Green Cleaning to all Budgets

2009-06-23T11:51:00.000-07:00

First Method

Natural Green Cleaners.

Cleaning your home using Organic Natural Products, no Chemicals or synthetic ones without spend a fortune. In fact chances are you already have ones. They have been with us since ever. Most of them in your Kitchen: vinegar, lemons, olive oil, salt, baking soda, a plant-base dish-washing liquid.
in your laundry room: borax, natural detergent, washing soda. In your Bathroom: hydrogen peroxide, alcohol.

You always can make your own products.

Bathroom

Toilet

Baking soda or Borax.
White or Apple cider vinegar.
Hydrogen peroxide.

To clean a toilet use baking soda, white or apple cider vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. Put the two liquids (vinegar and hydrogen peroxide) in separate spray bottle. Sprinkle toilet bowl with baking soda, then pouring some vinegar also into the bowl. Allow to stand for several minutes and scrub with toilet brush. also use the bottles of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide to spray all over the toilet one immediately after the other.

Shower, Counters and Fixtures

White vinegar.
Natural soaps, such coconut castile or natural detergent, dish-washing liquid.
Warm fresh water.

You may use vinegar on bathroom counters, sink, fixtures, porcelain tile, glass fiber glass or others man-made material. NEVER USE VINEGAR ON MARBLE OR NATURAL SURFACES, use only warm water or instead of vinegar use castile, natural detergent, dish-washing liquid, put some drops inside of 750 mil. (26 oz) spray bottle with warm water.

Tub

Baking soda
Salt
Natural dis-washing liquid or plant-base detergent.
Warm fresh water.

Mix one tablespoon of baking soda, one tablespoon salt, add a squirt of natural dis-washing or detergent and put some warm water. Make a paste, apply to the tub, scrub, rinse and dry with a cloth.

Kitchen

Counter tops, Cabinets and Refrigerate

Castile soap or Natural dish-washing liquid.
Warm water.

Mix one tbsp castile soap or natural dish-washing with a quart of warm water, rinse well, and then dry with a cloth.

Stove-top

1/2 tsp washing soda.
1/4 tsp natural liquid soap.
2 cups hot water.

Add washing soda and liquid soap to hot water in spray bottle. Washing soda is caustic, wear gloves.

Glass and Mirror

Tablespoon of alcohol or lemon juice or vinegar.
Spray bottle of 750 ml (26 oz).
Warm water.

Fill a clean spray bottle (750 mil/26 oz) with warm water and either white vinegar, lemon juice or alcohol. Wipe with a rag or old newspapers.

Furniture Polish

Olive oil.
Lemon juice.

Mix two parts oil with one part lemon juice, reduce the olive oil if wood looks too oily.

Floors

Linoleum

In a buck mix a 1/2 cup white vinegar with 1 gallon hot water.

Wood

Clean the floor with water. But keep your mop damp so it will dry quickly (see what is recommended by the manufacturer).

Marble and Natural Stone

Use a few drops of natural dish-washing liquid and warm water.

Ceramic Tile

For glazed tiles, one cap-full of alcohol in one gallon of water. For unglazed tile, like Terra-cotta a few drops of natural dish-washing liquid in one gallon of water.

All Purpose Cleaner

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.
A dob of natural liquid soap.
Two cups of hot water.

Combine these ingredients in to a 750 ml (26 oz) spray bottle and mix thoroughly.

Second Method

Microfiber

Also you can buy a set of Microfiber Cleaning Cloth. It cost from $ 5.00 to $ 13.00 dollar . Depend the store and brand. But basically are four or five cloths, they are coming in different color each of them for specific task; one for floor, one for window and glass, other for dust and polish. And one for kitchen or bathroom. And do not forget to buy a microfiber floor mop $ 7.00 dollars average.
Microfiber cloth lifts and traps dust better of conventional cotton cloths and feather duster, microfiber cloths and mops capture and remove oils, bacteria more efficiently than traditional mopping and dusting materials. And you do not have to use chemicals.

Microfiber is a man-made product that is manufactured by combining two: fiber, polyester (the scrubbing and cleaning fiber). And poly- amide (the absorbing and quick drying fiber). they can be laundered and reused hundreds of time. When washing use a very small amount of detergent. Microfibers release the soil when washed very easy.
The two products to avoid are bleach and fabric softener. Bleach will damage the fibers. Fabric softener eliminates static cling or electrostatic energy, this is a critical part of what makes a microfiber works. If you accidentally use some softener-just rewash the cloth, no permanent damage from this. No worry about machine washing in hot water. But never dry other cloths, rags, towels with your micro fibers if you choose to machine dry them. They will pull all the lint off these other material and become so loaded that they may be worthless in the future. A single cycle is fine for cleaning the cloths.

