Category Archives: Cleaning products

cleaning products on market and tips on how to use them

Health risks of perfume

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Last month we talked about toxins in cleaning products and how to avoid them. Although having a clean environment is very important for most of us, there is a tendency these days of people worrying also about which chemicals we use when we clean our homes and how dangerous they are for our health.

 

In this sense, I think it is important to talk about the perfume we find on our household chemicals.

Before 20th century perfumes were made from natural ingredients (e.g. lemon, lavender,…). As soon as fragrances started to spread and popularised they were started to be made of synthetic ingredients to make them more affordable.

Did you know that 95% of the chemicals used to make only one fragrance are synthetic nowadays? They are usually derived from petroleum, including toxins capable of causing health problems, from allergy reactions to cancer.

Perfume can be found in lots of our regular household products, from cosmetics to cleaning products. And many of the ingredients used to create that perfume are harmful to our health. Here are some of the products that you will need to be concerned about:

– Phthalates: These are used in perfumes and air fresheners; they are endocrine disruptors and can cause hormonal abnormalities, thyroid disorders and reproductive problems.

– VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds): These again can be found on perfumes, air fresheners, disinfectants and deodorizers. Common names for these are: propane, ethanol, formaldehyde. These are reproductive toxins, neurotoxins, liver toxins and carcinogens.

The symptoms of exposure to this toxins can include: headache, nausea, asthma or allergy attacks, dizziness and many more.

If you would like to avoid products containing these toxins, the best course of action would be to inform your self. Read your cleaning products’ labels and avoid chemicals with fragrances; a clean home doesn’t need to smell of anything in particular.

Cleaning is a dangerous business

This week at www.amycleaning.co.uk we received a call from one of our domestic cleaners saying that she hurt her leg while moving a sofa in one of the client’s houses. This meant the need to allocate a new cleaner straight away and brought to us a common misconception: “Cleaning is an easy job… or is not?”.

I would say that, as the title suggest, cleaning can be dangerous sometimes. The use of strong chemicals and the need to move furniture to do deep cleaning, make this job not an easy one.

The use of chemicals imply the possibility of eye irritation (the fumes and odors can affect your eyes) and skin allergic reactions. To minimize the risk, make sure you ventilate the rooms, use gloves and don’t mix any chemicals as this can provoke breathing problems, specially if you suffer from asthma.

Strains and muscle problems can be caused by heavy lifting. So when you have to move that massive sofa or dining table, make sure you stretch your body beforehand and remember that it will always be easier if you have a pair of hands to help you out.

So before you start cleaning, don’t forget your safety check:

  1. Gloves, on
  2. Windows, open
  3. Mixtures prohibited, promise
  4. Labels, checked

Have you experienced any dangerous cleaning lately? Let us know your comments!

Baby safety

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baby_sleepingThose with children will understand the need to keep our homes safe from hazardous chemicals when cleaning. The safety of our babies come as a priority on everything we do.  Many cleaning products contain ingredients that, if inhaled or ingested can cause serious problems. Chemicals such as bleach or air fresheners are the most dangerous ones and they have been linked to and increase on childhood asthma.

To keep your baby’s nursery (and your house!) up to standards you can always turn your head to the so called “green products” you have on your cupboard, that is vinegar, baking soda and tea tree oil. But if you don’t have time enough to make magic concoctions then check on your local supermarket for non-toxic, bio-degradable chemicals.

I can think about some easy steps that you can follow to keep your baby’s room pristine:

– Check the crib/bed regularly: wash the bed clothing and wipe the waterproof mattress when changing sheets.

– Wash toys: warm soapy water will be enough to keep them clean and get rid of the grime.

– Air the room daily: about 10/15 minutes will do; the breeze coming in will get rid of any odours.

– Dust the room regularly: no chemicals needed, just a damp cloth; and you can use some drops of lavender oil to make the room smell lovely.

These are just a few examples of how to keep you home clean when there are babies around. Let us know if you have any other ideas!

Cleaning products for your kitchen

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Here you will find the basic cleaning products you will need to keep your kitchen up to standard.

Multipurpose cleaner

For the daily cleaning. There are eco friendly cleaners with lovely smells that you can use safely on any kitchen surface.

Vinegar

You may find this useful to get rid of the grease on cupboards, worktops, walls and any other kitchen surface. Mix one part of white vinegar with two parts of water on a spray bottle and use it regularly.

Disinfectant chemical

This is specially formulated to clean kitchen worktops after preparing raw meat or fish. It will kill most of the germs, thus avoiding the spread of illnesses.

Lime scale remover

For that hideous grime and lime on the kitchen sink. Use the vinegar solution regularly and the lime scale remover once you see the lime scale building up.

Floor cleaner

Check on the market for a specific chemical depending on which material your floor is made of; you can find cleaning products for tiles, wooden floors, laminate… This will give you a truly professional finish.

