Tuesday, May 18, 2010

To Sweep or Not to Sweep

Quickie 429 Flip Lock Dustpan and BroomSweeping

  • Sweeping can leave behind dust, hair and other particles.
  • Brooms will become breeding grounds for bacteria.
  • When sweeping, the motion of the broom will cause dust and hair to fly around and be pushed back into the air where it will settle on your furniture or back onto the floor after you have finished sweeping which negates the purpose of the task.
Vacuuming

  • Hoover Tempo Widepath Upright Vacuum, Bagged, U5140-900Vacuuming leaves less particles behind than sweeping, but will not get corners and edges as well as a broom unless you have and use an edging tool.
  • If using a vacuum with a roller brush as most vacuums have, the bristles can harbor bacteria as well as a broom.
  • Standard vacuums have carpet and hard floor settings, but the brush continues to spin on the hard floor setting which will cause larger particles to spit back out of the vacuum.
  • The ventilation on most vacuums tends to be near the floor which then blows dust and hair back into the air creating the same problem as traditional sweeping.
Dust Mops
  • Dust mops can be used for both sweeping and mopping.
  • Bissell Smart Details Microfiber Floor DusterUsed for sweeping a dust mop is a good tool for trapping dust and hair but does little good for larger particles. You would still require a broom and dustpan or dust buster/vacuum to get what a dust mop leaves behind.
  • If the fabric of your dust mop is not removable, then it can not be washed and will breed bacteria.
  • Original dry Swiffer’s fall under the category of dust mops.
Swiffer SweeperVac

  • Now I have never used this product myself, however, my initial assessment is that it is a possible solution to most of the problems with the tools listed above.
  • Swiffer SweeperVac is a combination traditional stick vacuum and original Swiffer.
  • It has all of the same general features of a stick vacuum with a Swiffer pad behind the vacuum head to pick up the dust and hair the vacuum might have left behind.
  • Swiffer SweeperVac Starter KitThere are quite a few negative reviews for this product, most regarding battery life.
  • Initial charge time is 24 hours. Each additional charge requires 16 to 18 hours. The amount of usage is about 20 minutes for each charge. Hardly long enough to do a house full of hard floors.
  • After months of use most reviewers claimed the battery would no longer hold a charge and the amount of usage time would quickly decline until it wouldn’t work anymore.
  • Other issues reviewers reported were the cost of replacement filters for the vacuum as well as the cost of the replacement pads.

Now, to address the issue of brooms and roller brushes harboring bacteria just grab a bottle of disinfecting spray, such as Lysol disinfecting spray. Spritz your broom or vacuum when you are done using it to kill any bacteria it has picked up.

When choosing your hard floor products,, stick with what works for you. There are so many options out now in terms of hard floor vacuums and dust mops that work very well so use your best judgment and don’t buy something just because it’[s the “latest thing".

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

All About Hard Floors

Cleaning your hard floors can be a tough job sometimes. Truly my least favorite cleaning task. There are so many different types of flooring and types of finishes that it can be a bit overwhelming trying to figure out what is best to use. I suggest following any manufacturer’s guidelines but do not believe for one second that you have to buy the exact product that they recommend.

If you are unsure what the specific floor type is, do your homework. If you are renting, the owner should know. If you are the owner, and you never bothered to find out, well…you could try looking in any original documentation you received when you purchased the home. Also, do not always believe what real estate agents tell you. I have heard several real estate agents telling potential buyers that there floors are hardwood when they are really laminate, or natural stone when it is synthetic.

So with this post I am going to go over some basics about different floor types as well as give a few generalized tips to help with the tedious task of cleaning the floors.

Ceramic Tile and Grout
OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover 14 lbs by Church & Dwight Co.Many people think that ceramic is difficult to take care of, but I disagree. The grout is difficult to take care of. Ceramic tile floors are easily cleaned with just a little dish soap and water. Grout on the other hand, is a porous substance, so any liquid cleaner you use will seep through and will not take care of any unsightly stains. If you have white grout, hydrogen peroxide makes an excellent cleaner. Spray a mixture of half and half hydrogen peroxide and water and spray directly onto to the stain. Let it set for 10 to 15 minutes then repeat. If the stain is being stubborn (as we all know stains are) soak a paper towel or napkin in full strength hydrogen peroxide and set it over the stain and let it set for awhile, if the paper towel dries out, add more peroxide. If that still doesn’t work (oh boy, those stains just kill me) make a paste of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Wait for the bubbling to subside (you get the same effect from mixing baking soda with vinegar or lemon juice, but we will discuss those combinations later) then apply the paste to the stain and let it sit. Spray with additional peroxide as the paste dries out. After you have gone through all of this, if the stain is still there, I say get an easier floor to clean. Make sure you rinse the floor thoroughly after using hydrogen peroxide on it. I must stress that you should not ever use hydrogen peroxide on colored grout, it is a bleaching agent, after all. You can use oxygen bleach, such as OxyClean, as well. Mix a quarter cup with a half gallon of water. Working in sections, wet area to be cleaned, allow to set 10 to 15 minutes. Scrub the grout with a grout brush, a toothbrush is ok too, but a grout brush is better. Rinse area, then repeat if necessary. I have personally used OxyClean on my own grout in my bathroom. My grout is dark brown and not because it is dirty. I did not have any problems with OxiClean damaging my grout’s color, but I would recommend testing a very small area before going crazy on the whole floor.

