By Franny Syufy

We all agree that a clean house is not only desirable, but essential to the health of both humans and the cats who share our homes. Ironically though, our homes are full of household cleaning supplies which can be harmful to our cats, things like chemical cleaners, disinfectants, and insect repellents. In an effort to protect our cats from exposure to toxic substances, while keeping our homes free from dirt and germs, the About Cats Forum members brainstormed and came up with a list of helpful “clean green” tips and ideas. We have discovered that there are a number of safe products we already have on hand that can be diverted toward safe cleaning.

Vinegar has a multitude of uses both inside and outside the home. Here are just a few:

• Windows: Mix 1/8 cup vinegar with a pint of water for a great window and glass cleaner. Use in a spray bottle and use newspapers to wipe and polish. For a particularly dirty window, add a tablespoon of dish detergent to the mix.
• Floors:Mix 1/2 cup of white vinegar in a gallon of warm water. Use to damp mop vinyl, ceramic tile, or laminate floors.
• Cat Urine Odor in Carpet: If necessary, use a black light to locate the stain. Use a 1:1 ratio of vinegar to water. Soak stain well, then blot with (recycled) paper towels or an old towel until all liquid is absorbed. Repeat if necessary.
• Stains on Clothing: Gently rub the stain with full-strength vinegar. Allow to site for a few minutes, then launder as usual. Helpful with fruit, jelly, mustard, coffee or tea stains.
• Clogged Kitchen and Bathroom Drains: Pour 1/2 to 1 cup baking soda into the drain, followed by one cup of hot vinegar. Let sit for several hours, then follow with very hot water. This tip is also useful as a monthly preventive maintenance, using 1/2 cup baking soda.
• Wood Cutting Boards: Spray or wipe with full-strength vinegar. (It also will remove any lingering onion odors.)
• Ant Control: Spray straight vinegar (or a 1:1 vinegar-water solution) around baseboards and other areas where ants enter the house.
• Weed Control: Spray full-strength on resistant weeds. This is particularly helpful if you have indoor-outdoor cats who venture outside occasionally to much on grass. Also use to kill grass and weeds in cracks in your driveway or sidewalk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you have green or Eco-Friendly tips and tricks?  We know you do, send them to us for an opportunity to be a Guest Blogger.  What better way to build your community by sharing your knowledge?

1st Green Clean - A Leader in Home Management Services
Give the gift of a healthier environment.

Imagine how much better you will feel to have a pristine and healthy working environment and all you did was make a phone call.  1st Green Clean can transform your life.  1st Green Clean is a professional firm here to manage with a superior level of detail to the cleanliness of your business.  You can also brag to your customers about your commitment to their health, office experience, and supporting the environment by going chemical free.  We work with a goal of exceeding your expectations and increasing your value.  


P.S. Hurry! Our services are exclusive and strictly limited. Don’t miss out! 

Call now! 866-905-9002 ext. 104

How may we service you?: http://www.1greenclean.com/our-services.html

Tweet with us on Twitter
Fan us on Facebook
Pin with us on Pinterest

Salt’s granular texture makes it perfectly suited for scouring. Table salt, sea salt, and kosher salt can all be used, but table salt is the cheapest choice.
Price: About 69 cents a pound.

Use It to Clean Your…Artificial flowers: Place the fake blooms inside a paper bag and pour in salt. Close the bag and shake vigorously. The salt will dislodge accumulated dust and dirt.

Glassware: Salt won’t scratch the way a scouring pad can. To get out stubborn stains, add some salt for extra abrasion and scrub.

Greasy pots and pans: Sprinkle salt on cookware to absorb excess grease. Dump out the salt before washing as usual. (Not recommended for nonstick cookware.)

Spills in the oven: If that casserole bubbles over as you take it out of the oven, pour salt on the spill to soak it up. When the oven is cool, wipe with a damp sponge.

Stained teacups and coffee mugs: Sprinkle salt on the outside of a lemon peel; rub the affected area till clean.

