Dallas Maids here with an exciting new blog for the Christmas season. We’re eager to help you transform your home into a cozy haven for relaxation this end of the year with a list of the best cleaning tips for kids, the little ones who are the heart of the family.

We know better than anyone else how hard children might be when it comes to keeping a house clean, but it is never impossible to change that!

At Dallas Maids, we recall many cases where seeing our maids clean with such an enthusiastic and lovely attitude has had a great impact on them. By teaching and suggesting to our customers who are parents, we’ve slowly developed a step-by-step guide on how to encourage children to clean.

Consider it our holiday gift to you this Christmas 2025!

Make it fun

We know that cleaning a dusty closet doesn’t sound as appealing as drinking hot cocoa while watching a movie. Still, with the right ambiance and mindset, cleaning might become a fun holiday activity for the family!

Play a nice, merry Christmas playlist (or the music they like) and promise different prizes; make it a little challenge for them (especially if you have multiple children; competitiveness is always a great motivation).

Be creative

Give them cleaning supplies selected specially for them, in their favorite color, and a sticker with their name on it. This will give it a personal touch.

Tell them stories and create imaginary heroes that are related to their cleaning tools (and are similar to them, so they can empathize and feel admiration, which is a powerful feeling for developing habits).

Make it satisfying

The dopamine of rewards and positive affirmations is something no one can resist, especially kids! Offer them a prize for participation (for example, drinking chocolate milk and watching a movie—something fun you were already planning to do, but they do not need to know, right?) and a prize for “best” something.

For example, the “best floor cleaner” will get a pair of cookies, and the “best organizer” will get a marshmallow cup. This is just a starting point; you can exchange sweet treats for stickers on a family board that focuses on cleanliness and positive affirmations about how well they are doing. But if you could save the sweet treats of the week for the cleaning day, it will be an effective backup you’ll never forget!

Keep it simple

Making things fast and heavy will cause a step back in the progress. Even we, as adults, understand how hard it sounds to clean that pantry that we have been avoiding since 2021, or to scrub those dirty bathroom tiles we judge every day. Give them tasks progressively; start with 1-3 tasks a day, and assign them one at a time (so they feel like it is less overwhelming), and explain the tasks slowly and clearly.

Actually, the first 3-5 times you’ll do this activity will consist of explaining how to do things until they do it right. They will make mistakes and need your help constantly, so even when it gets hard, do not give up! Simply and slowly, introduce them to the world of cleaning! We believe in you.

If you feel like needing more help after reading our guide “Best Cleaning Tips for Kids”, click on dallasmaids.com to learn more about Cleaning Maid Easy or give us a call at +1 469-487-6669 and let us do it for you!

Follow us on Facebook to be among the first to discover our guides. Who knows, there might even be a surprise waiting for you one day!

The post Top Cleaning Tips for Kids: How to Inspire Them? appeared first on Dallas Maids® | Maid Service & House Cleaning Services Voted #1 for a Reason.

Hello and welcome to Dallas Maids! Today we’re reviewing our favorite Method eco-cleaning products.

Over 20 years we’ve tested and tried so many cleaning products, and currently we’re in love with the Method eco house cleaning and personal care products.

Before we continue, don’t forget to check Dallas Maids’ cleaning service. We have a house cleaning and maid service in Dallas, with more than 2 decades of happy customers.

If you need extra help with cleaning and tidying up or want to deep clean your home for Thanksgiving, today is the perfect opportunity!

Even if you are cleaning your house on your own, we still love sharing our tips & tricks with our customers, and that includes our top-notch cleaning products.

The Method brand has been in the business since 2000 and delivers a huge variety of house cleaning and body care products. Today we’re sharing the best ones we’ve tried, how we use it, and some insider tips.

Why We Love the Method Eco Cleaning Products

As cleaning experts, we know the products we use have an impact on our performance and the cleaning experience for our staff and our customers.

