3 Non-Toxic Ways to Clean Mold

Mold—that icky, fuzzy stuff that likes to lurk in high corners just a few feet beyond your reach. And the worst part about mold? Sometimes you don’t even see it immediately, as mold may be growing in your home and you don’t even know it. That’s because the fuzzy stuff loves dark, warm, humid places to live. Your basement, kitchen and bathroom are at the most risk for mold and bacteria growth because they are in constant contact with moisture.

When the conditions are right, mold can grow within 24-48 hours. Leaving mold untreated can cause respiratory illnesses as well as be a major factor for year-round allergies. It’s also unseemly and can give guests in your home the wrong impression of your hygienic habits. For all these reasons, it’s so important to kill mold at first sight.

Before you grab a damp towel and think that’s all you’ll need to kill it, consider these three household solutions for truly eliminating mold from your abode.

1. Hydrogen Peroxide

When you want to know how to get rid of mold, know that hydrogen peroxide is your new best friend. Hydrogen peroxide is an anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial solution that kills mold effectively on a variety of materials such as kitchen appliances, bathroom fixtures, floors and walls.

To kill mold: Pour 3% concentration hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle. Saturate the moldy surface completely and leave it to sit for ten minutes. Next, scrub the area to remove all of the mold and mold stains. And finally, wipe the surface down to remove residual mold and spores. You’ll want to take extra care if the mold is growing on delicate surfaces, as hydrogen peroxide can act as a bleach.

2. Vinegar

Chances are, you probably already have vinegar in your home. This magic elixir makes meals taste wonderful and stains disappear with equal potency. Vinegar is a mild acid which can kill 82% of mold species. (Baking soda is often used along with vinegar for killing different species of mold.)

To kill mold: Use white distilled vinegar and pour it into a spray bottle without watering it down. Spray the vinegar onto the moldy surface and leave it to sit for an hour. Finally, wipe the area clean with water and allow the surface to dry. Any smell from the vinegar should clear within a few hours, but if it lingers, you can freshen up the space with bowls of lemon water around the area.

3. Baking Soda

Baking soda is a mild, white mineral powder, that can be used to kill mold in your home, plus it is safe for your family and pets. In addition to killing mold, it will absorb moisture to help keep mold away.

To kill mold: Add one quarter of a tablespoon of baking soda to a spray bottle of water and shake until it has dissolved. Spray the moldy area with the baking soda and water solution, then use a sponge or scrub brush to remove all the mold from the surface. Next, rinse the surface with water to remove any residual mold on the surface. Finally, spray the area again and let the surface dry. (This will kill any left-over mold and prevent the mold from returning).

All of these solutions are great non-toxic alternatives to chemical-based cleaners. Not only are they safe to use and safe for the environment, all of these products are inexpensive and easy to find in your local store.

Mold is something you don’t want to ignore. The respiratory problems, allergic reactions and unseemly sights all add up to reasons to really get that stuff out of your home. Luckily, when it comes to products that kill mold, you probably have most of the ingredients in your house. And if you need help with a good deep cleaning of your home, just give The Maids a call at 1-800-The-MAIDS. We’re always ready to lend a helping hand!

Contact ServiceMaster Restore on 316-540-5317 or Visit us at smbybest.com and let us get to work making things right again.

11 Questions You Should Ask When Hiring a Cleaning Service

When hiring a cleaning service, you want to select the best match for your family. Here are some questions to ask that help you get the perfect choice.

