Recent laboratory tests reveal that teenage girls are being contaminated with chemicals commonly used in cosmetics and body care products.

Sixteen chemicals from four chemical families (phthalates, triclosan, parabens, and musks) were detected in blood and urine samples from 20 teen girls, ages 14 – 19 years.

Studies link these chemicals to potential health effects including cancer and hormone disruption. These tests also indicated that young women are widely exposed to cosmetic preservatives, with 2 parabens, methylparaben and propylparaben, detected in every single girl tested.

Teen study participants used an average of nearly 17 personal care products each day, most of them unknowingly exposing themselves to higher levels of cosmetic ingredients linked to potential health effects at a time when their bodies are more susceptible to chemical damage.

Cosmetics and other personal care products are an alarming example of government and industry failures to protect public health. Federal health statutes do not require companies to test products before they are sold. As a result, nearly all personal care products contain ingredients that have not been assessed for safety and are not required to meet standards of safety.

Help your teens make healthy choices by educating them about the toxic chemicals in products they use.

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about the health of your family. For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please log on to greencleancertified.com or maidbrigade.com.

Musks are artificial chemicals used in fragrance mixtures that are added to everyday products. Studies indicate that musk may disrupt the hormone (endocrine) system and may also disrupt a natural defense the body uses to protect itself from toxic chemicals. Some musks are also linked to cancer. Musks can accumulate in fat and build up in the body. Musks have been detected in breast milk, fat, and blood.

Exposure. Musks are often used in cosmetics and body care products that contain fragrance, like perfume and soap. Musks are also used in air fresheners, detergents, fabric softeners, cleaning products, and cigarettes. They are also used as food additives. Musks can be inhaled, ingested, and absorbed through the skin.

Health Effects. Musks can irritate the skin, or trigger allergic reactions. Some studies show that musk has been linked to cancer. Certain musks were also linked to reproductive problems in women. A recent study showed that musks can interfere with the ability of structures in cell walls to keep toxic substances from entering the cell. By disturbing a cell’s natural ability to fend off toxic chemicals, musks could allow poisons to build up within cells and cause damage.

Regulation. In the United States, all musk chemicals are unregulated. Safe exposure has not been set yet. Europe has banned the use of nitromusks in chemicals and body care products because of the growing concerns of health effects.

Prevention. Switch to fragrance-free cosmetics and body care products. Choose products that do not list “fragrance” as an ingredient. Choose fragrance-free laundry detergents, fabric softeners, and household cleaners. Avoid air fresheners that use artificial fragrances to cover up other odors.

How do you feel about toxic chemicals in your cosmetic and body care products? Share your comments with us!

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about the health of you and your family. For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please log on to greencleancertified.com or maidbrigade.com.

Celebrate Independence Day this year and save the environment by throwing a little green into your mix of red, white, and blue!

Get outside and party before the fireworks. Consider a daytime party and make the most use of natural light. If your partying does run into the evening hours, consider soy candles to add ambiance without the expense or waste.

Ditch the Disposable Partyware. Disposable plates, cups, and utensils are convenient for parties with a lot of guests, but they are not so convenient for the environment. Do your best to use normal tableware that can be washed and reused. Cloth napkins and reusable cups are other eco-friendly options.

Use Propane for grilling. According to a study by the Environment Impact Assessment Review, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) as a fuel, is more efficient than charcoal in its production and more efficient in cooking. When purchasing a propane tank, make sure there is a trade-in option. Most retailers will let you bring in an empty tank in exchange for a discount on your next tank.

Save and Reuse Decorations. Make a centerpiece by floating candles in wood bowls with rose petals in them. Arrange daisies in a glass vase. Buy small American flags at the dollar store and plant them in with the flowers. Reuse the flags next year.

Go Organic. Serve plenty of organic fruits and vegetables along with the whole food dishes. Avoid pre-packaged foods as much as possible to cut out the waste.

Use Large Water Containers. Plastic water bottles are convenient, but they can add up fast. Store water in large containers so family and guests can re-fill their cups.

Recycle! One of the easiest ways to go green is to recycle your waste. Be sure to put a clearly marked “recycle” bin out at your party.