Another option is shaving cream. Your average, run of the mill shaving cream. In fact you might want to try that first, before resorting to bleaching. Shaving cream can be used on colored grout, but test it first in an inconspicuous area just to be safe.

Citric Acid (Lemon Salt) 5 Pounds Bulk




A slightly safer alternative for colored grout is crystallized citric acid also known as lemon salt. Mix about ½ cup crystals to 1 gallon of water. You can strengthen the solution to 1 cup to 1 gallon if your grout is exceptionally filthy. Again, working in sections apply solution to the area and allow to set for 10 minutes. Scrub with a grout brush, rinse and repeat as necessary.

Hardwood
This is pretty basic. Avoid large amounts of liquid. Use a very damp mop, or spray your floor cleaner directly onto your mop or floor. If you do end up with too much water on your floors, dry them immediately. Never used acid or citrus cleansers on your hardwood floors as these will damage your finish. With so many options out there for hardwood floor cleaners just use your best judgement. It helps to know what kind of finish is on your hardwood floors before you select what cleaner is right for you. Find out what the manufacturer’s recommendations are and find a cleanser that best matches those recommendations.

Laminate
Ok, some people treat laminate like any basic flooring, but it isn’t. Even laminate has a couple of special rules. The absolute best thing to use on laminate, in my opinion, is vinegar and water. Most floor cleaners will leave streaks on laminate flooring. A solution of 2 cups vinegar to 1 gallon of water is ideal for this type of flooring. The big rule about laminate floors is never leave them wet. Dry them immediately. I just put a big towel under my feet and go to town. Great exercise for the legs. If laminate floors are left wet, the water will seep into the cracks and cause the edges to start curling up. It’s not a pretty sight, and trust me, it’s easier to dry the floor than it is to replace those planks.

Specialty Floors: Terrazzo, Travertine, Slate, Marble, Granite
Always, always find out care instructions when you have these types of floors. These floors are much more expensive to get than any other floor type, so damaging them is never in the best interest of your wallet. Marble, slate, travertine, terrazzo, and granite are all specialty stones. You can use just dish soap and water or a ph neutral natural stone cleaner. I would recommend drying these types of floors immediately. Do not use acidic cleaners as these my damage the finish and cause etching.

General Tips
  • Vinegar (which is an acid based substance) can be used on several floor types including linoleum, vinyl, and laminate. It will restore shine, clean, and disinfect your floors.
  • Procter & Gamble #30942 Swiffer Starter KitSwiffers are one of my favorite handy tools, but the cost of buying all of those cloths can add up fast. Instead, I use dryer sheets that have already been used in the dryer or a microfiber rag for catching dust and pet hair (which there is a great deal of in my house). I use small towels or rags for the wet mopping. If you don’t want to hassle with wringing out those rags, then place your floor cleaner in a spray bottle and spray directly onto the rag or floor. If you have pet shedding problems, like I do, you know that keeping the furballs (balls of fur on your floor, not your animals themselves) under control can be a chore. I have 3 cats and 2 dogs, all of which shed on an hourly basis. At least it seems like it. I prefer vacuuming to sweeping, but not everyone has a vacuum suitable for hard floors. If you use a broom, then you probably do constant battle with the hair flying around as you try to sweep. I use a Swiffer in a continuous motion, without lifting the Swiffer off of the floor (as much as possible). It helps to prevent the little furballs from flying around the room while I am trying to round them up.
  • Scrubbing grout can be hard on your knees and back. So I only do it about once a year. For in between scrubbings I use a cheap, stiff broom. Put a little cleaning solution on the grout and scrub away. It isn’t as thorough, but it saves my back a ton of grief.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Pine-Sol®

The Facts
Pine-Sol Cleaner, Original 28 fl oz (1.75 pt) 828 ml

  • Active ingredients: Pine oil, Alkyl alcohol ethoxylates, Isopropyl alcohol, Sodium petroleum sulfonate.
  • All other ingredients, which make up more than 90% of the product are not listed on the bottle, the manufacturers website, or anywhere else as far as I can tell.
  • None of the ingredients are on the IARC, OSHA, or NTP carcinogen lists.
  • Distributed by Clorox Sales Company
  • Comes in various sizes, as well as scents.

