(Green) Living With Cleandom

The fast yet non toxic "in-laws" cleanup

2011-10-29T23:06:00.000-07:00

You know the time, when your mo-in-law from back East is visiting your comfy but not-so-super-clean pad or your new daughter-in-law is coming for the first (unannounced) visit … it’s time to clean … fast, furious and in a non toxic way. Just follow these quick tips and you’ll be done in no time.

put away the clutter (even if it means throw it in a basket and hide it in the closet or under your bed), just move from one room to another picking up odd things and items that don’t add up (a left shoe, last week’s Chinese food, etc …)
Have a spray bottle with vinegar/h2o and your fave essential oil handy … you can use it virtually everywhere.
Microfiber cloths save you time, money and sweat, have one damped and one dry as you move through the house
Use the damped microfiber cloth to dust visible places (don’t bother with anything else ‘cause this is just for looks, remember this is supposed to be fast). The microfiber traps all the dust inside the cloth unlike regular terry towels that just push the dirt.
Use you spray bottle from above and spray once on each mirror and wipe it down with the dry cloth
Vacuum main areas, or swiffer where you have hardwood floors (quickly! They are coming)
Use the same bottle and spray lightly the hardwood floor and use a microfiber mop (vinegar, h2o and essential oils will give your floors a nice shine but wont hurt them)
clean the counter tops and inside the microwaves (yup, a lot of in-laws look inside and that’s where they get ya)
While you do all this put your stove burners in the sink with hot water, add vinegar, baking soda and let it work … at the end just rinse it, dry it and put it back … looks brand new (or close)
Put a few more drops of your favorite essential oil in the bottle and spray in the air to get rid of odors.
Welcome your in-laws!

- Lukas

The R R R truth

2011-10-28T16:01:00.000-07:00

Actions speak louder than words and you can start right now by adopting these three simple habits:

REDUCE ... a reusable mug for your morning coffee is a good way to go. Just keep your favorite mug in your car and take it to the coffee shop instead of getting one of those disposable ones. It means less litter and less waste for our beautiful city Long Beach.

REUSE ... "Let's talk bags" ... whenever you shop bring your reusable bags and say NO to plastic or paper bags. Some stores will even give you a credit toward your shopping if you bring your own reusable bag and THAT is a good thing.

RECYCLE ... recycle what you can, bring your recyclables home from your car and you will be a part of something great ... a part of saving our Earth for the next generation. Read the blog about recycling in Long Beach with useful information.

- Lukas

Reviews and Testimonials

2011-10-26T07:59:00.000-07:00

Andrea Y. - Long Beach

01/16/2011 *****

I was looking for a cleaning service for my one bedroom, one bath apartment and was comforted by all the positive reviews I saw for Lukas's company Cleandom so I gave him a try. Lots of useful information on his website and he was extremely prompt getting back to me after I first made contact. Within a few days, he did the walk through and then the next day did the cleaning. I should have taken before and after pictures because I was AMAZED when I came back home. BEAUTIFUL work. Even my disgusting microwave was white as could be again! Best part: my house didn't have any awful chemical smells at all. Lukas is extremely professional and didn't make me feel bad at all about how gross my apartment had become! I'm looking forward to having the services every other week now!

Yelp review here.

(this review has been filtered out from Cleandom page by Yelp)

Erika S. - Long Beach

12/30/10 *****

I'd gotten tired of spending my weekends cleaning. Never thought I would find some one to clean my house given that I have two rather large dogs who are all bark.

I found Cleandom on Yelp, the reviews all raved and their website said they are dog friendly and the bonus is they use green products.

Lukas gave came over and told how much it would be for the spring cleaning. Once that was done we were so pleased that we have set up a bi-weekly cleaning. They now come during the week while we are at work and the dogs and their team are getting along. YAY!

Lukas is very responsive to all emails, he even reminds you that you have a cleaning in the next few days, how's that for service. Lukas is a great guy who has an awesome business. He treats his employees well, great customer service!

I highly recommend Cleandom!

Yelp review here.

(this review has been filtered out from Cleandom page by Yelp)

Vincent O. - Long Beach

12/10/10 *****

After living the life of a bachelor for a few months, I was getting ready for my wife to return home. In honor of her return, I thought I'd spring for a great deep cleaning. After some searching online, I found Cleandom and gave them a shot. I was extremely satisfied.

Lukas came over for a site visit and estimated the cost/time of the cleaning. We scheduled the cleaning for a few days later, and when the cleaners arrived, they were early! A pleasant surprise - when does THAT ever happen?

They cleaned for a good five hours before they were done. Floors, baseboards, dusting, cooking surfaces, desks. Terrific work! They even got a few stains out of the tub that Lukas warned me might permanent! I'm thrilled with their work. Additional bonus - they use green products and my house doesn't smell like lemon pledge!

I'll DEFINITELY use them again.

Yelp review here.

Regina P. - Lakewood

08/05/10 *****

"A smattering of reasons why I think Cleandom is great: They show up promptly on time and on schedule every time. I never have to call and remind them. In fact, Luke sends a confirmation email the night before. Every time, for almost a year. They do a great job cleaning, plus put things back where they belong, instead of leaving a big jumbled mess. They even arrange my daughter's toys neatly, and put my husband's shoes back in the shoe rack, which is GREAT. Today we came home and my daughter's baby dolls were all sitting up on the sofa in a row, which she thought was fabulous.Luke always has a good suggestion for cleaning something I've never thought about . . .like the sliding door track, for example. Luke responds promptly to email, so if you have a question or a schedule change, it's easy to communicate with him.Sometimes they leave a flower or a card - a nice touch, and nice to see after a long day at work.And of course, there is no bleach smell when I get home! I can't tell any difference in the quality of the cleaning, except that there's no chemical smell. The eco-friendly products work just as well as the "regular" ones. It's noticeable that Luke and team take a lot of pride in their work. I plan to keep using Cleandom indefinitely, and if I can figure out how to budget having them come every week (instead of every two weeks), I'm going to do it. Totally worth it!"

Yelp review here

(this review has been filtered out from Cleandom page by Yelp)
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Mike P. - Cypress

07/12/2010 *****

They showed up exactly at the time they said they would and brought all equipment needed. The cleaning went very well and they did a very thorough job, I had a fairly dirty house in a few areas but it all looks great now!

All organic products are used according to what they tell me. Honestly doesn't make much of a difference to me and I wouldn't know the difference so I'm not the best to review this aspect of the service.

They have always arrived on time and been flexible in scheduling. Luke must use 24/7 email access and that was a plus for me.

