Almost every bottle in the cleaning products section now claims to be environmentally friendly, biodegradable, paraben free or just ‘green.’ You may want to cut down the levels of toxic chemicals used to clean your home for health reasons or to address your environmental beliefs. But how do you know what product claims are genuine, and which ones are clever marketing phrases that skirt around the real picture?
What to avoid
The most important issues associated with household cleaners include:Health concerns — strong chemicals give a product cleaning power, but may also increase potential health risks. Always read the instructions to avoid over-exposure that may cause respiratory problems or skin irritation. Keep chemicals out of reach of children.
Ingredient disclosure — Ingredient lists rarely contain information about the percent composition of different ingredients. In addition, some disclosed ingredients are generic eg. ‘fragrance’ – making it impossible to tell whether it contains the chemical you or your child is allergic to.
Environmental concerns — Cleaning products are typically washed down the drain to be processed by sewage treatment systems and then discharged into surface waters. Some widely used cleaning agents (like alkylphenol ethoxylate surfactants) bio-degrade into persistent compounds that may pose ecological risks. Over two-thirds of the streams sampled by the US Geological Survey have detectable concentrations of persistent detergent metabolites (as well as disinfectants) that originated in cleaning products.
Waste reduction — Most cleaning products are now packaged in plastic bottles that can be recycled. However, many consumers dispose of these bottles as trash, adding to their community’s solid waste management challenges.
What to look for:
Look past the marketing slogans on the packaging and look for one of these logos, which show an independent organization has investigated the product’s ingredients, manufacturing process and disposal process and has deemed it to Each organization has a product finder on its website so you can check which products available to you are up to standard, and read information on the findings.
EcoLogo – Founded in 1988 by the Governmentof Canada but now recognized world- wide, EcoLogo is North America’s oldest and most widely known environmental leadership standard. EcoLogo contains 120 environmental standards and almost 7,000 certified products.
Greenseal – Green Seal standards provide leadership criteria for the development of many products, from home cleaning products to paints. Certification guarantees that products perform as well as conventional products. Ingredients are biodegradable and do not contain phthalates, heavy metals, or optical brighteners.
The Good Guide – Rates products and companies on their health, environmental and social performance. The 0 to 10 rating system is easy to follow, and you can search for products that match your priorities including fragrance-free, climate change, animal welfare and health.
Leaping Bunny – The Coalition for Consumer Informationon Cosmetics (CCIC) administers this cruelty-free standard. The internationally recognized Leaping Bunny logo appears on personal care and household products. They assure that no new animal testing is used in any phase of product development by the company, its laboratories, or it’s suppliers.
Make your own cleaning products
The best way to be sure that your products are not harmful to your family or your environment is to make your own!
• Check out our posts on using vinegar and baking soda around the house.
• For more ideas on homemade green cleaning products check out this printable recipe sheet from the David Suzuki Foundation.
It’s allergy season again – take these five simple steps to help rid your home of the allergens that cause your itchy, watery eyes, dripping nose and itchy skin.
1. Remove plants from your home
If you have a mold allergy, you’ll need to find a new home for your potted plants. If you can’t bear to lose them, spread fine gravel over the dirt to help contain the mold (the kind used in aquariums is ideal).
2. Flooring
Hardwood or laminate flooring is ideal as it does not trap the dust that can build up to cause your allergy symptoms. If you can’t go as far as changing your carpets, shampoo and steam clean them at the beginning and end of every pollen season and vacuum weekly with a vacuum cleaner that has a small particle or high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Don’t forget the above steps for any area rugs and mats!
3. Furniture and curtains
Vacuum and steam-clean your soft furnishings like couches and chair cushions. Wash curtains regularly and wipe down horizontal blinds. In the long-term, consider replacing upholstered furniture with wood or plastic, and make sure all the curtains and blinds in your home are machine washable.
4. Windows
Prevent condensation turning into mold and mildew by installing extractor fans into bathrooms and kitchens. Every week, wipe window frames with vinegar to clean mold away and prevent it re-forming. Keep the windows closed during pollen season – you will have to rely on air conditioning during the hottest times. Consider installing a small air filter if you find pollen still gets into your home.
5. Bed and bedding
Use dust-mite-proof covers on pillows, mattresses and box springs. Wash sheets, pillowcases and blankets at least once a week in hot water (at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit/ 54 degrees Celsius. Try to choose hypoallergenic bedding made of synthetic materials.
