Friday, January 30, 2009

Green Cleaning At a Glance

Green cleaning refers to the use of products and procedures that reduce health and environmental impacts compared to others used for the same purpose. Green cleaning is about more than just using environmentally-friendly cleaning solutions. It is a total cleaning program that includes green cleaning solutions, equipment and procedures.

Benefits of Green Cleaning

One of the greatest benefits of green cleaning is that it creates a healthier indoor environment for Maid Brigade employees, customers and their families. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside a typical home is, on average, 2 to 5 times more polluted than the air outside – and in extreme cases, 100 times more contaminated – largely because of household cleaners.

By eliminating the use of harsh, toxic chemicals that can cause pollution in your home and damage to the environment, green cleaning promotes a healthier home environment and minimizes the impact to the ecosystem.

Green Cleaning and Maid Brigade

Maid Brigade is the only national residential cleaning company committed to green cleaning. The company uses “green” solutions that are certified by Green Seal for a safe and thorough cleaning, and the equipment and processes it uses follow many Green Seal standards for cleaning services. Maid Brigade’s vacuums are certified through the Carpet & Rug Institute’s Green Label Program meeting stringent standards for soil removal, dust containment and carpet appearance. Its Green Clean Certified™ system reduces solid waste by utilizing reusable microfiber cloths and concentrated cleaning solutions. The company’s system also eliminates cross-contamination of surfaces and prevents the transfer of bacteria from room to room.

Green Seal Certification

In advance of an established government or third party green cleaning standard for the residential cleaning industry, Maid Brigade has patterned its system on Green Seal’s standard for the commercial cleaning industry (GS-42) wherever applicable. The Green Seal organization has initiated a product eco-labeling program that sets the standard for environmentally-friendly cleaning solutions and identifies them as such. Using internationally recognized methods and procedures, they evaluate cleaning supplies based on the following criteria:
(i) Cleans common household surfaces effectively
(ii) Contains no carcinogens or toxins
(iii) Contains no skin/eye corrosives
(iv) Contains minimal Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) to reduce harmful fumes
(v) Less likely to cause allergic reactions
(vi) Non-combustible
(vii) Biodegradable
(viii) Contains no aquatic toxins/safe for the water supply
(ix) Contains safe fragrances
(x) Contains no endocrine disruptors, making them safer for people and pets
(xi) Contains environmentally-safe levels of phosphorus
(xii) Uses reduced packaging to minimize impact on landfills and depletion of natural resources.

About The Author-- About Maid Brigade Headquartered in Atlanta, Maid Brigade is a global residential cleaning service with more than 400 franchised service areas operating in the United States, Canada and Ireland. Established in 1979,green cleaning services Merry Maids, house cleaning services Portland,Portland Contact for cleaning services , Portland contract cleaning, Portland domestic cleaning services, maids portland.

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Keeping Your Home Sparkle Clean

An executive feels peaceful and relaxed when he/she enters home after 16hours of hectic work, if kept tidy, serene and airy with fragrance. The teenager gets the atmosphere to study and concentrate if his/her room is in order and well kept. The home maker will have a sigh of relief when she enters the clean, dry, odourless kitchen early in the morning.
The Super-green Clean: Using Microfiber Towels To Clean Almost Anything With Plain Water

All these positive vibrations at home are possible only when the entire house is kept spotlessly clean.. The prerequisites for maintaining the house well are optimum usage of moving space as well as an intelligent arrangement of utility articles. There has to be a system of piling up disposable articles like mineral water bottles, plastic bags, newspaper/magazines etc., Today's modern flat living culture , garbage and kitchen waste are also to be tackled on a day to day basis.

Let us go segment by segment. If we take the Hall, that is, drawing room or living room, the floor to be broomed and mopped every day. Sofa sets, carpets, electronic items like TV, music system etc be vacuum cleaned once in a week. The upholstery and curtains are to be changed once a month, by having another set washed or dry cleaned ready. The ceiling fans, glass windows, mirrors, and glass doors are to be cleaned every week.