Yelp review here

(this review has been filtered out from Cleandom page by Yelp)
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Natasha M. - Long Beach

07/06/2010 *****

I have used Cleandom for some of my more difficult and/or time consuming house cleaning needs once and will definitely utilize their services in the future. Lukas and his team were very professional. I was impressed by how well they cleaned all of my windows and mirrors, especially the tracks to the sliding glass door. The dirt was caked on, but they left it looking like new. I appreciated that Lukas checked his team's work once they were done and ensured that I was satisfied. He honored the quote he gave me, so I knew what to expect in terms of price and he was flexible in customizing the services to my needs.

Yelp review here

(this review has been filtered out from Cleandom page by Yelp)
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Martha C. - Long Beach

6/25/10 *****

This is an update to my original review of Cleandom. I've been using the service for more than a year now--which should say something in itself. After one year, I'm convinced that they are truly exceptional, and would recommend them to anyone. Lucas and company are EXTREMELY responsible, and modern in their approach to business. Before each service, I get an email confirmation that they will be here on the appointed date; afterwards, they send another email if they did something different, or noticed that something needs maintenance. On the one-year anniversary of using the service, they did an especially awesome cleaning as a "thank-you for your business." So unexpected, but so appreciated.

Yelp review here
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Melani S. -Long Beach

5/31/10 *****

My husband and I started using Cleandom several months ago to clean our 3 bedroom/2 bath house. From the welcome gift we received when we started service, to the accommodation of our schedule in making our appointments every two weeks, to his polite on time arrival every time, the service couldn't be better. Luke and the same two other people are here every time. Luke always asks if we need anything special done, and is more than happy to help. He and his crew are very pet friendly as well, putting up with our two small dogs and their big voices and greetings. Luke developed a custom checklist of items to be completed as part of our service, and checks to see that everything has been completed when his crew is finished. He only believes in using non-toxic, natural cleaning products which is perfect for us. We love working with him and his crew and can't recommend Cleandom highly enough.

Yelp review here

(this review has been filtered out from Cleandom page by Yelp)
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Stephanie G. - Lakewood

5/19/10 *****

This day and age, everyone is looking for a more natural, organic way of living. Cleandom embodies that idea and applies it to your cleaning service and living environment. Truly, a breath of fresh air...literally.

I am very sensitive to harsh smelling chemicals and cleaners most cleaning services use. I was looking for a cleaning service that would cater to my needs. By that I mean non toxic, environmentally friendly natural cleaners. I used yelp (thanks yelp!) to get the low down on cleaning services. Cleandom can up as one of the highest rated cleaning services in the Long Beach area. And guess what, they use all natural cleaning products that are safe for the environment! Have my dreams come true??

I've been using Cleandom for over six months now and it has really been a pleasant experience. Luke, the owner, has the same two professional workers come to my house every other week. They are always on time, and Luke is always there in the beginning to ask if there is anything specifically I would like greater attention on. The workers are done in an hour and a half (I have a very small two bed one bath house). They are efficient, thorough and friendly. Luke does a final check before leaving. Luke is professional and polite and I would definitely recommend to anyone seeking a non toxic natural cleaning solution. Thanks Cleandom!!

Yelp review here
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Andrea M. - Long Beach

1/19/10 *****

I have been using Cleandom for almost 4 months now. They do a fabulous job cleaning my house! They use all natural products, and I am always amazed how clean and fresh smelling my house is when I get home on the day they clean my house. Before I had my first cleaning, Luke came over and did a walk-through to give me a quote on the cost. I thought that was great because I was able to show him around. It made me feel so much more comfortable when they actually came for the 1st cleaning. I would recommend Cleandom to any one! I am positive you would be happy with the results.

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Vanessa K. - Cypress

12/06/2009 *****

I have been looking for a local cleaning service for some time now. I've contacted a few and either didn't get a reply or they couldn't accommodate my schedule (which isn't complicated at all).

I found the Cleandom website through Yelp and after looking over Luke's website decided to take a chance and contacted him. He responded promptly and I was glad to know that it wasn't a computer generated response but a real person. He was very nice and scheduled a walk through to asses our home.

Scheduling the initial meeting and going through the house was a breeze. Luke was very professional and always arrived on time. I wasn't home during the Initial Deep Cleaning but when I got home I could instantly smell the fresh clean aroma as soon as I walked in the door. There was a card and some goodies he had left for us on the kitchen counter which was unexpected and very nice of him to do.

After going through the house I was so happy to see how clean everything was! There were stubborn stains in the toilet bowl, kitchen sink and bath tub (left by the previous owners) that I have been struggling with for years. Nothing seemed to work on getting them out. Luke and his team were able to get ALL of the stains out and with non-toxic materials!! It gave me piece of mind since we have a small dog who likes to eat everything in sight. My house has never been cleaner and I will definitely continue to use Cleandom for regular cleanings.

Yelp review here

(this review has been filtered out from Cleandom page by Yelp)
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Camara and Michael G. - Long Beach

9/22/2009 ******

Our Family Loves Cleandom. They do such a great job. And the fact that they clean with nontoxic cleaning supplies is a plus! Luke the owner is trust worthy and professional which, these days it's very hard to find. I highly recommend them.

Updated on 08/24/2010 *****

Wow, Cleandom! They do a great job. We had other people clean our place before, and you know how it goes,.....the first time is ok, then it get worse as time goes on. The services that Cleandom provides, keeps going strong. They would clean stuff, i just don't have time to do. Like for example, the top of the ceiling fans ,window seals, patio doors, and window blinds. They even put lemon oil on the faucets to keep them shinny. We had to cut them back temporally when we had the baby, and trust me, I miss them already, because my white blinds are turning gray, gotta love LBC air......lol!

They are also, super professional, responsible and local. It's a must to support your local businesses. And i love the fact that they use non toxic and natural cleaning products. Thank you Cleandom crew, wish you guys the best. :)

Yelp review here

(this review has been filtered out from Cleandom page by Yelp)
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Maggie S. - Bluff Heights

8/10/2009 *****

I was looking to get my apartment cleaned before moving out of town. They were so responsive and accommodating with my work schedule and move-out schedule. Luke and his staff are wonderful and the cleaning job was very good. They even went over the time I paid initially for free! I was very impressed with the cleaning job and they left a wonderful orchid on the counter with a card to thank me for using the service. If I was staying in Long Beach I would continue to use the cleaning service for sure. Affordable. Accommodating. Great experience!

