Perfect Clean Home

Most of us go to the store on a regular basis to buy groceries, clothes and other items. We have to go back and replace what we own because they either wear out or we run out of them. When we arrive home we have to make room to put these new things. This may mean moving around some things. It may mean throwing out a few items. We may even have to give away or sell some things to make room for the new things.

It is not always easy to get rid of some things. There are items we want to hold on to. There are things which give us good feelings and we have certain memories when we see them. There are things we feel we need to keep which gives us a sense of security. However, if we continue to hold on to everything, we will run out of room and something will have to go.

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There is a show on television which highlights certain people who can't let go of things. These people collect items which may have meaning to them or may make them feel secure but, in the end, too much of these things make them sick. We all have to clean out the things in our lives on a regular basis. Whether it is items for the house or the things we hold in our heart and minds.

Ephesians 4:31-32 "Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you."

If we don't remove the things in our hearts and minds that are not pleasing to God, we won't be able to do His will. If we don't make an intentional effort to get rid of the bad things and make room for the good things, we will soon find out we aren't doing what God wants us to do at all. We will become focused on the things or the world rather than living for God.

Right now, we need to look at the things we are doing and saying so we can be sure we are living as God wants us to. We may have begun to slack in doing what we should do on a regular basis to stay healthy. We may have created a habit where we spend too much time or money on a certain habit. We may have taken up with individuals who aren't living for God and began to live the lifestyle they are living.

Whatever the reason, we need to make room for the right things in our lives. God only knows what things we need to have in our life. We need to go to Him daily asking Him what we should remove in our lives and allow Him to replace it with what is on His list for us to do. We can't keep living the way we want and expect to be successful doing what God wants us to do.

It's time we made room in our lives for the things of God. It's time we took inventory of what we do, where we go, what we say and who we associate with to determine what we need to get rid of. It's time we went to God and asked Him to help us be strong and do as He wants us to do. We need to make room for the things of God and be ready when He calls us to take action for Him so we can make a difference.

James 1:21 "So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls."

Make Room

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Along with a business plan, a mission statement is an important tool that will capture the spirit of your business. A mission statement helps to clarify the goals and objectives of your company. In just a sentence or two, the mission statement for your cleaning business will set your business goals, your underlying philosophy, and what special benefits you have to offer to your customers. A good mission statement will reflect that special niche that your cleaning business is catering to and provide a long-range vision for you to build on.

Following is a sample mission statement:

Cleaning

"ABC Cleaning Company is committed to delivering the exact services our commercial cleaning customers want, listening closely to their expectations, taking a pro-active approach in defining their needs, and building the best partnering relationship possible. We are also committed to acting with honesty and integrity at all times in all aspects of our business, to being professional in doing our job, and to delivering a consistent, high level quality of work."

A well thought out mission statement will take more than just a few minutes to develop - it takes careful thought and planning. Spending time developing those few sentences that define your business can be just as valuable as the final statement. Going through the process of evaluating your cleaning business, and then defining your customers and your services will help you to look at your cleaning business from your customers' perspective. Don't get bogged down with technical jargon. Focus on defining your company's strengths and why those strengths benefit your customers.

When you are ready to begin, sit down in an area with no distractions. To come up with the statements that will sum up what your cleaning business is all about, consider the following:

- What specific need does your business satisfy?

- What are the principles and values that guide you in the everyday operation of your business?

- Who are your customers?

- What level of service will you provide?

- What image would you like your business to portray to your customers?

To write an effective mission statement, sit down with those who are closest to your business and jot down notes to answer the above questions. Look at mission statements from other businesses and start brainstorming. Once you have a couple of key ideas draft those thoughts into complete sentences.

Once you have formalized your mission statement use it in your promotional materials. The statement will be a quick and easy way for your customers and potential customers to learn about your cleaning business. Keep your mission statement visible and live up to it everyday. This will show your employees and customers that you practice what you preach.

Copyright 2006 The Janitorial Store

Does Your Cleaning Business Have a Mission Statement?

Steve Hanson is co-founder of TheJanitorialStore.com, an online community for owners of cleaning companies. Sign up for Trash Talk:Tip of the Week at http://www.TheJanitorialStore.com Read success stories at http://www.cleaning-success.com

If you were to poll people, asking which housekeeping chore they liked least, what do you think it would be? What is your least favorite household chore? For me - and for a lot of others - it is cleaning the bathroom. Yuk! I use it every day; the germs in there belong only to my family, and yet I detest cleaning it! I know, however, that I cannot avoid it forever, so I make a plan to do it as quickly as I can. Let me tell you, then, step by step, how I clean the bathroom.

First, you need a bucket or some sort of container to hold and carry all the bathroom cleaning supplies: soap scum and mildew remover; surface cleaner; window cleaner; toilet bowl cleaner; rags; paper towels; sponges; scrub brushes; and floor cleaner. You certainly don't want to prolong the task by searching for supplies midway through! You might also want to create a checklist for yourself if that will help your efficiency.

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The second step requires you to enter into that frightening room itself. But you are still doing prep work. Take out all dirty clothes, towels, and rugs. Put everything that is out of place back into place. I sometimes play a game with myself. I will put the towels or the rugs into the washing machine, and try to get the bathroom cleaned before the washing cycle ends.