Third Method

Considering use a steam vapor cleaning machine

Vapor Steam Cleaners remove dirt and stains. And kills dust mites, mold, germs, spores and bacteria with use water and none chemical cleaners. It sanitizes, disinfects and make deep clean reaching into small spaces and corners that traditional cleaning methods have a hard time reaching. A small residential steam vapor unit cost around $ 30.00 dollars and if you want a steam mop too, you can expend another $ 50.00 dollars. But some residential models can cost $ 400.00 dollars or more.

Fourth Method

Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Products.

Go green is not going to the store and buy a bunch of products that have been labeled as green or natural. You need to learn about them, look for ingredients disclosure; it will tell you exactly what is in the product, Here is some recommendation on what to look for when choosing green cleaners.

Not necessary, but select certified by Green Seal or Eco Logo products.
Products made from citrus, soy, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, borax (sodium borate), lemon juice, tea tree oil or eucalyptus. Plant-base surfactants. These ingredients are all renewable resources. They are less toxic to the environment, biodegradable, contain fewer or not VOC's (volatile organic compounds). And have lower odor.
Not less important use HEPA vacuums to reduce airborne particles. Vacuums with filtration systems contain the dust rather that allowing it to spew out into the air again.
Use Paper Towels and Trash Bags made from recycled ones.

Do not buy products with

Chlorine, Ammonia, Monoethanolamine (MEA), Glycol ethers, Alkylphonol ethoxylates (APEs), Phthalates, Triclosan, Hydrochloric, sodium acid sulfate, Nitrobenzene, Phosphates, Additives, Ammonium Hydroxide, Isopropanol, Potassium Hydroxide. All Petroleum base products.

Green Cleaning is much more than just switching out your chemicals. Green Clean is a system of cleaning that promotes healthy surrounding for us, are houses, buildings and also less detrimental to the environment.

Today Green Products are less expensive, more effective, and less toxic. Using green cleaning products can help safeguard the health and safety of homes and buildings occupants and the planet. Conventional cleaning chemicals are linked to the increase in many health problems such as allergies, respiratory ailments, chemical sensitivities, reproductive problems or even cancer.

It is your choice. You can use any method or you can be like me and use a combination.

Alejandro Abaunza
Nice and Clean Maids Service Incorporation.

Free of Mildew

2008-11-09T20:54:00.000-08:00

My wife Carmen and me, have been cleaning houses for more of 10 years. we would like to start giving some secrets or tips to cleaning better. One of the bigger challenge is when your bathroom has mildew, a type of fungus that be found growing on a multitude of surfaces where moisture and temperature levels are high. Mildew can be black or white color.

What causes mildew

Most mildew are caused by overgrowth of it's close cousin, mold. Poor air circulation, low or non-existent lighting, warm, humid temperatures, grease or body oils left on material, such as shower walls and doors, damp or wet conditions.

You can get control of mildew

Turn on the bathroom fan, that will helps pulls moisture from the air. If you do not have fan, use a dehumidifier, air conditioner, or open a bathroom widow to help circulate air. In winter, turn on the heat. Electric and gas heat will help to dry the bathroom faster and remove excess moisture from the air. Use bathroom lighting before, during and after a shower or hot bath. Mildew does not grow in well-lit areas. Leave lights on fifteen minutes after showering. Leave your shower door open for a while after take a shower. Repaint your bathroom using a mildew proof paint, especially designed for high moisture areas. Put new adhesive caulk, there are cured caulks which are mold and mildew resistant.

How to clean mildew

Scrub the bathroom shower walls and doors with a stiff brush and a solution of bleach and water ( one cup chlorine bleach to five cups hot water). Bleach not only cleans, but kills bacterias, like molds and mildews. You can use regular household bleach or cleaners containing bleach. Chemical mildew-removers can also be effective, but are highly toxic. Remember improperly used of chlorine bleach can damage eyes, skin and lungs. Be sure wear rubber gloves and leave bathroom widows open of fans running during cleaning to provide adequate air exchange.

What to use instead

Seven generation chlorine free bleach, naturally clean mildew enzymes better and Moldstat Plus. Or the vinegar cure, fill an old spray bottle with white vinegar use at full strength to fight mold and mildew.

We hope this secret really help you to clean better and easy your home.

Alejandro and Carmen Abaunza

Nice and Clean Secrets

Green Cleaning to all Budgets

Free of Mildew