Miraclean – 803.984.9383 | Tag Archives: dryer sheets

The number 1 cause of house fires: it’s not what you think

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Kristin Posted in General Announcement .

I’ve lived in my house for seven years and had no idea about this easy step I can take to protect my house.

We’ve all heard that the dryer is the number one cause of house fires. But, this isn’t what you think. Did you know the most common reason for the heating element going out is because of your dryer’s filter? Yep, that little mesh area that we all clean out after each load. It’s actually a fire starter, waiting to happen. Try this simple trick.

Take out your dryer filter and run it under hot water. Does the water to through your filter or does it bead up and sit on top?

As we all know, you should clean out the lint from your filter after every load. But, did you know that dryer sheets produce a film over your filter that can cause your heating element to burn out? This is one of the most common causes of house fires.

Dryer sheets make your laundry smell good and helps prevent static cling, but it is doing more harm than good to your dryer’s filter. You can’t see the film, but think about it. A brand-new, fresh out the box dryer sheet feels a bit waxy, right? After the load is finished, the dryer sheet has a totally different feel to it. The wax is what ends up covering the filter. You can’t see it.

Try the water test on your filter today.

There is a simple solution. A few simple solutions, actually.

First, if you notice the water is not running through the filter, take an old toothbrush and soapy hot water and wash the filter. It takes minutes and will save you money on your electric bill and make your dryer last twice as long!

Second, try switching to a more natural way of drying clothes. You can use wadded up pieces of aluminum foil (that foil attracts the static cling, so your clothes won’t stick when you’re ready to fold them).

Third, make your own wool dryer balls and scent them with your favorite essential oils for that long-lasting, fresh, clean smell. Check out my blog post on how to make these guys. They are cute, easy to do, and last for years!

Double check your dryer filter and save yourself time and money!

Did you know about washing your dryer filter to prevent fires? Tell us at www.facebook.com/Miraclean

Quick and easy way to make your own dryer sheets and save money!

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Kristin Posted in Cleaning Tips .

I wash a lot of laundry.

A lot.

My clothes, the dog’s stuff, towels that I use while cleaning homes, everything. The towels are probably the toughest because I have some that can’t go in the dryer and others that require certain attention. Terry cloth towels are tough, but they can get crazy static cling!

Once I decided to take the green plunge in my own house, dryer sheets were a big no-no. I started using balls of aluminum foil.

The problem was that they require a lot of aluminum foil to get the right size and they shrink in the dryer. (The girls would make fun of me as they started finding little aluminum balls in the clean towel piles.)

I needed something that would last, something I wouldn’t have to buy a ton of throughout the year, and something that would eliminate the static cling. And of course, the wonderful folks at Pinterest were ahead of me.

This is my easy-to-make, easy-to-use tip to saving you money in the laundry room!

Today we are going to show you how to make and use wool dryer balls.

These little guys are easy to make, they last for years, and they take static cling out of your clothes just as good as a dryer sheet. (of course they are natural and most dryer sheets are not). All you need is some Fishermen’s Wool.

Once you’ve got your felting Fishermen’s Wool, wind the wool around your fingers, and then pull off and wind around itself. Keep going in circles, winding and flipping the ball every now again. This should take about an hour, but you’ll never have to do it again.

Plus, here is your result, a 4 oz. wool dryer ball. Isn’t that rewarding?!

Almost finished! Tie the loose end of your wool dryer ball to another piece of yarn to prevent it from untangling because now comes the washing part.

The more dryer balls you have, the better it works. Six to eight is a good number. Put three balls in one nylon stocking, tying them off each individually. Then, put both sets of nylons in a pillowcase and tie the pillowcase shut.

Place in washing machine on HOT water. Wash whatever else you can with the pillowcase. Note: it may take more than one washing, but you really want to get the dryer balls felting.

LAST STEP! Gently remove the pillowcase and nylon from the wool dryer balls. Be careful because the wool fibers will work their way out of the nylon.

At this point, you can use a few drops of your favorite essential oil on the wool. The more dryer balls you have, the less static cling and they bounce around separating clothes which dries clothes faster.

How cute are these guys?!

I’ve only started using them, but they seem to work pretty well. Of course I’ll update you with my results after using them for a few weeks. Have you ever tried this trick? What are your laundry tips? Tell us at www.facebook.com/Miraclean.

I can wear white clothes again!

Posted on September 1, 2013 by Kristin Posted in General Announcement .

Oh, laundry day…it feels like every day is laundry day. I’ve got to wash the towels I clean my customers house with, plus my clothes, plus the dog’s bedding, plus my bedding. It never ends! I don’t even want to think what it would be like if I had children! (Big props to you Mommies out there!)