Check http://www.amycleaning.co.uk/blog  on the next few weeks for more information on essential products to keep your house clean!

How to choose cleaning products

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1193877_clean_home_2The quality of cleaning, whether done by you or a professional cleaner, depends highly on the products used. It is easy to get confused in the current market as there are so many options to choose from. Bellow you will find a list of basic cleaning products created by Amy Cleaning to help you out.

It may be very tempting to buy multipurpose products for the house, but this is not the route to take for best results. Remember that products orientated to specific target market and specific surfaces in this case, will always work better. If you have wooden surfaces, invest in a good polisher for wood; if you have marble, look out for sprays designed to clean marble. Multipurpose cleaners may even damage your surfaces in some cases so always keep an eye on something designed for sole purpose.

List of recommended cleaning products:

*Rubber gloves
*Kitchen surface cleaner and oven cleaner
*Dishwashing liquid
*Cleaner for bathtubs and sinks
*Sponges
*Window and glass cleaner
*Wood polish
*Upholstery/carpet spot remover
*Microfiber or feather duster
*Toilet bowl cleaner
*Toilet bowl brush
*Cloths and paper towels
*Mop and bucket
*Broom and dustpan
*Vacuum cleaner and vacuum cleaner bags

Here at Amy Cleaning the most common problem that cleaners come across is that they do not have enough cloths. Please make sure that you invest into cloths and sponges on a regular basis as that is something that can only be used for limited time before it has to be disposed off. Bear in mind that your cleaner will be using separate cloth for each room and each area of your house. Always discuss with her what she needs and follow her advice.

How to clean silver

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1218128_silverThe beauty of silver is also its curse. Although we love silver items for their ability to withstand time, we find ourselves disappointed when after opening that expensive box of silver cutlery we are greeted with stains and discoloring. There is no need to invest in expensive products and silver polishing creams. The contents of your kitchen shelve will do just as well.

You will need: sink or glass pan, hot water, baking soda, salt, and aluminum foil.

• Line the sink or a glass dish with foil.
• Fill it with hot water.
• Add 2 table spoons of salt and 2 table spoons of baking soda.
• Place the silver items into the dip. Position the so that they are touching each other and the foil.
• Allow up to 5 minutes for heavily tarnished items.
• Rinse the silver with water and dry with a soft towel.

Do not forget to store your silver in a low-humidity environment. You can place a piece of chalk in the storage area to minimize future tarnish. Only clean silver when needed as over cleaning may cause damage. And use it…it is not mean to stay locked in boxes.

Disinfect or not to disinfect?

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1147668_question_iconThere is a lot of debate at the moment about the importance of disinfectants in cleaning and whether they are used correctly. Here at Amy Cleaning we noticed that clients always request for the obvious: clean and disinfected toilet bowls, sinks, kitchen surfaces. Every professional cleaner will know the bearing of these, however not everyone is aware that things that may look like they need less attention are actually the biggest hot spots for bacteria.

For example, we all know that dangerous bacteria can be present in toilet bowls and therefore these must be disinfected regularly. However, we fail to realize that the only people that will come in contact with it would be those doing the cleaning itself and they will surely use protective gloves to avoid any possible risk of cross contamination. It may not be necessary to use strong chemicals for this type if cleaning.

On the other hand, how many of us would look twice at the products we use for cleaning our chairs, tables and kid’s highchairs? These are the items that are used by numerous people throughout the day and can easily become covered with dangerous bacteria. The best approach to cleaning such items and areas would normally be disinfectants and conventional cleaning products. Unfortunately these are normally very dangerous to the environment and unless labeled as “eco friendly”, will always leave toxic footprint.

Disinfectants are normally evaluated by their performance in cleaning germs and not by their friendliness towards environment so do avoid using them where it is not necessary. There are ways to disinfect without chemicals and new products are pushing their way through to the market, but it will probably be a while until it will reach domestic sector. Until that happens, think twice before reaching for disinfectant spray and be sure that it really is necessary. This does not mean skipping cleaning of our toilet bowls just because they are not touched but that we should have a second look around the house and decide what places and things attract the most bacteria and carry the biggest risk of contamination and then use disinfectants accordingly.

Know the difference between disinfectant and sanitizer too. Disinfectant is designed to completely destroy all organisms on surface while sanitizer reduces bacteria on the surface to a safe level. Do not mix these two and make the right decision about where and when each of those should be used.

How to fight mould

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496826_mouldMould is a common problem in Britain mainly due to weather conditions, the number of rented properties that are not being looked after properly and simply lack of awareness on how to deal with it.

