Paper Towels
Melissa MakerRecently, I noticed a big box store was selling rolls of brown paper towels (nostalgia from public school washroom trips, if you will). Before starting a cleaning business, I thought these were budget-conscious and low-quality paper products. However, I quickly learned that while not the best for hands, they are fabulous for cleaning glass as well as general areas. The actual term for t...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsDishwasher Trick
Melissa MakerThe blue goo that goes into your dishwasher (the spot beside your soap dispenser)—you know, the rinse aid—isn’t the best for you. Surprise, surprise! Like the rest of the dishwashing agents, rinse aids leave a thin chemical residue on the "clean" dishes—a residue that you ingest whether you like it or not. I have changed my dishwashing habits and now use eco-friendly powder detergent (li...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsGood Smell, Good Times
Melissa MakerHave you ever wondered how to get your house smelling lovely without the chemical plug-in and spray products, scented candles, and potpourri? We all know the harms lurking in the chemical cocktails that go into these products, and frankly, after I learned about them I changed my ways immediately. What I suggest is trying a few new tricks to get your house smelling lovely. • Cleaning with water ...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsGet Your Grout Clean
Melissa MakerMany people wonder how to get grout looking perfect. The truth is, grout won’t look the same if it’s not cared for properly. First and foremost, make absolutely certain that your grout is sealed. The reason is: should it not be sealed, you will be leaving extremely porous material vulnerable to dirt. Unsealed grout will easily absorb and not so easily let go of. Moreover, if mildew builds up, you’...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsDaily Shower Cleaners
Melissa MakerAre those daily shower cleaners just a marketing gimmick? Not really. The amazing thing about this type of product is that it reduces the need to clean your shower on a more frequent basis. Why is that? Well, the ingredients used are present to negate soap scum from forming at all—they collect the excess dirt and grime and don’t let it have a chance to stick to your walls. The best part is that it...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsVacuum Up Your Act!
Melissa MakerVacuuming is really important despite the popular opinion of not doing it (it takes work, that’s for sure). If you have pets or allergies, vacuuming is absolutely critical to maintaining your indoor environment. Sweeping, dusintg, and mopping can clear the dirt and dust out of the area, but they do not effectively remove dust from the air. This means that even if you have spent 30 minutes with you...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsSmelly Shoes?
Melissa MakerSummertime means wearing shoes without socks, or wearing shoes with socks and sweating in them. No matter how you slice and dice it, your feet and shoes will face the consequences of the heat and smell. It happens to everyone, so don’t be ashamed. The best way to keep shoes odor-free is to sprinkle good old chemical-free, additive-free baking soda into the shoes and spread around the powder to cov...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsGrease Spatters
Melissa MakerKitchens are super high maintenance. Cleaning grease means you are taking a proactive approach to keeping an area nice and clean and reducing the amount of heavy scrubbing required during your annual clean-a-thon. Grease will leave a sticky residue on counters, hood vents, stove tops, cupboard doors, and microwaves. It can be nearly impossible to clean off if left for a long time! Not only that, i...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsCleaning Your Faucets with Some Extra TLC
Melissa MakerMany people ask how to get the faucets looking gorgeous. Here’s what we recommend for super shiny hardware. If you have hard water stains or anything encrusted (to put it nicely) onto the sink, soak a clean rag in vinegar and wrap it around the soiled area. Leave the rag for about an hour or so, and then remove the rag. Take a clean dry cloth, buff the hardware clean and watch the hard water depos...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsCounter Stains
Melissa MakerAlthough granite countertops are all the rage, many people (including myself) still have the old fashioned laminate countertops, which are durable and fairly easy to keep clean. However, like all other surfaces, they are susceptible to absorbing stains from wine to offee to grease. Most people wipe over these areas and don’t know what else to do regarding the stubborn stains. Here are a few sugges...