Green your Fireworks. Fireworks are hardly an environmentally-friendly activity, but they are a tradition. If you plan to set off your own fireworks this year, be sure to use fireworks rich in Nitrogen. They might cost a bit more, but they put out less smoke in the environment.

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services would like to hear your comments on going green this Fourth of July. Write to us and let us know! For more information on healthy green living, please log on to greencleancertified.com or maidbrigade.com.

Flea and tick treatments, even when applied as instructed on the box, may contain toxic chemicals that can poison pets and harm people. Avoid toxic chemicals by taking care of your pet. To reduce and control fleas, comb and bathe your pet, and vacuum your house regularly.

Combing. Regular combing of a pet can help reduce fleas. Fleas caught in the comb should be drowned in soapy water.

Bathing. Soapy baths are a great way to control fleas. Fleas tend to accumulate in bedding, so wash your pet’s bedding in hot water at least once a week. Washing the bedding will also reduce the spread of flea eggs and larvae that may be contained in it. Try bathing your dog in a mixture of rosemary tea and vinegar. Fleas do not like vinegar!

Vacuuming. Vacuuming picks up fleas and eggs from the carpet, floors, crevices, and furniture. Immediately after vacuuming, throw away the vacuum bag to prevent fleas from escaping and reinfesting your home.

What about Rock Salt and Baking Soda? Sprinkling baking soda or rock salt on carpets and under beds, desks, and even heaters will dehydrate fleas and kill them. Adding some low-sided pans of water in areas where your pets can’t get to also helps. The fleas will jump into the pan and die.

Outdoor Areas. Keep grass and shrubbery clipped short in areas where your pet spends time. This will increase dryness and sunlight, which helps the flea problem. Nematodes, can also be used as a nonchemical, biological aid to help control fleas in these areas.

Natural or Herbal Proucts? Not all essential oils used to treat fleas are safe for animals.

Products containing cedarwood, lemongrass, peppermint, rosemary, or thyme are probably safe.

Avoid the use of any flea or tick product containing pennyroyal oil. It can cause seizures, coma, and death in animals.

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about the health of your family and your pets. Share your comments on how to get rid of fleas with us! For more information on healthy green living, please log on to greencleancertified.com or maidbrigade.com.

Chlorine is the bleaching agent found in some household cleaning products. Though it will get whites whiter, this chemical is extremely irritating to the lungs, skin, and mucous membranes. Did you know that chlorine was actually used as a powerful poison in World War I?

Chlorine is the household chemical most frequently involved in household poisonings. It also ranks first in causing industrial injuries and deaths resulting from large industrial accidents. The residues left behind, known as organochlorides, have been linked to many cancers, including breast cancer. Studies have also shown a link between chlorine exposure from pools and the development of asthma in young children.

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about the health of you and your family. Please share your stories, tips, recipes and ideas on healthy green cleaning and green living with us. For more information please log on to greencleancertified.com or maidbrigade.com.

The warm weather is here…and so are those pesky little flies. One fly alone has the potential to lay 9,000 eggs! Here are a few things that will help eliminate, or at least minimize the number of flies in your home.

1. Try and keep the doors closed as much as possible. If the doors are shut, the flies can’t get in.

2. The smell of cooking meat is a strong attraction for flies, and they will congregate at the screen door waiting for an opening. Even the scent of hamburger defrosting on the kitchen counter can attract them.

Whenever you are cooking in your home, make it a rule to keep the doors closed as much as possible. Try and clean up the food right after meals.

If the door must open and close often during meal-preparation such as barbecues, point a fan from the inside toward the open door. Flies do not like wind.

3. Animal feces are one of the biggest fly attractants. It is not a fun job, but someone will have to remove it from the backyard. Bury it, flush it or seal it in bags in a trash can.

4. The lids of your trash cans should fit and seal tightly to eliminate any space for flies to get in. Keep lids on your kitchen wastebasket as well. Do not let any decaying matter sit around.

5. Flies love the protection of piles of brush and tall grass, so try and keep the yard manicured as much as possible.

For those who compost, a compost heap is an ideal breeding ground for flies, so it might help to keep the compost heap as far from the house as possible. Try not to keep the compost heap too moist. Turn it often. Do not add meat or oil products to the compost.

