Author Archives: fdsfg23441drghs433retgsd

WHAT?! No more Looney Tunes?!

Posted on by Posted in General Announcement .

What are they teaching today’s children? How is it that children seem so censored to the real world? What is with this “everyone gets a trophy” business?

I hate to start this ‘back in my day’ conversation because in reality I’m 26 years old and that’s at least a 50-year-old’s reply to change. But, in all honesty, I understand the world is a different place and children can no longer run the streets with a curfew of “be home before the streetlights come on” mentality, but no Bugs Bunny?!

I was talking with a customer while finishing up a house cleaning and she told me that Looney Tunes is no longer a staple in a child’s life. (I cannot tell you how many episodes I’ve seen on a Saturday morning when I was a kid.) She told me that the episodes are considered violent with sexual innuendos and too much smoking for today’s fragile little minds. (Ok, the last part I added in, but you see where I’m going with this.)

Quite the opposite thoughts go through my head when remembering Bugs and Elmer Fudd’s constant feud or Wyl E. Coyote always trying to kill Roadrunner. I think that shows persistence and tenacity. Every week poor Wyl E.’s plan would always backfire on him and he would blow himself up with Acme fireworks or have an enormous bank vault flatten himself, but every week he was ready with a new plan!

Don’t get me wrong, I think it is very important for children to know what is nice and what is not nice, how to interact with people, how to get through this craziness that we adults call life, but I also don’t think they should be coddled into thinking that the world is full of unicorns and rainbows. If you’re little princess is addicted to Sophia the First, then let her watch Sophia, but to rule out an entire generation’s television programming because “it’s not nice” is ridiculous.

My fallback is always, “well, I did it and I’m fine.” Understanding that, yes, there are things that change and better processes to go about making a decision; but I never saw Bugs whack Elmer Fudd in the face with a frying pan, resulting in a flat face that Elmer himself would pop back to normal, and assume I could do that to my sisters and have the same result. I knew right from wrong, reality from fiction.

And who is my age and remembers Tiny Toons?! (“Ducky go down the hole! Elevator go down the hole.”) CLASSIC! and now their toys are sold as novelty gifts, with a statement on the box saying “this is not a toy, this is for novelty use only.

I’m not saying your kids should watch Cops because that’s the real world. I understand you want them to be kids and have an imagination and play and be free, but at the same time if we keep portraying the world as a do-good place filled with nice people who will never be mean or ugly to you, we are setting ourselves (and our children) up for disappointment.

Spray it and forget it!

Posted on by Posted in Cleaning Tips .

I am a fan of anything that makes my life easier. After cleaning houses for seven years, you can imagine I’ve tried just about every “spray it and forget it” or “we do the work for you” product out there. Very few have made the cut, but these are the products I cannot live without. (And, in no way was I compensated for any of these products. I just love them!)

 

  1. Swiffer extended duster. By far, my favorite product of all time. Being 5′ 2” I need all the extra arm space I can get! This product allows easy cleaning for fans, cobwebs in corners, shelving, picture frames and more! If you buy the dusters, you’ll notice they bend and conform easily to fit into tight spaces you wouldn’t normally be able to reach. I love the citrus scented duster refills, but they are not all-natural. 🙁
  2. Magic Eraser. There is a lot of controversy regarding the Magic Eraser. First, I like it. It removes soap scum in one swipe, it is the only product I know that can remove just about any scuff mark, sticky residue, crayon and more off of walls. It seriously is magic. I’ve done my research and it’s murky. The product is not all-natural, but the only time it is hazardous is if ingested or filed down to a powder and sniffed. (NOTE: please don’t eat sponges or file them down to a powder to snort. It’s unbecoming.)
  3. Microfiber towels. These all-natural little towels are tough. They are great for dusting because they attract the dust. The texture helps to shine mirrors and chrome fixtures. It’s also very helpful getting fingerprints off of stainless steel appliances in the kitchen. I couldn’t live without these little guys.
  4. Rubbermaid Reveal mop. I have been through some mops! I’ve had the old-school mop heads that you stick your hand in the mop to wring it out. I’ve had the expensive Swiffer mops that constantly caused me to buy replacement pads, juice, batteries, you get the gist. This Reveal mop is awesome! It has basically a water bottle that you can put whatever concoction of product you want. (I usually use vinegar and water.) Pop the water bottle on the mop and with a few squirts, you’re finished before you know it! The mop head is a reusable microfiber and it is all-natural. (YES!)
  5. Melaleuca products. These products are wonderful. They are all-natural, chemical-free and safe to use around children and pets. Actually, it is one of the only cleaning products that your child could drink an entire full concentrated bottle and if you call poison control they will tell you not to worry about it. How much safer could you get?! They have a variety of products for every room in your home. Check them out.

 

And there you have it! A few of the products that I cannot live without. What are some of your favorite cleaning products?

Say WHAT?! I’m an expert!

Posted on by Posted in General Announcement .

Miraclean was started while I was still in college in an effort to make money throughout the semester, but still spend most of my time focusing on classes. I quickly realized that I could turn this into a full-time gig when it was time for me to graduate and I was making more money than entry-level newspaper jobs were offering me.

My college friends thought it had to be awesome to work for yourself. “What do you mean you have to wake up early and work? You’re the boss, go to work when you feel like going to work,” was usually what they’d say. If only it were that easy.