Goldstar Cleaning Services
A Goldstar cleaning team can deep-clean your home in a few hours, making it much easier for you to keep the dust and mold levels down for the rest of the pollen season.
Call 250-423-4029 to arrange an individual quote.
Before hiring a cleaner, consider these questions to make sure you get the right service for your needs.
• What is your realistic budget for cleaning?
What are your expectations from a cleaning service? Ask them if they will draw up a cleaning checklist for your property so that everyone knows what the expectations
are of the cleaner. Remember that weekly or biweekly, smaller cleans are more effective than a big monthly clean.
• Do they carry out a realistic assessment of your requirements?
A professional cleaning company like Goldstar Cleaning Services will always carry out an on site consultation before giving a quote for services, to find out exactly what your expectations are and to give a realistic idea of how long it will take, how many people will be needed and how much it will cost.
• Do they have Worksafe BC coverage?
When you hire someone to work in your home, even casually, you are considered a residential employer and could be liable to pay compensation costs and unpaid premiums if they injure themselves on your property. Established companies like Goldstar Cleaning Services ensure all employees have Worksafe BC coverage, but small operations may not have considered this. Find out more at Worksafe BC.
• Are they bonded and insured?
Do they have liability insurance to cover the cost of anything that may be damaged or stolen in your home or workplace?
• How many people will clean your property at a time? Will it be the same team each time? What will happen if one of them is sick or on vacation – will the company organize another person to complete the service?
• How much experience does the company and its employees have? If you have valuable furniture or equipment and unusual materials that will need to be cleaned, do they have experience and training on the best cleaning techniques?
• Always ask for references and follow up on them
• Do they supply all the equipment and cleaning products they will use? Is it important to you for them to use green products? Do you have allergies that they need to factor in?
• What is their cancellation policy?
• Do they have a quality assurance policy? How do you pay them? If you are not happy with the service they provide, can you speak directly to a supervisor?
Your realtor calls – someone wants to look round – in 30 minutes!
Follow Goldstar Cleaning Services’ guide to making your home viewing-ready in just half an hour.
Preparation is key
When your house is on the market, we recommend you create a cleaning kit on each floor, in the kitchen and in each bathroom containing an all purpose spray, microfibre cloths.
Buy a small handheld vacuum (Dyson makes a great one) and keep it in a kitchen cupboard where you can access it easily.
Tell everyone in the household to make their bed EVERY morning
Keep a clean set of hand towels and bath mats for each bathroom, and a towel for the kitchen.
Put an empty basket in every room – if you don’t have space for it on a shelf or in a cupboard, consider buying one with a lid that can sit in the corner.
If you have a pet that sheds hair, put throws on any couches or chairs that they use and buy a lint roller.
30 minute countdown
Step 1: Make your kitchen sparkle!
30:00 Load dishes into the dishwasher. Stack them double if necessary – just get the counters clear! (3 minutes)
27:00 Wipe down the counters and sink, then use a dry cloth to make the sink shine (2 mins)
25:00 Remove all dirty cloths and handtowels and replace the towel with the clean, dry one. (1 minute)
24:00 Wipe down stainless steel appliances (3 minutes)
21:00 Does your garbage smell? Take the bag outside and REMEMBER to take it with you when you leave the house. (1 minute)
Step 2: Beautify the bathroom!
20:00 Hide all the bottles and toothbrushes in the storage basket that you put in the bathroom ahead of time (2 minutes)
18:00 Use your microfibre cloth and cleaning spray to shine all bathroom fixtures. (3 minutes)
15:00 Close the lid on the toilet (30 seconds)
14:30 Remove all dirty towels and bath mats and replace with the clean, dry ones (2 minutes)
Step 3: Hide clutter and wipe away dust!
12:30 Go from room to room and clear any clutter into the storage basket for that room, then store it out of sight. (2 minutes)
10:30 Open the curtains in every room (2 minutes)
08:30 Quickly spray and wipe down coffee tables, tables or shelves. (2 minutes)
06:30 Move dog beds out of the house and take the throws off the couches and chairs, then use the lint roller to remove any remaining fur. (2 minutes)
04:30 Everyone should have made their beds this morning, so you just need to plump the pillows and tighten the corners. (2 minutes)
02:30 Use the portable vacuum on spot areas – don’t worry about vacuuming the whole house. (2 minutes)
00:30 Grab the garbage from by the front door, and find somewhere to relax while your realtor sells your house!
Or – get in the professionals
Goldstar Cleaning Services can do weekly homeseller cleans to make sure that when your realtor calls, your house is already fit for viewing. Call 250-423-4029 or email us for a consultation visit and quote.