The furniture is to be cleaned with dry cloth or with solutions meant for cleaning wooden articles. There is an excellent view across the gardens to the rose parterre and down to the main lawn. The dinning room regularly used for dinner parties and receptions. This room is used for formal luncheons and dinners.

The Drawing Room is used for most official entertaining including important visitors, diplomatic callers and small receptions. The drawing room is one of the most used rooms in the house, hosting many receptions, pre-dinner drinks, and meetings. The Drawing Room is the venue for small receptions, presentations and investitures. It is the central stone hall of the original Residence and is the oldest known European structure in Darwin.

Due to paucity of space in flats, the study room and bedroom will be the same, or used with a two-in-one concept.. In such cases the study part should have more moving space with only furniture and book shelves. The bed covers and pillow covers are to be kept tidy for the sake of hygiene and good atmosphere. Just a wash through washing machine weekly is enough for this. But the entire room to be vacuum cleaned once a fortnight and dusted.

A typical study might contain a desk, chair, computer, and bookshelves. A spare bedroom is often utilized as a study, but many modern homes have a room specifically designated as a study. Such rooms are usually located in a convenient area on the main floor of the house and may be referred to as a den, home office, or library. A study is a room in a house which is used for paperwork, computer work, or reading. Historically, the study of a house was reserved for use as the private office and reading room of a family father as the formal head of a household, but today studies are generally either used to operate a home business or else open to the whole family.

We now move to the very sensitive area, the bathrooms. The toilet, floor and wash basins are to be cleaned on a daily basis. We get many brands of cleaning material and accessories to aid this. The sink and the toilet are to be kept infection free, hence quality disinfectants that do not harm the hands and feet are to be used at frequent intervals for a healthy living. The other general cleaning like dusting the ceiling, wiping the mirrors, window panels, the shoe racks etc are also to be done periodically. In the United States, 'bathroom' commonly means 'a room containing a toilet'. In other countries this is usually called the 'toilet' or alternatively 'water closet'

The kitchen, the homemaker's place of dwelling for 60% of the day deserves special treatment as the healthy survival of the family depends on the quality food that is being prepared from here. The toughest task indeed is the closed cabinets, which will be the paradise for ants, cockroaches and lizards. Cleaning the cabinet with insecticides is a must to prevent them from entering. The cabinet with wooden doors to be cleaned with dry cloth or with solutions which give some additional glow. The counter top and floor to be degreased and wiped/moped every day. The stainless steel vessels and the sink to be washed everyday and wiped. The gas stove, mixie, wet grinder and micro oven to be serviced periodically. The glass doors and windows to be kept tidy by periodical dusting and wiping. The refrigerator/freezer to be cleaned/defrost periodically.

Ground floor flats or independent houses may have the fortune of having small garden/lawn. Upkeep of garden gives immense satisfaction to the owner/ dweller.

Watering the plants on daily basis, removing the cobwebs , weeds etc gets one rich dividend.

Nowadays we get house cleaning materials of high quality in departmental stores and also through direct marketing people. There is a growing awareness among people to use these products and pay more attention on keeping the house sparklingly clean.

There are also professional home cleaning services available in the market. People who can afford can enter into a contract and utilize their services.
Pocket Queen Of Clean Guide To Spot And Stain Removal

Samehta is a Copywriter of http://allphaserenovations.com/. She written many articles in various topics such as Houston Home Repair,Home Remodeling in Houston. For more information visit: http://www.allphaserenovations.com/. contact her at allphase.articles@gmail.com

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

To Remove Rust Stain, Use Any Rust Stain Remover

Rusts make people feel awful especially those who are fond of collecting precious stuff made of metals.It is but a bi product oxide that ruins stagnant elements that are uncared for and unwanted.Sometimes we get the best out of plastic products since it would just require us to apply soap and water.Unlike metals that need extra concern, using a rag alone can handle it all.


It is quite advisable to apply an anti rust coating before painting it for a much excellent result.If it so happens that rusts have already formed in the metal, you can look in the internet a bio-degradable and non-hazardous rust remover jellies.I guess I am going wild about this because I just saw my bike at the back of our house and have been pissed off with the amount of rust that covered its once shiny metal.

