Apr 4, 2011 - Green Cleaning Tips, House Cleaning Tips    Comments Off

Zero – Chemical Cleaning

I have found the following recipes and techniques effective ways of having a clean home and controlled allergies.

Did you know that:

  • Equal parts of ketchup and Worcestershire sauce make a great copper cleaner? Mix together and apply with a cotton cloth. Rinse with water and dry.
  • Equal parts of vinegar and salt clean brass? So does ketchup.
  • You can clean out the innards of your dishwater by running it empty with a bowl of vinegar in it? Same is true for your coffee pot (except not the “bowl” part.).
  • Coffee and tea stains can be cleaned by rubbing baking soda into them?
  • Cleaning a microwave is a snap when a few spoonfuls of baking soda are put in a cup of water and then heated in the microwave until boiling? Just wipe those splatters away!
  • You can put the last scraps of soap from a bar in a jar and add water to make liquid soap?
  • You can clean blinds by putting on a rubber glove covered by an old sock? Sure, just dip your gloved, socked hand into rubbing alcohol and start cleaning those blinds!
  • Black scuff marks on the floor can be removed by scrubbing with a paste of baking soda and water?
  • You can remove soap scum from a faucet in 10 minutes by wrapping the faucet in paper towel soaked in vinegar?
  • You can clear soap from a drain by pouring vinegar into the drain?
  • A lemony spray deodorizer can be made with 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 2 cups hot tap water, Put this in a spray bottle and spray as you would any deodorizer.
  • The Amish make an all-purpose cleaning solution by combining 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup ammonia, 1/4 cup white vinegar and a gallon of water? Shake well and pour the solution into a spray bottle.
  • You can make a carpet disinfectant from 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup borax and 1/2 cup baking soda? Just sprinkle the mixture on the rug and rub it in with a cloth. Leave it alone for a few hours or
    overnight, then vacuum thoroughly.
  • Baking soda and vinegar have been successfully used to clean carpet spots? Sprinkle the baking soda on the spot, then pour on some vinegar. It’ll bubble like crazy. Let it dry some and then vacuum. And make sure you test the color fastness of your carpet first – before cleaning the whole thing.
  • Shaving cream cleans carpets? Sure thing… Rub some into a stain, and remove with a sponge. And guess what? You can use this on your sofa, too! Yep, upholstery responds well to being cleaned with shaving cream!
  • Those pesky miniblinds can be cleaned with water and baking soda? You have to take them down in the closed position and lay them on the ground outside or in a bathtub. Clean them with a sponge (one of those handled sponges works well) dipped in the solution. Then use your garden hose or your shower head to rinse them off.
  • Your kids don’t have to give up their favorite non-washable stuffed toys? All you have to do is put them in a plastic bag with some baking soda and shake the heck out of them. Open that bag out side and then shake the heck out of the toy to remove loose baking soda. Brush the rest off.
  • Your silk flowers can be cleaned by putting them in a plastic bag with some salt and shaking the heck out of them.
  • Small-necked bottles can be cleaned using a baking soda, vinegar and a secret ingredient – gravel! Fish tank gravel will do. Mix the three together (ratios don’t have to be too precise) and shake them around inside the bottle! Clean!
  • Olive oil can be used as a furniture polish on unvarnished wood? Sure thing.

Enjoy these cleaning tips from Tryst Cleaners, The cleaning company in Glasgow and Paisley!

Disclaimer

Please use common sense when making your own creations.
Using the information at this site article and linked to this site article is done at your own risk.  Tryst Cleaners will take no responsibilities arising out of the use of the information in this article and no promises or guarantees

Apr 13, 2011 - Uncategorized    Comments Off

Household Cleaning Tips That Will Help

Whether we like it or not, one of the things that we all have to do is cleaning. Some of us do it reluctantly, some just get on with it, some absolutely can not stand it but no matter how you feel about it, we all have to do it. If cleaning is not what you look forward to eagerly, then some of the following household cleaning tips will at least try to make it a little more bearable. So without further ado  , let’s roll up our sleeves and get started.