Yelp review here

(this review has been filtered out from Cleandom page by Yelp)

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Megan A. - Lakewood

8/1/2009 *****

Let me start by saying, I have been through MANY housekeepers... way too many. Some are only here once, some I put up with poor service way too long. But finally, I am satisfied with my cleaning service! What a relief! I am VERY sensitive to the smell of cleaning products and am unable to tolerate many kinds of cleaning products in my house. I'm so happy to come home to a clean smelling, but not heavily perfumed/toxic, home now! I hired Cleandom shortly after my baby was born as it became even more important to me to have a non-toxic home. Lukas goes above and beyond to make me happy... and not just in my nit-picky cleaning requests (which he takes care of immediately). He has researched mold for me and earth-friendly ways to keep it at bay in my house, AND he even takes my recycling that I save up for him to Long Beach for me since the city of Lakewood does not recycle, and as a new mom, I don't have time to be lugging it all over town to get rid of it! SO, I would HIGHLY recommend Cleandom. Lukas will work with you on just about anything, AND he'll make your house sparkle.. the good ol' fashioned natural way!

Yelp review here

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Dawn M. - Long Beach

7/21/2009 *****

I started using Cleandom Cleaning Service several months ago for every-other-week cleaning of my 3 bd/2 ba home. I'm thrilled with the result - very clean home that smells fresh but doesn't smell like toxic chemicals. Cleandom specializes in using all natural cleaning products in your home. Lukas, the owner, and his assistant show up on time every time, are very efficient, and do excellent work. Cleandom is a locally owned business (which I prefer to support versus national chains), however Lukas worked for a national chain for a year to get his training so his cleaning method is thorough. He's very responsive to all emails and requests, and provides great service at a reasonable price.

Yelp review HERE

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Ivy S. - Long Beach

8/10/2009 *****

This is an awesome cleaning service. I called them for a cleaning before we moved in, to clear up a house that was pretty dirty from construction, painting, and debris the old owners had left behind. They showed up fifteen minutes early - unheard of for cleaning services, in my experience - and cleaned the place from top to bottom, including areas that *never* get cleaned by services. They even left a checklist explaining each thing that was cleaned, with notes. (We also got an orchid and a card!)

Luke, the owner, is easy to work with *and* he's totally accessible by email; I didn't have to pick up the phone once to schedule this service, which is a real bonus for me.

Even better, Cleandom uses only organic, baby-safe cleaning products - better for the environment, better for my family.

I was entirely pleased, and I signed up for weekly cleaning. I love Cleandom!

Yelp review here

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Martha C. - Bluff Heights

4/9/2009 *****

First, my history with cleaning services: they come for awhile, their service quality tapers off, then they just don't show up or they take your money for four hours' of work when they actually breeze through in an hour and a half. Or it's a team that blasts through, hits the surfaces and scurries off.

And I'm always left wondering: why are you doing this? How hard can it be to just do what you say you're going to do?

Enough of the ranting, because now I've had a really GOOD house cleaning experience. Cleandom is run by a very conscientious young man named Lukas who is all about non-toxic cleaning products. He's local here in Long Beach. He showed up on time to give me a quote after looking at my house (how can a service give you an accurate quote without looking at your house? Two of the companies that quoted me didn't even ask what kind of floors I had). His was the LOWEST quote; the next lowest was 15 dollars higher and the highest quote was more than two times what Cleandom ended up charging me.

Lukas and one assistant arrived absolutely on time, cleaned like crazy and were out of here in five hours, completing a thorough top-to-bottom cleaning. (My house was very dirty; I had gotten behind in the cleaning, which I was doing myself after getting really frustrated with our last service). They did detailed things like taking apart the bathroom light fixtures and cleaning them out. I have two feline shedding machines, but you'd never know it today because there's not a cat hair ANYWHERE (I'm sure they consider that a challenge).

Anyway, I'm hiring him to come every other week, so if things change, I'll revisit Yelp.

Yelp review HERE

Updated on 06/25/2010 *****

This is an update to my original review of Cleandom. I've been using the service for more than a year now--which should say something in itself. After one year, I'm convinced that they are truly exceptional, and would recommend them to anyone.

Lucas and company are EXTREMELY responsible, and modern in their approach to business. Before each service, I get an email confirmation that they will be here on the appointed date; afterwards, they send another email if they did something different, or noticed that something needs maintenance.

On the one-year anniversary of using the service, they did an especially awesome cleaning as a "thank-you for your business." So unexpected, but so appreciated.

Yelp review here
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Julie S. - Belmont Shore

5/16/2009 *****

I don't write reviews BUT this one got me. I was looking for a house cleaning service that doesn't use all the toxic products because I have allergies.

I emailed them and Luke (the owner) got back to me right away, was very polite and came out to give me a free estimate. He said they don't use bleach which I was very happy about.

The cleaning was superb, it took around 4 hours for my 2beds/1bath condo. Afterwards I got an e-mail from the owner asking me if I was happy with the cleaning and offering me a free advice on green living. I thought that was cool. They also have a blog with some interesting stuff but I haven't read everything :o)

Yelp review HERE

(this review has been filtered out from Cleandom page by Yelp)

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Daniel L. - Bluff Heights

5/4/2009 *****

I highly recommend Cleandom if you're looking for high quality, professional, non-toxic, friendly, and dependable housecleaning!!! The owner Luke has superb customer service and he was very knowledgeable on everything regarding non-toxic housecleaning! With my hectic/stressful work schedule, I don't have much time to clean and keep my house maintained. Thanks to Cleandom I don't have to add a dirty house to my list of stressors!

The first time I hired Cleandom, my bathtub/shower was completely filthy and they were able to transform it and make it sparkly clean! They also did an excellent job cleaning the rest of my house with all their non-toxic, aromatherapy products (which is great since I suffer from horrible allergies!) My house smells so nice after they leave (which puts me in a peaceful, relaxing mood) and I can't wait for them to come back!

I have not been satisfied with my previous housekeepers and I was about to give up completely! Then about a year ago I received a flyer for Cleandom and decided to give it a try. Luke wrote about his European background and how he had a friendly, professional housekeeper who took a lot of pride & joy in her housecleaning. This really made a strong impression on him and inspired him to one day run his own housecleaning service and provide the same excellent customer service!

I was skeptical at first but Luke did deliver on all his promises and to this day, he still goes the extra mile for me! I have also recommended him to a lot of my friends & neighbors and they are all completely satisfied with his services! If you are like I was a year ago and about to give up on finding a great housecleaning service, please call Cleandom as a last resort and just try them out! I promise you will not regret that decision and you'll also get a neat bag filled with lots of cool environmentally-friendly cleaning samples on their first visit! Thanks Cleandom!

PS: May 2009 ... I've checked out Cleandom's blog and found a ton of info about recycling centers in Long Beach. Love it!

Yelp review HERE

(this review has been filtered out from Cleandom page by Yelp)

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Rich T. - Culver City

4/29/2009 *****

Luke does thorough job of making your place super clean--and it's all environmentally friendly!

Yelp review HERE
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Recycling in Long Beach

2011-03-23T17:27:00.000-07:00

Recycling in Long Beach is not as hard as one might think. It’s actually pretty easy and simple. I just want to provide some basic know-how about recycling in general and post some information.