We are always on the hunt for products with a good balance of performance, safety, versatility, and eco-friendly ingredients.

The Method cleaning products are plant-based, cruelty-free, affordable and, last but not least, they work!

And we love how nice and diverse they’re fragrances are. Both our cleaning experts and our customers agree that they don’t smell like chemicals, and they are not too overwhelming.

When we discovered the Method cleaning products, we were impressed with their catalog. They have multi-purpose options if you want a simple, straightforward approach, and then you have more specialized alternatives to work on specific areas or surfaces, like your shower walls or your hardwood floors.

We’ve gathered our top picks that we can’t live without:

The Method All-Purpose Cleaner Refill

As a house cleaning service, we use a lot of all-purpose cleaner. This plant-based all-purpose cleaner is perfect to clean most surfaces in your home.

Dallas Maids uses this all-purpose cleaner on all major countertops and non-stainless steal appliances. It cuts through grime and grease, which means we get to work better and faster.

Because it’s versatile and works on different surfaces, we just need to fill one of our spray bottles and we’re ready to go!

The 2l refill is worth every penny and lasts for long. As we always say, don’t overdo your cleaning! Using the recommended amount of product (or even less than that) is usually more than enough to clean and sanitize your home.

We love the pink grapefruit fragrance which is strong but not overpowering. You can also choose the lavender one.

Related: 7 Things Your Housekeeper Wont Tell You

Shower Cleaner

If you live in areas with hard water, like Dallas, you will notice there’s limescale building up every time you take a shower or wash your hands.

Most brands of soap or shower gel leave soap scum on your shower glass and walls as well.

This daily shower cleaner refill is formulated to quickly remove soap scum and limescale residues on your surfaces and also on your water fixtures.

Even though it’s formulated as a daily shower spray, you can also use it once a week as long as your shower is in good condition.

It doesn’t have harsh chemicals and you can even leave it on the surface without having to rinse.

Once again, this is a refill and it’s 2 liters which go a long way.

Related: 5 Tips to Make Tiles and Grout Look Brand New

Method Daily Wood Cleaner

Wooden surfaces are particularly delicate and one of the few areas where we recommend specialized cleaning products. Wood is sensitive to abrasive cleaning products, excessive water, and changes in temperature and humidity.

This wood furniture cleaning spray cleans and also polishes at the same time, which is fantastic if you want to skip that extra step.

A little goes a long way which is a green flag in our books. This means that a) your product lasts for longer, therefore you won’t have to replace it every two weeks and b) You won’t need to use water for rinsing, which damages wooden surfaces in the long run.

We love the almond scent which is nice and sweet.

Our Favorite Antibacterial All-Purpose Cleaner

Now we have the antibacterial all-purpose cleaner, which is similar to the all-purpose cleaner but with extra disinfecting power.

This disinfectant spray comes in especially handy in case you are moving in or are moving out of your home. You never know how well (or poorly) sanitized was the home you’re moving into, and it’s common courtesy to deep clean your home properly before leaving.

Keep in mind the disinfectant is a bit pricier than regular all-purpose cleaner. At Dallas Maids, we leave disinfectant for areas where you are going to prepare and enjoy food, or in areas where there is a risk of mold and mildew.

Tub Tile Cleaner

This Method Foaming Tub & Tile Cleaner is fantastic to get the wall and floor tiles (and grout) squeaky clean.

Soap scum usually attaches to the surface of your tub tile and this is not nice to look at and it can be dangerous if you let it sit for too long.

Because it’s a foaming cleaner, it covers more area with less product, and it also sticks to walls and even ceilings! It also sticks in contact with the grime and soap scum for longer.

We’ve used this product at Dallas Maids many times and found it’s fantastic to treat small mold or mildew stains.

The scent is not overpowering and it won’t trigger asthma in our customers or our staff.

Bathroom Cleaner

This bathroom cleaner by Method is fantastic if you want an effective, well-rounded cleaner for your bathroom.