For me, cleaning the shower is the most time consuming. Thus, I usually clean it first - because I know that once that is done, it is downhill from there. There are quite a few products that are made specifically to clean a shower. Now, if the soap scum in the shower is really bad, you should allow the cleaner to soak for a time before you start scrubbing it. While you are waiting for the cleaner to "soften" the scum, make use of the time by cleaning the shower curtain or the shower door and track. Once you have cleaned these, return to the shower and scrub away. To finish up the shower, rinse it really well with water to get rid of any other loose dirt and chemicals.

Pat yourself on the back! You've completed the hardest part. From there, since you are feeling good, I would go directly to the toilet.

Squirt some toilet bowl cleaner inside of the toilet and let it soak. Next, clean the lid on the tank. The order of the next two steps is up to you, depending on how much soaking the toilet bowl needs. Use a brush to clean the inside of the toilet bowl. Use disinfectant to wipe the toilet seat, the rim of the bowl and both sides of the lid. Then use the disinfectant to clean the base of the toilet. Yes, it is Yucky, but you need to reach around to the back to get the whole base.

Next, clean the sink including the faucets. Any product meant to clean bathroom or kitchen surfaces is fine for cleaning the sink. Also clean any counter tops and the pedestal part of a pedestal sink.

Next step is the mirrors. Use a glass cleaner and a dust free rag to clean these. You could also use soapy water and a squeegee.

The last things to do in the bathroom are to mop the floor, empty the garbage, and put down a fresh rug, and hang clean towels.

Clean a Bathroom, Step-by-Step

Penelope Pettikrew is known as the Speed Cleaning Queen. She has spent over 25 years optimizing her cleaning methods so that she could spend less time cleaning and more time with her daughter and husband. In her latest book, "Speed Cleaning Secrets Revealed," she shares her techniques for getting the maximum amount of cleaning done in a minimum amount of time. If you would like more tips on cleaning a bathroom, please visit SpeedCleaningCentre.com

Housekeeping is one of the departments in the hotel that has the most bulk expenses and consumable items. Items like bathroom amenities such as shampoo, conditioner, body lotion or moisturizer, eau de cologne, facial soap and body soap; bath towel, hand towel, face towel, bath mat, bathrobe, rubber mat; bed sheet, pillow, pillow case, throw pillow, neck pillow, mattress pad, blanket, duvet/ duvet insert, bed cover; toilet paper, facial tissue; coffee maker, coffee sachet, sugar condiments; ironing board, flat iron; alarm clock; cooking utensils, crockery's and cutlery; give away toothbrush and toothpaste; printing materials, stationery, envelope, note pad, ball pen, folder, telephone directory, Bible or Holy Qur'an can have a substantial impact in the hotel's overall expenses.

These are variable assets that when consumed, damaged, lost or become sub-standard are being discarded or removed from circulation, Once removed from circulation or consumed, the same quantities must be replenished or replaced with additional mark-up in order to maintain the high standard or quality of service in the hotel.

Housekeeping

Fixed assets like the room's furniture and fixtures such as beds, fridges, television sets, mirrors, sofas, easy chairs, reclining chairs, tables, telephones, lamps, headboards, air-conditioning/heating equipment etc. can be very costly when damaged or become sub-standard. These items are usually included in the Capital Expenditure Budget especially when refurbishment is required. But if its only one or two pieces, this amount can be allocated in the operating budget.

For the machine and equipment, Housekeeper's cart and vacuum cleaners are the most important tool used in the overall cleaning and maintenance of the hotel guestrooms and public areas. Machines like carpet shampoo and water extraction machine, rotary machine for carpet shampoo, floor scrubber and floor polishing, wet and dry vacuum cleaner. hydraulic lift etc. are additional heavy duty machines that help in the overall cleaning requirements of the hotel. These too are included in the Capital Expenditure Budget.

For Laundry area there will be the laundry machine, washer, dryer, dry cleaning machine, laundry folding machine/ calendar, tables, carts, laundry sorter boxes, movable clothes hanger rails, guest laundry printer etc. are Capital Expenditure items, while detergent, bleach, stain remover, dry cleaning fluid, ph level water treatment solution etc. goes to the operational budget.

Listing all the detailed items involved in preparation of budget gives you an idea how intricate housekeeping budget preparation is.quote>

With the above numerous items, the consumable or fast moving items are the most important items in the preparation of budget. The consumable items are included in the operational budget. The fixed asset items are included in the Capital Expenditure Budget or CAPEX.

Operational Budget is being prepared annually and submitted to the Director of Finance for further study and to finalize the total amount in coordination with the department head. Operational Budget is always based on the next year's forecasted occupancy percentage. For example:

Item: toilet roll @ .50/roll

2008 consumption @ 50% occupancy = 50,000 @ .50 =,000.00

2009 forecasted occupancy percentage is 75%

75%- 50% = 25% ( 25% of 50,000 =12,500)

(50% + 25%= 75%) = ( ,000.00 +,500.00 = @37,500.00)

Remaining items are calculated in the same manner till all the items required are included in the next year's budget.

Capital Expenditure Budget is for specific items or project that needs to be replaced, made and built in the improvement of guest service or the hotel itself. For example:

The hotel management with the approval of the owner of the hotel would like to extend the Laundry service to non-hotel guest or outside customer. The project will be a "Laundry Shop", therefore a quotation will be required from the contractor for the cost of building the Laundry Shop, the additional guest/customer laundry bag, laundry and dry cleaning list, and additional manpower for customer service etc. To sum up the amount of Construction of laundry shop = ,000.00; additional laundry bags and lists = ,000.00 and additional manpower = ,000.00 annually.

The ,000.00 will be included in the Capital Expenditure while the additional laundry bags/lists and manpower will be added in the operational and staffing budget.

