BASICS: CARE & CLEANING OF NATURAL STONE

No doubt that stone surfaces have become popular in homes within the last century.  More homeowners are installing stone flooring, furniture, countertops, and vanity tops.  More common stones we see often are marble, granite, limestone, slate, and travertine (a limestone).  And even though these different types of stone call for different kinds of care and maintenance we're only going to touch on general cleaning.

Sounds a bit weird but vacuum or dust (using a smooth microfiber cloth) stone surfaces before damp wiping them.  Do not use abrasive materials to clean with; such as, dusting sprays or chemically treated mops or cloths.  Abrasion by dirt can dull the surface if not properly removed.  If something should spill on your stone surface blot the spill with a microfiber cloth immediately.  Using a clean microfiber cloth wipe the area with fresh water and a mild soap. Dry the area thoroughly.

Just in case you're wondering why I stressed blotting a spill instead of wiping a spill up let me share a tidbit.  If you wipe the spill around, you will spread the spill and stone surfaces are porous.  We wouldn't want to create a bigger catastrophe on your investment.

Hope this helps.

TIPS ON DISPOSING CLEANING PRODUCTS

So, you're looking to dispose of cleaning products in a safe manner.  Don't want the neighbors to call you out for burying hazardous materials in your backyard?  Well, I'm here to help.  If you no longer need a cleaning product and want to help save your backyard (the environment) the first thing you want to do is read the label for suggested disposal instructions.  In an event that the label has worn off follow the following suggestions:

Pour down the drain.  If a product is water-soluble (meaning you can mix it with water) you can flush it down a toilet or pour it down the kitchen drain with running water.  Several water-soluble cleaning products are: liquid laundry detergents, chlorine bleach, liquid fabric softeners, multipurpose cleaners, glass cleaners, disinfectants, carpet cleaners and floor cleaners.

IMPORTANT:  DO NOT MIX TWO OR MORE CLEANING PRODUCTS!!!  We don't want to find your home on the five o'clock news.  Secondly, if you have a septic tank do not use this method of disposal.  Most septic systems are not capable of treating chemical waste.  

Place it in the trash or recycling bin.  If container is not empty please put in a plastic bag as to not contaminate other garbage.  Several products you may want to throw out are: scouring pads, aerosol cans, remoistened towelettes, and fabric softener sheets.  

Last but not least: Take to waste-disposal facility.  Some products are way to hazardous to dispose of any other way other than in a waste-disposal facility.  Such products include: flammable products, crystal drain openers, dry-cleaning fluid, and polishes & waxes that harden on surfaces.

Hope this helps!  Let me know if you have any questions or need additional information.

WHAT'S A GERM? A STORYBOOK TALE

I thought it was cool when a little kid walked by our office and asked us what a germ was?  In trying to explain what a germ was I ended up with more questions (from the little one) than I had answers.  He walked away totally disgusted, and I'm not sure if it was my explanation or the fact that we clean up germs from homes and offices that grossed him out.

In short, a germ is any potentially harmful microorganism that can cause disease.  Germs are really tiny and often times very sneaky in that they may lay on any surface unnoticed.  Three of the most common types of germs are bacteria, viruses, and fungi.  Germs can "attack" plants, animals, and people.  Therefore, it's really important to clean all of our surfaces well in order to avoid getting sick.  I had mentioned that washing his hands often and helping around the house with chores were good ways to avoid picking up any germs. That's were I lost him.  I sure hope I didn't scar him for life.  

5 TIPS TO MAKE CLEANING EASIER DURING BACK TO SCHOOL

As much as I hate to admit it, September is here and its time for kids to start school. With the craziness of buying school supplies, meeting teachers, and working a regular job I thought it would be a good idea to share a few tips that may help keep you sane during this busy time.

1. Make a checklist.  Starting with all of the things that you would like to see cleaned almost immediately.
2. Organize your cleaning supplies in a caddy.  Carry it with you as you travel from room to room.
3. Divide and conquer.  Kids are great helpers (well, sometimes a little bribery is needed) and can help picking up books, toys, xbox games.  They can help move small/light furniture in order to vacuum behind them.
4. Clean from top down.  Dust corners of rooms and work your way down to baseboards.  Dust, cobwebs, and dustbunnies settle downwards, so begin your cleaning by dusting ceiling fans and light fixtures.
5. Focus on one room at a time.  Taking each room a step at a time keeps you focused on the task at hand. 

Happy Cleaning!

MY NEW OBSESSION

Earlier this year I stumbled upon a unique type of plant that by their shear unique appearances caught my eye.  One of them I bought just because it looked like something you’d find on another planet. Tillandsia’s better know as air plants grow without soil or in typical plant containers and are easy to maintain – a huge plus in my book.  Tillandsia’s absorb moisture and nutrients from the air around them through their leaves and not through their roots, which they use as anchors. Why is this important?  We spend about 90% of our time indoors, and improving the quality of air we breathe should be a priority especially for allergy sufferers. Tillandsia’s help clean the air in our homes and offices.  They are one type of plant that function as efficient air detoxifiers removing toxins from the air.

In every room I have placed these plants in there is a tranquility that comes over me when I’m there.  Tillandsia’s with their unique shapes and colors offer a spa-like zen that I absolutely love.  Whether it’s the natural elements (wood, rocks, moss, seashells) I arrange them in or the fact that I relax when I’m home, I can’t get enough of them. They look sophisticated, exotic, and very non-traditional.  

If you would like more information on Tillandsia’s or would like to purchase, send me an email at ldiaz@sweepingdimensions.com.  

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT - The New Pilot B2P

  

When my ingenious assistant, Liliana, gave me a gift – a Pilot B2P (Bottle 2 Pen) pen I was a bit glum wishing it were chocolates or a new Kate Spade bag.  A couple days later, I opened the package and started writing with my new B2P.  I love it!  It just glides on paper.  The stylish design had me looking at the packaging for information.  The B2P is the world’s first pen made of 89.9% recycled plastic water bottles.  The design looks like that of a water bottle even the label wrapping around the middle.  Since plastic is made from oil, using recycled plastic contributes to preserving our natural resources.   Totally winning me over as a now frequent buyer of the B2P.  On top of that, it is refillable using even less waste.  As for cost, I was surprised to see that they don’t cost any more than any other Pilot pen. For back to school or anytime during the year grab a stack in different colors.  You’ll not only find, as I did, that they not only write well you’re also helping our environment.  

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.