The easiest way to recycle in Long Beach is in the Purple Recycling Cart. Make sure you have one and if you don’t then click here and order one.

Things you CAN and should recycle:

Newspapers (obviously, all the LA Times, bring it on)
Cardboard and cardboard boxes (yup those moving boxes, the boxes from your shoes and gifts)
Beverage containers (plastic and glass, from your milk, soda, beer, etc)
Paint cans (they must be empty)
Plastic bags (those you get for your shopping)
Papers (phone books, catalogs, junk mail, regular mail, cereal and juice boxes, shoeboxes, paper towel and toilet paper tubes, paper egg cartons)
Plastic containers (as long as they are marked with numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 on the bottom, and again they must be empty and dry)
Steel and tin Cans and also Aluminum (soda cans, soup and fruit cans, beer, beans, vegetable cans)
Glass jars (from your spaghetti sauce, soup, jelly, peanut butter, marmalade, etc)

Things you CAN NOT and shouldn't recycle:

Pizza boxes and other greasy papers
Paper napkins and towels
Cans with poisonous contents scrap metal
Insecticide and pesticide cans
Aluminum foil
Trash bags
Toys
Fast food containers
Mirrors, pottery, window glass and ceramics, light bulbs and plates

If you are not sure then dont recycle it.

Used Motor Oil and Filter Recycling

Please do recycle after every change. You have two options (don't you just love options :o)
1. Call the city and schedule a FREE pick up. The phone number is (800) RECYCL2 or you can use the online form to schedule a pick up. For other instructions please click here.
2. Drop it off at a collection center. For the collection centers please click here.

Got fluorescent light bulbs? (I bet you do!)
If it's unbroken you can drop it of at any HomeDepot Center
If it's broken (thus dangerous) then check out the HHW (Household Hazardous Waste) Collection Events.

What about recycling Phone Books (they are getting bigger and come more often every year)
If you have the local recycling service just put them in your purple (in Long Beach) cart or drop them off at these locations:

CSULB Recycling Center, 600 Atherton Blvd
Long Beach Conservation Corps, 340 Nieto
Good Earth Recycling, 2005 Bixby Road

Got a business with more than 50 phone books? Just call the Conservation Corps of Long Beach and they will pick them up for free. The phone number is 562-986-1249

If you don't have, for whatever reason, your recycleables picked up you can drop them off at these centers:
General recycling
Cell phone recycling
Battery recycling
Used oil recycling
Miscellaneus recycling

Check out Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: An Easy Household Guide

Questions? Feel free to e-mail me at contact@cleandom.com and make sure to visit www.cleandom.com

Composting

2011-03-07T17:39:00.000-08:00

Composting in Long Beach (and anywhere else too!) is a great way to enrich your garden and help lower the waste that would go to the landfill. Compost is one of the best (if not the best) natural mulches because it is produced by Mother Nature. Roughly 60% of our waste could be used for composting but is not because people are still not aware of the impact and the ways how to compost.

#1 reason Americans don't compost their waste is because they feel the process is complicated, time-consuming or requires special equipment.

It is not complicated
It is not time-consuming
It does not require special equipment
(special equipment may make things easier for you though)

What is compost?
The simplest definiton would be a mixture of decaying organic matter, as from leaves and manure, used to improve soil structure and provide nutrients.

Anybody can compost – if I can do it you can do it too. Bellow is a list of things you may compost as well as a few things you shouldn’t add to your compost. The rule here is: if it’s organic you can (most of the time) put it on your compost pile.

There are two ways to compost

1. Passive composting – this is the easiest way and will suit to people who just want to reduce and reuse their waste. What you do is collect your kitchen scraps, wood chips, dried leaves and so on and put it on your composting pile. It will take a while but eventually everything will decompose and turn into a rich soil.
2. Active composting – means you turn your compost regularly and control what and in what ratio goes into the pile. You aim for the “brown” (carbon-rich materials) and for the “green” (nitrogen-rich materials). Wood chips, dried leaves and basically everything that is dried is carbon-rich and kitchen scraps, grass clippings and coffee ground are nitrogen-rich.

Things you can compost:

Newspapers – shredding them before will speed up the composting process. If you have more then a better option is recycling.
Wood shavings – use only shavings from untreated wood and try to use not too much
Wood ashes – again not too much because wood ashes are alkaline and are high in Potassium. Don’t use coal and charcoal. Coal ashes contain sulfur and iron that can hurt your plants.
Cardboard – tear into small pieces, if you have a lot then recycle
Coffee filters and coffee ground – great for composting and worms love them!
Egg shells – crush them before putting on the pile. They break down slowly but are great addition to your compost
Hair – spread them out
Pine needles and pine cones – if possible shred them because they take a while to break down
Weeds and grass clipping – to avoid smell you can spread them out and let them dry a little and then put them on the pile.
Seaweed – a great material for your compost. Wash off the salt before you put it to your compost
Kitchen waste – corn cobs and cornstalks (the smaller pieces the better), apple cores, banana and carrot peelings, tea bags, melon rinds, egg shells, leftover veggies and fruit. They all are rich in nutrients, thus a great addition to compost.
Manure – one of the best materials for your compost. Manure for composting can come from chickens, sheep, pigs, goats, rabbits, horses, cows, ducks and other vegetarian animals.

Things you should not compost

Meat – it will decompose eventually but it will cause a bad odor and attract animals
Fat, oils, grease and bones
Lime – can kill composting process
Charcoal briquettes
Coal ashes – they contain a large amount of iron and sulfur that can injure your plants
Dog/cat droppings and cat litter – may have disease organisms
Fish bones and scraps – they attract rodents and smell.

The city of Long Beach provides a free composting and smart gardening workshops that are held every third Saturday. For the upcoming workshop click here.

More resources and reading is bellow. Never stop learning.

http://www.leangreenhome.co.uk/category/compost-blog/
Great blog about how to turn your leaves into something rich for your garden
http://www.compost-info-guide.com/
Beginner’s guide to composting
http://www.composters.com/
Composting supplies
http://www.compostmanual.com/
A guide to composting
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composting
Wikipedia resource about composting
http://journeytoforever.org/compost.html
More about composting
http://www.howtocompost.org/
This web site is designed to be a hub for all composting information
http://www.howstuffworks.com/composting.htm/printable
How composting works
http://www.compostguide.com/
Composting guide
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/rrr/composting/index.htm
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
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If you prefer to read a book on composting, check out these ...

Let it Rot!: The Gardener's Guide to Composting
Basic Composting
Easy Composters You Can Build
The Rodale Book of Composting
Composting: An Easy Household Guide
Composting: A Practical Step by Step Guide

September 2010 Promo - non toxic house keeping service

2010-08-21T16:54:00.001-07:00

Hello everybody,

I hope you are having a great summer!

