Category Archives: Environmentally-Friendly

At Green Clean Maid Services, we’re not only interested in ways to make our professional house cleaning in Kansas City and Johnson County more eco-friendly, but also how to make our homes more environmentally-friendly as well, including products that have a smaller and less toxic impact on the earth. In this way we can protect both our family’s health and the health of our planet.

Real Simple magazine features ways to make your home more eco-friendly. The March web version of the magazine showcases “Energy-saving changes that will lower your bills and prove that you can live green without sacrificing style or comfort.”

The article features the homeowners who founded Low Impact Living, a site that helps consumers make greener choices.

Check out the article to learn about room-by-room changes you can make in your home beyond just eco-friendly professional house cleaning and green cleaning products, such as:

• Recycled, re-used and re-purposed furnishings
• Less or non-toxic furnishings, including furniture and rugs
• Energy-efficient electronics and appliances
• Energy efficient retrofits, such as insulation, curtains and ceiling fans
• Water-saving devices, including water aerators, low-flow toilets and a recirculating water pump to deliver hot water instantly
• Less toxic finishes and low-VOC paints

We hope you find some tips to try to make your home cleaner and greener.

It seems like seasonal allergies have hit the Kansas City and Overland Park area pretty hard this year, especially with our crazy weather!

We all know the big seasonal allergy triggers in the Kansas City area – mold, pollen, dander and ozone are all common culprits when it comes to sneezes and sniffles. Fortunately, while we can’t professionally clean all the air in Overland Park, we can help professionally clean your home to help reduce allergens and help relieve your allergies.

Here are a few tips from Olathe’s professional house cleaners to help reduce allergens in your home.

1. Go green. One of the best things about using natural and eco-friendly house cleaning products is that they don’t contain harsh additives that can harm your home’s air quality. Be aware that chemicals and fragrances within conventional cleaners can actually make your allergies worse.
2. Vacuum. Vacuum regularly with a vacuum that had a HEPA filter.
3. Reduce clutter. Dust and dust mites accumulate in piles of clutter. Reduce your clutter to reduce the allergens.
4. Get rid of mold. Mold can cause all kinds of illness and allergies. Make sure that damp areas, such as your bathroom, kitchen, faucets, underneath sinks and basement area are free of mold and mildew. Remember to clean your shower curtain. Read the label – you may be able to simply toss it in the washing machine on delicate.
5. Wash your sheets. Wash your sheets weekly in hot water to kill dust mites.
6. Clean outside entryways. Sweep your front steps, paths into your home and the patio/deck area on a regular basis to reduce the dust and pollen that people track into the house. Better still, also remove your shoes when you come inside to reduce pollution that can be tracked in.
7. Don’t shampoo carpets. Shampooing oftentimes leave residual moisture in the carpets. The leftover moisture can cause mold or increased dust mites.
8. Use a damp cloth and mop when cleaning. This traps and collects allergens rather than just spreading them around in the air.
9. Keep the air dry. Use a dehumidifier to reduce dampness, and clean it once a week.
10. Keep pets out of the bedroom. Protect yourself from dander by not letting your pets sleep in your bed.

We hope that these professional house cleaning tips for homes in Olathe, Overland Park and Kansas City will help keep your sneezing and sniffling to a minimum this Spring!

Call Camille at (913) 207-8677 if your home is in need of serious spring cleaning. We’ll help kick the allergens to the curb so that you can start breathing easy!

Oh my Kansas City! Summertime is already speeding by like a sunscreen greased kiddo on a waterslide!

But frankly, with all this rain and crazy weather, we’re only just now getting the backyard in shape for three months of cook-outs, weenie roasts, backyard bashes and drinks on the patio! We’re bringing our A-game this year, and want to share some tips for how you can get your home in A+ Green Clean shape for the long, hot and fun-filled summer ahead.

It is time to shine it up indoors and out, and keep those expensive grills, deck furniture and lawn tools in shape for many fun seasons to come.

Here are our Kansas City Summertime Top 3 Summer Cleaning To-Dos

#1 Cleaning the Grill

Well, this is Kansas City! Cleaning that BBQ grill has got to be #1 on the list, right?

Start by removing all the racks and cleaning them with hot soapy water. This is easier if you soak them first. I have some big plastic storage tubs that I use for this, since the oversized racks don’t fit in my sink.

Use white vinegar or a cleaning detergent (check your user’s manual for the manufacturer’s recommendations) to remove all that old grease. I sometimes use a paste of baking soda and hot water and/or lemon juice to scrub away stubborn grease. Wipe down the inside of your grill too.

Use a stiff bristle brush to give the rack a thorough scrubbing before and after each use. My hubby, Master of the Grill at our house, recommends coating the grill rack with cooking oil before cooking in order to keep the grill clean. It seasons the racks and makes them easier to clean with a brush after cooking.

#2 Patio Furniture You Can Actually Sit On

Oh dear, nothing worse than extending an impromptu invitation for a drink on your patio, only to realize that your picnic table is covered in bird poop and dirt!

The Green Clean way is to wash your patio furniture with a solution of half white vinegar and half water (you can even add a few drops of dish soap).  Let everything dry in the sunshine and invite the neighbors over for a beer!

#3 Improve Your Outlook

So, as it turns out, it isn’t actually overcast everyday! My windows just needed a little wipe down!

Summer is the time to clean the windows inside and outside! Clean all the accessory parts too… wipe dust of the blinds, vacuum the curtains and wipe spider webs and dirt off the shutters. That makes everything a little brighter!

A Quick Summertime Cleaning Quiz… Is Green Clean right for you?

• Would you rather hit the pool than clean the toilet?
• Would you rather head down to the lake instead of mopping the kitchen floor?
• Have your kids been playing overtime in the sandbox (and tracking sand inside and out!)?

If you answered “YES” to any of these questions, it is time to call Camille at 913-207-8677 and schedule your summertime cleaning. Make memories while we do the chores!