Cleaning For Your Family's Health

Repel Mildew On Shower Curtains

2011-11-20T06:26:00.000-08:00

Add a little salt to a spray bottle of water and spray on shower curtain weekly. Mildew can't stand salt water. This will stop it in it's tracks even before it has a chance to even start. For extra protection, don't forget about the folds. When finished showering, close the curtain. Since mildew can develop in the folds, pulling it straight prevents that from happening.

Tips For Maintaining A Healthy Home

2011-07-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

The best way to reduce allergic reaction to indoor allergens is to reduce your exposure to them. Here are some tips for maintaining a healthy home environment:

· Vacuum carpets, floors and upholstery 2-3 times a week using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.

· Sweep entrance mats regularly to reduce the amount of tracked in dust and soil.

· Have your heating & air conditioning system inspected & serviced annually. Use & replace high-efficiency filters on a monthly basis.

· Wash bed linens and coverings weekly in hot water.

· Have your carpets & upholstery cleaned by us at least twice per year, more often if you children & pets.

· Have us clean your mattresses & box springs, then encase them in allergen impermeable covers.

Giving Your Carpets A Fighting Chance

2011-06-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

Just like your clothing, your automobile, and your home, your carpet needs regular preventative maintenance to help it look and perform its best. Regular care will not only keep your carpet looking fresh and new, but can actually add years to its life.

Just as you put wax on your car to protect its finish from the elements and to keep it looking newer longer, your carpeting needs a protective treatment too.

Vacuum Up Dirt Easier

Carpet protectant creates an invisible shield, which allows you to vacuum soil away more easily. Proper vacuuming is crucial because it helps remove abrasive dirt particles, which can make your beautiful carpet look dull and dingy. This everyday soil can actually shorten the life of your carpet.

Spill Something? Don't Panic

Protectant provides a "window of opportunity" for you to remove common household stains. Carpets that are unprotected can absorb spills so quickly that even your best efforts to remove them are fruitless. Carpet protectant creates an invisible barrier, which helps keep stains (like fruit punch) from becoming a permanent part of the carpet fibers. While no carpet is bulletproof, carpet protectant gives you a fighting chance.

You take pride in the appearance of your home. After all, it says a lot about you. Your carpet is a crucial part of your indoor space. Its color, style, condition and cleanliness reflect upon you as an individual. Let protectant help you maintain the beauty of your carpet. The next time we clean your carpets, us for carpet protectant. You will be glad you did!

Here Comes The Pollen

2011-06-15T10:08:00.000-07:00

Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Open The
Windows… Here Comes The Pollen…Here Comes The
Heat and Humidity!

How often does your house get a breath of fresh air? Today's homes are so energy efficient, they are almost airtight. The only way to completely flush stale air out of your home is to open the windows.

But when is it realistic to have windows open?

Certainly not during the winter months—it's too cold. Most of the summer months are also ruled out—unless you love filling your home with heat, humidity, and pollen. That leaves only spring and fall as "open window" time.

Or does it?

Have you noticed how winter and summer tend to squeeze spring and fall right off the calendar? It seems like half the year we are running our furnaces, and the other half our air conditioning. The window of opportunity for—open windows—seems at best limited to a few weeks in the spring and fall. And if you suffer from allergies, the window may be closed year-round.

So what does this have to do with carpet cleaning? Glad you asked…

Recent studies have shown carpet plays a major role in the quality of the indoor air you and your family breathes. Carpet acts as a filter, trapping mold spores, bacteria and other air pollutants. Carpeting actually helps clean the air that is trapped inside your home. The drawback is, that just like any filter, your carpet filter must be cleaned regularly. Carpeting can't continue to filter your indoor air without your help.

How can you help?

There are three things your "carpet filter" needs from you.

1.    You must cleanup food spills and water leaks immediately to prevent bacteria and mold and mildew growth.
2.    You need to vacuum your carpet regularly with a vacuum that has a high-filtration bag.
3.    You must have your carpet professionally deep cleaned at least annually. (More often for homes with allergy sufferers. Heavy traffic areas may need more frequent spot cleanings.)

Great News! You also get a bonus benefit when you keep your carpet filter clean!

Clean carpet not only improves indoor air quality—clean carpet lasts longer too. Wear is caused when dirt and grit grind away at your carpet's fibers. With regular vacuuming and professional cleaning, your carpet will look like new for years to come.

