Miraclean – 803.984.9383 | Tag Archives: bathroom

Are your boys statistics? New study finds men 2.5 times less likely than women to wash hands

Posted on April 9, 2014 by Kristin Posted in New Research .

I am a total germaphobe!

I cannot help it. I open public restroom doors with a paper towel. I flush public toilets with my foot. I use hand sanitizer after touching the gas pump. I cringe when I have to shake hands with someone, especially men, because I don’t know where their hands have been!

The other day, I received an email about a study that said men are less likely than women to wash their hands after using a public restroom because they “don’t feel the need.”

The survey, conducted by Bradley Corporation, states that 60 percent of men say they always wash their hands after using a public restroom, as compared to 74 percent of women.

Why the no hand washing, guys? According to the survey, men cited the lack of soap in restrooms, as well as dirty sinks, as the reason to not washing up. Women said they used hand sanitizer instead.

The best part of the survey is reading that I’m not the only crazy person out there! According to the survey, 64 percent of people prefer to flush the toilet using their foot; 60 percent use a paper towel to open the restroom door; 37 percent use a paper towel to avoid touching the faucet handles; and 48 percent open and close doors with their hip.

It’s nice to know I’m not the only person that avoid cross-contamination.

Keep in mind, the survey did not specify whether the participants properly washed their hands using warm water, soap and washing for a full 20-seconds.

Check out the survey results here.

I’ll leave you with a couple of gross facts. The restroom door knob has as much bacteria as a urinal. The sink has 100,000 germs per square inch, where the toilet has 100 germs per square inch. Keep in mind, with every flush of the toilet you send an invisible six foot radius of bacteria that lands on exposed surfaces. Lastly, if you are a fan of the Big Bang Theory, you know that hand dryers release more bacteria than paper towels alone. Paper towels decrease hand bacteria by 29 percent, a hand dryer increases it by 162 percent.

Check out more facts here.

So, what do you think? Do you agree with the survey? Voice your opinion on our Facebook page here! Don’t forget to “Like” us while you’re there.

The easiest way to DETOX your home

Posted on August 14, 2013 by Kristin Posted in General Announcement .

I’m so excited that my hands are literally shaking as I type this! As many of you know, I love posting all-natural tips and recipes you can use around your home for safe and effective cleanings. Well, have I got a treat for you!

The wellness company that I purchase my all-natural cleaning products from is running a promotion that I think all my green Moms are going to love!

First, let me give you some background information. This wellness company has been around for 28 years! They’ve received hundreds of awards and have patents and scientists testing new products every day.

We are talking over 300 products all made naturally, with no chlorine bleach, no ammonia and no formaldehyde. How is this possible?

Have you ever heard of tea tree oil? (If you are a regular customer of mine, this should sound familiar.) Tea tree oil is an essential oil taken from the leaves grown on the melaleuca tree in Australia. This oil kills bacteria and fungus, and helps reduce skin reactions. Tea tree oil has antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and antiseptic properties.

What does that mean for you?

Because of its antiseptic properties, tea tree oil can help treat skin blemishes. In fact, face and body washing products containing 5 percent of tea tree oil is more effective than products that contain 5 percent benzoyl peroxide.

Did you know tea tree oil is proven to treat athlete’s foot, mites, scabies and head lice? In a 2008 study, tea tree oil was more effective against head lice than permethrin, a popular pharmaceutical remedy. In fact, shampoo with 5 percent tea tree oil is effective treatment for dandruff due to its ability to treat Malassezia furfur, the most common cause of dandruff.

There are safe, effective, all-natural ways to keep you family safe. Think of this wellness company as an all-natural version of Sam’s Club or Costco.

We’ve got a cleaning “aisle” and every product is made from safe, natural ingredients. How many times have you had itchy, watery eyes, or began coughing because of the fumes in most cleaners? Not with these products!

Oh and did I mention that everything comes in concentrated bottles. That’s right! One bottle of concentrate gives you SIX bottles of product! We’re talking $5.60 for one bottle of concentrated bathroom cleaner. That’s six bottles of product for $5.60. How much would you pay for six bottles of Tilex? A lot more than $5.60!

