An Ounce of Prevention from Blue Sky Services

Grandma's wisdom on cleaning

2012-01-31T10:20:00.001-08:00

Because I own a professional cleaning company, most people assume my home is perfect. Maybe this is a secret I should take with me to my grave but here is the truth- it isn't. The fact is no one's home is perfect. The act of trying for perfection is very stressful. This morning, I was e-mailing a friend about cleaning. It seems guilt and judgement are emotions deeply rooted in how clean our homes are or at least what we think others will think about our homes.

The fact is our homes are gifts. This is a place we should be able to deeply relax, enjoy our families and let go of the days troubles. Of course, it should be clean enough to be healthy and look nice enough to let you enjoy it. But to fret and worry and press on to create a perfectly clean home all the time is an act of stress.

Last spring I was in AZ visiting my grandma and grandpa. At the time my grandma was 96 years old. As we were visiting one morning, the topic of cleaning came up. I can't remember why, maybe there was a cleaning task that looked like it needed attention. She told me to not to worry about it, that cleaning would be there all my life, we should spend our time enjoying each other's company. Present at that visit last spring was my grandpa, my mom, myself and my aunt Velma- who as I write this is 102.

We did in fact enjoy the entire visit. Cooking for the sure joy of sharing, we ate with gratitude as thick as gravy and we loved every moment together. Worrying and fretting about a perfect home would have wasted precious seconds.

Two months after that visit my grandmother passed away. This December my grandpa followed her. You never know how wonderful a moment is until it is taken away. So on behalf of our grandmothers everywhere, I beg of you not to fret over the perfection of your home, to let go of any self imposed judgments and go enjoy the day. Cleaning will be there again tomorrow but the moment will not.

As always wishing you a healthy and happy home,
Denise

There are two types of residue in your home

2012-01-06T09:25:00.000-08:00

Did you know there are two types of residue in all our homes? There is the physical kind of residue and the one which we are all familiar with. It goes by the name of dirt, soap smears, dust, drips, spills and occasionally drool left from our four legged friends. Removing residue from your stone uncovers the essence of your home. When our slate is clean the texture comes alive, the colors are brilliant and it feels true. A clean slate makes our home feel good.

The second and less obvious form of residues in our homes are the mental and emotional residues. They go by the name of regret, worry, fear, longing, disappointments and sorrow. The beauty of a new beginning is it gives you a time to let go of that heavy lingering residue that fills our air. Sometimes this residue gets so heavy it turns into physical residue and lands on our floors. Just as cleaning our slate floors is essential for a healthy and beautiful home, so is cleaning out the residues of our emotions and brains. Deep cleaning isn't only good for our home, it is also good for us. Start this year and give yourself a clean slate - free of all residues.

We have been in the business of removing residue from homes for over 20+ years. Trust me when I say there is a natural and powerful gift in a clean home and a clean slate!!

Wishing you and your families a new year full of clean starts!
Denise Frakes
Healthy Home Specialist
Co-Owner of Blue Sky Services

The Mountain's gift

2011-11-28T17:22:00.001-08:00

Look deep into a mountain and you might find marble, travertine or limestone. These stones could be 300-400 million years in the making. To remove the gift inside this mountain, the mountain must bleed a little. If you are lucky enough to have the gift from this mountain, remember it is a gift.

The characteristics of marble, travertine and limestone are what they are. Their sensitivities haven't changed over the years. We may have placed these stones in new spots or expected more but the essence of the stones remain the same.

Sometimes when you look for new counter tops or flooring, a material will jump out and take your breath away. You fall in love, the look, the feel, the history, the smell, the way the light dances of the minerals. It doesn't matter, the stone's essence has grabbed you and won't let go. This happens and when you find a true love, sometimes you have to give in. Your brain may give a list of reasons why this stone should not be your stone but just like in love we don't always get to choose.

If you find yourself and your home blessed with a new stone please don't ask for perfection. It won't happen. Don't try to change it's essence or tap dance around your life's messes and mishaps. Let it be as it is. Learn the stones natural sensitivities: Acid sensitive, scratch sensitive and absorbant. Learn how to care for it, what to use and how to prevent unnecessary damage and then love your stone. Yes, it may need professional maintenance and sometimes restoration. But whatever you do, do not stop living in your home.

Everyday, remember this stone was once part of a grand mountain. It is perhaps the oldest antique in your home. Remember, there is no other stone anywhere in the world just like yours. Everyday, try to find a new pattern or flow to your stone.

This stone you have, will never be perfect, it will be better than perfect. It is a gift from a mountain.

As always, wishing you a healthy and happy home.

Denise Frakes

Survey: Mothers are stressed about clean homes

2011-10-27T21:17:00.000-07:00

On my way home tonight I was listening to the radio and heard about a recent survey. Apparently mothers both working and stay at home, list how clean their homes are as one of their top 3 stresses. Of all the zillions of reasons to be stressed, how clean our home is should not be one of them.

Maybe we could be concerned about how healthy our home is or even how well maintained our home is but to worry about what our home looks like is not worth your energy. Cleaning should be what we do to make our homes healthy, to increase the life of our surfaces, to keep our homes happy. A spotless home will not get you into heaven and a messy one will not keep you out. Cleaning is just an ongoing act to support a happy and healthy family.

The National Center for Healthy Homes gives 7 essentials to a healthy home. I have added one: Keep your home stress free. Let's not judge ourselves in what our home looks like. Maybe if we stop judging ourselves we will no longer feel judged by others.

Our homes should be where we go to rest and love our families. Clouding our lives with judgement, stress and worry will benefit no one. As a professional cleaner for the past 20 years, here is the absolute truth: There is no such thing as a perfect home. There are happy homes, homes in transition, busy homes, stressed homes, funny homes, serious homes, etc... but I have never met a perfect home or family. It is has been my pleasure to meet incredible families in beautiful homes but thankfully we are all human!

Please keep this in mind, when you feel the need to criticize yourself, On any given day company will stop by. That very day will usually be the day you have dishes in the sink, dust bunnies roaming the floors and dog slobber on your slider door. On the flip side, when your home is sparkling clean, no one will stop by. It is a natural law.

If you find company stopping by when life is happening around you, remember this: If you welcome your guests with a open and joyful heart, they will not care about your smears and smudges. Give yourself break and enjoy your family and company.

Besides, where we get our cleaning knowledge usually comes from companies selling cleaners. Our stress is a tremendous benefit to their sales plan. Commercials and advertisements are not based in reality but on increasing your use of their products. (A thought to ponder)

As always, wishing you a healthy, happy and stress free home
Denise
Blue Sky Services
Healthy Home Specialist

Blue Sky at 2011 Focus on Design Conference

2011-09-28T10:52:00.000-07:00

Next week, I will be speaking at the 2011 Focus on Design Conference, here in Seattle. In case you are interested, below is the link to the conference on Oct 6th & 7th. I will be speaking on Thursday @ 10:45 am and on Friday @ 9:30 am.
www.focusondesignconference.com

What happens to a home after the dust of remodeling or construction settles, is my topic. There is a stong correlation between maintenance within the home and having a healthy home. If you come to the conference, you will learn how to possitively influence the health of a home and how to minimize maintenance frustruations through design and education.

This conference gives me a wonderful opportunity to visit with designers, architects, and builders about how to create homes where health and value are the focus. The connection between design-health-maintenance is huge. Setting up a good foundation from the get go is priceless!

Hope to see you at the conference. If you would like more information about creating a healthy home and residue free maintenance, click on our healthy home tab. There you will find our home health and maintenance education services.

As always, wishing you a healthy and happy home,
Denise Frakes
Blue Sky Services
Certified Healthy Home Specialist

The Essence of Stone for World Peace!

2011-08-29T16:12:00.000-07:00

Saturday Dallas and I were out on a job and I got to pondering. When we try to improve the essence of our surfaces- bad things can start to happen. Slate floors come to mind. Slate is a beautiful stone. We have 16 inch tiles throughout our home. There is no coating or finish, just beautiful stone. Each piece is a work of art. There is texture, color and personality. It moves with the light of the day. I never get tired of this natural art.

If you were to cover your stone-art up with a coating or finish, the essence of the stone would be hidden under a plastic cover. The color spectrum would be diminished, the textures would be hidden, its essence would be lost.
This plastic cover/coating will actually attract more dust than its natural counterpart.
This plastic cover/coating will get scratched, scuffed and may be damaged by a drip here or spill. This plastic cover/coating will at some point need to be removed.
While removing this plastic cover/coating strippers will need to be brought into your home. These strippers could also damage other parts of your home as they will also remove paint and varnishes.
These strippers may also be toxic.
The process to remove this plastic cover will also be pretty expense.

In covering up the essence of a beautiful stone, you gave yourself a headache and an extra expense. Stay with the essence of the stone. Before installation of your new surface, do your research. What are the characteristics and sensitivities of your surface choice? What are your most likely soils and what could be damaging in that location. (think moisture, tracked in sand, hard water deposits) What look do you want? Will the surface you picked need to be altered, changed or professionally maintained?

Practice an ounce of prevention and keep with the essence of your surface and home. You will be happier with your choice, your home will be healthier, your budget fuller. World peace will follow. OK, maybe that was pushing it but still it couldn't hurt!

As always, wishing you a healthy and happy home,
Denise Frakes Co-Owner of Blue Sky Services
Certified Healthy Home Specialist and Residue free Consultant

Sending out Labels and Thank you's

2011-08-18T17:00:00.000-07:00

After 20 years of sending out newsletters, the time has come to print out labels. It is not that I'm against technology, I just think a hand addressed letter is more personal. Yes, I know I could hire someone to print my letters, I could also have my letters printed in a hand written style but the point is it isn't me saying thank you. It might be old fashioned but I personally don't like getting mass printed mail and I figure I'm not alone. Sadly, my right shoulder will no longer let me print so many address and for the first time I'm sending out a newsletter with a label.

As a compromise to myself and you, I am still hand writing the thank you on the back envelope. It might seem like a detail not worth mentioning but over these past 20 years I have learned the value in gratitude. Saying thank you is not just lip service, it is deeply rooting in both our success and happiness in business.

After, my first letters went out this week, I realized spending time on the "thank you" was extremely enjoyable. My hand didn't cramp and my shoulder doesn't ache but I got my thank you in anyway. Not in a hand written label but in a heart felt thank you.

And yes, I do realize this blog post was mushy and corny but if you know me, you probably aren't too surprised. I'm also seriously wanting to start a future e-newsletter. How I'm going to attach a personal thank you is still a question.

As always wishing you all a happy and healthy home!!
Thank you!
Denise Frakes
Co-Owner of Blue Sky Services and Healthy home Specialist

No healthy level of lead in our blood

2011-08-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

Last week, I attended an all day seminar for Children's Environmental Health Training. Lead was once again a huge topic. Last night, I got to thinking it was time I posted about lead exposure and your kids. Please read on for sources of lead exposure, the effects lead has on our families health and finally tips for an Ounce of Prevention.

When a child or anyone tests high for lead exposure, finding the source of the lead is critical.
Toxic levels can be created by volume x frequency. Sometimes the exposure can be small amounts of lead from multiple sources or one source with consistent exposure. You can also have a one time high level exposure.

Common Sources of lead:

Houses built before 1978 (paint, varnishes, window and door sills)
Plumbing/water
Soil (smelt plants and leaded gas residues)
Shooting ranges (shot-bullets)
Weights (golf, curtain, lifting, fishing sinkers)
Garden hoses (the insides switch to white drinking hoses or run water through before use)
Pottery
Imported foods and spices (sometimes even US products)
Mini Blinds
Toys
Antique -painted furniture
Beverage containers

If you have a small child it is a good idea to get a blood lead level test. The ideal blood level would be zero ug/dl. There are no safe levels. The average level is 2ug/dl. A child's body is developing, this developmental time is a critical time to protect your child. Keeping a look out for exposure to lead is one of the best gifts you can give your child. "One out of every 40 American Children has too much lead in his or her body. The rate of lead poisoning is even higher in cities"

Blood lead levels of less than 10ug/dl can cause these health problems:

In children:
Decreased IQ
Increased Behavioral problems
Decreased learning ability
Decreased attention span
Decreased test scores
Decreased motor skills
"Damage can be irreversible, affecting children throughout their lives"

In adults:
High blood pressure
Physical fatigue
Hazardous to pregnant women - damages the baby

I hover between not wanting to instill fear and wanting to educate for a healthy family. In the case of lead, finding high lead blood levels and removing the sources is the side I landed on. An ounce of prevention is the best medicine.

An Ounce of Prevention Tips:

Wash hands after playing in the soil and before eating
Know when your home was built. Either have a certified renovator test or use the lead check kit from http://www.leadcheck.com/ (follow instructions very carefully)
1978 or older: test for lead before doing any remodeling, changing windows or painting.
1978 or older: damp dust, vacuum with HEPA filtered vacuum
1978 or older: clean up any paint chips around windows and doors. Lead is sweet children may eat the sweet paint chips or suck on window sills
Install effective and large entry mats to every entrance to home and take off shoes
Install water filters
Test children for blood lead levels, Especially, when kids are crawling and on the ground a lot.

