Let’s face it, no matter how careful you are, stains happen. If you happen to have children or pets, stains are probably a common occurrence. Often, successfully removing a stain means acting as quickly as possible. However, what do you do if something is spilled on your carpet or furniture and you are all out of store bought stain remover? The answer may lie in your refrigerator, bathroom, or pantry. In this article from The Huffington Post, you are given several DIY remedies for the removal of just about any type of common stain you could think of. Everything from wine, grass, coffee, ink, and even blood, can be removed with everyday items found in most homes.
Eco-Friendly Stain Busters
Grass stain on your patio cushion. Wine stain on your carpet. Ink stain on the couch. Let’s face it, even when we try our very best, life is messy. I have put together a list of some of the toughest furniture and carpet stains we encounter along with quick DIY eco-friendly fixes that will help get your fabric back to its stain-free state.
Blood: Mix one tablespoon of liquid dishwashing detergent (POPSUGAR has agreat recipe for natural DIY solution) with two cups of cold water. Apply the solution to a clean cloth and blot the stain until it disappears.
Gum: Put a plastic bag full of ice directly onto the stuck gum. Once it hardens, you should be able to scrap it off. If the piece of fabric is small enough, you can place it directly in the freezer until the gum hardens.
Chocolate: Rub the stain in a circular motion with warm, soapy water or aborax solution. Rinse with cold water.
Coffee or Tea: Spot-clean with cool water or vinegar or try an enzyme-based cleaner.
Grass: Rub the stain with hydrogen peroxide.
Ink: Wet a clean cloth in vinegar and blot the stain–rewetting the cloth with vinegar as needed. Once the stain is gone, rinse with clean water.
Grease: Apply dry cornmeal to the spot and let sit for 20 minutes. Once you shake it off, the stain should be gone. You can also try cornstarch.
Makeup: Carefully put few drops of glycerin on the stain and scrape off.
Tomato Sauce: Alternately blot the stain using a damp sponge (cool water) and dry cloth. If possible, move the cushion or rug into the sun–the UV-rays will help breakdown the stain. For stubborn stains, rub with a cut lemon.
Red Wine: Spot clean or soak in cool water. Pour salt over the stain while it is still wet and let it sit until it begins to turn pinkish. Discard the excess salt and vacuum.
It is summertime, which for many families means family vacation time. Unless you happen to be visiting friends or family members and staying at their home for your vacation, chances are good you will be spending a portion of your time in either hotel or motel rooms. This can be an uncomfortable situation for some people, especially when it comes down to the overall cleanliness of the room they are staying in. One way you can put your mind at ease, is to take it upon yourself to sanitize the room. This article from How To Clean Stuff.net, gives you several tips on how to do just that.
How to Sanitize a Hotel Room
Maybe you have seen the news reports and undercover investigations where the investigator shines a black light around a supposedly clean hotel room and discovers germs, bacteria and sometimes even worse lingering inside it. This has happened even at some of the most upscale hotel chains. In order to avoid a hotel room nightmare – or at least a preventable illness – follow the steps below.
Inspect your room before unpacking.
Remember, no one should have to spend the night in a room that has obviously, whether intentionally or not, been overlooked by housekeeping services. If your room is found to be unsatisfactory, you are well within your right to ask for a new one. So, as soon as you enter your room, take about ten minutes to have a look around.
Check the floor, bedding and furniture for any stains, hairs, crumbs and debris. Take notice of any insects or any food or waste that could attract them. Then check the bathroom for the same thing, as well as for mold, mildew or leaking water. Check the toilet and bathtub or shower for cleanliness and make sure all toiletry items – soaps, shampoos, shower caps – are sealed and not left over from a previous guest.
Lastly, look at the air conditioner and heat vents as well as the access panel to the bathroom fan. Make sure there are no strange smells or dust and debris around the ducts that could aggravate any allergies or otherwise inhibit your breathing. This could make for a very uncomfortable stay.
If you asked for a nonsmoking room, check for any smoking paraphernalia, such as an ash tray.
Also note if there is a stale cigarette smell in the room. IT is possible that you have been given a smoking room by mistake or that the previous guest decided to smoke in the room anyway.
