The use of natural cleaning products is starting to gain grounds with the advent of awareness regarding global climate change and other environmental risks that are associated by man’s abuse to nature. One of the toughest things that environmental advocates have been fighting against is the use of toxic cleaning products that, even as effective they are in cleaning the household, can cause adverse effects to the environment.

Some of these cleaning products can even eventually become lethal and can be very unsafe especially for those that have kids. When kids are left unattended, they might be playing with these products and accidentally swallow them. These products contain so much toxic chemicals that might prove to be fatal to children and unsafe to human health and to the environment in general.

There are various natural options that can people switch to in order to do what they can in slowing down Mother Earth’s degradation due to abuses that it has taken over the past years. Using natural cleaning products should be chosen over using commercial cleaning products that contain toxic chemicals for the elements in these products would eventually come into contact with water, air and soil. These chemicals can cause highly significant and some, even irreparable effects to plants, animals, and even food supplies and drinking water for humans.

There are many ways of making a difference. Protect the world we live in and the health of the people by switching to natural ways of cleaning. There are so many things that you can use which are effective, safe and affordable. You can use baking soda to deodorize, clean and scrub surfaces. Baking soda is a popular all-purpose natural cleanser that is very effective. Using these in lieu of commercial products can already contribute a lot into saving Mother Earth.

Other natural cleaning products you can use to make a difference are vinegar, cornstarch, lemon, and washing soda. Vinegar has a lot of other purposes apart from being a staple in the kitchen and in cooking certain recipes. Vinegar removes grease, eliminates grease and eradicates wax. It can also be used to effectively clean bricks, windows, stone and other surfaces. It removes stains as well.

Cornstarch can also be used to clean windows and to revert carpets back to their unsoiled form. Aside from that, it can also be used to polish wooden furniture in your home. Who would have thought that a cheap box of cornstarch can do so much more for you?

Lemon is another one of those all-purpose natural cleaning product. You can use every part of it for a specific purpose all in the goal of giving your household a clean look and refreshed smell. You can use lemon juice to clean glass and remove stubborn stains. Its peel, which smells quite nice, can be used to deodorize parts in a room that needs to smell fresh all the time. Place a whole peel of it in garbage disposal areas or near shoeboxes to keep them from accumulating foul odors.

Washing soda is also one of those underrated kitchen staples. Did you know that washing soda, which is also referred to as sodium carbonate decahydrate by science geeks, can be used to effectively remove stains and help clean the laundry?

There are so many other ways that you can do to help save Mother Earth. The use of natural cleaning products is just one small step to doing our part in environmental preservation. Know though that one small step that is done and achieved by a lot of people for a long time can make up one big leap – so start doing what you can now. Use natural cleaning products!

Markus Skupeika
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/saving-earth-through-natural-cleaning-products-687490.html

My carpet gets very dirty and lots of stains on it. I havn’t hired professional cleaning company to clean it before, so I don’t know I should choose what kind of cleaning. I need a kind of cleaning which can clean it thoroughly and gets dry quickly and does not need to move all my furnitures out. I asked several carpet cleaning companies, but their suggestions were all different. I wonder if there is someone knows this?
Thanks for your answers, but I do not want DIY. I want hire a professional team to clean it. I consulted some companies; one said steam clean was the best; one said steam clean did not dry quickly; one said their self-invented method was the best. I was confused, so I came here to ask for help. I only want answers about professional cleaning, not cleaing by myself. Thanks.
I am in Kensington, Sydney. If anyone can suggest a good company, that would be great.

In the past I have used Stanley you-know-who … they arrived on time, treated my antiques with respect; when replacing the furniture they put down little pads that were easily removed the next day; the carpet was clean, fresh and ready for a dinner party within six hours. There are other companies that use the same system, I would ask friends and neighbors for referrals or ask the company for references from recent customers. Look for a company that has been around for a few years. Make sure the company is insured for any damages to your property. Also, ask if their workers are bonded and experienced.

Finally, many commercial carpet cleaners apply a stain guard type of product to your carpet, which will help minimize the impact of occasional spills. This will help stretch out the time between commercial cleanings

I’ve heard so many people lately say that too much cleaning is bad for your home and children’s immune systems. But then, you get warnings to clean countertops daily because of food/meat germs. What is a safe level (a good balance) of cleaning your home without going overboard?

