Green Cleaning Services

Green cleaning products are in!  From kitchen sprays and liquid soaps to bathroom scrubs and laundry detergents, cleaning products are becoming healthier while trying to protect the environment at the same time.  Cleansers are going green...or are they?  

Since federal law doesn't require manufacturers to list all chemicals on the products, it is difficult for most people to know whether the products are safe.

Green cleaning is the way to go when it comes to cleaning.  Green cleaning is removing contaminants, which produces a healthier greener environment.  It is a combination of products, equipment and procedures that are safe, environmentally friendly and non-polluting. 

Try and use products that are certified by Green Seal to be safe and effective.  Avoid products that contain harmful iingredients such as ammonia, chlorine, ethanolamines, and APE's (alkylphenolethoxylates).
 

Keeping up the house is a LOT of work – that’s why so many people turn to Maid Brigade! When customers ask us for "power clean" tips they can do in between our cleaning visits we share these three “Power Clean” tools that really save time:

Microfiber. Scientifically woven to pick up more dust, dirt and germs than traditional cotton cloths or paper towels, they require little, if any, cleaning solution because they are so effective at cleaning mirrors, glass, counters, furniture dusting, etc. using water alone. They really save time – and money too!

Bucket.  Keep all your house cleaning supplies in one bucket, and keep one bucket on each floor of your home. You’ll be surprised how much time it saves when you don’t have to stop cleaning to retrieve supplies from another area or level of your home.

Cobwebber.  This handy tool telescopes so that you can quickly reach high places, low places and corners. The average home can be cobweb-free in just a few minutes with this tool. Don’t forget the front porch – this is where lasting first impressions about your housekeeping abilities are made first!

Even products that are non-toxic and biodegradable can create health risks.  One problem with cleaning chemicals is that exposures can be from inhalation and skin absorption, not just consumption.  Another is that our families are exposed to these on a regular basis. Also, our body can’t purge all these chemicals and small exposures can add up to larger ones through accumulation.

Did you know that solvents, which are in many household cleaners (to cut through grease, for example) can cause a broad range of neurological damage, from as mild as headaches to as serious as dementia?  One example is 2-butoxyethanol (also known as 2-butyl).  It is in over 200 household products that families have trusted for years (even supposedly "green" cleaning products).  Yet the EPA’s Design for the Environment (DfE) has identified 2-butyl as having potential effects on blood, the central nervous system, kidneys and liver.
 
Maid Brigade’s green cleaning solutions are certified by Green Seal to meet stringent health and environmental criteria.  You can trust us to keep you home cleaner and healthier than any other cleaning service.
 

Dr. Phil Landrigan recently opined that “Ignorance is perhaps amoral,” during an Emory Enlightenment series lecture titled “Children’s Health ad Toxic Chemicals? What are the Connections?” in February in Atlanta, GA.  He cited statistics in support of his opinion:  80,000 high production chemicals have been introduced in the last thirty or forty years, yet we don’t know the developmental impact of 80% of those chemicals on children.  Dr. Landrigan is Chair of Mount Sinai’s Department of Community and Preventive Medicine.  He previously chaired a National Academy of Science Committee on Pesticides and Children’s Health and worked as Senior Advisor to the Environmental Protection Agency.  The green living movement seems to be increasinlgy about the health aspects of how we treat our environment.

Dr. Landrigan pointed to the dramatic increase of “modern” illnesses over the last thirty years as evidence of a new kind of survival challenge.  A century ago, the death rate was more than twice what it is today.  Our mortality has decreased in large part due to advances in modern medicine and industrialization.  But the trade off is that the same synthetic chemicals behind many of these advancements introduce their own set of health risks.  Childhood cases of asthma have increased by 67%, childhood leukemia  by 52%, and childhood brain cancer by 36% over the last 30 years.   Testicular cancer, a disease of young males, has increased 50% and male hypospadias (a reproductive disorder) has increased 70%.

In January, the National Institutes of Health announced the launch of the National Children’s Study, an ambitious, decades-long project intended to examine the influences of childhood exposures to toxic chemicals on health, disease and development.  Dr. Landrigan is one of the key figures behind the study.  Expect landmark results; Dr. Landrigan documented widespread lead poisoning in children in 1976, seminal to government mandates to get lead out of paints and gasoline.  This may have been the beginning of a mainstream green living movement.

