The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that indoor air is two to five
times as polluted as air on the other side of the window. The air in your
home gets clogged with dust, dust mites, mould spores, animal detritus,
germs, and other invasive elements.
Dust mites
A gram of house dust can contain between 100 and 500 of them. When their
droppings come in contact with the skin or are inhaled they may cause
allergic reactions. It is doubtful that an environment can be completely
free from dust mites.
Control
Dust and vacuum twice a week. Remember to pay careful attention to scatter
rugs and beneath beds. Mattresses, box springs, and pillows can be put in
non-allergenic, plastic zippered casings. It is wise to avoid down and
feather bedding materials especially in warm and humid climates. Wash your
sheets and blankets frequently and in hot water that is over 159 degrees
Fahrenheit.
Mould and mildew spores.
Mould not only triggers allergic responses, but it attacks the immune
system as well. It can take as little as 24 hours for mould and mildew to
start growing. Comprised of clusters of filaments (slender thread-like
structures) they are even smaller and more abundant than pollen and one of
the most common causes of allergies. Mould and mildew can grow on almost
anything - glass, tile, stainless steel, wood, fabric, leather, stucco, and
many insulation fibrous materials. Some are toxic causing a variety of
symptoms ranging from sinus congestion, chronic fatigue and headaches to
lung disease
Control
To remove the fungus use 3 tbsps. TSP and 1 ½ cups household bleach in 1
gallon water. (Wear rubber gloves.) Put bleach solution (one part bleach,
three parts hot water) in a spray bottle. Spray the bleach solution on the
ceiling and walls and let work. After a few minutes wipe off with wet rag.
Allow several days before painting or papering. Carefully check out garages,
showers, walls and windowsills. Also check your house plants as moulds grow
on decaying foliage. Use a stiff brush on grout. For heavy stains, use
commercial grout cleaner. Showers should have old caulking removed and new
installed whenever cracking appears.
Dust mites and allergenic fungus need plenty of indoor moisture to survive
and multiply. Lower the indoor humidity to 50% or less, and they're in
trouble. Lower it to 40% or less and they literally shrivel up and die
(except inside the mattresses and pillows where your body moisture provides
the necessary humidity - that's why mattress, pillow, & box spring encasings
are so important). Lowering the humidity can make a big difference in the
mite population inside your entire home. Plus, allergenic fungus growth,
like mold and mildew, is also controlled since it needs high humidity levels
to thrive. Lower humidity takes care of mildew odour as well.
See listings for dehumidifiers
Perhaps you want to free up some time for activities and people that are
important to you. Maybe you want relief from the stress or possible conflict
about getting cleaning done, or maybe you want to reduce your contact with
cleaning chemicals. A professional house cleaner may well be the answer.
However, house cleaning is a very personal business. Especially if you are
hiring someone for the first time and having a stranger come into your home
Before you interview cleaning service providers
• Make a list of regular cleaning tasks and how frequently these are done
• Decide whether you want help with regular or seasonal tasks or both
• Decide whether or not you want to be home when the cleaning is being done
• Check out your insurance? Does it cover service persons in case of injury?
• Decide how much you want to pay
At the initial interview
• Communicate your standards and come to an agreement about how they will be
met
• Discuss confidentiality
• Decide how pets will be managed
• Decide what to do if something gets broken or damaged
• Agree on a course of action if you’re not happy with the work.
• Ask for references
Advantages of not supplying your own equipment and supplies
• Professional cleaners are usually more knowledgeable using their own
products or chemicals on a regular basis.
• You do not have so many potentially toxic substances to store in your
home. This may be an important consideration in households with small
children.
• You may not need to replace your cleaning equipment, like vacuum cleaners,
as frequently.
• Professional cleaners may have access to materials and equipment not
readily available to you.
Although most cleaning persons or services do not sort out junk or put away
clothes there is now need to clean before the cleaner arrives.
• Using a bleach with Ammonia is a definite No No, as it gives off toxic
fumes and can lead to respiratory problems and death
• All soaps and cleaners, any petroleum based products, all insect
repellents must be kept out of the reach of children.
• Do not flush thinners, oil paints, abrasive cleaners down your drains.
Also, try to use alternative non or low toxic household products, thereby
causing less environmental damage.
NON-TOXIC or LOW-TOXIC tips and hints
• When working in the garage or outdoors, tracking in dirt on your floors or
carpets can be prevented if you keep two shower caps handy by the door to
slip on over your shoes when having to run in and out. Your
floors and carpets won't get dirty with dirt, grass, etc. from your shoesTo
clean your microwave oven. Place a microwave safe bowl of water with 1/4 cup
of vinegar in the microwave. Boil for a few minutes. Leave the bowl in there
after the microwave turns off to allow the steam of the vinegar and water to
attack spills and odor. Remove the bowl after a few minutes, then wipe clean
with a soft cloth. The vinegar odor will be temporary
• To rid your carpet from cat urine smells in the carpet, try some plain
white vinegar.
• To deodorize dishes, pans, cutting boards or utensils simply add 1/4 cup
of lemon juice to your dishwater
• To get perfectly spotless windows and mirrors use a solution of water and
regular vinegar. (About 1/2 cup vinegar to 2 cups water), spray and wipe.
This solution will not streak at all. It is the best and cheapest way to
clean glass
• Old newspapers give windows a shine, every bit as good as a chamois
leather
• If you have a window decal that won't come off and you're afraid of
scratching the glass with a razorblade, soak the decal with vinegar. Either
apply it with a cloth or paint it on with a paintbrush. Let it soak in for a
few minutes and it should come off easily
• To cheaply keep ants out of your kitchen area, eliminate all food sources
for them. This means sealing food in airtight containers, wiping up grease
and crumbs. Also try leaving a few bay leaves on some cupboard shelves Find
where the ants are entering the house and sprinkle a "barrier" of cinnamon
or any type of ground pepper to block their way. The spices are too hot for
the ants to cross.
• Adding ½ cup of lemon juice to the rinse cycle of a load of whites will
lightly bleach the clothing. This technique is especially effective on
clothes that are then hung to dry on the line.
• Soften Your Water The minerals in hard water can grey clothes. If you have
very hard water, add ½ cup of vinegar to your rinse water.
• To brighten whites add ½ cup borax or washing soda
• For an all purpose cleaner use ¼ cup baking soda and 1 quart of warm
water. Wipe the surface with a sponge, then let dry.
• For an aluminum cleaner soak your article in a solution of ¼ cup white
vinegar to 1 quart water, boil if necessary. Or you can try soaking your
dirty article in a solution of 2 teaspoons cream of tartar to 1 quart water,
boiling if necessary.
• For a furniture polish, mix 1 teaspoon lemon oil and 1 pint mineral oil.
Spray on the furniture, wipe clean with a clean soft cloth. |
