Declutter Your Home Tips

October 17, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing declutter your home tips. Decluttering can be challenging for many reasons. First, you might have impractical expectations of the whole process. Furthermore, you might have other decluttering obstacles or emotional attachments that make it harder to let things go. So, while you are frustrated with all the items in your home that you cannot seem to get control of, it is very easy to trip over some of the common decluttering mistakes that will worsen the process.

 

 

declutter your home tips

 

 

Declutter Your Home Tips 

 

Declutter Your Home With a Plan 

Failure to plan is planning to fail. This phrase cannot be any more accurate when engaging in a major decluttering project. Starting the project without enough planning will leave you frustration, distracted, eventually failing. So, to avoid this mistake create a plan that will keep you logically working through each space.

Try breaking the space into separate areas, and it is also advisable to have pest control plans that offer the most eco-friendly solutions tailored to protect your home, family, and pets as well.

 

Storage Bins for Decluttering Your Home

Never buy storage units before you begin the decluttering project. Chances are that you will have more free space than before you started.  Remember, keeping items that you don’t need can require storage and, in fact, cause more clutter.

So, consider buying storage units after finishing the projects and only when you need them. And as much as it can be tempting to buy those cute little storage baskets you saw in a mall, it is imperative that you don’t waste money and all the effort you put into decluttering your home.

 

Don’t Delay Giving Away or Donating Items

One of the keys to decluttering your house is getting things out quickly and for good. So, keeping  things in the garage waiting to donate them is not decluttering.  You are just moving things from one space to another. This is very dangerous as you will be giving yourself more time, and eventually, you will find yourself returning the items only to re-clutter your home. 

Therefore, if you want to sell the items, put similar items in a box. Tape the box closed, mark it with what’s in it, and write the date you want to sell it by on the box.  If the date passes, take them to a donation station.

 

 

declutter your home tips

 

 

Decluttering Emotional Items  

Emotional items are one of the most overwhelming clutters you will ever deal with. Your  attachment to family photos and childhood toys can derail the process. These items can also stop or delay your decluttering process or completely prevent you from carrying out the project.

So, start by leaving emotional items for the last day. Build a momentum that wins instantly. Leaving sentimental things for the last day will allow you to make a mental shift.  You will be in a better position to deal with and declutter the sentimental items.

 

The above mistakes should be avoided at all costs. However, it is essential to note that some things cannot be changed overnight. So, being aware of these mistakes is the first step to successful decluttering and making house cleaning easier.

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Making House Cleaning Easier

February 7, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing house cleaning tips on making house cleaning easier.  House cleaning is a dreaded task for most of us.  But, one that has to been done whether we like it or not.  Some house cleaning tasks must done daily, some weekly.  Either way, finding the least stressful and most efficient ways to keep our homes clean is sought out by most moms. I have a few tips that will make life a little easier.  

 

 

 

Making House Cleaning Easier:  

 

Use The Latest Tech

First, have you thought about the use of new tech to clean your home?  There’s lots of tech available that will make things a little easier for you. For example, you might want to think about buying an automated vacuum.  Automated vacuums are not as expensive as you may think. Consider the time that it takes to take care of your floors, and it will pay for itself over time.  

You could also invest in a UV wand. This is a great way to eliminate bacteria from areas like this kitchen and the bathroom. UV wands work incredibly quickly; however, you must be careful and use them the correct way.  Otherwise, they can be dangerous.   

 

Clean Up The Clutter

Another way to make house cleaning easier by eliminating clutter.  It’s possible that your home is difficult to clean because there are too many items, accessories and furniture pieces, around. This is always going to cause headaches because you have to move everything around to clean. As a result, consider embracing a minimal design. To achieve this, you just need to think about the accessories and furniture that is needed in each room of your home. The rest you can put away or get rid of. If you don’t have storage space in your home, you can find safe and secure self storage away from your home. This is also perfect if you are clearing out your home because you are selling the property. 