Another “aisle” in this store is bath and body. Tea tree oil, when used in beauty supplies, gives you soothing, penetrated and antiseptic properties. In fact, the number 1 selling product in this company is hand cream that is 7 times more effective than Eucerin! The toothpaste contains xylitol, a natural sweetener that is proven to help people suffering with gum disease. The mouthwash contains no alcohol, so there is no burning sensation. The company has a men’s product line with body wash, shaving cream, bar soaps, etc. and they have a kids line, too!

They even have an organic food “aisle” that contains cereal, popcorn, granola bars, vitamins, meal replacement shakes and more! Did I mention that all these products are gluten-free?!!!

Want to check out this company for yourself? Join the next 30-minute webinar to learn more. There are four webinars held every day this month! Visit the calendar and pick the day and time that best suits you.

So, how much? All these “aisles” of over 300 products that are all-natural and safe can be yours for $1! That’s your membership fee. $1! You will have access to every product. You will receive $100 in free product. You will have peace of mind knowing everything you buy is guaranteed with a full money back refund from the company.

But, you’ve got to hurry! They are only offering the $1 membership fee until August 20. So, click here to see the webinar schedule and if you would like to make a conscience decision to start using these products, let me know and I can sign you up!

Do you have any questions or concerns? My phone is always open at 803-366-1766 or my cell at 803-984-9383. If you prefer email, mine is kristin@miracleanonline.com or if you’d like to join us on Facebook, ‘Like’ www.facebook.com/Miraclean.

Eliminate that ‘boy smell’ in the bathroom

Posted on July 31, 2013 by Kristin Posted in Cleaning Tips .

Last week, I posted a blog about how to keep your tile and grout clean. (Check it out here if you missed it!)

That stemmed a lot of bathroom questions from you, so I decided to answer those questions this week.

The most popular question was how to keep the ‘boy smell’ out of the bathroom. You know what I mean, right? It’s probably the main reason you avoid going into the kids’ bathroom. 😉 Well, let’s help solve that problem.

First, you guessed it; it starts with a deep cleaning.

Step 1: Mix a paste of baking soda and lemon juice. If you don’t have lemon juice you can use water but lemon juice is a great disinfectant and great for removing odors. The consistency of the paste should be about that of pancake mix.

Step 2: Spread the paste all along the bottom of the toilet {where it meets the floor}, the toilet seat, and any other area that gets a lot of over spray.

Let it set for about 10-15 minutes.

Step 3: When the timer expires spray the dried paste with white vinegar and let it fizzle. Once it is done fizzing wipe it up with a damp cloth.

It’s very important that you don’t forget about the walls and/or cupboards on either side of the toilet. It’s easy to remember to wipe the floor and the toilet but the walls and cupboards will also get sprayed and they will need to be wiped down regularly too. Spray them down with vinegar, let it for a few minutes and wipe them down.

Cleaning the toilet, floor and walls at least once a week, with these steps, will keep the smell at bay.

Another trick is making mini air fresheners and discreetly placing them in the bathroom cabinets, behind the toilet bowl, or on the top lip of the shower.

Use old baby food jars or small canning jars. Pour baking soda into jar until 1/4 to 1/2 full. Add 8 to 10 drops of your favorite essential oil(s). Poke holes in jar lid with an awl or ice pick. Decorate the jars with ribbon, fabric, or however you like. If you’ve lost the lid, cover top with several layers of nylon net, tie with ribbon, and voila! You’ve got DIY room freshener! (Add more essential oil as needed). Shake or stir it every now and then to freshen.

Another freshener trick is to place a few drops of your favorite essential oil in the toilet paper roll, as seen here. Your bathroom will smell pleasant with every roll.

As mentioned in last week’s article, keep antibacterial wipes under your bathroom sink for easy access when messes arrive. These are perfect for quickly wiping the toilet seat, cleaning globs of toothpaste, or a quick countertop wipe down before guests arrive.

Here’s a great recipe for making your own antibacterial wipes!

