Green Cleaning

Keeping Chemicals Out Of Your Drains

by Jennifer | No Comments Monday, January 16, 2012

When you flush something down the toilet, pour something down the sink, or take a shower, the waste goes from your home to a water treatment plant. While the plants are very effective at giving us safe drinking water, they may not be able to erradicate all chemicals, potentially making the water hazardous to others and the environment. Everyone should know by now that is is dangerous to flush medication, but it can be easy to forget another culprit: cleaning supplies. Products such as toilet and drain cleaners may be cheap and convenient, but there are equally inexpensive (and often cheaper)environmentally sound alternatives to consider.

Toilet Cleaner

To clean and sanitize your toilet bowl, As Explained Here, simply pour 1/4 cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar into the toilet and let sit for 15 minutes. Then scrub with a toilet brush and flush. And since you should know by now that vinegar is our favorite all purpose, use Our Formula to clean and sanitize the outside of the toilet and the seat as well.

Unclogging A Drain

We all have to deal with this from time to time, whether it be hair in the shower drain or food backing up the sink. But with just baking soda, vinegar, and water, this problem can be easily fixed. Go Here For The Details.

Doing Your Dishes

Making your own dish detergent is easier than you think, and a whole lot cheaper than store bought cleaners. The only downside is you need to make sure everyone rinses their dishes before loading them. For the Recipe, Check Out This Link. Also, about once a month or so you will want to run your diswasher empty on a short cycle with 1 cup of vinegar to keep the system fresh and void of foul odors.

Laundry Detergent

In the amazing recipe Given Here, this green option is just as effective as regular detergent, and much cheaper. It is also so easy that it won’t take much time out of your life. What have you got to lose?

Yard Care

Going organic on your yard care is not only great for your lawn, but it keeps pesticides and other chemicals from ending up in the sewer. For more information and resources, try Organic Lawn Care 101.

Your Shower

It’s easy to think you’re not really getting clean until you’re covered in foamy lather, but the truth is you don’t need it. Those bubbles are typically a chemical called sodium laurel sulfate, and are only added because they make a the lather and a cheap detergent. They can actually be harmful to you over time, leaving a residue on your vital organs. Go to Environmental Enthusiasts’s Blog for more information, as well as easy to find product alternatives that will get you just as clean and fresh. Or if you have the time, Click Here  if you want to really go 100% natural (which will save you a great deal of money as well!)

Check out our other blog on making you own Ultimate Green House Cleaning Kit as well to keep your home sparkling without any chemicals!

The Economics Behind Using a Maid Service

by Scarlette | No Comments Friday, December 30, 2011

This is one of my favorite blogs, I wanted to share it again!  It really makes the case for hiring a maid service if you have a busy life or just prefer to spend your free time with your family or doing something you enjoy.

Opportunity cost is the value of the next-best choice available.  Opportunity costs are not restricted to monetary or financial costs: the real cost of output forgone, lost time, swag, pleasure or any other benefit that provides utility (a measure of satisfaction) should also be considered.

While opportunity cost is a term used in economics, it is also something I apply to my everyday life.   “If I do this, what am I giving up, what could I have done instead?”

It is easily applied to maid service.

It takes one person cleaning an average size house of 1800 sq/ft anywhere from 3-4 hours to clean it thoroughly top to bottom.  Or if you are like most people, that actually gets spread out over a week in 30 minute to 1 hour increments and your house never seems to get clean!

Ask yourself, what else could I have done with that time I spent cleaning.

  • Spent time with my family
  • helped my child with their homework
  • worked on that project I never have time to work on
  • had some “me” time just to relax
  • called a friend I have been needing to catch up with

The possibilities are endless.

While a financial budget must always be considered when making a decision about hiring a maid service, don’t forget to account for your time wasted cleaning!