1. Are you licensed bonded and insured, and do you perform background checks, reference checks and drug screening? Who is in your home is generally the most important question that consumers have. Official checks and verification are how professional companies can ensure you have trustworthy people in your home. 
2. Do you hire employees or subcontractors? This question is about who is in control of your job. If a company hires employees they are legally allowed to train, insure, pay payroll taxes and provide care and control over the job. If they hire sub-contractors, it is the sub-contractor themselves who must provide the insurance, they should not receive training from the company, and they are really independent business owners. If a company hires sub-contractors then you should ask a lot more questions about liability, insurance, qualifications and payroll taxes.
3. What are your most common complaints and how do you solve them? Customer satisfaction with a cleaning service is about understanding and meeting customer expectations, communication, and a complete understanding of the customer’s needs. Learning ahead of time where things could go array can help avoid misunderstandings in your home service.
4. Can you work within my budget? Everyone loves having their house cleaned from corner to corner, but that may not always be in your budget. Find out what the cleaning company can do with your budget.
5. How reliable is your company? You are busy, and you don’t have time to wait around for umpteen changes in time from your cleaning company. Ask your cleaning company how they measure their reliability, and do they have a good track record.
6. Do you have expertise in cleaning stains and unusual cleaning problems? It does not take much expertise to run a broom across the floor, but to maintain a home in tip top shape you are going to need occasionally to handle the odd stain on your carpet, in your grout or on your granite, etc. 
7. Do you belong to a trade association or have you received any specialized training? True experts spend time and resources staying up on the most effective procedures, standards and technology for an efficient cleaning.
8. What kinds of tools and supplies do you use? Green cleaning, microfiber, traditional products, commercial grade… learn what your company plans to use.
9. How do you guarantee your work? Not only ask the company if they guarantee their work, but how they do it. Is there a lot of red tape? Do people need to redeem the guarantee often?
10. Do you offer special projects if I need it? Is the company available to do a detail of the interior and exterior surfaces of the kitchen? How about hands and knees polishing of your dining room and dining room furniture? How about giving a good clean to your RV or boat? It is important to know that your cleaning company is available for all of your needs.
11. Can you come out to give me a free in-home estimate? I know you are busy and may be considering skipping this step, but an in-home estimate is your opportunity to really see who will project managing your service. See whether they seem experienced, flexible, good communication, a good leader and someone you can work with for a long term relationship. No matter how frequently you are using a cleaning service, the process of finding and vetting a good service takes time, and you would rather only do it once.

After Fire Damage Homeowners Need Odor Removal

After Fire Damage Homeowners Need Odor Removal.

Contact ServiceMaster Restore on 316-413-5750 or Visit us at smbybest.com and let us get to work making things right again.

Where there’s fire, there’s smoke. Any homeowner who has experienced a fire knows the truth of that old statement. Smoke inhalation kills most victims of house fires. Even if the occupants escape, the lingering odor of smoke can traumatize even the most stout-hearted homeowner.

One reason that odors linger long after the fire is extinguished is that smoke is comprised of particles. Those particles land on every surface, and in every crevice in the home. They are very fine and difficult to detect, and even more difficult to remove. In most cases, you need expert help with special neutralizers and methods of odor removal to eliminate the long-term effects of a fire.

Odor Removal Doesn’t Happen By Itself

Many people try at first to eliminate odors and finally realize that the job can be accomplished more quickly and thoroughly by a trained professional. At United Water Restoration, our technicians use special neutralizing products, hot thermal fog, unsmoke, ozone and odor counteractants.

These methods and tools are not widely available to the general public - and moreover, the longer the time that passes before the odor is attacked, the more damage can occur.

There are some things the homeowner can do: Thoroughly wash floors, kitchen cupboards and floors that aren’t carpeted. Vacuum carpets, using a machine with a HEPA high-efficiency filter to trap smoke particles inside the vacuum. Remove and wash light fixtures. Remove all curtains, draperies and window shades for cleaning or dry-cleaning. Turn a large fan to blow fresh air into the home, working your way through the house, room by room.

If all this seems like too much for a busy homeowner to handle, call ServiceMaster Restore. We do all this and more to help restore your home to its original condition.

Smoke discolors surfaces such as plastic, fiberglass, and eventually, metal. Wood and vinyl will also need to be replaced.

Ash and soot are easily distributed and are a major cause of odor. Allowing this residue to remain for days permits it to creep into impenetrable places such as between floor boards and behind drywall.

So a difficult job becomes more difficult. The disaster restoration and odor removal will go much more quickly and be less expensive if it is tackled immediately.

After the clean-up process is underway, the homeowner will notice an immediate reduction in odor. For months later, pulling a piece of clothing out of winter storage, for instance, can release traumatic memories triggered by the smell of smoke. There is no better way to restore a homeowner’s peace of mind than to tackle odors at their source, as soon as possible after the fire.

Cleaning up after a fire is a job left to those who specialize in this type of work. General cleaning is not enough— indeed, it may make the situation worse. A homeowner has gone through enough turmoil with a fire in the house.  

Call 316-413-5750 or Visit us at smbybest.com and let us get to work making things right again.