I vacuum regularly (house every 2-4 weeks, every week in kitchen) I only wash my hardwoods maybe once a month or two months, or longer. But I wash/vacuum the kitchen floor more often (son eats things off floor if I slip up). I wash countertops almost daily with METHOD cleaner (easy on lungs and environment). Sink every 2 weeks or so w/Ajax with Bleach. The only thing I use Clorox wipes on is the diaper pail maybe once a month because my son teethes the handle. I use Palmolive original soap for dishes. These are estimates.

Am I overdoing anything? How do you find a balance?

I don’t know who the people you’ve been talking to about cleaning too much, but that is a lot of bad advice. When children are involved, you can never be too clean. You most definitely want to keep counters and bathrooms clean as possible. It doesn’t take much to disinfect those things. A little, and I mean a little bleach in water will disinfect bathrooms, sinks, counter tops and even kids toys. You don’t have to disinfect floors, that’s impossible to do. But counter tops should be a several times a day, especially if you prepare meats a lot. Even a very little bleach in dishwater does the trick also. The vacuuming routine you have and floor washing seems to be good enough. Why buy wipes, if you keep bleach in your house, that is plenty good enough. I did with my kids growing up and kept illnesses down to a bare minimum. But when they get to school age, they seem to bring it home with them. And there is nothing you can do about that, other than what you already do at home.

No one could call you a fanatic and if they do, I would ignore them. Just do what you are doing.

Natural cleaning products are used to clean, deodorize and disinfect which have natural substances as their active ingredients. These products are less damaging to the environment and safer for human and also for animals or your pets, unlike the household cleaning products.

These household cleaning products contains a toxic chemical ingredients which are eventually contact the air, water and soil where they can cause a significant and irreparable harm to animals, plants ,drinking water and food supplies. This can be a really big problem. So try to use natural cleaning products to avoid those problems.

What else can you do? Dispose of hazardous household cleaning products responsibly. For information on proper disposal in your area, contact your local or state department of solid waste disposal or household hazardous waste. But if your community doesn’t have a household hazardous waste collection program, encourage your community leaders to organize one.

If you want to save more money in cleaning your home and furniture’s try to make homemade cleaning products. It’s very simple and easy to do. Here are some examples of ingredients using baking soda: All-purpose cleaner: Place 4 tablespoons baking soda in 1 quart warm water and shake well. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) neutralizes acid, softens fabrics, as well as deodorizes, cleans and polishes metals and plastics.

Another natural ingredient is vinegar. Vinegar removes mildew, grease, and wax; deodorizes; cleans windows, brick, and stone. Some ingredients using vinegar: Air freshener: Place shallow plates of vinegar in rooms to absorb odors; sprinkle ½ cup borax in the bottom of trash cans or diaper pails to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold that cause odors.

You can also make a toilet bowl cleaner: Mix ¼ cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar pour into toilet, let set for 5 minutes, then scrub with brush. My father had tried it last September he accidentally mixed baking soda into a cup of vinegar while cooking then he placed it on a container.

While my father was cooking, my mother asks for the muriatic acid to clean the toilet bowl. My father had mistakenly gave the container of mixed baking soda and vinegar, my father remember that container but it’s too late my mother had already used it and it is effective. Start on that day until now my mother still using that ingredient. They both learned to use homemade natural cleaning products and also to save more money. It’s too easy making homemade cleaning products, simple and affordable unlike using household cleaning products which are expensive and dangerous cause of its toxic ingredients.

Homemade cleaning products you have in your kitchen: vinegar, lemon juice, salt, baking soda and others. Lemon juice is another natural substance that can be used to clean your home. It cleans and shines brass and copper. Lemon juice can be mixed with vinegar and or baking soda to make cleaning pastes. Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on the cut section.

Use the lemon to scrub dishes, surfaces, and stains. Mix 1 cup olive oil with ½ cup lemon juice and you have a furniture polish for your hardwood furniture. You can use salt in cleaning your accessories like silver. I had always used salt in cleaning my accessories. You just need to boil water then pour the salt and your silver accessories for 5 minutes. Try it at your home and see to believe that a salt can make your silvers clean and shine like new sold.

