Green Cleaning Questions
Question: Which of your products, in what % solution, is best for our (commercial grade) cork floor?
- Cynthia EAnswer: I assume your cork floor is sealed. I would start with our STRUT YOUR SHINE all-purpose cleaner. The amount depends on how you use it. If using it from the spray bottle and then mopping, I would dilute the 32 oz. all-purpose spray bottle in half. If using a wet/damp cloth from a bucket and then mopping--or hands and knees scrubbing--I would use 1/4 of the 32 oz. spray bottle to one gallon of water. Or, if using concentrate, would use 3 caps of the all-purpose concentrate to one gallon of water. I look forward to hearing how they work for you. Question: I am trying to find the greenest, most natural way to clean soap scum and mildew out of a shower or bathtub. I have tried a few traditional cleaners over the years but have tried to stick to green or natural products over the last few years. Nothing is doing the trick. Any ideas? Thanks!
- April Answer: Soap scum, mildew, and mold are the worst! I would spray the entire shower/tub down with our all-purpose cleaner (STRUT YOUR SHINE), sprinkle some non-abrasive cleanser (SCRUB SO FINE) on the floor or in the tub. With our microfiber sponge, I start on the floor or in the tub first, then work my way up the walls. The sponge should have plenty of paste formed (from the non-abrasive cleanser and all-purpose mix) to clean the walls. If not, sprinkle more non-abrasive cleanser on your sponge as needed. If you have tile, you may want to use a scrub brush. I hate to say this, but prevention is the key to mildew and mold, which form because of moisture. If there is sitting water after your shower or bath, squeegee it away after each use. If you use a shower curtain or have shower doors, keep them open during the day so the inside has time to dry out. Use your exhaust fan. Several people have been able to prevent the build up of soap scum and mildew by using our all-purpose cleaner at half strength as a daily shower spray. To do this; use half the recommended amount of STRUT YOUR SHINE concentrate to 32oz water. Question: Since having surgery for breast cancer it is hard to use my right arm. Rubbing to try to get my stainless appliances clean and streak-free has been a real pain for me. I cannot find anything that works. Everything streaks or I have to rub too hard. I am wishing I never bought stainless appliances! Is your cleaner as good as it sounds - no streaks and not much rubbing?
- JoAnne CAnswer: Stainless steel appliances were also a source of frustration to me. That is why we developed a cleaning product that would not leave a greasy film behind. Our product does not streak. You may have to clean your current appliance several times in order to completely remove any old cleaning product residue. I would recommend using a microfiber cleaning towel with our stainless steel cleaner. Not only will it help absorb the cleaning agent more quickly, it will also help with scrubbing. There are millions of tiny hooks that help aide the cleaning process. We have a few microfiber sets, but would recommend using the glass or all-purpose towel on your appliances. I think you would also like the scrubbing sponge that is included, you could use this in other scrubbing situations that need extra attention. Question: I am wondering if you have a product that works well on mold/mildew in showers and on grout. I have tried Restore and Seventh Generation with minimal success. I, too, am a cleaning person, and I got rid of the toxic stuff years ago, after waking up in the middle of the night wheezing. Out of frustration, I occasionally use the toxic stuff if people have it, but am quickly reminded why I do not use them.
- DJ Answer: The key to minimizing mold and mildew is getting rid of the moisture. I recommend either using a squeegee or keeping the curtain/shower doors open with the fan going for as long as possible after a shower. Unfortunately, mold and mildew will continue to be a problem if you do not get rid of the source. One of our customers uses our all-purpose cleaner diluted to half strength as an after-shower spray. She says it has helped keep the mold and mildew under control. This seems like a very quick task for homeowners. As for your bi-weekly cleaning, I use a combination of the all-purpose cleaner and sprinkle the non-abrasive cleanser to form a paste. This will get rid of the mold/mildew. However, mold leaves behind black stains. Another solution would be to use a fragrance-free OXI powder(same thing as hydrogen peroxide) and form a paste and put it on the stains. This should not only kill the mold/mildew, but also bleach it without the health consequences. You could try straight hydrogen peroxide, purchased from the drug store, too. Be careful with clothing and cloth shower curtains. It could stain (white spots like bleach). You could use the OXI/hydrogen peroxide solution first, then use the all-purpose and non-abrasive cleanser combo on the follow up cleanings. Question: When we built our house 5 years ago, I decided to use more natural products because I wanted to give it a try and because we have a septic system. I use a great deal of vinegar, water and peppermint essential oil to clean, especially on my wood floor which makes up 3/4 of our main floor flooring. I still want to use natural products, but am moving past the phase of making it myself and wanted to know if you have tried your all purpose cleaner on wood floors. Does it leave a film or do you feel it works as well as my regular solution?
