Sharing is Caring, Especially When It Comes to Cleaning

Bed Bugs Strike Back

We all know the childhood nighttime rhyme, “Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bug bite,” but did you ever know that bed bugs are real?

According to the Mayo Clinic, bed bugs have a long history of human blood sucking. They live deep in our mattresses and bed frames emerging for their midnight snack on your arms, wrists, necks and faces. After World War II, the United Sates eradicated all the little beasts with a pesticide almost as strong as an atomic weapon. Since then the FDA outlawed its use due to its highly toxic ingredients.

After the pesticide disappeared, the bed bugs came back in growing numbers. Recent research shows that in the last year 95% of professional cleaning services reported an increased infestation of bed bugs in private homes, hotels and college dorms across the US.

These little dark brown bugs wreck havoc in your sheets and, once discovered, require immediate removal. They cause major swelling at the bite sight and irritate allergies in suffers and asthmatics.

If you notice a bed bug infestation in your home, call a professional to eliminate them ASAP. Nothing screams nightmare louder than bed bugs.

Going Green in Your Home Part II

If you want to cut down on the harmful VOC’s in your home, there are some easy steps you can take, all of which will protect your health and will significantly reduce your carbon footprint too.

  • Increase ventilation indoors – open windows regularly
  • Don’t store partially used containers – fumes can leak out
  • Avoid disinfectants and paint thinners that contain high concentrations of the chemicals propane, butane, methyl chloride, formaldehyde, acetone, ethyl alcohol, or hexenol

But the single most important thing you can do is to switch to “green” cleaning products. They’re available in every city, and they’re non-toxic, and bio-degradable, containing no harsh chemicals or unpleasant fumes.

Companies like Green Depot and Earth Choice are committed to producing solutions that are made from renewable resources, and making sure that you get a safe and healthy clean. Your home will be just as clean but your kids and pets won’t be breathing in VOCs, and you’ll be doing your bit for the planet too.

Get buying!

Going Green in Your Home – Part I

Watch out for the VOC’s in your cleaning products!

VOC’s are chemical carbon compounds that evaporate in your home, under normal temperatures. What many of us don’t know is that that they can be found in all kinds of cleaning products and can really compromise the health of you and your family. And they thrive indoors, because there’s a lack of air circulation.

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) explains that health problems such as “eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system” can all be signs of exposure to VOC’s.

It’s no surprise then that more and more people are turning to green products when they clean their homes, because they want to stay healthy. But knowing about VOCs isn’t enough – you have to know how to make your home “green”. In part II, we’ll be discussing steps you can take to make green living a reality for you.

Summer Cleaning for Your Home Part I

Spring-cleaning can seem a daunting task to any house owner, especially if the house has been neglected throughout the colder winter months. Here are some helpful hints for getting the job done faster, and with less stress!

Preparation and Organization:

  • Organize a plan for all rooms in your house. Decide what rooms need what cleaning, then tackle them one at a time
  • Make a week-long or weekend long schedule of what needs to be done and when you intend to do it
  • Dole out tasks to other members of the family so you don’t have to hack it alone
  • Start by organizing a room, returning objects to their proper places, and cleaning out papers that have piled up over the year along with little knick-knacks that have been around since the holidays

Now that you have begun to organize your house and prepare it for soap and scrubbing, keep an eye open for our next post about sudsing up and getting your home squeaky clean!

Clean, healthy and allergy-free bedrooms…

We spend about one third of our lives asleep, so keeping our bedrooms as clean as possible is really the best way to keep allergies at bay and stay healthy.  But apart from thorough spring and fall cleaning, what’s the best way to keep your bedroom a pleasant place to rest and sleep?

  • Clear it of clutter.  Everything that isn’t necessary should go.  So those piles of magazines, mail, and other papers…move them out!
  • Wash your blankets, bedsheets and comforters regularly.  Hot water will kill dust mites, especially if it’s above 140F.
  • Vacuum your bedroom regularly.  Don’t forget ceiling fans, under the bed itself and above the door.  This really helps keep dust at bay.
  • Clean your heating and air conditioning systems regularly, to make sure mold, fungus and bacteria don’t build up.
  • Have your mattress cleaned by professionals like us.  This will rid it of dust mites, pollen, pet dander and other nasty allergens lurking deep inside it.

Sleep well.