We love the shower and tub tile cleaners, but this one covers all the other areas in your bathroom like countertops, sinks, and toilets. If you want to reduce the number of cleaning products, you can pick this one to work all areas of your bathroom.

Our pro tip: let cleaning agents act on the surface for 15 – 30 minutes, especially on your toilet rim. The mix of eucalyptus and mint is fantastic!

Conclusion

That’s it! Our favorite Method cleaning products! We believe in giving credit where credit’s due, and sharing our favorite companies in the cleaning industry.

Remember: every house is a different story and you are more than welcome to try the Method Eco cleaning products and discover your favorite ones.

As always, remember to check Dallas Maids’ cleaning service. We offer house cleaning services to help you remove stress and spend quality time doing the things you love.

We will be back soon with more cleaning tips and tricks!

The post Dallas Maids Recommends: Our Favorite Method Eco-Cleaning Products! appeared first on Dallas Maids® | Maid Service & House Cleaning Services Voted #1 for a Reason.

Hello! We’re back with another article! Today, we’ll discuss how to safely store and handle cleaning products.

We all know how important it is to use cleaning products in our home. They help us keep our household hygienic and comfortable.

Besides knowing how to use them, it’s also important to store and handle cleaning products safely. If you have kids or pets, this is even more important.

In this article, we will give you some tips to safely store and handle all your cleaning products. You will save time, avoid accidents and preserve their effectiveness for a long time.

Before we start, remember that Dallas Maids of Frisco offers a professional cleaning service in the Frisco area. Our cleaning service will help you keep your home spotless and you will never have to worry about a dirty home again!

Without further ado, let’s start with our cleaning tips!

When in Doubt, Read the Labels

Always read the label on the cleaning product to understand its proper use and, of course, how to store them and discard them. Follow the directions carefully and, when in doubt, always call the company first.

The labels will tell you what the product is for, how to use it, what not to do, and the safety measures.

The instructions are there to help you! It’s ok to read them as many times as you need to properly understand what you need to do and, most importantly, ensure you won’t get run any risk in the process.

Sometimes, labels will fall off. In that case, always have at hand a permanent marker, sticky notes and some scotch tape. As soon as you notice the label is going to fall off, copy the name, ingredients and expiry date and stick that post-it into the bottle.

Keep Cleaning Products Out of Reach

As we all know, we have to keep cleaning products out of reach of children and pets. Here are some options:

If you have absolutely no storage and you are into DIY projects, you can install a small shelf using floating shelves (which are around $5 a piece). They are also super easy to install! Make sure you have a small edge to prevent them from falling.

If you like buying gallon-sized cleaning products, these probably won’t work for you because they might be too weak. Instead, you might want to use upper kitchen cabinets.

Related: 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Cleaning

Do Not Mix Cleaning Products

As far as handling your cleaning products, make sure you are careful with transporting them. You can use a cleaning caddy or a small utility cart to transport them safely.

When it’s time for the actual cleaning, the most important thing to keep in mind is to avoid mixing cleaning products.

Many cleaning products are perfectly safe to use by themselves. However, they can produce explosive reactions or toxic fumes if mixed with other chemicals.

For example, even though vinegar is quite safe to use on many surfaces, you should never mix it with bleach, as it produces chlorine gas. This can irritate your lungs and eyes and cause breathing difficulties.

Even mixing vinegar with hydrogen peroxide will create something called peracetic acid. This chemical reaction can be dangerous to your skin, eyes and respiratory system.

If you want to read more about the potentially dangerous cleaning products in your home, check this guide from Emily’s Maids.

Separate Incompatible Cleaning Products

As we were mentioning earlier, commercial cleaning products are not meant to be mixed together. When you are going to store cleaning products, you need to separate incompatible products to avoid mixing them by accident.

For example, bleach is a product that does not get along with other common cleaning products (white vinegar, ammonia, rubbing alcohol). These products can create toxic fumes, and you never know when they are going to spill or get mixed by mistake.