At this point, those things that are susceptible to rust stain and how they would be managed and taken care of from this spots of rust will be discussed.We will then discuss here all the causes and possible remedies to this household enemy called Rusts




Clothes, Garments:
It fastened or hold on for a time when this rust stain gets on clothes and garments.These stains then are very hard to take off.Washing these clothes with a detergent powder that we regularly use is time consuming and is not guaranteed that we’ll be able to remove the stain.

Wet clothes when come into contact with rusted metals, catch rust stain easily.If the internal parts of washing machine, iron, hangers and clips or the metal rack have rust, chances are your clothes will get spoiled.

One easy solution is using rust-proofing coat on all metal tools. To remove rust stain, you can use any rust stain remover.Read and follow the instructions shown in the solution’s packaging. Organic stain removers do not do any harm to the substance and remove stain efficiently.

Upholstery:

Do you use furnitures made of iron at home?.The iron made inside the furniture that is covered with upholstery should be taken cared of because once rust is formed, it will quickly damage the entire upholstery and furniture as well.Proper attention should be given to furniture’s upholstery because it is not easy to remove and wash those seat covers just like an ordinary cloth.What was left then is a complete changed which is too Unreasonable!

On the lighter side, you can apply a spray based stain remover which would be the fastest solution.Spots of rust stain will randomly appear blurred upon application of the spray based remover.

Carpet:
Getting moist easily is what a carpet is much like to.Carpet Being spread all over the floor it can get damped any time and the moisture is locked inside.

There is a constant contact between the legs of the iron chair or the iron base of a furniture with that of the carpet.The carpet will definitely get stained because of the rust being formed caused by the moistened carpet and the iron part of the furniture touching the carpet.

Curtains:
Curtains exposed near those window sidings, doors, awning or canopy that are all made of metals catch these stains from those rusted metals.
Author Resource:- Exploring for quick and simple remedies to get rid of rust, check out our car rust removal section. See all the multiple variations of rust cleaners and the most trusted concrete rust remover that are guaranteed to be non acidic and cut labor time in half...Never worry about working to hard to remove your rust problem.

Article From ArticleSlide.com

Monday, January 26, 2009

What You Should Know About Pool Cleaners

Before everything else, it is surely pertinent to know that the funds expended in purchasing and making use of the accurate pool cleaners will really pay off at the long run; you will not have to invest huge cash on mending your pool on account of the fact that frequent sanitizing will really halt key havocs on your pool.

Don't only jump right into purchasing pool cleaners without performing your research to find the one that’s finest for the sort of pool you have; lots of individuals make this mistake and it is surely unfortunate. Apart from the helpful info you’ll uncover about pool cleaners from the websites of the manufacturers, there are more so review websites out there that contain really exhaustive info as regards the varying varieties of pool cleaners.

It is truly important for you to bear in mind that certain varieties of chemicals are surely bad for pool cleaners as a result can cause havoc to them; read the pool cleaner's manual to realize the varieties of chemicals that ought to be refrained from. Realize there’re different varieties of pool cleaners for residential swimming pools and commercial pools; do not expect to use the precise same pool cleaner for residential swimming pools and for commercial pools.

Different individuals prefer to procure their pool cleaners online rather than from their local super stores on account of the fact that they can more so assess the manufacturer’s site from the website of the retailer and learn about anything they require to find out about the particular pool cleaner from the web site of the maker. Different individuals feel that even though robotic pool cleaners can routinely sanitize the pool, they require some type of supervision, but this isn’t true; they require no supervision and can routinely shut-off when they’re done with the cleaning.

Robotic pool cleaners have their own extraordinary filtration system that allows them to "swallow" or carefully sanitize up algae as well as bacteria in your pool. Surely, it is surely "penny sensible and pound foolish" to procure used pool cleaners that will not give you the precise same really ideal pool sanitizing as the new pool cleaners will; it is surely much better to invest the cash necessary to procure the accurate and faultless functioning pool cleaners.

