Easy mistake in cleaning can be costly to health and wallet

This morning I received another call about a travertine floor... the homeowner's housecleaner used "something" that removed its finish/shine...oh dear...

That something is probably an acidic cleaner. Acidic cleaners and acids in general will eat away acid sensitive material- such as calcium. Calcium based stones such as marbles, travertine and even most grouts are acid sensitive. When an acid meets an acid sensitive material, they react to each other. This reaction on acid sensitive stone is referred to as an etch. The stone has been eaten away. The finish wasn't cleaned away but eaten away.

The most common accidental etching comes from our little friend: Vinegar. Vinegar is commonly used in green cleaning. However, it is not a mild cleaner. A mild cleaner is non abrasive and has a pH of around 7 or neutral. Vinegar is a non-buffered acid with a acidic pH of 3. Vinegar, even though it is safe to eat, is not always safe to use. Safe and mild are two different things. Safe refers to a product being nontoxic it also may mean - safe to use on all surfaces but not necessarily.

A product can be mild, non-harmful to a surface such as a neutral mildewcide but damaging people

Common household cleaners that are acidic are: toilet cleaners drain cleaners, shower/tile cleaners and vinegar-based window cleaners.

On top of etching, acidic cleaners are also reactive. When mixed with bleaches or alkaline cleaners they react. This reaction can be nontoxic, like the reaction you get when mixing baking soda and vinegar. But... and this is a big but!! It can also create a toxic and deadly gas!!

The most common reactive chemicals are ammonia/strong alkalines, bleaches and acids.

Never mix cleaning products!!! You may be creating a deadly and toxic gas!!!

It is incredibly easy to accidentally mix cleaners. You spray one in the air...and then you spray another in the air.  Walla- you just mixed products. I can't tell you how many times, I been told by a home and professional cleaner they had burning eyes, scratchy throats, coughing, headaches etc. when cleaning or post cleaning!

A travertine floor that has "lost" its sheen will need to be repolished. This is an expensive process and one that could have been easily prevented. An etched floor might be stressful and expensive but at least it wasn't deadly.

Home care is a science and an art.  Cleaning is chemistry and physics.

This blog is a good example why I teach healthy homes, residue free cleaning and sell residue free cleaning products.

  The 3 parts of Residue Free Cleaning

1. Practice Prevention

Start with prevention- read labels, do your research, take off your shoes, wipe down your showers, run your exhaust fans, open windows for fresh air...

2. Use the Mildest means

Always start with the mildest means. Mildest means... dusting, vacuuming, microfibers and neutral, nontoxic cleaners. You can always move up to a harsher cleaner but if you clean well, you rarely ever need to use anything more than water, neutral cleaners, vacuums and microfibers!

3. Leave your home residue free

Leave nothing behind... no germs, no cleaner, no moisture...

Rinse and dry your surfaces, don't spray cleaners in the air, let fresh air into your home

If you are going to leave anything behind in your cleaning...

 let it be gratitude 

Wishing you safe, happy and healthy home,

Denise Frakes

Home and Life Coach at your service

For education, products and coaching contact me at 253-815-0446, message me on facebook  or email me at info@dfbluesky.com

To purchase the best in microfibers click here. Any questions don't hesitate to contact me.

Cleaning should be easy, safe and non stressful!

Reduce your cleaning time by 50%!

Floors are the largest area you clean.  If you really want to save time in your cleaning- invest in better more effective tools.  Tools that cover more ground and work for you.

I see so many homes using disposable and inferior cleaning tools.  Most disposables or cheap tools are about 6 inches to 12 inches wide.  That's a whole lot of waisted time and energy.  

            Bottom line:

         cleaning can be quicker, easier and more effective 

  If you want to save time, improve your tools, create less work for yourself and for heavens sakes... always leave your floors residue free!!

3 ways to save time and energy cleaning your floors

1)  Keep the dirt out!  Install effective entrance mats and rugs.  Take off your shoes!!  

        78% of all soil gets tracked in from outside.

 Less dirt inside - saves you time and energy!!!

2.  Go residue free.  Using a microfiber to clean vs applying cleaner will save you future work.

        Cleaners are made to attract soil.  If you leave cleaner behind it will continue to work- attracting more soil.  By removing soil with friction/microfibers you will no longer be leaving product behind.  Not only will your floors be cleaner and stay cleaner, you will also have less soil/soap build up that will need to be removed later on. 