Cleaning Packages Can Save You Time And Money

2010-06-09T10:20:00.000-07:00

The decision to get a true professional into the house to clean out the allergens has been made, but what cleaning packages should you choose? Some services have a selection board that looks like a menu at a restaurant. Before choosing haphazardly, take the time to ask a few questions that can make this process a bit easier.

Before you look at anything else, if there are children in the home, this is going to be a very quick discussion. When children are involved, the whole place needs to be spotless. If there are old mattresses, rugs and furniture in the home, it is best to sign up for a plan that will clean the place from top to bottom and make sure all allergens are removed.

Adults will often think that since they are not coughing or wheezing all of the time, that there are no issues in the home. However, dust mites and allergens will affect children much differently than they will children. If children are exposed to these types of things for a prolonged period, they can end up with lifelong respiratory problems.

While a complete package would be ideal, the services will usually be available on a single service basis as well as complete packages. If you just purchased new bedding, but the furniture is old, you can choose what you want until you need all of the services. At that time, you can take advantage of the all-inclusive packages that can save you some additional money.

When you first went online, you probably thought this would take about two seconds to be done. However, you are more than likely realizing how important it is to find the right company and the right cleaning packages for your home. The bright side is that when you finally do find the right service, you home will be clean, free of allergens and everyone can rest their heads on a clean mattress knowing there are no dust mites beneath them.

Using Allergy Relief Cleaning Just Makes Sense

2010-06-09T10:18:00.000-07:00

Suffering during allergy season is something you would not wish on anyone. Now imagine going through that during the whole year. That is exactly what people who suffer from indoor allergies have to deal with. Instead of continuing to suffer, use an allergy relief cleaning service to get the allergens and dust mites out of the home.

The main consideration for using an allergy cleaning service is the fact that they can come in and properly deal with all of these issues. Trying to do this on your own is only asking for trouble. Most home steam cleaners are not capable of cleaning like a professional machine and it is unlikely that you will be able to make and use the allergy solutions that they use to treat your bedding and furniture.

Dust mites are something that we have all heard about, but would like to believe that our home is free from. The sad news is that if your bedding has gone more than eight months without a cleaning, it is probably infested with these little creatures. If waking up with a headache, congested and water eyes is the norm, you probably have a phone call to make.

Using services that are professionally trained to deal with these types of things can make a huge difference. They will come in, test the home and then treat the areas to ensure that these allergens are gone. From that point forward, make sure you that you have a cleaning about every six to eight months and the problems should be gone forever.

Do you need to use a professional service? In all honesty, yes you do. Your health and that of your family is far too important to trust to some random steam cleaner that you found on Amazon.com. If you want your home cleaned properly and to be allergy free, use an allergy relief cleaning service to make sure that it is done the right way.

Mattress Cleaning Lets You Wake Up Breathing Easy and Allergy Free

2010-06-09T09:50:00.000-07:00

Even if you do not think that you are suffering from allergies, a mattress that is infested with dust mites can cause some breathing issues. Why take the risk of future health problems when a mattress cleaning will allow you finally breathe easy.

Why is it that when we talk about cleaning our homes, mattress cleaning is rarely ever discussed? If people were more aware of the allergens and little critters that lived inside of their mattresses, their outlook on this would change very quickly. The fact of the matter is that our mattress is often the cause of many breathing problems that people face every night that they lie down to go to bed each evening.

If you do not believe how dirty your mattress can be, do a simple test at home that will open your eyes in no time at all. If you have a viewable canister vacuum, take off your sheets and run the vacuum over the mattress. Now look inside the canister and you will suddenly realize that the place that you sleep may very well be the dirtiest place in the home.

The good news in all of this is that the problem can be solved with regular mattress cleaning. While vacuuming your mattress on a regular basis will help, it should still be professionally cleaned at least twice a year. This is a common service that most steam cleaning services will offer, but you may want to look for a professional allergy relief cleaning service to make sure it is done correctly.

The main concern when discussing mattress cleaning is the dust mites, dead skin and pet dander that can build up inside the mattress. Because dust mites lives off both dander and the dead skin, it is imperative that all of this is removed when the bedding is cleaned. The best way to do this is with a proper cleaning solution and a steam cleaner.