Wooden counters and tables: Cover grease splatters with salt to absorb as much as possible. Wait an hour, then brush away the salt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you have green or Eco-friendly tips and tricks?  We know you do, send them to us for an opportunity to be a Guest Blogger.  What better way to build your community by sharing your knowledge?

1st Green Clean - A Leader in Home Management Services
Give the gift of a healthier home.

1st Green Clean prides itself as a premier leader in residential home management services. 1st Green Clean is a luxury service provider we accept a limited number of appointments, we have an exclusive and limited clientele. When you invest in a home, you want a service provider that invests time in managing your home service needs, comprehensive consultation, and the security of reliable service. 

P.S. Hurry! Our services are exclusive and strictly limited. Don’t miss out! 

Call now! 866-905-9002 ext. 104

How may we service you?: http://www.1greenclean.com/our-services.html

Tweet with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/1stGreenClean
Fan us on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/1st-Green-Clean/171400231379
Pin with us on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/1stgreen/pins/

By Sarah Aguirre, About.com Guide

Baking Soda: Baking soda works as a mild abrasive, helping to gently scrub things that need to be scrubbed, but not scratched. Baking soda also works well to remove smelly odors, making it a prime candidate for a bathroom and kitchen cleaner. Baking soda also works to removes stains, and can be used to help soften laundry.

Borax: Borax is a laundry booster that can be used in a few different ways around the house. Borax is actually a natural mineral, but can be an irritant on skin, and shouldn't be ingested. Borax can be used as a stain remover and a substitute for bleach. Borax can also be used to repel insects, although care should be used around pets and small children.

Castile Soap: Castile soap is an oil based soap, that can be used to clean almost anything in your home. Diluted liquid castile soap can be used as an all-purpose cleaner. Liquid castile soap is an excellent degreaser.

Cornstarch: Cornstarch can be used as a starching solution for clothing. Cornstarch also absorbs oils and greases, making it a great help in the laundry room or for stains on counter tops.
Essential Oils:Essential oils help add a pleasing scent to homemade cleaning solutions. Be careful when using essential oils. A little goes a long way. There are people with high sensitivities to essential oil fragrances.

Lemons and Lemon Juice: Lemons can be great for scrubbing copper bottom pots. The juice works to clean and shine the pans. Lemon juice is a natural bleach, especially when combined with the sun. Lemon juice is a natural degreaser, which comes in handy with dishes.

Salt: Salt is an abrasive solution for scrubbing. Use salt to get rid of rust and mildew. Salt also works to help polish copper and silver.

Toothpaste: Toothpaste works as a very mild abrasive, similar to soft scrubbing gel solutions. Toothpaste can be used to clean silver. It can also be used to remove stains on white clothing, tennis shoes, and in many other places where a light scrubbing is needed.

Vinegar: Vinegar can be used as a fabric softener in the rinse cycle of your washing machine. Vinegar makes a great all-purpose cleaner. Mopping with vinegar is an inexpensive way to keep your floors clean. Vinegar is a great stain remover. Vinegar carefully combined with baking soda, makes a great foaming toilet cleaner.

Hydrogen Peroxide: Hydrogen peroxide can be used as a disinfectant. It also is one of the most effective blood stain removers.With all of these ingredients, be careful about mixing cleaners together. Use new clean bottles. Follow storage guidelines for cleaners. Rinse thoroughly, and always follow instructions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you have green or Eco-friendly tips and tricks?  We know you do, send them to us for an opportunity to be a Guest Blogger.  What better way to build your community by sharing your knowledge?

1st Green Clean - A Leader in Home Management Services
 Give the gift of a healthier home.

1st Green Clean prides itself as a premier leader in residential home management services. 1st Green Clean is a luxury service provider we accept a limited number of appointments, we have an exclusive and limited clientele. When you invest in a home, you want a service provider that invests time in managing your home service needs, comprehensive consultation, and the security of reliable service. 

P.S. Hurry! Our services are exclusive and strictly limited. Don’t miss out! 