- Jeannette BAnswer: Yes, our all purpose cleaner or concentrate is ideal for all hard floors, including wood. There are a few ways you can use it. If you spray and wipe, use only 1/4 of the pre-mixed cleaner and fill the remainder of the bottle with water. If you scrub on hands and knees or use a bucket with wet mop, use 2 caps of concentrate to one gallon of water. I think you will enjoy the safety and effectiveness of our products if you make the switch. Question: How well do your products do at killing germs?
- Cathy LAnswer: Sara and I do not believe in killing germs with anti-bacterials. The ingredients used to kills germs are typically registered pesticides. They leave behind residue that your skin can absorb from contact. (Skin is the largest organ of our body.) Or, when food or hands touch a surface and then you ingest or absorb it. We believe people need to use non-toxic cleaning agents. The cleaning agents job is to make the soil attach to the water droplet so it can be wiped or rinsed away. The combination of non-toxic cleaners and microfiber is a very effective way to remove germs. The millions of tiny hooks on the microfiber are great at wiping that droplet away. From all of the research we have done, we have found surfaces need to be wiped more often to eliminate germs. Also, the kitchen sink is one of the places in the home with the most germs. If you would like a disinfectant alone, we would recommend PureGreen24. It is not a cleaner, it is a disinfectant. It is completely safe and its ingredients are silver ions, citric acid, and water. I personally use this in my house when the stomach flu is going around. Use it on hard surfaces like door knobs, bathroom surfaces, etc. We sell PureGreen24 in 4oz bottles. 1
- Cynthia EAnswer: I assume your cork floor is sealed. I would start with our STRUT YOUR SHINE all-purpose cleaner. The amount depends on how you use it. If using it from the spray bottle and then mopping, I would dilute the 32 oz. all-purpose spray bottle in half. If using a wet/damp cloth from a bucket and then mopping--or hands and knees scrubbing--I would use 1/4 of the 32 oz. spray bottle to one gallon of water. Or, if using concentrate, would use 3 caps of the all-purpose concentrate to one gallon of water. I look forward to hearing how they work for you. Question: I am trying to find the greenest, most natural way to clean soap scum and mildew out of a shower or bathtub. I have tried a few traditional cleaners over the years but have tried to stick to green or natural products over the last few years. Nothing is doing the trick. Any ideas? Thanks!
- April Answer: Soap scum, mildew, and mold are the worst! I would spray the entire shower/tub down with our all-purpose cleaner (STRUT YOUR SHINE), sprinkle some non-abrasive cleanser (SCRUB SO FINE) on the floor or in the tub. With our microfiber sponge, I start on the floor or in the tub first, then work my way up the walls. The sponge should have plenty of paste formed (from the non-abrasive cleanser and all-purpose mix) to clean the walls. If not, sprinkle more non-abrasive cleanser on your sponge as needed. If you have tile, you may want to use a scrub brush. I hate to say this, but prevention is the key to mildew and mold, which form because of moisture. If there is sitting water after your shower or bath, squeegee it away after each use. If you use a shower curtain or have shower doors, keep them open during the day so the inside has time to dry out. Use your exhaust fan. Several people have been able to prevent the build up of soap scum and mildew by using our all-purpose cleaner at half strength as a daily shower spray. To do this; use half the recommended amount of STRUT YOUR SHINE concentrate to 32oz water. Question: Since having surgery for breast cancer it is hard to use my right arm. Rubbing to try to get my stainless appliances clean and streak-free has been a real pain for me. I cannot find anything that works. Everything streaks or I have to rub too hard. I am wishing I never bought stainless appliances! Is your cleaner as good as it sounds - no streaks and not much rubbing?