Markus Skupeika
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/save-through-home-cleaning-with-natural-cleaning-products-687456.html

Cleaning carpet stains can sometimes be a very difficult task. Part of the reason is because when a stain first occurs, your first reaction is to pour every chemical on it that you have in your house to try to get it out. However, this can actually be counterproductive. You want to be careful what you apply to your carpet as different types of carpets have different carpet cleaning needs.

Cleaning carpet stains doesn’t have to be difficult. For simple stains, such as dirt, you can usually get the stain out with a good soap based cleaner. However, if the stain is stronger than that, say, pet stains, ketchup, wine, or ink, you may have to either rent a steam cleaning machine or call a professional carpet cleaning company to come and do the job for you.

A professional will usually steam clean your carpet. Steam cleaning carpet stains breaks the stain up by using very hot water. The drawback to cleaning carpet stains this way is that it leaves your carpet damp afterwards. This usually means that you can’t walk on it for some time. You also run the risk of mold and mildew developing in your house if it isn’t the correct temperature. Some people just don’t want to take this risk, so they choose to have their carpets cleaned using “dry” cleaning methods.

The dry chemical cleaning method uses certain chemicals, usually packed with certain enzymes, that break the stain up without having to get the carpet wet. The drawback to this method is that you can ruin your carpet if you don’t know what you’re doing. It’s best, if you’re going to use this method, to find the help of a professional so that you don’t do permanent
damage to your carpet.

Cleaning carpet stains doesn’t have to be an activity that causes a lot of anxiety. It all depends on what kind of stain you have. Any stain, be it pet stains or ink stains, can be removed. The trick is to apply whatever method you choose as soon as you can so that the substance doesn’t have time to reach the padding underneath, which is the reason most stains become
permanent. Don’t worry if something hits your carpet, there’s a method out there that will get that stain out so that you don’t have to find a new piece of furniture to cover it up. You can keep your carpet looking great for as long as you have it.

Andrew Wanschura
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/tips-to-help-you-with-cleaning-carpet-stains-70420.html

Stained carpeting is very unsightly and can make even the most well decorated home look shabby and old. Similarly, a stain in the carpet or on the upholstery of your car can make even the newest model seem old and unkempt. That’s why there will always be a demand for carpet and upholstery cleaning. There are many companies that offer carpet and upholstery cleaning. These companies will either come to your home or you can take your car there for all your carpet and upholstery cleaning needs.

You Can Do It Yourself

If you don’t want to pay a professional to do the job, you can do it yourself. After all, who wants to pay labor costs if they can do the job themselves? Nobody that I know of. There are many machines that you can buy or rent that can be used for carpet and upholstery cleaning with great results. These machines may not be as powerful as the ones used by professionals but they do wonders on stains that aren’t too bad. However, if the stain is something that won’t come out easily, you may have no choice but to turn to a professional. The cost is worth it, however, when you consider what it can do to even the most stained of carpeting and upholstery.

Carpet and upholstery cleaning can even be done at most do-it-yourself carwashes nowadays. For usually a dollar, you can vacuum and shampoo the carpet and upholstery in your car. These vacuums are very powerful and should be used before you do the shampoo job. You simply vacuum the entire floor and upholstery and then shampoo it using a separate apparatus. Then, you vacuum the soap up. Once, it dries, you’ll be amazed at how clean your carpet and upholstery will look.

If you have a stain in the carpet of your home or car or even on your upholstery, you should definitely consider some carpet and upholstery cleaning. There’s no better way to improve the look of your car or home. Search the local yellow pages for a carpet and upholstery cleaning service near you or rent or buy one for yourself so you don’t have to pay labor costs. You’ll be very pleased with the results and it’s always helpful to have a clean car or home so that you don’t have worry, in case company comes over, about your friends and family thinking you’re a slob.

Matthew Meyer
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/carpet-and-upholstery-cleaning-for-the-house-and-the-car-64525.html

You’re starting up your own cleaning business and you’re ecstatic beyond belief. You’ve always wanted to start up your own business and what better to do that than with a cleaning business, after all you know cleaning tips and tricks like the back of your hand. And since you’ve decided to start on your own cleaning business, one of the first things that you will want to do is to design your cleaning logo.

This might seem trivial and not as important to many people, but the reality is, that aside from all the paperwork that you need to file, and all the other little odds and ends that need to be tied up, finding the right name for your company, as well as designing the right logo for your company is very important indeed.