Call now! 866-905-9002 ext. 104

How may we service you?: http://www.1greenclean.com/our-services.html

Tweet with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/1stGreenClean
Fan us on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/1st-Green-Clean/171400231379
Pin with us on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/1stgreen/pins/

Author: SJ WILSON

“I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.” How I wish I could utter those words! But like many people, falling asleep each night has always been difficult for me. I've usually got too much on my mind, and just can’t relax. But there are ways to increase your chances for a good night’s sleep. 


1.  Maintain a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends, holidays and days off. Going to bed at the same time each night sends a signal to your brain that it’s time to “power down” and helps promote better sleep at night. There's a catch, though. If you don't fall asleep within about 15 minutes, get up and do something relaxing.
 
2.  Exercise regularly, but not before bedtime. Regular physical activity can promote better sleep, helping you to fall asleep faster and to enjoy deeper sleep. But timing is important --too much vigorous activity close to bedtime will just keep you charged up.
 
3. Avoid naps, but if you really need one, limit it to half an hour, before 3 PM.
 
4. Limit your caffeine consumption to 8 hours before bedtime.  You’d like to be asleep by 10, but that cup of coffee you had around 4 PM might keep you up until midnight. Also limit how much you drink before bed, to prevent disruptive middle-of-the-night trips to the toilet.
 
5. Lavender has long been thought to have calming properties, and you can apply it
in many ways, from rubbing lavender lotion on your body, to having lavender
scented oil in the bedroom, or—at the risk of sounding like your great, great
aunt—to keeping a lavender-filled sachet folded in your pillowcase.
 
6. Start lowering the lights an hour before bedtime, letting your body know that
sleep is on its way. Read a book, or listen to soothing music. Relaxing activities can promote better sleep by easing the transition between wakefulness and drowsiness.
 
7.  If you’re in bed, and still not asleep after 30 minutes, tossing and turning will only increase anxiety. Get up and read a book, but don’t pick up “In Cold Blood,” or “The Exorcist.”  Try to choose something a little dull. Have a cup of caffeine-free tea, and listen to soothing music. If all else fails, drink warm milk and watch cable news
 
Sweet dreams!
 
Do you have any bed-time rituals that help you get a better night’s sleep?
 
Photo: Allan Lee

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you have green or Eco-Friendly tips and tricks?  We know you do, send them to us for an opportunity to be a Guest Blogger.  What better way to build your community by sharing your knowledge?

1st Green Clean - A Leader in Home Management Services
Give the gift of a healthier environment.

Imagine how much better you will feel to have a pristine and healthy working environment and all you did was make a phone call.  1st Green Clean can transform your life.  1st Green Clean is a professional firm here to manage with a superior level of detail to the cleanliness of your business.  You can also brag to your customers about your commitment to their health, office experience, and supporting the environment by going chemical free.  We work with a goal of exceeding your expectations and increasing your value.  


P.S. Hurry! Our services are exclusive and strictly limited. Don’t miss out! 

Call now! 866-905-9002 ext. 104

How may we service you?: http://www.1greenclean.com/our-services.html

Tweet with us on Twitter
Fan us on Facebook
Pin with us on Pinterest

What is carbon monoxide?  Carbon monoxide, or CO, is a poisonous gas that cannot be seen or smelled and can kill a person in minutes. Carbon monoxide can quickly build up to unsafe levels in enclosed or semi-enclosed areas.
What are some common sources of carbon monoxide?Carbon monoxide is produced by incomplete combustion from cars and trucks, small gasoline power equipment like weed trimmers and chain saws, boat engines, gas and camp stoves, lanterns, burning charcoal and wood, and gas ranges, ovens, or furnaces. Tobacco smoke is a significant source of carbon monoxide in homes with smokers.

What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?Common initial symptoms are headache, dizziness, fatigue, weakness, confusion, and nausea. Low-level carbon monoxide poisoning can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are like other illnesses, such as the flu. The following could be a sign of carbon monoxide poisoning:

• Symptoms go away when you leave your home and come back when you return.
• Everyone in the home has similar symptoms at the same time.

Breathing in high levels of carbon monoxide can cause loss of consciousness and death. People who are sleeping can die from carbon monoxide poisoning before ever knowing they are being exposed to the gas.