As always, wishing you a healthy home and family,
Denise Frakes
Certified Healthy Home Specialist and Renovator

Sources: Healthy home Essentials course, Lead Safety for Renovation, Repair and Painting and Children's Environmental Health Training

Minimize Carbon Monoxide Exposure

2011-07-30T17:09:00.000-07:00

Are you serving carbon monoxide for dinner? Most homes we visit, have gas burning ranges. Cooking with gas is fast, reliable and the choice of most chefs. One little irksome trouble is the possibility of Carbon Monoxide (CO) exposure. If you have a CO monitor in your home- good job. Make sure to put one on each level of your home and especially on the bedroom level. Consider getting a peak flow monitor to help you know when and what your levels are.

The CPSC or Consumer Products Safety Commission sets the CO limits at 70ppm. At this level of CO, the monitor will give you a warning to prevent death. Preventing death is a noble reason to get a CO monitor. But you might consider getting a CO monitor with a peak flow monitor. Levels of CO can be low enough not to be fatal but high enough to cause all kinds of other health issues.
Interestingly, World Health Organization puts CO indoor air at 32ppm - max. The Canadian Department of National Health and Welfare has CO at 25ppm at a 1 hour limit. These are far below our 70ppm.

What is CO? "CO is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death. It is a result of the incomplete combustion of carbon." Some of those irksome health issues at lower levels of CO can be headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. At low levels, chest pain and fatigue are most common. At higher levels you might get flu like symptoms and of course death.

If you have gas appliances, does this mean you also have a high CO level? Not necessarily, remember CO is an odorless gas. Because it is a sneaky toxin, you will want to install a safety net and minimize you families risk.

Here are some healthy home tips to minimize CO exposure:

Install CO monitors on every level of home- preferable peak flow monitors
Have your appliances, furnaces and fireplace professionally installed and maintained
Install and use an exhaust fan over your range- making sure it vents to the outside!!
When cooking always run your exhaust fan
Do not idle your car in the garage
Never used charcoal grills, camping stoves, gas powered equipment indoors
Never use gas powered stoves or ranges to heat home

Besides gas ranges, here are some other CO producers to keep an eye out for:

Any gas appliance: furnace, water heater, washer, dryer....
Wood or gas burning stoves
Gas/fuel burning equipment- such as pressure washers or heaters
Charcoal grills and camping stoves
Attached garages

As always, wishing you a healthy, happy home and good cooking!!
Denise Frakes
Certified Healthy Home Specialist

Sources: Healthy Housing Referrence Manual, Essentials for Healthy Homes Practitioners Course, EPA

Open up the windows and ventilate your home

2011-07-06T17:23:00.001-07:00

The sun is finally shining up here in the NW, it feels like summer. Time to open up the windows and air out the home. When I was growing up, my mom was always opening up the house to air it out. Most times it wasn't as nice as today. I was usually cold and wondering why my mom did the things she did. Now I realize, it was because she was very wise.

One of the most important things you can do to improve the health of your home is to improve its ventilation. Stagnate air out - fresh air in. Opening up the windows, turning on your vents and running your whole house ventilation system can help improve your ventilation. Keep in mind, what goes out must come back in. Any air that leaves the home, the equal amount must come back in.

Having a home with healthy ventilation does many beneficial things. According to the National center for healthy homes "Proper ventilation can reduce hazards of:

Volatile organic compounds (VOC)
Moisture
Environmental Tobacco smoke
Particulate matter
Allergens
Mold
Carbon Monoxide
Formaldehyde

Considering, in most homes, the indoor polutants have higher concentrations than outdoor air by 2x5 times! Keeping your home ventilated is a fundamental part of a healthy home and family.

Wishing you a healthy and happy home,
Denise Frakes

Mercury Vapors in CFL bulbs: Safe clean up

2011-05-02T10:51:00.000-07:00

What is this? It is a CFL a Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb. These little light bulbs are fantastic for their energy saving abilities. You probably have them installed all over your home or have at least been in homes where they are.

I'm all for energy saving but I'm more for having a healthy home and family. One little detail about CFLs that you may not know is they contain a small amount of Mercury. Mercury is considered a toxin and it's primary target is our nervous system.

When a CFL bulb brakes in your home it releases a mercury vapor. Remember mercury is a toxin and not something you would want to breathe or absorb into your skin. Here are some recommendations from the Environmental Protection Agency about CFL's and what to do if they break. If you would like more information here is the link to the entire article:
www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup.pdf

EPA article:
What to do if a Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulb or Fluorescent Tube Light Bulb Brakes in your home:
1. Before clean up
a. have people and pets leave the room
b. air out the room for 15 minutes by opening a window or door to the outdoor environment
c. shut off the central forced air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one
d. collect materials needed to clean up the broken bulb

2. During clean up
a. be thorough in collecting broken glass and visible powder
b. place cleanup materials in a sealable container
**The EPA doesn't mention personal protective gear but do wear chemical resistant gloves and put on goggles
**Collect the pieces and dust with two stiff pieces of paper. It is recommended to put collected glass and powder into a glass jar with a metal lid. Label the container as "Universal Waste- broken lamp"
** Wash your face and hands.
3. After the clean up
a. Promptly place all bulb debris and cleanup materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area until materials can be disposed of properly. Avoid leaving any bulb fragments or clean up materials indoors.
b. If practical, continue to air out the room where the bulb was broken and leave the heating/ air conditioning system shut off for several hours.
(see below to see how to properly dispose of the broken glass and dust)

Here is another source of complete directions for clean up. Dr. John Hibbs e-mailed this set of directions yesterday. www.maine.gov/dep/rwn/homeowner/cflbreakcleanup.htm I like this version better. If you have trouble opening this, send me an e-mail and I'll forward it to you directly. ** Any marked directions with the ** are from the Maine Government site

I would also add, this is not something to take lightly. When in doubt call 911 and have the professionals help you.

As an added note, I have long been concerned with the mercury in the CFL bulbs but did not know about the mercury vapor released until I attended a class at Bastyr University this past Saturday. Dr. John Hibbs gave an amazing talk about Avoiding Toxins in the Home. You can watch his talk at www.youtube.com/bastyruniversity.

Another important point about CFL's is not to throw them into the trash. CFL's should be disposed of properly. The EPA mentions throwing the contained material in the trash, but I'm thinking it should also be disposed of properly. Here are some excellent resources for proper disposal of CFL bulbs:
thinkgreenfromhome.com
takeitbacknetwork.org
206-296-4466

As always, wishing you and your family a healthy and happy home,
denise

Carpet maintenance resource site

2011-02-22T13:20:00.000-08:00

There is a web site where most of your carpet questions can be answered.
http://www.carpet-rug.org/ The carpet and rug institute site is a one stop resource bonanza for all things carpet.

Here are some of my favorite parts of this site: http://www.carpet-rug.org/
A list of recommended and certified vacuums
A list of recommended and certified carpet spotters and cleaning solutions
A detailed and at your fingers carpet spotting guide
Lots of answers to common question and uncommon questions
A list of manufacture recommended cleaning methods

For your fastest search path:
Start by clicking the Residential tab
On the left hand side click cleaning and maintenance
Your resources topics will appear on the left hand side

If you don't feel like all that clicking here is my summary of carpet care:

1. Install effective and clean entrance mats
Keep these mats clean- they are the filters to your home
Put good mats at every entrance

2. Vacuum, Vacuum, Vacuum
Get a good one with a HEPA filter or equivalent filter
Vacuum at least once per week
Do not over fill your filter bag
Vacuum slowly and thoroughly
(list of recommended vacuums on the carpet-rug.org site)
http://www.carpet-rug.org/

3. Spot clean- ASAP
Blot don't rub
Use mild - recommended cleaners
Like our Procyon Carpet and Upholstery cleaner
Rinse and dry
(The carpet-rug.org site has a good spotting guide)
http://www.carpet-rug.org/

4. Professionally clean your carpet
Most manufactures recommend every 12-18 months
In most cases, hot water extraction is the preferred method.
(the manufacture recommended list is on the carpet-rug.org site)
http://www.carpet-rug.org/

Wishing you a healthy and happy home,
Denise

Residue: the number 1 thing we remove

2011-02-15T11:01:00.000-08:00

Websters definition of residue:
Matter remaining after treatment or removal of part; something which remains.

Residue is the number one thing we remove when cleaning is done properly.

What is in this residue?

Here are the usual 3 suspects:
* Soil
* Cleaners
* Water

Part of residue is made up of soils left on the surface. In "cleaning", the soil might be smeared around by mopping or wiping but it's regularly left behind. Residue also comes from the cleaners we use. If the cleaners are not removed, then those cleaners can actually help in attracting new soil- great right? Finally, water left behind is also part of your residue. Water doesn't seem too bad but in water there are hard water or mineral deposits and moisture. You know what hard water deposits can do in a shower! But what about moisture left behind? Have you ever cleaned your car and then had dust land on it? Soil is more likely to stick to a damp surface than a dry one. Plus mold needs moisture to grow. You leave something damp long enough and soon you will also have mold as part of your residue- again think showers!!

Just imagine this: taking a mop and mopping or as we call it smearing, a window. Now let that air dry. Come back next week and do it again. Imagine what a whole year of this weekly mopping would do to a window-yuck!! Imagine 12 years!!!

Window's are obvious because we can actually see the residue left behind. But what about your floors, showers or countertops? The same residue is there, it just is harder to notice. It takes a while but before you know it your floors are brown, black; your showers are water spotted, waxing feeling and moldy; your countertops are greasy and dingy. The true beauty of your home or business is covered with soap, soils, mineral deposits and mold!!

Amazing stuff right? Residue would make a fun science experiment! It is also best removed. This is where we come in, we specialize in leaving surfaces residue free and teaching you how to keep your surfaces residue free!

Wishing you health, happiness and prosperity,
Denise

Blue Sky Services
20 years restoration cleaning experience, research and a very curious mind

Top 5 tips for a fresh smelling home over the holidays

2010-12-15T10:01:00.000-08:00

Season's greetings and wishing you a happy and healthy home.

This morning I was thinking about a phone call I had yesterday and thought it was a good time for holiday reminder.

During the winter months and especially during the holidays, we close our houses and add lots of fragrances. A home has smells, it is part of living. Close up your house and those smells become a little more obvious. Of course, you don't want your house to smell like dirty socks or your cat box so what do you do? If you listen to the TV, you might choose the options of: spraying disinfectants and deodorizers, lighting scented candles, using plug ins, or misting fragrances.

What happened? Your home no longer smells like socks but pumpkin spice, misty mountain and cider apple. All good stuff right? Our sense of smell is very powerful, but our ability to guess what is giving us a headache, sinus infection, stuffy nose, or watery eyes may be harder to distinguish. If you or a family member is sensitive to fragrances, these added smells may be giving you more than you hoped for.

While your home is closed for the winter, be mindful of what you are adding back to your air. Sometimes the fragrances we add may not be so festive!

Top 5 tips for a fresh smelling and healthy home:

1. Open up your windows as often as possible
2. Keep your home clean- especially well vacuumed and dusted
3. Run you vents and fans during: showers, cooking and laundry
( make sure your vents, vent directly outside)
4. Remove the source of the odor, don't cover it up
5. Introduce healthy and yummy smells
Roast chestnuts:)
Bake cookies
Put a little fresh cinnamon and cloves on the stove

A clean home, a fresh home, and a loved home usually smell pretty good.

From our house to yours- Happy Holidays,
Denise and Dallas Frakes

Preventing and putting out kitchen fires

2010-11-22T18:41:00.000-08:00

Last summer I had one of those days. My grandpa had made me a cutting board, which I hang over our stove top. On one crazy summer day it fell. Did you know a heavy cutting board dropping approximately 10 inches can shatter a glass cook top? It was also news to me...

After, a quick shopping trip, a bit of luck and a handy husband by evening, I was back in cooking business. As I was going through the paperwork for my new cook top, I came across this handout for safer cooking. It is all about preventing and putting out a fire in your kitchen. As the holidays are literally right around the corner, I though you might like a refresher on fire safety in the kitchen. Wishing all a very happy and safe holiday season.

The follow comes from the Association of Home Appliance Manufactures: Recipe for Safer Cooking:

To prevent a cooking fire in your kitchen:
Keep an eye on your cooking and stay in the kitchen. Unattended cooking is the #1 cause of cooking fires!!
Wear short or close fitting sleeves. Loose clothing can catch fire
Watch children closely. When old enough, teach children to cook safely.
Clean cooking surfaces to prevent food and grease build-up.
Keep curtains, towels and pot holders away from hot surfaces, and store solvents and flammable cleaners away from heart sources. Never keep gasoline in the house.
Turn pan handles inward to prevent food spills.

To Put out a cooking fire in your kitchen:
Call the fire department immediately in many cases, dialing 911 will give you Emergency Services
Slide a pan lid over flames to smother a grease or oil fire, then turn off the heat and leave the lid in place until the pan cools. Never carry the pan outside.
Extinguish other food fires with baking soda. Never use water or flour on cooking fires.
Keep the over door shut and turn off the heat to smother an oven or broiler fire.
Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. Make sure you have the right type and training.
Keep a working smoke detector in your home and test it monthly.

Here's to safe cooking,
Denise

Blue Sky Services
Natural stone and tile care
Preventative maintenance and in this case fire prevention in our cooking!!

Hair and leaves falling like rain!

2010-11-11T10:28:00.000-08:00

The leaves aren't the only thing falling this season. Our dog's hair is dropping just as fast. Keeping the soil out of your house is the number one way to keep it clean. But what if the soil/dirt/hair comes from inside???