I'm running a promo between September 1 through September 15, 2010. If you book your appointment between these dates your hourly rate will be $25 per hour per person. You can "lock" your appointment for later on in September or October as long as you do it between September 1-15. Please spread the word, spread the eco friendly cleaning, and most importantly spread the LOVE ... because love is what this world needs!

More info on Cleandom can be found on cleandom.com
For testimonials and reviews check out cleandom blog

Cleandom is licensed, insured and bonded and you may contact me at contact@cleandom.com

Have a great rest of the summer.

Thank you,

- Lukas

The Flower Fields in Carlsbad

2010-05-01T19:53:00.001-07:00

If you haven't visited this place you just have to! OK, some of you do not do the flowery thing but this place is not just about flowers (although there are fields and fields of them). It is a place where you can relax, bring your kids for a fun day, take beautiful (some even stunning pictures), listen to calm music, eat really yummy strawberry and just be in the moment ... yeah like really ... stop for a sec and smell the roses (and they do have a rose garden too).

There is more than 50-acre of in 16 different colors. I went there two weeks ago to take some pics but when I got there I was really kinda taken back by the massiveness, the vibrant colors, and relaxing feeling that took over me. The interesting thing is that they only cut about1-2% of the flowers for distribution in the US and Canada and the rest is left to die and then they harvest the bulbs.

For $5 or so you can take a ride on a real tractor through the fields. I didn't, I just walked and walked and walked. There is a pretty cool view overlooking the Pacific Ocean. A lot of professional photographers come here each year to take pictures and you will see them everywhere (in different languages)

The Flower Fields are open daily from 9am until 6pm, from March 1 and running through May 9. Tickets are $10.

My "two cents"

- get there early, when I was leaving the place was packed (I got there right around 9am and you will avoid the super bright sun too)

- bring cash - you can pay with your card but if you want (and you should) to get fresh strawberries and/or a strawberry shortcake you will need cash. The strawberries are amazing and the shortcake is good too (I'm a sucker for everything strawberry)

- got AAA membership card ... bring it and they will give you a discount, $1 but hey that's still a $1

- good shoes, some of the areas are muddy so flip flops wont do

- there is music playing in the background and while you sit down in the rose garden, relaxing and so on you might start thinking about getting one of those CDs because they just sound so right at that moment and place ... that's exactly what I did. They cost $15 each and I'm sure you can find the same exact music online later and cheaper ... it's just not the same to listen to it in the car.

- this might seem obvious but .... bring your camera!

The address: 5704 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad, CA 92008

For more info go to:

http://www.theflowerfields.com/

See the full gallery on posterous

Posted via web from cleandom

The Browning Version

2009-11-03T17:01:00.000-08:00

The play takes place in Mr. And Mrs. Crocket’s school apartment on a July evening at about 6.30PM. From the way the set is staged you can clearly see that the main characters are well educated people of a higher social class. There is a lot of books neatly stacked in bookshelves as well as on Andrew Crocket’s desk. Nice crystal dishes and plates prepared for a dinner. There is a lot of texture on sofas and walls that evokes a feeling of a place that has not changed in years. Lighting created a very intimate atmosphere. Small lamps and a chandelier over the dinning room table added to the picture of Andrew Crocket’s lonely life surrounded by only his books and thoughts. The lights were somehow soft and it helped to divide the stage in sections (the library, the office and the dinning room). There were no sound effects in this play other than the voices of the actors and the sounds they made, which in contrast, did create effects in terms of setting up the mood (when Mrs. Crocket was putting plates on the table while being upset you could clearly hear the sound of plates hitting each other emphasizing her mood). The sound of pouring wine/whiskey made for a pause in between conversations. Costumes were surprisingly good. They were almost like an another character in the play. Mr. Crocket’s suit was (up)tight and well fitted as his attitude, his wife’s costume brought a light into the play (the color was somehow settled - dark blue - but the cut and the way she worked it made the scenes more uplifting). I like the costume that the pupil visiting Mr. Crock was wearing, obviously one or two sizes larger which really made him look school-ish! Acting was fine, fine as a fun, intelligent, nifty, and energetic. I say Bruce French who played Andrew Crocket was amazing, his voice and how he showed the sadness was two thumbs up! Orson Bean, playing Dr. Frobisher was uplifting, funny and somehow likable although he was the bad guy. Sally Smythe as Mrs. Crocket’s wife was funny, flirty and annoying at the same time. Overall impression for me was a great 80 minutes (with no intermission), lovely theater, a touching story and wonderful cast. I left completely satisfied.

The Browning Version is playing at the Pacific Resident Theatre.

Palos Verde Hiking

2009-05-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

Ever feel like you want to get out of the town, forget the world around you and just enjoy some free time? ... yup me too! The problem with that is that most of us don't want to drive too far because we don't have the extra time. I hear you on that! ... you don't have to :o) (but a good long drive on PCH with a bunch of CDs and the windows down is priceless!)

If I need to get some energy, sort out my thoughts/ideas, talk to myself (ideally I don't talk to myself) or just get out I have a few places which are not too far from the city so that way I can leave and come back in a couple of hours if I need to.

One of the places is Palos Verde. My favorite spot is at the Donald Trump Golf Course with spectacular views. You can pick an easy trail or the harder ones (going down the bluff). What I like about these trails is that there are not that many people walking yet you are still close to where you start off. If you have small kids I would not recommend this place unless you supervise them all the time because the cliffs are high.

The easiest way to get there from Long Beach is to take Ocean Blvd west which become highway 47 taking you over the bridges and then you get off on Gaffey street, make a left on Gaffey and go all the way to 25th street. Make a right on 25th and keep going (it's getting real nice at this point) until you reach Ocean Trails Drive where you make a left. There is a public parking area on your left where you can park your car. There are no restrooms along the trails so you better go before.

You can walk, power walk, jog ... I've seen people mountain bike too. That place will give you so much energy! Enjoy.

- Luke

Recycling with Best Buy

2009-02-25T13:15:00.000-08:00

Best Buy now offers electronics recycling at their stores nationwide. From phones to coffeemakers, DVD players to PCs, they accept nearly every electronics product at their stores and will recycle it responsibly.

More ways to recycle. This in-store program does not accept TVs or monitors greater than 32", console TVs, air conditioners, microwaves, dehumidifiers, mini-fridges or major appliances. They have other options to handle these products.

Visit BestBuy.com/recycling to learn more about all of their easy, affordable recycling options.

Reusable Bags

2009-01-12T20:56:00.000-08:00

Choosing a reusable bag

The worldwide annual consumption of disposable plastic bags is somewhere between 500 billion and a trillion - that works out to be around a million bags a minute.