Who is at risk from carbon monoxide poisoning?All people and animals are at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning. Certain groups, such as unborn babies, infants, and people with chronic heart disease, anemia, or respiratory problems, are more easily affected by carbon monoxide poisoning.

What should be done if you suspect someone has carbon monoxide poisoning?  For more information visit: http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Contaminants/CarbonMonoxide.aspx

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1st Green Clean - A Leader in Home Management Services
Give the gift of a healthier home.

1st Green Clean prides itself as a premier leader in residential home management services. 1st Green Clean is a luxury service provider we accept a limited number of appointments, we have an exclusive and limited clientele. When you invest in a home, you want a service provider that invests time in managing your home service needs, comprehensive consultation, and the security of reliable service. 

P.S. Hurry! Our services are exclusive and strictly limited. Don’t miss out! 

Call now! 866-905-9002 ext. 104

How may we service you?:http://www.1greenclean.com/
Tweet with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/1stGreenClean
Fan us on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/1st-Green-Clean/171400231379

By Pharice Brown


Take a look at your book collection.  What do you see?  What was the last book you read?  Where is it?  Did you purchase a digital copy?  How many of them have you read from cover to cover?

No book is junk.  There are outdated copies, but they still have value and can be used for something.  Remember your favorite book?  Think someone else would enjoy?


Some books that are not current may be a little harder to find a home for.  If after attempting to donate them to a local organization you are not successful try contacting an organization like the Salvation Army and the Purple Heat.  They will let you know what items they accept and what the condition needs to be of each type.  They may also be able to refer you to other organization.  Some Salvation Army Stores collect household items, music, furniture, clothes, etc for thrift shoppers.  The benefit you will get, in addition to the warm and fuzzy feelings or course, you may be able to use your donation as a tax right off at the end of the year.   Check with your local tax professional for more information. 

Don’t forget to ask friends and family if they would be interested in a good read.  This is a great way for books to travel to different readers.  A “community book”, it will never always have the same home it is always being shared. 

So post pictures on your social media page and let others know what you have to offer.


~ Here’s to books having new homes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you have green or Eco-friendly tips and tricks?  We know you do, send them to us for an opportunity to be a Guest Blogger.  What better way to build your community by sharing your knowledge?

1st Green Clean - A Leader in Home Management Services
This holiday season give the gift of a healthier home.

1st Green Clean prides itself as a premier leader in residential home management services. 1st Green Clean is a luxury service provider we accept a limited number of appointments, we have an exclusive and limited clientele. When you invest in a home, you want a service provider that invests time in managing your home service needs, comprehensive consultation, and the security of reliable service. 

P.S. Hurry! Our services are exclusive and strictly limited. Don’t miss out! 

Call now! 866-905-9002 ext. 104

How may we service you?: http://www.1greenclean.com/our-services.html

Tweet with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/1stGreenClean
Fan us on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/1st-Green-Clean/171400231379
Pin with us on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/1stgreen/pins/

By Pharice Brown

Fashion – that magic word that get items off the rack and into your already over-packed closet.  Not to mention there is just never enough room for those 50% off sales and end of the season mark-downs.  Those perfect shoes with bag to match.  Face it, you bought it all.  How many shoes, scarves, hats, jeans, does one person really need?  Since there is no reasonable answer to that, I will show you an approach to manage what you have.

Time to pre-plan.  You want to start with an idea of how you want your closet to look. Search online for closet looks and styles, magazines and home make-over and DIY shows can give you inspiration.  One popular strategy is use a closet cubby.  (A square shaped that sits on the floor of the closet.  It has multiple square slots to place shoes in for storage.) Or purchase plastic shoe containers.  On the outside of the container write a description of the shoe on a slip of paper and tape it to the outside of the containers.

For your clothing you should get clothing hangers that are all the same to hang your clothing.  There are many space saving items – belt hangers, skirt hangers, hanging organizers, on the market that you can use to organize your closet.  Pick the style that best suites you and your overall look.  Consider all the items you are organizing with containers so you have enough on-hand at the time you begin the project.