Therefore, the operational budget is for the consumable items and Capital Expenditure is for special project or items that are costly. There are also certain items being shared by the Front Office and Housekeeping. The charges on these items are being split between the two departments. When it comes to Maintenance, Engineering Department charges the Housekeeping for any services rendered like maintenance of the machine wherein they have to supply machine parts and labor, so these are being coordinated with Engineering. It is important that housekeeping machines are handled with care to avoid such charges.

Monitoring the Operational budget is the most crucial part in the operation of business. With the modern technology and the computer software, daily updated total expenses against budgeted amount are made possible and easy to trace in order not to exceed the budgeted amount. Every end of the month, the Accounting Department distributes copies of last month's budget outcome to the General Manager and the Department Heads in order for them to review and analyze where their budget is in line and where it is not. General Manager will require the department head that have exceeded their budget a reasonable report since he is accountable to the corporation as well as the owner of the hotel.

How to Prepare a Housekeeping Budget

Did you find this article informative? If you did then check this address: http://wwwhotelhousekeeping.blogspot.com/

In a competitive market, every little edge you can give yourself is important. One of the least used techniques is the thank-you letter, and yet it is one of the most powerful.

Think about it for a moment. Your business receives a lovely letter from a customer thanking you and your team for wonderful service. How do you feel? What do you do with the letter?

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Chances are, if you are like most managers, the letter makes you feel great, you get energised and feel happy. You may go and share the letter with your admin staff members or read it out to your team. Sometimes you put the letters into a folder to show prospective customers, pin them up on the staff noticeboard or even use them as a testimonial... all from a simple letter that someone took the time to write.

Now consider, how many people have seen the name of the person writing the letter? How many employees now feel positively towards the letter writer? What is the chance that the person who wrote the letter will get much warmer service from your team the next time they visit? When they do, will the letter writer feel even better about your business?

Now imagine you were the letter writer. Writing a thank you letter has three great benefits - it makes you, as a writer, feel fantastic. It makes the person receiving it feel great and it has positive flow-on effects for your business and your team in your business.

Psychologists have studied this virtuous circle, and have found that the positives keep increasing provided nothing enters into the loop to stop it.

Are you convinced that saying thank you is a good thing for your business? If you want to start a Thank You campaign, where do you start?

Thank you letters can be sent to suppliers who give great service, loyal customers, team members who go above and beyond the call of duty, candidates who applied for vacancies with your team - there is always someone who has done something nice for your business, or touched your business in a positive way.

So what are the three main rules for how to write a thank you letter?

Keep it:

Fresh - Write it within 48 hours of the event

Specific - Include details of why specifically what the person did that was brilliant. We have all had the "You've done well" sort of notes and they are not as motivating as notes that say "I truly appreciate that you took the time to learn more about our company and to spend time with us in an interview. I know interviews can be nerve racking, yet you presented confidently and warmly. I particularly liked your response to xyz question - it was well thought out."

Sincere - If you don't mean it - don't say it. Be honest and sincere in your thanks.

A few other tips:

• Always proof your letter before you send it. Typos or spelling errors can detract from your message.

• There is also some debate about handwritten vs typed letters. If you are writing to a specific person, then handwritten is a nice touch. Typed letters are better for businesses (or if your handwriting resembled hieroglyphics).

• Remember to match the medium to the message. By that, I mean a tasteful card is perfect for individuals, but for businesses, then corporate printed post-cards or letterhead works well.

• Email your thanks as a last resort. For some reason, email thanks don't seem to generate the same emotional response within people, so the more traditional ink and paper versions will give you the best results.

Yes, I know in our busy lives that writing thank you cards may seem hard to do. The trick is to keep a stack of cards close to hand, and make 15 minutes in your diary once a week to write some thank you cards. Do this, and you will be amazed at the difference those 15 minutes will make to your business.

Business Letters - How to Write a Thank You Letter

Ingrid Cliff is a Brisbane copywriter and the Chief Word Wizard of Heart Harmony - her writing services studio that helps put your business into words. Visit her website for a free copy of " Copywriting Secrets: Seven Secrets of Compelling Copy and Powerful Words".

Glass top stoves are far easier to clean than your typical range with all those nooks and crannies. However, when cleaning glass cooktops, you will still need to worry about how to clean up streaks and how to clean stains. Sugar syrup, water rings, melted plastic, caked on stains, baked on stains and copper stains on glass stove tops can be a hassle. But before you give up on cleaning tough stains, try some of these tips.

The best way to prevent persistent stains on a glass cooktop is to clean it regularly. Regular cleaning of a glass or ceramic stove is pretty basic. Simply turn off the glass top stove and wait for it to cool. Then, using a clean dishtowel and a little bit of water and mild dish detergent, wipe down the entire stove. The key is to use a clean dishtowel, as the dirty dish towel you use to wipe your pots and pans will leave residue. You'll also want to make sure to take off your diamond ring or turn it outwards to avoid scratching your cooktop.

Cleaning

Another method is to use a mixture of baking soda and warm water. For very persistent stains, spray your cooktop with white distilled vinegar and then sprinkle a sponge with baking soda. Scrub away, rinse and dry. This is an excellent way to remove grease.

If you get a copper stain on your cooktop, apply a little bit of Bar Keepers Friend and scrub it with a plastic scrubber. It's very important to not use something like steel wool, as this can scratch the surface.

If you get an aluminum stain from a piece of foil left on your stovetop, soak two paper towels in a mixture of 1 part bleach and 1 part water. Let the paper towels sit on top of the aluminum stain for an hour. Wipe clean and reapply a cleaning conditioner.

