Keeping our homes and workplaces clean is more important than ever now. Check out these seven tips from Green Maids Cleaning. All sprays, solutions and methods mentioned are safe for family, pets and the environment.
#1 Research Cleaning products before buying
Be informed and make intelligent purchases. Get in the habit of reading cleaning product labels and looking for eco-friendly certification badges. See if the product earned a Green Seal and/or Ecologo certification. Get a better understanding of what you are buying. For example, many popular manufacturers will add artificial fragrances to their cleaning products. These fragrant chemicals do not enhance the cleaning power, only the product’s aroma. Yet, the substances used in the fragrances are some of the more highly toxic and harmful chemicals that are found in our homes.
#2 Stay up to date
Protecting ourselves from COVID-19 is of course a top concern for everyone. The CDC has published guidelines on cleaning and disinfecting a home. Recommendations range from house cleaning with soap and water to utilizing the EPA list of disinfectants for use against COVID-19.
#3 Use reusable cloths & save on paper products
Look for opportunities to substitute reusable cleaning cloths for paper towels. Why go through more paper products than necessary? Microfiber cleaning cloths and wipes are great and often an old school cleaning rag will do the trick. Plus, running them through a standard laundry cycle will have them ready to go for next time!
#4 Remember all those high-contact surfaces
There are probably more surfaces to clean than people may realize. Frequently touched objects need to be focused on, including tabletops, countertops, doorknobs, staircase railings, light switches, phones, remotes, video game controllers, computer mice, keyboards and appliance touch pads.
#5 Avoid unnecessary toxicity whenever possible
Many popular air fresheners found on supermarket shelves release volatile organic compounds (VOCs). According to poison.org, when the product’s chemicals combine with the ozone already in the air it can cause health problems for people, especially with long-term exposure. It is suspected that these products also contain endocrine disruptors. Avoid them.
Don’t use products that contain quaternary ammonium compounds, or “quats”. These chemicals are associated with asthma, and reduced fertility and birth defects in animals. Beware of industrial strength toilet cleaners and heavy-duty oven degreasers that contain hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, sodium or potassium hydroxide, or ethanolamines. These chemicals can cause skin burns, blindness and lung irritation.
#6 Don't bring toxins into the house (shoes off, please)
Wipe feet thoroughly on a doormat to avoid bringing pollution into the house. Or, better yet… Don’t wear shoes in your home. A study done by the University of Arizona found an average of 421,000 different bacteria on the soles of shoes, including E. coli bacteria.
#7 Make DIY eco-friendly home cleaning products
To clean out your drains, keep it simple. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda in the problem drain followed by 1/2 cup of white vinegar. The reaction by combining the two will break up all the gunk! Drain snakes work great too.
Deodorize with baking soda. Help eliminate the smells on rugs and mattresses using baking soda. Sprinkle baking soda on the affected area, let it sit for about an hour and then vacuum it up.
Remove mold and mildew by adding a capful of vinegar into a spray bottle of water.
How Can We Help You?
We hope you found our 7 Tips to Keep Your Home Clean & Green helpful. If you have further questions about our eco-friendly products and methods or you’d like to inquire about our green cleaning services, please call 603.610.7876 or visit https://greenmaidscleaning.com/contact/.
Green Maids was founded in 2009 and is a green cleaning company that services southern Maine and the New Hampshire seacoast. Green Maids’ goal is to provide a superior clean and excellent customer service while using today’s most eco-friendly products and methods. All the products we use are guaranteed to be all-natural, biodegradable, earth friendly, non-toxic and safe for your home.
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