For paper items you are planning to keep need to be organized at this time too.  You can purchase a filing system that will take up minimal space, but will hold all your documents in one place.  If you need more than one that is fine too.  Manila folders can be labeled and place in manner you choose.

Some paper filing ideas:

• By month – January through December each in a different folder
• By year – beginning in a specified year or years - 2010-2011, 2014
• By subject  - “2013 Tax Return Files”, “Dead Lead Files”
• By business – business name, The Jones Corporation

You are now ready to begin.

Step 1 – Completely empty your closet.  You will have an unobstructed view of your working area.  This will also put every item in front of you to choose a final place for it as you sort.

Step 2 – Start sorting through the pile that came out of your closet.  Create the following piles.

For more helpful ideas: Are You Terminal? 6 Warning Signs of Clutter-itis

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you have green or Eco-Friendly tips and tricks?  We know you do, send them to us for an opportunity to be a Guest Blogger.  What better way to build your community by sharing your knowledge?

1st Green Clean - A Leader in Home Management Services
Give the gift of a healthier environment.

Imagine how much better you will feel to have a pristine and healthy working environment and all you did was make a phone call.  1st Green Clean can transform your life.  1st Green Clean is a professional firm here to manage with a superior level of detail to the cleanliness of your business.  You can also brag to your customers about your commitment to their health, office experience, and supporting the environment by going chemical free.  We work with a goal of exceeding your expectations and increasing your value.  


P.S. Hurry! Our services are exclusive and strictly limited. Don’t miss out! 

Call now! 866-905-9002 ext. 104

How may we service you?: http://www.1greenclean.com/our-services.html

Tweet with us on Twitter
Fan us on Facebook
Pin with us on Pinterest

By Pharice Brown

Cleaning out your closet can shine a new light on your regular rotation.  You could discover items you have not seen since you brought them home.

So, those shoes that you could not pass up because they were on SALE.  The handbag was a must because; in the store it looked so good on your shoulder while you were trying the shoes on.  Still has the tag on it.  Yep, this will be going into the rotation!

Then there are those other shoes.  You may have worn them a few times, but you know the chances of you wearing them again are slim to none.  So let us talk about donation.  Donating gently used or still serviceable items can do so much good.  Let it find a new home.  Donation could be done a few ways.  You can also consider a nonprofit organization like a woman’s and homeless shelters, organizations that provide professional business clothing such as; suites for men and women job-seekers.  Gently worn clothing would have a brand new life thanks to you – you can’t go wrong.

Think about all the space you will gain.  Don’t forget, just giving your fashions to a friend(s); you know they would love you forever.

Maybe every six months set a date on your calendar so you don’t miss it.  Set a reminder a week in advanced so you can prepare properly.  To be prepared visit our article, "Declutter 101: How to Cut Clutter at Home".   Make sure to contact the recipient of your donations to find out their preferred method.

5 Ways to Decide If It Needs a New Home

1. If you have not been able to wear it in months. – Donate
2. If you just know you are not going to wear it. – Donate
3. Is it stained, torn, broken, out-dated? – Trash
4. Do you have a friend you think could use it. – Give it away
5. Consider donation for a tax write off on items that you have no use for.

~ Here's to more space in your closet! YAY!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you have green or Eco-Friendly tips and tricks?  We know you do, send them to us for an opportunity to be a Guest Blogger.  What better way to build your community by sharing your knowledge?

1st Green Clean - A Leader in Home Management Services
Give the gift of a healthier environment.

Imagine how much better you will feel to have a pristine and healthy working environment and all you did was make a phone call.  1st Green Clean can transform your life.  1st Green Clean is a professional firm here to manage with a superior level of detail to the cleanliness of your business.  You can also brag to your customers about your commitment to their health, office experience, and supporting the environment by going chemical free.  We work with a goal of exceeding your expectations and increasing your value.  


P.S. Hurry! Our services are exclusive and strictly limited. Don’t miss out! 

Call now! 866-905-9002 ext. 104

How may we service you?: http://www.1greenclean.com/our-services.html

Tweet with us on Twitter
Fan us on Facebook
Pin with us on Pinterest