According to Bags On The Run, a manufacturer of reusable bags, The crude oil needed to make 18 plastic bags could drive a car for a mile.

It's been encouraging to see some stores discontinuing disposable shopping bags of their own accord and some cities and states moving towards a disposable bag ban - but that leaves us with another challenge, in a world without disposable shopping bags; what type of reusable bag to buy.

We have some reusable bags made of plastic that weigh as much as a couple of dozen disposable plastic shopping bags and they don't seem to last all that long before looking decidely ratty. I've often wondered if they are doing more harm than good.

While these are recyclable, I always try and remember that Recycle is last of the three R's of going green (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) for good reason - it does take a substantial amount of energy to recycle. Also, I don't even know if the materials used were recycled or "new" plastic. Then there's cotton bags - and cotton takes vast amounts of water to grow. And what about hemp?

The following are various types of what are often referred to as "green" reusable bags and their pros and cons. I'm not recommending any particular solution, just providing the information.

Polypropylene reusable bags

Polypropylene is a form of plastic

Advantages

Can be recycled
Strong and durable
Can be made from recycled materials
Chemical resistant
Very cheap to produce

Disadvantages

Low quality bags made from thin polypropylene do tend to wear out very quickly
Polypropylene is made from oil. However, if the bag is made from recycled polypropylene, it is giving new life to what otherwise may have entered the waste stream

Reusable jute bags

Jute is a plant fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It's often referred to as hessian in products, such as a hessian bag

Advantages

Biodegradable
One of the strongest natural fibers
Relatively cheap to buy
Durable
Jute crops require little water

Disadvantages

Not very resistant to moisture unless chemically treated
Jute may be grown with the use of pesticides
Most jute products are imported (travel miles = greenhouse gases)

Reusable calico bags

Calico is a usually a cotton fabric that's unbleached and not fully processed

Advantages

The lack of bleaching and processing makes it kinder to the environment as less chemicals are used
The fabric relatively cheap to produce
Cotton is very strong and durable

Disadvantages

Not water resistant unless chemically treated
Unless organically grown, cotton requires a huge amount of pesticide
The growing of cotton is very water intensive

Reusable cotton/canvas bags

Advantages

Soft fabric
Durable and strong

Disadvantages

Unless the cotton is grown organically, high levels of pesticides are used
Fully processed cotton required extensive additional treatment
Cotton is a water intensive crop

Reusable hemp bags

The word "hemp" tends to stir up all sorts of association with marijuana. However, in terms of textiles, industrial hemp is a different plant from the same family with very little of the hallucinogenic properties of its cousin. Learn more about hemp.

Advantages

Incredibly strong, durable and rot resistant fiber
The crop can grow in poor soils with little water

Disadvantages

Can be quite expensive due to resistance on the part of governments to allow the crop to be grown domestically, purely due to incorrect associations with marijuana; so most hemp products in the western world are imported. Thankfully, this is slowly starting to change.

General tips for choosing a reusable bag

As you can see from the above, just about all reusable bags have strong benefits, most similar, but usually a few disadvantages as well. After all, there is really nothing we do that doesn't have some sort of negative environmental impact.

Whatever your choice, look for quality as the more bags you have to buy, the bigger the associated environmental impact.

If you do choose fiber over plastic, if you can afford it try to go for organically grown fibres. Also check what sorts of dyes and colorings have been used to make the product as some of these can be quite nasty environmentally speaking.

In the case of reusable plastic bags, ensure the materials can be recycled - that way when your bag has ended its useful life, the materials can be reclaimed instead of heading to landfill where they will take generations to break down. Even better, buy one made from recycled materials.

Additionally, and purely just a personal view - if you buy a "designer" bag, you'll likely pay a ton more. Why spend the extra cash on some pithy saying or brand name slammed on a bag? You could use the money you save to do something really worthwhile. It's just a bag for your shopping folks, we don't need to make a fashion statement every time we walk out the door do we? :)

Michael Bloch
Green Living Tips.com
Green Living Tips is an online resource powered by renewable energy offering a wide variety of earth friendly tips, green guides, advice and environment related news to help consumers and business reduce costs, consumption and environmental impact .

Check for bags at Nubius Organics

The Benefits of Drinking Water for Your Body

2009-01-11T17:43:00.000-08:00

On a hot summer day, or after an intense workout, what do you think is the most refreshing thing to do? Drinking a large glass of ice cold water would be my answer. Doing this is so refreshing, and is such a simple way to immediately feel the healthful benefits of drinking water. As well as there being nothing more refreshing than this, it is also surprisingly healthy for your body. It seems that you can not read a health article or anything today that is not promoting getting your 8 glasses a day. With our bodies being comprised of over 70% water, and water playing a part by controlling virtually every aspect of our health, it is easy to see how there are many benefits of drinking water. The importance of drinking water seeps into every aspect of our health. As well as keeping us hydrated, water is the foundation for our body. Some interesting statistics to keep in mind when thinking about the many benefits of drinking water and staying properly hydrated is that, like mentioned above, overall our bodies are more than 70% water. Our blood is made of more than 80% water, the brain over 75%, and even more amazing is that the liver is about 96% water. Another part of the body that is greatly impacted by water is our nervous system. Our nerves are really like an elaborate system of tiny waterways in our bodies. The function of these waterways is seriously impaired if not fully hydrated. This is only one of the many benefits of drinking water. One area where the importance of drinking water is essential is for our energy levels. Just a 5% decrease in body fluids will cause a 25-30% loss of energy for the normal person. Water is what the liver uses to metabolize fat into energy (hence why it is made of almost 100% water). Amazingly enough, if you lose 15% of body fluids, you are looking death in the eye. Other benefits of drinking water include enhanced digestion and nutrient absorption, skin hydration and detoxification of the impurities in our systems. You know that time period after lunch where you are sluggish and barely able to function? Normally we would assume that this is from our lunch settling in, but perhaps another explanation is that you are not properly hydrated from the time when you woke up, and it is just now catching up to you. When you begin to feel this lull, consider gulping down a few glasses of water and more than likely you will be feeling better in a matter of minutes. As you can probably now see, the importance of drinking water for our health and bodies is of the utmost concern. The benefits of drinking water are numerous and as well as ensuring that you are staying healthy, you will make yourself feel better immediately after having a refreshing glass of water.

Written by Frances Taylor
Courtesy of amazines.com

Long Beach Green Guide

2009-01-10T19:40:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share with all of you the Long Beach Green Guide website which is your one-stop, A-Z resource directory for finding:

·sustainable products
·eco-friendly businesses
·organic foods
·health-promoting services
·activities with a gentle footprint

It has a ton of useful information about everything green and eco-friendly in Long Beach and is updated very often which I LOVE. So if you need to find green companies for your next project, organic food for you dinner party or just want to know when the next farmers market is then head over to the Long Beach Green Guide.