You can use your bathroom and your kitchen sink as two separate areas to store your cleaning products.

Related: 6 Features to Look for In Green Cleaning Products

Store Cleaning Products in a Cool, Dry Place

If you live in Frisco, you will have noticed by now that you have big temperature and moisture changes throughout the year.

Temperature and moisture changes can weaken the effectiveness of a cleaning product, and extreme heat conditions can even make them useless.

This is because some products need to be stable in order for their properties to stay active. This is especially true for items such as soaps, which need to be in a solid state in order to work.

Therefore, try to make sure that your cleaning products pantry is as cool and dry as possible.

Cleaning products can also emit fumes that spread to other areas of your home through your HVAC vents. Avoid storing them in areas like basements, garages, or near furnaces or water heaters.

If you don’t have a cleaning pantry or available cabinets in your kitchen or bathroom, you can get yourself a 3-tier utility cart.

This will be perfect to store all your cleaning products while keeping them separate according to the type of product. Utility carts are compact and designed to fit everywhere!

A small cleaning caddy works just as nicely, especially for smaller bottles and cleaning items.

Wear Protective Gear and Proper Safety Measures

Even if they are mostly harmless, it’s always good to use the proper safety measures.

First of all, ventilate the area by opening up a window or a door. It’s not safe to stay in a closed space when using abrasive cleaners like bleach. Turn on fans, if you have them.

It’s important to let fresh air circulate and disperse any fumes that may be building up in the room.

Next, you have protective gear, which is usually safety gloves, masks, and goggles. You should also wear aprons or long sleeves to avoid spilling products on your arms or hands.

Related: We Still Wear Masks

Conclusion

There it is! Our guide to safely storing and handling cleaning products. Speaking about handling cleaning products, there’s no one better to do that than cleaning professionals.

Remember to check Dallas Maids of Frisco if you need maid services in the Frisco area. You can forget worrying about your bleach spilling all over your cabinets or breathing toxic fumes from oven cleaners. Don’t stress! We’ll handle your mess.

Follow our blog for more cleaning tips!

The post How to Safely Store and Handle Cleaning Products appeared first on Dallas Maids® | Maid Service & House Cleaning Services Voted #1 for a Reason.

Like everything in life, cleaning can be improved when you know what mistakes you’re doing. Trial and error are important in our daily routines and of course, that includes knowing what, when, and how to clean.

This is why this week’s article is all about learning -and changing- any cleaning mistakes you make. This will cover everything from using the wrong products to techniques that are not efficient and even planning out your cleaning tasks the wrong way can extend your cleaning process unnecessarily, for hours even.

Over the years, we have seen and heard all types of horror stories about stained floors, ruined laundry, and clogged drains, as well as endless cleaning routines that go for hours and hours. All because of wrong products, techniques, and planning.

Let’s get right into it! Here are 5 common cleaning mistakes and how you can fix them.

Mixing Cleaning Products

First, it is dangerous. Two chemicals that are not meant to be mixed can make a mess in an instant. Anything from excessive foam to releasing toxic fumes.

Second, it is contaminating. Many of these products end up in the ocean causing harm to aquatic life. Everything from an excessive increase of algae (which leaves fish without oxygen) to microplastics and other harmful chemicals that end up in the ocean.

Besides, the plastic packaging will most likely end up in the ocean as well. Commercial cleaning products tend to be one-time plastic packaging, instead of other solutions such as non-plastic packaging or reusable plastic.

If you check our guide for choosing green products, you will know exactly what to avoid before you buy your cleaning products.

Now you even find these “challenges” on social media such as Instagram and TikTok. They show people mixing different cleaning products, especially into the toilet. This, of course, is wrong on so many levels.

Not only it is dangerous and contaminating, but it is also a waste of product. Everyone knows how expensive cleaning products can be, particularly if they are commercial, specialized products.