In conclusion, it does not matter what size or shape your pool is; if you’re excited about taking good care of it, make out time to unfailingly sanitize it with the accurate pool cleaners; this will really aid to minify or even fully get rid of any need for main repairs.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Household Waste and What to Do With it

Household waste will generally be collected once a week, whether by a private operator or a local authority. They will follow a specific route and different areas will be serviced on different days.
The waste collection centre supplies plastic sacks for PET bottles and aluminium boxes and large plastic sacks for expanded polystyrene waste.
Household waste is typically a mixture of organic materials, such as food wastes, paper, and cellulose packaging materials, and inorganic materials, such as plastic packaging materials, fabrics, ferrous and non-ferrous objects, batteries, synthetic materials, etc. Those living and working in each home or office are entrusted to separate materials that are inappropriate to incineration from the remainder in accordance with the community regulations and deposit them, as in the correct container.
Household waste is usually collected from your home on a weekly basis. Waste for recycling and the remainder of the waste is often collected separately and at different intervals. Household waste is exempted from being regulated as hazardous waste. Nevertheless, it should not be disposed of indiscriminately.
Recycling avoids the cost of sourcing materials from scratch. There is a great deal more money to be saved from recycling aluminium than steel (because steel is initially relatively cheap to produce anyway). Recycling is an economical and environmentally sound way to handle some types of household hazardous waste, such as used automobile batteries and oil.
It is illegal to dispose of used lead-acid batteries in the landfill. Recycling collected in orange sacks and mixed recycling banks at blocks of flats must be sorted out before it can be recycled. The mixed recycling is also weighed by Western Riverside Waste Authority after it has been collected.
The waste collection tariff charged by local authorities and commercial waste companies consists of a basic fee plus a charge based on the weight of the rubbish collected on each occasion. The weighing of rubbish is being introduced in some countries and states to encourage source-sorting and recycling. The waste collection centre in our town has been functional since July 2004. It has the technical and human capacities to guarantee the collection, reuse and recovery of industrial waste of the whole town area.
Recyclable waste refers to newspapers, magazines and corrugated cardboard. You should always separate by type and tie up before putting out for collection. Recycling is not wasteful, as there continues to be community and government pressure to reduce waste at source and to increase recycling rates.
Properties may use different types of receptacles such as waste containers on wheels, roller cages and large containers. The choice of receptacles depends on sorting obligations, the size of the waste collection point, the number and age structure of the residents, as well as sorting activity. Properties with 20 or more apartments must in most areas as a minimum requirement start collecting recyclable cardboard from the beginning of this year or next. Most properties also have collection points for waste paper and some say that its recovery is best organised by the paper producers.
Solid waste in bags other than the specially marked official bags placed outside for the cart will not be collected. If residents do use nonconforming containers or bags, the resident's garbage will not be picked up, since this is not part of the city's contract. Solid waste collection involves both the provision of a service and the selection of appropriate technologies. Past methods of planning for and operating waste collection systems are under pressure, resulting in the need for further management.
A new technology previously developed for security in stores and warehouses called RFID verification can improve productivity in the waste collection and disposal process, and help all parties involved understand their true costs and margins. Finally, it can increase consumer and community satisfaction, and contribute even more to sustainability efforts. Additionally the service includes the collection and disposal of needles, syringes and sharps in appropriate containers.

Garbage Collectors

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About the Author: Steve Evans brings you a host of waste management information at his blog site. Come take a look and leave a comment now!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

How Organised Is Your Garden Shed?

Indeed, it is all too easy to become a bit lazy when it comes to keeping your shed clean and tidy. You get out the lawn mower and some tools to do some work in the garden, and by the time you need to put them away again, you’re too worn out to do it properly. So you chuck them in anywhere they’ll fit instead. But if you’re guilty of that very act, don’t worry; it’s easy enough to start making some changes in your garden shed that will last a long time. And what’s more, they’ll make it much faster to find what you need every time you open the door.