The difference in using a steam cleaner on our own and the steam cleaners that the professionals use is performance. The ones that are available to the general public sell for a few hundred dollars, but still do not perform near the level that a professional model can. They are much more powerful, generate more heat and are all but guaranteed to be able to kill and remove anything that is in the mattress.

We spend a lot of time in our beds, but we usually do not spend enough time thinking about how clean the actual mattress is that we are sleeping on. Clean sheets do not make for a clean mattress and this is a lesson that is often learned the hard way. Instead of waking up congested and tired every day, have a mattress cleaning done and finally sleep knowing that your head is resting on a clean mattress.

That mattress may look clean on the outside, but if you have never had a mattress cleaning, odds are that it is infested with dust mites. Call an allergy relief cleaning service today so you can rest easy at night knowing your mattress is truly clean.

Pet Allergies

2010-01-28T08:45:00.000-08:00

Our beloved household pets are one of the most common sources of allergic conditions. Many people think that pet allergies are triggered by the fur of cats and dogs, but, researchers have found that the major allergens are proteins secreted by oil glands in the animals skin and shed in dander, along with proteins in saliva, which stick to the fur when the animal licks itself. Pet urine is also a major source of allergy-causing proteins.

Cats are more likely than dogs to cause allergic reactions in humans. They lick themselves more frequently and are more often held than dogs. They also tend to spend more time indoors than dogs. Consider the following:

• Vacuum frequently (did I mention that already?)
• Wash hands after handling pets & wear a dust mask when changing a litter box
• Have a non-allergic family member brush pets outdoors frequently.
• Bathe pets weekly, to keep dander from accumulating.
• Keep pets off of furniture.
• Keep pets out of the bedroom.
• Call us to treat urine-damaged areas.

Furniture Care Tips

2010-01-28T08:39:00.000-08:00

Furniture Care Tips...

Furniture manufacturers recommend that consumers not wait until severe soiling occurs before cleaning because the greater the soiling, the less the likelihood of restoring the fabric’s original color, appearance, and texture and the greater the adverse affect on indoor environmental quality.
Here are some tips for maintaining your furniture:

• Control soil by using arm caps and rotating seat cushions frequently to prolong life and appearance of areas prone to wear and tear.

• Remove dry soil by vacuuming and, depending on the fabric, brushing to remove dust and soil particles.

• Increased cleaning may be required when fabric is subjected to heavy use, or when it is located in homes occupied with persons with allergies or respiratory sensitivity.

Caring For Your Carpet

2009-11-26T12:43:00.000-08:00

.Put walk-off mats inside and outside every entrance to the home.

.Also place mats at carpet entrance from high traffic areas like kitchens.

.Keep mats clean:vacuum frequently and machine wash or hose and squeegee clean.

.Vacuum traffic areas 3 to 5 times per week, all open areas weekly.

.Reapply protective finish each time carpet is cleaned.

.Clean your carpet at least once a year.

.Seek and remove spillables before they spill.

.Clean spills up immediately.

Pet Stains

2009-11-04T08:38:00.000-08:00

• Blot up as much of the urine as possible. Do not scrub. When you think you have as much of it up as possible, blot the area again using a towel soaked in warm water. Be careful not to get the area too wet—you may force the urine deeper. Blot the area again with a dry towel.

• Next, apply a low-residue carpet spot remover, let sit for 60 seconds and again blot the spot.

• Finally, fold a dry towel to several layers, place over the spot and apply at least 10 pounds of weight. Let it sit overnight. When you remove the towel, fluff the carpet up and allow to dry. If the spot returns after a few days, repeat the last two steps.

After the carpet dries, stick your nose down to the carpet and give it a good whiff. Any odor? If so, please be very careful what you use. Most store-bought deodorizers only work in mild odor situations. Don’t over-use them, you may do more harm than good. Call us if you need help.

• Blot up as much of the urine as possible. Do not scrub. When you think you have as much of it up as possible, blot the area again using a towel soaked in warm water. Be careful not to get the area too wet—you may force the urine deeper. Blot the area again with a dry towel.

• Next, apply a low-residue carpet spot remover, let sit for 60 seconds and again blot the spot.

• Finally, fold a dry towel to several layers, place over the spot and apply at least 10 pounds of weight. Let it sit overnight. When you remove the towel, fluff the carpet up and allow to dry. If the spot returns after a few days, repeat the last two steps.

