Soap and water cleaning is good at removing most germs from surfaces, properly disinfecting can effectively kill germs.  The kitchen, bathroom, and nursery area should be kept in mind.

Vinegar is the go-to product when it comes to disinfectants.  Add a little hydrogen peroxide in a dark colored spray bottle and store in a dark place and you are ready for any job.  This mixture is very effective at destroying salmonella and ecoli bacteria.

You can also mix vinegar and baking soda to in the dishwasher and this is a good way to remove streaks.

Click here to learn how to make an organic cleaning product.
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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.

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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.

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 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. 

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If you are new to green cleaning, here is a quick way to get you started.

Mix:

 ½ teaspoon of vegetable oil-based laundry detergent

1 teaspoon of borax (laundry detergent)

2 tablespoons of white vinegar

1 quart of hot water

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By Leah Gillis

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency‘s (EPA) website, molds are a part of our natural environment – but that doesn't mean we want them to run amuck in our homes. The types of mold that cause damage in homes can also cause infection, allergies, skin irritation, headaches and asthma.
What Is Mold?


Mold is a word that people throw around often times without really understanding what it is. It sounds downright disgusting, and to be sure it isn't pleasant, but it is a rather simple thing.

Outside, mold is a part of nature’s order, consuming dead plant matter, but inside mold is not so useful and should not be allowed to grow.

• Mold only needs one thing to grow and prosper: moisture.

Removing Mold And Mildew You should be able to get rid of mold yourself if the area isn't very large, otherwise do seek professional help. Remember that you can’t get rid of all mold because some is natural and will exist in a home. Here are some guidelines recommended by the EPA to help you rid your home of mold.

• Chemicals that remove mold include: bleach, borax, vinegar, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide and baking soda.
• Before you begin mold clean-up, make sure you are wearing the proper gear.
• You will want to wear long gloves that extend up the arm, and make sure the material they are made out of can withstand the cleaning products you use.
• You should also wear goggles without ventilation holes so you don’t get it in your eyes.
• Since you don’t want to breathe in mold, the EPA suggests an N-95 respirator. You can check with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for their guidelines.
• If you have mold in rugs, the ceiling or tiles (anything absorbent or porous,) you might have to throw it way. Since mold grows and can get into crevices it might be impossible to remove it completely from the material.
• Don’t paint or caulk moldy surfaces. Clean up the mold and dry the area first before you do work.
• If you are unsure of how to clean an item, get professional help.
• If you have a leaking faucet, pipe or roof that is supplying the water that grew the mold, get it fixed immediately.

Mold is a naturally occurring substance,but with awareness and persistence to keep moisture out of your home, you can reduce the chances of having mold in your home.

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With 1st Green Clean 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, on-site team supervisor, complementary consultation, and the security of reliable service.

Visit our website to see all the luxury services we offer and to schedule your complementary home evaluation. 


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Vegetable- and plant-based oils, such as olive and sunflower, dislodge dirt, diminish scratches and imperfections, and “hydrate wood that has aged or dried out from exposure to the sun,” says Hunter.

Price: About $7 a pint at supermarkets.
Use Them to Clean Your…

Cast-iron pans: Make a scrubbing paste with vegetable oil and a teaspoon of coarse salt to combat cooked-on debris, then rinse with hot water.

Hands: To get paint off your skin, rub with vegetable oil, then wash thoroughly with soap.

Leather shoes: Wipe away dirt with a damp sponge, then apply a drop of vegetable oil to a soft cloth and rub the surface to remove scuff marks. Buff the shoes with a chamois to a shine.

Rattan and wicker furniture: To prevent rattan and wicker from drying or cracking, lightly brush them with vegetable or sunflower oil and gently rub in with a cloth. Warm the oil on the stove first to thin it and make it easier to apply.

Stainless-steel surfaces: For extra sparkle, pour olive oil onto a cloth and buff.

Wood furniture: Make your own polish by mixing 2 cups olive or vegetable oil with the juice of 1 lemon; work it in with a soft cloth. To smooth out scratches in light-colored wood, rub them with a solution of equal parts olive or vegetable oil and lemon juice.

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This acidic wonder can wipe out tarnish, soap scum, mineral deposits, and more. Among natural cleaners, it’s the clear champ. Distilled white vinegar creates an environment that inhibits the growth of mold, mildew, and some bacteria, such as E. coli and salmonella, says Jeffrey Hollender, author of Naturally Clean ($18,amazon.com).