For spills on hot elements, wipe them up immediately before they get caked on. Wait until the burner cools a bit so you don't burn yourself then promptly wipe it up.

For caked on stains, use a single sided razor blade. Keep the flat side in contact with the glass cooktop to avoid scratching it. You should only be scraping away the stain. Wedge it beneath as if you were trying to flip a very stuck pancake.

The best way, of course, is to use the commercial cleaner that comes with your stove. All glass cook tops are a little bit different. You can find the best glass and ceramic oven cleaner for your model by referring to the manual. Stock up! You'll need it for as long as you have a glass stove top.

For mineral deposits (white streaks and splotches), use the commercial cleaner. You will usually get these deposits because your water is very hard. You may be able to avoid this by using distilled water when mixing the abovementioned cleaning solutions. But the commercial cleaner will likely work best.

Cleaning Tough Stains on a Glass Cooktop

Gretta Wallace is a homemaker and proud owner of a glass cooktop. She maintains a blog of quick, easy, effective and green cleaning tips called The Cleaning Frenzy Blog where she also discusses how to clean a glass cooktop.

Carpet stains are most difficult to get rid of when it has settled into the fiber for a long time. Stains can damage a carpet; they can also promote the wreaking of various odors and the spread of all sorts of germs and bacteria that can prove to be harmful if not taken care of in good time and in proper ways. However, these stains are not far from being easily removed and you can do this just by using regular household items. Learn how to clean a carpet with these following liquids and you can save money from buying super expensive cleaning solutions.

Water

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When it comes to fresh carpet stains, water is still the best solution. With warm or even hot water and a few paper towels or rags, this is the best way to clean up a carpet stain on a budget. However, this is only best if you clean up a new spill and not something that has been in the carpet for a long time (long enough to attract all sorts of bacteria and form odors). So after a new spill, warm water and paper towels is best to absorb and get rid of any liquids and small debris.

Ammonia

Another effective solution to stains is the ammonia. Here is how to clean carpet stains with the chemical. You will need to mix a tablespoon of the stuff with a half-cup of water first because ammonia alone can be very harsh and damaging to any carpet. Blot the mixture onto the stain and leave it there for a couple of minutes. Then, use a sponge and clean water to blot that area again and you will notice that the stain will now be absorbed into the sponge as it was loosened by the ammonia.

Vinegar

Vinegar has another use that has nothing to do with food: carpet cleaning. Here's how to clean carpet stains with this condiment. Again, this should not be used in its pure form and it is highly recommended that you use white vinegar. Mix a third of a cup of the vinegar with a two-thirds cup of water. Then blot it on the area where the stain is (this is especially helpful with beer stains that give off an odor). Then use a sponge and some water to blot that area again to absorb the stain and liquid off the carpet.

Rubbing Alcohol

Here's one household item that you can actually use in its pure form. Rubbing alcohol is especially useful in removing stubborn and sticky stains such as ink. It will help remove the stickiness from the ink so that it can be wiped off easily. Rubbing alcohol can also be used to remove blood stains as well but perhaps a little water will be needed to help remove it further.

Carpet cleaning emergencies can be solved by these simple household liquid items. This is a great way on how to clean carpet stains minus the hassle of going to the department store and wasting time as a spill sets into your rug.

How to Clean Carpet Stains Using Household Liquids

Get the best carpet cleaning tip and more secrets on how to clean carpet dirt with household liquids!

Assisted Living and Nursing Homes are two terms often used interchangeably, however this is a mistake. The two are actually very different, and a candidate for one is not a candidate for the other. The following are some differences between the two:

Assisted Living Facilities:

Housekeeping

o Individuals in assisted living are more independent and can usually get through most of the day by themselves. They only need general help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, grooming and preparing food.

o Candidates still enjoy social activities with other people and make autonomous decisions about their day. Someone who belongs in an assisted living facility would be downright miserable in a nursing home.

o These living facilities require limited to no medical care. An ideal assisted living facility candidate would be in good health both mentally and physically.

o These facilities focus on personal privacy and self-sufficiency more so than a nursing home. Residents are able to maintain their independence in a more secure atmosphere.

o These facilities offer their clients a comfortable apartment that is luxurious and comfortable. Meals and light housekeeping are available.

o Assisted living facilities offer mature adults an alternative with care when needed and would prefer not to manage their large house anymore.

Nursing Homes:

o Those in nursing homes need a great deal more care. They usually require 24-hour nursing supervision and are generally not in good health. Nursing homes are equipped to handle patients who are not mentally or physically well.

o Nursing home patients require help with much more than three or more daily tasks - such as walking or being pushed in wheel chairs, eating, and regular medical tests.

o A nursing home is a place for someone who is unable to be cared for at home, but is not a candidate for hospital care. Although, some nursing homes are set up like hospitals to meet state requirements.

o Nursing homes also provide rehabilitation to help people gain back their independence after a serious health problem, i.e. a stroke or fall.

o Similar to hospitals, nursing home patients have little to no privacy and quite often share rooms.

o Nursing home clients are viewed as patients, not clients. They are there for the sole purpose to get well. If you or your parent is well, a nursing home would not be the ideal place. Perhaps you should investigate an assisted living facility near you.

Assisted Living Vs Nursing Homes

Assisted Living New York

http://LakeShoreLI.com/

The Lake Shore Assisted Living Facility, located on beautiful Lake Ronkonkoma in Long Island, New York has been providing seniors with assisted living care, delicious dining, friendly services and award-winning recreational programs for many years.