After the carpet dries, stick your nose down to the carpet and give it a good whiff. Any odor? If so, please be very careful what you use. Most store-bought deodorizers only work in mild odor situations. Don’t over-use them, you may do more harm than good. Call us if you need help.

Cleaning Tips

2009-10-20T05:42:00.000-07:00

. Do not mix ammonia and vinegar together. They will neutralize each other.

. Vacuum cobwebs instead of smashing them on the surface with a broom or dust mop. They are sticky and can leave a stain.

. Wash your painted walls instead of repainting. It's faster and cheaper. You can have them professionally washed for a fraction of the cost of repainting.

. When washing walls or floors, use two buckets. One with a cleaning solution, one with clear rinse water. Rinse your sponge or mop in the rinse water before placing it in the solution bucket. Change the rinse water frequently. You will use less cleaning solution with this method.

. Remove crayon marks from painted walls with lighter fluid.

. Remove black shoe marks from flooring with an eraser.

. To wash window screens, lay them on a flat surface with an old sheet underneath. Apply cleaning solution, scrub them gently with a brush, rinse with a hose and shake off excess water.

. Rotate area rugs so that they soil and wear more evenly. If they have a pad under them, vacuum it annually.

. Use a hair dryer to blow dust from dried flower arrangements or silk flowers before vacuuming the room.

. Remove candle wax from holders by placing them in the freezer for an hour.Then peel off the frozen wax.

Clean Secrets

2009-10-15T14:10:00.000-07:00

True or False: You can make your water clean better and clean easier.
True: To a sink of sudsy water, add 1 tablespoon of bleach to kill germs and a few drops of water softener to make cleaning agents penetrate faster.

True or False: There are more harmful germs on your bed sheets than on your sofa.
False: Sofa's have more germs because they don't get cleaned enough, while sheets are washed often.

True or False: For dust allergy sufferers, hard floors are better for health than carpets.
False: Properly maintained carpets are better, because they hold dust instead of letting it blow around.

True or False: Guests decide if you are dirty or clean by the appearance of your carpet.
True: 60% of your guest's first impression of the inside of your home is formed around the carpet.

What Shoud I Wear On My Feet When Indoors?

2009-09-20T06:06:00.000-07:00

The best thing to wear on your feet in the house is white cotton socks. Shoes are abrasive on the carpet and track minute amounts of oils on the carpet (like tar and asphalt), which then attract dirt.

Bare feet also have oils from skin and soap, which attract dirt. So socks or special indoor-only slippers are best. Cotton is great because dirt sticks to cotton easier than it sticks to synthetic carpet fibers.

By wearing cotton socks, you actually pick up some of the dirt that would otherwise end up on the carpet. I suggest white socks, because some socks or slippers have dyes that rub off and stick to the carpet and can stain the carpet permanently.

Sunlight Is A Natural Deodorizer For Your Home

2009-09-20T05:51:00.000-07:00

Often people open all the doors and windows to 'air out the house.' The flush of fresh air is healthful and refreshing, but much of the benefit comes from the fact that more sunlight is brought in, which works as a natural deodorizer by chemically neutralizing many odor sources.

The sunlight also kills many germs and spores that lurk in the home. On the bad side, the same force in sunlight also faded textiles and degrades or discolors many furnishings.

How Do I Get Rid Of Indentations In The Carpet

2009-08-30T05:01:00.000-07:00

We recently moved into a 3 year-old house. The carpet is in great shape, except for one thing: There are indentations in the carpeting where the previous owners had their furniture. How do we remove them? Will cleaning the carpet help?
Signed, Mrs. Dent

Deep furniture indentations are a combination of compression of the carpet pad (which is most likely irreversible), stretching of the carpet backing (which can sometimes be improved), and distortion of the face fibers.
Cleaning alone, will not remove the dents. It may help improve the carpet and backing, but will do very little for the carpet pad. Over time, the pad may slowly return to it’s original shape, but that rarely happens - especially if the pad is of lower quality.
You can try a couple of things:
1. Place a damp, white towel over the dents and set a steam iron over the towel. Remove it after 1 minute, then fluff the carpet fibers up and allow to dry.

2. Try the ice cube trick: Put an ice cube on each dent and let it sit over night. I have never tried this, but I’ve heard that it works in some cases. Don’t ask me why.

If none of the above works and the indentations are really bugging you, as a last resort you could have the carpet pulled back and have new pieces of carpet pad inserted where the compressed pad is.