Baking soda is non-toxic, environmentally-friendly, cheap and makes an effective all-purpose cleaner around the house.
1. Keep kitchen smells at bay
Keep a box of baking soda in the fridge, freezer or in kitchen cabinets to neutralize bad smells and stop bad odours from forming.
2. Baking soda paste
To remove stubborn stains from most surfaces, use a baking soda paste (3 parts baking soda, one part water). Apply, let stand, then scrub or wipe clean.
This also works for burned-on food at the bottom of pans, at the bottom of your oven or on the barbecue grill – leave the paste overnight and you will find it much easier to wipe away the mess.
3. As a dry shampoo
To quickly clean pets and remove “wet dog” odor, sprinkle with baking soda and brush out their fur.
You can also use baking soda as a dry shampoo on days when you don’t have time to wash your own hair!
4. Remove smells from carpets and rugs
Sprinkle baking soda on the carpet, leave for 15 minutes then vacuum away.
Spilled food on your favourite rug or expensive carpet? Blot the spill away as much as possible, then spread with a baking soda paste (three parts powder, one part water). Leave to dry and vacuum – the stain should be removed and there will be no bad smell. Tough stains may need several applications.
5. Freshen your laundry
Replace half of each measure of laundry detergent with baking soda to keep clothing fresh.
To remove grease stains from clothes, either add baking soda to the wash load or pretreat the stains with a baking soda paste (three parts soda, one part water).
Reduce the amount of chemicals in your and save some pennies by keeping inexpensive white distilled vinegar in your cleaning closet.
1. Use it neat as an all-purpose, deodorizing and naturally anti-bacterial cleaner.
Pour into a spray bottle to use on work surfaces, chopping boards and sinks.
To wash no-wax floors, add ½ cup of white distilled vinegar to a half-gallon of warm water.
2. Add baking soda for maximum cleaning power.
Sprinkle baking soda on tough grimy spots before spraying with vinegar and wiping with a cloth. The fizzing of the soda reacting with the vinegar helps soften the dirt.
Pour ½ cup of baking soda down a clogged drain, then add 1 cup of white vinegar – close the plughole and leave for 5 minutes, then turn on the hot tap for 30 seconds to clear the drain. Stubborn blockages may need more than one application, but it works!
3. A streak-less cleaner for glasses, windows and mirrors
Pour ½-1 cup white vinegar into the bottom of the dishwasher to banish white streaks from your glasses.
Window cleaning with vinegar will make your windows gleam and will not leave the usual film or streaks on the glass. Mix equal parts of white distilled vinegar and warm water. Dry with a soft cloth.
4. Clean the microwave
Boil a solution of 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar and 1 cup of water for 3 minutes in the microwave. Will loosen cooked-on food and deodorize.
5. Kill weeds
Many municipalities – including Fernie – have now banned the use of cosmetic pesticides in backyards and gardens. To stop weeds growing, spray white distilled vinegar full strength on tops of weeds. Reapply on any new growth until plants have starved.
Share your tips!
What is your favourite green cleaning tip? Post them at the Goldstar Cleaning Services Facebook page.
Goldstar Cleaning Services often sees the long-term problems when a newly built or renovated home doesn’t align with the amount of time, money and effort the home owner wants to spend on cleaning and maintenance.
Here are Goldstar’s five tips on making sure your new build or renovated home meets your cleaning and maintenance expectations.
1. Choose easy-to-clean materials for high traffic areas
When choosing materials for your new home, consider the amount of maintenance and cleaning they will need.
Will they stand up to the level of wear and tear your household will put on them?
Tip: Dark floors highlight even the thinnest layer of dirt and also show scrapes and scratches more clearly than light flooring.
Tip: Glass shower screens show up soapy hand prints – so use a shower curtain unless you will wipe down the glass every time you shower, and in a kids’ bathroom.
Glass also shows up limescale build up in areas of hard water, such as Fernie, Sparwood, Elkford and Cranbrook.
2. Plan storage for easy access to cleaning supplies
Tip: Make sure there is storage on every floor and in each kitchen and bathroom for a basket of cleaning supplies.
Tip: Where will you store recycling in your new home? Ensure it is large enough for your family, and that you can easily sort plastic and glass.
3. Choose a layout that will assist cleaning
Tip: If you have several floors, install a central vac system and save lugging a vacuum cleaner up and down the stairs.