If you find anything that alarms you, alert the front desk to your concerns immediately and offer to point out the issues in person. Most likely the attendant will be more than willing to work with you to remedy the problem. If not, request to speak to a manager. If this still gets you nowhere, consider staying at a different hotel and writing a stern letter to the president of the company when you get home.
Sanitize and Sterilize!
Even if your hotel room passes the initial inspection, or perhaps your second room in your hotel does, you have no reason to believe that this hotel room is completely sterilized and spotless. Thus, you should still take the following advice into accord to protect your health.
Be wary of small but commonly used items.
Things such as the phone, television remote control, light switch, door and drawer handles and telephone are small enough that they can be missed by hotel cleaning staff, yet touched enough by guests that they can be teeming with germs. Best to bring along a travel-sized pack of antibacterial wipes and clean the surfaces of these items before you use them. Or, alternately, you can cover each device with a clean, resealable plastic bag that you bring from home. Well, with the possible exception of the light switch.
Ditch the bedspread:
Unlike the sheets, the bedspread in your hotel room may not be washed after every guest, mainly because it is a bulky and a pain for the staff members to carry in and out of the room and it takes up a lot of space in the washing machine. If your hotel bed has a comforter or bedspread on it, you may want to toss it aside and place it on the floor or in a chair. Then either cover up with the sheets alone or use your own blanket that you have brought from home.
*If the comforter has a removable cover on it, chances are that it is washed regularly. Removable covers are considerably less obtrusive and are fairly easy to throw in the washing machine.
Don’t use refillable water glasses
Many new reports have shown that these water glasses are not properly cleaned and sterilized in between guests. Sometimes they are just given a quick scrub in the bathroom sink and then placed back on the counter as if they were new. There is no way to tell if this is the case at your hotel, short of shadowing the housekeeping staff. Instead of taking your chances, bring your own glass that you know is clean or use a disposable plastic cup.
Keep your hands germ free
Whenever you touch a surface in your room that may be of questionable cleanliness either wash your hands with hot water and soap or use a bottle of hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer is available in travel sizes at most grocery stores and drug stores so it is no big deal to throw a bottle or two in your handbag or suitcase.
Make sure your feet stay off the floor
Sure, you may want to make yourself at home, by never walk around your hotel room barefoot. It is doubtful that the cleaning staff shampoos and sterilizes the carpet between guests. Instead, wear socks or slippers at all times. And consider wearing flip flops or shower shoes in the bathroom for similar reasons.
Voice your opinion
Odds are that you are more likely to have cleanliness issues if you stay at a lower-class hotel than a higher class one. However, no matter where you are staying, you are entitled to a certain standard of health and sanitation. Don’t be afraid to speak up if there is a problem. Better to be known as a nagging guest than to later wind up sick or even hospitalized.
The topic of the self-cleaning oven feature is of debate to many as to whether it really works. We will be discussing the pros and cons of the self-cleaning oven feature and how to properly use it if you decide that it is worth it, especially if you cook or bake often at home. One of the highest recommendations is that you are present in your home when using the self-cleaning oven feature because the fumes from the build-up can sometimes produce flames and someone needs to be readily available at home in the event that is does start a fire, or fumes that need plenty of ventilation so be sure to leave some windows open for aeration. Also, it is recommended that you allow at least 3-6 hours for the full cycle to complete, so definitely don’t try this right before a major holiday, such as Thanksgiving. One of the cons of the self-cleaning oven option, other than the chance of a fire starting, is the possibility of the oven blowing out a fuse and requiring expensive maintenance and equipment repairs. We here, at Clean Conscience recommend that instead of taking a chance of starting a fire, or inhaling funky fumes is that you rely on professional cleaning technicians to get the job done for you. If you or someone you know is in need of a good oven cleaning, give Clean Conscience a call today, we would be happy to help you!