Apparently, fall is the season for dogs to shed- at least ours. I used to think dogs only shed in the spring but I was very, very wrong. My dogs are loosing their summer coat at an alarming pace.

In cleaning, your best bet is always to remove the source of the soil first. Not to worry, I'm not getting rid of my dogs, but I am putting a little more time into brushing Sally and Reggy.

Over the years, the owner at my local Splish Splash dog wash, has introduced me to some incredible dog care tools. At our house, we need two different tools. Our dogs have completely different coats. Reggy has long hair, Sally short has short hair. If you aren't already in possession of these tools, I recommend you stop by your local pet store or dog wash place.

Wishing you a healthy and happy home,

Denise

Blue Sky Services

Stone, tile care

Preventative home care

Not to exceed

2010-11-02T09:49:00.000-07:00

It seems our culture is always trying to exceed expectations. I think this is critical in business service but exceeding your quoted price is not so cool. If you look at our quotes usually they have a little statement over our price that says "not to exceed".

We hope to always exceed your service expectations but exceeding our quoted price is not where we excel. Not only do we stay below our quoted price, sometimes we can also go below that price. It is so hard to tell the exact details of a job until you are deep within. A job may go a little easier than expected in which case our invoices reflect the ease.

Of course, when additional services are requested and we are already on your job, it may to have exceed the quoted price, but you will know that up front. Many times we have added a service or two but the bottom line still stays the same. I think being a company that doesn't not exceed may be even better than one that over exceeds- especially where the bottom line is concerned!!

We are able give your this benefit because you are always working directly with owners. Blue Sky Services isn't just another pretty company it is also a company with a lot of TLC. Thanks for your business, please feel free to call anytime.

Wishing you a healthy and happy home.
Denise
Blue Sky Services: stone, tile and grout care
Preventative maintenance consulting and very effective tools!

An ounce of thanks

2010-10-28T15:47:00.000-07:00

Is there any better time to say thank you than the present moment? Over the past 19 years of our business, I have been amazed over and over at the generosity and kindness of our customers. With a tough economy and lots of other great businesses out there, our phone continues to ring and business flows.

It is always a good time to remember to say thank you. For without you where would we be? In return we hope you feel confident knowing we are always just a phone call away. Ours is not a big company but what it lacks in size we make up in heart. We take our work personally, we do our very best to help out, even if it means referring you to another company. Having happy customers and the satisfaction of a job well done is pretty much what we shoot for.

Currently, I'm taking a online class from South Seattle Community College on Online business. My class assignment was to find our business a tag line. Do you think 'thanks" would work? As I was contemplating tag lines, here are the words that came to mind: confidence, honestly, relaxed, personal, experience, gratitude, fun and helpful. It's not a tag line but maybe those words that come to mind are what keeps us in business. We may not have the best web presence, I don't even write to you for web presence. Our business is more like conversations between friends. I hope remembering to say thanks is always part of those conversations!

with our deepest gratitude, we wish you a happy and healthy home,
Denise

Blue Sky Services

Tis the season to clean and clean out!!!

2010-10-07T09:46:00.000-07:00

I know spring cleaning is the popular time for the big clean but Autumn cleaning makes more sense. Before you close up the house for the season, before the holidays arrive and before the new year resolutions start accumulating - clean out your cob webs.

It actually makes sense. Your cleaning efforts will last longer when your house tucked in for the season. You don't have as much foot traffic coming in and out, probably less dust with the windows closed and you will feel like a million bucks to have your home clean before company and the holidays arrive at your door.

Besides the obvious benefits there are also some hidden benefits. Clean and organized just plain feel better. I can't explain it so much as I know it. With 20 years of professional cleaning experieince, a life of personal home cleaning and zillions of chats with family and friends here is my verdict: Clean and organized feel good. I'm not talking perfect here, just refreshed and rejuvenated.

There is something almost magical about a home that has been deep cleaned. It comes with a deep breath and big cleansing-relaxing-letting go exhale! If you don't believe me, next time you catch yourself feeling overwhelmed and stressed stop and clean a closet or bookshelf. The act of quiet simple act of cleaning is also good for the soul!

May you breath deeply and have a healthy and happy home,
Denise

4 Steps to Healthier Air

2010-09-02T16:14:00.000-07:00

Today, I was pondering which topic to visit about for the health of your home. There are so many but the one that has the strongest effect on my own health is fragrance.
That is our topic today: Fragrance and how it affects the health of your home

The over abundance of fragrances in a home, can be a hidden irritant to you and your families health. Almost everything and anything can have a fragrance added. Even, get this, unscented and natural products! To find an scent free product look for products listed as fragrance free.

Where do these fragrances come from...everywhere! A typical home can easily contain the following fragrance filled products: candles, plug ins, shampoos and cream rinces, cleaners, furniture polish, body deodorizer, body lotions and soaps, air freshener, disinfectant sprays, and perfume. Get the picture? They are everywhere and in almost everything.

Why is this unhealthy to your home? Because those fragrances are what you breath. Besides just being unhealthy in general, a lot of people, like me, are sensitive to different fragrances.

From the American Lung Association, here is a quote from Facts about Perfumes, Fragrances and Scented Products:
"People with asthma or allergies can have their respiratory problems triggered by perfumes. Small children, babies and the elderly are especially susceptible to these effects. People who are sensitive to perfumes sometimes notice headaches, problems breathing, watery eyes, nausea, fatigue and other symtoms."

For me, I get watery eyes, my throat gets all flemmy and my sinuses start giving me fits-how lovely is that!. Headaches and fatique are sneaky side affects of fragrance sensitivities that give many unsuspecting family members troubles.

What can you do?

4 Steps to Healthier Air
1) Start by becoming aware of the scented products in your home.
2) Notice how you or other members of your family feel around fragrances.
3) When you buy new products, look products listed as fragrance free.
4) Open up your windows, turn on your vents and consider getting a good air HEPA filter
in your home.

A home should be a place of health not the source of unhealth. Consider taking a deeper look at the fragrances and perfumes that may be lurking in your home and car.

If you have any questions, you are always welcome to call on us. I am not only the co-owner of Blue Sky Services but I'm also a Master Home Enviromentalist volunteer from the American Lung Association.

As always, we wish you a healthy and happy home,
Denise Frakes
Blue Sky Services

Labels Labels Labels......It is a big deal

2010-08-25T14:52:00.000-07:00

On your moments of free time what do you do? Do you read the labels of your cleaning products? I'm guessing no. And really why would you? If you are like most families, you may not have oodles and oodles of free time. Why in the world would you add reading your cleaning labels to your list of a million and one to do's?
I can give you two very good reasons why you may want to re-think your free time priorities...

Reading the labels of your cleaners before using can...
1. Protect you and your family from harm
2. It can save you thousands of $$$$$$
Labels are not perfect, but they do give you enough information to be incredibly helpful.
For you and your families protection please at least read:

1) the CAUTION/WARNING/DANGER/POISON section.
This little section will help you know if the product you are cleaning with is dangerous.
It will give safety tips such as: fatal if swallowed; avoid eye contact; do not mix with bleach, mildew removers or any other household chemicals as hazardous gases may be released!!!!!
This is great info to have before you start cleaning!!!!

2) Directions
It is always a good idea to follow directions- enough said.

3) For use on or not to be used on...
You may have to hunt for this one but trust me it is soooo worth your time. The wrong cleaner can do thousands of dollars of damage. Just this week, I visited with the nicest lady who had just etched her travertine floors with an acidic cleaner. This happens all the time! Sometimes the label will be clear: Do not use on such and such, but sometimes you have to dig a little deeper.

A good hint is... if the cleaner says it removes hard water buildup, calcium and lime stains or rust stains it is most likely an acid. An acid will etch acid sensitive surfaces such as marble, travertine, onyx, limestone and grout.

I would love to say labels have all the information we need, but they are far from perfect. However and this is a big however, they do give you enough info to help protect you and your home. When in doubt call the 1-800 on the bottom of your product, look up the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) or call a professional before you clean.
Also, keep in mind some cleaners such as vinegar are considered food and do not have cleaning instructions. Vinegar is an acid, it may be pretty safe for you but it may still do big $$$$ damage.
If you ever have any questions, please feel free to call us or the manufacture of your cleaners. Today's blog is precisely where our blog site got it's name...
An Ounce of Prevention.

Wishing you a healthy and happy home.
Denise Frakes
Blue Sky Services: Stone and Tile Care
253-946-2056

7 clues you may need a nap

2010-08-21T16:20:00.001-07:00

A healthy home is also a happy home. There is more to life than being serious and working all the time. Sometimes a good nap is in order.

In November of 2008, I wrote the 7 Clues You May Need a Nap. Today, feels like a good day to re-write that list (this afternoon I needed a nap)

1) If your friends and family's IQ's mysteriously plummet... you may need a nap.

2) If you accidental ask for a pillow instead of a double espresso... you may need a nap.

3) If you can't think of one thing that makes you happy, but can easily come up with 5 things that make you miserable... you may need a nap.

4) If the thought of going to bed early sounds better chocolate... you may need a nap.

5) If you find yourself nodding off at a stop light... you may need a nap.

6) If you start snapping at your pets just because they need to pee... you may need a nap.

7) An finally, if the last time you remember taking a nap was in kindergarten... you may need a nap.

A nap may not create world peace... but it sure can't hurt. May your naps feel as good as our cat Penny's naps.

Wishing you a healthy and happyhome,

Denise Frakes

Cleaners are not food or air

2010-08-20T09:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I wrote about noticing the huge overuse of cleaners in a home. Today, I thought I would explain why I think this is detrimental to the health of all those living in that home.

Please picture this with me. As you clean, say your shower walls, what do you do? Spray cleaner right? Where does that cleaner go? Most of it goes on your walls, but some of it goes in the air and you breath it, some of it lands on you and maybe some on the adjacent shower glass door. What if your next step is to clean the shower glass doors? Here is where this gets a little sticky!!! Now your spray the glass shower door. The cleaners go on you, in the air and on the shower. If your shower cleaner contains bleach and your glass cleaner contains ammonia you just created a toxic gas!!!!!

This accidental mixture and reaction of cleaners happens all the time. Toilet cleaners mixed with glass cleaners or all purpose cleaners is another unfortunate but very common mixture.
Your home should be a place you and your family can relax and rejuvenate, your home should not be the source of your un-health or stress.

Cleaners are often left behind in the cleaning process. This shows up as re-soiling but the unseen part of this is there are unintentional chemicals left around your home- every where!!!!!

Cleaners are not food, they should not be left on countertops. They aren't air, they shouldn't be put in our air and of course they are not something we want on our skin!

Here are some easy solutions-
Do not spray cleaner over your head
Apply cleaner directly to a microfiber or towel and then apply to surface
Always rinse and dry surface after using a cleaner

Wishing you a healthy and happy home,
Denise

Don't fall for the spray and destroy method of cleaning

2010-08-19T14:46:00.000-07:00

One of the scariest constants I have seen over my last 20 years has been the over use of cleaners.

There is a billion dollar industry out there trying to help us decide to buy their cleaners because we need their cleaners. Help and need are the key words. Help is actually a huge marketing plan to convince us that we can not live with out their products. Need is truly in the eye of the seller. If you listen to commercials you would think your life will come to an end if you don't disinfect your mirrors, wipe up any germs that dare enter your home and remove any trace of living from your home.

The fact is you do not need 15 different cleaners in your home. Most cleaners you pick up at the grocery store are what I would call restorative cleaners. They are meant to spray and destroy. The spray and destroy method is not healthy for your home or your surfaces.

For the next couple of months, we are going to help show you a new way to have a healthy home, a clean home and a long lasting home. We are not a billion dollar industry and we do not recommend the spray and destroy method, what you will find is a very passionate company trying to help prevent damage- to you and your home. Stay tuned!!

Wishing you a healthy and happy home,

Denise

The value of a good designer

2010-08-16T20:59:00.000-07:00

This morning I made a decision to focus the next 2 months on helping you have a healthy home. Why in the world would my first writing be on the value of a good designer? My answer to that is two part: First of all, tomorrow night I'm speaking at an association meeting of NWSID or Northwest Society of Interior Designers, so designers are kind of on my mind. The second reason is that I have had the privilege of working with multiple clients of these designers. What I find is, the clients of a good designer seem happier and more relaxed.

The bottom line is, when your home is in transition it is easy to become overwhelmed with chaos. Your stuff is everywhere, decisions must be made daily, finances get stretched and pulled, you wonder who you can trust, deadlines are extended and on and on it goes. A good designer can help you remember what your passions are, put them on paper and then into reality. A good designer can help you maneuver around land mines and costly mistakes, put you in contact with great contractors and subcontractors. A good designer will know which surfaces will fit your lifestyle and the ones that function better on paper than in reality.

A healthy home is a relaxed home. A home filled with stress is detrimental to you and your families health. Sometimes your best decision is the decision to ask for help and then relax. If you are considering taking on a major remodel or even just changing your paint colors, consider working with a good designer. The time and stress saved will be well worth the cost.

An effective way to find a good designer is to contact the Northwest Society of Interior Designers or NWSID. http://www.nwsid.net/

Wishing you a healthy and happy home,
Denise

The decision to walk 60 miles

2010-08-09T17:17:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I spent it with a good friend on Whidbey Island. We were at a camp to walk 38 miles in 3 days. This was in preparation of the upcoming walk my friend will be doing. You may have heard of it... Susan G Komen 3 day for the cure.

