Archive for February, 2010

If you have every had a pet, you know that “accidents” can happen. Whether it’s your brand new carpet, or shiny hardwood floor, if you have a pet, eventually you will be cleaning up when they have left a little something behind. But the same floor you are cleaning is also the one they are commonly rolling around on, or worse, eating off of. So when cleaning up, you have to be careful to use a product that won’t make your pet sick!

Angel and I on 4th of July

Thankfully, CleaningProductsWorld.com sells a few products that are great floor and carpet cleaners but still safe for use around pets (and kids too!). One product we recommend is Simple Green- it can be used as a carpet stain remover, general carpet cleaner, and even a floor cleaner. It is completely non-toxic-just make sure to use the proper dilution.

Also, Spot Shot has a new formula that is non-toxic and biodegradable, yet still removes tough and old stains from carpets! Stock up on these products at CleaningProductsWorld.com and get Free Shipping on orders over $50!

Many people think that with all that goes on in the bathroom, it’s the  germiest place in your house. Well, you are wrong! In fact, the kitchen has  far higher rates of germs. This article from WebMD details all the places  bacteria is hiding in your kitchen, and how to get rid of them!

Zap away bugs.
Kitchen sponges are the No. 1 source of germs in the whole house. Why? The moist, micro-crevices that make a sponge such an effective cleaning device also make it a cozy home for germs and more difficult to disinfect. Wiping your counters or dishes with a dirty sponge will only transfer the bacteria from one item to another. “Wet your sponge and then pop it in the microwave for two minutes to eliminate the germs that lurk inside the crevices,” says Neil Schachter, MD, medical director of respiratory care at Mount Sinai in New York City, and the author of The Good Doctor’s Guide to Colds and Flu.

Wipe away germs.
Faucet handles, refrigerator door handles, and doorknobs are next on the list of kitchen culprits that aid and abet germs. Use disinfectant spray or wipes on sink faucets, refrigerator handles, stove handles, cupboard handles, trashcans, doorknobs, and any other area that you touch with your hands. “These sprays or wipes kill germs on contact,” explains Schachter. “This is really important and should be done several times a day before and after touching these objects,” he says. “Don’t forget to wipe down the telephone,” adds Charles Gerba, PhD, a professor of microbiology at University of Arizona in Tucson. “A lot of times, someone is cooking and has a question for the original chef, so he or she calls their parents to find out how to make it and the bacteria gets slopped on the phone and it grows.”

Clean the cutting board.
Cracks and crevices in your cutting board provide plenty of space for bacteria to grow. “The average cutting board has about 200% more fecal bacteria than the average toilet seat,” Gerba says. “People don’t disinfect cutting boards,” he says, and they should. “Don’t cut up chicken and then salad on the same cutting board without disinfecting it,” he stresses. Better yet, “use separate boards for raw meat and making salads.” Plus, he says it’s important to clean and disinfect inside the fridge, microwave, cupboards and other surfaces that come into frequent contact with food.

Dust out the drain.
The drains in both your kitchen sink and bathtub provide yet another moist hideaway for bacteria. “To kill these bugs where they live use baking soda and an old toothbrush to get rid of stains, grit, and grime around drains,” Schachter says. “Disinfect drains regularly as you would any other surface.”

Many of us are switching to front-loading washing machines. They take up less space & use less water, making them a big money saver. However, what many people don’t realize is that you need to use the specially formulated HE laundry detergent with your front-loader. Because they use less water, you don’t need as much soap and you also need a soap that is less concentrated. If you use regular laundry soap in your front loader, you will get a ton of suds, putting pressure on your washer and possible even damaging your clothes. Not to mention, it is just not necessary to use as much soap, so why waste it? Use the specially formulated HE laundry detergents (like this one pictured by Ajax) to make sure your washer is working efficiently.

I saw this article on the Forensic Scientist Blog and thought it was really interesting. Some of these you would never expect! If you want to see the entire list, you should read the article, but here are some of my favorites.

1. Portable Toilets- A combination of high traffic and no plumbing make portable toilets a veritable Shangri-La for bacteria and other microbes.

4. Kitchen Sinks- Most people do not realize it, but kitchen sinks are one of the dirtiest places in the home, harboring used dishes and their accompanying decaying food particles. People also use them to wash clothes, as substitute toilets when vomit does not want to stay down, and other lovely unsanitary things.

9. Playgrounds- Hardly surprising, given children’s fondness for mining gold without ever actually having to pan or chip away rock for it. Swings, jungle gyms, and other equipment where kids have to use their hands rank as the dirtiest.

23. Keyboards- The sweat and oils from fingers and hands leave behind grime and communicable diseases such as the flu, colds, strep throat, and others. Public computers at libraries, schools, and other organizations pose the most threat.

30. Bathtubs and Shower Curtains- People may exits their bath tubs feeling sparkly and clean, but the receptacles themselves harbor dead skin cells, oils, and daily grime that get washed off with soap and water.

47. Money- Coins and paper dollars alike change hands quickly, as a result transferring germs, grease, and grime from one person to another. They only become dirtier and dirtier as they move about in circulation, accumulating a little bit of every owner on their surface.

Don’t worry- CleaningProductsWorld.com sells products like Lysol & Clorox that will keep these items germ-free!