Reusing Bread Bags

2009-01-03T18:58:00.000-08:00

I was going through some of my old stuff recently and found a bundle of photos stored in a bread bag from the bakery we owned when I was a kid - that's well over 20 years ago. It drove home the point just how long these plastics last. The plastic hadn't deteriorated one bit.

I'm not sure if there's been much advancement in the world of bread bags in terms of making them a little more earth friendly; so this is another area that certainly needs some improvement.

Sure, you can go to a bakery and buy full loaves wrapped in paper or make your own bread

Many families would wind up with hundreds of bread bags each year. So what to do them all?

We probably can't keep them out of the waste stream forever, but perhaps they can be used for other purposes that may prevent the use/purchase of another product. Here's some ideas:

- For packing sandwiches
- As packing material when shipping goods
- General storage for small items
- A replacement for freezer bags
- Plastic bag crafts
- A cake icing piping bag
- Handy bags for picking up dog poop
- Liners for a bench top kitchen tidy
- Makeshift gloves
- Punch holes in the bag and use as a seedling tube
- Car travel sick bag
- Car travel rubbish bag
- Seasoning bag; add seasoning and meat and shake

As mentioned, these ideas won't keep the bread bags out of the waste stream, but they might take the place of something you'd otherwise buy for the tasks.

Lowering consumption of anything and everything is something we can all do to reduce our environmental impact. "Repurposing" is one of the 3R's of going green: "Reduce, Reuse (Repurpose) and Recycle! Sometimes it's the simple things we often overlook that give us the best opportunity for contributing to a greener planet.

Have ideas for using bread bags you'd like to contribute? Please add them below!

Michael Bloch
Green Living Tips.com
Green Living Tips is an online resource powered by renewable energy offering a wide variety of earth friendly tips, green guides, advice and environment related news to help consumers and business reduce costs, consumption and environmental impact .

Organic Food and Produce at Local Harvest

2009-01-02T18:46:00.000-08:00

oPhoto courtesy SXC

We all know about the benefits of buying produce and food locally. Not only do we support local farms and small businesses in this practice, but the food generally tastes so much better and often you can get naturally grown produce that is not necessarily certified organic but is grown in the same old-fashioned way. One of the best tools for finding the places and resources for local produce is Local Harvest, the most effective website I have found that connects the consumer with the farmer directly.

The best way to use this website is to find farms in your area and buy directly from them. You can either become a member of a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) group and get a regular monthly share of crop, or just visit the local farm stand on an as needed basis. Typically, a CSA season runs from late spring through early fall, although some farmers still sell greenhouse items into winter.

You can also buy produce and other food through this website. While it is pricey and of course not as sustainable with shipping, the great thing is that you still know exactly where it comes from and how it is grown. Here you have instant access to meat, dairy, eggs, produce, preserves, herbs, seeds, crafts, and deserts from farms across the nation.

You can also search for local restaurants that use local and/or organic produce. While the list is not complete, it is constantly being updated.

I still can't figure out though how they ship you eggs when you buy through the website...

VISIT LOCAL HARVEST

Courtesy of - Eco Babyz

Earth friendly clothes washing

2009-01-01T17:45:00.000-08:00

Washing clothes - lessening laundry environmental impact

The days of the washing board are long gone and while modern appliances have made the chore of clothes washing somewhat easier, they've also encouraged excesses in terms of the amount of water we use, energy we consume and chemicals we release into the environment.

Here's some tips to put an earth friendly edge on your clothes washing and will also help save you money!

Pre-wash treatments

There's all sorts of pre-wash potions to help shift stains. Aside from the toxic nature of the chemicals, they often come in elaborate packaging. A couple of greener and far cheaper alternatives you may wish to try:

- spraying neat vinegar on deodorant and other stains on garments just prior to washing
- apply a paste of baking soda and water onto stains, then wash
- For pre-soaking, try one tablespoon of Borax per gallon of water and allow to soak for 30 minutes.

Cold water

Given the efficiencies of modern washing machines and detergents, hot water is really not required in most cases. We've been washing in cold water for years and have rarely found the need to re-wash anything. By using cold water, you'll save on energy costs involved with heating (and the associated environnmental impact) and help extend the life of your water heater.

Load size and water levels

Resist washing small amounts of clothing. If you do need to wash a small number of items, consider hand-washing as it only takes a few minutes to do or adjust the water levels in your machine appropriately.

Detergents

Laundry detergents tend to contain complex chemical cocktails made up surfactants, builders, bleaches, colorants, optical brighteners, fragrances and solvent ingredients. Many components are synthesized from crude oil and while the brand may claim biodegradability, breakdown can take some time; creating a buildup in waterways. Toxic substances such as carcinogens and other compounds that are deadly to aquatic life can also be produced during the degrading process or through interaction with other chemicals.

Components such as colorants really aren't necessary - they are often just there to make them pleasing to the eye as you pour them out. Fragrances are of particular concern as companies often aren't required to detail what these are comprised of.

Just about every supermarket these days offers "earth friendly" detergents and usually you'll find they are quite a bit cheaper too due to the no-frills, low active chemical approach - yet they can be just as effective.

The "extra cleaning power" you often see advertised for major brands usually means extra of the base chemicals, plus some other nasties thrown in; and the more is better approach really doesn't apply to the average household washing needs - you're just paying more for what is effectively only a byproduct of marketing. When shopping for detergent, compare chemical percentages - even between the earth friendly brands. Less of X ingredient doesn't necessarily mean a poorer wash, but will likely mean less of a toll on the environment and your wallet.

In Australia, there's an estimated 500 million household wash loads consuming 120,000 tonnes of chemicals per year. While the brand we use at home couldn't be called totally green, the lower/lesser chemical formulation has proven effective and safe for our blackwater recycling system. If everyone used a similar brand; annual laundry detergent chemical consumption would plummet to 4,000 tonnes according to the detergent company's web site. That's an incredible 3000% reduction in chemical waste to achieve the same washing results - and at far less cost to the consumer.

Another ingredient to watch for in washing detergents are phosphates. While a naturally occurring substance, if too much phosphate is present in a body of water, it can spark the growth of algal blooms which can then have a suffocating or toxic effect on other aquatic life forms. Phosphate in laundry detergent really isn't necessary, so avoid it altogether if possible.

If you need a bit of extra punch to your wash in terms of bleaching, consider adding a 1/2 cup of lemon juice to the rinse cycle and hang clothes outside to dry. By the way, a teaspoon of lemon juice thrown into your wash can also help your clothes to smell fresher! Other more environmentally friendly alternatives to brightening are a half cup of baking soda thrown into the wash, or half a cup of borax.

Another big issue with detergents is the elaborate packaging and amount of water in the product, so opt for concentrates in recyclable packaging.