Cleaning In a Hurry

Acting in a hurry creates the opposite outcome for most cases.

The biggest consequence is that you might plan or even start different cleaning tasks that you won’t have the time to finish, leading you to feel frustrated or overwhelmed.

You will -most likely- clean and scrub your items and surfaces in an unorganized way that will lead you to repeat steps or spend extra energy.

For example, you might make small cleaning mistakes such as sweeping and mopping your floors and then wiping surfaces and shelves above. This will only cause dust and debris to fall on top of your floor and you will have to repeat steps unnecessarily.

One of the most common cleaning mistakes is to apply your cleaning product to surfaces and then start scrubbing or brushing right away. This happens often when you are cleaning surfaces such as countertops, floors, and shower walls.

This will tire you quickly, because of the physical effort of mopping, scrubbing, or vacuuming. But it will also lead to your surfaces or furniture getting scratched or discolored by applying a constant, strong motion to the surface (such as the movement of scrubbing up and down constantly). 

Besides setting a proper time window for cleaning, you will need to come up with a structure to optimize your resources, being time the most valuable.

Examples like cleaning surfaces from top to bottom and letting your cleaning products act on the surfaces for 15 – 30 minutes before wiping or scrubbing, will make you spend less time and energy on the same tasks.

Not Planning Your Cleaning

There are many issues in different areas when you don’t create a cleaning plan beforehand.

Even though spontaneous cleaning sprees are better than not cleaning, it doesn’t mean it’s going to be the most successful or productive use of your time.

You will end up cleaning too much or too little. This can cause, for example, some surfaces end up getting worn out and “aged” too fast, while other areas are unkempt and dirty.

Additionally, this can cause stress when you don’t plan things out because you get overwhelmed with unrealistic cleaning goals.

Planning your cleaning process will help you keep track of all areas and cleaning tasks, as well as save you time by not needing to think about what you need to clean or what is your next step.

There are many ways you can approach this, and you can combine different strategies. Many people like scheduling their week and sorting different cleaning tasks during the week. Others prefer to clean mostly on the weekends.

You could also assign one day of the month or the last weekend of the month for more occasional cleaning tasks (vacuuming all your furniture, cleaning your roof and/or your deck, decluttering…).

There are many resources on the internet available for you. For example, you can check our guide for Spring Cleaning, our 3-hour Weekly Cleaning Schedule, and even our Daily Cleaning Checklist.

Using the Wrong Products

Even if you are not mixing products, you can still damage your surface and furniture by using the wrong product. Some materials, mostly organic ones, are more sensitive to the environment.

On one hand, this includes temperature and humidity changes. For example, Dallas is known to have over 40% changes in humidity on the same day!

On the other hand, this is related to interaction with other materials and chemicals. This is why you need to be really careful when choosing the products that will act on your surface.

Some chemicals, even water, can cause damage such as stains, discoloration, excessive moisture, and even the material cracking or lifting (especially floors). 

The damage will be more noticeable with more abrasive cleaning products. Bleach, for example, can cause heavy staining and color fading. This is particularly common for carpet floors, wooden, and upholstery.

Ammonia is another component that causes staining, again in oak floors and carpet.

Even vinegar and lemon juice, which are mostly natural and harmless cleaning agents, they are not recommended in natural stone surfaces, such as granite and marble. The acid penetrates the protective sealant, causing permanent stains.

You have many choices here. First, you can purchase specialized cleaners for each material you have at home. This is a safe route, but it can become quite pricey, and you will have to keep track of how much you have left of all those products.

Second, you can choose commercial all-purpose cleaners. Check if that product is safe for each one of your surfaces, both on the label and on the internet.

Third, you have many homemade cleaners available, that you can create with inconspicuous cleaning agents such as baking soda and hot water.

No matter your choice, always test your products in hidden areas first.