Use any type of old towel, rag, tshirt, etc. to cut into rags and finish the edges to make them wipe sized.

Next, fold the wipes and placed them in an old wipes container.

Mix:

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vinegar
10 drops Peppermint Essential Oil

Finally, just pour the water/vinegar/essential oil mixture into the tub, completely saturating the wipes. It might help to flip the pile over one time so that the wipes on the bottom get completely soaked.

There you have it. A few tricks to getting rid of that ‘boy smell’. Did we forget something? What’s your trick? Talk to us about it on Facebook www.facebook.com/Miraclean

The number one question our customers ask us

Posted on July 13, 2013 by Kristin Posted in Cleaning Tips .

Scrub less. Organize more.

Answering your questions about keeping hard to clean areas cleaner, longer.

The number one question we are asked is how to keep a tile and grout shower clean in between cleanings.

Today I will share with you our top three recipes for keeping that pain in the butt tile clean.

First, let’s start with some tips. The best tool you can invest in is a squeegee. It only takes a matter of seconds and, trust me, it’s worth it in the long run. Squeegee the glass shower door and your tile and the shower will stay cleaner longer.

Second, leave the light and fan running for as long as possible. Mold and mildew love a wet, humid, dark environment. By leaving the light and fan on for a few extra minutes, you are giving your bathroom time to dry. Don’t forget to pick up wet floor towels and hang them to dry.

Lastly, keep the bathroom clean by not letting it get dirty in the first place. Put things away. Do you leave your curling irons and straighteners on the counter to cool on your way to work? Install a hook and hang them so you have more space. After work, wrap them up and stick them under the sink. Store all your make-up in one location. Get a basket to capture easy to reach items you use on a regular basis. Keep wipes under the sink for a quick countertop clean-up. By having all these items easily accessible, you’ll have no problem keeping everything in its place.

I am not saying you will never have to clean your bathroom ever again. I’d be out of a job! However, by keeping up with the mess, the globs of toothpaste in the sink, the pinkish colored grout that you were pretty sure was white when you moved in, your bathroom will stay cleaner longer.

When it gets time to do a heavy scrub down cleaning, here are three of our favorite, all-natural, homemade recipes.

1.) Mix ½ cup baking soda, 1/3 cup lemon juice, ¼ cup vinegar in a spray bottle. Fill the rest of the bottle with water. Mix well. Spray throughout shower and let it sit for one hour. Respray, then use an old toothbrush or grout brush to scrub. Rinse shower with water and dry shower with a clean towel.

2.) Mix 1 cup hydrogen peroxide, 3 tablespoons lemon juice in a spray bottle. Fill the rest of the bottle with water. Be careful when spraying as hydrogen peroxide is a natural alternative to bleach and will stain fabrics. Spray mixture throughout shower. Scrub grout with an old toothbrush or grout brush. Rinse shower with water and dry shower with a clean towel.

3.) Mix 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup water in a spray bottle. Sprinkle your favorite abrasive (baking soda, Bon Ami) on your discolored areas. Let it sit for 20 minutes. Respray and you will notice a paste forming. Use this paste to scrub the grout clean with a brush. As with the other recipes, rinse shower with water and dry with a clean towel.

Another option to cleaning bathrooms is by cleaning with steam. Steam mops and accessories are becoming more popular as a natural bathroom cleaner. Water is heated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit; hot enough to kill germs and bacteria. Not only will your surfaces be cleaner, they will be disinfected and sanitized, too! This method is perfect for bathrooms, changing areas, fitness equipment, daycares, kitchens, and more.

To learn more about steam vapor cleaning, call us at 803-366-1766 to schedule a free estimate in your home or office.

Check out these before and after shower pictures. We used our steam vapor cleaner to get this shower looking good as new!

We can use the steam vapor cleaner on linoleum floors, too. Check it out!

Look at this fridge! There is nothing we can’t clean! Not only is it clean, but it is also sanitized and disinfected!

Call Kristin for your free estimate at 803-366-1766 or email us your questions at Kristin@miracleanonline.com . Don’t forget to like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Miraclean