Archive for October, 2009

While our dishwashers help us save time, effort, water & money by cleaning our dishes for us, don’t forget the dishwasher itself needs a good cleaning every now and again as well.  Over time, hard water stains, soap and lingering odors can build up, making it perform at a less than optimal level. Follow these steps to ensure your dishwasher is functioning as effective as possible and to help keep your dishes sparkling:

There are several ways to clean your dishwasher (depending on the problem area/level):

- Use a Dishwasher Cleaner – Jet Dry makes a great version (CleaningProductsWorld.com unfortunately does not carry this version, but we still highly recommend it).
- Run an empty dishwasher with OxiClean – Use the same amount of powder as you would regular dishwasher detergent.  This clears buildup, removes odors, and keeps your dishwasher smelling fresh & clean.
- Run an empty dishwasher with baking soda & WHITE vinegar – Pour 1 cup of baking soda into the empty dishwasher’s detergent bin. Then, run an additional load with white vinegar (other colors will stain it!).  This method will treat all  three problem areas – odor, build up & water stains.  If necessary, repeat this process several times until you have achieved your desired results.

Several Steps to AVOID:

- Don’t ever use regular cleaning products – they leave behind harmful residues that could potentially get left behind on your dishes. And no one wants to eat cleaning products!
- Don’t use muriatic acid – it’s highly reactive & is extremely harmful to children and infants.

A team member competes in the blind bed make-off (Photo credit: Dan Brown)

While the Yankees and Phillies are polishing their bats for the 2009 World Series, another group of teams recently geared up for a World Series of their own – the World Series of Housekeeping.

The first event of its kind, the games were sponsored by the Metropolitan Memphis Hotel & Lodging Association in the South Hall of the Memphis Cook Convention Center.  Twelve four-member teams from the Memphis, TN area raised money for the University of Memphis’s Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality and Resort Management and competed in unique housekeeping-themed games such as toilet paper bowling, housekeeping cart relay race through an obstacle course, blinded bed make-off, and various other events.

Overall, the World Series of Housekeeping was a huge success from both a management and employee prospective, all while raising money for a great cause. Managers praised the event as an excellent team building exercise that showcases how important and talented their oftentimes-overlooked housekeeping staff is. Staff members  undoubtedly enjoyed their break from their usual routines, while getting the experience to interact with other hotel’s staff.

World Series of Housekeeping Results
Champions: Memphis Grizzlies House
Runners-Up: Crowne Plaza
Third Place: Elvis Presley’s Heartbreak Hotel

Other Competing Teams: Benchmark Hotel, Hampton Inn & Suites, Holiday Inn Select East, Residence Inn Downtown, Courtyard by Marriott Collierville,, Hilton Garden Inn Southhaven, the Madison Hotel, Memphis Marriott Downtown and the Peabody Hotel

While this World Series may have only lasted a day, their efforts year round are no easy task. Congratulations to the Champions at the Memphis Grizzlies House and to all other competing teams – The work you do always makes our hotel stays as clean, warm, and inviting as possible.

In short – YES! The green cleaners on the market today are much more powerful (while still natural!) than when they were first introduced. As the green cleaning products category gained a larger following and big name brands (Clorox, Windex, Scrubbing Bubbles, etc) started to invest in their green product lines, the quality and effectiveness of these eco-friendly cleaners increased as well.

Now, most of the green cleaning products on the market are in line with their traditional counterparts. In fact, Good Housekeeping couldn’t ignore this segment any longer, so they recently unveiled their “Green Good Housekeeping Seal” to help designate the green products that pass their normal standards, PLUS an additional set of green practice requirements.   Nature’s Source cleaning products, a new line of green & biodegradable cleaners made from 99% natural ingredients, was the first group of products to earn this highest regarded designation.

One of the bigger problems most green enthusiasts worry about today is not whether or not the products are effective, its actually whether or not their ‘green’ products are truly ‘green’. Since the FDA & EPA has yet to designate a complete set of green product standards, hypothetically, anyone can call their products ‘green’. When purchasing green cleaning products two of the most important factors to look for are a) Whether or not it is biodegradable and b)What the ingredient label says.  While there are many other factors to consider (such as if the company has a strong sustainability policy or if the products come in recycled plastic bottles), these two factors relate the most to the ‘greenness’ of the actual product.