 

making house cleaning easier

 

 

Follow A Routine 

Another way to keep things simple and avoid headaches when cleaning your home will be by following a routine. With the right routine, you’ll be able to ensure that it’s a highly efficient process. One of the best routines is by cleaning from top to bottom. The benefit of this strategy is clear. If you clean high first, you’ll push all the dust and dirt to the floor. You can then vacuum up all the mess last. If you do this, you’ll find cleaning your home a lot easier, faster and there won’t be any signs of areas you have missed. 

 

Get The Right Cleaning Supplies

Finally, you need to ensure that you choose the right cleaning supplies to take care of your home. It’s fair to say that not all cleaning supplies will provide the same solution. There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to clean a stain from your carpet and realizing that the cleaning solution you’ve used hasn’t worked. That’s why you should always check reviews of cleaning products. You also need to make sure that they are safe, particularly if you have a house filled with kids or pets. 

 

We hope this suggestions will help making cleaning your home easier, and it will implement a few if not all.  In doing so, you can make things a lot easier for yourself and ensure that you don’t find cleaning an absolute nightmare.

Filed Under: Cleaning Tips

How to Remove Allergens From Your Flooring

June 3, 2019 by 3 Comments

Today, we’re sharing tips on how to remove allergens from your floors.When the warmer breezes of April and May prompt you to open your windows and get all the gunky and stuffiness of winter out, it’s time for your spring clean. You may have many annual traditions when it comes to cleaning in the spring such as washing windows, dusting the ceiling fans and beating out area rugs.  However, it’s important to pay special attention to your flooring in order to keep allergens and related particles from building up.

While spring means lovely trees and flowers blooming, it can also cause terrible allergies to invade your home. By cleaning your floors properly, you can avoid some of the worst of the pollen or mold incursion.

 

 

how to remove allergens

How to Remove Allergens from Flooring:

 

For Hardwood

 

how to remove allergens

 

Cleaning your hardwood floors regularly is the best way to remove allergens from your flooring.  Make sure you sweep and mop with a damp (but not saturated) cloth mop. Most hardwood floors just need a quick wipe with water, and for some you can use a vinegar and water mix or a very light soap like Bona.  Before you clean with any of these, make sure you test a part of your flooring in an out of the way place.

 

For Carpet

 

how to remove carpet stains

 

Wondering how to remove allergens from your carpet?  While carpet likely traps the most pollen of all your flooring options, it can be cleaned easily with a vacuum that has a quality filter. The filter keeps the allergens from spreading into the air. If, at the same time, you’ve been avoiding really scrubbing out carpet stains, there are many methods for eradicating various stain causes. You can try using this trick on most stained areas:

 

  • Get a bucket of warm water, some baking soda and some dish soap.
  • Sprinkle the stain with baking soda and then add about 1 tablespoon of dish soap for every 6-8 inches of stained carpeting.
  • Use a rag to move the mixture around until bubbles appear.
  • Gently scrub with a brush or towel using the warm water. Keeping the floor damp but not soaked.
  • Once dry, vacuum again.

 

For Cork flooring

While you might worry that cork would harbor more allergens because of its porous texture, cork is naturally antimicrobial, making it able to combat allergens like mold and mildew. If need be you can add a finish the further repels potential allergens. To keep your cork floor clean, use a damp mop once a week on it. If you want to use a cleaning product occasionally, make sure you use only recommended cork floor cleansers.

 

For Tile Flooring

 

how to clean tile

 

 

Allergens do not easily adhere to tile, so simple cleaning with warm water is usually a good way to make sure you don’t have to worry about accumulation. That said, old grout can build up mold, so if you notice this happening, it might be time to re-grout.

