Do You Love To Clean? 3 Cleaning Tips That Will Change Your Mind

Cleaning is one of those chores you would love to hate.  You can get dirty and messy during the process but when it’s all done there’s always a huge sigh of relief and a sense of calm. Yes. I am talking about cleaning and it is true that when you walk into a room you just cleaned, sometimes there is no greater sense of tranquility and accomplishment.  Calm surrounds us all when we are in the presence of cleanliness.  We tend to spend more time in these surroundings so it is no wonder that more business is done in a clean office and more people join you for festivities in your home.  I mean, who wants to see cobwebs inconspicuously hiding in ceiling corners, ceiling fans showing bundles of dust on its panels, or finger prints on light switches and door knobs?  The following three tips can make cleaning easier and less time consuming at the end of a busy day. It all begins by clearing out clutter. 

Simple enough, but when we spend a large amount of our time in rooms like the kitchen or our office clutter always accumulates.  This makes cleaning a longer task than it has to. Our first tip is to keep areas clutter free.  For example, excessive paper clutter like mail, homework assignments, or phone messages, should not be on countertops, the dining room table or conference room. Scattered utensils, dishes, and open food containers should always be put away.  Consider removing clothing off exercise machines, toys on  sofas and loveseats, and magazines off of chairs and tables.  These small changes can make a considerable difference to a healthy environment. 

After the pick-up, we can get to the culprit of all cleaning culprits – dust. Cupid did not give us a love affair for these fine, dry particles.  Those who suffer from allergies attest to the difficulties of removing them from surfaces.   By using the proper tools like a treated dust cloth or a microfiber towel to remove dust from all surfaces in your home and office becomes easy and effortless.  Every other day make a point to remove dust from chairs, tables (dining room tables, end tables, coffee tables), and any other horizontal surfaces.   Don’t forget to shake out dust and allergens from the sofa and pillows.  No one likes to bounce on the sofa to have dust bounce right back at us. 

Once the dust is removed, damp wipe with appropriate cleaning liquid and a microfiber towel all horizontal surfaces.   Wiping surfaces with a damp microfiber cloth helps to eliminate germs and allergens not removed by dusting alone.  One last tidbit:  A fresh bundle of flowers makes a lasting impression on your mood and that of your company.  It’s a low cost way to relax and be in the comfort of your environment.  Keep a fresh, vibrant colorful bouquet in the most occupied room.  

What we're doing to help the environment!

What does "Green" really mean?  Going green is about embracing the principles of environmental responsibility by making different choices that lessen the negative impact on our environment.  

Several years ago, Sweeping Dimensions introduced its green cleaning program using products that reduce environmental impact and protects the health and safety of our staff and the clients we serve. Quick disclaimer: by implementing this program does not mean that we do not use a few traditional cleaning methods or that they create unsafe/unhealthy conditions.  We have simply taken additional steps towards reducing pollution while continuing to maintain and improve the healthiness, comfort and aesthetics of our clients' homes and businesses.

One of the most significant changes we adopted is the use of microfiber cloths and mops during our cleaning routine.  They are environmentally friendly for many reasons.  First, they are lightweight and can be washed in large quantities, greatly reducing water and energy consumption.  A big plus when the water  and electric bills comes in.  They also take up less physical space reducing both transport costs and storage space.  We have found that there are many other benefits to using microfiber.  They are:

• Microfiber cloths are hypoallergenic.  Great for those of us who suffer from allergies or asthma.
• Microfiber cloths are super absorbent.  They absorb over 7 times their weight in water.
• Microfiber cloths dry in 1/3 the time of ordinary cleaning towels.
• Microfiber cloths are over 4 times more effective than ordinary cleaning towels.  They clean almost any stain from any surface, are more plush & longer lasting than other cleaning products and contain more than 200,000 fibers per square inch.
• Microfiber cloths are completely lint free and non-abrasive.

In addition to microfiber, we have also incorporated liquid products as concentrates rather than as ready-to-use mixtures to our green cleaning program.  As a result, we use trigger bottles and pump sprayers - no need for propellants.  In a small way, we help reduce  packaging materials and their potential burden on the environment as well as fuel, vehicle emissions, and other impacts of transportation.