6. Flies also love moisture and standing water. If you cannot figure out why flies like your yard, check your bird bath or search for any undrained water. Although there might not be anything you can do about living near a pond, lake or swamp, you can drain the water that collects near your house on the lid of trash cans or in buckets.

7. Cover the Fruit. Fruit flies are those tiny gnat-size flying insects that magically appear a few days after you put the fruit bowl on the counter. Get rid of fruit flies by placing fruit in a muslin cloth bag.

8. If your house is still infested with flies and you just cannot figure out why, you may have to go on a search. A dead rodent or even potted plants could have played host to a fly breeding ground. Clean the house thoroughly and lift all carpets to check for maggots. Pour boiling water down all open drains, then cover them.

9. Try using fly-offensive plants. Citronella is known for its mosquito-deterring properties, but it can also work on flies. Other plants that have fly-repelling reputations are false indigo, lavender, elderberry, basil and mint.

10. Use Reflectors! Some people claim that hanging CDs, or hanging plastic ziploc storage bags half full of water with a few pennies in them near an entryway will keep flies away. The sun’s reflection is the key. It makes the flies dizzy and they will stay away.

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about your health. How do you keep those pesky flies away? Write to us and share your comments! For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please go to greencleancertified.com or maidbrigade.com.

Vinegar is a mild acid which can kill 82% of mold species. However, it also has the advantages of being natural and safe. Vinegar is non-toxic and doesn’t give off dangerous fumes like bleach does.

To kill mold with vinegar, use white distilled vinegar. Vinegar is inexpensive and can be found in your local food store.

Pour some vinegar into a spray bottle without watering it down.

Spray the vinegar onto the moldy surface and let it sit for about 1 hour.

Wipe the area with water and allow the surface to dry. The smell of vinegar should disappear within a few hours.

If you want to use vinegar to prevent mold growing on surfaces, just spray vinegar on the surface and leave it. Repeat this every few days to ensure the surface will stay mold-free. You can even mop your tiled bathroom floor or other non-porous floors with vinegar if you are worried about mold growing on them!

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about you and your family. Leave a comment and let us know your ideas on how to get rid of mold the “green” way.

For more information on healthy green living, please go to greencleancertified.com or maidbrigade.com.

Baking soda is well known as a natural and safe household cleaner. Baking soda can also be used to kill mold in your home. Unlike other mold killers which contain harsh chemicals, baking soda is mild (pH of 8.1) and harmless to your family and pets.

Besides killing mold, baking soda also deodorizes, so it can also get rid of the smell mold leaves in your home. Baking soda also absorbs moisture to help keep mold away.

Vinegar is sometimes used along with baking soda when cleaning up a mold problem since vinegar kills different species of mold than baking soda.

To kill mold, add 1/4 tablespoon of baking soda to a spray bottle containing water.
Shake the bottle to dissolve the baking soda into the water.
Spray the moldy area with the baking soda and water solution.
Use a sponge or scrubbing brush and scrub the mold.
Rinse the surface with water to remove any residual mold.
Spray the area again and let the surface dry. This will kill any left over mold and prevent mold from returning.

You can also use a cloth instead of a spray bottle. Just soak a cloth in water, add 1/4 tablespoon baking soda to it, and scrub the moldy area. Rinse and repeat if necessary.

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about you and your family. Share your mold prevention and cleaning tips with us!

For more information on healthy green cleaning, please go to greencleancertified.com or maidbrigade.com.

Maid Brigade is committed to cleaning that is safer for the planet and healthier for humans,
whether consumers hire the green cleaning service or do it themselves.

Scientific studies suggest that cleaning products contain chemicals that harm the environment and can make people sick. The cleaning industry disposes of 500 million pounds of cleaning equipment yearly in the US and we use 6 billion pounds of chemical products yearly. These chemicals can contain neurotoxins, reproductive toxins, aquatic toxins, pesticides, fungicides and other ingredients that can contaminate streams, soils, the atmosphere and living organisms. When Maid Brigade learned of these staggering figures, the company felt a huge responsibility to help reduce its environmental impact by changing its cleaning products and systems.