How To Mix Homemade Cleaning Solutions

2009-08-16T13:10:00.000-07:00

Ammonia, diluted with 3 parts water in an empty spray bottle can be used to clean windows, appliances and countertops. Full strength it can remove wax build-up from the kitchen floor.

An excellent way to scour copper and brass is 1/2 cup vinegar mixed with 1 tablespoon salt.

Full strength pine oil is great for deodorizing garbage cans, and scrubbing the kitchen and bathroom floor.

Removing Carpet Depressions Left By Furniture Legs

2009-08-10T11:10:00.000-07:00

Moisten the area with hot water. Cover it with a damp, white, disposable towel. Press
a hot, steaming iron to the towel for up to 90 seconds, being sure to check the carpet underneath for signs of damage such as scorching.

This will soften the backing of the carpet and after removing the iron you can work the backing up so that it is flush with the rest of the carpet. This will not work on all carpet types.

Removing Spots That Keep Coming Back

2009-08-01T09:28:00.000-07:00

When you clean the spot off, use a detergent that does not leave a residue, such as liquid diswashing soap. Be sure to rinse the cleaning agents out once the spot has been removed, by repeatedly blotting with a fresh towel and clean water (soap residues could be the problem, because they will attract dirt and make a spot reappear).

Lastly, place several folded white towels on top of the spot and as much weight as you can, say several large books. Leave them overnight. This will cause the spot to wick into towels and draw it off the carpet.

If the spot ever comes back again, repeat process, but this time pack the carpet with talcum powder or baking soda and salt before placing the towels over the spot. These powders will also pull the residues out of the carpet and absorb them as the carpet dries.

23 Uses Of Vinegar From HouseHold Chores To Cat Repellant

2009-07-27T08:04:00.000-07:00

In today’s high-tech world, it’s nice to know that there are many “low-tech,” in expensive and environmentally safe solutions to everyday problems.

Vinegar, for all of it’s simplicity, is an amazing product. Here are just a few of the many uses for vinegar:

When waxing a floor after scrubbing with a floor stripper, use 1 cup of vinegar to the rinse water. It neutralizes the chemicals and makes wax or floor finishes adhere better.

For an inexpensive cleaning solution to replace those expensive PERGO flooring cleaners: (From a PERGO dealer) Pour 32 ounces of white vinegar, 32 ounces of rubbing alcohol, 64 ounces of water and 6 drops of dishwashing liquid into a 1-gallon plastic jug, shake to mix, then pour contents into a spray bottle. You now have the equivalent of the more expensive Pergo floor cleaner. Just spray and mop, then go back over the floors with a dry towel to remove any excess moisture. Also works great on tile floors!

As a wall cleaner: Mix 1 gallon of water, 1 cup of ammonia, 1/2-cup vinegar, and 1/4 cup of baking soda into a bucket of water. STIR TO MIX THOROUGHLY. Wash the walls from the bottom up. Otherwise, you may get drips on the non-cleaned surfaces that are very difficult, if not impossible to remove.

As a nontoxic bug spray: Keep 100% vinegar in a spray bottle and use instead of pesticides, anywhere inside or outside. Why spray toxic pest killers inside your home, where your family and pets are exposed to it, when you can use a natural remedy?

To repel ants, spray vinegar around door and window frames, under appliances, and along other known ant trails.

To kill grass on walks and driveways: Pour full strength vinegar on unwanted grasses.

To kill weeds in the garden, spray full strength on the tops of weeds. Reapply on any new growth.

To keep car windows frost-free: Coat the windows the night before with a solution of three parts vinegar to one part water.

Soak new propane lantern wicks in vinegar for several hours. Let dry before using. They will burn longer and brighter.

As a cat repellant: Sprinkle vinegar on an area to discourage cats from walking, sleeping or scratching or...

To freshen vegetables: Soak wilted vegetables in a quart of cold water and a tablespoon of vinegar.

To scale fish more easily: Rub with vinegar 5 minutes before scaling.

Spot Removal

2009-07-25T04:56:00.000-07:00

There is a right way and a wrong way to cleanup accidental spills on your carpet. What you should not do is just as important as what you should do. Today’s new carpets resist spots much better than those manufactured even a few years ago. However, they are still susceptible to spots and should be treated quickly to avoid a permanent stain.