I know this may sound silly, but my pup is actually responsible for me being so picky as to what products I use to treat those stains that pop up. Capone is 7 years old. I’ve had him since I bought my house and I’ve also had his allergy issues, his surgery issues, and everything else that comes along with being a pet owner.

When he was a puppy, he had to have extensive (and costly) surgery due to a rope dog toy in which he chewed the pieces of rope off, swallowed them, and they somehow got wrapped around his stomach.

Ever since that day, I have to monitor EVERYTHING this cute booger does. He is on a strict dog food diet, he cannot have any rawhide bones (the vet is afraid the rawhide will prick his tummy), and on top of all that, he has very bad allergies, so I have to wash his bedding regularly.

His skin is so sensitive that if I use an off-the-shelf brand of detergent, he will be scratching all night, which means no sleep for either of us.

I debated making my own laundry detergent, but who has the time?! Sitting there shredding soap bars was not how I wanted to spend my weekend.

Then, I found it. MelaPower, an all-natural laundry detergent with no formaldehyde, no petroleum distillates, and no bleach! Could it be true? (Of course, because it is made by the awesome scientists at Melaleuca, an all-natural, wellness company that has been around for 28 years!) Ok, back to the point.

I have very sensitive skin, but my sensitivities are not as bad as Capone.

“Ok, so let’s try it,” I thought.

Wow! I cannot believe how well this detergent works! Just one or two pumps and I can do entire loads of laundry. That’s ½ a fluid ounce per load. Such a money saver! And, it leaves my clothes so soft with no strong scents. So, I decided to expand my laundry experience.

I bought the stain remover, fabric softener and dryer sheets! (Sidenote: did you know a University of Washington researcher found that scented laundry products emit hazardous chemicals? Researchers examined the air vented from dryer vents and found 25 volatile organic compounds, including seven hazardous air pollutants! It is no wonder we look for alternative products to use in our laundry!) All those air pollutants are being released in our homes! No wonder my pup was breaking out in rashes when I used the off-the-shelf stuff.

Now, we are a happy, healthy, itch-free family. He has a blanket that I call his girlfriend. He totes her all over the house and I have to wash her at least once every week. He snuggles with his blanket, puts it in his mouth, sleeps with it and we’ve had no problem.

My clothes are soft, they smell great and they don’t make me itch, either! Stains come out so much easier using the PreSpot than when I was using chemically-manufactured products. I found that with the other stuff I was spraying, letting it sit, re-spraying, scrubbing with a toothbrush, blotting with a towel, etc.

This PreSpot is amazing! All I do is spray the stain one time and you can already see it working!

Check out my little boo-boo I had during my fantasy draft party this year. I got a little barbecue sauce stain on the front of my white Cam Newton jersey (go, Panthers!), I got a lot of red wine spilled on the side and I even found a pen mark on the shoulder. (Seriously, why do I wear white?!)

But, I didn’t fear it. I came home after a five-hour draft party at a friends’ house, sprayed down my stained jersey, threw it in the dirty white clothes hamper, and forgot about it. This morning, as I’m cycling my laundry, I found the jersey and the stains were so faded you could barely tell they were there! I knew where to look, so they still visible to me. (My boyfriend said I was crazy because he couldn’t tell…silly boys!)

So here is it. The before and after. The stains were treated with PreSpot and washed with MelaPower. Amazing results, right? Especially since I waited one week to wash the dang jersey!

You can have these results too! I’m telling you first-hand these products have changed my life and made my cleanings so much better! I use the cleaning products, the laundry products, the hair care line, and next week I am ordering the tooth polish and mouthwash.

I only order a few items at a time, as I know I’m getting low on something. Last week, it was shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, so I ordered from Melaleuca, my products were here in two days and BAM I’ve got all-natural new products. I noticed I was getting low on deodorant, toothpaste, and mouthwash, so that is what I will be ordering next week and I cannot wait! It makes me feel so good knowing that I am taking a conscious stand on what I’m putting into my body and bringing into my home.

Come join me for a webinar or message me if you would like to try these products. Everything is backed by a 100% empty bottle satisfaction guarantee! There’s no risk. Get your home toxic-free with these all-natural products. Don’t forget, Melaleuca even has a men’s line, kids line, and vitamin and supplement line!

Oh, and who is a coupon clipper? You will love this! You receive Loyalty Points on every purchase that you can redeem for FREE products! New members will also receive $100 in FREE products! (Btw, I bought my deodorant with my Loyalty Points! If it’s free, it’s for me!)

What are your thoughts? Let us know at www.facebook.com/Miraclean