Bit a Bliss Cleaning serves Dallas, Plano, Frisco and the surrounding areas.  Give us a call!  214.390.3907

Preparing Your Home For Fall and Winter

by Jennifer | No Comments Friday, November 18, 2011

It’s that wonderful time of year again! The leaves are turning, the weather is becoming more pleasing, and it’s time to get your home ready for the upcoming changes to keep your home safe and comfortable. Here are a few tips that will make your home life (and wallet) a lot easier as the seasonal transformation takes place.

Open Your Windows During Comfortable Temperatures.

It will save you a lot of money on your electric bill, and the natural smells of fall will create a great atmosphere.

Close Vents In Rooms That Aren’t Used Regularly.

That guest room that gets used only every few months is wasting energy when you keep the temperature in there the same as the rest of the house. Close the door and the vents, so that when you have the heater on it is only going to parts of your home that you use most often.

Changing Your Air Filters.

It’s always a good thing to replace your air filters at least a few times a year, but when the weather cools down and you start using your heater, dirty filters will create an unpleasant and musty smell throughout your home.

Have Your Furnace Inspected Before Use.

Inspection of your furnace is especially important as a safety precaution, since it has not been used in a long time. You want to make sure it is fully functional and everything is in place.

Check For Leaks On Windows And Doors.

You can use incense to check for leaks. Simply light the incense and hold it up to the area you want to check, and have someone stand outside and make sure no smoke is coming out. Consult a professional at a hardware store about how to fix the leak if you find one.

Make Sure Your Fireplace Is Clean.

Have your fireplace inspected by a professional to make sure it is ready to use before you light it up to avoid any potentially dangerous mishaps.

For more great tips on getting your home ready, Try 6 Green Tips To Prepare Your Home for Autumn, or 5 Ways To Get Your Home Ready For Winter.

Peppermint Vinegar for Cleaning

by Scarlette | 1 Comment Monday, November 14, 2011

I love cleaning with vinegar, but I don’t really love the smell of the vinegar.

So I began experimenting with mixing scent in the vinegar and I believe I have found the perfect partner for the vinegar.  Peppermint!   I purchased this peppermint oil at Central Market, but you can find it online and in many other stores.

I mix with half vinegar, half water and a teaspoon of peppermint oil.  Remember, oil and vinegar do not mix so you will have to shake your bottle well before each use.  After cleaning your house will smell like peppermint!

The Ultimate Green House Cleaning Kit

by Jennifer | 1 Comment Thursday, August 25, 2011

It’s easy to clutter your cabinets with cleaning products of all kinds, usually with specific purposes, and often with harsh chemicals that can be harmful to your family and pets. The good news is that you don’t need much to keep your house clean, and you don’t need a lot of money to do it. Going green has never been easier! Follow these guidelines, and you will have everything you need to keep your home fresh and clean.

Tools:

-A small or medium sized bucket to keep everything together, organized, and portable.
-One toilet brush for every bathroom.
-An extendable duster (Like this, for example,) for ceiling fans and cobwebs.
-A broom.
-A mop, such as the Sh-mop or a steam mop such as this one.
-Rags.
-Microfiber cloths.
-Magic Erasers for the stubborn grease, soapscum, and grime.
-1 spray bottle.

Products:

-White distilled vinegar.
-Essential oil of choice. We recommend peppermint or tea tree oil.
-Baby oil for stainless steel if you have it. To see how it works, click here.
-If you have hardwood floors, we recommend Bona.
-If you have granite, marble, or other natural stone countertops or floors, we recommend Method Daily Granite Polish.
-Also, for the natural stone surfaces, you don’t want to apply any vinegar to them, so keep Clorox Green Works Wipes handy in case raw meat or other potentially harmful substance gets on the counter/floor.

To make your all-purpose cleaner, simply add two tablespoons of vinegar with two or three drops of essential oil to a spray bottle, and fill to the top with water. Label properly, and keep refridgerated. Discard any unused product after 6 months. This all-purpose solution will be your go-to product for almost everything, and is also a natural disinfectant, so it is ideal to clean counters, laminate or tile floors, and even toilets.