’ve already cleaned. So always implement the top to bottom rule in all your cleaning endeavors.

Cleaning rags are often left dirty after they’ve been used, and we grab those same rags the next time we need to clean. Only this time, we’re not actually cleaning; we’re transferring old dirt onto the surface as we wipe up more recent dust. It’s a back and forth cleaning disaster. Here’s a simple solution; after you’ve finished using a dust rag, rinse it out thoroughly under running water till the water runs clean. Furthermore, if a rag gets too dirty in the middle of cleaning, rinse it (or take a clean one if you don’t want to use a damp cloth on that particular surface) and continue cleaning.

How to Clean Like a Professional: Five Tips for Easy House Cleaning

/ / Comments are off for this post.

clean conscience

If you have ever used a professional cleaning company, you will certainly know the excitement – and relief – of coming home after a professional cleaning. Kitchen appliances sparkle, the hardwood floors shine, and the whole house smells wonderfully clean – and you didn’t lift a finger to get it done!

However, most people cannot afford to have their home professionally cleaned on a daily basis and need to do at least some minimal cleaning between professional house cleaning visits. As the owner of Kitsap Clean, a Bainbridge Island cleaning company (Washington state), I often get questions for customers on how to keep up their home after we leave and between their regularly scheduled cleaning visits.  Here are five easy to implement house cleaning tips to keep your home visitor ready between your professional house cleaning visits.

1. Clean from Top to Bottom

Dust settles, and every professional house cleaner knows that you need to clean a room from top to bottom. Otherwise, you will end up having to re-clean a lot of surfaces! Start by knocking off the dust from high surfaces like ceiling fans and then do a “high dusting” of the top of your rooms to remove cobwebs and dust before dusting lower surfaces like dressers and tables.

2. Use the Right Tools

It is worthwhile spending some money on at least a few professional quality tools like an extension duster – which will let you reach high areas of your room – and a cleaning caddy to hold your supplies. The right tools will save you a lot of time and frustration when you are cleaning.

3. Use Non-Toxic Products Whenever Possible
Using non-toxic products is not just good for the environment – it is good for your own health as well! There are plenty of green options available these days, and you can also make your own cleaning products from items you likely already have around your home. Vinegar and baking soda, for example, are great for many different cleaning jobs. You can also ask your house cleaner for recommendations of what products they like to use, and they may even share some of their own cleaning recipes with you!

4. Use Essential Oils Keep Your Home Smelling Great

This is actually one of my favorite tips for keeping my home smelling great between cleaning days. Sprinkle a few drops of your favorite essential oil on a light bulb and then turn it on. The smell will quickly spread throughout the room. I really enjoy doing this with lavender oil as I find it relaxing, but you can use any oil that you prefer. Lots of my clients like the smell of lemon and mint essential oils, but you should experiment to find a scent you love. You can also change the oil you use to match your mood, and you may even want to consider investing in an essential oil diffuser to use the oils even more easily.

5. Clean to the Right Beat

Listening to music you enjoy while you clean can make the time go by faster while you are cleaning your home. Try to find a genre and tempo that energizes you while you are cleaning!

A Shout Out to Ocean First Divers for becoming Blue Certified…

/ / Comments are off for this post.

Ocean First

As a company that provides cleaning services for Ocean First Divers we are proud to annouce that recently they have been awarded the Blue Certified eco-label. This organization is continually researching and implementing ways to improve their business, and they joined the Blue Certification program because they wanted a “step-by-step system in order to achieve more efficient business practices, increase cost savings, and attract more clients who care about the ocean.” To read more about this incredible organization and perhaps learn how you can also get more involved, please visit Ocean First website at  https://www.oceanfirst.blue/.

How To Easily Keep Your Home Clean While Listing It For Sale

/ / Comments are off for this post.

How To Easily Keep Your Home Clean While Listing It For Sale by Rene Guin-Salazar

 

If the idea of selling your house, and keeping it clean while selling, is on your mind, this blog post is for you!

Most sellers have a way of life.  Think:  having a pile of dirty laundry by the shower (where you remove your clothes), or the pile of makeup on the bathroom counter for getting ready in the morning.

