Disinfecting wipes are the fast food in cleaning

    Disinfecting wipes:  uuugh...heavy sigh....deep breath....   Disinfecting wipes are like fast food:  easy, available and effortless.  But instead of high fructose corn syrup these wipes use pesticides.  Yup, our daily disinfecting wipes are monitored by the EPA and classified as a pesticide.  Crazy right???

    Today, I got an email update from the Women's Voices website on the concerns of disinfecting wipes.  I'm sharing it with you because it is indeed a message that should be heard!  Women's voices is a fantastic website full of solid research and helpful wisdom.
                                  click here to connect to Women's voices site and the article

  As it turns out the lesson I learned 25 years ago still holds true.  Be very careful and aware when using products that kill something- aka germ killers, mold killers, pesticides etc.  Because... and this is a huge point ... they kill or damage living organisms.  And we are in fact a living organism!
                                             
 Before you panic about germs and how to avoid keep this in mind:
     In most situations removal of germs/soil is a much healthier way of creating a safe environment than the killing germs.

Here is a wonderfully simple alternative for you:  Use Residue Free cleaning 
   1. Thoroughly wipe surface down with a damp towel and a little mild cleaner or a damp microfiber-            Rub back and forth
                Mild cleaners: dish washing liquid, liquid castle soap, baby wipes
  2.   Rinse with a moist/wet, clean towel, microfiber or even paper towel - Rub back and forth
  3.   Dry surface again rub back and forth

In this three step process you are loosening the soil/germs and breaking surface tension.  Then rinsing and removing the cleaner and germs/soil.   Finally with drying, you further remove the cleaner, soil/germs and moisture.  Leaving your surface clean and free of residue

After all, cleaning is the removal of germs, soil, etc not the addition of chemicals.

   By the way, I am not against disinfectants.  In some situations they can be life saving.  What I am against is using disinfectants daily, without reading, following the label and most importantly out of habit or fear.  This is unnecessary and total overkill.

  Cleaning is a science and an art.  Learn how to clean for the health of home and family.  We teach residue free cleaning which focuses on the science and actual system of cleaning.  Call if you would like to schedule a presentation or consult.

Wishing you a happy, healthy and simply clean home,
            Denise
 

Happy shoes and the present moment

    Have you ever heard the saying "you are a reflection of your home"?  Today, while cleaning my own home, I got to pondering this idea.

    In the real world our homes aren't always exactly how we would prefer.  Life happens.  The last few weeks my schedule has been a whirl wind of activities.  Today, as I  cleaned and pondered, I decided our homes are not who we are but where we are at the present moment.

    Doesn't where you are at this moment sound better than who you are as a person?  Our homes give us a glimpse into where our life is right now.  They are not - not -not who we are!  And thank heavens for that!

    When I get a bit overbooked I can tell I'm over extended by looking at the bottom of my shoe closet.  When I'm centered and not too rushed I put my shoes down toes facing out.  When I'm running around fast and furiously my shoes look they are still running in the closet.

    If you look around and see happy shoes, smile and say thanks.  And if you look around your home and see piles of dirty dishes, stacks of books and dust bunnies.  Take a deep breathe and know this is just a moment in time.

   Yesterday, I had the pleasure of presenting at the 2015 Pierce Country Cancer Survivorship Conference.  I presented two classes one on simple/natural cleaning and one on clutter clearing to create flow.  Today I organized my shoes and wrangled up my dust bunnies

   Thank you for everyone who attended the conference and joined my presentations!  Thanks to all the zillion hours all the volunteers put in creating this conference.  Thanks to the University of Puget Sound who hosted this event ( and I think for free)   May your lives continue to flow and may you find happy shoes in your closet!!

As always, wishing you all a happy and healthy home!
   Denise

 (On a side note, I find the deeper I clean the wiser I become- nice bonus to a clean toilet don't you think???)