The great laundry secret

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

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

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

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

That evasive little thing called... balance

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

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.

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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.

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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!

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

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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

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???

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.

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Color can also be a bit irksome. Who knew?

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Wishing you a happy and healthy home,

Denise

Blue Sky Services

A commercial gets my goat...

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...

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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.

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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.

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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..

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Wishing you a healthy and happy home.

Denise

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