The idea of listing your home for sale gets you to thinking “How will I keep it clean and organized, show ready” on a day-to-day basis.  Obstacles like late night work session’s, children’s play rooms, making beds in the mornings when there is already little time.

You may have already spent weekends prepping your home.  Painting.  Organizing.  Your limbs may be drooping from getting all of the prep work done.  You expect a buyer to walk in and immediately put a contract to purchase and your life can get back to normal.  Not quite.  In many markets the industry average for a home priced right, and in good condition should sell within 160 days of being on the market.  In easy terms, that could be five months or longer.

In the beginning of the process you are enthusiastic!  Exuberant!  You know each day the right person may walk through that door!  As the first month passes your diligence is waning.  Keeping the house clean, fresh smelling, and organized is a big job.  Let’s look at some ways to easily keep things from piling up, or the process of picking up after all the members of the family easy.

 

  1. Buy two large shower totes for each bathroom.  Store makeup and day-to-day essentials in these and store in the cabinet below the sink when you are done prepping in the morning.  This allows the counters to remain clean and uncluttered. The second tote should have some paper towels, a cleaning cloth and counter/sink cleaner along with Windex for the mirrors.  Check before you walk out of the bathroom if mirrors need a touch up, or that toothpaste needs removing from the sink.  
  2. Keep a hamper for dirty clothes (where ever you normally remove them) or get in the habit of taking said clothes to laundry the moment you remove them.  Nothing adds to a messy look like a pile of dirty clothes laying in a floor.  Just-don’t-do-it.  
  3. Buy a large shower tote for your kitchen.  Place quick cleaning supplies in it and keep it under the kitchen cabinets.  Before walking out in the morning, quickly put all dishes in the dishwasher and wipe down the cabinets.  
  4. Use convenience items.  This includes Swifters, swifter dusters, hand held vacuums, and small broom and dustpan sets.  If there is a cereal debacle in the morning, just use the hand held vac.  Keep it handy, perhaps in the pantry.  
  5. Every Sunday:  Wipe down refrigerator, and detail clean bathrooms.  I recommend after the children are in bed.  If you are maintaining baths during the week, this should be a quick 20 minutes.  Have fresh linens ready for the week.  Vacuum all rugs and carpets.  Swifter dusters are great for blinds and window seals.  

 

Selling your home, and keeping it clean, does not have to be a nightmare.  Set yourself up for success with these easy tips.  

 

________________________8526253

Rene Guin-Salazar is a Realtor/Team Leader Extraordinaire at Keller Williams Market Pro Realty in Fayetteville AR and

Bentonville AR. Loving and Living Real Estate in Northwest Arkansas, home to Wal-Mart, JB Hunt, and Tyson home offices.

Keep up with her here! Learn about Northwest Arkansas

What Is Bluing and How It Can Help In Household Task Improvement

/ / Comments are off for this post.

Most people coming into this will ask: What is ‘bluing’, anyway? The simple and most common

answer is that it’s a compound used to counteract the yellowing of laundered fabric. If you search for

the uses of ‘bluing’ anywhere, it’s impossible for ‘laundry’ and ‘whitening’ not to come up in the results.

But there’s more to this 100 year-old product than meets the eye. Mrs. Stewart’s Liquid Bluing is

not only groundbreaking for its ability to make your white clothes even whiter, but also for its versatility.

A few drops in a pitcher of water can go a long way in cleaning and improving the quality of your day to

 

1. Brighten Pool Water

Though Mrs. Stewart’s Liquid Bluing can’t substitute other chemicals used to treat your pool

water, it works great at making your pool water look better than most. Nothing beats that

Pacific blue.

 

2. Whiten Your Pet’s Hair

When giving your pet a bath, mix a few drops of Mrs. Stewart’s Liquid Bluing in your pet’s

rinse water and their fur will return to being white as ever. It’s non-toxic and proven safe for

your pets, so don’t worry!

 

3. Reduce Algae Growth

Do you have a fountain or a bird bath in your backyard? Mrs. Stewart’s Liquid Bluing is

perfect for reducing and preventing algae growth, keeping the water clear and clean.