I hope this helped answer some of your questions about green & eco-friendly cleaning products.  If you have more questions, please don’t ever hesitate to shoot me an email – I’d be happy to answer your questions!

When you place your orders on CleaningProductWorld.com this week, don’t forget to use your coupons!

• Take $5 off $50 with the Coupon Code: 5off50
• Take $10 off $100 off with the Coupon Code: 10off100

So, why not use this opportunity to stock up on your needs for the upcoming holiday season? With low, bulk prices on everything from cleaning supplies to paper plates, you won’t find better rates.  And don’t forget -  If your order total (after discount) is $50 or more, the shipping is on us.

Can I clean while pregnant?

Whether this is your first time pregnant or you’re expecting the 5th addition to your family, one question you may have during your pregnancy is whether or not you can clean while pregnant?

In answering this question, keep in mind the basic principal of safe pregnancy – anything you come into contact with your baby is potentially exposed to it as well. Your child’s development (especially during Trimesters One & Two) is crucial, extremely sensitive, and no two women’s pregnancies are the same.

In general, it is safe to clean with GREEN, NATURAL cleaners
With lots of cleaners these days claiming to be green & natural, the most important feature to look for is a NON-TOXIC cleaner. Take a quick look at the ingredients list on the label and if there is anything you wouldn’t feel safe exposing your baby to, ask for someone’s assistance on that task. Two chemicals that most doctors agree will NOT cause harm to either your or your child are ammonia and chlorine.

Wear elbow-length gloves and a breathing mask while cleaning
The gloves will protect your body from anything that could potentially get into your skin in the area that will most likely have the most exposure to the products while cleaning. The breathing mask (the ones worn by painters and in hospitals) will help filter the air.

If you decide to hire a cleaning company, make sure they are using GREEN, NATURAL cleaners as well
Just because someone else is doing the physical work for you, doesn’t mean you can’t still be exposed to the harsh fumes and residues left behind long after the cleaners have left. Make sure all of the window cleaners, carpet cleaners, disinfectants, aerosols, & air fresheners the company uses are non-toxic and free of harsh chemicals. For a listing of green cleaners, visit the International Janitorial Cleaning Services Association’s Directory of Green Cleaning Services.

Please remember, these are recommendations for the average pregnancy, but you should always speak with your doctor about conditions relating to you specifically. For a listing eco-friendly cleaners, please visit the Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products section of CleaningProductsWorld.com.

Have you ever wondered if eco-friendly, recycled paper towels work as well as their traditional alternatives? We’ve had a lot of questions and sckeptism about the effectiveness of recycled paper products, so we decided to test three of our popular paper towels – Bounty Paper Towels, Bounty Basic, and Boardwalk Green Paper Towels – to see which one could clean up a 1/2 cup of red Kool-aid the best .  Watch the quick video below to see the surprising results!

According to Nutrion Business Journal, sales of green cleaning products are up 35% and continuing to rise.  While most users can rattle off a laundry list of positive reasons for using these natural, eco-friendly cleaners, here’s one more reason we may sometimes forget: They’re safer for our pets too.

Pets have the most contact with places we clean, sanitize & disinfect
They walk with their bare feet  on the floors we clean, lay on the surfaces we disinfect, and rub their bodies on the coffee tables and chairs we sanitize; all which are things normal humans don’t do.  This increased exposure puts them at a higher risk for allergic reactions, nausea, vomiting and other long term effects such as kidney, liver, heart damage, and cancer.

Pets’ immune systems are more at risk for the adverse effects of traditional cleaning products
Since their bodies metabolize and process things differently than humans, they are more at risk for the harmful side effects of traditional cleaners.  This factor, combined with their increased exposure to the chemicals, can be a potentially extremely harmful combination.

Pets like to lick – that means the chemicals too
Think about how many times we’ve seen our furry friends eat treats off the floor or lick their coats after rolling around on the floors we’ve just cleaned.  When they do this, they are essentially eating the chemicals.

How to fix the problem – Use Safe, Non-Toxic Chemicals
The solution to this problem for our dogs, cats, hamsters and other pets is simple – switch to green, natural, non-toxic cleaning products in your home.  When searching for new green cleaners, the most important thing to look for is to make sure the chemicals are non-toxic. They don’t contain the potentially harmful substances of traditional cleaners, ensuring they live their 7 lives to the fullest and healthiest.