 

Still Worried About Breathing Easily? Be Aware of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)

Unfortunately, many finishes and some flooring can contain volatile organic compounds that can affect your allergies as well. These are particularly prevalent in synthetic carpeting and vinyl as well as most industrial coating like varnish. These can give off particles that become vaporous and are known as pollutants that cause breathing trouble for some people. While off-gassing from these products is most prevalent directly after installation or refinishing, it can go on for months or even years. To avoid this on your floors, you can use water-based products or apply an encapsulating sealer designed to trap VOCs and prevent them from off-gassing into your home.

 

You want to be able to soak all the beauty of springtime and to have a clean house without sneezing every few seconds. By keeping your floors clear of allergens, you’ll be able to enjoy spring (and all that other cleaning) so much more.

You may also like:  4 Simple Ways to Prevent Allergies.

 

About the Contributor – Sarah Archer

Sarah’s a writer who’s passionate about evaluating everyday home products to help consumers save time and money. When she’s not putting a product’s promise to the test, you’ll find her hiking a local trail or collecting new stamps in her passport.

 

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6 Easy Ways to Cleaning Holiday Clutter

March 26, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing tips on cleaning holiday clutter. The holidays have past, but does it still feel like Christmas? After reading our article, you will feel ready and be motivated to start cleaning your holiday clutter today.  Usually, every decision starts from tomorrow or even next Monday, but why wait?  Start immediately and you will thank me later.

Cleaning after the holidays can be very boring and exhausting.  But, in no time you will find yourself getting ready for the next holiday season.  And, you will be glad that you decluttered when you did.   Today,

 

holiday clutter

Not only did you decorate your home, but you have also received plenty of gifts. With good organization and a little storage space, your house will be cleaned in no time.  Since the hardest part of the cleaning process is getting started, we are happy to introduce several ideas to get rid of holiday clutter.

Start With Garbage

The easiest way to start cleaning is to remove all wrapping paper, empty gift boxes, and stale or leftover food from the refrigerator.  In this phase of cleaning you will need to be relentless.  If you feel that you need to hire house cleaning services, go ahead.  Set up an appointment so that you can completely remove all the clutter and return your house to order.

Replace Old Items With New Ones

You probably received a bunch of gifts, but some of them you may already own. If so, replace the old items with the new ones and immediately move the old one into the spare box for a garage sale.  Or donate them or even trash them if you don’t find an item usable anymore.

Place New Items

It’s crucial to find a place for all of the new items you received.  Otherwise, they will become a part of the clutter.  If you don’t have any spare storage space or if you think, you won’t use these items consider regifting or donating them.

Organize Decorations

Organizing decorations are one of the main steps of the holiday cleaning process. Before you start to organize them, determine if there are any that you don’t like anymore or won’t use next year.  If so, store these decorations into boxes and categorize them accordingly (trash or donation). Sort all the other decorations into boxes and put them away for next year.

Sort Out Holiday Cards

Receiving holiday cards is a very important part of the holiday season.  Especially, if they were sent by loved ones.  It’s OK to keep a stack of them and remind yourself from time to time of your family and friends.  However, we recommend that you to go through all of your cards, keep the ones you are most attached to. You can recycle the rest of them as it will help your cleaning process.

Go through Your Holiday Photos

By going through your holiday photos and sharing them with your friends and family, you will evoke beautiful memories.  Delete all the duplicate or blurry ones to reduce the gallery storage.  If you are a fan of photo books, consider scrapbooking your photos.

 

 

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5 Reasons to Hire a Professional Office Cleaner

March 26, 2019 by 3 Comments

Regardless of whether you have a small office with few employees or a large office with a large building, it is important that the location be clean and tidy.  The appearance of your office plays a crucial role in the positive impact on potential customers and employees. Cleaning is one of the best ways to leave your work space in a professional atmosphere daily. So, here’s a few tips on why you should hire professional office cleaners.

In addition, an environmentally friendly, dust-free environment ensures your employees stay healthy.  In return they will be more productive.  Of course, cleaning the entire office by yourself is a rather difficult task.  As a result, try to hire a cleaning company.  For example, Sydney Office Cleaning will meet your cleaning needs and preserve your unique work atmosphere.