Tip: If you have children, pets or an outdoors lifestyle, create an easy-to-clean mudroom next to the main entrance to prevent dirt being trampled through the house, with access to water, clean towels and boot and glove dryers.
Tip: An en suite bathroom for each guest room may sound luxurious – but have you considered the level of cleaning they will require versus the use they get?
4. Have a monthly and annual maintenance plan
Talk to your architect or designer about how much time and money you want to spend on maintaining and cleaning your new home, so they can choose materials and a layout to suit your budget and needs.
5. Schedule a post-construction clean
A Goldstar Cleaning crew typically spends 20-25 man hours cleaning an average 2000 square ft, four-bedroom, three-bath home after a major construction or renovation project.
Avoid spending your first days in your new home vacuuming, peeling stickers off windows and doors and wiping drywall mud off floors, and negotiate a post- construction clean when you hire your building contractor, or consider hiring an experienced cleaning services company like Goldstar Cleaning.
You can also ask your contractor to keep the construction site clean throughout the build, which will help minimize the mess left at the end.
How Goldstar Cleaning can help you
Contact us [EMAIL LINK] to find out more about Goldstar Cleaning Services’ post-construction and residential cleaning services [LINK TO RESIDENTIAL PAGE].
By Jill Barclay, Goldstar Cleaning Services
Goldstar Cleaning Services is regularly called into private rental homes by landlords or tenants – these are our tips for how you can save yourself a cleaning fee, get your damage deposit back and ensure your rental is ready for the next tenants.
Start preparing from day one
• If you can keep the house clean throughout your tenancy, it will save you a lot of hassle when you decide to leave. Draw up a schedule with your roommates and make sure all the high-traffic areas are cleaned weekly.
• Take photos of every room before you move in, and arrange for a walk-through with your landlord. Make a note of any existing damage so you don’t get blamed for it.
• Take steps to prevent mess – put mats down in the entranceway and create storage for outdoor shoes. Put tin foil in the bottom of the oven and use foil stove element guards. Use stacks of plastic crates to separate recycling as you create it, and remember to put the garbage out every week for collection.
When you leave – don’t forget these cleaning tasks
• Clean inside the cupboards and drawers – especially in the kitchen and bathrooms
• Check the walls, baseboards and doors in high traffic areas for fingerprints, scuffs and stains and wipe them down. Don’t forget the staircase!
• We’re always amazed how many people forget to clean the inside of the fridge!
• Clean inside the microwave. If it is caked with food, put a wet cloth or a mug of water inside and microwave it for 15 seconds – it will soften up and make it easier to wipe down.
• Remove all your belongings, garbage, leftover food and recycling – if you don’t want it, your landlord definitely doesn’t want it.
• Mountain towns often have very hard water so unless you have wiped down the shower stall and bath tiles after every use, there will be a build up of limescale in the bathroom. Use CLR cleaner to remove it.
If all else fails – get in the professionals
Goldstar Cleaning Services offers move out cleaning services to tenants and landlords – our experienced cleaning team will deep-clean every inch of your property.
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Almost every bottle in the cleaning products section now claims to be environmentally friendly, biodegradable, paraben free or just ‘green.’ You may want to cut down the levels of toxic chemicals used to clean your home for health reasons or to address your environmental beliefs. But how do you know what product claims are genuine, and which ones are clever marketing phrases that skirt around the real picture?
EcoLogo – Founded in 1988 by the Governmentof Canada but now recognized world- wide, EcoLogo is North America’s oldest and most widely known environmental leadership standard. EcoLogo contains 120 environmental standards and almost 7,000 certified products.
Greenseal – Green Seal standards provide leadership criteria for the development of many products, from home cleaning products to paints. Certification guarantees that products perform as well as conventional products. Ingredients are biodegradable and do not contain phthalates, heavy metals, or optical brighteners.
The Good Guide – Rates products and companies on their health, environmental and social performance. The 0 to 10 rating system is easy to follow, and you can search for products that match your priorities including fragrance-free, climate change, animal welfare and health.
Leaping Bunny – The Coalition for Consumer Informationon Cosmetics (CCIC) administers this cruelty-free standard. The internationally recognized Leaping Bunny logo appears on personal care and household products. They assure that no new animal testing is used in any phase of product development by the company, its laboratories, or it’s suppliers.
Make your own cleaning products
The best way to be sure that your products are not harmful to your family or your environment is to make your own!
• Check out our posts on using vinegar and baking soda around the house.
• For more ideas on homemade green cleaning products check out this printable recipe sheet from the David Suzuki Foundation.