In the meantime, adopting green living strategies will help consumers minimize chemical exposures for their family and protect their children from potential health threats.  Think.....green cleaning.

Some of the happiest people are those who have a healthy work-life balance and, with a little practice, you can be one of them.  Here are some steps you can take to help you find the balance that is best for you:

Step 1:  Write down the roles you are juggling.  Many people are not aware of how much they ask of themselves.  Keep a log of your daily activities for one week.  Find out where you spend the majority of your time.

Step 2:  Determine what is most important.  What are your priorities?  Once you found where you spend most of your time, determine if you need to make changes that will strengthen a healthier work-life balance.  Make sure you schedule time for things that help you relax and feel better. 

Step 3:  Learn to say "no".  Let go of the guilt.  Say "yes" to what you really want and "no"to less important tasks.  This will help restore harmony and make life easier.

Step 4:  Ask for help:  Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.  Many women feel they can do it all, but in reality, most of them need help.  Asking for outside maid service to help with house cleaning, or delegating responsibilities to other family members in the home are all ok.  Asking for help can solve many problems.

Step 5:  Just do it!  Start enjoying your life!  Give yourself permission to make these changes without feeling guilty.

Creating and achieving a work-life balance is a continuous process that requires a great deal of self-discipline.  It is about how to maintain that balance so you can keep your energy flowing and keep yourself healthy for years to come.  Those who do make the effort reap the rewards by leading full, content and satisfying lives.

 

As a pioneer of the green house cleaning movement Maid Brigade sees it as our corporate responsibility to act as advocates for the consumer with regards to the health impact of cleaning chemicals. Most of our primary customers, busy working mothers, have neither the time to research these impacts nor the expertise to interpret scientific data which links certain chemicals to various illnesses.  Yet it is vitally important that you be able to make informed purchasing decisions to reduce potential chemical exposures and protect the health of your family.  Our consumer advocacy mission intends to assemble valuable information on the topic of household chemicals and cleaning products and convey that information in a convenient manner that is easy to understand. Our consumer advocacy web site, GreenCleanCertified.com, contains numerous articles and videos, and even an interactive quiz on green living. 

In 2010 we are doubling our efforts and have hired a Consumer Health Advocate to help us help busy working moms to achieve a healthier home through green living and especially green cleaning.  Through our research we have come to understand the “2nd shift” phenomenon – working a number of hours cleaning and keeping house after a full day in the paid workforce.  Our Consumer Health Advocate will also help busy moms with work/life balance – because this balance can have so much impact on health. 

Maid Brigade welcomes Marie Stegner as our Consumer Health Advocate.  A registered nurse, professional health and wellness manager and mother of three, Marie answers the call for more consumer education and advocacy related to the impact of common household chemicals on our health and the environment.   Marie came to us through our partnership with Mom Corps, the leader in the flexible employment arena.  She will be blogging for us on a regular basis as well as writing articles, creating videos and even appearing at local events - all to help busy women lead healthier lives and create healthier homes.
 

Around the house, a thorough de-cluttering this winter will help you feel calmer and more balanced going into the first spring of the new decade. Purging and de-cluttering is not easy and involves physical and often emotional effort. Here are some ideas to make the task more manageable:

One at a time. Look at the trees, not the forest. This project is really a series of small projects, not one massive one. Focus on the immediate closet, or dresser, or room you are de-cluttering. Don’t think about the next area until you have completed this one.

Take the history test. If you haven’t used an item in over a year, do you really need it? Of course this can’t be a hard and fast rule, but if you put each item to the test, you’ll be surprised how much clutter you can eliminate.

Make it green. Recycle or donate what you’ve purged to reduce landfill waste. If you’re going to have your home cleaned after you’ve de-cluttered, hire Maid Brigade, the only cleaning company that is Green Clean Certified® for your family’s health.

In a Japanese study, 54 healthy volunteers were divided into two groups, one eating enough tuna and swordfish for 14 weeks to reach the highest level of methylmercury exposure deemed safe by the Japanese government. The methylmercury accumulation was tested from hair samples, and the amount rose steadily over the 14 weeks. The end result for the group that ate the fish is that they had subtle changes to their heart rhythm, although the damage corrected itself as the fish was no longer being eaten. The resting heart rate is regulated by the autonomic nervous system, and methylmercury is a powerful neurotoxicant.

