Spring Cleaning Tips

I received an email yesterday from Maid Brigade asking me to post some green spring cleaning tips to the blog. While I do not endorse specific companies and have not personally used the Maid Brigade services, the tips really are good and don't require purchase, so here they are (well, the ones that have to do with going green).

1. Get rid of baggage. Try on clothes that are not worn frequently. Get rid of anything that does not look good, fit or hasn't been worn in a while. Donate these clothes, give them to a friend, turn them into rags, or sell them for some extra cash.
2. Chill out. Clear the top of the refrigerator.  Piled up cereal boxes and kitchenware prevents heat from venting properly and causes the fridge to use extra energy. Cleaning the coils on the back of the fridge and the grill underneath will also reduce the energy the fridge needs to work properly.
3. What's cooking? To clean oven surfaces, coat them in a paste of water and baking or washing soda and let stand overnight. Then, scrub off the paste while wearing gloves.
4. Let the sun shine in. When reorganizing a home office, library, or other rooms where studying or reading takes place, set up desks, chairs and tables by a window that receives ample natural sunlight. This will reduce the need to turn on overhead lights.
5. Smell the roses.  Avoid air fresheners. An open box of baking soda removes odors. Cedar blocks or sachets of dried flowers and herbs provide gentle scents, but avoid any potpourri that lists unspecified "fragrance" on the label.
6. Spin cycle. To remove stains from clothing (especially salt-stained winter wear), soak fabrics in water mixed with borax, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide, washing soda, or white vinegar for a natural approach.

About Maid Brigade

Maid Brigade cares about the health of today's families. With more than 25 years of experience, the professional home cleaning company is the national leader in green cleaning practices and has a longstanding legacy of offering the latest in maid services and technologies. Maid Brigade is the first and only Green Clean Certified® cleaning services franchise that implements a certification program for green house cleaning so customers know that they're getting a green cleaning that is safe and truly green. For information on Maid Brigade or for more cleaning and healthy living tips visit www.maidbrigade.com, www.greencleancertified.com/greentv or http://blog.maidbrigade.com.