Doing It All on Your Own

This is somewhat related to the “not planning your cleaning” mistake. Research has shown that, unfortunately, task segregation between genders is still present in households -meaning that women still do mostly “women’s chores” and vice versa-, especially cooking and cleaning.

Other studies show that women around the world perform the majority of domestic chores.

The most positive route is to include all family members in all the different tasks that you need to do to take care of your house. If you have children, you can slowly include them as well with age-appropriate tasks.

Again, science shows that kids with assigned cleaning and home maintenance tasks are more independent and confident. They will also grow with positive standards, feel better about themselves and learn good habits both as individuals and their families in the future.

Of course, assign them tasks as long as their school and leisure time stay a priority.

The secret is to mix and assign different tasks for each one so that no one gets bored, or overwhelmed. For example, you can try a cleaning/home maintenance checklist for one month, and then switch roles. Perhaps, your family prefers switching every month, or maybe you just try different strategies until you find a checklist that works for everyone permanently. You can also hire a cleaning service to help ease the entire routine of your family.

Make sure you take into account everyone’s time availability, even if you are a stay-at-home parent. Research also shows that, to this day, women are still much more likely to take care of household duties than men and, of course, this takes a toll on your individual and marital happiness and well-being.

Everyone needs time to rest and disconnect from cleaning and running a household.

Conclusion

There you have it! Before jumping into your cleaning tasks, make sure you read this article carefully and think about whether you make these cleaning mistakes frequently.

Remember practice makes perfect, and it’s best to think about improving the way you plan and carry out your cleaning tasks to save you so much mental and physical energy, as well as your time.

And if you are feeling overwhelmed with household chores and you want to take things easier, make sure to check our cleaning service in Dallas! We have different services to suit your home’s needs.

Good luck and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram!  

The post 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Cleaning appeared first on Dallas Maids® | Maid Service & House Cleaning Services Voted #1 for a Reason.

This is a question we get a lot from our customers. We understand each household has different needs and we want to make sure we use the best products in the market to perform a quality service.

Throughout the 15 years we have been in business, we have tested an enormous amount of brands and will keep on doing it to maintain our high standards and provide our customers with the best.

We present the following list of products with its use and some specifications.

POLYCARE

Is a safe effective cleaner for all types of coated floor finishes. Water based polyurethane, oil modified and Tung oil treated surfaces as well as factory pre-finished and laminated floors.
https://polycarefloorcleaning.com.au/

WINDEX

Original glass cleaner used for windows, mirrors, glass stove tops, glass doors, shower doors.
https://windex.com

One all (Soap/Water)

Used for floors and general cleaning.

Clorox

Disinfects to kills household germs and bacteria as well as helping reduce soil adhesion to surfaces providing a quicker clean. Removes stains more than detergent alone.
https://www.clorox.com

General Degreaser – Kitchen/Bathroom

Grease builds up as we prepare our favorite meals and there is nothing we can do. Our teams use this product to clean old grease stains and it is also great for drains in kitchen and bathrooms.

Heavy Duty Degreaser

Because there are always tougher spots to clean stains left behind, old grease build up and soap scum.

Pinesol

We all know it right?
Used as a general cleaner to disinfect and deodorize floors and nonporous surfaces.
https://www.pinesol.com

AJAX

This product has different purposes, works as a cleaning agent, stain remover and also kills bacteria.
https://www.ajax.com

Stainless steel cleaner

We use it to clean all kitchen appliances made of this material.

Pledge

Improves the appearance of sealed, hard surfaces by removing dust and fingerprints and providing a protective, glossy coating without leaving a waxy buildup. It enhances furniture by adding both a shine and protection to hard surfaces.
https://www.pledge.com

Febreze

Spray refresher that can be used on carpets, bedding, clothing, upholstery, rugs, and more. It works well in the home or car. No matter where you find musty or smelly fabric, can eliminate the odors quickly without leaving a heavy residue of its scent.
https://www.febreze.com 

Our customers’ satisfaction is the most important thing for us as well as having a great communication, so it is important for us that you know you can always tell us if there is any product you may have a concern about, if you want us to avoid using any of them or would prefer our team using products you are providing.