I went to this camp to support my friend.

During the 3 days of rain, water bottles, mole skin, pee stops, hugs, pink pom poms, two ducks, one large bale of hay, laughing, sound views, old houses, camp fires, fields of hubbard squash, lots of hugs and smiles, 38 miles of walking and camping in the rain we became a team.

A team that will go on together and walk the 60 miles on Sept 24 here in Seattle. I realized when you are in pain a friend close by makes the pain so much less. Spontaneous laughter and lots of chatting also helps keeps your mind off your soar feet.

Everyone I know seemed to already know I would go on to do the 60 mile walk. I'm always the last to know what is obvious to everyone else. Dallas is incredibly supportive as he always is. As I was walking this weekend, he was working on a big job. He knows this will take a lot of time and effort and he didn't even waver, he just supported me and our friend. He didn't even wince when I told him I need to raise $2,300.00 in 6 weeks. Now that is a good husband!!

My friend is walking in memory of her friend who passed away on Sept 24th last year from breast cancer. I am walking to support my friend who went through breast cancer treatments this spring. If she can walk after what she has been through I can most certainly walk and raise $2,300 in 6 weeks.

I'll be writing more about this later but this is a long over due blog. In my view, cancer can hopefully be prevented but if it can't be prevented then let it at least be diagnosed as early as possible.

May you and your families be happy and healthy,

Denise

The Best in Travertine Floor Care

2010-07-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

I was getting our travertine care info ready for a client and decided to share it with you as well. Here is our maintenance care info for your Travertine floors. Have a great day.

Characteristics of Travertine:
A neutral colored stone
Has small holes in the stone, which can either be left open or filled
Tends to be scratch sensitive and acid sensitive

Preventative Care for Travertine Floors
* Use a good and clean entryway mat at every entrance to your home or business
These mats act like filters to your home: Keep them clean
* Vacuum or sweep your floors often
Use a vacuum that is made for hard surface only
Frequent vacuuming or dusting is more better for your floors than frequent wet cleaning
* Wipe up spills quickly
Travertine is usually acid sensitive. Acids can etch your stone leaving dull marks
Common acids: cleaners, vinegar, vomit, urine, personal care products, toilet cleaners...
* Use felt pads on all furniture and chair legs, replace felt pads when then get dirty or worn
For chairs with rollers. Put chair casters on with a soft rubber wheel
These are the same you would use for hardwood floors
* Be careful with high heel shoes. Keep your shoes in good condition
* Keep your dog's nails trimmed. This will help prevent scratches.

Cleaning: Maintenance Care for Travertine Floors:
* Use a neutral cleaner made specifically for natural stone daily maintenance
General house hold cleaners can be high alkaline and acids- stay with neutral cleaners
* Leave your floors residue free.
If you leave soap/cleaner behind this can attract more soil.
If you leave water behind you can attract extra dust and leave mineral deposits behind.
* Whenever possible clean, rinse and dry floors for best long term beauty and care
* Protect your travertine floors with a high quality impregnating sealer
Please do not put coatings or finishes on travertine floors-
you know, the sealers that make your floor look shiny
* Penetrating sealers will not prevent scratches or acid etches so still be careful

Polishing, Repairing and Resealing your travertine floors
* Don't panic if your floors get an etch or scratched they can always be re-polished
* This also goes for the fill in travertine floors. It sometimes comes out -
but not to worry it can be refilled
* Periodically you may want to have your floors professionally cleaned and resealed. Stone can hold amazing amounts of soil. If your stone starts looking kind of grey or if water starts penetrating into your stone give us a call for a professional cleaning and resealing.

Hope this info helps but if you have Questions give us a call...
Blue Sky Services: stone and tile care 253-946-2056
New construction sealing, professional tools and techniques for residue free cleaning
Filling, resealing and deep cleaning

Wishing you a healthy, happy and beautiful home,
Denise

Dirty floors got you down?

2010-07-02T16:46:00.000-07:00

Why do floors get so dirty so fast? Drips, spills, dirt, dust and sometimes slobber spots (if you have dogs) may be to blame, but there may be something else causing your floors to quickly re-soil.

It might just be your own cleaning causing the trouble. I know that sounds backwards - cleaning is causing dirt- but cleaning is exactly what causes a huge portion of floors to soil and then re-soil.

Consider this: How do you wash your windows, TV screens and mirrors? Would you ever consider taking your mop and smearing your windows and then just leaving them to dry on their own? You can imaging the soil, the wipes, the water spots, the soil! Oh my! Now think how those poor windows, TV screens and mirrors would look if you mopped them every week. Can you see where I'm headed with this? Mopping is not really cleaning, it is smearing.

If you currently mop your floors- not to worry. We can help. It's called residue free cleaning. Residue free cleaning is cleaning without leaving anything behind- soap or moisture. Residue free cleaning-with the right tools and techniques is fast and very effective. Plus, you won't have scrub off your own cleaners.

Residue free cleaning can help extend the life of your floors, keeping them looking great and as an added bonus... drum roll please... you are not leaving unwanted cleaner/chemicals behind on your floors. This is a big bonus to homes with pets and children.

At Blue Sky Services we practice and teach residue free cleaning- it is the only way to go. If you have any questions just give us a jingle. We are always here to help.

Wishing you a happy and healthy home,
Denise

The great laundry secret

2010-06-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

If one glug of cleaner is good, two glugs must be better, right? Not!!! Not is the key word here. Not, is what suppliers, manufactures, technical support, cleaning instructors and Blue Sky Services teach. The tendency of adding too much cleaner is as common as rain in the northwest. For some reason, and I can't really tell you why, the tendency of more is better seems to be ingrained in our every cell.

This weekend, my step mom gave me an article she had saved for me from the Wall Street Journal about laundry and over soap application.

The article is called "The Great American Soap Overdose" by Ellen Byron. " 1-27-10
Here is a quote I though summarized the article.
"Detergent "overpouring" creates a high, foamy tide inside the machine, lifting solid and lint above the water level so it isn't rinsed away. That leaves residue on clothing that fades colors and attracts more dirt, they say. Inside the machine, detergent buildup encourages odor and bacteria growth, and leads in time to wear and tear that will require professional attention, washer manufactures say."

Over application of cleaner not only applies to cleaning your floors, countertops and showers, it also applies to your dishes, laundry, windows and pretty much everything we use a cleaner on.

What to do...
-Always read your labels and follow directions.
There is more to cleaning than just the cleaning chemicals.
-Cleaning is a science which includes many factors such as:
Inspection/testing, time, heat, agitation, water, cleaner, dry soil removal,
rinsing and drying Cleaning is not just using chemicals or cleaners
-Consider applying the cleaning philosophies of:
Less is more - more is often worse not better
Practice residue free cleaning - where no soap is left behind

Cleaning with less may be weird at first and you may not believe your clothes or dishes are as clean, but trust me they will be cleaner! If you have a spot on your clothes treat the spot and then use less cleaner.

Have you ever been in a hot tub where there is foam and bubbles everywhere? This is left over soap that gets reactivated with heat and water. Lots and lots of soap is left behind.

If you have concerns or questions about your laundry or dishes my best recommendation is to call the manufacture of your equipment and ask for technical support. Ask for their recommendations and suggestions on using their equipment the best way to achieve the very best results.

Wishing you a healthy and residue free home,
Denise

the big 5 surface sensitivities

2010-06-04T12:17:00.000-07:00

This morning I was pondering all the things that can damage a surface. Every surface has sensitivities. Some surfaces have lots of sensitivities, others just a few and some are tough as nails- but keep in mind nails can be melted. Knowing what, when and how is priceless...

I whittled my list of sensitivities down to 5 and drum roll please..... here is my list.

1. Moisture/water
2. Chemicals/cleaners
3. Abrasives/dirt
4. Heat
5. Sunshine

I know there are more, but as a general rule these are the 5 things that your surfaces are most sensitive to. Keep in mind each surface may have levels of sensitivities. Take granite, it is generally acid resistant but can be etched with hydrofloric acid. Carpet can be cleaned with water but if flooded over time can de-laminate. A little abrasion is sometimes needed to break surface tension but scrub too hard on pretty much anything and walla... damage.

Examples of normal sensitivities:
marble is sensitive to abrasives and acids
carpet is sensitive to abrasives and bleaches
wood is sensitive to abrasives and water/moisture
laminate is sensitive to abrasives and heat
upholstery is sensitive to sunshine and bleach
grout is sensitive to abrasives and acids
Of course for any general rule there are always exceptions.

For an effective maintenance program it is essential to know the sensitivities of your surfaces and the exceptions. With good sensitivity knowledge, you can prevent and minimize damage thus extending the life and beauty of your surfaces.
If you have questions, give us a call, cleaning, teaching and minimizing damage is our business.

Wishing you a happy and healthy home,
Denise

Cleaning: rich ground for a practice

2010-05-30T14:42:00.000-07:00

Fast food and frozen dinners are the first things that come to mind when I think of the convenience of food. Aggressive cleaners, loads of product and paper towels are what comes to mind in the convenience of cleaning. Neither of these conveniences are necessarily good for our health. Just like much of our culture, convenience has powerfully invaded our homes. Maybe it is time to take our homes and health back, turning cleaning into the practice of cleaning for health.

As a culture, we don't always value cleaning our homes, nor do we value the person doing the cleaning. So often it is shoved into nooks and crannies of a busy life, a kind of low man on the totem pole philosophy. I say it is time to let the true value of cleaning rise to the top. Not only is cleaning an essential element to a healthy home, when done with the skills and intent of cleaning for health, it also extends the life and value of your home. Cleaning is one of the guiding forces behind a great feeling, beautiful and smoothly run home. But beyond the obvious benefits of cleaning for health, cleaning for health also give us a rich time to practice mindful living.

Cleaning for health as a practice gives you time to do nothing but wash your dishes while breathing and relaxing your shoulders. A time to open up the windows, smell the fresh air and methodically vacuum your floors for the health of your home and not just to remove some fuzz before company comes. A moment each morning to quietly dry your showers walls with nothing in mind but watching the water absorb into the towel. Does this sound slow? On the contrary, slowing down and being mindful gives you time and as an added benefit, a healthy more relaxed home.

Wishing you all a relaxed, healthy and happy home,
Denise

How to avoid using a coating on your natural stone

2010-05-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

One of the more frustrating calls we get is from someone who needs a coating removed from a brand new surface. Sometimes these coatings were improperly applied, applied to a non recommended surface, or the wet plastic look was not what was intended. Complete removal of a coating is expensive and in the case of a new surface not necessary and avoidable!

There are defiantly coating supporters out there but we spend much of our time inspecting coatings that have uglied out, looking at coatings that were improperly applied and removing coatings for multiple reasons. For us putting a coating on is the last option not the first.

How to avoid using a coating...

1. Pick the surface that has the look & characteristics you want from the start.
Don't select and try to alter the stone or tile after the installation

2. Have your stone and tile professionally cleaned after installation. So often a
surface will look dull and not at all what you remembered in the showroom. A lot of the
time, this is because it is dirty from travel, installation, grout haze and construction soil.
Have it cleaned and watch its true beauty emerge.

3. Don't fall for the "wet look". In the installation process, the stone will get wet,
we tend ooh and aah over the dark stones. Don't make any decisions now.
Wait until the stone is clean and dry. A shiny stone looses the natural essence of stone.
The texture, the color ranges and the true beauty can be hidden from the "wet look".

4. Before sealing, do your research. There are 3 basic types of sealers.
Impregnating sealers, enhancing impregnating sealers and coatings
These 3 sealers are all very different.
Make sure you know what type of sealer is being used, its maintenance and wear
characteristics and if it is even recommended for your surface.
If you want to change the look of your surface do multiple samples and then try to damage
those samples to see what may happen in the real world.

5. When in doubt please call us first.
Not only do we professionally seal but we can also help you make an informed decision.

Wishing you a happy and stress free home,
Denise

Entrance rugs are better than ice cream!

2010-04-26T13:09:00.000-07:00

A little bit goes a long way. Don't you love it when you get a big bang for your money and time? This week we put in new entrance rugs at our home. I know, I know I should have had better ones years ago but like the rest of the world we aren't perfect, but peddling the best we can.

Talk about a multitude of great reasons for high quality entrance rugs. Did you know 75-80% of the soil that comes in your home or business comes from the outside- mainly through your front door, garage door, back door and any other door you have and use. It gets tracked on feet, paws and the wind. My philosophy is, if you can prevent it from happening then by all means do!

Here is the low down and benefits of effective entrance rugs.

1. #1 cause of damage to floors is tracked in soil that acts like sand paper on your floors
Entrance rugs minimize soil tracked in your home

2. The soil that we track in isn't just dirt... it can also be:
lead, pesticides, allergens, sand, road dust, tire fragments, mold spores, plants....
the list is long and sometimes a little scary.
Entrance rugs minimize the contaminates tracked into your home.

3. What doesn't come in doesn't have to be dusted, vacuumed and removed!
Entrance rugs minimize over all soil- which means less to remove.

Entrance rugs are so helpful in the health of your home, reduction of dirt and extending the life of your surfaces. It is one of those almost to good to be true products.

When shopping for entrance rugs call us. We offer tons of high quality, multiple sizes and beautiful colors. The bigger, better and cleaner the entrance rug the better it will serve you.
Keep in mind- your entrance rugs are like filters to your home and business. Keep them clean!