Submitted by Stacey at NewSunSEO, Inc.
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When applying for any job, your resume is the tool that qualifies you for the position and gets you an interview. Most resume templates you find in books or on the internet focus on business employment. So how do you write a resume for housekeeper employment that looks professional and includes all the information you need the hiring employer to know about you and your qualifications? Do not worry - you can write a professional resume for housekeeper employment by following these easy tips.

Write a Great Objective Statement

Housekeeping

The objective statement at the top of your resume is a brief, one-sentence statement that summarizes what you want, what you have to offer, and how you can benefit the hiring company. A professional objective statement sets the tone for your resume. For example, "To secure contract employment as a housekeeper where I can use my industry expertise and exceptional attention to detail to improve the quality of my client's surroundings."

Include Relevant Job Experience

When listing job experience, make sure you include all relevant skills used or acquired with each job. List each housekeeping position you have held (if any), and then list each job that required skills related to housekeeping. For example, a secretarial position might not seem relevant, but the organizational and multi-tasking skills you demonstrated in the position are essential to employment as a housekeeper. List the relevant skills under each job position. As a rule of thumb, do not include more than four or five jobs.

Highlight Other Qualifications

If your job experience does not support employment as a housekeeper, include a section on your resume that lists other qualifications. Have you been a homemaker for twelve years? Do you make your own cleaning solutions? Do you run a household of six children? Include any special skills or situations that relate to the housekeeper role and make you stand out as an exceptional candidate.

Resume For Housekeeper Employment - Tips For Writing a Professional Resume

Janet Payne wants to help you write a professional resume that gets you the job of your choice. Click Here to learn more about how to write a great resume.

Soft and absorbent cotton cleaning cloths are still great for projects such as polishing but get your hands on some microfiber cleaning cloths and you may put the cotton aside.

Microfiber cloths are made from a product you thought you left behind in the 70's, polyester (and nylon). This cloth is the wonder cleaning product of 21st century!

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Why?

Soft and resilient microfiber can hold up to seven times it's weight in water and absorbs oil wonderfully! Also it's unique properties make it ideal for cleaning glass items as it leaves no streaks behind.

Microfiber is a great product to use if you would like to have a green more natural home especially when it comes to your cleaning products.

Unless you need to disinfect a surface with microfiber cloths you don't need a potentially toxic cleaning solution. Perfect when combined with just hot water microfiber can clean things like mirrors, windows, walls, and non-food or bathroom counters leaving just nothing but clean behind.

Some of the different microfiber cleaning tools you can find are...

1. Mop heads

2. Dusting cloths

3. Window cleaning cloths

4. Scrubbing cloths

5. Furniture cleaning cloths

Some tips to keep in mind when working with microfiber cleaning cloths:

As with most things you get what you pay for. If it looks cheap it probably is. The more plush towels with more and finer fiber heads are what to look for.

When using to clean rinse in hot water, wring it dry and then wipe what you are cleaning.

Don't use bleach or fabric softener when washing your microfiber cloths.

Wash your microfiber cloths without other clothing or fabrics. They will attract lint from these items and then you won't have that lint free shine anymore.

Dry them in the dryer (not too high of they will melt). Although I know some people hang them to dry.

Are You Still Using Cotton Cleaning Cloths?

Visit O Quinn on the web at Homemaking Organized and drop by her store The Vintage Homemaker's Shoppe for Household Notes a Housekeeping Planner on CD which includes fill-in form fields.

Product: Antibacterials

Used for: Disinfecting everything you can think of, ranging from kids' toys to toilets.

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Nasty inside: Tricoslan, an endocrine (hormone) disrupter that doesn't break down easily (it kills bacteria and bacteria are often the agents of biodegrading). Excessive use of potent chemical disinfectants to sterilise everything in the home is probably associated with asthma and other autoimmune problems, as an over-clean home leads to a bored, restless immune system that starts reacting to non-threats.

Natural cleaning alternative: Soap and water will do most of the cleaning and kill most of the germs you need to worry about. Vinegar, salt, ultraviolet light (sunshine), boiling water and strong alcohol are other natural disinfectants.

Product: Detergents

Used for: Nearly every sort of cleaner imaginable, mostly because it can work up a grease and grime busting lather in all sorts of water - even hard water - without getting gunky white scum all over everything.

Nasty inside: Phosphate. This is more of a nuisance in the water system, as it breaks down very slowly and allows too much algae to grow in the waterways, leading to environmental problems. Also, detergent in general is harsher on the skin and hair, leading to dry hair (the least of your problems) and cracking, flaking itchy skin.

Natural cleaning alternative: Soap won't form that ghastly scum if it is used alongside a water softener such as washing soda. Alternatively, look out for reduced phosphate or phosphate-free cleaning products such as laundry powder.

Product: Synthetic fragrances

Used for: Air fresheners. Also used in a range of other cleaning products such as those spray on kitchen cleaners and bathroom cleaners because the active ingredients in these products pong. Baby products. Cheap perfumes and cosmetics.

Nasty inside: Toluene, which is a probable asthma and allergy trigger. Synthetic musk, which does all sorts of peculiar things to the hormones if you are exposed to too much of it.

Natural cleaning alternative: Make your own natural cleaners and add essential oils. Open windows to remove pongs. Use essential oils, pot pourri and fresh flowers to scent the air delicately. Don't overuse perfume - just a few dabs on the pulse points will be adequate.

Product: Solvents

Used for: Dry cleaning fluid, spot cleaning treatments. Found in all sorts of common household products.