 

4. Clean Bathroom Tiles

Add a few drops of Mrs. Stewart’s Liquid Bluing into a bucket of soapy water, then pour or

sponge it onto your white bathroom tiles. Let it rest for a few minutes before rinsing. You

will see a difference immediately.

 

5. Keep Windows Spot Free

Don’t you just hate foggy glass windows? Water with a few drops of Mrs. Stewart’s Liquid

Bluing will do the job in keeping your windows sparkling for a long time.

 

Looking for a bluing product that can help you with the abovementioned tasks? Try Mrs. Stewart’s Concentrated Liquid Bluing!

 

The possibilities for Mrs. Stewart’s Liquid Bluing are endless! The best thing about it is its non-

toxic and environmentally friendly composition that makes it safe for humans and animals alike.

Learn more about Mrs. Stewart’s Liquid Bluing and its many uses. Visit http://mrsstewart.com

Getting Ready for the Holiday Season!

/ / Comments are off for this post.

Holiday cleaning

As we are approaching the holiday season with many house guests arriving we would like to remind everyone that this is the optimal time to get your home professionally cleaned. Whether you are in need of a one-time deep clean, a move-in or move-out clean, or perhaps you are more interested in repeat cleaning service, give Clean Conscience a call today at 303-495-2444. If you feel like giving the gift of cleaning to a loved one or co-worker, we also provide gift certificates, so give Clean Conscience a call today. We want to wish everyone a very safe & Happy Holiday season.

10 Fun Things to do This Weekend Rather than Clean Your Home

/ / Comments are off for this post.

Halloween posting

There are so many things happening in the Denver area this weekend, and who wouldn’t rather join in on all these festivities rather than cleaning their home? Here is a glimpse of the many happenings in the Denver area this weekend starting tonight, October 29th.

Tonight, October 29th from 4-7 p.m. the Denver Union Station is hosting a Kid’s Halloween Parade and Party. From trick-or-treating at the merchant shops, a costume parade from the Plazas through the Great Hall resulting in a costume contest for Best Costume and Best Group/Family contest. Located at 1701 Wynkoop in Denver. This is a FREE event, so show up in your best costumes and get candy, and maybe some prizes. For more information visit www.unionstationindenver.com

Tomorrow, Friday, October 30th one of the many events is the Dia de los Muertos at Larimer Square. Join them in a celebration of life on Denver’s most historic block. All are welcome to join in the gathering with live music, tequila tastings, salsa dancing, sugar skull decorating, face painting and more. Located at the 1400-1500 Larimer Street block from 6-9 p.m. This event is FREE to all and for more information please visit www.larimersquare.com

Also, tomorrow, October 30th is the Southwest Plaza’s Shrektacular Halloween Event. There will be craft stations, games, face painting, balloon sculptures, and even a live performance by Allana’s Dance Academy and a visit from Shrek himself. Kids are encouraged to dress in costume and the event is located at 8501 W. Bowles Ave in Littleton from 4-7 p.m.. The mall wide trick-or-treating will begin at 5 p.m. The admission for this event is FREE and if looking for more information please visit www.southwestplaza.com

Who would like to get a Ghost Tour of Cheesman Park? Those interested are to Meet at the Mansion at 400 E. Eighth Ave tomorrow, October 30th. The doors open at 5 p.m. and at 5:30 p.m. the bus will depart for the Ghost Tour. Cheesman Park was named after the designer and builder of the Governor’s Mansion, Walter Cheesman. There has been paranormal activity reported there. After the tour, enjoy some food and activities at the Governor’s Mansion. Cost is $30 per person. For more information on this event please visit www.coloradoshome.org

This Friday, October 30th through Sunday, November 1st is the Corn Maze at the Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms. Come and get lost in this 8-acre corn maze. There will also be a mini-maze, a jumping pillow and hayrides. Your favorite fall snacks such as funnel cakes, and kettle corn will also be available for additional fees. The hours are Friday 10/30 from 4-9 p.m., Saturday 10/31 from 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The cost is $13-adults, $10-Kids 3-12 years old, Kids 2 and under are free and there are member discounts available. For more information please visit www.botanicgardens.org