Ok, who doesn’t know the name Pine-Sol®? It has been around a lot longer than I have. Original Pine-Sol® is what I am covering here; I will touch very lightly on the other scents. The main ingredient in Pine-Sol is pine oil, which has similar attributes to tea tree oil.

A word of caution: Some essential oils, including pine and tea tree oil, can be toxic to cats. Read more about it here: The Lavender Cat

I would advise caution when using products that contain essential oils, including aromatherapy oils if you have cats in your home.

Original Pine-Sol® is an anti-bacterial, but only in full strength. If diluted it loses those anti-bacterial properties. I have only ever used Pine-Sol® as a floor cleaner, but it can be used on many surfaces, it can even be used on clothes. For me the pine scent has always given me a headache. Someone once told me that my headaches might be due to a mild allergy to pine, but I have never had a doctor confirm it.

As a floor cleaner, Pine-Sol® gets the job done and works well on tough grease spots if it is in higher concentrations. Handy for cleaning those grease spots on the wall behind the stove. It’s an effective cleanser as well as inexpensive.

For those of you who are interested in the other scents, they are also effective cleaning agents. They do no, however, have the same anti-bacterial properties as the original.

The only problem I have with Pine-Sol® (besides the headache) is not knowing what else is in it. I personally prefer to know everything in the cleaning products I am using simply because there might be something in there that I or someone else in my family could be allergic to.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Naturally It's Clean Floor Cleaner


The Facts


  • Ingredients: Water, The Pure & Fresh Enzymes™ blended from plants, coconut oil surfactant, carmine natural color, orange essential oil fragrance.
  • Comes in 16oz bottle, concentrated. 1oz per gallon of water (4 capfuls)
  • Naturally It's Clean Floor Cleaner, 16-Ounce (Pack of 6)Manufactured by ChemFree Solutions, Inc.



Product Description

Straight from the manufacturers website with the frilly stuff left out:
“The Pure & Fresh Enzymes™ break down residue and grime into its basic elements. Carbon, hydrogen and other elements readily integrate with the environment instead of polluting it. Gentle enough for hardwood yet strong enough to even clean grout. Never leaves a film or residue without rinsing. “

Ok, the reason I chose to start with this product is, I have used it quite a bit. I worked for an eco-friendly cleaning company for a bit and this was the main product we used on our clients floors. Keep in mind, I am not a scientist, I do not have the means to test any product claims such as whether or not a product is anti-bacterial or not.

Naturally It's Clean floor cleaner is decent as far as “green” cleaners go, however it is not green seal certified. This means that it has not gone through the extensive and expensive process of getting green certifications. It does the job it is meant to do, but I would not say that it is any better or worse than any other floor cleaners out there. Spilled food that is stuck to the floor is still going to require some elbow grease. Streaking is a small problem on vinyl floors, but only if a waxed base polish or sealant has been used on the floor prior to using Naturally Clean Floor Cleaner.

If you do not like the harsh or strong smells of other floor cleaners, then this is for you. There is virtually no smell when you are done mopping, and even in concentrated form the scent is very mild.

The average price of this product is $5.00 - $6.50 depending on which retailer you get it from. For a list of physical and virtual retailers that carry this product you can go here:



The Start of it All

I am a housekeeper (don’t knock it ‘till you try it). Not the most glamorous job, but it’s what I do, and I am good at it. I won’t say every client I have had has given me glowing reviews, you simply cannot please everybody. I do my best though. After years in this business, I got tired of being asked the same questions over and over again.


“What’s the best way to clean this item?”

“What are the best products to use?”

“Have any tips to make things easier/cheaper?”

“What do you know about green products?”

I thought there had to be a website or blog where someone could find all of this information. I was shocked to discover that there really wasn’t. Now, there are cleaning blogs, product reviews, articles. However, in my extensive search I could not find one single website that had EVERYTHING. Most of these sites were just trying to sell you something. For example, looking for product reviews on green products (eco-friendly, non-toxic products) the majority of what I came across were landing pages for an affiliate of whatever product I was looking for. This frustrated me to no end. It is extremely difficult to find unbiased opinions from people who have actually used the product. It is equally as difficult to find information on methods of cleaning, home made products, cleaning tools, etc…

Using every keyword variation and combos I could think of, it took me days to actually find small nuggets of real information through the many websites I viewed. So, this blog is for EVERYTHING cleaning related. One spot for all of your cleaning needs.