Step 1: Blot up as much of the spill as you can. Make sure you blot - don’t scrub. Scrubbing will only work the spill deeper into the fiber, and may leave a wear mark. Use a white paper or white cotton towel to blot. Fold the towel and press it into the spill. Rotate the towel often so a clean surface is always against the carpet. Continue to blot until no more of the spill transfers to the towel. Remove any solid material with a rounded spoon or the edge of a dull knife.

Step 2: Cover the blotted area with a fresh white towel. Weight the towel with something that will not transfer color to the carpet or towel. Leave this in place for 15-20 minutes to remove any remaining spill. Should the carpet remain stained by the spill, go to step three.

Step 3: Spotting the remaining stain in your carpet requires care and patience. You cannot apply most household cleaners to the stain without further damaging the carpet. Many common cleaners contain dyes that will discolor the carpet, or chemicals that will permanently set the stain. If you can locate the literature you received when you bought the carpet it should contain spotting procedures for you to follow.

If not, you can attempt to remove most common household spills with the following procedure. Mix a teaspoonful of colorless, mild detergent in a cup of lukewarm water. To test the safety of the solution apply several drops to an inconspicuous area (closet, under a couch) and rub gently with a clean white towel. Do not proceed if any carpet color transfers to the towel or if the carpet’s color changes. Try an alternate cleaner, or call a professional.

If the test is successful, spot the stain by alternately applying a few drops of cleaner followed by blotting. Always blot, never scrub, and do not over wet. Work from the outer edge of the stain to the center. Continue this process until the stain is gone or no more color transfers to the white towel. The final step is to gently rinse the area with clear water, then absorb all the remaining moisture with absorbent towels.

Carpet Care And Your Families Health

2009-07-24T03:08:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says… “Until such a time as the carpet fibers are cleaned, the potential for human exposure and health risk remains high.” “Every time carpets and fabrics are emptied of their pollution build-up through professional cleaning methods, there is a health benefit.”

Imagine a carpeted floor and a hard surface floor in your home, office or work area. Let’s say that you vacuum the carpet daily and sweep the floor daily. Six months later, what would your hard floor look like?

Remember, you have only swept the floor, not mopped. You would have a grungy looking hard floor, but the carpet would still look good. The reason for this is that carpet does not magically repel dirt...it hides it!
Same dirt on both floors, you just can’t see it on the carpet...yet.

The problem: Carpet by its design, hides dirt. By the time soil becomes apparent, it is no longer a light duty-cleaning chore, it has become a heavy-duty restoration. The ability of the cleaning process to achieve a desirable appearance is affected by the amount of soil and the length of time it has been in the carpet.

Without a quality maintenance plan, the carpet is eventually replaced, not because it has “worn out,” but because cleaning no longer improves the appearance. The carpet has “uglied out.” The overall annual cost of owning a carpet can be reduced, if it is properly maintained. You could effectively extend your carpets life by 3 to 5 years.

The solution: Regular maintenance programs are your best protection against the build-up of soils, mold spores, chemicals, dust mites and other pollutants that accumulate in your carpet and upholstery.

Is Your Home Making Your Family Sick?

2009-07-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

Most people are aware that outdoor air pollution can damage their health, but may not know that indoor air pollution can also have significant effects. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) studies of human exposure to air pollutants indicate that indoor air levels of many pollutants may be 2-5 times, and on occasion more than 100 times higher than outdoor levels. These levels of indoor air pollutants are of particular concern because it is estimated that most people spend as much as 90% of their time indoors.

Over the past several decades, our exposure to indoor air pollutants is believed to have increased due to a variety of factors, including the construction of more tightly sealed buildings, reduced ventilation rates to save energy, the use of synthetic building materials and furnishings, and the use of chemically formulated personal care products, pesticides, and household cleaners.

In recent years, comparative risk studies performed by EPA and its Science Advisory Board have consistently ranked indoor air pollution among the top five environmental risks to public health. Poor indoor air quality is a leading cause of allergies in humans and pets.

Allergies are an over reaction of the immune system to foreign substances. This over reaction weakens your immune system, draining your energy and leaving you more susceptible to infectious diseases caused by viruses and bacteria.

Allergic reactions can range from mildly uncomfortable to life threatening, as in a severe asthma attack. Health experts are especially concerned about people with asthma. These people have very sensitive airways that can react to various irritants, making breathing difficult. The estimated number of people with asthma has risen over 59 percent since 1970, to a total of 9.6 million people. The number of related deaths has increased by 68 percent.