It is easier said than done but one of the foremost household cleaning tips is to get started as soon as you can, rather than keep putting it off. Remember that the longer you leave the cleaning task the worse things are likely to get and you will have a lot more to do later. The journey of a thousand miles starts with one small step and that first step is always the hardest but once you get going, things become more accomplishable. So don’t let things pile up so much that it becomes impossible to manage  .

Organizing your cleaning task is very paramount, when it comes to household cleaning tips. Keep a schedule to when you are going to do a particular task and then stick to that schedule. For instance, you might decide to clean the floors on one day a week and the windows every two or three weeks. This will help you to manage your chores better, rather than trying to do everything in one go and giving yourself a big headache in the process. Try and finish  things in small steps.

One of the must do’s for household cleaning tips is to get the  members of the family  involved. By designating different tasks, you can greatly reduce the workload. If you have young children , get them involved and you will have double benefits. For one it will reduce the work that you have to do and it will also form the habit of keeping things clean and tidy for your children. You can get them started by offering them incentives, like extra pocket money for doing simple tasks like vacuuming their bedroom.

One odor that is hard to completely remove  from your hands is the smell of onions. One of the household tips for removing this smell is to use lemons and limes. Don’t throw away your used lemons and lime skins because they will come in very handy. All you have to do to remove the onion smell from your hands is to rub the used lemons or limes on your hands and then wash your hands with your normal hand wash liquid. You will be surprised how quickly the odor of onions has vanished from your hands.

The final thing that we need to remember when it comes to household cleaning tips is that cleaning is a very personal task. Some things will work for some people and not for others. So you might need to try a few different things before something works for you and becomes your ultimate favorite. You can also put your personal touch to some things and who knows, you could be offering these as your favorite household cleaning tips.

Apr 11, 2011 - Home made organic weed killer    Comments Off

Make your own organic weed killer

Yesterday, Sunday 10 April 2011 I was doing a bit of gardening as it was nice and shiny, I could not stay indoors so I had to do something productive.

My front yard lawn was pretty messed up so I paid a visit to the local B&Q and got some gardening tools with my son. I dug out all the lawn beside my drive and all the greens. I planted new turf and flowers, straight from the seeds. Ever since growing up I had used lawn cuttings to grow another turf and this was my first time planting turf from seeds. I can’t wait for the lawn and flowers to germinate. Since this is my first time I’m even thinking of keeping a photo diary of the plants developments! I will keep you posted if and when I make up my mind.

Anyway after taking out all the vegetation on my front yard except for this tree the previous occupier planted I was a bit annoyed with the weeds between the concrete slabs which make up my driveway. My hands were sore from the hard work so I decided to do some research of how to make environmentally friendly weed killers so spare my sore hands from working with metal tools.

Here is what I came up with:

As an aspiring gardener, using inorganic chemicals and toxins to kill these weeds would not serve any purpose of growing organic flowers, lawn and vegetables. I found out that there are plenty of ingredients in your kitchen that can be used to create “organic weed killer” recipes. An “organic weed killer” is defined as one that will not harm people or pets, evaporates quickly, and leaves no harmful residue. In addition, there are additional methods and preventative measures that the organic gardener may wish to take into consideration in her fight against weeds.

There are several benefits of Organic Weed Killer Solutions

The greatest benefit of organic weed killers, of course, is that they are not made of harsh chemicals that pollute the environment. For the most part, these solutions are made of products that you can find in your kitchen. They will not harm your children or your pets, but they should be used very carefully, as they will kill any other plant they touch. For this reason, they are best used in locations where other plantings are not present, such as sidewalk or driveway cracks or in bark or rock landscaping.

Vinegar

The use of white vinegar as an organic weed killer is among the most popular methods of killing weeds organically. It is the acetic acid found in vinegar that kills weeds and the higher the concentration of this ingredient that you can use, the better. Most commercial brands of vinegar contain 5 percent acetic acid. Combining vinegar and lemon juice will increase this acidity level.

Mix 1 ounce of lemon juice concentrate to 1 cup of white vinegar and mix well in a spray bottle. This solution works best on new weeds. It may kill some broadleaf weeds, but it does not affect the roots. For best results, it should be sprayed on the weeds during the hottest part of the day. Keep away from other plantings. Add a drop or two of organic soap to the mixture to increase the effectiveness of the mixture by keeping it sticking to the plant longer.