Since that time, I’ve impressed my friends by keeping Miraclean strong for six years. Most of my friends were offered entry-level positions upon graduating and sure they’ve moved up in the company, transferring to new cities, taking on new responsibilities, but they know where to find me.

My editor in college called me regarding an article she was working on about 10 things you should ask before hiring a cleaning company. “I thought of you, Kristin. You’re my expert!” was her response.

Imagine that. Me. The girl that scrubs other people’s toilet bowls is an expert. I gathered my information and thought you all would like to see the article. So, here is the link. Let me know what you think. What would you add?

http://www.infocities.com/articles/top-tips-before-hiring-a-cleaning-service

All-natural oven cleaner recipe

Posted on by Posted in Cleaning Tips .

For the past three weeks, I have dubbed Tuesday “Tackle It Tuesday”. I like it. It gives me the chance to keep up with some areas around the house I wouldn’t normally clean.

Today, I wanted to give you my awesome recipe for cleaning out an oven without those dangerous fumes.

First, remove the racks from the inside of the oven and preheat to 200 degrees. The heat will help those stubborn stains get clean.

Create a paste using baking soda and water. Do not make the paste too watery. Spread paste throughout oven and oven door. Let sit 15-20 mins.

Use a pumice stone (yes, one those things you use to get dead skin off your feet) in a circular motion over baking soda mixture. Do not worry, the stone will not scratch the ceramic or the oven door.

For really stuck on stains, add salt to the baking soda mixture. Salt is a natural abrasive that will help loosen up that dried food.

*I must admit that I had not cleaned out my oven in (mutters) years, so there was some stuck on food that salt and baking soda was not doing the trick. I took the dull side of a butter knife and scraped the last little bit that wasn’t coming clean. Again, nothing was scratched…perfectly safe.

Wipe everything with a warm, damp rag and a drop of dish soap. Dry with a clean towel.

If the glass on the oven door is streaky, spray a vinegar and water solution and let it sit for 15 minutes before wiping dry. Be sure you have removed all the baking soda from the area BEFORE spraying the vinegar solution. If not, you’ll notice the volcano effect.

And that’s that. Let me know what you think. Don’t forget to post before and after pictures. Here is my before and after picture.

My shameful shower picture

Posted on by Posted in Cleaning Tips .

Let’s get the cat out of the bag sooner rather than later. I clean a lot of houses..usually three to five houses daily. By the time I get home, the LAST thing on my mind is cleaning my own house.

I’m not a clutterer and I usually clean my house over the weekend, but come over on a Wednesday or Thursday and it’s looking a little rough. With that being said, I decided that I was going to tackle the grout in the shower today.

What’s the big lead up? You need to know the background before you check out this picture. (Scroll down for picture.)This is a before and after shot all-in-one. On the right side of the photo you can see the clean, disinfected, sanitized grout and on the left…well, that’s the before. Alright, alright. Now that you know my big secret, how did I get it so clean?

Miraclean’s amazing steam vapor cleaner! Yes, amazing! This machine heats water to a santizing 375 degrees. That is hospital-grade clean! No chemicals, just water. That makes it safe for your family and the environment.

Once the grout is cleaned, if you keep up with it, it will stay that way! First rule of thumb, when having any tile and grout work performed, make sure the company you have hired reseals the grout. This will help prevent future build-up…or at least delay the build-up for a little longer.

Second, grout is very porous. So, when you take a shower be sure to wipe down the grout. It is easy and takes seconds of your time; which will save you time when it comes to cleaning.

Lastly, hydrogen peroxide is basically bleach. Combine one part peroxide and four parts water in a spray bottle and scrub grout as necessary. You can use an old toothbrush to help loosen the build-up. (Another helpful hint: add 6oz of peroxide to a load of white laundry. Trust me, you will never use bleach again!)

So there you have it. Keep that grout clean and dry for a longer lasting clean! If you need help, call us (803-366-1766) or shoot us an email (miracleancarpet@yahoo.com). Swing by our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Miraclean) for more tips or visit our website (www.miracleanonline.com) for a couple of free gifts. :)

Oh, and here’s my shameful shower pic.

Don’t get ‘greenwashed’

Posted on by Posted in New Research .

Did you know there is little regulation of cleaning chemicals; and there are virtually no labeling requirements to let people know what they are exposing to themselves?

The average American household contains between three and 25 gallons of toxic materials, according to Gaiam Life. No law requires cleaning product manufacturers to list all the ingredients on their labels. Manufacturers are exempt from this requirement and can omit any ingredient that is considered part of a “secret formula.”

How do you know when a product is truly green? There are so many “green” products out there, how can you tell who is greenwashing you? Greenwashing is the practice of making false or deceptive claims about a product which suggests it’s better for the environment.

There are eight ingredients for every do-it-yourself cleaning job: baking soda, distilled white vinegar, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide, borax, olive oil, liquid castile soap and essential oils.

For recipes, cleaning tips and more information regarding all-natural cleaning, visit us at www.miracleanonline.com or ‘Like’ us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Miraclean. While you’re there, sign up for our free e-books, including this one http://eepurl.com/rngQb “The Dirty Truth About Green Cleaning”.

Thank you for taking the time to read our blog. Miraclean is an all-natural cleaning company. We clean homes and offices and we also provide carpet and upholstery cleanings. Our ultra-low moisture process gets carpets clean and completely dry in less than one hour and, as always, our products are safe to use around children and pets.

Hello world!