These two items are the first things that people will notice about your cleaning company, and these two items are the most important ones if you want to draw new customers to your business through a means other than that of referrals.

Most people will look through the yellow pages to find what they want and what’s the first thing they will do? Sure as anything they will look for a cleaning logo which they believe looks the part. So the entire package needs to be the best that you can manage.

The cleaning log and the name need to be something that will attract people to your cleaning business, and just as importantly, inform people what your business is. Because not everyone goes through the yellow pages to find a cleaning business, and if you have a non-descriptive name with an equally non-descriptive cleaning logo you will leave people feeling confused.

And when potential customers are confused from the outset, they will move on to the next best thing, a cleaning company that looks and sounds like what it is: a cleaning company.

So this is where you need to be careful and get your act together. Your cleaning logo and business are more important than even you might imagine. Don’t settle for something like “Daisy’s” with a logo design of a daisy, and expect people to know what it is all about.

Help out your customers and design a name and a cleaning logo which will be descriptive and which will draw people to your business like bees to honey. And then you will be set for life.

Muna wa Wanjiru
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/how-to-design-a-cleaning-logo-which-will-draw-people-to-your-business-303592.html

Who knew that cleaning a dish could be so complicated? A trip down the grocery store’s “dishwashing detergent” aisle reveals shelves stacked high with chemical solutions of every strength, scent, and toxicity. Detergent companies have made tremendous strides in improving their products we can trust our detergents to kill germs and remove all but the tiniest remnants of food stuck to our dishes but without exception, they’ve come up short on a solution to the most subtle and stubborn stains and discolorations. Even the best cleaning products, whether applied by hand or machine, struggle to maintain our glasses’ and silverware’s shining appearance.

Most of us know the phenomena by now: that slow, irreversible dulling of our silverware; that clouding that seeps into our glassware, resisting all the detergents and vinegar-based treatments that we throw at it. Most of us are resigned to it, or are resigned to using synthetic treatments as damaging to our skin and to the environment as they are beneficial to our dishware. Effective, non-toxic products that can restore the shine on our long-suffering dishes remain as hard to come by as ever.

That’s what makes products like the Grease Bullet such exceptional finds. Inexpensive, non-toxic, and extraordinarily effective, the Grease Bullet restores the luster on dulled silverware and cloudy glassware like no other product can. Combining the Grease Bullet with hot water creates a natural cleaning solution in which enzymes dissolve even the smallest, most persistent, and most deeply-rooted grease stains. The Grease Bullet works with remarkable speed, freeing dishware from its oldest layers of grease and grime almost on contact.

Internet users have been among the first to discover the value of the Grease Bullet. Video testimonials posted on the World Wide Web speak to the astonishing effectiveness of this hugely useful product, and diverse internet sites continue to generate the better part of the product’s sales. The Grease Bullet has met with an overwhelmingly enthusiastic reception from people grateful to have seen their dining sets given new life.

Cleaning the dishes will always be a necessary evil: the anti-climax to the food and good company that came before. At least now, thanks to grease-removing products like the Grease Bullet, it’s an evil we don’t have to fret about nearly as much.

Jeff Marshall is a freelance writer dedicated to providing thorough and accurate information to readers. Additional information about the Grease Bullet is available at www.thegreasebullet.net.

Steve T
http://www.articlesbase.com/online-promotion-articles/debating-the-virtues-of-household-cleaning-products-69776.html

Millions of people have dogs and cats for pets and love them dearly. However, keeping your house clean with a pet or two in the family can be a challenge. Pet hair, dirt, muddy paws and accidents are all a fact of life when you own a dog or cat. Here are a few ideas to simplify keeping house with pets.

Only allow your pet into certain rooms of your home to contain dirt, hair and messes to a small area rather than let your cat or dog roam freely. For example don’t allow your dogs into the carpeted areas of your house. This will keep the carpets clean much longer and prevent any accidents on harder to clean carpet. It’s not very difficult to teach your dog that they are not allowed on the carpet and they will soon be happy to have the run of the rest of the house.

Some people only allow their dogs into a certain room of the house, the mud room for example. This makes the daily task of sweeping quick and easy because it’s only a small space. You can keep the doors closed to that room or use a child’s safety gate to keep your pet contained. Keeping bedroom doors closed will keep the cat out if he or she loves to sleep on the beds when you aren’t looking. They do seem to prefer to sleep in the same spot most of the time leaving dirt and hair behind.