Wishing you a healthy and happy home.
Denise
Blue Sky Services
253-946-2056

That evasive little thing called... balance

2010-04-22T09:40:00.000-07:00

This morning as I catch my breath from a very busy week, the topic of balance seems a good place to start. Balance is that blissful place we find ourselves in when life is running smooth. Out of balance is something we kind of stumble into where it feels like we are driving down a bumpy road -holding on for dear life.

Cleaning and maintenance of our homes is all about finding balance. The balance between perfect and chaos, between under cleaning and over cleaning, between being too concerned about your home and not even caring. On and on it goes. I teach a lot of prevention in my home care classes but of course there is still a balance to over prevention and under prevention.

My basic philosophy is: Our homes should be a place where we can be healthy and regain our health; A place to feel safe and to relax; A place for families and joyful gatherings; A place to unwind and kick back; A place where your creative juices have fertile ground. What our homes shouldn't be is the source of our un-health and stress.

My suggestions of home care are just that- suggestions. Will they help keep your home clean and healthier? Absolutely. Will they help your surfaces last longer and look better in the the process? Yes. If overdone can they become irksome and frustrating? You bet. My goal is always to help you find that balance in your home so it serves you and you can enjoy living with less stress and dust.

Our lives and homes have a kind of flow, some weeks they are fast and furious and others slow and methodical. (I would guess most homes have more fast and furious). No matter the speed of your home, always keep in mind, what you want from your home. That is your foundation. What I teach are tools to help you achieve that foundation.

Wishing you effortless balance,
Denise

A little rug treasure found in Seattle

2010-04-15T14:59:00.000-07:00

Craftsmanship is not lost in Seattle. Repairing and reweaving Oriental and specialty rugs is not your ordinary profession but one that takes great skill. Today, I got to meet Julie and Em of

DA Burns. Em is pictured above and Julie just below. These lovely and amazing ladies can restore your rug treasures.

Being green has been a very popular topic. I was moved today to see the value of this skill in keeping our rug treasures in our homes and out of the landfills. What a tragedy to have heirloom, antique or just beautiful rugs thrown away because you didn't realize they could be restored. One of our favorite pastimes is restoring beautiful stone & tile verses someone having to tear it out and have it replaced. Natural stone and Oriental rugs are meant to last a long, long time.

I didn't ask how long it took Julie and Em to learn this trade of reweaving and repairing Oriental and speciality rugs. But considering how many countries these rugs can come from, how much they can cost and the span of ages made, I would guess this wasn't a weekend training course! They did restore a rug at the Frye Art Musium -way cool!

Before you consider dumping an old love give these amazing ladies a call. They can be found at DA Burns 206-782-2268

Wishing you a healthy and happy home.

Denise

Blue Sky Services

Natural stone, tile and grout- cleaning and sealing

Sustainable, healthy and beautiful homes

My emotional tie leads to dangerous product use

2010-04-14T08:12:00.000-07:00

Apparently, no one is immune from emotions.
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Last night at my Master Home Environmentalist class I was in for a surprise....
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Maybe I should go back a bit. When I was little, my grandparents made furniture for us kids. In my house, I have beautiful wooden tables, dressers and book cases. All made by hand and each with amazing love from my grandparents. They meticulously hand sanded and hand oiled each piece over and over until the color was rich and the finish smooth. They used Old English furniture polish and so I have used Old English furniture polish to care for their/my furniture ever since.
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I love my grandparents, unfortunately they are no longer with me except in my memories. Each week as I clean, especially when I clean the things they made me, I always feel a little closer to them and appreciate their gifts more and more as time goes.
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What does this have to do with my class or with dangerous products? Everything! Because of my love, respect and use of a product over decades, I didn't read the label. I didn't even question this product- which is so unlike me. The odors were familiar and the product handed down from people I love and greatly admire. To turn my back on their wisdom and question was not even in my field of vision.
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Until last night..... If you read the back of the Old English Lemon Oil furniture polish it says and I quote "Keep out of reach of Children. DANGER: Harmful or fatal if swallowed. May cause eye irritation. DO NOT ingest. Avoid contact with eyes. Contains petroleum distillates greater than 10%..." It continues on, but I think you get the main point. I was using a product with the key word danger, which is the equivalent of poison on the key words rating scale.
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You know, I talk about this very thing. How easy it is for us to be emotionally attached to a smell, a cleaner and method. Bleach, pine sol, disinfectants, pesticides, lemon deodorizers, fragrances... the list goes on and on. What we sometimes don't realized is the product is just the product. It is either safe or not. It is our emotional ties to our past, to family members we love and respect that can put blinders on us. Last night I felt like I had cold water thrown in my face. Apparently, I am just has emotionally connected to my cleaners as everyone else.
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I will continue to love my grandparents and cherish their wisdom and think of them as I clean.
But from now, on I just wont be using a poisonous product to do it with.
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Wishing you all a happy and healthy home from one very surprised and humbled cleaner. Who I might add is a little sad this morning-from the loss of a cleaner and the emotion that connect. wow!
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Denise Frakes
Blue Sky Services

Color- irksome or love???

2010-04-10T07:58:00.000-07:00

What can color do for you? Yellow paint in your bathroom brightens your day, a red bench in your entry way gives you a secret joy, a little orange tea pot makes you smile.
Color is powerful.

Color can also be a bit irksome. Who knew?

This week we came across a couple uses of dark brown and black surfaces- already irksome and potentially irksome for our customers.

Black pebbles with black grout in a shower, in an area with lots of hard water deposits... irksome. Dark brown hard wood floors in a house with lots of life and pets...irksome.

In the showroom, there is no hard water deposits, no dog hair or paw prints and a much lower chance of unexpected messes. Consider your soils, your lifestyle, location and how much time you want to spend keeping this specific look, looking showroom pretty.

It could be that your love is so strong it is worth the extras that will be needed to maintain. But if your love is just momentary or average, consider using another color so you can create loves and passions elsewhere in your home.

If you ever have any questions, give us a call. In our business, we have the rare opportunity to see and visit with homeowners about what happens... after the new wears off.

Wishing you a happy and healthy home,

Denise

Blue Sky Services

A commercial gets my goat...

2010-04-06T09:06:00.000-07:00

Last night Dallas and I were watching the finals of the NCAA tournament. Great game. I was cheering for Butler but I like Duke so it was still good when Duke one. Still, its hard not to feel for any team who as given such a gallant effort and not quite made it to the top. As interesting as the game was, it is not what I wanted to visit with you about this morning. It was a commercial we saw while watching the game that made me sit back and wonder...

I'm not going to mention any names but the commercial came from one of our main box stores that starts with the letter L. The whole commercial was about buying pesticides! Like everyone should do it, it is normal and perfectly safe. The commercial focused on dandelions and ants. My last blog was about minimizing and preventing the use of pesticides and here it was big bold and in full color.

At our home we have 2 dogs and a cat- Reggie, Sally and Penny. They eat grass every time they get a chance, run and roll everywhere and then lick their paws after they come inside. I'll come clean- we have dandelions on our property. I just think a little yellow flower isn't as dangerous as using a product that kills. I love my pets and I have no intention of bringing pesticides into my home. Plus they aren't good for our environment. I realize this is a total soap box moment but I just couldn't help myself.

Years ago, one of our chemical suppliers, who provided us with a disinfectant to be used after a flood, gave us an interesting perspective. Disinfectants and pesticides kill organics... we are organic... as is our pets, kids, bees, lady bugs, birds, fish... always use with extreme caution.

Just a thought to ponder on..

Wishing you a healthy and happy home.

Denise

Blue Sky Services- Natural stone, tile and grout care plus a whole lot more...

Dirt - can be a dirty little word...

2010-04-03T14:05:00.000-07:00

Dirt: we use to play in it, its natural, it is everywhere, we plant in it. Dirt is as natural as apple pie... right? What if your apple pie is a highly processed imitation?

I just got in from planting beets and carrots in my "dirt". In our master home environmentalist program, one of this week's topics is on dust. A lot of our "dirt" becomes our dust.

Volcanic ash, quartz, sand... this is in your dirt. It is the number one thing that damages your floors. Getting tracked in from outside, dirt acts like sandpaper on the bottom of your shoes scraping and wearing out your floors.

This is what we often think of when we think of our dust, we think of our dirt. But maybe what is in our dirt is not just "dirt". The indoor air quality of most homes is pretty poor. A big factor in the health of our homes is in the dirt we track in - or don't track in.

So just what is in our dirt anyway? Besides the stuff that damages your floors, there is a ton of other possibilities including: lead, pesticides, bacteria, pollen, road/street dust, and other toxic substances from air pollution. All this and more can end up in our "dirt".

So what is a family to do? Not to panic, there are 3 simple prevention steps you can take.

1. Install great entrance rugs at every entrance to your home. Think of these rugs as filters to your home. Get good quality commercial rugs, keep them clean, and get them as big as you can. In our home, we usually come through the garage. This is a perfect place for a long commercial grade runner.

2. Take off your shoes. This is huge in keeping contaminates out.

3. Minimize pesticide use. Many weed and feed type products for our lawns also contain pesticides. It's often the stuff you spray to remove ants, wasps, dandelions and other little annoying plants and critters. Outside, these pesticides may get broken down a little, - although many end up in our water. But inside, we don't have rain, sunshine or wind and those pesticides and herbicides come into our homes...to stay.

There are lots of other tips for dirt control but this is a great place to start. Not only will your homes and families be healthier, you won't have as much to clean and remove and your floors will last longer. Not a bad days work! I'll be giving you some dust prevention and containment tips later this month, but dirt prevention is a good place to start.

Wishing you and your family a healthy and happy home,
Denise Frakes
Blue Sky Services

More info for:

natural yard care:

www.ecy.wa.gov/boyondwaste/compost.html

http://mastergardener.wsu.edu/gardening.html

toxins

http://www.toxipedia.org/

http://watoxics.org

healthy homes

www.alaw.org

Master Home Environmentalist Volunteer Program

2010-03-30T10:10:00.001-07:00

Today, will be my third class from the American Lung Association's Master Home Environmentalist volunteer program or MHE. I learned of this program about 3 years ago and have been looking forward to attending this 10 week training program ever since.

I joined this program for many reasons, one of which is the training I could gain to help others improve the health of their homes. We have been working to increase the health of your homes for years, this training will expand our knowledge and resources.

So far I love the program, of course I am a bit of a learning nerd, but that aside the MHE is a fantastic program. Tonight, our classes will be on Toxicology and Lead- very interesting! Last week we were learning about biological pollutants and moisture. You can see why this is all so much fun-seriously!

In the coming weeks, I hope to give you additional tips and ideas for your own homes. If you would like to learn more about this program check out www.alaw.org.

Hope you are all loving rain, we sure got a lot yesterday!
Denise

A long overdue desicion- no training wheels.

2010-03-24T17:39:00.001-07:00

This spring, Dallas and I are taking our training wheels off our business. Most of you know 90%+ of our business comes from word of mouth, return customers or just people who meet us along the way. Our phone book adds maybe give us 3-4% of our work. Every month we send a check to a company in Iowa for that add. The folks in Iowa don't know anything about us, our business or even our community.

Why do we keep the phone book adds? I know it seems crazy. I guess it's because that's what most businesses do. Each year when we meet with the add companies it feels like no one will ever call if we don't have an add. You would think after 19 years with our great clients/referrals we would know better, but still it seems like we are jumping without a net.

This year we decided we are not going to renew any more phone book adds. We'll stay listed in case you need to find us. But we are going to focus on our strengths, making our business as personal as it is.

It feels a little like peddling your bike for the first time without training wheels. Once you get over the panic of no little wheels to hold you up, its kind of exciting and exhilarating. We might as well have fun and take a little risk-which is probably no risk at all. This is just a decision long over due.

3 ways cleaning can make our homes unhealthy

2010-03-21T16:13:00.000-07:00

Why do we clean? I know this probably sounds like a stupid question, but ask yourself why you clean.

I know our days are filled with a million things- thinking about why we clean is not exactly on top of our to do list. It's not that I think you should just sit around dreaming of cleaning or the philosophy of cleaning but here are three little thoughts that might be worth a minute or two.

3 ways cleaning can make our homes unhealthy

1) Using too much cleaner and accidental leaving behind cleaner residue...
        Over cleaning, spraying your cleaners and not rinsing leaves chemical residue everywhere-
        This residue can mix with other cleaners, get on our pets and kids and become our dust...

2) Using too harsh, toxic or aggressive cleaners in normal cleaning
       These restorative cleaners can be dangerous to our health and the health of our surfaces
       Most cleaners sold are more of what I would consider a restorative cleaner
      When we expect fast results- we get restoration cleaners

3) We are so rushed for time or focused on the task we may not notice how we are feeling
      Scratchy throats, sinus pressure, stiff backs, strong fumes, tight shoulders...
      These little tell tale signs often go unnoticed- until...

I believe our primary focus of cleaning should be health:
     The health of our families and pets
     The health of our surfaces
    The health of whoever is doing the cleaning

Cleaning is important and vital to the health and well being of our families and homes. Maybe spending hours thinking about cleaning is out of the questions, but consider giving it at least a moments thought.