We believe that green cleaning benefits everyone especially those with special needs and sensitivities.  In cases were an individual has allergies or illness we address his/her specific needs and make appropriate changes to products, procedures, and scheduling as necessary.  

CHALLENGES ARE ALWAYS DIFFICULT – BUT NECESSARY

I have no doubt that many of you have faced some measure of what you thought were insurmountable challenges in the past year. You may have lost a job, a family member or a beloved pet. Maybe you had to overcome the trials and tribulations of health issues and medical payments. Early this year I too had a difficult challenge to overcome. I needed to make a decision that would ultimately change many of my personal and professional responsibilities and certainly the direction of my life. I had to choose whether I was going to continue the livelihood of our company by choosing to own it, or close it down.

Now there may be some who would think that that was not a difficult decision to make. One may ask, “Who wouldn’t want to be their own boss? Who wouldn’t want to take time off when they wanted to and tell people what to do?” Yeah, right! The reality is the amount of pressure that a business owner goes through especially during difficult economic times is considerable and that if you haven’t gone through them you would have no idea of the choices one has to make.

Sometimes, however, the most difficult challenges and decisions we face need to happen in order to move forward. So, you need to ask yourself “Do I want to move forward?” I chose to move forward and accepted my current position as owner. In the process, I have learned that the fears that engulfed me were overridden by my determination to be great at something, to be of value, to provide value and most importantly to prove that I could get it done.

As 2010 comes to a close and as we embark on another year, I’d like to share some of the things that helped me overcome my fears and face those challenges that came with the decisions I had to make all the while remembering what Walter Anderson, Editor of Parade magazine, said “Our lives improve only when we take chances – and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves.”

Know yourself.

This was and continues to be one of my most difficult hurdles. I thought I knew myself pretty damn well. Naïve? Oh, most certainly. I know we will always face unexpected circumstances. For example, one such situation presented when there wasn’t enough work and I had to make a decision to pay everyone else but myself whereby my personal financial security was tested. The thing is, that somewhere deep, deep, deep down I knew that I have talent and believed in myself so much that all I needed to do was to become creative, go back to basics and work really hard. I began pushing myself to limitless possibilities. And today, I can honestly say that it was worth it and I’m glad I didn’t give up. In the words of Optimus Prime from the movie Transformers: “Fate rarely calls us at a moment of our choosing.”

Which brings me to my second revelation: A positive attitude goes a long way. This is difficult to achieve in the face of uncertainty, but you have to think that it will always get better-because it does. I have surrounded myself with people who don’t believe in the words “no” or “can’t”. They help push me in the direction I am meant to follow but most importantly keep me from losing my focus on the big picture. My advice is to find several people who believe in you as much as you believe in yourself and allow them to keep you on track. You may suffer a little humility if you’re not the kind of person who asks for help or advice often but believe that you’ll be a better more successful person because of it.

Finally, invest in others. One of my most coveted revelations is that when I help another person succeed, I too succeed. For me, it is more than a little strange how much truth there is in how the Law of Attraction really works. Even though I’d like to say that I’m great and help everyone out (I have some borderline narcissistic tendencies) I can’t say that. Our company was founded on the principle of providing employment and job training to men & women who are willing to work. In the course of my ownership, I have expanded that principle on a personal level to help people who are in business or looking to start a business. I truly enjoy being a business owner even amidst all of the challenges that arise throughout any given day. I want other business-minded professionals to live their passions and excel because it is tough and we need all the support we can get. Due to my interests and vision I have accepted the responsibilities of directing a Mastermind group as well as a position with SCORE. One of my favorite quotes worth remembering is from Robert Allen “Everything you want is just outside your comfort zone.” As the New Year looms close by I hope that you can incorporate any of my personal revelations into your life. I hope that you embrace next year with as much determination and willingness to succeed as I have, and look forward to continuing.

On behalf of myself and the entire Sweeping Dimensions family we wish you and your family a safe and Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!