Archive for the ‘Green Living’ Category

I will be offering completely free workshops on natural cleaning to any group of 5 or more who would like to book one. This is a public education outreach effort on behalf of my company, but will not be about my company or a sales presentation for it. In this workshop you will learn:

1. Why you should make the switch to natural – health benefits, allergies, chemical sensitivity issues, environmental impact, etc.
2. How to go about making the switch – what to do with all those old products lurking beneath the sink.
3. What products to use – store bought or homemade? Brand reviews and recommendations, recipes and more!
4. Tips, tricks, and solutions from an industry expert. 

All participants will receive a booklet on Natural Cleaning, a sample bottle of all-purpose cleaner, and a special microfiber cleaning cloth. Workshops last between 30 minutes and an hour, depending on the amount of time your group wishes to allocate and audience participation. 

Give me a call to book your group’s workshop today at 970.215.2224 or email laura@cleaningallstars.com for more information.

Go ahead. Pull all those bottles out from under your sink and have a look. Here is what all those warning labels are really trying to tell you:

Danger! A taste to a teaspoon could kill you. 

Warning! A teaspoon to an ounce could kill you. 

Caution! An ounce to a pint could kill you. 

These estimates are based on a 180 pound adult male. Small children and the elderly may be harmed by even lesser amounts.

To me, clean smells like vinegar. I don’t routinely use vinegar in the homes of my clients, because it is a very love-it or hate-it type of smell that many find offensive. In my personal home though, vinegar is our cleaner of choice for just about everything! Vinegar cuts grease, disinfects, deodorizes, and leaves no scent behind once it has dried. 

• Use a mixture of 1/2 distilled white vinegar and 1/2 water in a spray bottle to clean counters, sinks, toilets, walls, cutting boards, windows, mirrors, and more! Avoid using vinegar on granite, marble, and other natural stone, or on gold colored taps. 
• Remove pet odors – if your pet has an accident, blot up as much as you can, and then saturate the area with white vinegar. Let dwell for several minutes, and then blot well and rinse with warm water. The vinegar will remove the smell, and discourage your pet from resoiling the same area. 
• Remove soap build up and odors from your dishwasher by filling a juice glass with vinegar and placing it right-side up in the top rack. Run the dishwasher empty (except for the juice glass) once per month. 
• Clean and deodorize the microwave: pour 1/4 cup of white vinegar and 1 cup of water in a small bowl, and microwave on high until it boils. The steam will loosen stuck on food so it will simply wipe away, and the vinegar will get rid of the burnt-popcorn smell that haunts your microwave. 
• Vinegar is a natural fabric softener and reduces static cling – use as you would a traditional liquid fabric softener. 
• Unclog and deodorize drains – pour a 1/2 cup or so of baking soda down the clogged drain, followed by 1 cup of hot vinegar, and let sit for 30 minutes. Flush with hot water. Read the rest of this entry »

While there are about a million reasons to choose natural cleaning over chemical, here are some of the more compelling reasons to make the switch:

Within 26 seconds after exposure to chemicals such as cleaning products, traces of these chemicals can be found in every organ in the body.
-Chec’s HealtheHouse, the resource for Environmental Health Risks Affecting Your Children

Cancer rates have increased since 1901 from only 1 in 8,000 Americans, to 1 in 3 today. By the year 2010, this disease will afflict 1 of every 2 individuals.
-American Cancer Society

Cancer rates have continued to increase every year since 1970. Brain cancer in children is up
40% in 20 years. Toxic chemicals are largely to blame.
-NY Times, September 29, 1997

Women who work at home have a 54% higher death rate from cancer than those who work away
from home. The 15-year study concluded it was as a direct result of the much higher exposure
rate to toxic chemicals in common household products.
-Toronto Indoor Air Conference 1990

The toxic chemicals in household cleaners are three times more likely to cause cancer than air
pollution.
- Environmental Protection Agency report in 1985