 Less residue left behind - saves you time and energy

3)  Upgrade your cleaning tools.  Don't waste your time and energy on inferior tools.  Invest in long lasting, heavy duty- and effective tools.  This goes for your vacuum and hard surface tools.  If you have a large home this is crucial!!  I sell the Norwex 20" microfiber mop.

 Faster work - saves you time and energy

Below are links to the Products I talk about in the video

Superior Mop Purchase link:  Click here tool for hard surfaces- save yourself 50% of cleaning time!

Chenille pad:  Click here  tool for when you have rough surfaces or fuzzy shedding critters

Tile and Grout pad: Click here  tool for when you need a wee bit more agitation in your microfiber

Rubber Brush: Click here  tool for cleaning microfiber and excellent cat hair removal brush

Enviro wand: Click here  tool for cleaning hard to reach spaces such as sky lights and ceiling fans

   Happy cleaning.
       Denise Frakes
        Home and personal coach...at your service

Never have to clean soap scum again!

The moment I realized I would never have to clean soap scum out in my own shower was a moment I'll never forget!  I remember running my index finger up and down on my shower walls and it squeaked clean.  Not from cleaning but from prevention.  This was truly an aha moment!  I thought .... "really soap scum is preventable????  Seriously????!!!"  No more harsh chemicals, Saturday's spent scrubbing or moments of procrastination and guilt for having mucky showers??  Ha!  

When Dallas and I were in the midst of our stone and tile cleaning business we were called to remove soap scum and mold from showers a lot.  By far this was our most frequent request.  I wasn't the only one struggling with the built on, indestructible man made coating called soap scum, it was most of us!

As it turns out, soap scum is completely and easily preventable.  In the course of preventing soap scum, you also are preventing mold and hard water deposits!  I know, this just keeps getting better and better doesn't it?  You might be wondering why this little life ease tid bit has evaded your life.  Another of life's unexplained questions...

Dallas and I learned it from a little fiesty and wise lady in her late 80s.  She had a dark brown polished marble shower.  She had called us out to inspect her shower, thinking it might need sealed.  At the time, the shower was about 5 years old.  Her tough to care for shower - looked brand new- no etching - no watermarks and no soap scum!  If you are familiar with marble you will know this surface would be one of the toughest to keep looking great in a shower.  Anyway, we asked her how she kept her shower looking so beautiful. She looked at us blankly, like really dont you know?  Apparently we didn't...  "Well, I rinse and dry it after each use".  hmmm

Common sense isn't always so common......  Of course she was spot on, or maybe I should say no spots on.  Rinse and dry (wax on wax off).  As people, we rinse and dry ourselves otherwise we would all be walking around with soap scum too.  It makes sense- not quite sure why and how I had missed this nugget of wisdom...

So what is the magic recipe for no soap scum showers in your life every again:
      After each use rinse and dry your shower.  Don't put your shower to bed wet and soapy.  It is bad etiquette. 

A couple other helpful hints....

    Use your exhaust fan.  As soon as you turn on the shower water, turn on your exhaust fans and run them for a solid hour after showering.  Mold and dust mights love moisture- remove the moisture and help prevent high humidity and molds.

    Use good tools.  A product I love for drying my showers is the Norwex Microfiber shower mit.  It has two sides- one with the world's best microfiber and the other with a scrub texture.  When I wipe down my shower I'm actually cleaning and detailing it too.  This microfiber also has baclock technology- which is a silver filament keeping your microfiber from building up bacteria- as it self purifiers. 
   I recommend cleaning your microfiber once per week.  Click here to see this tool and order one if you would like.  Click here to learn how to care for your microfibers

So there you have it.  Live a life with no soap scum!  If you already have soap scum build up, feel free to email me.  If you live locally- the Seattle/Tacoma area, I can refer you to a company to help you get cleaned up so you too can live a life of no soap scum!  If you live out of the area, I'll be writing more about showers.  Comment below with any questions and thoughts- thanks;-)

As always, wishing you sweet travels and happy living
              Denise Frakes
Certified Home and Personal Coach at your Service

Quick microfiber care tips....  I'll write more about the care of microfibers but here is the reader's digest version...

Please do not use bleach, fabric softeners and dryer sheets to care for your microfibers.  The bleach breaks down the fibers and the fabric softeners and dryer sheets coat your microfibers, leaving them less effective.  Use a mild and clean laundry detergent.  