Price: About $1.80 for a quart at supermarkets.

Use It to Clean Your…
Coffeemaker: Pour equal parts vinegar and water into the machine’s water chamber, then switch on the brew cycle. Halfway through, turn off the coffeemaker and let the solution sit for about an hour. Turn it on again to complete the cycle, then run several cycles with clean water.

Dishwasher: To disinfect the interior of the machine, pour ½ cup vinegar into the reservoir and run an empty cycle, says Hunter. Or place a small bowl filled with vinegar on the bottom rack and run an empty cycle.

Drains: Clean drains―and the pipes they’re attached to―by pouring vinegar down them. After 30 minutes, flush with cold water.

Floors: Add ¼ cup vinegar to a bucket of warm water to clean almost any type of floor except marble (vinegar can scratch it) or wood (vinegar can strip it).

Glassware: For spotless hand-washed glasses, add 1 cup vinegar to the rinse water.

Moldy walls: Spray vinegar on the affected areas. After about 15 minutes, rinse and let dry thoroughly.

Shower heads: To combat mineral deposits, pour vinegar into a plastic grocery bag and knot the handles over the neck of the shower head, securing with rubber bands. Let soak overnight. Rinse with water in the morning.

Steam iron: To get rid of mineral deposits, fill the iron with equal parts vinegar and water; press the steam button. Turn off, let cool, empty, and rinse.

Windows: Mix ¼ cup vinegar, 2 cups water, and a squirt of liquid Castile soap in a spray bottle. Spritz windows and wipe with a sheet of newspaper.

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By Alexandra Kerr

You may know that baking soda is great for absorbing odors in your refrigerator or putting out small grease fires, but there’s more to this inexpensive and readily available ingredient that you may not have heard of. From clearing drains to clearing your acne, try these 24 ways to use baking soda for a cheap and easy replacement for expensive cleaners and cosmetics.

Cleaning Clean Counter tops: Sprinkle baking soda over your entire counter top, or on stains and spills. Allow to sit for five to 15 minutes, then wipe away with a damp cloth or sponge.

Clean Brushes: Soak household and cosmetic brushes in a solution of baking soda and water to cleanse.

Kitchen Surface Cleaner: Make a paste by combining baking soda and water, then cover your stove, oven, kitchen counter and sink. Allow to sit for five to 15 minutes, then wipe or scrub away.

Clean Drains: For clogged drains, pour three quarters of a cup of baking soda down them, followed by one cup of vinegar. The two ingredients will combine and fizz, helping to clear the drain. After 15 minutes, flush with very hot to boiling water.

Laundry Booster: Pour one half cup to one full cup of baking soda into your washing machine to help clean and freshen clothing.

Clean Pots, Pans & Dishes: Remove tough stuck-on food stains by making a paste of baking soda and water. Allow to set for several minutes, then wipe or scrub away.

Freshen Carpets: Sprinkle one box of baking soda over your carpet, and allow to sit for at least one hour. Vacuum when finished.

Freshen Cat Litter Boxes: Pour baking soda into your cat litter box to help fight smells.

Air Freshener: Place an open box of baking soda, or a decorative jar filled with baking soda, anywhere you’d like to freshen the air. Place an open box in the back of your refrigerator and freezer to remove bad food smells as well.

Deodorize Trashcans: Sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of trashcans around your home to keep garbage from smelling.

Clean Children’s Toys: Avoid using dangerous chemical cleaners on your kids’ toys by soaking them in a mixture of baking soda and water instead.

Clean Your Grill: Sprinkle baking soda and water on your grill to help remove burnt on food.

Clean Silver: Fill your sink with water, then place a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom. Sprinkle baking soda and two teaspoons of salt into the water, then place silver items on the foil. Tarnish will be removed or easily wiped off.

Cleanse Produce: Make sure your fruits and vegetables are clean before eating them by soaking them in a mixture of water and one-quarter cup of baking soda. Rinse thoroughly.

Remove Tough Odors From Skin: To get rid of smelly foods from your hands, clean with a paste of baking soda and water.

How many of these have you tried?  Do you have new tips?

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1st Green Clean - A Leader in Home Management Services is here to services your home management needs. 1st Green Clean prides itself as a premier leader in residential home management services for both large and small homes. Because 1st Green Clean is a luxury service provider we accept 120 appointments each year.
With 1st Green Clean 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, on-site team supervisor, complementary consultation, and the security of reliable service.