 

professional office clearners

 

 

Increases the curb appeal

Most people judge a book by its cover, right? The same applies to an organization.  If your office has a dirty appearance or dirty environment, your employees won’t want to work under those conditions.  Employees who spend 8 to 10 hours a day in your office are   concerned about the air quality.   So, make sure that your customers and employees are in a hygienic environment during working hours.

Builds client’s trust

Potential clients may want to meet in your work environment so they can understand how the organization works.  They want to assess the commitment, consistency, planning and business practices of your company.  If your office appearance is below their standards, the customer may think that you will treat their business the same way.  Therefore, it is important to create a sense of security, trustworthiness, and professionalism when it comes to your office.

 

Creates a safe and accountable team

In addition to the professional office cleaning service, enlist employees to help keep the office clean.  For example, have employees clean their cubicles or office area.   At this stage, they learn to continually clean certain areas of the building.   They should be expected to place trash in the appropriate containers.  They should use the same care in common areas after use and remember to be considerate of others in the restrooms.

 

 

professional cleaning service

 

 

Excellent results

Expert cleaners not only save time and money but, also ensure proper cleaning. This means that approved cleaning products by leading manufacturers are used to ensure cleanliness.  The products will also disinfect offices, kitchen areas and rest rooms.  Using appropriate cleaning products is important because employers must fully comply with all applicable hygiene regulations.  Professional cleaning devices are powerful and remove dirt, dust, and grime quickly and efficiently.

 

Cost-effectiveness

It makes sense to hire a professional office cleaner who will do the work effectively and efficiently for you. By hiring professional office cleaner, they work after hours and have the office space cleaned when the staff returns the following day.  They may come before you open or close depending on the contract.   Take advantage of any beneficial offers and discounts.

 

Professional office cleaners office services for daily cleaning entire buildings, alternating days, weekly, bi-weekly, and even monthly. You can choose the option according to your preferences and comfort.  Make sure your wishes are clearly stated in a contract.

 

 

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7 Simple Principles of a Perfect Cleaning Business

January 15, 2019 by 2 Comments

 

cleaning tips

 

A cleaning business is one of the most profitable businesses in the country.  First, you can start it with a small amount of capital. The business will pick up quickly if you are well conversant with a few things.  Because it is a competitive business, you must strategize.  There are many people who offer services like Simply Maid for house cleaning.  Cleaning is not just about making the place sparkle. You have to establish good relationships with people. When you do this you will be able to retain long term customers and get referrals for your service.  You should, therefore, up your game to get more revenue. The following are seven principles to perfect your cleaning service.


Time management

It is good to have a proper time schedule. This will allow you to have effective time for the customers. You should allow enough time for one customer and also the next one.  Staff should not leave hurriedly to the next customer without finishing work for the first one.  As a result, allocate sufficient time to each customer.

Capable staff

Ensuring your staff is trained will ease complaints from customers.  Staff with the right skills will make your work easier because they know what to do.  The relationship will also be great due to effective communication.  A well trained staff will build a good reputation for the business.


Good treatment of customers

Clients are the most important people to a business. They should be treated with the utmost respect. Their needs should be met and queries addressed. You can establish good relationships with customers through good communication. When they have problems offer solutions to them. Give the best services so that you can get called for more cleaning jobs.


Quality equipment and materials

A perfect cleaning business uses the right products to clean. They should be environmentally friendly and safe. They should not be toxic to cause harm to staff and the clients. Investing in quality products will give you a boost in the business. The results will also be great.

 

Effective supervision

Supervision is a vital principle.  Be sure to inspect work when you can to ensure quality work.  Furthermore, follow up with customers to ensure they are satisfied.  A part of being a supervisor is having accountability for your staff and the business.

