Tips For Safely Cleaning Your Home

The holidays are about over, it’s time to take down the decorations and clean. Spring will soon be here (we hope), it’s time to clean. Out of town guests are coming, you’ll need to clean. You actually live in your home…it needs to be cleaned!

No matter what time of year it is or what’s going on in life, one thing is a given, cleaning your house is an ongoing task. Another situation that is a given is the fact that accidents happen, and many of them occur during house cleaning, from falls to tripping to breathing toxic fumes. No one is exempt from accidents, but being more aware of the possibilities can help us avoid an injury. And no matter how long you’ve been cleaning, whether you’re young or old, a few safety reminders can’t hurt (pun intended) anyone.

Clean Your Home Safely

• Lifting heavy objects is the cause of many back injuries. Know how to lift properly.
  • Do not bend at the waist, bend at the knees and hips – let your legs do the work, not your back.
  • As you are lifting the object, keep it close to your body, being careful not to turn or twist your torso.
  • Keep heavy objects below your shoulder level.
  • Make sure the pathway to the destination of the object is cleared in advance to avoid tripping.
  • Even when lifting properly, some objects are just too heavy, so don’t be impatient, ask someone to help.
• Keep a sturdy step stool handy for those times you need to clean something too high to safely reach.
• Vacuum safely by:
  • Never vacuuming wet surfaces to avoid electrical shock.
  • Don’t vacuum over electrical cords.
  • Protect your electrical cord by never using it to pull the vacuum, not trying to stretch it too far or pulling it around sharp corners or over sharp objects. Don’t use a vacuum that has a damaged electrical cord. Be sure to roll the cord up and store properly after each use.
  • Choose the right type of vacuum cleaner…if you have allergies or other respiratory health issues, a bagless cleaner might not be right for you, emptying the canister stirs up a lot of dust.
• Beware of wet floors. Wet floors are accidents waiting to happen, unless you are not only careful yourself, but make everyone else in the house is aware of the potential hazard. Children, especially toddlers need to be watched and warned.

Safety with cleaning product (chemicals)

• It should go without saying, but I’ll say it again, NEVER mix cleaning products! Doing so can create toxic fumes that are potentially deadly. Some of the worst combinations are mixing chlorine bleach along with either ammonia or vinegar. Inhaling the fumes is not the only way we can be injured, these chemicals can also burn your skin.
• Make sure your work area has good ventilation when using chemicals.
• Many people think that if they make their own cleaning products they are danger-free, but that is not necessarily the case.
  • Avoid mixing acids and alkalies together: Acids include lemon juice and vinegar, alkalies include ammonia and baking soda. And definitely don’t mix bleach with either of these. Know what you’re combining before creating your solution.
  • If you make your own products, proper storage is so important: Label your containers big and bold, never store open containers and never store in containers that once had food in them, they might be mistaken and possibly ingested by someone who doesn’t know any better. Always store them out of reach of children or pets. (This applies to purchased or home made products)
• Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands and masks to prevent inhaling fumes.
• Read the labels on all purchased cleaning products, understand how to use them, how not to use them, and follow the instructions.
• When cleaning in the kitchen, make sure the products you use are non-toxic…designed for food preparation areas.
• Just because you’ve been cleaning, doesn’t mean your hands are “clean”. Be sure to wash your hands well to remove any residual cleaning products from them.

When it’s time to have your windows cleaned, Contact me for a Complimentary quote. The products I use are safe and effective. I’ll make your windows shine and you won’t have to lift a finger.