Boiling Water

Boiling water will “cook” weeds, effectively killing them. You must be very careful when pouring boiling water on weeds, as it will also kill the roots of other plants as well. Add a drop or two of organic soap to the mixture to increase the effectiveness of the mixture.

Salt

Salt kills weeds but also makes soil unusable for at least a year. Salt as a weed killer should only be used around driveways, walkways or rocky areas where other plants are not grown.

Combining ingredients creates an even more effective weed killer. For example, mix vinegar, salt and soap to form a weed killer that will utilize the weed killing properties of both the vinegar and the salt.

I hope you will find this information useful. If you need extra help in removing weeds or cleaning your  house, drive or workplace please call Tryst Cleaners on 0141 239 7303 / 07865451761

Apr 2, 2011 - Green Cleaning Tips    Comments Off

10 Tryst Cleaners Green Cleaning Tips

Greean Cleaning Tips _ Tryst CleanersThere’s only one way to really clean a kitchen, and that’s with corrosive, fuming, toxic chemicals. You’re making the place uninhabitable for bacteria and your cuticles are the withered proof. It’s Operation Scorched Kitchen.

Wouldn’t the Proctor & Gambles of the world love to have you fall in line.

Admittedly, impressively-named laboratory brews are very intriguing to look at, but why they have any place in our homes is really beyond my grasp.

There are so many natural tips for cleaning your kitchen – and your whole home – without resorting to harsh, toxic chemicals, so let’s hop to it.

Get started on a safe, healthy home with these 10 tips:

1. Find home cleaning kit features a blend of essential oils of lavender, tea tree, rosemary and lemongrass, plenty strong enough to banish even the most evil bugs.

2. Borax is an effective alternative to harsh chlorine bleach.

3. We love killing bacteria, so manufacturers are turning to triclosan to help us do it. But this disinfectant can prompt the growth of resistant bacteria; what’s more, it can turn carcinogenic. Tryst Cleaners recommends to use vinegar instead (and remember that not all bacteria is harmful!).

4. Inform yourself: not only can cleaning products keep their ingredients a secret, but they can label themselves organic, natural, non-toxic and biodegradable without any actual certification. If you’d rather not use household cleaners like vinegar, baking soda or Borax, definitely choose trustworthy green brands like Method, Seventh Generation, Dr. Bronner’s and Begley’s.

5. When humans use the word “fragrance” we are generally intending to convey scent. When manufacturers use it they are intending to disguise the fact that they’re using phthalates (petroleum-based hormone disruptors). For a fresh, clean smell in your home, look to citrus and herbs, and don’t miss the post by Luanne guiding you to the safest natural scents.

6. Skip the monoethanolamine (MEA) on principle. It causes irritation and in some cases, asthma. Plus, it’s a petroleum product. Instead, use water. Yep, water.

7.
Ammonia may cut grease, but it’s also dangerous to your health. Skip the chemical sprays and use your favourite spritzer bottle filled with 4 parts water, 1 part white vinegar instead.

8. Natural products are truly all you need.
Or, if you already have white wine, bicarbonate of soda, lemons and some cheap olive oil in your cupboard, you’re ready to go with a DIY version.

9. Do you have a cold pot of tea steeped past its flavourful peak? Tea is acidic and is therefore a natural cleanser (of course you won’t want to use it on surfaces that will stain or are porous).

10. Finally, never underestimate the power of nature’s most effective cleaner: elbow grease. A simple cloth, a little hot water, and your own muscle are sufficient for most cleaning tasks.

We’ve been brainwashed into thinking that germs are evil and our homes must be free of all bacteria, but the truth is that for dustiness, spills and specks, a good strong wipe with a damp towel is not only plenty effective, but safer for you and better for the planet.

Disclaimer

Please use common sense when making your own creations.
Using the information at this site article and linked to this site article is done at your own risk.  Tryst Cleaners will take no responsibilities arising out of the use of the information in this article and no promises or guarantees of any kind are intended or implied.