 

Fair prices

It is essential to attract customers at an affordable price. A fair price means that you charge differently a big house from a small one. The quotations should be different as per the sizes. This way you will retain your customers. You will not have to work for a client once and lose them after that.

 

Intense marketing

Getting new customers will make the business thrive.  You need to market and make your business known. You can use social media which is highly reachable by many people.   Additionally, you can opt for posters and flyers to continue getting the word out.

 

Therefore, a perfect cleaning business includes the above principles. Talking to other people who are in the business is a good move also.  Most importantly, have an amicable relationship with your customers and staff as well as other business owners and professionals in your area.

 

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Vacuum Cleaning Tips for Flawless Floors

October 26, 2018 by 4 Comments

cleaning tips

 

The majority of hardwood floors do not need special care. They are polyurethane-finished and easy to maintain. If you have hardwood floors, it is recommended that clean them at least once every two months.  Using a wet mop to dissolve dirt is the preferred method.  If you want to maintain your hardwood floors and carpet without issues here are a few more tips:

Don’t Wear Shoes Inside the House.

Once you arrive home, take your shoes off at the door. This is a great way to keep dirt and grit off your hardwood floors.  Wearing shoes on hardwood floors leaves behind tracked-in dirt that can damage your floor’s finish. Over time, the scratches will make your floors look old and dull.  Furthermore, you can have a mat at the entrance so everyone can wipe their footwear.

Cleaning Spills

Spills are unavoidable. However, you need to dry the floor at once. Letting the liquid dry on your floor will affect the hardwood finish. Additionally, it will attract more dirt. You can use an absorbent paper towel before buffing the floor dry.

Vacuum Regularly

A good vacuum cleaner for hardwood floors can remove fine debris and dirt from crevices and cracks. For proper cleaning, you need a vacuum with an oval, long floor brush.

If you have an upright vacuum cleaner, one of the most significant vacuum cleaning tips is about the brush. You need to turn off the rotating motion of the brush. This practice will prevent scratching the hardwood floors.

Additionally, one of the most important vacuum cleaning tips is  follow a schedule. A consistent schedule will ensure that you clean your hardwood floors regularly. If there are areas in your house that are high-traffic, you need to vacuum them several times a week.

Also, change or empty the vacuum bag regularly. You will find it difficult to vacuum your floors if the bag is full. Therefore, you need to check the canister or bag regularly to ensure that it is not yet full.

Unfortunately, your vacuum cleaner cannot remove stains. Therefore, if you do not want your floors or carpet to have blemishes, you must spot treat immediately.

If you have large furniture, you can move it occasionally to vacuum underneath the areas. If you cannot move the furniture, you can use some of the vacuum cleaner accessories to suck up the accumulated debris or dust.

Another important vacuum cleaning tip is selecting the right setting. For effective cleaning, you need to choose a vacuum cleaner setting for the carpet and another setting for your hardwood floors.  Also, you must adjust the setting based on the surface height for efficient suction and cleaning of floors.  If you have a HEPA vacuum cleaner, you can leave it on for a few minutes to remove dust and airborne allergens.  The key is to remove the hose while you keep it on.

Schedule an occasional deep clean even if you vacuum the floors regularly. This technique means you need to deep clean your carpet to remove hard-to-remove dirt.  You will discover that it is easier to vacuum the floor after deep cleaning the carpet.

Today, even with their busy schedules moms make it a point to vacuum the floors.

Author Bio: Anthony Triton – I love to improve my home surroundings with little home improvement projects from time to time. I share my tips and experience in managing garage, home and improve your health at Equipment Area.

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More Uses for a Car Vacuum Cleaner

October 10, 2018 by Leave a Comment

cleaning hacks

 

Your vehicle is your treasure, right? Why not take good care of it by using the right equipment?  Using a car vacuum cleaner is the best method for removing dust fast and efficiently.  Our friends over at bestvacuumexpert have listed 3 additional uses for a car vacuum cleaner:

  1. Using a car vacuum cleaner as a home cleaner

Did you know you can transform your car vacuum cleaner into a home cleaner?  However, you will be required to change the adapter to a 12 Voltage AC to DC power adapter.  You also acquire a converter to avoid cutting wires leading power to the vacuum. This way you can use the car vacuum as a home cleaner as well.