Firstly you need to think about what you use your garden shed for. Do you use it to keep some fledgling plants in when you’re experimenting with cuttings or seeds? Do you keep all your tools in there? Or is it where all the kids’ outdoor toys go for dragging out during the summer?

Regardless of what you use your shed for, you need to make sure you pick a good day to actually take everything out and get it organised properly. The good thing about a wooden shed is that it is very easy to put shelves up wherever you need them. Make sure the wood you choose is sturdy enough to hold the weight of whatever you want to put on it, and get some strong brackets to screw into the frame first.

Depending on how big your shed is and how much room there is to move in there, you might be able to get more than one shelf on each side. You could even continue the shelving around the back of the shed too; this will increase your storage space by quite a bit.

Another option is to get plastic stackable crates which have lids at the front that can be lifted. This enables you to get into every single one without having to move them once they are in place. It’s the perfect solution for smaller garden toys and other items such as plastic plant pots, for example.

As for putting everything away again, make sure you sort through it all first - you might find you can actually get rid of a few items beforehand. Take that old garden fork with the broken handle, for example. Why not buy a new one instead?

As you can see, provided you think it all through carefully you can easily tidy your shed and safely store all those garden tools away again. Not only does it keep them looking as good as new, but they will also be easily accessible the next time you want to do a spot of gardening.

Vertical Garden Shed

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About the Author: Paul McIndoe writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Smart Ways to Clean Vinyl Siding

Cleaning vinyl siding is not a tough job at all, and can be made conservatively easier by using pressure washers. In using pressure washers, you would need to understand some basic steps of operation, so you could clean the siding effectively.
Avoid using the pressure washers on loose sidings or on any wooden surfaces. These washers have the capacity to peel the paint off the wood, which is obviously not desirable.

For cleaning the vinyl siding, you would need to assemble all the basic tools and equipment required. You would need a pressure washer, some plastic sheets, a vinyl siding cleaner, a garden hose, a bucket, some scrub bushes, bleach and protective Goggles.

Step 1 Before using the pressure washer, you must ensure all external receptacles and electric infringements to be switched off in the circuit box. If the window has a separate film on it, you should remove it and clean it first before cleaning with a pressure washer.

Step 2 Check the vinyl siding for any dark spots. If you find any, then wash them with water and bleach in the ratio of 3:1. Dark spots normally appear on window surfaces due to accumulation of mildew.

Step 3 Be careful when mixing the vinyl siding cleaner solution. You would be inserting the pressure washer on to this mix, and using a strong solution would damage the washer. Not to mention, you would not be able to clean the sidings effectively.

Step 4 Now, you are all set to apply the cleaning mix to the siding with the help of the pressure washer. You should ideally use the nozzle of the hose to achieve lower pressure. One note - On application of the cleaning mix, allow it to be untouched for some time! But with that being said, be careful the mix does not dry out, as this will result in deposition of residues on the siding.

Step 5 Once the solution is given some time to work, move the pressure nozzle to high level, and wash the siding starting from up and moving downwards. Be careful of directing the pressure nozzle. You should not keep the pressure nozzle pointed at one particular direction.

Step 6

Step 3 to Step 5 has to be repeated until the entire home is cleaned. In using pressure washers, you must ensure that J-Channels are avoided at all times.

Pressure washers work well for two-storey homes. If you wish to clean the upper levels of the home, you do not have to necessarily use a ladder as these pressure washers do have extensions that allow you to wash the sidings up there.

Then, there are some areas of a vinyl siding that are just so tough to clean. For example, there are some areas of the siding that just do not get exposed to sunlight. As a result of this, mildew is reported forming on these surfaces rather easily. If such a thing happens, then do not use the pressure washers and use the bleach and water mix to fix these areas.

You could clean an entire home in a day's time using a pressure washer at 2200 psi. One thing you should note of is not to use these washers on the glass on the windows.

Jim Warren is a consumer advocate who enjoys writing about the right way to purchase and take care of Vinyl Log Siding. Be sure to visit http://vinyllogsidingreport.com for more important vinyl siding tips and resources.