That’s it for today! Remember to check Dallas Maids booking page if you need a cleaning service in Dallas. Also, bookmark our blog for more cleaning tips. We will be back soon!

The post What Products We Use? appeared first on Dallas Maids® | Maid Service & House Cleaning Services Voted #1 for a Reason.

Dallas Maids was recently quoted in a Reader’s Digest article, “18 Cleaning Products Professional House Cleaners Always Buy“. Specializing in home cleaning for 15 years, we can confirm most of the house cleaning products listed in the article – such as Pledge, Murphy Oil, Microfiber Cleaning rags, and Vinegar –  are awesome at getting the job done. And what does Dallas Maids use clean stainless steel? We recommend Weiman Stainless Steel:

Greg Shepard, the owner of the award-winning Dallas Maids in Texas, recommends Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish Spray for use on any stainless steel surfaces you may have around the home. The material tends to collect fingerprints, dust and looks ‘cloudy’ in appearance if not cleaned properly. “It may not be green, but it’s the best stainless steel cleaner we’ve seen. It’ll leave your stainless steel streak-free.”

The complete list of cleaning products we recommend are PolyCare, Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner, Pledge, Vinegar, and a Good All Purpose Cleaner. The first three (PolyCare, Weiman, and Pledge) are, by far, the best in their cleaning categories. The first, fourth, and fifth (PolyCare, Vinegar and rubbing alcohol) are the perfect green cleaning solutions.

Let’s go through each one of them!

1) PolyCare

This is absolutely the best hardwood floor cleaner we’ve found. It goes on streak-free and dries streak-free leaving a shine that will blind. Also, it’s “nontoxic and biodegradable” (i.e. it’s green!).

2) Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish Spray

May not be green, but is the best stainless steel cleaner we’ve seen. It’ll leave your stainless steal streak-less and perfect.

3) Pledge

For polishing wood furniture and fixtures, nothing comes close. Pledge does not leave a sticky residue or streaks behind while leaving a superior shine than all other products we have tried… and we have tried tons of products! Pledge simply cleans the best.

4) Vinegar

This is the perfect, natural all-purpose cleaner! For an all-purpose Vinegar cleaning solution, mix 1/half water. 1/half vinegar, and lemon juice from 1 freshly squeezed lemon. Pour in spray bottle and shake. The lemon juice adds a sweet citrus smell while adding additional cleaning oomph. Citric acid in lemon is in itself an effective cleanser and a great deodorizer. The versatility is amazing:

• Dried Blood – Soak the stain for a few minutes then blot dry.
• All Purpose Cleaner – Whether cleaning hot cocoa spills on the living room coffee table or a quick wipe done of kitchen counters, vinegar is the ultimate green cleaner. It can also be used for cleaning porcelain and tile floors
• Carpet Cleaner – Spot clean the carpet and upholstery.

5) Rubbing Alcohol

One of my favorite and easiest cleaning hacks to spot clean a carpet. First blot the stain. Second, poor rubbing alcohol onto the stain (actually, any type of clear alcohol will work such as, vodka, white wine). Third, blot to dry. Better than any over the counter product! We actually did a video on this tip! Check it down below!

6) Scotch-Brite Heavy Duty Scrub Sponge, Extra Large Size

Even homeowners would benefit from buying large size sponges because they allow you to clean more space, quicker and more thoroughly. It is double-sided, the yellow soft side for more delicate cleaning and the green, stiff side for the more stubborn grime.

In practice, Dallas Maids actually does not have a lot of different types of cleaning products because the few in our cleaning arsenal have multiple of uses. We love this versatility because the less the cleaning teams have to carry, the less time they have to shift between products, and thus the more they can clean.