  1. Using a car vacuum cleaner for seat maintenance

Cleaning indoor seating requires extra suction power at times.  If you have children snacking or doing crafts on your sofa, cleanup can be required.  A car vacuum cleaner is just the right piece of equipment to remove dust and debris from seats. One advantage of the car vacuum is that it provides the mobility need when cleaning seats.  Long cords on a regular vacuum can become tangled or get in the way of moving around when trying to clean seats.  It also good for cleaning up dry dog food spills

  1. Cleaning shelves 

The car vacuum may not be powerful enough to tackle harder tasks.  However, it’s ideal for removing dust on shelves. You can use the car vacuum in any environment, from the office shelves to the workshop.

Last, make your work easy and fast by exploring more uses for this wonderful cleaner. Take advantage of modern technology to make cleaning a piece of cake.

 

Liz Buckley is a part of the Content team at Best Vacuum Expert, sharing expert knowledge and best tips on how to have a clean house.

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How to Get the Most Out of Professional House Cleaning Services

May 3, 2018 by 1 Comment

professional house cleaning services

 

When employing a professional cleaning service to help make your home sparkly clean, it’s only natural to want to get the most out of it. After all, you paid a good amount of cash to get rid of dirt and dust.

As the homeowner, you need to know that you’re getting nothing less than what you pay for.   A cleaner’s quality of work must reflect good results.  When you hire professional house cleaning services, make sure that your home gets the thorough and effective cleaning.

1. Choose the right cleaning service

Picking the right cleaner for the job plays a huge role in making sure that you get your money’s worth. When searching for professional house cleaning services, ask the following questions:

 

  • Do you have a bond and insurance?
  • Are your cleaners trained well?
  • Who manages your cleaners?
  • Do you provide your own cleaning products?
  • Do you have a system for quality control?
  • What services does your company cover?
  • What cleaning equipment and products do you use?

2. Create a to-do list

Walk around your house and look for areas that need cleaning.  Write down cleaning tasks and arrange them according to priority.  Most house-cleaners work in a specific time frame.  So, it will be helpful to let them know what they can do around the house in the amount of time that they have.

3. Request that any issues be reported to you immediately

To reduce the cost of maintenance and repairs, you can let your cleaning service assist you. Ask your cleaner to report potentially serious problems in your home to you as soon as possible to prevent minor issues from turning into a disaster.  This can help prevent any unsafe conditions from causing harm to you and your family.

4. Have a cleaning schedule

If you want to maintain a clean home at all times, having a strict cleaning schedule will make it possible. Determine how often an area in your home needs cleaning.  Doing so will help you lower your costs, especially on areas that only need cleaning on a weekly or monthly basis rather than daily.

5. Clear a path

To help housekeepers focus on the areas that need deep cleaning, clear a path so they can maximize their cleaning time. Remove clutter such as books, clothes and shoes that can slow down the work.  This allows the cleaners to concentrate on difficult areas where their work can have a bigger impact.

6. Rotate rooms

If your cleaning service comes often, chances are, not every room of your home will need a deep cleaning every time.  As a result, ask your cleaner to rotate working on sections of your house. This can help reduce the areas that require cleaning and eventually reducing your cost.

7. Calm down and relax

Now that you’ve decided to hire a cleaning service, you can focus on more important things to do.  Don’t waste your free time micromanaging each facet of the cleaning process. They’re professionals, so relax and let them do what they do best.

8. Avoid expensive add-ons

It’s great to have clean windows, but deep cleaning them is only necessary at least once or twice every year.  The same goes for your fridge and oven.  So avoid expensive cleaning add-ons when you hire professional house cleaning services by cleaning these areas on your own.