“The decision to offer a green cleaning service was driven by our commitment to our customers and our employees and the environment,” said Keith Clem, Maid Brigade’s local franchise owner. “We performed our due diligence to research the best green products and practices, and incorporate those into our complete green cleaning system. We wanted to do our part to reduce the impact our industry has on the planet and set an example for the industry.”

The local cleaning company’s commitment to green cleaning is solid; Maid Brigade trains and certifies each Maid Brigade employee in the company’s proprietary Green Clean Certified® system before they become a full-fledged cleaning crew members. Clem says, “It’s not enough to replace harsh cleaning chemicals with more mild alternatives. Proper green cleaning, to gain all the environmental benefits, is a whole-system approach that addresses the equipment as well as the processes we use. In order to clean a home as effectively as possible while using a minimum of cleaning chemicals, and the safest possible chemicals, we have to change the way we clean as well as what we use to clean.” In addition to using cleaning products that are certified by Green Seal to be safer for the environment while still being effective, Maid Brigade uses specialized vacuums with HEPA filtration, that are proven to eliminate 3 times more particulate matter from the air than traditional upright vacuums, and long-lasting micro fiber cloths and mops to reduce the amount of cleaning solutions needed as well as landfill waste.

Each crew member receives the same training and certification, ensuring a consistently thorough cleaning which helps to protect the environment. By eliminating the use of harsh, toxic chemicals that can cause pollution in the home and damage to the environment, Maid Brigade delivers a green cleaning that promotes a healthier home environment and minimizes the impact to the ecosystem.

Green Cleaning e-Guide
The company’s commitment to reducing the environmental impact of the cleaning industry is a testament to the brand’s integrity. Maid Brigade wants all consumers, even those that don’t use the cleaning service, to understand the health and environmental impacts of household cleaning products and know how to research the chemical ingredients in those products so that they can make the most informed decisions possible for their families and the environment. Maid Brigade has just launched a Green Cleaning e-Guide, a 22-page paperless green cleaning guide for the DIY-er. The electronic booklet, which consumers can download for free from the company’s web site, covers why green cleaning is important, how to research the damaging effects of different chemicals, and how to make a broad array of homemade green cleaning solutions for virtually every cleaning task imaginable. The guide can be downloaded from this link: http://www.maidbrigade.com/green-cleaning-e-guide.

“We’re proud of this new Green Cleaning Guide. It’s free and totally eco-friendly since it’s paperless. It gives consumers a wealth of information to help them maintain a healthy indoor and outdoor environment,” says Clem. “Sure, we’d love to clean every home in Fort Worth. But it’s important that everyone have this information, whether they choose to hire Maid Brigade or not. The guide is another way we’re giving back to the community and the planet for Earth Day.”

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about you and your family. Leave a comment and let us know your ideas on how to get rid of mold the “green” way.

For more information on healthy green living, please go to greencleancertified.com or maidbrigade.com.

Hydrogen Peroxide and Mold:

Hydrogen peroxide is an anti-fungal, an anti-viral, an anti-bacterial, and it can kill mold. Hydrogen peroxide is a good alternative to chlorine bleach because it is safe to use and it doesn’t harm the environment. It also doesn’t leave behind toxic residue or produce toxic fumes like chlorine bleach does. Hydrogen peroxide is also inexpensive to buy.

Hydrogen peroxide kills mold effectively on many materials such as clothes, floors, bathrooms fixtures, walls and certain items such as kitchen appliances. Since hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent, it can also help fade the stain that mold leaves behind. Always remember to spot test hydrogen peroxide on the material before cleaning to make sure it won’t fade the material colors.

Pour 3% concentration of hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle.
Spray the moldy surface so that the moldy areas are saturated with hydrogen peroxide.
Wait about 10 minutes, then scrub the area making sure to remove all the mold and mold stains.
Wipe the surface down to remove residual mold and spores.

Vinegar can also be used with hydrogen peroxide during the cleaning to remove the mold more effectively.

Remember to store the spray bottle in a dark place since light diminishes hydrogen peroxide’s effectiveness.

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about you and your family. Leave a comment and let us know your ideas on how to get rid of mold the “green” way.

For more information on healthy green living, please go to greencleancertified.com or maidbrigade.com.