Organic? Sure. Oh wait, what?

There are a plenty cleaning products on the shelves at grocery stores. Some with bleach, others without and still others that are, "organic."

Walking home today, I walked passed a car with a sign advertising an 'organic' makeup line. That made me remember that  two weeks ago as I was driving, I saw a van, advertising a cleaning service that only used 'organic' cleaning products. While I have heard, or read about organic this, organic that, I really didn't know the whole story behind 'organic.' So today, I sat down and researched it and this is what I came up with.

The dictionary defines the adjective, "organic," as, 1.) of, relating to, or derived from living things; 2.) involving, producing, or dealing in foods produced without the use of laboratory-made fertilizers, growth substances, antibiotics, or pesticides.

According to articles and websites I visited to learn more, many cleaning products can be made of juices, fruits, and cooking ingredients. And the benefit of using organic products according to these articles and websites, is these products are free of chemicals and other ingredients that a lot of the shelf products contain.

I have a friend that I clean for who has asked me to use the soaps and cleaners that she has made. Because they are made with vinegar, baking starch and other kitchen and baking items, I'm assuming these products are her version of organic. I know she has really bad allergies. And one time during one of my early cleaning appointments with her, she asked what did I use to mop her bathroom floor the cleaning time before. She said it had given her a headache and asked that I not use it.

Later that month, she asked me to use the products she made. I have used them, but I am not convinced about their cleaning power. But as long as my friend does not have a headache when I'm done cleaning, and is happy with the results of the cleaning, using a little more elbow grease is worth it.

As always, I recommend you read the labels of any product BEFORE you use it. To make sure its the right product to use on your surface, I suggest you try it in an 'out-of-view' area of your surface, then go from there. You decide.

There are many sites that post recipes to make organic everything. Research and see what you think.

Happy Cleaning!

What's not in the Bucket!

Note to self, Soft Scrub w/ Beach really has bleach and I have learned that the hard way. Its not an alternative, it is the real deal and I have two shirts to prove it. With the second shirt being stained today,  I thought I would make sure I made note of this.

I have a few friends that I clean for, who ask me to use Soft Scrub. It is a great product. It removes stains easily with less elbow-grease than some of the other cleaners on the grocery store shelves. And Soft Scrub comes in foam and gel in bottles with safty spouts to reduce splatter of the bottle content.  Just know when you are deciding between cleansers,Soft Scrub really does contain, sodium hypochlorite, which is the chemical name for "Bleach."

With any product, in or not in my Bucket, always read the label BEFORE using. Be informed. Be in the know!

Happy Cleaning!

You can make music when you clean!

Can you hear it? Well........you will.

I thought I knew all there was to know about cleaning when I started working for a cleaning service in Decatur. I was unorganized, I hated doing it, so I tried to get done in a hurry, and thought I was a pretty good house cleaner. But it wasn't long that I found out I really wasn't good at all because I hadn't learned that a good cleaner knows there is rhythm in cleaning. Find it, and you may hear music.

Okay you won't hear music coming from your cleaning supplies or duster, but your actions, your organized steps, your cleaning, will help you find a beat, which will make cleaning much easier, and sort-of like dancing! Set and keep this pace, and you will be done in no time.

Get organized. Set a time, keep your products and cleaning tools close, and put the phone on vibrate. Keep a water bottle near, and try not to be disturbed. Start cleaning when you enter the room. I start with the door frame outside the room, then enter, working top to bottom, left to right. Every surface in the room is touched and cleaned, including ceiling fans and window frames and sills. This is my rhythm, but you can come up with your own plan for organized cleaning. Whatever you come up with, find a rhythm, and go from there.

You see, cleaning does not have to be a chore. Find your rhythm, your plan of organized cleaning and maybe you will hear the music, too!

Happy Cleaning!
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Products from the Bucket, used in this issue

I prefer using the Swiffter Extended Duster handle.  It gives me the ability to reach high and low areas without getting on a stool or chair (which I do not recommend), or bending over much. Although Swiffter makes duster heads to fit the handle, you can get generic duster heads that fit and work just as good, at "Dollar Tree." There, you get three (3) duster heads for $1.00. I also add Endust, a multi-surface dusting and cleaning spray, to the duster to attract more dust and hair and add a shine to the surfaces. I recommend the spray not be directly sprayed on the duster. I spray it in the air and run the duster head through the mist. I ask that you Test it FIRST on your surface before general use.

As with all products in the Bucket, please read the product label to see if it is the right product for your surfaces. Try it in an "out-of-view"area of your surface. Then make a decision as to whether this is the product for you.

What's in the Bucket?



The HHRCS Bucket



As I said in an earlier post, when I decided to start my own cleaning service, I wanted to use everyday, over-the-counter cleaning products. The service that I worked for, used solutions that had to be mixed and that I only know as green, pink, or red solutions. I never really knew what I was using, except for the glass cleaner, which was known as the glass cleaner. But still, I didn't know what was in it.



So I spent an hour or so in the cleaning solution aisle at "Dollar General." Since I used Comet at home, I thought it was the best cleanser to use. I grew up using Comet, the green-powered version. My mother thought it was the best cleanser, back in a time when there were only a few in the cleaning aisle at A & P.

Comet Spray Bathroom Cleaner breaks the film build-up in the tub and shower and dissolves it.  And, it washes off pretty easy. It works really well on shower doors and in the tracks of the shower door. It disinfects as it cleans.

While it is a great product to use in bathrooms, I DO NOT USE it on natural marble, stone, brass surfaces, brass fixtures or colored grout. It works wonders on white grout in the shower.

If you plan to use Comet Bathroom Cleaner, or any product in my bucket, I recommend that you read the label, and then test it on a small, out-of-view section of your surface, FIRST to see how the solution treats it before generally using it in your bathroom.  Then the rest is up to you.

And that is one thing in the Bucket.