Nasty inside: This really depends on the solvent in question. There are half a dozen different types (or more) and each has its problems. The chlorinated ones are the worst - one of these can cause permanent brain damage if too much is inhaled.

Natural cleaning alternative: Oddly, mineral turpentine - which isn't exactly natural - is one of the least harmful solvent. Strong alcohol also makes a decent solvent for everyday household cleaning. Don't dry clean clothes or toys unless it is absolutely essential. Eucalyptus oil makes a good spot treatment.

Product: Ammonium compounds

Used for: Floor cleaners, glass cleaners and bathroom cleaners.

Nasty inside: Ammonia gas in itself is pretty awful if inhaled. It is positively lethal if mixed with chlorine. Avoid if you have chlorinated water and never mix ammonia-based cleaners with chlorine based cleaners. However, ammonia breaks down easily and doesn't last long in the environment.

Natural cleaning alternative: For window cleaning, use dilute vinegar. For cleaning floors, use warm soapy water. For cleaning the bathroom, either use baking soda or use vinegar. If you have to use ammonia based products, make sure that the area you are cleaning is well ventilated.

Healthier Alternatives To Commercial Cleaning Products

Nick Vassilev is the director and owner of Anyclean, a successful window cleaning London business established in 1998. His company offers a wide array of window cleaning services to large and small commercial clients throughout Greater London.

The smell of your home is not just a scent its something that can appeal to your guests' hearts. Keeping your home smelling fresh all day as well as keeping it clean is equally important as a clean and fresh home evoke pleasant moods and vibes.

Just imagine living in a house that smells. Nobody wants to live in a house like that. We all long for a house that can be made into a home and one that can make us feel safe and secure.

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So how do they do it? The following are random tips on how to keep your homes fresh all day:

1. Flowers are not just for decorative purposes. They can be also used to liven up one's home as well as to scent it. Choose flowers that can render your room a classic and sophisticated look. Match them with the color, theme and the pieces in your room. For example, if you are techie and your room's full of gadgets, choose multicolored flowers. They are perfect as accents to your not so colorful room and they also evoke long-lasting freshness. Examples are lilies and long-stemmed roses.

2. The location and where you place your flowers are also important. Make sure to place them in a central location so that the scent will exude throughout. Also choose flowers whose scents give off amazing fragrance. For this, you might want to consider eucalyptus.

3. Scented candles can add dramatic fragrance to your homes. Make sure to play with the scents. Mix and match scents to make it more powerful. Induce the feeling of calmness with these fragrances. But be sure to not overuse these scents. Some people may not be able to tolerate strong scents given off by scented candles.

4. Freshen up curtains, linens and their storages by using scented sprays. Lavender and lemon scents can be very appealing. This trick will surely freshen out your home.

5. Also scent your bathrooms using bath oils and fresh petals. These can also be used to decorate bowls and bath tubs. Just wait until the water cools and surely the fragrance will linger and radiate throughout the room.

6. Fill throw pillows and couch with fresh leaves such as lavender or eucalyptus. This will surely release strong fragrance as one sits on this. Nothing's like having to enjoy sitting on your favorite couch and smelling the fresh scents of nature.

7. Place pieces of potpourri in fish bowls in your hallways or in front of your doors. Stimulate more fragrance regularly by adding drops of fresh oils. This is a really nice idea to welcome your guests with an impression.

8. Sprinkle fresh lemon scents on your carpets and rugs before having it cleaned. Carpets are one of the most likely places where the bad smell mostly comes from. So make sure that you properly clean this regularly with an addition of your favorite scent.

9. Use home cleaners applied on wipes and paper towels to dust off your appliances, vases, windows etc. Some home cleaners may be bad for you as these products contain hazardous and toxic chemicals that may cause serious health conditions. Always be sure to use only those natural products which are not only fresh-smelling, they are organic as well.

These products do not even make your hands prunie just like what you get from those chlorine-containing products. Remember that a clean home is a fresh home. So always keep in mind to regularly clean your home and dust them properly. This will not only prevent bad smells but also revive the smell you have been wanting for.

How to Keep You Home Smelling Fresh Everyday

Choosing scents that fits your home is easy if you know the secrets. Discover how you can make and choose scents perfect for your home. Also learn the different organic cleaning products that are very useful to cleaning and freshening up your rooms and janitorial cleaning products that will surely give you peace of mind when it comes to the home cleaning products that you're using.

Human beings need different things to live in this world. However, nothing in this world is available free of cost. Everything has a price and one has to pay the right price to get ones need satisfied. However, we value the things based on our needs and the needs depends on the basis of our value system.

First, there are basic necessities like food, water, air, shelter, and clothing without which survival of the body itself is not possible. However, once these necessities are satisfied, man moves to satisfy his higher needs like the social needs, security needs or the need of self-actualization.

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However, every person does not follow the same path as his path would depend on the inherent values of the person. These inherent values are acquired by the man by virtue of his nature and also by his nurture. The effect of the family, society, nation and individual makes every person unique as he develops a unique set of values. These values decide the priority and lifestyle of the person. The values make the personality of the person and decide the growth of the individual, family, society, nation and the humanity.

1. Individualistic Values

The most inherent value of a person is individualistic which means valuing the self over anything else in the world. This is also the most natural value which is inherent in every animal of the world. The animals live for themselves without much bothering about the other animals. The only exception would be the mother animal which takes care of her child animal till the child grows up sufficiently to support itself.