It is caused by humidity, poor heating or ventilation and water leaks. Mould cannot exist and grow without moisture. Therefore you must first find and eradicate the source. Be careful though as mould spores have been related to various health problems including infections, asthma, allergies and sinusitis. It may be worth considering getting a professional company to do the cleaning especially if you have existing health problems. If you do decide to take this on single handedly then make sure you use all the precautions: rubber gloves, eye goggles, overalls and dust mask. Avoid eating, drinking or smoking in the contaminated area as well.

Most of the cases of mould will appear or become worse after major leaks, floods or other water damages in house. It is very important to clean up and dry-out the property immediately if you want to prevent this. Open windows, use ventilators or dehumidifiers. Avoid using fans if mould damage is visible as this can spread the bacteria more easily. Pay extra attention to ventilation after cleaning as although current equipment will dry your carpet up to 90% you still must have air circulation in the house afterwards to dry it out properly to avoid condensation.

Propionic acid is the most effecting mold remover as well as Borax and borates although these will not remove the staining from mould. Use phosphoric acid for that instead of bleach. Vinegar is a good green alternative too.
Borax and borates can be effective but will not remove the staining from molds – phosphoric acid can do this in preference to bleach. In some cases staining can only be covered by painting, but it is very important to dry area out first.

Make sure you also clean things that were affected, not only surfaces. If anything has been affected by mould, it is best to get it removed where possible. If this is not possible, dry them out (make sure you move things away from walls first), clean and disinfect. For badly affected items begin by using a high suction industrial vacuum cleaner then damp-wipe. Dispose of your wipes and rinse water frequently – as they will be contaminated with mould quickly. Scrub all contaminated surfaces thoroughly with stiff brush, hot water, and a non-ammonia soap/detergent or commercial cleaner. Collect excess cleaner and cleaning water using a vacuum cleaner, a mop or sponge. Finally, rinse the surface or items with clean water and dry everything out as quickly as possible.

It is unlikely that any home will be completely free of condensation, but adjusting your lifestyle and knowing how to fight mould off will make enormous changes. Clean more often, ventilate and make sure you dry any major spillages and leaks quickly and efficiently.

How to get rid of bad odours

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180344_sourpussA nice smell is the sign of a clean house. Read on how to determine where the bad odours are coming from, what to use to remove them, and how to prevent them from showing up again.

It is easy to eliminate bad odours if you know what is causing them and where they are coming from. It is trickier if you don’t. Leak in your refrigerator may cause metallic smell of Freon. Overfilled basket of dirty laundry in the bathroom, blocked pipes outside your open windows, kids sneaking in food in their bedrooms or dead mouse stuck between your floor boards can all be blamed for unpleasant smells.

Most deodorizers although popular only cover the smells, but do not eliminate them. Choosing the right type of cleaner with a touch of smell makes a big difference though, so do not discard these.

Lemon based cleaners eliminate bad smell and clean the kitchen. Grapefruit or orange cleaners tend to work best to break down the bacteria causing smells around the toilet. Use floral cleaner for the cigarette odor in the car or light an oriental candle to cover smells caused by pet stains.

Leave an open box of baking soda in your kitchen shelves-this will absorb bad smell and prevent it from spreading. If spray air freshener is not effective, try neutralizing odours by mixing it with one teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and one teaspoon of lemon juice in two cups of hot water and use this as a spray.

As usual, the best way to eliminate odours is to prevent them in the first place. Change your kitchen cloths regularly, don’t overfill your bins or laundry baskets, deal with mildew in your bathrooms as soon as it appears and try to ventilate your house as much as you can, even during winter months.

Alternative to bleach

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1024966_-environment_concept-There are various greener and safer alternatives to bleach: vinegar, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide, oxygen, borax, washing soda, sodium hydrosulfite (salt & water) to name a few.

Hydrogen peroxide is a very popular choice. It is that gentle that is even safe to use as mouthwash! (Please be aware though and do not purchase stronger than 3% for these experiments). To use as a household green cleaner, always choose 3% label. Put it in a spray bottle and use as all-purpose spray or bleach alternative in the bathroom. It will fight off mold and mildew just as well. You can also use it as disinfectant. Apply a small amount to a cotton cloth and wipe away surfaces.

Want to go even greener than that? Replace bleach with lemon juice. Add a cup of lemon juice to your laundry cycle for an extra whitening boost. Pour lemon juice over stains to use as stain remover then, rub with salt and leave to dry in the sun for several hours. If you want to remove stain from hard surfaces, apply mixture of lemon juice and baking soda and allow it to sit for several hours. If necessary, re-apply. You can also use lemon or its juice to sanitize. Do not use lemon for cleaning marble though as this can lead to etching.

Vinegar is very effective alternative to bleach in damp an mold infected areas as it also disinfects and prevents re-appearances.

Even if you are a strong believer of ready made cleaning products and not the ones that you have to mix, peel or would rather use in baking cakes, you can always buy bleach/chlorine free alternatives and protect yourselves and your environment.