Visit our website to see all the luxury services we offer and to schedule your complementary home evaluation. 


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Ever wondered how to “clean” a sponge?

Microbes love to nestle down in small, damp spaces such as the inner cells of sponges or the pores between the fibers of wooden cutting boards.  Antibacterial soaps, detergents, sponges, cloths, boards, and utensils posses a chemical additive intended to deter bacterial growth, but they have not proved superior to regular products in tests.  You can reduce the microbes in sponges by washing in dishwasher or by treating them as suggested below.  Alternatively, save the sponges for car washing and other heavy cleaning chores and clean the kitchen with washable dishcloths and towels, and launder them often.

1. To eliminate microbes with highly toxic chemicals such as bleach (one teaspoon per quart of water).  Chlorine kills most organisms.  However, chlorine is toxic to handle, can ruin clothing, and when washed down household drains into the water supply, it forms chemicals harmful to people and wildlife.
2. Kill the microbes with heat.  Soapy water heated to 140⁰F kills most harmful organisms and washes most others away.  This method takes effort, though, since the water must be truly scalding hot, well beyond the temperature of the tap.
3. Use an automatic dishwasher to combine both methods: it washes in water hotter than hands can tolerate and most dishwasher detergents contain chlorine.
4. Use a microwave to kill microbes on sponges.  Place the wet sponge in a microwave oven and heat it until steaming hot (times vary).  Caution: heat only wet sponges in the microwave over and watch them carefully; dry sponges or those that contain metal can catch on fire.  Also, to prevent scalding your hands, use tongs to remove the steaming sponge.

The third and fourth options turned out to be the most effective for sanitizing sponges in an experiment by the USDA microbiologist.  Washing in a dishwasher and microwaving killed virtually all bacteria trapped in sponges, while soaking in a bleach solution missed over 10 percent.  The dishwasher may be preferable, however, for overall safety.

(Quoted in its entirety from Nutrition Concepts & Controversies, by Sizer / Whitney, Twelfth Edition, pages 454-455)

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When I was little, my grandmother cooked with only one pan—a big, black, cast-iron skillet that was too heavy for me to lift. She used it for as long as I can remember until she became elderly, and couldn't lift it herself.  I don’t know what happened to that pan, but more than twenty years ago, I bought one for myself, and I've been using it ever since.

Unlike chemically-treated, nonstick pans that can get scratched and start to peel, (not to mention releasing potentially harmful fumes into the air if used at a high temperature), cast iron will last indefinitely—and safely—with the proper care. While many people like to shop for bargains at a yard sale, you can buy a new, pre-seasoned, 10-inch skillet for about $20.00, which is still a bargain, considering that your great grandchildren could inherit it. 

If you decide to buy a used one, or you inherit one, you’ll probably have to clean it, depending on its condition. Remove any rust with a steel wood pad, then wash it with soap and warm water, the ONLY time your pan should see soap.  Rinse and dry it thoroughly,
then rub the skillet—inside and out—with a thin layer of vegetable oil. Too much oil will leave the pan sticky. Place it in a 400-degree oven for an hour with a sheet of aluminum foil on the rack below the one the skillet is on to catch any drips of oil, allowing the oil to
absorb into the iron. This is how the pan is “seasoned.” Turn off the oven, and leave the pan there to cool.

In the beginning, you’ll have to use a little oil to cook with, and be careful: the handles are hot, so be sure to use an oven mitt! To clean the pan after cooking, just use a scrub brush and warm water, not the dishwasher. Dry it completely so that it doesn’t rust, or you’ll have
to go through the seasoning process again. After it’s dry, put a small amount of vegetable oil onto a paper towel, and rub the pan with it. It’s also a good idea to layer the inside of the pan with a paper towel for storage, if you’re nesting it with other pans.

All foods cook beautifully in a cast-iron skillet, with the exception of eggs, which tend to stick, but the more you use the pan, the more non-stick it becomes. No special utensils are needed to cook in it, it won't warp, and It can go from the stovetop to the oven, a grill or campfire, but don’t put it in the microwave!

One more added benefit—if you’re trying to get more iron into your diet, cooking with a cast-iron skillet will help.

About SJ Wilson
SJ Wilson has been writing novels for many years, including the recently published, The Soul of Fenway. She loves spending time with her family, especially at the beach. Her hobbies include genealogy, photography, American history, and baseball. 



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