This Saturday, October 31st and Sunday, November 1st is the BOO AT THE ZOO & BOO AFTER DARK. Come dressed in costume and visit over 25 trick-or-treating stations, watch creepy crawly animal demonstrations and enjoy other fun family-friendly entertainment. If you prefer the trick-or-treat after dark, visit the BOO AFTER DARK on Friday, October 30th or Saturday, October 31st. The Denver Zoo is located at 2300 Steele St in Denver and the cost is $17-adults, $14-seniors, $12-Kids 3-11 years old, Members and Kids under 3 years old are free. For more information please go to www.denverzoo.org

Starting tomorrow, October 30th through Sunday, November 1st is Elitch Gardens Fright Fest. There will be trick-or-treating, pumpkin decorating, costume contests. At night, kids 12 and older can tour the Flesh Factory, Escape and Big Top Freaks haunted house and see Seance live performance. Starts at 12pm on days, and 6p.m. for nights. The cost for days is $31.99 and up, and nights is $35.99 and up. To read more about this event please go to www.elitchgardens.com/Fright-Fest

On Saturday, October 31st is the Highland Haunt located in the Highland Neighborhood at 32nd Avenue from Clay to Zuni. This event is FREE and starts at 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be activities of trick-or-treating, pinata stations and a costume contest. An all-inclusive activities pass can be purchased for $7 per child and will include access to activities such as hayrides, bouncy castle, face painting, carnival games and more. For more information please visit www.highlandhaunt.com

Also on Saturday, October 31st there is a Halloween Tea at the Byers-Evans House Museum from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in which you can tour the historic Byers-Evans House Museum, and enjoy some tea, scones, fresh fruit and desserts. Admission is $20 for members, and $25 for non-members. For more information on this event please visit www.historycolorado.org. For this event reservations must be made by calling 303-620-4933.

Finally, the 10th option for something more fun to do this weekend rather than cleaning your home is….The South Gaylord Trick or Treat street, located at Old South Gaylord Street 1000 block between Mississippi and Tennessee. This event has something for everyone, including those with pets. Saturday, October 31st there will be a trick-or-treat street from 3:30-6:30 p.m., and a pet parade and costume contest 3-3:30p.m. Entertainment for the whole family from 3:30-10:00 p.m. The event will end with live music, beer and food from 5-10 p.m., and the best part the admission is FREE. Stop by and have a wonderful and safe Halloween celebration!

So, instead of cleaning your home this weekend, make a plan to get out and have some fun at the many events happening this weekend in the Denver area. Better yet, give Clean Conscience a call today and schedule a home cleaning and know that the professionals will come and take care of it for you. Our phone number is 303-495-2444.

We here at Clean Conscience hope that everyone has a fabulous and safe Halloween celebration!

BOO! Is your home SCARY and in need of a cleaning?

/ / Comments are off for this post.

Halloween posting

BOO! Is your home SCARY, and in need of a cleaning? Let Clean Conscience help you with your home cleaning needs. Whether you are in need of a one-time cleaning or you are looking for repeat home cleaning service, let Clean Conscience help you today. We offer a wide variety of services and would be happy to provide you with more information, so please give us a call today at 303-495-2444, or you are welcome to check out our website at www.cleanconscience.com.

Join the City of Boulder in Celebration of Universal Recycling and Composting

/ / Comments are off for this post.

 

City of Boulder Recycling and Compost

This Thursday, October 15th, the City of Boulder will be meeting at the town hall to celebrate and inform about Universal Recycling and Composting. All are welcome to join in from 5-8 p.m. at the City of Boulder town hall. From 5-6 p.m. there will be a reception with food and refreshments provided, followed by a presentation which will include some smaller breakout sessions. Some of the breakout sessions will include topics on: zero waste in the home, disposing of hard to recycle items and hazardous materials, for businesses and property owners: how to comply with the Universal Zero Waste Ordinance, creating sustainable sourcing and Zero Waste certification. To learn more about this event, please go to the following link: https://bouldercolorado.gov/lead/zero-waste. If you are interested in attending, it is most helpful to RSVP to this event and you can do so by following this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/we-are-zero-waste-boulder-community-in-action-tickets-18514444201.