5 gems of wisdom from an 80 year old company

On Dec 29^th, I took a whole day from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm and visited with the staff of     D. A. Burns.   Why would I do such a thing?  Don't I have better things to do with my time than go hang out at another company? We'll, yes of course, my inbox and list of to-dos were high and deep but this day was worth every minute.

You see this past year we started working with DA Burns helping further train their staff in the wonders and wisdom of natural stone and tile cleaning.  In Jan of this year, we partnered with DA Burns to take over the stone and tile cleaning part of our business.  While working together, we got to discover a very special company.  A type of company you may think was only done in our grandparent’s era.  Well apparently there is still a company where the bottom line is not the top priority but doing the right thing is.  As we continued to working together, I became more and more intrigued and impressed.   And so I went on an exploration day.

I treated the day as if I were a “reporter”, trying to see why and how an 80 yr old company thrives.  How has this company stayed a front runner in the cleaning business for 80 years? Why do their clients have such a high level of customer loyalty?  Why does their staff average about 14 years? Why would any employee be willing to commute up to 3 hours per day for 29 and 38 years?  Hmmm, there is something special here and I was going to find out what.

As the owner of a 25 year old cleaning company, I know a wee bit about cleaning and running a cleaning company.  After this day of inside “reporting”,  three months of working side by side D. A. Burns plus knowing them from our industry during my entire cleaning career… I think I have uncovered some of the secret that have led to this company's success.

Below are 5 of the hidden gems I discovered.  I could go on but this already long blog would reach epic levels… So without further ado…

Gem # 1:  The Spirit of Mr. Dave Burns Jr. lives on

Sadly Mr. Dave Burns Jr. passed 10 years ago, at age 91, and yet his life continues in this company.  As I interview the staff, Mr. Burns was mentioned over and over, not like a past owner but like a beloved friend, grandpa, dad and mentor.  Curtis the facilities manager- who I think can fix anything, told me about a cleaning process Mr. Burns thought of for removing carpet odors that they still use today with extraordinary results.  Janet in front office and Mike the GM both talked about how after Mr. Burns had retired he would still come into the plant, with his yellow lab Beau.  He brought a spark of fun to the day but kept a watchful eye; making sure things were still being run well.  Richard Dix, owner of 40 years, spoke of him more than a business partner but like a dear friend, mentor and family member.  It was quite clear Mr. Burns was a man that was loved by this company and they still hold space for him.

Gem # 2:  There is an Art of Elevating People

How can you explain a company where the average employee has been there 14 years?  This is a cleaning service company.  I know from experience, cleaning is hard work and not always thought of with the value it deserves.  It can be tough to find good employees and yet this company is loaded with an amazing staff.  Bryan, the operations manager, who believes in small but consistent and continual improvements 38 years; Mike the general manager, who I met in 2010 when I popped one day and he kindly gave me a tour- 32 years; Jerry a craftsman who does the custom rug binding 27 years; Katherine who loves the entire process of cleaning 30 years; Jericho- front desk whose motto is "I please the people" 9 years; Julie area rug repair artist 17 years etc.....   Kelsey, one of the technicians Dallas and I worked with said he had been with D. A. Burns for 7 years and he was still considered a newbie! 

How is this possible?  As I interviewed and asked questions, this is what I heard from the staff:   they feel safe to own their work; to be creative in problem solving; to learn new trades when they wanted; to even make mistakes when a plan didn’t work out.  They felt protected and supported by the owner, Richard.  Mike, the GM believes Richard takes care of his staff and they take care of the customers and the business thrives.  It is like a circle.

Gem # 3:   A Family of Co-Workers Work Here

While in my ”reporting”  mode I asked the question:  “Why do you like working here?”  Over and over I heard “I love my co-workers”.  This staff is more than co-workers; they are friends, family and supporters of each other.  Janet and Toni who have worked together for over 15 years said they can finish each other's sentences.  I met with some of the new guys: Julian, Craig and Nic.  Even though they are fairly new to D. A. Burns, they love the feeling of no hierarchy.  And said they felt like what they thought was valuable and heard!  Dan, Don and Jericho seem like friends that would hang out together and genuinely like each other.

  

Everyone mentioned over and over again how much they love and appreciate Richard.  I'm guessing that's how everyone felt about Mr. Burns too.  Loving the owners seems to be a theme at D. A. Burns.  

