About How We Clean
&
What We Use
We think you have a right to know what we use to clean your home.
Unlike other services, we don't hide what we're using in unlabeled bottles. It comes back to the Golden Rule; if you were spraying stuff in our kitchen, we'd certainly like to know what it was. That's why we tell you up front what we use.
Other services worry that if their clients know what cleaning products they're using, their clients will just go out and buy those products and do the work themselves. But everyone knows cleaning is hard work, even if you're using the best cleaning products.
Other services also worry about educating their competition. "If we tell everyone our secrets, they'll do it themselves. They might even open their own cleaning service!" But operating a cleaning service is difficult, even if you know what products to use.
So, we call, "Shenanigans!" These are the facts:
Other services worry that if their clients know what cleaning products they're using, their clients will just go out and buy those products and do the work themselves. But everyone knows cleaning is hard work, even if you're using the best cleaning products.
Other services also worry about educating their competition. "If we tell everyone our secrets, they'll do it themselves. They might even open their own cleaning service!" But operating a cleaning service is difficult, even if you know what products to use.
So, we call, "Shenanigans!" These are the facts:
- Most cleaning companies use harsh chemical products a lot because those make the job easier--even though they can damage your fixtures, harm the environment, and cause respiratory problems. We work extra-hard so we can still do a great job without using cleaning products we don't trust, and that's why our clients hire us, again and again.
- Not everyone is willing to work as hard as we do, which is why there aren't hundreds of cleaning services around.
We're not afraid.
We're not afraid to tell you exactly what we use to clean your home. We use the gentlest products we can, the safest we can find that still do the job--water, for instance.
Chemists call water "the universal solvent," and we use it wherever we can. Take glass and mirrors. Ammonia is what most people use, but it can be bad for allergy sufferers, so we don't use it at all. Instead, we use good-quality microfiber cloths and plain water to leave glass and mirrors squeaky-clean and streak-free. Used properly, plain old water is a miracle cleaner, especially when it's hot. When needed, we can use steam to clean and sanitize all sorts of things: floors, bathrooms, upholstery, stoves, and more.
When we do use commercial cleaning solutions, we favor organic cleaners with natural ingredients, Earth-friendly products that are allergy-and-asthma-friendly and cruelty-free (never tested on animals). Brands like Mrs. Meyers Clean Day and Method, and simple, traditional cleaners like baking soda, vinegar, and Castile soap.
Chemists call water "the universal solvent," and we use it wherever we can. Take glass and mirrors. Ammonia is what most people use, but it can be bad for allergy sufferers, so we don't use it at all. Instead, we use good-quality microfiber cloths and plain water to leave glass and mirrors squeaky-clean and streak-free. Used properly, plain old water is a miracle cleaner, especially when it's hot. When needed, we can use steam to clean and sanitize all sorts of things: floors, bathrooms, upholstery, stoves, and more.
When we do use commercial cleaning solutions, we favor organic cleaners with natural ingredients, Earth-friendly products that are allergy-and-asthma-friendly and cruelty-free (never tested on animals). Brands like Mrs. Meyers Clean Day and Method, and simple, traditional cleaners like baking soda, vinegar, and Castile soap.
MethodWe use Method All-Purpose Cleaner every day. It contains no bleach, ammonia, phosphates, or phthalates, uses safe fragrances and colorants, and is never tested on animals. It's more expensive than other products, but we think it's worth it.
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SteamSteam is an amazing cleaner. Non-toxic, no harsh chemicals, no fumes. Steam cleaning is great for the environment and for you. It takes a little more elbow grease, but it's tough on the greasiest, grimiest gunk a household can dish out.
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MicrofiberMicrofiber does a great job on glass, mirrors, stainless steel, and more--and it doesn't end up in the landfill like paper towels do. We use the highest-quality cloths, washed daily, with separate colors for bath, for kitchen, and for everywhere else.
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Other Things We Use
While the much of our cleaning is accomplished with the above three things, sometimes stronger chemical help is required. In the rare instance where we must use something harsh, we're careful about what we use, where we use it, and how we use it.
Used commonly:
Used sometimes:
Used occasionally, only as needed and with mindfulness of safety:
- Isopropyl Alcohol -- Disinfectant, biodegradeable, cruelty-free, EWG rating: B
- Baking soda -- Mildly abrasive cleaner, cruelty-free EWG rating: A
- Method All-Purpose Cleaner -- general purpose cleaner, biodegradeable, cruelty-free, EWG Green Certified, C
- "Magic" erasers -- Mildly abrasive cleaner, great on super-hard, non-glossy surfaces, EWG rating: B
- Method Dish Soap -- general purpose cleaner, biodegradable, cruelty-free, EWG Green Certified, D
- Dawn Dishwashing Liquid, Original -- general purpose cleaner, biodegradable, phosphate free, EWG rating: D
- White vinegar, 5% -- Cleaner and disinfectant, 99.9% effective against bacteria, biodegradeable, cruelty-free, EWG rating: A
Used sometimes:
- OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover, Free -- Dye, perfume, and chlorine free, biodegradeable, EWG rating: B
- Hydrogen peroxide -- disinfectant, biodegradeable, cruelty-free, EWG rating: B
- Pledge Furniture Spray, Lemon Clean -- EWG rating: C
- Mrs. Meyers Multi-Purpose Everyday Cleaner -- biodegradeable, cruelty-free, EWG rating: C
Used occasionally, only as needed and with mindfulness of safety:
- Barkeeper's Friend Cleanser & Polish -- Limited-use, cruelty-free, EWG rating: F
- Barkeeper's Friend Soft Cleanser -- Limited-use, cruelty-free, EWG rating: F
- Bleach Gel Pen -- Limited use as a sink and shower stain remover, EWG rating: D
- Easy-Off Professional Fume-Free Oven Cleaner -- Limited use, EWG rating: F
We understand the concerns of allergy and asthma sufferers.
We deal with those things, too, and
we won't knowingly compromise our safety--or yours.
We deal with those things, too, and
we won't knowingly compromise our safety--or yours.