Cleaning technicians play a significant role in maintaining the health of homes, office buildings, and their inhabitants. Highly trained cleaning technicians, such as the technicians employed by Clean Conscience are certified through a highly developed training program through the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration. Cleaning homes and office buildings has become such an integral part of people’s lives that we often forget to think about the important role that quality cleaning has on our lives. The cleaning technicians at Clean Conscience can recognize a truly clean home because they have studied the microbiology and chemistry behind the soils that we have in our homes and offices. They have been trained on how to properly, efficiently and safely clean a home. Certified cleaning technicians play many roles, but one of the most significant is that they are doing more than simply making it appear that soil is removed but actually improving the indoor environment to promote healthier indoor living. The cleaning technicians at Clean Conscience provide customers with a healthier, safer and cleaner environment. Please give Clean Conscience a call today to schedule a free in-home estimate or perhaps you are in need of a one-time cleaning, we can do that too! Let Clean Conscience certified technicians help create a healthier environment for your family.
As some people may be aware, May is “National Asthma and Allergies Awareness Month”. This is most likely because May is also the peak season for allergy and asthma sufferers. Having suffered from asthma as a child growing up, I am fully aware of what molds and activities may trigger an asthma attack for me, as I’m sure most asthma sufferers are. However, many people may be unaware that the products and methods used to clean their home could also be key contributors to some allergic and/or asthmatic issues they may have.
For example, many people may not be aware that fumes from some cleaning products may induce asthma in otherwise healthy individuals. A large and growing body of evidence links frequent use of many ordinary cleaning supplies at home or on the job with development of asthma and other respiratory problems. It is already known that traditional cleaning product fumes may trigger attacks in people previously diagnosed with asthma.
If you or a family member suffer from allergies or asthma, a good defense is air quality. And, while you may not be able to control the air quality outside of your home, you can certainly do something to improve it inside. The first step to higher air quality may be as simple as switching from a traditional cleaner to a greener alternative. If you happen to use a cleaning service, make sure they use Green Seal certified cleaning products, as Clean Conscience does.
This time time of year, many people have their windows open to let in the sweet smells and comfy breezes Spring has to offer. Unfortunately, along with those smells and breezes, a number of allergens seem to make their way into the home as well. Pollen from trees and dust and dirt from freshly cut lawns, overtime can sneak in through window screens and settle on window sills, furniture, and floors; causing allergies for many people. The solution to this problem is a thorough cleaning. However, what you clean isn’t the whole answer, how you clean it can be just as important. Here are a few tips on how to rid your home of allergens this spring.
“Dusting”- When it comes to dusting, try to use microfiber cloths instead of cotton cloths. Cotton cloths can actually spread particles on surfaces and send them back into the air. Microfiber cloths do a much better job of trapping the dust and other allergens on hard surfaces.
“Vacuuming”- The best kind of vacuums to use for people who suffer from allergies, are vacuums with a HEPA filter. These filters prevent smaller particles from blowing back out.
“Mold”- Sometimes it’s not the dust or pollen in the air that causes allergies, but the moisture. Moisture can cause bathroom mold to form. Besides just looking gross, bathroom mold can also cause allergies. The best natural solution for this kind of mold is a combination of water and borax.
When it comes to cleaning up the house, many people still reach for whatever chemical cleaner is sitting under their sink and just spray away,sometimes using several different traditional cleaners for very similar jobs, not realizing that there are plenty of safe and natural cleaning supplies already in their home. In fact, with just a few simple ingredients, which can be found in most homes, you can tackle a plethora of cleaning tasks. In this article from BLOGS.NaturalNews, they discuss 14 easy green cleaning tips that will assist you in getting your home clean without the need for any chemical-laden traditional cleaners.
14 Easy, Green Cleaning Tricks
Harsh cleaners are commonly chosen to get house cleaning done. Most people are used to using bleach and other harsh chemicals because they feel that that is the only way to get the job done right. They don’t even realize there are healthier ways to get your house clean that won’t put toxic pollutants in the air while still getting great results. You can easily keep your space clean and sanitary the green way with vinegar, salt, lemon juice, baking soda and a few other ingredients found around your house. Here is a look at 14 easy, green cleaning tricks for the whole house.
Glass and Mirrors
Most window cleaners are made with ammonia but you can actually clean them effectively using a half gallon of water and 4 tablespoons of lemon juice mixed together. Use a lint-free rag, cloth diaper, old cotton t-shirt or a microfiber cloth to get the best results. Avoid using paper towels, regular rags that leave lint or newspapers that will leave a mess. You can also clean mirrors with vinegar and water mixtures.