Gem # 4:  Craftsmanship is alive and well

Then there are indeed hidden gems working away at D. A. Burns.  Julie and Em are master craftswomen in repairing rugs.  Julie said she can tell the age, origin; weave, if it was a prayer rug and much more.  A 17 year veteran at D. A. Burns and a master Oriental rug medic, she and Em of 10 years work together and do extraordinary work.

Jerry of 27 years is a carpet binding and fabrication wizard.  When I was there he was cutting and binding a rug to go into a yacht.  I was mesmerized watching him hand sew the binding on the corners.  He told me there is a machine that does this sort of corner binding but he wouldn't want to use it because it does sub-par work and uses cheaper materials.

Gem # 5:  You don't have to own the company to have pride and ownership of your work.

While working with D. A. Burns, we discovered you don't have to own the company to own your work.  D. A. Burns lets their staff own their own work.  You can see the pride they have in working for a company that is so highly valued.  They are proud of their individual work but maybe more so they are proud of their team work.  Coming together they are able to create something more impressive than anyone could do on their own.

On Jan 5^th Dallas and I sold the Stone and Tile cleaning portion of Blue Sky Services to the D. A. Burns team.  After all the months of training and figuring out the how, when and where’s we came out of this process more impressed with this company than we went in.   During these past months we were treated kindly, with a generosity of spirit, with respect and with enthusiasm.  In our country larger businesses are often thought of as greedy and impersonal.  It was refreshing to know there is a company thriving right here in Seattle that changes the rules and runs their business with heart.

If you would like to meet this company, feel free to call or pop in like I did back in 2010.  I have no doubt they will greet you warmly and take great care of you.  Below is the link go see for yourself.

Go to DA Burns

Clarity comes from a clean slate

" Clarity comes from a clean slate"  No truer words can be spoken.  Today, we cleaned the slate floors in our own personal home.  I have written about this many times and yet each time we clean those floors I am in awe of the clarity that comes from clean!

   As we move through life it seems we are awake and fully present... until you clean off all the residue that has accumulated. And then Wow!

   When we clean our slate floors, which by the way looked fine this morning, vibrancy happens.  What seemed OK turns in to spectacular.  The colors become radiant.  The lines clear.  There is a clarity to this slate that is truly amazing.  Beyond the color there is also a rich texture.  The texture shows the essence of the stone.  Our slate has no enriching sealers or coating applied.  What you see is 100% slate.  Beautiful!

   I wonder does anyone else see what we see when we clean?

   When we clean out what muddles our lives, we get to see life from a whole new perspective.  We get to start with a clean slate again! This clarity comes with a childlike wonder and who couldn't use a bit more wonder in our lives??

   The next time you feel muddled in your life or on your floors- clean!   Cleaning is an old and simple practice of finding clarity, giving yourself a clean slate and a fresh perspective!   Enjoy!

   As always, wishing you a happy and healthy home
         Denise

True Clean

What is clean? We all know what clean is!  Maybe and maybe not as much as you think.  When I think of clean, I think of free- free from soil, cleaners and moisture.  Free from anything that isn't part of the surface.  My kitchen countertops should be just that my kitchen countertops.  Granite should be granite, marble should only be marble, quartz should only be quartz.  There is a clarity that comes from truly clean or a residue free surface.

There are steps to cleaning.  First comes the breaking surface tension part.  In your dishwasher you call this the wash cycle.  In this step, there will be agitation, maybe heat, a little cleaner.  The "washing step" usually take a little time.  Next comes the rinsing step. This where not only the soil is removed but also the cleaners.  Finally comes the drying step. In this step, moisture is removed along with little residues of cleaner and soil.  In the end of this three step process you have it- nothing left behind but your surface.

When clean is really clean, there is a clarity that comes from true clean.  The colors are brighter, the lines cleaner, there will be a depth to your surface and a freshness to the room.

When I start cleaning a surface I may think this isn't too bad.  But as I go through the steps the soil and built up residues start to release, I start to really see the soil.  As I continue to go through the steps an amazing transition happens.  True clean

True clean isn't a false shine from a coating applied,  True clean isn't greasy, doesn't have a wax or polish. True clean doesn't smell like cucumbers, roses, pine, or bleach.  True clean is simple, clear and free from everything but it's true essence.

Life should be so simple.

Wishing you healthy, happy homes and prosperous lives,
      Denise

How to prevent moldy toes, soap scum on your skin and an ugly shower!