The modern world has been moving more and more towards individualistic values where the interest of the individual is considered to be the most "right" and needs to be protected over everything else. The individualistic value support freedom as it believes that every person has the right to decide what is good for him.

Every child starts with individualistic values and he wants everything in the world for the self and wants everyone to serve him. When the need of the child is not satisfied, he cries and do everything to get the need satisfied.

2. Family Values

The human specie may be the most powerful specie in the earth but it is also true that human specie is also the weakest specie. A human child does not learn to even walk for one year. If the child of the man is allowed to survive of its own, it just can not survive. The support of family is must for the growth of every human child. It is for this reason that human specie over the year has invented the concept of family that lives like one unit and supports a new born child till it becomes strong enough to support itself.

The concept of family has given rise to the family value where a family is considered to be the basic unit of the society instead of the individual. The family has right and power to control the other member of the family. In a family system, the members of the family divide their work in a way that all members perform complementary functions rather than performing same functions. For example, father earns the livelihood and protects the family being the strongest member of the family. The mother takes care of the family by cooking food, cleaning house and rearing children. The children on their part get these benefits free of cost from their parents but they have the family obligation to provide the same benefits to their children. Thus the family ensures the continuity of the value and tradition of the family.

In the family system, the interest of each member of the family is protected through an unwritten law as love and trust alone govern the management of a family. The parents do not seek any personal benefit when they give something to their children. The children too recognize the contributions made by the parents in building their lives and they not only pass on the same benefits to their own children but also take care of their parents when they grow old.

The entire system of family value is maintained by tradition and trust.

However, when family values are strong, it results in the reduction of individual freedom and decline in the individual values. Every person has to think for the family first and the self as secondary. This often kills the creativity of the man as he is never free to think as an individual.

3. Professional Values

A society is made of not only families which are natural but also by origination which are artificially created to fulfill a specific requirement of the society. The government is one of the most important organizations which had been created to bring order in the society. The government is further divided into different departments like police, revenue, defense etc which are needed to keep the country united and protect it from external aggression. There are many other organizations which are run by private persons or bodies which produce goods and provide service to the people of the nation and the world.

Every person has to join an origination to earn his livelihood and to contribute to the society. These organizations are designed to serve a specialized function of the society and thus need a set of value to keep all members of the organization motivated and united.

Thus man develops a set of values due to his profession. The values of a police official are different than the values of a judge or a politician. Each profession has its own set of values which often contradict the values of another profession. Yet these values are necessary to keep the professionals united and deliver what is expected from them.

4. National Values

The world today is divided into a number of countries and each country is sovereign and independent. However, in recent years the countries have started behaving like family members as the independence is gradually being replaced by interdependence in the globalize economies. If China is emerging as the manufacturing hub of the world, India has become the outsourcing and out-shoring hub of the world from where the different services are being provided to the world. Arab world is producing oil for the world and USA has taken the leadership role in creation of the knowledge and the Information Technology for the world. Each country is gradually becoming specialist in some specific task and getting the rest of the requirements fulfilled from the other countries of the world.

Thus, just like individuals and families have to compete with and complement each other for their survival in a society, each nation has to compete with and complement with the other countries of the world. In order to make the nation stronger, certain types of values need to be cultivated in their citizen which makes the country not made of millions or billions of individuals or families but like one family.

By virtue of independence, every country develops certain values which keep on evolving with time. The values of a nation represent its tradition, history and experiences of its people since its creation. The values of India and China are many thousands of years old while the values of the newly created nations like USA, Israel, Australia, and Pakistan are quite new.

The national values are often codified in their laws that seek to grant equality and justice to all its citizens. There, is wide diversity in these laws as the requirement of each country is different. The violation of national values is treated criminal acts which are punished by the State. Thus the countries with strong national values enforce their laws very severely as they keep the interest of the country over the interest of the individual.

5. Moral Values

While the legal values of a country or society is documented and enforced, these are insufficient for the smooth functioning of the state. The ideal state is one where the State does not have to enforce any law as the citizens voluntarily follow the laws of the land. However, this rarely happens since all the State laws are drafted by the people who are in power or those who have influence on powerful people. These powerful people ensure that laws are drafted in their favour of few rather than in the favour of the masses. Thus over a period of time, the enforcement of laws creates a class of people who are extremely powerful and rich while the majority population live the life of haplessness and poverty.

However, the disparity and injustice created by law is largely reduced due to the prevalence of the moral values in the society which need not to be codified in the statute books. Yet the moral values are passed on from one generation to another by tradition. For example, the sanctity of the institution of marriage in India has kept the divorce rate to the minimum despite having the provision of divorce in the law books like any other western country. The moral laws are enforced jointly by the society. As every man desires to be loved and respected by the society, the moral values are often more powerful to keep the man on the right path than the legal enforcement.

6. Spiritual Values

All values adopted by men create exclusivity in human beings as these values are different for every society and indeed for every man. The values are thus the source of conflicts in the world as every person or nation believes strongly in their values as right. Yet all these values are non-permanent and transient which changes with time and space. The values of the present generation are not same as the value of the previous generation.

Yet there is some ingredient in all values that never changes. It has remained same in long years of human evolution. These values are eternal as they never change. Therefore, often people call such values as spiritual or divine as it never dies and its origin too is not known.

These are the spiritual values.

The spiritual values are often attributed to God and called divine. The spiritual values include love, compassion, justice, truth etc. It is the nature of the man to imbibe these values irrespective of his religion, race, culture or nationality. These values are so universal that all human beings seem to understand it without being taught.