Furniture Polishing
Polish for wood, metal and other surfaces are made with some of the most poisonous chemicals. Polish is made with petroleum distillates and solvents which are hazardous. Instead, try a mixture of 2 parts olive oil, 1 part lemon juice and apply it to your wooden furniture with a soft cloth. If that’s too oily, Care2 says you should reverse the formula to use more vinegar or lemon juice and less oil. It’ll shine and smell great. Of course, always test a small area first as you would with any of your traditional cleaners.
Bathroom Tips
For the showers in your home, mix baking soda and all-natural dish soap to remove soap scum from shower doors. Clean the tub by letting vinegar or lemon juice and hot tap water soak for a while before scrubbing with a brush. Use a spray bottle filled with white vinegar and water to clean the shower curtain, which will also help deter the growth of mold (turn on fans when showering to suction the steam and moisture out of the air too). Synergy Maids recommends cleaning the toilet and sink with vinegar and baking soda rather than bleach and then mop the floor with vinegar.
Kitchen Tips
For the kitchen, you’ll want to wipe the faucet with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol to make it sparkle. If you have granite counter tops, wipe off the grease and debris with a dishcloth dipped in warm water and mild dish soap. To disinfect and shine, take a mixture of half rubbing alcohol and half tap water and wipe it clean (Make sure your granite has a good seal) . For sticky messes, use a drop of lemon essential oil with a cotton ball or rub with a lemon rind.
For your pots and pans, cut a lemon in half, spray it with water, sprinkle with salt and then scrub with the lemon. This is a safer and very effective way to clean. If you have grease on the stove, try baking soda which will also work on counter tops. Stainless steel sinks will clean well with baking soda and a damp sponge.
Floors
For vinyl floors, simply dip your cloth into lemon juice and rub it on stained areas. For carpets, make sure you vacuum thoroughly and then clean the carpets with a steam cleaner. If it’s just spots, spray with a vinegar and water mix, place a damp cloth on it and let a clothes iron sit on it for a few minutes at a time until it comes up. You can also mix salt, borax and white vinegar to place on stained areas before vacuuming.
Metal Work
Metal work that needs attention can be cleaned the green way as well. Most metal polishes for brass, copper, chrome and stainless steel contain ammonia and acid. Clean copper and brass the green way using salt, vinegar and flour. Make a paste with the three ingredients, rub it onto the item with a soft cloth, let it dry out for an hour and then wipe it off with a clean cloth.
When you’re ready to clean your home in a healthier way, try these easy green cleaning tips to get the job done effectively without allowing toxic chemicals to get into the air you breathe.
It is the time of year when many people are finally able to enjoy a nice meal outdoors with their friends and family, it is…..barbecue season! There really is nothing quite like grilling up some steaks or burgers, while enjoying the nice fresh air and warm temperatures this time of year provides. However, before there can be any barbecuing, the patio must be cleaned first. Luckily, this article from the good people at Seventh Generation, has a few tips on how to naturally clean your patio, so you can start grilling and entertaining asap!
DIY All-Natural Concrete Patio Cleaner
It’s no secret that maintaining a healthy and sanitized home environment involves effort and consistency. Occupied with what is going on inside our residence, we often forget that the home exterior also requires certain dedication.
Often, the outdoor patio, in particular, suffers most from the family activity. Because of persistent stains, your patio can require deep cleaning with heavy (and usually toxic) cleaners. Furthermore, some of these compounds are not biodegradable, meaning that they will stay in the soil of your yard for a long time.
For those passionate about green and healthy cleaning, the battle with the stains is not lost. You can still make your patio sparkling clean—without the volatile ingredients—by making your own affordable, efficient, and natural cleaning products. Most of the ingredients for your natural super detergent can be found in your kitchen cabinet.
Vinegar
If you are a “green” enthusiast when it comes to cleaning, you are probably not surprised that vinegar takes a top position in the ingredient cabinet. Its acid qualities hep dissolve even the most rooted dirt. To create a basic concrete patio cleaner, you will need distilled vinegar, water, and a spray bottle. Depending on how strong you want your solution, you can add more or less water. If you want a strong detergent then use only vinegar. Spray the solution over the surface and wait for 20 minutes, then scrub it with a brush. Finish by mopping the area. This ingredient will not only get rid of the spots, but it will also effectively kill the weeds in between patio stones. Eliminate vinegar’s unpleasant scent by adding 20 to 50 drops of essential oil.