 

 

Mar 20, 2011 - Stain Removal    Comments Off

Natural Stain Cleaning

By Michael Maposa, c/o Tryst Cleaners

Things you should always stock up in your cleaning compartment:

- Table salt
- White wine vinegar
- Cornstarch
- A bottle of cheap white wine
- Eucalyptus oil
- Washing soda (Sodium Carbonate Decahydrate)
- Concentrated orange cleaner
- Rubbing alcohol

And here’s how to use them to the five most common types of stain:

1. Red wine

Sprinkle salt or cornstarch on the fresh stain. These substances draw moisture into themselves, and will suck most of the wine out of the material. Next….yes, you guessed it, the old adage is true: splash on some white wine. Leave it for 15 minutes, then dab with warm water.

2. Grass

Mix a cup of white wine vinegar diluted with warm water. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to the stain and rub in well, then soak it in the diluted vinegar. Leave to activate, then dab away.

3. Ink

Speed is everything. Soak the stain in rubbing alcohol as quickly as possible. If the stain is persistent, even after three or four washes, then consider re-use options. What colour is the stain? Would it make a nice colour for the whole garment? If so, get your dye out!

4. Blood

Salt is the answer. Not only will it soak up fluids, it breaks down the proteins in blood. Soak the fresh stain in a strong saline solution. Washing soda also breaks down proteins, so use this next with some warm water.

5. Grease

The best way to deal with oils is to mop them up. Use salt or cornstarch, combined with a paper towel. (Cat litter is apparently a great alternative!). Once you’ve sponged up as much as you can, bring out the concentrated orange cleaner to loosen those last pockets of grease.

There are a few important things to keep in mind. Firstly, these processes need time to work – patience is a virtue. Secondly, the water you use shouldn’t be more than lukewarm – you don’t want to cook the stain into the material. And thirdly, dab – don’t rub the stain in further. Simple, effective and natural – with nary a stain on your conscience.

Tryst Cleaners provide affordable cleaning services in Glasgow, Paisley, Renfrew, and Johnston. We specialise in builder cleans, spring cleans, patio cleaning, office cleaning, garage cleaning, landlord cleans to name a few. Tryst Cleaners clean everything from your shoes, house, and car to your workplace! Cleaning is our business.

Disclaimer

Please use common sense when making your own creations.
Using the information at this site article and linked to this site article is done at your own risk.  Tryst Cleaners will take no responsibilities arising out of the use of the information in this article and no promises or guarantees of any kind are intended or implied.

Mar 20, 2011 - House Cleaning Tips    Comments Off

The 3 Step Tryst Cleaners Solution to Cleaning

By Michael Maposa, c/o Tryst Cleaners

The 3-Step Solution is the heart of the Tryst Cleaners Guide to housecleaning – it makes cleaning stress-less, fun and effective – and all in three simple steps:

Step 1: Two Daily Tryst Cleaners Cleaning Bursts

it’s not nearly as painful as it sounds! These short ‘bursts’ of cleaning get an awful lot accomplished in as little time as possible. You’ll do two bursts a day – one in the morning, and one in the evening. The whole family gets involved for maximum impact.

Step 2: One Focus Room every day

One room in your home gets extra special attention ev ery day. A gain, in a short period of time you’ll de-clutter and de-muck, but I don’t call this a focus room for nothing! To get real results, you need to focus your attention on only one room a day. You’ll be left with tidier, cosier rooms, but not perfectly clean rooms. We are so not about perfection! However, a little effort will go a long way.

Step 3: Weekly Clean-for-All

This is where you get down and dirty with your housecleaning once a week, to tackle some serious cleaning tasks. Don’t worry – you’ll get more done in less time than you ever have before. If you need more help then call Tryst Cleaners on 0141 239 7303, for a free no obligation quote, you will be amazed at what we can do for you.

Tryst Cleaners provide affordable cleaning services in Glasgow, Paisley, Renfrew, and Johnston. We specialise in builder cleans, spring cleans, patio cleaning, office cleaning, garage cleaning, landlord cleans to name a few. Tryst Cleaners clean everything from your shoes, house, and car to your workplace! Cleaning is our business.

Disclaimer 

Please use common sense when making your own creations.
Using the information at this site article and linked to this site article is done at your own risk.  Tryst Cleaners will take no responsibilities arising out of the use of the information in this article and no promises or guarantees of any kind are intended or implied.