The spiritual values unite all human beings on this world. It is due to these spiritual values that we want justice and can not see injustice in this world. The feelings of love and compassion cut across all barriers of religion, race and nationalities. The spiritual values can not be eliminated from man and these are universal.

The Conflict of Values

No person can have only one set of values and all human beings are governed by the combination of all values. However, the dominating value in every person is different which arises due to the birth in a particular family, culture, religion or nationality. The values also change with the age of the person as the same person transforms from individual to a family man. When a person grows up and earns his living, he has to work in some profession where his professional values are developed. The national values too get ingrained in the person due to the common value shared by the citizens. However, as the men grow older, they tend to become spiritual and develop spiritual values. Thus all six values are always prevalent in every society that keeps the society moving and united.

Six Types of Human Values

Life is a mystery which can not be explained either by science or by scriptures. Truth has a body and a soul which we call science and religion. Contrary to popular perception, they are not opposed to each other but complement each other like body and soul. In fact, they can not exist without each other.

I am the founding member of The Science of Soul Foundation in India which works for the synthesis of the diverse disciplines of knowledge like science, religion, philosophy and arts. The website of the foundation is http://www.scienceofsoul.com

I am working for the creation of a synthesis between science and religion through my articles. I believe that everyone can understand this Truth by the use of intuition and reason. You can contact me at aksinghirs [a] yahoo.com if you wish to know more about the mystery which we call life.

1. Bug's Life - The Real Picture of Bed Bugs

Cartoon makers and animated movies make them like cute little creatures. Thus we find amusing bugs images in modern day kids' books, comic magazines, and commercials with characters imitating human attributes. But to most adults, bed bugs appear nasty because of the known trouble they bring.

Housekeeping

2. The Real picture

Bed bugs are so tiny which could be mistaken as ticks and cockroaches because of their physical appearance. They are as small as 1/4 inch in size, with flat oval shape and wingless. They belong to the insect specie Cimicidae and specifically classified in entomology as the "Cimes Lectularius."

Under naked eyes, they look just like tiny apple seeds. One cannot see the real image of bed bugs without an aid of a magnifying tool. To be able to study its external anatomy, it must done through a low powered microscope. Bed bugs appearance and color is similar to young cockroach minus the wings and the long hind legs. Its is reddish brown in color. Tiny hairs running across their backs form stripes. The bed bug's armor are translucent especially those of the young ones. Like other insects, their body support is the armor itself, meaning they have no bones. Their body is shaped as flat and oval. They grow to a size of about 5mm or .039 inch. Its size and shape enables them to hide in intricate crevices of beds and furnitures and dark places around the house.

Just by looking at them, it would appear that they are tiny innocent and harmless creatures. But if we will closely examine their lifestyle, it will be found that they employ a very smart system of feeding, traveling and reproducing.

2. Feeding

Bed bugs are nocturnal insects who sleep by day and active at night time. They are attracted to human body temperature and carbon dioxide it exhales. They attack their victims at the time they are fast asleep which is about 4 am or an hour before dawn. These pests have two hollow tubes as their mouth which pierces the skin of their host. One of the tubes injects saliva with anticoagulants and anesthetics. The other one is used to suck blood. The anesthetic substance keeps them feeding unnoticed until they are full. They do this for several minutes. When they are done, the itchiness could only be felt after an hour and swelling of skin could happen.

3. Traveling

Bed Bugs travel with humans as they migrate from one place to another. They travel in their luggage, beddings, in the furnitures that get transported. Experts even propose that Bed Bugs followed humanity from the age of the cavemen to civilization. They cannot fly nor jump but they are sure good crawlers. If one may find a nesting ground, they scamper away like ants upon a sense of vibration and appearance of light. They go on top of a bed or furniture by crawling through the crevices of walls and ceilings then fall down. That is why to catch them, it is best to do it by waking up slowly at an hour before dawn then make use of a flashlight to beam on their suspected hiding place in the mattresses, beddings, chairs and sofas or places that people used to rest and stay.

4. Reproducing

Bed bugs multiply very productively. Its eggs are almost invisible to the naked eye. So minuscule and light weight they can be carried by dusts and wind. It is resilient that it can hatch itself without the aid of its mother after about 10 days. Bed Bugs can get pregnant 500 times in its lifetime. It can fertilize 300 eggs in one pregnancy then lay them at about 5 eggs per day. This is the reason why female pregnant bed bugs get enlarged than the male counterparts.

Pictures of bed bugs show that their external armor protects them from environmental hazards and pesticides. Only a few chemicals are effective in killing them. The most effective was the DDT that almost eradicated their species in the United States in the 1950s. However, due to health hazard concern to humans they were banned in the 60s.

5. There are two ways to control bed bugs infestation. Chemical and non-chemical methods

Chemical Methods

Two popular forms are the inorganic diatomaceous earth and the silica aerogel. They are desiccants placed in their hiding places to dehydrate the bugs. The chemicals are safe for humans and domestic animals. Pyrethroids are liquid insecticide chemicals used as repellant to prevent bed bugs from creeping back into possible hiding places.

Non-chemical Method

a) Vacuum Cleaning -daily vacuuming of mattresses, furnitures, beddings and crevices of places where bed bugs hide. Content of the vacuum bag must be burned or disposed of carefully.

b) Steam clean and Hot drying - Steam cleaning and hot drying of beddings, carpets and curtains.

c) Housekeeping - Maintain good housekeeping of hiding places like cabinets, drawers, stockrooms, etc.

5 Great Bed Bug Truths - Know Your Enemy Well

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