Wishing you a healthy and happy home,
Denise

Top 4 pet tips in designing and caring for your home

2010-03-17T11:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was watching Reggie. He is our 16 year old English Shepard Dog-with very arthritic back legs. He was trying to stand on the hardwood floors in our bedroom. Reggy's back legs were shaking and sliding out from under him.
He reminded me about the importance of our pets as we design and care for our homes.

Here are my top 3 pet tips:

1) Consider your pets when you pick your flooring. Too slick of surfaces may be hard for your pet to get footing. This lack of traction is hard on old hips.

2) Don't leave cleaning residue behind on your floors.
Pets walk on floors and later lick their paws.
On occasion- I have even seen ours licking the floor.

3) Be aware of any pesticide or herbicide used outdoors.

These chemicals often get tracked back indoors.
As your pets run around outside they may nibble on the grass and later lick their paws.

4) Be careful with your toilet cleaning. Dogs love to drink the cool water out of our toilets. Unfortunately, most toilet cleaners are pretty toxic. Use safe cleaners, rinse completely and leave the toilet seat down!

Thankfully, most of our home flooring is slate. Reggie has no problem with the slate floors.
We also don't leave cleaning residue behind and our gardening and lawn care is organic. Now, we just have to take care when he comes back to say hi in our bedrooms with the hardwood floors.

p.s. this info also applicable to our whole family not just our four legged members.

Wishing you and your pets a healthy and happy home.

The difference between restoration & maintenance

2010-03-14T09:53:00.000-07:00

What is the difference between maintenance cleaning and restoration cleaning? It is the difference between brushing your own teeth everyday and having your dentist do the cleaning.

I brush my teeth 2x per day and floss everyday. My teeth feel different when my dentists does his cleaning. That's how it is when we deep clean showers, floors,counter tops and fireplaces. The details are clean, the residues removed and your home just feels better.

We are great restoration cleaners. We know how to use the mildest procedures and products to achieve superior results. We always leave the surfaces residue free. You don't want your dentist to cause problems with too harsh of procedures, but you also expect more than what you can do with a brush and floss.

What makes us and dentists capable of bringing your surfaces and teeth back to life?
Training, Experience, Tools and Great Procedures.

Dallas and I have committed over $30,000 dollars in tools and equipment (this does not include our vehicles!), 19 years hands on experience, 19 years of classes, training and research, 19 years of developing great procedures and systems- to bring you the best- because that's what we strive to be- the best.

So the difference between restoration and maintenance is: squeaky clean teeth with no tarter build up, filling cavities as needed and making sure all is healthy and beautiful.

Wishing you a healthy and happy home,
Denise

Spring cleaning: taking a deep breath, smiling and relaxing

2010-02-25T09:29:00.000-08:00

Is it just me or does it feel like spring is springing? As I write this today, it is raining but we just finished a week of amazing sunshine. I even have a few soar muscles from playing in our yard -maybe a bit over zealously. There is something about spring that just energizer you. It is also the traditional time to do your spring cleaning.

Did you know spring cleaning started a long time ago when we had oil lamps, wood fireplaces and stoves? By spring the house was getting mighty sooty. Spring is also when bugs start having babies. If you have ever heard stories of bed bugs and the horror they cause, nipping these little critters in the bud before they multiply was highly motivating.

Last spring, I was visiting with my Aunt Velma and grandma and grandpa, they gave me vivid stories of bed bugs gone bad and the ingenuity they used to control those bugs.

Anyway, on the first nice sunny days of the year, families used to remove most items from their home and give both the inside and the furniture outside a thorough cleaning!

Thankfully, we no longer have to go to such extremes to keep our houses clean and bed bug free but still a thorough cleaning feels mighty good. Dallas and I have known for years, after cleaning stone floors, tile and grout, carpets, showers etc. After, all the soil and residue is removed there is a noticeable change in how a home feels. It feels fresher and lighter. You have the feeling of taking a big breath in and then just relaxing and smiling. That is what spring cleaning does for you.

If you are ready for a breath of fresh air and a chance to relax and enjoy your home, just give us a call we are experts in creating clean, fresh and residue free homes!!

Wishing you a clean and healthy home,
Denise

Don't let vacuuming be irksome- top 7 tips

2010-02-20T09:38:00.001-08:00

As I was vacuuming our home this morning, I thought of something I do as I vacuum you might find helpful in your own home.

Vacuuming in one of the very most important cleaning tasks you can do in your home. Dry soil is the number one thing that can cause damage to your floors. The airborne dry particulates can also cause havic with your indoor air quality. Vacuuming is essential for a healthy home and long lasting floors.

That said, it can also be a bit irksome to your body. As you vacuum, you are twisting and extending in ways you don't normally move during the rest of your week. This can cause shoulder and back strain.

Here are my top tips for healthy and effective vacuuming

1. Vacuum with great posture. I bend my knees slightly, stand up tall- lifting my chest up with my neck slightly tucked. As I vacuum, I also tuck my behind a little and relax my shoulders.

2. Move with mindful ease. When I vacuum, I breath in as I push the vacuum away and breath out as I bring it back towards me. This keeps me present as to what I am doing. As I vacuum I also switch arms as I move back and fourth accross a room. I let my legs and core muscles do the work, not my arms and back.

3. Vacuum slowly. No only is vacuuming slowly easier on your body- it is much more effective over fast vacuuming. When we had our carpet cleaning company, I rememeber reading- One slow vacuum stroke is better than 5 fast. Slow vacuuming, also helps keep you from running into your walls and furnature.

4. Use your legs to lift. If you need to move furniture or unplug your cord, bend down with your legs and not with your back. Keep your posture healthy and your head up.

5. Get a good vacuum. Vacuuming is essential for a healthy home and long lasting floors. Do not try to use an old, heavy, cumbersome, ineffient vacuum. This is a good place to spend your money wisely. Get a vacuum that is easy and effective to use, has a good filtration system- like a HEPA filter. I like a cord over 30 feet. If you have a large home- get one with a large head. Trust me a 17 inch head will save you hours and hours of vacuuming time.

6. Use the right vacuum head for your different floors. If you have hard surfaces, use a vacuum that has a hard surface head. For carpet, use a vacuum with a beater bar.

7. Keep your vacuum in good working order. Make sure you keep your filters in good working condition and your beater bar clean. The belts on the beater bar will expand over time making your vacuum less effecient. Make sure your bag isn't too full- your vacuum will not be near as effective with a full bag.

During the time we had our carpet cleaning company I must have vacuumed miles and miles of carpet. I can safely say I have perfected the art of vacuuming- effectively and safely. Don't let this helpful task cause you discomfort. If you have any questions just give us a jingle.

Happy vacuuming! Denise

Is it time for a cleaning system overhaul??

2010-02-10T21:01:00.000-08:00

The purpose of cleaning is to maintain and create a home of health and happiness. If cleaning is detrimental to your health or happiness then it is time to give your cleaning system an overhaul.

If your cleaning gives you soar throats, burning eyes, tired feet, back aches, grumpy thoughts or feelings of irritation ,then you might be in need of a cleaning overhaul.

If when you clean you get up before the roosters, if you have bulging scrubbing muscles, if you own more that 20 different kinds of cleaners- and you are not a professional cleaner- you might need a cleaning overhaul.

If you panic when the dog runs in your home with muddy feet, if your life rotates around your cleaning schedule, if you spend more time with your vacuum than your family, then you might need a cleaning system overhaul.

Cleaning should serve you and your family. It is a gift you give your family. It is very valuable but usually goes unnoticed. In our culture, we don't always value cleaning. I don't agree with this general feeling. For 19 years I have seen the benefits of cleaning. Cleaning and caring for your home is a gift- the gift of health and happiness to your family. Not to mention, done well, it extends the life and value of your home.

If cleaning is not benefiting you, call us. We think what you do is very important. Let us help you also be happy, healthy and effective in the process.

Steam cleaners for your hardwood floors????

2010-02-03T12:34:00.001-08:00

This past week, I've had a lot of questions concerning steam cleaners on hardwood floors. In case you are in a hurry, here is the condensed version of this blog:

I do not recommend steam cleaners on hardwood floors!

We have used vapor technology for about 11 years in our business. Our vapor machines are the commercial version of the residential steam cleaner. Not only are we experienced in the use of vapor machines, we actually took a 2 day course on vapor cleaning and techniques.

For natural stone, tile, concrete and grout I think steam cleaning for floors is a great alternative to mopping- when used with proper and effective techniques. Matter of a fact, there are lots of fantastic uses of steam/vapor cleaning.

However, for hardwood floors, I do not recommend using steam cleaning. Why, you ask? Because water and wood do not mix. I wouldn't use our professional steam/vapor machines on hardwood. The heat and water could be very detrimental to your hardwood floors. I know there are some steam cleaners that are advertising for hardwood floor cleaning but I would be very, very cautious if I were you.

If you don't believe me, and that's OK, please call the manufacture of your floors and ask them before you proceed. If for some odd reason, your manufacture says yes, then please call us first so at least we can give you some tips for the best use of steam cleaning. And just so you know, I might try to talk you out of using that method.

If you have already purchased your steam cleaner, don't fret, they can be a helpful part of your home care -for other surfaces besides your wood. We use our vapor/steam techniques all the time but not on water or heat sensitive surfaces. Don't forget you can always call us for cleaning tips and consultations.

Wishing you a happy and healthy home.

Denise

The great debate between mild vs safe

2010-01-27T09:18:00.000-08:00

Mild vs Safe, on the surface, these sound like the same thing. In my opinion, they are worlds apart. In cleaning, I believe, safe means it is not dangerous or detrimental to people, pets and the environment.

To me safe means, if my dog Sally accidentally gets the cleaner spilled on her, drinks it or licks it off the window it will have no detrimental effect to her. It is safe. She is just as healthy after the incident as she was before. There will be no long term or short term ill effects.

Mild sounds safe but there is a difference. To me, mild means it will not damage the surface you are cleaning. There are many products that say they are safe. Safe for you. Vinegar is usually considered a very safe product. Although, spill it on an open wound and you might disagree- it burns, right? It is a food, you can eat it and it is fairly safe if we eat it. But is it mild??? This is the question of the day. Is safe and mild the same thing. I say no!

To me, safe won't damage you, mild won't damage your surfaces. Going back to vinegar. Most consider it a safe product and therefore it must be mild. I beg to differ. I get about a call a week from this "safe" product causing damage to your surfaces. Vinegar is a food, but it is also an acid. An acid with a pH of around 3. If you have an acid sensitive surface such as marble, travertine, or grout this product will etch and cause damage. Not so safe for your surfaces!

This little equation goes both ways. I was searching for a mild product when I found a great example. I neutral disinfectant that was "mild" on natural stone. This meant it would not damage the stone. I looked up its Material Safety Data Sheet. This little mild product that would not damage your stone but was definitely not so safe for you. It has a toxicity level or rating of 3! The scale on an MSDS sheet is between 0-4. 0 being non toxic and 4 being poison, 3 is considered very dangerous.

As you clean and care for your home, I always recommend you start with the most mild and safe means possible . You can always work up from here but this is the best place to start and stay as long as you can. Make sure your cleaners and proceedures are mild for your surfaces and safe for you and your family.

You are always welcome to call on us to help you .

Wishing you a healthy and happy home,
Denise

Learning to pause

2010-01-19T09:06:00.000-08:00

Cleaning isn't just getting the dirt off the floors, it also has the potential to become a life enhancing practice. Cleaning is the prefect time to practice.

For me, the two hardest parts of this practice is remembering to practice in the first place and then trying to staying focused on my practice for an extended period of time.

My solution: learning to pause. To take a moment to stop, breath, smile and relax. To notice where I am, what I'm doing and how I feel. It's like a super-mini vacation in your day. With the pause I can then intentionally decide on my next practice and how long it will be.

This morning I discovered this quote out of one of my books,

"In the middle of my morning's work I break for blessings: a deep breath, a glance out the window, a graceful stretch, a remembrance of God, a brief reflection of the nobility of work, an encouraging word, a grateful thought, a smile, a short prayer, a remembrance of who I am, a sip of freshly brewed coffee. I honor the wisdom of pausing. The day, still bright with potential, when I have the wisdom to step away from work momentarily, I am able to see it as a gift for the entire world."

Macrina Wiederkehr
The Seven Sacred Pauses
Page 71

Isn't this quote as delicious as a cup of hot chocolate?

Wishing you a day filled with pauses,
Denise

Practicing is more fun than work.

2010-01-10T18:56:00.000-08:00

Cleaning is a practice or maybe I should say, cleaning can be a practice. Practicing sounds better than house work. When I practice, I'm really experimenting with observation combined with activity. When I do house work I am merely completing a to do list quickly and because I feel I have to.

In highschool and college I ran track and cross-country. I did a lot of practicing, there was little work involved. Somedays we had meets, but that was just a test to see how well our practice was coming along. Some of my practices were painful and not very effective but it was just practice. Practice makes sense. To practice you are trying to improve. House work alone is just a never ending battle.

When cleaning your home, cooking dinner or going shopping think of it not as part of your to do list or house work but as a way to practice. What you practice is up to you.

Natural is not always neutral!!!!

2010-01-05T09:22:00.000-08:00

You will have the floor for 2 hours!! This is what Lori said yesterday, when we were talking about the upcoming class I'm teaching at Marlene's Market. I don't know what I was thinking but I figured I would have around 30 minutes to talk. 1-2 hours holy cow! Of course, I did what I normally do when given a challenge of this magnitude-I panicked-a little.