The largest source of indoor air pollution is from the common household dust mite. In February, 1993, John W. Maunder, Ph.D., Director of the Medical Entomology Center at the University of Cambridge, UK, published a paper entitled “Carpets, House Dust Mites and Asthma” in which he states, “There is no longer room for serious doubt about the dominant role of the house dust mite in both the initial induction of asthma and in the subsequent triggering of wheezy attacks.”

Asthmatics are not allergic to living mites but to the airborne feces of mites and, to a much lesser extent, to dead mites. Dr. Maunder states that although living mites are difficult to remove from carpet, their feces are readily removed from carpets by proper cleaning. “A carpet regularly cleaned will not and cannot contain enough allergen to affect people. The proper maintenance of carpet completely prevents trouble from that source.”

A recent study concludes that carpets may benefit indoor air quality by acting as a filter for indoor air, trapping and holding dust mites, pollutants, and allergens like pollen, pet dander and molds, which play an important role in allergic diseases. The key to maintaining good indoor air quality in a home is to remove these pollutants regularly.

As you can see, regular cleanings are important… not just to maintain the appearance of your carpets, but for hygienic reasons, as well. Contaminates in your carpet that need to be removed on a regular basis.

Waiting until your carpet looks dirty is waiting too long. In fact, the EPA recommends having carpets and upholstery cleaned at least twice a year, more often if you have children or pets.

Properly cleaning your entire home can also go a long ways in the battle to control dust mites and other indoor pollutants. You cannot see a dust mite with the naked eye, (dozens of them will fit on the head of a pin) but you can help keep their favorite breeding grounds dry and clean.

Controlling dust is very important. Besides carpeting, dust mites also thrive in upholstered furniture and bedding. Vacuuming will not remove them, but will help to remove dust. Make sure that you use a vacuum cleaner that filters the exhausted air. Get in the habit of vacuuming your carpets and furniture thoroughly, at least a couple of times a week.

For more information on this subject, visit the EPA website @ www.epa.gov and enter “indoor air quality” in the search engine. Another good source of information is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website @ www.cdc.gov. Or, talk to your physician.

Health Alert From Pollen And Mold

2009-07-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

Here are tips that will help you to protect yourself, family and visitors from unnecessary suffering or from exposure that might be linked to the cause of lifelong allergies.

Stay indoors during peak pollen hours: usually 5am to 10am.
After you've been outside, change your clothes(but not in your bedroom) and take a quick shower. Pollen from the air can collect on your clothes and hair.
Shower and wash your hair every night to remove pollen.
Don't line-dry clothes.
Pets who live both indoors and outdoors should be bathed often.
Keep windows in home closed.
Monitor pollen counts and adjust outdoor activities accordingly. Dry, windy days, especially after a rain, can be particularly high in pollen.
Use air conditioning and change filters often.
Reduce the time you spend mowing the lawn (which stirs upboth pollen and mold spores) and raking leaves(which stirs up mold spores). If you must mow the lawn, wear a mask to filter out pollen and mold spores.
When driving, keep windows rolled up and use air conditioner (set on re-circulate) to reduce pollen exposure.
Post reminders to take medication during the day, carry it with you.

Pet Allergies: Living With Fluffy And Fido

2009-07-21T18:41:00.000-07:00

Our beloved household pets are one of the most common sources of allergic conditions.

Many people think that pet allergies are triggered by the fur of cats and dogs, but, researchers have found that the major allergens are proteins secreted by oil glands in the animals skin and shed in dander, along with proteins in saliva, which stick to the fur when the animal licks itself. Pet urine is also a major source of allergy-causing proteins.

Cats are more likely than dogs to cause allergic reactions in humans. They lick themselves more frequently and are more often held than dogs. They also tend to spend more time indoors than dogs. Consider the following:

• Vacuum frequently (did I mention that already?)
• Wash hands after handling pets and wear a dust mask when changing a litter box.
• Have a non-allergic family member brush pets outdoors frequently.
• Bathe pets weekly, to keep dander from accumulating.
• Keep pets off of furniture.
• Keep pets out of the bedroom.
• Call us to treat urine-damaged areas.