       Showers are part of everyday life.  But do you ever wonder why our skin doesn't have the same chronic soil conditions as our showers:  mold, soap scum, hard water deposits and itty bitty dust bunnies?

    The only reason we don't have soap scum on our tummies and mold between our toes is because we rinse and dry our skin with every shower. If we didn't and treated our skin as we treat our showers, we would have a bad skin epidemic on our hands!  Well, maybe not an epidemic but we would definitely be itchier humans.

3 miraculous things happen when we rinse and dry our showers after each use:

      1.  Hard water deposit build up is minimized

      2.  Soap scum build up is minimized as is mold food

      3.  Less moisture means less mold, mold thrives in moist areas!

      My husband was just telling me about a conversation he had earlier this week.  Our client was wondering if you could in fact clean a shower with mild cleaners- neutral pH.  The answer to that depends on when you clean.  If you rinse and dry after each shower, then you can use the very mildest of products because nothing has set up.  Think about your kitchen dinner dishes and a meal of eggs, pasta or oatmeal.  If you rinse as soon as you are done eating, the process is quick and easy.  If these foods sit up over night, we all know they can turn into concrete!  Soap scum is like concrete on steroids!

     In cleaning, most damage is done by using too aggressive of cleaners or scratching pads (green pad).  Not only do we damage our beautiful showers by what we use to clean, we also damage ourselves.  The cleaners we usually buy to clean our showers tend to be dangerous to our lungs, skins and eyes, they are often acidic, high alkaline or very reactive like bleach.

     Did you know an acidic cleaner will eat away most grout joints and damage many natural stones?  Did you know mixing acids and bleaches cause caustic gasses?  Did you know showers tend to have poor ventilation but most cleaners want you to use in a well ventilated area! 

     The secret to being healthy, having a beautiful shower, minimizing your family's chemical exposure and keeping your shower in great shape is easier than you think.

     5 tips for the incredibly effective daily maintenance of a shower!

1.      Before you turn on your shower - turn on your exhaust fan!                                                             

         Let your exhaust fan run a full 60 minutes after your shower

           This step removes the humidity from your shower that can lead to mold

           Keeping the relative humidity down in the NW also pays big dividends for healthy homes.

2.   After showering

         Rinse the walls, door and shower pan with water

            Hand held shower heads are perfect for this step

            This step removes the soap and personal care products you used from your shower

3.   After showering

        Dry off your showers with either a towel or squeegee.

        If you only squeegee, you will be re-depositing the soap down the walls, into the grout joint and onto your shower pan- creating a surprisingly thick build up of soap scum.

       I personally like to dry with a towel as it gets the details better and I can dry fixtures off at the same time.

4.  Open up shower doors or curtains to let air flow.

     If you close up your shower tight, this will greatly delay your drying- if not stop it completely.

5.  Use the mildest means possible to clean!

      And when you clean your shower: use mild cleaners!  A good choice is a neutral stone and tile cleaner.  Another product which works wonderfully is dish washing liquid.  Dish washing liquid usually has a neutral pH and is already a product you have on stock. (Make sure to dilute or you will have bubbles galore!)

     Also, use a microfiber, wash mitt or wash cloth and rub your shower to break the surface tension- releasing the soil/soap from the walls.

    In our family the rule of thumb is:  Last one in dries the shower.  This daily process takes minimal time and effort but pays huge- gigantic- enormous benefits in the long run!  You will have a squeaky clean shower.  Your shower will last much longer and look better.  You will not need to use or even buy those harsh shower cleaners and on cleaning day- cleaning your shower is a snap!

   If you need help getting your shower back to clean, feel free to call on us.  We specialize in cleaning natural stone, tile and grout.  With our 23 plus years of cleaning experience we can get your shower back to beautiful!

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

Denise Frakes

Co- Owner of Blue Sky Service: Stone and Tile Care

Certified Healthy home specialist

Residue free and green cleaning specialist

The Mountain's gift

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 polishing done. 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

The Essence of Stone for World Peace!

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

Residue: the number 1 thing we remove

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

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

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

Dirty floors got you down?

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 big 5 surface sensitivities

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

How to avoid using a coating on your natural stone

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!

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

Spring cleaning: taking a deep breath, smiling and relaxing

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

Steam cleaners for your hardwood floors????

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

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

Epoxy use safety article from NTCA

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 essence of natural stone

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