Just a little, because within a few minutes I had a call. An anxious and frustrated homeowner called because she had used a natural and safe cleaning product on her marble floors. I knew what she was going to say before she even finished her sentence. "there is cleaner and damage on the floor that won't come up" I could hear the stress in her voice. She was afraid she had ruined her beautiful marble floors. I felt compassion for her. She was trying to be safe for her family and damaged her surfaces in the process. Unfortunately, this happens all the time.

She hadn't ruined the floors but I'm sure she probably etched the marble, which will need to be polished. Her safe and natural cleaner was most likely also an acid. A little known fact with cleaners is: Natural and neutral do not mean the same thing. You can have a cleaner that is natural such as vinegar or citris but that does not make it safe on acid sensitive surfaces- such as marble, travertine, limestone, onyx and grout.

Thankfully, her floor can be repaired. But sometimes the damage is done to our health in the cleaning process. This may be a little harder to repair. Once I got over myself and the panic of talking for 1-2 hours I realized this class is sooooo needed. I helped our caller but she helped me more. She gave me back my confidence. What I know is highly beneficial to share. Do I know everything- heavens no! But what I do know is great and can be life changing-seriously!

On January 21st, I will be teaching a class at Marlene's Market. You are invited to come. And don't worry 1-2 hours will not be boring but fun and inspirational. I will not only be teaching on how to not damage your surfaces but how to clean to for health. There will be a bonus on how to turn your daily chores into a creative practice. And I might even tell a story about a chicken. For more information call us at 253-946-2056 or visit Marlene's Market's web site: http://www.marlenesmarket-deli.com/.

Wishing you a happy and healthy home- hope to see you on the 21st at 7:00pm in Federal Way.
Denise

A fresh start

2009-12-27T13:34:00.001-08:00

I suppose an ounce of prevention would have helped not have so much to clean out at the end of the year. More likely it is just time. No matter how good you are at prevention, there comes a time when it just needs to be thouroughly cleaned or cleaned out.

This afternoon, I'm going through my inbox and filing pile. This is just the start. I have a deep desire to clean out from top to bottom. Discard what is not needed or wanted- empty out, clean out, sort through, deep clean, recyle and get rid of. Whew-just typing those words feels good!

Is it the natural feeling we get after the holidays or does it come from the end of the year? Whatever it's source, it is a powerful force. The holidays are beautiful but I'm not sure I don't like this feeling even better. The feeling of a fresh start.

Wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!!!
Denise

Are your holiday rugs color safe??

2009-12-19T14:48:00.000-08:00

Happy holidays to all,

This morning as I was cleaning my own home, a thought came to mind. I wanted to remind you to be careful with holiday rugs. Little entry rugs and rugs to go around the tree are beautiful but they may not be color safe. With a little heat, a little time or a little moisture that bright red or green might just transfer to your own carpet or vinyl.

We have seen it a zillion times. So be of good cheer and be careful with those rugs,

Happy holidays,
Denise

Epoxy use safety article from NTCA

2009-12-03T11:41:00.000-08:00

An ounce of prevention is good advice. Today I was reading my Tile letter magazine and came across an article called "Avoid the dangers of epoxy grouts and mortars". It is an article helping contractors be aware of a possible allergic reaction to epoxy. It reminds us to not let our skin and eyes come in contact with epoxy as you might develop an allergic reaction. Apparently, the reaction is like having 2nd degree burns. Once you get the reaction is seems to be permanent. Even the fumes could be an ongoing problem.

This article is a wise reminder to read labels and follow directions. This is good advice if you are a contractor or homeowner. Research your products and always remember to be healthy as you work.

It is easy to get caught up in working and forget about your own health. Please take care of yourself as you care for your client's homes or for your own home.

If you would like the full article, it is in the November issue of Tile Letter, page 12. You might also be able to find it at www.tileletter.com. The article was written by Michael Whistler he is the Region 10 NTCA director. For more information or to find out about using the NTCA Contractor Safety Program contact Jim Olson. jim@tile-assn.com or by phone (601)-939-2071. Jim Olson is the NTCA's assistant executive director. NTCA is the National Tile Contractor's Association

Here's to being heathly as you work,
Denise

"The value of the dwelling is in the dweller"

2009-12-01T19:48:00.000-08:00

"The value of the dwelling is in the dweller"
The Caliph's House by Tahir Shah pg166

I read those words and abruptly stopped reading to share this quote with you. It is so true. Over the past 19 years Dallas and I have been in many homes. In our early years, some of those homes were little apartments, now we are more likely to find ourselves in grand homes.

The value of the dwelling is truly in eye of the dweller. It's how we see our homes. If you love and care for your home. If you see it's beauty, the unique benefits, its charms you will find value in your home. If you see your home as a source of stress, of lack, or of frustration your home may become just that.

I have found the most extraordinary homes in every economic level. The true value of a home has more to do with the family that lives there than the structure itself. It is how a home is seen, treated, lived in that gives it its value.

Just a thought, now back to my book. By the way this is a great book!

Wishing you a healthy and happy home,
Denise

Faith in doing the right thing

2009-11-18T15:05:00.000-08:00

It's Wednesday afternoon, I'm printing out our newsletter and while I wait I thought this is a good time to visit with you.

Today, we got a call for a great job, but we referred our client to another company that would better serve them. Why in the world would we refer a great job to another company, in a tight economy? Because we were not the best company for the job. There was another company, we have worked with and known for about 10 years, that would serve our client better than us. Sometimes the best way to be of service is not to be of service.

Dallas and I have been doing this for 19 years- giving away work. We try to match our clients with the best service company. Usually it is us, but sometimes it is another company and instead of giving our client a learning experience, we send them to an expert.

Today, we helped a company with a real need, researched a possible product for that company, and referred them to a company that would serve them very well.

It is really a matter of faith. Faith that, if you give away what you most desire, it will come back to you. If we hold on too tight it is usually detrimental to the health of our company and family. In any economy, faith in doing the right thing will be better than trying to be all things and grab all jobs.

Wishing you a happy and healthy home,
Denise

Teaching the science, history, saftey and value of cleaning

2009-11-14T18:08:00.000-08:00

Friday, I was in downtown Tacoma at the main library. I was asked to teach a group of students about the science, history and safety of cleaning. The students were amazing. I think they ranged in age from 6-13. They asked fantastic question, some of which I didn't know, like the scientific name of a bed bug. They were attentive, fun and very sharp. It was a blast!

After I was done, I got to thinking, when does anyone but our parents acknowledge the value of our helping at home? When I was their age, I didn't understand my chores were actually important to our family. Watering the cows, dusting/cleaning, helping with dinner and dishes, picking peas, and lots of weeding were all necessary and helpful tasks.

I was the youngest and I thought my chores were less valuable than the chores my older brothers did. I was wrong. I hope yesterday I was able to convey to my students the contributions they make to the healthy and happiness of their home is truly an important benefit to the whole family.

By the way, the scientific name of a bed bug is: Cimex lectularius

Wishing you a healthy and happy home,

Denise

Tonight I was scared to death by giant puppy.

2009-11-11T19:51:00.000-08:00

Can you remain calm when faced with your greatest fear? Tonight I was running our flop eared smiler, also known as Sally our dog. About a mile from home, we had a giant, loose rottweiler dog run at us - at full speed!!! Out of the blue, he was there, no owner, no caller, and no place to hide. I did what I would normally do in this situation -panic. Sally did the same thing.

The two dogs circles, sally growled, yelped, and ducked her little behind. I let go of the leash so she could freely protect herself. The dogs went into the road, I yelled and tried to get the rot to go home. After my senses came back to me, a little, I noticed he was full grown in body but his brain was all puppy.

Sally didn't seem to care, he was big and aggressive and she was scared. Two nice teenagers came up and grabbed him telling us to go ahead, we took off, but with no collar the guys couldn't hold our new friend, within a few minutes he was back . For 2 blocks and what seemed like hours, the dogs circled. I did my best to keep Sally and myself calm while keeping the dogs out of the street or at least alerting the traffic to slow down.

By now it was dark, the cars coming home from work couldn't see the dogs darting in and out of the street. Thankfully I was wearing white and my neighbors drove slowly around. I'm sure they didn't know what they could do any more than I did. Finally, this amazing lady stopped and offered to let Sally into her SUV. The kindness of strangers is a wonderful thing. Sally got in the back and didn't move a muscle.

With Sally safe, I relaxed for a second until our new friend shot across the street and tried to make friends with a lady walking her little dog. I know just how she felt- scared to death. By now I was pretty comfortable with my big, aggressive puppy brained friend. I couldn't leave this giant no-clue pet to his own wisdom-he had none. He was either going to get hit or scare someone to death!

Sally stayed in the car, our good Samaritan tried to call animal control and I went back to warning traffic. This dog was beyond clueless! He would jump right in front of the cars. Thank goodness they were going slow, no wonder, I was waving my arms around like a lunatic. Finally, a man drove up, said the dog's name was Gabriel and it was his dog, he loaded him in his car and drove away.

And that was it. the excitement was over, no blood was shed, there was nothing left to do but say thank you again, for the thousandth time and go home.

This could have gone so much differently, but just like in life, my own fears (and Sally's) were worse than the reality we found ourselves in. We were not attacked by a vicious dog, but by a great big puppy. I should probably learn a lesson from this. Don't panic first, you can always panic later -if needed. Next time this happens, I'll still panic but it is still a good lesson.

Wishing you a healty and happy home,

Denise

The essence of natural stone

2009-11-05T08:11:00.000-08:00

There is no such thing as perfection-thank goodness!!!! How boring would life be if we were all perfect? Wouldn't the act of being perfect take away our uniqueness, our quirky little traits, our spontaneity, our spirit ? This is what distinguishes us from machines. If you want to live with a perfect person you might as well get a robot. The same is true for natural stone. If you are lucky enough to have natural stone in your home -enjoy. There will never be a piece of stone exactly the same, anywhere in the world! Man made tile and look alike stones always have a repeating pattern. Natural stone is 100% unique - even if we can't see the differences.

In our home we have a slate floor. We used 16x16 inch slate pieces from three different collections: California Gold, Autumn Mist and Imperial Forest. Each stone and each collection of stone is uniquely different. The California Gold stones are denser, darker and had more imprints/fossils of ferns. The Imperial Forest was a little more fragile but some of the stones almost look like rainbows, it is also more porous. Autumn Mist has a combination of light stones, purples and blacks. One of the Autumn mist stones look just like a sunset with a bird flying. Down our hall there is a California Gold with a little foot print in one corner. When we first unpacked the boxes of stone, some seemed boring, too light, too dark, but once we lived with the floor for a while we started see the beauty of each stone.

Each week while I vacuum, this floor amazes me. Each piece is like a painting- a work of art. I'm always making new discoveries. It's not just the colors and patterns but the textures. Sometimes, Dallas and I will calling each other into the kitchen to check out the stone. If you look from our front door to our back sliding door, in just the right light, the textures are incredible! Ridges, lines, bumps, left, right, diagonal, the textures can be just as beautiful as the colors.

When we go to homes where the stone has been coated or enhanced it makes us a little sad. The unique essence of the the stone was lost. In trying to create a look or something perfect the true beauty of the stone was altered, the colors distorted and the texture smoothed over. Each piece starts to look like the others-how sad.

It is true natural stone has certain characteristics which can make it a little harder to care for. You need to add more preventative maintenance and be aware of your cleaners and cleaning methods. But to be honest these should be done on all surfaces. Natural stone may not look exactly like the sample you chose, each piece may not wear the same, and it may require more care but in your home you have a little of nature's art-enjoy!!!

Wishing you a healthy and happy home,
Denise

Taking the irksome out of showers!!

2009-11-03T08:01:00.000-08:00

Showers cleaning can be irksome! Hardwater deposits, mold and soap scum - the three main soils of your shower.

What can you do? These three soils are just part of having a shower, right?? Without any prevention, then yes. Every shower is a little different depending on how often it is used, what it is made of, how good its ventilation & circulation are and what personal care products are used in your shower.

However, this is what we know about showers. Good daily prevention in showers is incredible about minimizing those 3 soils. We see showers everyday- old, new, stone, tile- you name it we see it. What we also see is the huge -giganitc benefit from good daily prevention. The difference between a shower with preventative maintenance and one with none is night and day.

If you like cleaning soap scum, killing mold and trying to remove hard water deposits then don't read any more, but if you want to minimize these three soils then read on...

After each use or the last shower of the day do 3 things:

1. Rinse your shower.

We rinse ourselves before hopping out of the shower, but what about the shower? Personal products should be rinsed off the shower walls as well as ourselves. If left to dry, those cleaners bond with hard water and become - soap scum!

2. Towel dry your shower.

Mold grows in wet places especially if there is a good food source ( skin, cleaners, hair). If you dry your shower you further remove soap, mold food, minerals and water. We recommend useing a towel, microfiber, or shammy. A squeegees for your glass doors is still good.

Why not squeegee? We find the squeegee is not as effective as towel drying. When you squeegee, if you don't go all the way to the ground, the ground acutally builds up more soap. You are just moving the upper soap to the bottom. A towel collects your soils and is a better detailing tool.