 

http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/safe-mercury-levels-from-fish-pose-risk-to-heart/

What a challenge it is to keep cleaning green during the holidays! While the season is wonderful and a time of joy, it’s also a festival of rubbish! Just dealing with all those cardboard boxes, used gift wrap and packaging materials can really be a headache.

To keep detritus down and handle how to get rid of it can be a lot simpler when you keep on hand a supply of  boxes or bins specifically set up to handle the different types of trash. It’s a pretty safe bet that while you’re at it, you should create bins to sort out all the cardboard, cans, bottles, paper, etc. the holidays seem to generate. Not only will this make tidying up much quicker and easier, but it also cuts down on the volume of recyclables headed for the landfill.

Food waste around the holidays is always a dilemma because there’s always leftovers that aren’t getting eaten that tend to pile up. Instead of tossing scraps and leftovers into the garbage, why not dig them into your garden if the ground’s not frozen or, better yet, treat yourself to a composting box? Another slightly radical idea to consider is starting your very own worm farm. You can use the veg refuse to feed the little critters! If you didn’t already know, worms, while admittedly slimy, are very good and useful creatures. Be the first on your block to get started on vermiculture, the latest trend in the home composting revolution.
 
Handy housecleaning tools to use around the house to help you green clean have come a long way this season. While it’s true that very few moms really want a new vacuum cleaner for Hannukah or Christmas, there are a plethora of extremely appealing and environmentally friendly ergonomic products out there that would be a welcome addition to any wish list. Visit your favorite home-oriented store to survey the latest in vacuum cleaners, dustpans and scrub brushes designed to handle every cleaning situation. You might also want to check out Crate & Barrel’s color coded tarpaulin recycling bags, or Simplehuman’s trendy trash can with separate bins for recyclables and trash. The company OXO makes a handy can featuring different sized compartments to hold various sized bags to make family recycling a snap. Manufactured of industrial grade stainless steel, the OXO model is also super attractive.

Reduce the volume of your holiday waste by recycling wrapping paper and recycling gifts and, in view of the recent trend of belt tightening, by reducing the number of gifts you give and receive.

Tis the season to be jolly, but don’t forego your intentions to keep green!
 

Maid Brigade and Mom Corps have partnered:  Helping busy working moms around the house. 

Mom Corps is an innovative staffing solution, supplying companies top-tier, experienced professionals "on demand" to meet business needs and cycles, while enabling candidates seeking flexibility to pursue their professional careers.  We provide professionals challenging work in their respective fields through virtual, contract, and full or part time flexible jobs that allow them to maintain work/life balance.

Maid Brigade and Mom Corps developed our alliance to foster a better sense of work/life balance for working women who juggle career, family and household management and worry about “doing it all well”.

Take our survey!

Our first venture as partners is a research project.  We want to know how busy women like you feel about balancing housework and career in an age of digital distractions and viral pandemics.

All survey participants will be entered into a sweepstakes to WIN a FREE green house cleaning, valued at $250. Plus, you will receive a FREE copy of our Green Guide to help you learn more about green living for health and the environment.  And, you’ll receive a FREE copy of the survey findings once the research is complete. 

It’s simple! Click the "Take our Survey" link above to tell us how YOU balance career and housework.  We invite you to learn more about our new partner, Mom Corps.

I talk a lot about green things, what about green tea? Are you aware of some its more surprising uses? For example, did you know people in Japan gargle with it, use it as a facial mask, even a disinfectant?

The Japanese believe green tea to be a powerful medicine. Gargling with it is said to prevent colds and myriad influenzas. The tannin found in tea is a bioflavonoid with antioxidant and antiviral qualities. Some people think they might even prevent cancer. To make your own fresh green tea gargle, use a strong loose leaf tea like Japanese sencha or gunpowder. Prepare the tea in hot water as usual and then let it cool to a comfortable temperature before gargling. Make a fresh batch every time you gargle! The effectiveness is lost after only a few hours.
 
To slow down those tell tale signs of aging, and by the way, I hate the word “wrinkle cream,” make your own green tea facial mask with ingredients you probably already have around the house. You’ll need one egg, a little honey, some lemon juice, and green tea powder. To make the powder, crush some green tea leaves in a glass or ceramic bowl.

