Pros and cons of residential green cleaners

While it may seem like you pay a little more than a with a company who uses regular cleaners, it will save you on things like medical bills, and irreversible damage to your local ecosystem.  For example, green cleaners use fewer phosphates in them.  Phosphates have been proven to encourage harmful algae blooms in local rivers and lakes, which has a dramatic impact on that environment.  While the lack of this component keeps the cleaner’s shelf life a bit shorter than typical cleaners, you shouldn’t ever have to throw a bottle away because it went bad.  And the benefits of not using phosphates far outweigh a shortened shelf life.

Additionally, green products don’t have the dyes and perfumes used in normal cleaning solutions.  They come to you just how they are, free of any additives to make them more appealing to you.  According to the National Environmental Trust, the typical American homeowner is exposed to almost 40,000 chemicals that can have harmful effects, including allergies and neurological consequences, as a result of using regular cleaning products.

What you can expect from a residential green cleaner

So, what can you expect from a house cleaner who uses green products?  Everything you can expect from a regular house cleaner, only safer.  They will still clean anything you need, and come at whatever time is most convenient for you.   They can do your refrigerator or stove, they can do windows occasionally, they can come annually to help you with Spring cleaning, or they can come weekly to keep your house sparkle like it belongs in a magazine.

Just because they use a green cleaner, doesn’t mean your home won’t be as clean.  Take 1^st Class Cleaning for example.  They use Method products, which are totally biodegradable and completely environmentally friendly.  They work by absorbing dirt, bacteria and grime rather than breaking it up with harsh chemicals.  This leaves you with a clean, sanitized home without being exposed to any toxins.

How do you find a residential green cleaner?

If you don’t have any friends who use a house cleaning service, check the internet.  Often people will post comments and notes about their experiences with local businesses.  Just be sure you read comments that are as current as possible.  That will give you the most accurate picture possible of how their business is being run today.

Also, find out what their customer service policy is like.  In the event that you’re not happy with their service, what happens?  1^st Class Cleaning has an unconditional satisfaction guarantee to keep their customers happy.  If you’re not satisfied with the job they did, they will re-clean your home with no questions asked.  Find a company like 1^st Class Cleaning, who makes the customers their number one priority.

To learn more about residential green cleaners, or to schedule an appointment with 1^st Class Cleaning, visit www.1stclasscleaning.com today!

Residential or Commercial?

First, it’s important to understand the differences between commercial and residential cleaning services. Commercial services will clean your office or business regularly, or during post construction, or after a natural disaster of some kind. A commercial cleaning service can come once a week before during or after work, and they can do everything from a comprehensive cleaning that includes dusting and emptying the trash, to just focusing on the bathrooms.

Residential services will clean just about anything you need within your home. They can do annual cleanings, or they can come every week if you need. They can clean your whole house, or focus on one area, like the kitchen or bathrooms, or your teenagers closet – who knows what’s lurking in there. Residential cleaning companies pride themselves on catering their services to what each of their client’s need within their homes.

Do Some Digging

Once you know what type of cleaning you need it’s time to do some research. Find out more about the companies you’re considering. For example, what type of cleaners do they use? Are they toxic or harmful in any way? If you have pets or people in your home with allergies, you should avoid companies that use harsh cleaners. Services like 1^st Class Cleaning use only biodegradable and totally safe chemicals, so you never have to worry about the products that are being used in your home.

Also, find out about how the company is run. What type of screening process do their employees have to go through? How can you be assured they are trustworthy? Whether in your home or business, how do you know your belongings are safe? All of 1^st Class Cleaning’s workers go through a rigorous screening process that includes a background check to ensure that only the most trustworthy people have access to your home or business.

Another thing to find out is whether or not the company is licensed and insured. This will protect both you and them in the event that one of their employees is hurt in your home. Ask what the procedure is if something like that were to happen, and also how they deal with broken items or if something goes missing in your home.  1^st Class Cleaning is licensed and insured to help protect you, as well as their employees.

You should also be aware of their policies about dissatisfaction. What happens if you decide they didn’t do a good job? 1^st Class Cleaning has an unconditional satisfaction guarantee, so if you’re not happy with any aspect of job they do, they’ll come back and clean it again for free.

1^st Class Cleaning knows you have other things to do, rather than spend your time cleaning your home or office. That’s why they work hard to provide you with top notch cleaning service in New York City. Visit www.1stclasscleaningnyc.com today to schedule an appointment with 1^st Class Cleaning.

How often do you need them to come?

• Seasonal cleanings, like Spring cleaning, occasional window washings, etc.
• Just once
• Move in or move out cleanings
• On call services
• Regular cleanings, like weekly, bi-monthly, etc.

What are your unique needs?

• Do you have any chemical allergies?
• Do you have pets or people in your home with respiratory issues?
• Do you have a particular day or time you want the service to come?

Pros over Joes

Hiring a professional cleaning service is often beneficial over going with someone who works alone and runs their business out of their home.  Hiring a professional service protects you if their workers happen to get hurt in your home.  It also protects you if something gets broken or stolen.  Additionally it removes the element of having to pay someone “under the table” and worrying about tax evasion, or being sued for unemployment if you let the person go.  A professional cleaning service will hire, train and insure their employees, taking the guess work out of that process for you.  They will also provide their own cleaning supplies, so you don’t have to worry about making sure you have enough wood polish to get the job done.  Another nice thing about a professional cleaning service is that they have enough staff to be able to accommodate your cleaning schedule even if your house cleaner is sick or goes on vacation.

What to ask

When interviewing a Manhattan cleaning service, consider asking these questions before hiring them.