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Hardwood Floor Cleaner
Melissa MakerEveryone wants to know how to clean sealed hardwood floors. I had to really research this. I would suggest speaking to your flooring manufacturer just to be sur...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsGorgeous Glass
Melissa MakerI’ve learned how to clean glass beautifully and easily, using eco-friendly methods. This recipe applies to indoor and outdoor windows and does a great job with ...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsOverwhelming Oven Cleaning
Melissa MakerYou may be spoiled and have a self-cleaning oven. If so, consider yourself blessed. If you don’t (i.e., if you have a convection oven or one that needs to be cl...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsErasing the Need for Magic Erasers
Melissa MakerI have been doing a bit of experimenting with products lately to see if I could created anything that works as well as or better than current products on the ma...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsCitrus Power
Melissa MakerI hope I have shown you throughout my blogs how we can create clean and safe homes—naturally. Often what we find in the fridge and pantry is all we need to clea...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsAir Fresheners: A Breath of Fresh Air?
Melissa MakerWe all want a fresh-smelling home; it means it’s clean and under control. Some people resort to air fresheners in aerosols, plug-in pods, and a host of other cr...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsCleaning Stains Off Porcelain
Melissa MakerI am an avid tea drinker and have a couple of tea pots in my rotation. I have a beautiful black ceramic one as well as a white one, but the white one, of course...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsWhat Does a Clean House Smell Like?
Melissa MakerMany people believe (or have been conditioned to believe) that a clean house should smell like Mr. Clean, Windex, or bleach. This is not true! In fact, a...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsKeeping the Kitchen Organized
Melissa MakerWe’ve seen kitchens of all kinds! It can be an incredibly overwhelming place to be, so we suggest keeping it as de-cluttered as possible. You have to treat the ...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsHow to Clean Delicate Finishes in the Kitchen
Melissa MakerIf you are lucky enough to have a stunning modern kitchen, you will need to know how to clean it. Many commercial cleaners are available but natural solutions d...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsKeep Your Kitchen Smelling Fresh
Melissa MakerI love cooking, but after broiling a beautiful piece of salmon, steaming some tasty broccoli, or roasting a delightful bulb of garlic, I have no interest in the...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsKeeping Your Kitchen Clean: Watch What You Wipe With
Melissa MakerSponges and cloths are playgrounds for nasty kitchen bacteria. Bacteria goes everywhere because we spread it about while cooking, cleaning, and preparing meals....
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsNeat Tricks with Vinegar
Melissa MakerYou will surely run out of vinegar by the time you have had the chance to use all of these tricks, so stock up on the large containers! Here are some little tri...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsThe Benefits of Vinegar: Deodorize in a Snap
Melissa MakerVinegar works very well for removing odors. When cleaning something out (for example, a garbage pail—see the baking soda trick from a few weeks back), wash it w...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsThe Benefits of Vinegar: Grease-Cutting Machine
Melissa MakerVinegar is fantastic for cutting grease. When the Clean My Space crew encounters a greasy area, namely the kitchen, we arm ourselves with clean cloths and plent...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsThe Benefits of Vinegar: Cleaning Glass and Soap Scum
Melissa MakerAlthough vinegar has a certain pungent smell, we can’t argue the beneficial cleaning power it harbors. Over the next few weeks, I’ll provide a few cleaning tips...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsWonderful Baking Soda 4: Laundry
Melissa MakerAs if we haven’t already heard about how amazing baking soda is, there is even more to be learned. As a business owner, my time is limited; whatever I do needs ...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsWonderful Baking Soda 3: Pots and Pans
Melissa MakerWhether or not you have tried these baking soda tricks (they are so cool), I am sure you will love my story about cleaning pots and pans with baking soda.I am a...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsWonderful Baking Soda 2: Shower Tiles
Melissa MakerIn my own shower as well as at homes of some of our clients, we come across dirty grout. This is a total eyesore and embarrasses many. When I bought my pre-owne...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsWonderful Baking Soda 1: Kitchen Odors
Melissa MakerBaking soda is one of our best friends when it comes to quick and natural cleaning and housekeeping. The things I have learned to do with baking soda are amazin...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsFresh Carpets and Rugs at Last!
Melissa MakerWalking into a home and smelling that “familiar smell” can be comforting, but it can also be downright nauseating, depending on the condition of the carpets. Pe...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsNatural Furniture Polish
Melissa MakerMaintaining your wood furniture properly is critical to promote longevity and cleanliness. However, have you ever seen what the spray of furniture polish looks ...
Read more...CategoriesEco Cleaning TipsResolve to Be Clean, Naturally
Melissa MakerWith the start of a New Year, we all aim to do things that will better our lives. One thing you may wish to consider (and probably not at the top of your list o...
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