Crate training your puppy is another solution to containing your pet’s mess and some dogs actually seem to prefer their crate as a comfortable safe haven. An older dog might not feel the same way being introduced to a crate later in life.

Another solution is to have your dog’s bed near the door so when he or she comes indoors they can curl up on their bed, this works especially well if they are wet, have dirty or muddy paws. They can stay on their bed until they have dried off and are cleaner. By having your dogs go directly to their bed when they come inside from outdoors any dirt and hair is pretty much contained in their bedding. Depending on the weather and your location their bedding will need a quick shake outdoors regularly and washing every week or so.

Stop dirt at the door! Before your pet has a chance to run through the house leaving muddy tracks use an old towel to wipe muddy paws at the door. If paws are really muddy or have winter salt on them rinse them in a small bucket of warm water and dry them with an old towel. Or try pet boots, your dog might not like them at first but will get used to them.

If your dog or cat prefers to sleep on your bed or upholstered furniture cover their favorite nap location with a towel or small blanket that can be easily washed. This works well for cats and small dogs who always have their favorite perches for keeping their eye on things and napping.

Pet accidents do happen and there is a variety of products on the market to deal with these. Look for one that will eliminate both stains and odors to prevent a repeat performance in the same spot.

Taking a bit of time to train your pet, some advanced planning and preventative measures will make keeping your house clean with pets much easier and less time consuming in the long run.

Melody Thacker
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/how-to-simplfiy-house-cleaning-with-pets-51798.html

Only have a minute for cleaning? No problem. This set of tips will give you some ideas for chores that take less than a minute.

1. Dust One Thing

It only takes a minute to choose one thing and dust it. You can either use a feather duster, a dust spray and a rag, or a dust wipe. Here are some things you can dust quickly:

TV screens
Shelves
Blinds
Ceiling fans
Air Vents

2. Change Vacuum Bag

It doesn’t take much time at all to change your vacuum bag, and it can make your vacuum run more efficiently. A good tip is to take your vacuum outside to change it so the dust from the bag doesn’t go back into the room.

3. Clean a Mirror

A clean mirror makes a room look cleaner. If you don’t have glass cleaner and paper towels, try vinegar and old newspaper. This is a lot less expensive and it works just as well.

4. Change Towels

Fresh towels make a room smell great, whether they’re in the kitchen or the bathroom. It takes less than a minute, and it freshens up the whole room.

5. Change Trash Bags

Even if you don’t have time to take the trash all the way out, just taking full bags out of the cans and replacing them with clean bags can help tidy up when you only have a minute.

6. Sort Todays Mail

Mail can really pile up if left alone. If you take 30 seconds every day to organize that day’s mail, you’ll have a lot less clutter. Don’t be afraid to throw away junk mail.

7. Treat a Stain

Got an extra minute? Treat that nasty stain that you noticed last week. Here are some tips:

Flush stains with water.
Blot the stain with a dry cloth.
Apply a mild cleaner and let set.
Blot again.

8. Take Care of Plants

A minute is more than enough time to care for your favorite houseplants. If they need water, fill a pitcher so you can water them all faster. Take a pair of scissors with you to snip off dead vines or leaves.

9. Wipe Down Forgotten Areas

Grab a wet washcloth and quickly wipe down areas that might be forgotten when cleaning. Areas like:

Doorknobs
Remote controls
Light switches
Handles
Telephones

10. Sweep Entryways

Most entryways are small and take less than a minute to sweep. Grab your broom and dustpan and you’ll be finished before you begin. You can even cheat and sweep dust onto the carpet, then use the carpet-sweeper to clean it up.

11. Shake out a Floor Mat

Floor mats are sometimes forgotten during cleaning. If you have an extra minute, grab a mat or two and shake them out outside. This will reduce the amount of dust in your home as well as keep those mats fresh and clean.

12. Collect Garbage in a Room

If you don’t have time to clean a whole room but want to make it look a little bit better, clear out the garbage. Grab a trash bag or a waste paper basket and start stuffing. You’ll find that this improves the look of a room dramatically.

Allan Wilson
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/12-one-minute-house-cleaning-shortcuts-95428.html