Less weight means our teams have more energy to more vigorously clean our customer’s home. So any product that can be used for multiple purposes is a gem.

The post It’s Shine Time: Our Six Favorite Cleaning Products appeared first on Dallas Maids® | Maid Service & House Cleaning Services Voted #1 for a Reason.

Cleaning Products to Use Cautiously or Avoid

If we thought really carefully about the kinds of cleaning products we purchase for our homes before going into the store, we would never buy anything again.

While food products are getting more and more regulated with each passing day, the same cannot be said for cleaning ones.

Most companies are not required by law to list every ingredient used in their products; in fact, most of them show just a short list of ingredients and a toxicity label, alongside measures to be taken in case of accidental ingestion.

According to a study made by the NYC Poison Control Center, 85% of labels on cleaning products are inadequate, because they do not list the long-term health and environmental effects of the usage of certain substances.
It is necessary for homeowners to know what kinds of substances they are absorbing as well as releasing into the environment, and how to best avoid them.

Among the five worst cleaning products to have in the home are:

Toilet Cleaners

These products are much more abrasive and toxic than regular bathroom cleaning products, as they contain acids that can be irritants or even corrosive.

Toilet disinfectants in particular pollute the water and are dangerous for children. If kids are unsupervised, they might be attracted to their bright coloring and ingest or touch them.

Oven Cleaners

These products usually contain caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), which can cause chemical burns shortly after exposure. It is very important to follow the instructions on the safety labeling to the letter if one must use oven cleaners to remove built-up grease, although this build-up can be avoided by cleaning the oven shortly after each use, before it cools down completely.

Drain Openers and Clog Removers:

Some of these products are extremely dangerous to both the environment and our organisms. This is because they contain chemicals like sodium hydroxide and sulfuric acid. Those chemicals can cause burns or tissue damage if ingested. It can even cause permanent blindness if splayed onto the eyes.

While they are efficient in removing clogs and opening stuck drains, they can be easily avoided; simply by preventing the drains from getting stuck to begin with, and by installing removable pipes and valves. That way, one can simply remove the affected area in case of a clogged drain. If this is impossible, then try other mechanical drain-opening methods.

For example, use a plunger or a drain snake (also called an auger) or less toxic chemical methods, like:

a) Baking soda:

Prepare this amazing drain cleaner by mixing 1 cup of salt, 1 cup of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and ½ cup of cream of tartar (potassium bitartrate) in a bowl.

Then pour ¼ cup of this mixture at a time down the drain, followed by 2 cups of boiling water. Make sure to wait for about a minute before repeating the process. Although this method may take a few tries to work, it will surely help out.

b) Washing soda or soda crystals:

It can be useful for opening those really clogged drains where the baking soda has not made much of a difference. After all, washing soda (sodium carbonate) is more alkaline than baking soda (with a pH of 11). Simply pour one cup of the washing soda down the clogged drain. Wait a while until it sets on the clog.

Then, use the baking soda method above until your drains are completely open. However, never use this method if you have already used a commercial drain opener. Both chemicals would react strongly and such could damage the pipes. Also, washing soda damages PVC piping in the long run, so be careful.

Disinfectants and Antibacterial Cleaning Products

Many of these products are useless, and some of them are even counterproductive for maintaining a sterile environment. Furthermore, some of them contribute to bacteria developing antibiotic resistance. This is why you must use them with caution, sporadically, or avoid them completely. Plain simple detergent will be enough to eliminate most bacteria from surfaces.

Air Fresheners

Some of these products contain solvents that are toxic and can cause a lot of damage to the organism. Many also can trigger asthma attacks or worsen them if they are already present. They can cause migraines or bronchitis as well in people sensitive to these substances. The best way to keep a room smelling fresh is to open the windows and let the airflow.

So, in general, it is best to have just a general multipurpose cleaner to keep your home clean, or use natural alternatives like baking soda and vinegar. And, never forget, plain old water and soap; the universal cleaners.

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