- JoAnne CAnswer: Stainless steel appliances were also a source of frustration to me. That is why we developed a cleaning product that would not leave a greasy film behind. Our product does not streak. You may have to clean your current appliance several times in order to completely remove any old cleaning product residue. I would recommend using a microfiber cleaning towel with our stainless steel cleaner. Not only will it help absorb the cleaning agent more quickly, it will also help with scrubbing. There are millions of tiny hooks that help aide the cleaning process. We have a few microfiber sets, but would recommend using the glass or all-purpose towel on your appliances. I think you would also like the scrubbing sponge that is included, you could use this in other scrubbing situations that need extra attention. Question: I am wondering if you have a product that works well on mold/mildew in showers and on grout. I have tried Restore and Seventh Generation with minimal success. I, too, am a cleaning person, and I got rid of the toxic stuff years ago, after waking up in the middle of the night wheezing. Out of frustration, I occasionally use the toxic stuff if people have it, but am quickly reminded why I do not use them.
- DJ Answer: The key to minimizing mold and mildew is getting rid of the moisture. I recommend either using a squeegee or keeping the curtain/shower doors open with the fan going for as long as possible after a shower. Unfortunately, mold and mildew will continue to be a problem if you do not get rid of the source. One of our customers uses our all-purpose cleaner diluted to half strength as an after-shower spray. She says it has helped keep the mold and mildew under control. This seems like a very quick task for homeowners. As for your bi-weekly cleaning, I use a combination of the all-purpose cleaner and sprinkle the non-abrasive cleanser to form a paste. This will get rid of the mold/mildew. However, mold leaves behind black stains. Another solution would be to use a fragrance-free OXI powder(same thing as hydrogen peroxide) and form a paste and put it on the stains. This should not only kill the mold/mildew, but also bleach it without the health consequences. You could try straight hydrogen peroxide, purchased from the drug store, too. Be careful with clothing and cloth shower curtains. It could stain (white spots like bleach). You could use the OXI/hydrogen peroxide solution first, then use the all-purpose and non-abrasive cleanser combo on the follow up cleanings. Question: When we built our house 5 years ago, I decided to use more natural products because I wanted to give it a try and because we have a septic system. I use a great deal of vinegar, water and peppermint essential oil to clean, especially on my wood floor which makes up 3/4 of our main floor flooring. I still want to use natural products, but am moving past the phase of making it myself and wanted to know if you have tried your all purpose cleaner on wood floors. Does it leave a film or do you feel it works as well as my regular solution?
- Jeannette BAnswer: Yes, our all purpose cleaner or concentrate is ideal for all hard floors, including wood. There are a few ways you can use it. If you spray and wipe, use only 1/4 of the pre-mixed cleaner and fill the remainder of the bottle with water. If you scrub on hands and knees or use a bucket with wet mop, use 2 caps of concentrate to one gallon of water. I think you will enjoy the safety and effectiveness of our products if you make the switch. Question: How well do your products do at killing germs?
- Cathy LAnswer: Sara and I do not believe in killing germs with anti-bacterials. The ingredients used to kills germs are typically registered pesticides. They leave behind residue that your skin can absorb from contact. (Skin is the largest organ of our body.) Or, when food or hands touch a surface and then you ingest or absorb it. We believe people need to use non-toxic cleaning agents. The cleaning agents job is to make the soil attach to the water droplet so it can be wiped or rinsed away. The combination of non-toxic cleaners and microfiber is a very effective way to remove germs. The millions of tiny hooks on the microfiber are great at wiping that droplet away. From all of the research we have done, we have found surfaces need to be wiped more often to eliminate germs. Also, the kitchen sink is one of the places in the home with the most germs. If you would like a disinfectant alone, we would recommend PureGreen24. It is not a cleaner, it is a disinfectant. It is completely safe and its ingredients are silver ions, citric acid, and water. I personally use this in my house when the stomach flu is going around. Use it on hard surfaces like door knobs, bathroom surfaces, etc. We sell PureGreen24 in 4oz bottles. 1