• How often can they come and clean?
• Are their employees insured?
• What happens if something is lost or broken in your home?
• How do they screen their employees, and what does the hiring process involve?
• How many people have access to your house key or security code?
• What happens if you’re dissatisfied with the way your home was cleaned?
• What type of cleaners do they use?  Are they toxic or environmentally safe?

One Manhattan cleaning service that stands above the rest is 1^st Class Cleaning.  They are available for all kinds of cleanings, including regular cleanings, office cleanings, home cleanings , deep cleanings and sanitation, party clean ups, move in or move out cleanings, Spring cleanings and more.  All of 1^st Class Cleaning’s employees are licensed and insured to protect both you and them.  Additionally, they use only environmentally friendly products made by a company called Method.  Method’s products are totally biodegradable and work by absorbing dirt, rather than breaking it down chemically.  1^st Class Cleaning is also ready to clean your home or business on your schedule, not theirs.  So just let them know when you need them and they’ll be there!  They also offer an unconditional satisfaction guarantee.  If you’re not happy with the way your home is cleaned, they’ll come back and do it again for free!  To learn more about 1^st Class Cleaning and schedule an appointment with them today, visit www.1stclasscleaningnyc.com.

It’s important when looking for a cleaning service to hire that you understand what you need from them.  If you need someone for landscaping or any kind of lawn maintenance, then a house cleaning service may not be the best option.  They also won’t handle any power washing needs, or basically anything on the outside of your home.

However, the inside of your house provides an endless list of possibilities.  Many companies will tailor their services to meet your specific requirements at that time.  Only want someone to come once for a heavy duty Spring cleaning?  Just need your windows done occasionally?  Or, do you want someone to come weekly to keep your home looking like a photo in a magazine?

Many house cleaning companies offer a range of services including:

• Top to bottom deep cleaning
• Weekly maintenance, including vacuuming, mopping and dusting
• Cleaning all appliances, including the refrigerator and oven inside and out
• Bathrooms
• Windows
• Grout steam cleaning
• Bacteria sanitizing

But, before you move forward with a company that does all these things, there are a few things to consider.  Are their employees insured and bonded?  Many smaller cleaning companies don’t provide this to their employees, putting you and them at risk if they are hurt in your home, or if your things are damaged.  What are their policies regarding personal property damage?  Read their customer reviews.  Have they had any complaints, especially involving theft?  How were these issues resolved?  Your own security is also an important consideration.  Will they come to your home when you’re not there?  If so, who has access to your keys or alarm codes?  How can you be sure their employees can be trusted?

Something else to think about is the type of chemicals are they going to use in your home.  This should be carefully considered, especially if you have someone with asthma or pets living in your home.  Companies like 1^st Class Cleaning use only green products manufactured by a company called Method.  Their products absorb dirt, rather than break it down with harsh chemicals.  They are also environmentally friendly and completely biodegradable.  In fact, it’s unnecessary to rinse any surface that’s been cleaned with Method products.

Additionally, how affordable are their services?  Do their prices line up with what they’re offering?  Does it seem like they’re offering an awful lot for not very much money?  This could come back to bite you, if they’re tactic is to lure customers in and then offer low quality work as you will have to pay someone else to clean your home again.

Finally, do they stand behind their work?  1^st Class Cleaning offers an Unconditional Satisfaction Guarantee.  If you are in any way unhappy with the cleaning, they will come back and redo it for free.  So, please don’t hesitate to contact them and schedule your home cleaning today.

(When at the store, note that just because a cleaning product says that it’s environmentally friendly doesn’t make it so, and eventually, everything’s biodegradable, so that label doesn’t really mean much of anything!)

First of all, think reuse, reuse, reuse. Rags are a great substitute for paper towels, and you can use a reusable mop, such as a rag mop, instead of one with a disposable base. Try using a natural sponge instead of a disposable one.

Then, for ingredients… here are some household basics that will help you keep your home clean without destroying the environment (or poisoning your family):

• Distilled white vinegar
• Lemon juice
• Baking soda
• Plain white soap (without scents, colors, or other additives… purchase or make your own)
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Cornstarch

One thing to remember while cleaning just about anything is that hot water  tends to speed the cleaning process. Regular soap is a great cleanser. It needn’t just be for the body.

Clean glass using a vinegar solution or straight lemon juice. These are also both great for cutting through grease.

For light abrasive cleaning whether on the counters, in an appliance, or in the oven, add a little bit of water and some baking soda and scrub away.

In the bathroom, tea-tree oil works great on mildew, and so does vinegar. To clean the toilet, vinegar is great for around the rim detox. For inside the toilet, let lemon juice and baking soda sit, followed by a good scrub.

You can take care of a clogged toilet or a clogged drain with nothing more than vinegar and baking soda. Adding a little hot water speeds this up even more.

To clear out a nasty odor from the disposal, grind up ice cubes (to clean it) and pour some lemon juice in it (for the scent).

When it comes to stains, first of all, don’t let them sit. Not for a minute, not for a day. You’ll find, as grandmother always said, club soda is great for carpet stains, (and non-toxic!).

If that doesn’t work, let cornstarch soak it up for a bit, then follow that with a water-vinegar solution scrub.

For an anti-bacterial disinfectant, add a few drops of either tea-tree oil or lavender to water. Both are excellent antiseptic agents.

For deodorizing, baking soda works great, whether in the fridge, the pantry, or the carpet. Once you’ve taken care of odor, get rid of those chemical air fresheners. Use candles or potpourri instead, or even incense, if you’d like a nice scent.

To polish furniture or wooden floors, add olive oil to either lemon juice or vinegar and rub away for a nice shine.