3. Increase your air circulation and ventilation

Ventilation:
As soon as you start the water for your shower turn on your vents.
After you shower, continue to run your vents for 60 minutes
Circulation:
There has to be flow for your shower to dry. If you have a shower door or curtain, open them up and let the fresh air in.
(In the northwest, an open window may not remove the excess moisture- run your vents.)

I know this seems like a pain to do everyday but trust me those few seconds pay huge dividends to you and your family.

These little daily preventative steps will:
Save you time & money, while protecting your health & the health of your shower.

Wishing you a healthy and happy home,
Denise

The secrets to a happy home- from Reggie

2009-10-28T09:08:00.000-07:00

This is Reggie, he came to live with us a couple of years ago. He is 16 years old. When he arrived, we thought he maybe had 6 months to live. His eyes were yellow, he could barely move, he was soooo tense.
Last night I was scratching his belly and noticed how incredibly relaxed he is, unbelivably relaxed. Now he can jump in the air about 2 feet, front legs only. His eyes are bright white, and he smiles a lot.
This morning I was thinking about what makes a happy home. If I take a lesson from our 16 year old miracle dog, this is what he does each day. He herds our cat Penny, a job he loves. (his cat herding is another story). Anytime he can, he plays. He loves to play. We take him on daily runs or walks. He goes crazy for this. We notice if he misses a day his legs get stiff. He goes outside and scrubs his back under the bushes and sniffs the air. Our home is pretty relaxed, he never gets yelled at which I'm sure has helped him relax. He gets lots of love and Dallas treats him to eggs every morning.

Mostly, I think his health improved because he is happy. He is relaxed, does things he loves and little things that are good for him -everyday.

Wishing you a healthy and happy home,
Denise

Cleaners Can Look Like Food!

2009-10-26T09:55:00.000-07:00

In 2007, I attended an 8 week program from King County to become a MRC-Master Recycler Composter. Part of the course was on having a healthy home. This included chemical safety.

One product of concern was Pine Sol, not for what was in the bottle but because Pine Sol looks like juice. I didn't think much of it until I was in Costco one day and saw a man with 2 containers of "juice" in his cart. When I looked a little closer I realized the "juice" was acutally Pine Sol!! They were right, those two bottles could have easily been confused with juice. For a child, the look is more important than the label.

Keep in mind, cleaners can look an awful lot like food. Another cleaner that can get mixed up is Parmasan cheese and Comet. Please keep your cleaners safely away from children, especially on cleaning day.

As an added note: Did you know Pine Sol Original has a pH of 3. This is an acid and can etch marble, travertine, grout, onyx, and limestone. Always know the pH of the cleaner you are using.

     Wishing you a happy and healthy home,
                               Denise

The picture shown is an end display of Pine Sol at Walmart.

The power of your nose

2009-10-23T11:38:00.000-07:00

Can your home be clean if it doesn't smell like...lemon, Pine sol, bleach, flowers, orange, cucumbers, Windex or vinegar? The power of scent is incredible. How often does a scent bring back vivid memories of a past events. This fall running in the woods smelling the leaves and autumn, I'm instantly transported back to running cross country in Colorado when I was a teenager.

Our emotions and scents are often mistaken for the same thing. Growing up when your home was cleaned it usually felt better. A freshly cleaned home just feels good. Sometimes, we mistake this relaxing and refreshing feeling with the scents/frangrances of the cleaners we use. We tie the cleaners/fragrances our parents used with how clean we think our own home are. Clean = Memory and Scent

Clean doesn't actuality smell. If you open your windows and breath in fresh air, you will notice it doesn't smell like a chemical, nor a strong smell of citrus. Sometimes you will get whiffs of pine trees, freshly cut grass, the blooms of flowers or even the sweet smell of blackberries. These are natural scents not concentrated natural or synthetic. Clean doesn't really have a smell it just is.

Personally, I can't be around many synthetic or even naturally added scents, fragrances or deodorants. My throat tightens up, my nose stuffs up and sometimes my eyes water. This comes from being over exposed years ago with "naturally citrus fragrances". After cleaning for 19 years "stuff" happens. What I want to help you prevent is that "stuff" from happening to you and your family.

Fragrances/scents do not make a home clean. Be aware of how you might link the smell of clean to actually being clean. Try to use non-scented cleaners in your home. At the very least notice how you feel as you clean. Open up windows, turn on vents and run fans. In the process of cleaning your home you want to not only have a clean home but you should be healthy in the process.

As an alternative to fragrances, scents and deodorants. Start to notice what just plain clean smells like. If you want to add fragrance to your home open up windows, bake something scrumptious or use qualty essential oils.

Wishing you a happy and healthy home,
Denise

H1N1 Prevention Series #3: Build a healthy immune system

2009-10-21T11:35:00.000-07:00

Swine flu prevention part 3.

The other night I got a chance to hear EJ Hook from the Woodland Park Zoo talk about natural yard care. His main focus was on how to have healthy plants. A healthy plant has a much better chance of surviving, even if exposed to a disease or attacked by a predator/bug. This got me thinking about part three of our series on preventing flu and colds this season.

We can't disinfect the world, there are going to be germs and viruses around no matter how careful we are to wash our hands or clean our homes. This leads into my number one prevention tip: build a healthy immune system!

Years ago I was not very healthy, if I got a cold I would be down for 3 weeks or more. There was no such thing as a little cold. I didn't realize it at the time but my immune system was weak. Over a period of time I rebuilt my immune system. I remember the first time I caught a little cold while I was rebuilding. At first I panicked, but it turned out to be a 3 day itty bitty cold. I was shocked!

Here is my personal top 10 list to being healthy.

1. Go outside, and get fresh air for at least 15 minutes everyday.
This applies to all seasons and all weather.My mom used to call it getting the stink blown off.

2. Eat real food. Limit sugar, processed foods, and empty foods. Eat lots of fresh, organic fruits and veggies.
For me these 3 seem to depress my immune system.

3. Breathe deeply and drink lots of good water.
We can only live a couple of minutes without air, a few days without water. This tells me how important they are in my health.

4. Sleep. Dallas and I both have found when we start getting run down,there is nothing more powerful than going to bed early or taking a nap.

5. Move. The more I move the better I feel. After working in the office all day, nothing feels better for my health than to move again. I don't always feel like going, sometimes I have to force myself to go but rarely do I not come home feeling like a new person.

6. Relax. Stress tightens up everything. Take time to relax. Take a few moments after driving, talking on the phone, being on the computer or any other stressful event to take a deep breath and relax your shoulders. I'm tense by design, learning to relax

7. Have fun. When I was a kid we showed cows at the fair each summer. During that time, I did everything wrong for good health but I never got sick. The only reason I can come up with is I was having a blast. I loved whatI was doing. Norman Cousins has a whole book on this very subject.

8. Create a healthy home. Your home should be a place for you and your family to relax, rejuvenate and thrive this should not be the cause of ill health. (Don't worry there will be a lot more of articles on this subject)

9. Eat light, especially before bed. If you eat a heavy meal,follow it up with a light one. When my digestive system is happy, my health is usually just as happy.

10. Listen to yourself. This is my last tip but it is the most important one. No one knows how you feel better than you. Learn to listen and trust
yourself. If something doesn't feel right, listen!

H1N1 Prevention Series #2: Disinfectants

2009-10-20T13:04:00.000-07:00

This is part two of our series on the prevention of flu and colds in your home. Of course there are never any guarantees you or your family will not get sick, but if you can prevent a cold or worse then why not?

My heart sank as I heard the mounting worry of the swine flu. It wasn't so much the flu but the fear of what comes with this news - wild and aggressive disinfecting. It has been our experience most disinfectants are over used and not used correctly. Don't get me wrong in certain situations disinfecting and killing germs is important but here is what usually happens.

1- Disinfectants are often used incorrectly, which means they don't do what you are expecting them to do - kill viruses and germs.
2- Disinfectants are overused. Disinfectants are meant to kill living organisms. In case you forgot: you, your kids and pets are also living organisms. Spraying in the air,over your head and on every surface can be detrimental to you and your home's health.
3- The directions and labels are often not read or followed carefully.

Disinfectants can be detrimental to your health if not used safely and correctly.

How to best use disinfectants:
1. Make sure the disinfectant you are using kills what you are trying to kill. In the case of H1N1-swine flu strain "the EPA believes, bases on available scientific information, that the currently registered influenza A virus products will be effective against the 2009-H1N1 and other influenza A virus strains on hard, not-porous surfaces".
2. Read the labels and follow the directions. Please use caution when working with disinfectants. Mix and use according to the labels directions- more is not better!
3. Use in targeted locations. Keeping a clean house a good practice for a healthy home. You don't need to disinfect every surface. Focus on areas where your hands touch most frequently. This would be door knobs, light switches, handles, faucets, areas around toilets. Also, use only on non-porous surfaces - not in the air or on surfaces like fabric.
4. Use your disinfectants correctly. Disinfectants work better on clean surfaces. They usually need to sit on the surface for approximately 10 minutes. Spraying and wiping are not usually effective means of disinfecting. There are some disinfectants that are both a cleaner and disinfectant together but still they work better on clean surfaces and if you read the label most still need that 10 minutes of dwell time.
5. For those of you with natural stone and sensitive surfaces check the pH of the disinfectant you are using. You don't want to damage your surfaces in the process of disinfecting.

Just like most cleaning, less is usually more. Please use carefully, follow direction and use only where needed. Think of disinfectants like you would antibiotics, use only as necessary not for everything. Sometimes thorough cleaning is all that is needed. Each disinfectant is different so read the label carefully but if possible, after the recommended dwell time rinse and dry leaving your surfaces residue free.

Sources: Antimicrobial products registered for use against the H1N1 Flu and other influenza A viruses on hard surfaces. Environmental Protection Agency

Germ Reduction and Pesticide Exposure Prevention Checklist. Healthy Schools Network

Preparing Your Organization for H1N1 Pandemic Influenza (Swine Flu): Planning and prevention.

H1N1 Prevention Series #1: What is it and old advice

2009-10-14T09:36:00.001-07:00

Today starts a series of 3 blogs we will be posting for the prevention of the flu and overall good health in a home.
This morning I learned my 7 year old niece may have the swine flu. News of the flu is everywhere and you can't help but wonder how at risk are we? There are never any guarantees but a ounce of prevention may be in order this season.

Recently I read an article called "Preparing your organization for H1N1 Pandemic Influenza ( Swine Flu): Planning and Prevention" by Roger McFadden Senior Scientist Staples Facility Solutions Inc. There was information in this article I found valuable and wanted to share with you.

"What is pandemic flu: "The flu also know as influenza, is a contagious respiratory virus that affects millions of Americans each year... A flu pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity, and for which there is no vaccine."
How does the flu spread? "Like any contagious flu or virus, H1N1 can spread by an infected person through coughing or sneezing. You can also become infected by touching something-such as a surface or object- that is infected with the virus and then touching your mouth, eyes or nose. Studies have shown that influenza virus can survive on environmental surfaces and can infect a person for 2-8 hours after being deposited on surface."

A good friend of mine has a saying "don't panic everyone stay calm". This is probably the best advice we could hear with the swine flu. That said, an ounce of prevention can do no harm but it just might keep us and our families safe and healthy.
In a later blog I will discus disinfectants and cleaning but first I always like to start with the mildest means possible- awareness and prevention:

Most of the following suggestions are old and wise, there is nothing earth shattering about this advice and yet sometimes the simplest is the best.

Flu prevention 101:

1- Wash your hands. I know this is basic and yet this is the most important prevention step you can take.
a- when you wash your hands use warm water, scrub with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or until you are done singing the alphabet song. Rinse thouroughly and dry with a clean towel. Shut off the water with paper towel or use your elbo if possible- don't use your clean hands on the faucet.
b- Wash you hands anytime your come home from shopping or being out. As soon as you walk in the door - go wash your hands.
c- Before you eat- wash your hands. We tend to snack as we run around. This is not as healthy as washing up for dinner and sitting down at a table.
d- If water isn't avaiable use a hand sanitizer.

2- Keep your germs to yourself
a- If you are sick stay home.
b- Don't sneeze or cough into your hands.
Sneeze/cough into a tissue or your elbo pit
Throw the tissue away and then wash your hands -for 20 seconds

3- Keep your hands away from your face.
Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth unless you have just washed your hands.

I know the prevention tips listed sound like your mother, As I was writing I heard my mother's voice: "Go wash up for dinner, sneeze into a kleenix, get your hands away from your face." Our fast paced lifestyle is not always condusive to good health but listen to your mother and be healthy.
These simple and old tips are also extremely effective in prevention of ill health.

Wishing you and your families and happy and healthy season,
Denise

An ounce of prevention!

2009-10-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon, I had a call from a lady with travertine floors. Her dog had thrown up and in certain light she could see an etch mark. During our conversation I explained the care and characteristics of travertine. Travertine can be both acid sensitive and scratch sensitive. As we visited a light when on and she realized her house cleaner had just cleaned all of her travertine floors with vinegar! Her heart sank and so did mine.

Calls like this come in much too often. I love my builders, retailer and designers who call on me to teach their clients the care and characterisitcs of there new surfaces. This customer's frustration and future expense didn't have to happen. My caller could have provided her house cleaner with the correct cleaner and a phone number to us for any questions.

She voiced her frustration of not being taught the proper care and characteristics. I felt for her- I hate these calls. I love teaching and helping to avoid this very situation.

An ounce of prevention should be what we call our education services.

May you have happy homes,
Denise