The Many Uses Of Fabric Softener Sheets

2009-07-21T16:39:00.000-07:00

In our nonstop quest to provide you with useful information, we came upon this little gem on the internet. We haven’t tried all of these ourselves - we’ll leave the field-testing to the experts.
And you thought that fabric softener sheets were only for the dryer!

Repel Mosquitoes: Tie a sheet of fabric softener through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season. (If it doesn’t work, you can always use it as a white flag when you surrender to the little pests)

Eliminate static electricity from your television screen: Since fabric softener is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of fabric softener to keep dust from resettling.

Eliminate static cling from panty hose: Rub a damp, used sheet of fabric softener over the hose after you put them on.

Eliminate static electricity from Venetian blinds: Wipe the blinds with a sheet of fabric softener to prevent dust from resettling.

Dissolve soap scum from shower doors: Clean with a used sheet of fabric softener.

Freshen the air in your home: Place an individual sheet of fabric softener in drawers, closets or wherever you could use some freshening up.

Prevent musty suitcases: Place an individual sheet of fabric softener inside empty luggage before storing.

Freshen the air in your car: Place a sheet of fabric softener under the front seat. (Remove all of the old fast-food bags first) It’s cheaper than those little tree air fresheners!

Prevent thread from tangling: Run a threaded needle through a sheet of fabric softener to eliminate the static cling before sewing.

Clean baked-on foods from a cooking pan: Put a fabric softener sheet in the pan and fill with hot water. Let it sit over night. The next day, simply sponge clean. The antistatic agents in fabric softener apparently weaken the bond between the food and the pan while the fabric softening agents soften the baked-on food. (Of course, if you ate out every meal, you wouldn’t have this problem)

Collect cat hair: Rubbing the area with the fabric softener will magnetically attract the loose hairs. (Is that why my cat keeps climbing into the dryer?)

Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sandpapering: A used sheet of fabric softener will collect sawdust like a tack cloth.

Eliminate odors in wastebaskets: Place a sheet of fabric softener at the bottom of the wastebasket.

Eliminate odors in dirty laundry: Place an individual sheet of fabric softener at the bottom of a laundry bag or hamper. (These people have obviously never met my teenage son)

Deodorize shoes or sneakers: Place a sheet of fabric softener in your shoes or sneakers overnight so they’ll smell great in the morning. (OK, you test this one out first)

With a little creativity, I’ll bet you can add to this list!

House Plants-Ahhh Breath of Fresh Air

2009-07-21T15:58:00.000-07:00

It's a long-held belief that talking to your houseplants can help them to thrive. But, did you know that they in-turn can return the favor, even though you may refuse to carry on a conversation with your coleus?

The benefit of filling your home or office with houseplants isn’t myth. Research continues to demonstrate the ability of plants to improve the quality of indoor air.

The energy crunch of the 1970’s led to changes in building technology. Homes and office buildings are insulated and sealed to increase energy efficiency. The downside of lower heating and cooling costs, is the concern about indoor air pollution.

The tightening of buildings means less fresh air is allowed into the structure. Many offices re-circulate air, with no opportunity for opening windows to bring in a fresh breeze. The air quickly becomes stale. Humans exhale carbon dioxide, contributing to the worsening air quality.
Plants, giving off oxygen, do just the opposite. Architects and building designers are beginning to include plants as important parts in the design of new buildings, often circulating air through plant-filled atriums.

Besides giving off oxygen, some plants have even proven their ability to remove harmful chemicals and pollutants from the air. Among them, the common “spider” plant was proven by NASA scientists to be able to absorb and remove formaldehyde - a common chemical used in many building products, including carpeting - from the air.

During the last 20 years, more than 40 plants have tested successfully in removing various indoor air polluting chemicals. Experts recommend using as many plants as practical in the home and office, mixing different varieties, since it’s not certain which combinations of plants work best together.

The list of house plants suggested by researchers include spider plants, dracaenas, palm, ficus, Chinese evergreen, golden pothos and peace lilly.
There is no such thing as a “bad” choice when selecting house plants - some are better than others at improving the air we breathe - but all plants, due to their natural beauty, will help improve the morale in your home or office. Houseplants make great house guests too. They don’t eat or drink much, won’t track mud in from outdoors, and never dump over the garbage.

Have you ever heard of a dog’s tooth violet having an “accident” on the living room carpeting? So, take a deep breath of fresh air, thank your thalia and tell your yuca plant that you love him.