9. Give feedback

Did you love your cleaners’ work?  If so, be sure to let them know.  They will take note of your positive feedback and make sure that you get the same cleaning treatment the next time.

If your cleaners happen to miss something, tell them about that as well.  They will remember to include it in future cleanings so they successfully meet all your cleaning needs.

Hiring a cleaning service shouldn’t be difficult and stressful.  The main reason you hire them is to help you, and not to create further stress.

Communication is key to getting the most out of your professional house cleaning services. Know what you want and don’t want, and make sure to relay this clearly to the cleaners to get good results.

 

AUTHOR BIO

Mohamed Samad is the Founder & CEO of Matic Services. He started the company in 2016 after a series of small start-ups within the home services sector. Prior to that, Mohamed was Vice President at Greenstone Equity Partners, where he spent 24 months building the UAE business from 2011-2013 with its founder.

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Organic Cleaning Tips for Parents With Small Children

January 15, 2018 by Leave a Comment

 

organic cleaning tips

Research has come out recently about environmental toxins.  In particular their effect on the endocrine system.  Some household products are toxic.  Fortunately, most parents know the harmful ingredients (bleach, parabens, sodium sulfate, phthalates, etc.)  Unfortunately, there are literally dozens of other toxic ingredients in some of the cleaning products we use every day. This post discusses organic and non-toxic cleaning tips for parents of newborns and young children.

Always check the label

Products that say “organic” on the label contain little or no artificial ingredient or preservatives. However, some products marketed as “natural” and “organic” do have some ingredients that may be classified as unsafe for children. As a result, it is recommended that parents review the ingredients carefully.  You can get more information on this by visiting the Enviromental Working Group (EWG) website to find more information on specific ingredients.

Buy eco-friendly cleaners

Cleaners that have been endorsed by groups that support eco-friendly products (such as Greenseal.org) are ideal for parents with children.  These “green” cleaners don’t have ingredients known to cause skin irritation, sensitivity, or cancer.  Also, they don’t have phthalates and fragrances must be disclosed.

So, if you can’t immediately access safe cleaners consider making your own non-toxic cleaners at home.  For example, combine white vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice.  It’s perfect for cleaning bathtubs and porcelain sinks. If you need a solution that kills bacteria try hydrogen peroxide.

Products that are labeled non-toxic are deemed safe to use because they don’t cause any personal injury from contact or inhalation.  But, keep in mind that this doesn’t mean that the product is completely free of chemicals. Biodegradable simply means that the product will decompose after some time.  Most importantly, it is not an indicator of safety, especially for newborns.

Be very selective with plastics

Plastics are made with a variety of chemicals such as BPA and PVC.  Some can leak into food and drinks. The good news is you can find plenty of plastic materials that are free of BPA and other harmful ingredients.  Plastics that are labeled “microwave safe” only mean that the plastic won’t melt from the heat.  That doesn’t mean that other chemicals won’t leak from the plastic.  As a result, make a habit of hand-washing plastics instead of using the dishwasher.

Avoid commercial cleaners

Any cleaning product that advises using gloves or opening the windows is most likely unsafe to use around your child.  Home products such as table salt, tea tree oil, vinegar, and lavender can be used to clean windows, ovens, and walls.  Additionally, they also good for cleaning bathrooms, mold, and rugs.  Most commercial bathroom cleaners are toxic and can cause long-term health problems for infants. Vinegar and baking soda can be used to create a paste that cleans out scum.  Furthermore, it leaves the walls and floor of your shower perfectly clean.  Alternatively, use Castile soap and club soda for tougher stains.

When purchasing products such as hand soaps, sanitizers and air fresheners, check the label for chemicals that might be unsafe for your little one. The EWG database will provide more information on the ingredients.

Additional Resources:
http://www.empiremaids.nyc

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