There are also "uber-green" laundry detergents available that are entirely plant based - no synthetic chemicals; but expect to pay quite a bit more for those.

Wash cycles

Sometime we wash our clothes for too long - extra energy is used, there's more wear and tear on the equipment (and clothes) and perhaps even extra water is wasted. Experiment with your wash settings, gradually cutting back on the cycle to find the sweet spot.

Greywater collection

Washing machines vary greatly in their water use - anything from 10 gallons per full load for a very efficient front loader to a massive 50 gallons per full load for an older top loading model. Why not try to collect some of this water and put it on your garden? You can simply attach a hose to your water outlet and then pipe it outdoors as long as the run outdoors isn't on a steep incline. To make the job easier, for under a hundred dollars you can pick up a greywater (meaning water from the shower and laundry) diversion valve kit.

Probably the best bet is to contact your local water authority for more information on greywater recycling options if a hose trailing over your laundry floor or out the window doesn't appeal to you.

You can also go the whole hog and have a full gray water recycling system installed along with an irrigation system. We have the next level - a blackwater recycling system; and we absolutely love it. Note: don't use graywater or blackwater on vegetables and vary where you apply the water so that plants aren't overly inundated with nutrients.

Dryers

Here in Australia, the washing line is still very popular, but it seems in many countries people turn first to the electric dryer. These are incredibly electricity intensive, capable of drawing thousands of watts an hour. Reacquaint yourself with your washing line, or if you don't have one, clothes horses are very cheap to buy. Even if you just air dry a few items from each load, every little bit of energy saved counts.

There's certainly nothing quite like the fresh smell of clothes aired outside - unless your city's air is particularly bad of course. The additional benefit of open air drying is that sunlight can help kill some forms of bacteria.

While clothes washing will always likely be an energy and water intensive exercise, by applying some or all of the tips above, you'll be able to greatly reduce the overall environmental impact of the chore; plus wind up with a few more bucks in your pocket for the effort!

If you have some washing tips to share; please add them below!

Michael Bloch
Green Living Tips.com
Green Living Tips is an online resource powered by renewable energy offering a wide variety of earth friendly tips, green guides, advice and environment related news to help consumers and business reduce costs, consumption and environmental impact .

Microfiber Cloths. The soft heaven for cleaning

2008-10-14T16:56:00.000-07:00

Eighteen years ago I was living in the Czech Republic when these commercials started to appear. This magic cloth that cleans everything and they said EVERYTHING. I was excited about that (and yes I was only 9 years old but the sound of a “magic” was all I needed to know that THIS is going to be good!). And it was, well minus the cleaning everything because it cleaned almost everything. The first microfiber cloths were very expensive and hard to get. Always sold out. It was a smashing hit all over Europe. It’s funny but I still remember they always said "do NOT wash with any softeners". And that applies to this day. Just between us … I did wash it with a softener just to see what’s going to happen and maybe just to do it because I wasn’t supposed to :o)

Seems like the hype has finally reached America. I mean in a massive way. I know that microfiber has been around for a long time but in recent years has become more available for customers. Microfiber was first publicized in Sweden in 1991 and instantly became a huge hit across Europe. In 2007 Rubbermaid began a line of microfiber products for the US market.

What is it made of?

Microfiber products used for consumer cleaning are generally constructed from split conjugated fibers of polyester and polyamide. Fabrics made with microfibers are exceptionally soft and hold their shape well.This material can hold up to seven times its weight in water. They are also used for some cleaning applications, because of their exceptional ability to absorb oils.

I like to use microfiber cloths in Cleandom and they are the basic thing you need to clean with. They don’t push dust and dirt around, rather the fine fibers trap the dirt and dust inside so you will not leave dirty trail behind you. You can use them for dusting (dry) just dust as you would with a regular rag and then just shake it off outside or wash it off or for mopping/cleaning (wet). The microfiber uses static electricity to pick up dust and dirt and leaves the surface free of any material.

TIP: I like the medium-large size and I fold it twice and work each side and then unfold it and fold it the other way and repeat the process. Because microfiber can hold as much as 7 times its weight and traps everything you will end up using fewer rags.
And “That’s a good thing”.

My top reasons why I like microfiber (and you should too).

1. reusable, just use it and wash it
2. environmentally friendly, no need to use paper towels (less trash), no need for harsh chemicals (just use water, vinegar)
3. time effective, because they trap all the dust and dirt instead of just pushing it.
4. chemical free material, great option for people with allergies (like me :o)
5. cost effective, you really just need these and they last
6. fun to work with! (and they come in different colors too)

Don’t forget that Microfiber is versatile and you can use it virtually anywhere.

Where to use it

Kitchen: dusting, mopping hardwood floors, tile and linoleum, washing windows, cleaning countertops

Living Room: dusting furniture, cleaning windows, mopping floors, cleaning TV set, cleaning your glasses

Bathroom: cleaning shower, toilet and bath tub, mopping floors, cleaning mirrors and doors
buffing the faucet, tile cleaning

Car: microfiber cloths are great for washing your car, waxing and buffing. They leave no streaks. Always go for the finer count which is the better quality.

Care for your microfiber cloth and it will last you forever
(or at least for a LONG time)
- you don’t have to wash the cloths after every use (dusting), just rinse them off.
- use warm or hot water when washing depending on how dirty the cloths are.
- if possible don’t wash the cloths with terry towels and other material that shed a lot of lint
- there are two things you should NOT do with microfiber:
No Bleach – it will shorten the life of the fibers
No Fabric Softener – it will leave an oil residue that reduce the ability to remove dirt

(Green) Living With Cleandom

The fast yet non toxic "in-laws" cleanup

The R R R truth

Reviews and Testimonials

Andrea Y. - Long Beach

Vincent O. - Long Beach

12/10/10 *****

Regina P. - Lakewood

Mike P. - Cypress

Martha C. - Long Beach

Melani S. -Long Beach

Stephanie G. - Lakewood

Andrea M. - Long Beach

1/19/10 *****

12/06/2009 *****

Maggie S. - Bluff Heights

Ivy S. - Long Beach

Joe S. Long Beach

Martha C. - Bluff Heights

Lowel J. - Belmont Shore

Julie S. - Belmont Shore

Daniel L. - Bluff Heights

Rich T. - Culver City

Recycling in Long Beach

Composting

September 2010 Promo - non toxic house keeping service

The Flower Fields in Carlsbad

The Browning Version

Palos Verde Hiking

Recycling with Best Buy

Reusable Bags

The Benefits of Drinking Water for Your Body

Long Beach Green Guide

Reusing Bread Bags

Organic Food and Produce at Local Harvest

Earth friendly clothes washing

Microfiber Cloths. The soft heaven for cleaning