Now beat in the egg and add the rest of the ingredients, slowly mixing it altogether until you’ve formed a thick paste. Set aside in the refrigerator. Next clean your face with a mild soap or cream based cleanser. While your face is still damp, apply the mask with your fingertips. Leave on 15 minutes before thoroughly rinsing with cool water. This mask works to combat wrinkles on older, dry skin, but don’t forget to use daily moisturizer. And although green tea creams are believed to offer some sun protection, they are not a sun block.
 
Some people say that recycling green tea leaves in the cat litter box will reduce that foul aroma, although I wonder would be the right proportions before the cat started to notice? You can clean quite a bit of your house using green tea and hot water. Make the tea as usual and allow it to cool. Using a damp cloth dipped in the solution, use it to wipe the inside of your refrigerator, your stove and countertops, even the inside of your microwave. What’s the point? Green tea is a natural cleanser that contains no harsh chemicals that smell bad or can damage the environment. 

Nine out of 10 public beaches tested by researchers at the University of Washington tested positive for Staph bacteria, and seven of the 13 samples were drug resistant strains. The Staph was found in marine water and beach sand on the Puget Sound. Tests of ocean water and sand taken from two beaches in Southern California turned up no Staph aureus at all. Five of the samples found on the beach and in the sand more closely resembled hospital-acquired MRSA than the bacteria found in the community. Could it be coming from medical waste dumbed by garbage barges?  About 30 percent of healthy people carry Staph aureus, but it is fatal in about 20 perecent of people who develop MRSA bloodstream infections and 40 percent of those who develop MRSA pneumonia. It has emerged as a killer of people with severe influenza.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-09-12-staph-superbug-MRSA-beaches_N.htm

Dog grooming is expensive, sometimes a lot more than getting your own hair done! That said, if you’ve got a poodle or a Bichon or a breed that requires professional attention, it’s best to leave any job that requires clippers or scissors to someone in possession of a grooming certificate. But if it’s just a bath Fido needs, this is something you can accomplish at home without too much mess or fuss. When you use green or natural dog shampoo, it's better for your dog and better for the environment.

First, brush your dog thoroughly before rushing for the wash tub. Remove all tangles and mats first because they only get worse when they’re wet. If your dog has gotten into pine sap or tar, remove it first with a little mineral oil or petroleum jelly. If there is no other recourse, cut off the offending substance with scissors, using great care, of course, to not nick your pooch. Apply a little petroleum jelly or mineral oil near the eyes to protect them. Not in the eyes, just around. Also put a cotton ball in your dog’s ears to keep water out. Use a ball that is big enough to not get caught in the ear canal.
 
Next remove your dog’s collar and place him in the bath. If you have a small dog, the kitchen sink will do. If you have a spray attachment, the bathtub is even better, although it’s a good idea to line the bottom of any kind of tub with a dish towel to keep his paws from slipping. Close the door to keep him from leaping out of the tub and dashing from the room. That’s a mess! If you don’t have any way to spray, you are best off using a water pitcher. Use something plastic, never glass!

Human shampoo is too harsh for dogs. It has the wrong pH for their skin. Any commercial dog shampoo is fine, but you can make your own green dog shampoo using 1/3 cup glycerin, 1 cup lemon Liquid Joy, 1 cup white vinegar and one quart of water. Combine these ingredients together in a liter bottle and shake before each use.

The water used to wash your dog should be warm but not hot. Never spray water directly in the dog’s face. Tilt his head up to make sure water runs down his back and not into his eyes. Use your fingers to rub in the green shampoo. If your dog is anxious, talk to him soothingly and massage his chest. Some experts say start with the back, then the rear and then the legs, saving the face for last. In general, work from top to bottom, working the suds down the body.

Rinse out the green shampoo with warm water, never too cold or too hot. Cover your dog’s eyes with your hand to prevent water or shampoo from getting in. Use a detangler for easier combing if you have a long haired dog. After the final rinse, use your hands to squeeze out as much water out as possible. Wrap your dog in a large absorbent towel. Blot, don’t rub, to avoid creating more tangles. You can let your dog shake itself to help dry off. Remove the cotton balls from the ears and let your dog dry naturally if you can. If you must use a blow dryer, keep it on the coolest setting. Also if the weather is cold or even cool, don’t let your dog outside until it is dry.  Finish by brushing your dog once again. Don’t bathe too often as it removes the natural oils from the skin. Most dogs only need a few baths a year. Regular brushing and attention to the nails is all many dogs need to stay healthy and clean.