For lifting light to medium spots from the concrete, mix one cup of white vinegar with salt in a bucket of warm water. Get a brush and start scrubbing.
Baking Soda
Unlike vinegar, baking soda is alkyl. Its abrasive structure is suitable for the rough surfaces of the patio. You can either apply the baking over the stained area or you can use it in a mixture. The first option is to create vinegar and soda pasta. Mix the two ingredients until the solution becomes consistent. Then you should apply it over the stained section and clean it with a brush.
You can clean almost everything with a bleach and soda solution. Make a paste by using 2 parts bleach and 3 parts baking soda. Be conscious of harming your grass with this solution.
Bleach
Bleach is your best friend when it comes to mold and mildew. Add one cup of the ingredient to a gallon of water. Don’t forget to put your rubber gloves when you work with this solution. After rinsing the surface with the bleach, mop with clean water.
Bleach, a very common cleaning supply and one that can almost surely be found in most homes in the U.S., may be extremely harmful to your children. While most people are well aware of the dangers of ingesting bleach, or allowing it to come in contact with the eyes or skin; not everyone is aware of the potential dangers “passive exposure” to bleach may have on their children. In this article from Medical Daily, these potential dangers are discussed.
The Dangers Of Household Bleach: Kids Exposed To Cleaner May Experience Respiratory Illness, Infections
Yes, bleach can be quite dangerous if ingested by a child — but a new study published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine suggests that even just “passive exposure” to the chemical in the home is associated with a higher chance of childhood respiratory illness and other infections.
The researchers examined over 9,000 children between the ages of 6 and 12 throughout 19 schools in the Netherlands, 17 schools in Finland, and 18 schools in Barcelona, Spain. They measured their levels of exposure to bleach, then attempted to test the negative impact it had on their health. Parents were asked to complete questions about the frequency of their children’s flu, tonsilitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, otitis, and pneumonia during the past 12 months. They were also asked whether they had used bleach in some way to clean their homes once a week.
Interestingly, the authors found that nearly 72 percent of respondents from Spain used bleach frequently in their homes, while only 7 percent of Finnish households did. Spanish schools, meanwhile, were cleaned with bleach regularly while Finnish schools were not. Researchers found that the frequency of infections among children was linked to higher amounts of bleach use by parents at home — and the differences were quite evident when it came to the flu, tonsilitis, and other infections (the risk of flu was 20 percent higher in bleach households, and the risk of recurrent tonsillitis 35 percent higher in bleach households). The risk of any other infection happening again was 18 percent higher among the children exposed to bleach.
Bleach and other cleaning products might damage the lining of lung cells, causing inflammation and making it easier for infections to occur, the authors argue. Of course, it’s been known for some time that common household cleaning products aren’t meant to be inhaled or ingested; just breathing in your typical Lysol spray can make you feel dizzy or nauseous. But the study reinforces the importance of being aware of the adverse side effects of bleach and other household items.
The American Lung Association suggests sticking to soap and warm water as opposed to bleach or ammonia, as it may often do the trick just as well. For scrubbing floors or sinks, use baking soda to really get the gritty dirt out of the cracks. And vinegar mixed with water is a good glass cleaner.
“The high frequency of use of disinfecting cleaning products may be of public health concern, also when exposure occurs during childhood,” the authors write in their conclusion. They also noted that the frequent use of these products was often “caused by the erroneous belief, reinforced by advertising, that our homes should be free of microbes.”
Source: Casas L, Espinosa A, Borras-Santos A, Jacobs J, Krop E, Heederik D. “Domestic use of bleach and infections in children: a multicentre cross-sectional study.” Occupational & Environmental Medicine, 2015.
Maybe you have seen the news reports and undercover investigations where the investigator shines a black light around a supposedly clean hotel room and discovers germs, bacteria and sometimes even worse lingering inside it. This has happened even at some of the most upscale hotel chains. In order to avoid a hotel room nightmare – or at least a preventable illness – follow the steps below.
