Cleaning Products

How To Clean Your Wooden Floor: By Bona

by Jennifer | No Comments Tuesday, January 22, 2013

We somewhat recently talked about how to care for your hardwood floors, but Bona has a great how-to and video on their website that we wanted to share. Bona is the product we use to clean all our client’s hardwoods, and we couldn’t be happier with it!

Go here – How To Clean Your Wooden Floor – Bona

On a side note: be sure and read about all the products and their recommendations, using them correctly is the key to great floors, and if used improperly can result in damage that only a professional can repair.

Caring For Granite Countertops

by Jennifer | No Comments Tuesday, November 13, 2012


Granite countertops are a beautiful addition to any home. If cared for properly, they will last a lifetime, which makes the hefty pricetag completely worth it if you can do it.

-Keep Your Countertops Sealed

Have you ever noticed that not long after cleaning the counters again, they feel a little grimy again? That is due to the sealant wearing down. Making sure your counters are properly sealed will keep that to a minimum. Check with your manufacturer, but most granite needs to be resealed at least every 6 months to a year. In most cases, if it’s just routine maintenance, you can buy products from your local home improvement store to keep it in good condition. If your counters are in bad shape, consult a professional and look into getting them buffed and resealed.

-Use Only pH Neutral Products

pH neutral products are very close to water in composition. If you can, always try to use something specifically made for it, such as Method Granite Cleaner, or you could use a little bit of mild dish detergent with plenty of water (just be sure and get all the soap off, or it will be left streaky!)

-DO NOT Use Acidic Or Otherwise “Heavy Duty” Products To Clean It.

Vinegar and lemmon juice are fantastic cleaners. However, granite, marble, and other natural stone surfaces cannot tolerate them and should never be used to clean them. It will eat away at the sealant and do a great deal of damage. Do not use anything formulated for soap scum, heavy disinfectants, undiluted ammonia, etc.

-Wipe Up Spills Immediately

It is always important to wipe up any spills immediately. Anything that’s not water can damage the surface. And even if it is water, if there are any cracks on your counters it can seep into those. Staining is also an issue, as they are not easily removed. The sooner you clean up the spill, the less of a chance of any damage being done.

 

Choosing The Right All-Purpose Cleaner For Your Home

by Jennifer | No Comments Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Every home needs a good all-purpose cleaner. It will keep you from having too many products, since it can clean multiple surfaces. But with so many out there, how do you choose which one is right for you? Whether you are looking to change the one you have, or are just completely lost on the idea of products, here are a few guidelines to help you choose.

What Type Of Surfaces Are In Your Home?

If your home is mostly laminate and tile, almost any type of cleaner will work, as those surfaces are designed for durability. If you have granite, marble, and other high end surfaces, you want to be very careful about what you choose and make sure your cleaner is safe for those surfaces.

Do You Want Green Cleaning Or Chemicals?

Hopefully your answer is green, because you can clean just as effectively without chemicals, and it is safe for you and your family and pets. But some people love the smell, and don’t have children or pets, and that’s ok as long as you are very careful and use sparingly. If you do choose to use chemicals, we recommend watering them down if possible. Antibacterial cleaners are typically just as effective at killing germs when diluted, but read the labelling carefully to make sure, and don’t ever mix chemicals to avoid creating a highly toxic product that can seriously harm your health.

Now that you have answered these questions, we have a few suggestions for what will work best for you:

-If your home does not have high-end surfaces and you want a green cleaning, try putting 2 tbsp. of vinegar in a spray bottle, fill with water and add a couple drops of peppermint oil, and you’re ready to go! Just be sure to shake the bottle before use. Vinegar is antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral. For stuck on messes, let it sit for a few minutes and then scrub.

-If you have high-end surfaces and want a green clean, we recommend Mrs. Meyer’s All Purpose Cleaners. They are safe to use on any surface, and it comes in a concentrated formula that you dilute yourself, so the bottle will last ages. If you do not clean regularly, we find that using a magic eraser with the cleaner does wonders!

-If completely natural isn’t your thing, try Clorox Green-Works. It is mostly green, but not 100% and is safe to use on all surfaces.

Why I’m Glad I Went Green With My Home Cleaning

by Jennifer | No Comments Monday, July 2, 2012

Going green with the products you use in your home is a great idea for you, your family, and your pets. Something just happened in my life that is a great example of the benefits of using as little chemicals as possible, and I wanted to share it with you.

My sister-in-law Katelyn has this adorable little dog. Fleas are a big problem in their area, so she is diligent in keeping up with his flea medicine. On his last treatment, she went with a different brand because it was on sale, and almost immediately her entire body broke out into these painful, itchy welts. Flea medicine is designed not to be washed off easily and spread throughout the body, so before she knew it, there were traces of it all over the house. Everywhere she sat, even laying in her bed, made her break out more. So she spent the evening at a friend’s house so her mother could try to clean everything, and she realized that even being away, she was still having reactions to things that never used to bother her, such as fabric softener on bedsheets, and bleach that had been used in the bathroom.

In my home, we use a homemade all purpose cleaner with vinegar, water, and peppermint oil (Click Here for a guide to making your own green housecleaning kit.) We even make our own laundry soap, which you can cheaply and easily do by following These Easy Instructions. We have two children, so we like to keep our home free of unnecessary chemicals, especially when what we use is just as/even more effective. And the money we save is a great perk!

We invited Katelyn to stay with us until everything was ok for her to go back home, and during her stay here she has not broken out, and the welts all over her body are quickly subsiding and becoming less irritating. I’m glad we made the choice to stop wasting our money on standard cleaners, and the fact that my home is the only place Katelyn can be without breaking out is a testament to what a better choice it really is.

For other ways to green your home, check out our blog on Keeping Chemicals Out Of Your Drain!

Certified House Cleaning Technician

by Scarlette | No Comments Monday, June 25, 2012

Bit a Bliss now has one of the very few “Certified House Cleaning Technicians” serving Dallas, Plano, Frisco and surrounding areas.

Back in February, I spent two days at a certification class taught by the Institute for Service Excellence, took the test and passed with flying colors!

The class was amazing and I learned so much!  I am now able to pass on this knowledge to all of our staff.  I also intend to have them certified the next time there is a class in the Dallas area.

For many the largest investment they will ever make is in their home.  You don’t want just anyone caring for that investment. It is very important that your house cleaner understands the products they are using and the surfaces they are cleaning.

In achieving IICRC/cleantrust certification as a House Cleaning Technician, registrants have:

  • qualified by service and examination with a satisfactory score to ascertain their competency
  • demonstrated a thorough and working knowledge of cleaning and restoration or inspection techniques to the satisfaction of an approved IICRC instructor
  • pledged themselves to strive constantly to promote the goodwill of those they serve and to use their best talents to preserve by proper care the properties of their customers
  • agreed to subscribe and continue an effective training program approved by the IICRC to upgrade themselves as a true professional
  • pledged to hold above all else honesty and thorough workmanship in all their customer relations.