By Guest Writer Karoline Gore

Around 84.6 million Americans households have a pet, with dogs and cats being our top two choices for a furry best friend. Pets are such an important part of our lives that they affect our home buying decisions, and often dictate where we stay when we go on holiday. For many pet owners, just about the one bad thing about pets is having to clean up after them. Pets can unwittingly bring home pests (including fleas) and dirt, so thorough cleaning is as important as grooming to ensure neatness in the home and optimal health for your pets and family. If you have dogs and/or cats and you’d like to ensure your home is tidy and hygienic, follow these tips and ensure you impress friends and family every time they visit.

Denver Concierge’s Green Cleaning System

Toxic home cleaning products may eliminate germs, but they also contribute to poor indoor air quality and can spur on allergies, respiratory problems, and more. Therefore, it is important to rely on pet-friendly cleaning products which are also environmentally friendly. If you are unsure about what green cleaning involves, give Denver Concierge a call. They are renowned green residential cleaners that can help you have a sparkling home in no time, while ensuring all surfaces are safe for children, pets, and adults in the household. Having your home professionally cleaned on a regular basis is key when it comes to really getting rid of fleas and other potential nasties on flooring, bedding, and soft furniture. Once your home is sparkling clean, it is easier to maintain in an optimal state afterwards.

Vacuuming is Key

Opt for a steam vacuum to reduce the need for cleaning products and to effectively kill germs. Some steam vacuum cleaners are specifically catered to pet-loving homes. That is, they have special handles capable of suctioning even the shortest of fur off difficult surfaces such as soft furnishings. These machines come with a host of other handles that can also be used to  make cleaning areas like the kitchen and bathroom a breeze.

Finding the Right Place for Pet Items

You need to really think where you place regular essentials for pets like cat litter, dog bowls, toys, etc. Homes can get pretty dirty if your dog plays with his chew toy on the sofa, or your cat’s litter bowl is in a spot in which people can trip over it or spill its contents. Ideally, the litterbox needs to be away from the living room and kitchen, and placed against a wall in the furthest area of the room it is located in. Ensure your cat always has access to rooms in which litter trays are placed, so it does end up doing its necessities in other areas of the home. You can use one side of a kitchen island for dog bowls, or have custom made kitchen storage furniture, with a space beneath the tabletop for dog bowls. Use non-slip mats beneath the bowls for easier cleaning after your dogs enjoy their meal.

Good Grooming is a Must

You might be surprised by the extent to which good grooming can affect the cleanliness of your home. By trimming your dog’s nails and fur and treating your pets regularly for fleas and ticks, you can ensure they don’t drag in dirt (or pests) or soil furniture and floors. Long fur in the paws can trap dirt, snow, and ice, but they are also favorite spots for pests to ‘hide’ in. In addition to applying a flea and tick treatment to your pets, you should also check their fur for ticks that may have attached after a long day out in the Great Outdoors. Remove any ticks you find with tweezers, ensuring your remove the entire tick in one go.

Keeping your home sparkling clean when you have pets is a little more challenging, but definitely not impossible. Because dogs and cats shed so much and can unwittingly bring in pests that are sometimes hard to spot, a good, professional ‘green clean’ is important on a regular basis. Maintain the cleanliness of your home by steam vacuuming frequently, tidying up every day, and placing pet items in accessible areas of your home that are not conducive to spills.

Typically people think of the bathroom as being the germiest, followed by the kitchen (surprise- it’s actually the other way around). When people think of an exercise space like a fitness center or gymnasium, the impression is “healthy”. After all, that’s what it’s used for. Yet research has found as many as 25 different types of bacteria in fitness centers. Setting up a home gym will cut that number back drastically, but not entirely; there are still some risky germs lurking around there.

Working Up A Sweat

Sure, having a home gym reduces the odds that you’ll get a cold, flu, or stomach bug- and that’s great, especially when combined with a healthy diet and supplementation. But all of the surfaces in your gym are a breeding ground for bacteria. Benches, the handle bars of stationary bikes or treadmills, the grips on free weights, and literally anything you sit or lay on while working up a sweat, can all harbor bacteria. The floor along with any exercise mats can also be a haven for bacteria, but that certainly doesn’t have to be the case – it’s easy to remedy.

Easy To Wipe Down

Surface areas like gym mats are easy to keep clean with a simple wipe-down. In fact, it’s recommended that you place mats down especially over carpeted areas especially for that reason. The bacteria that is likely building up in your gym is the contact-based variety (not airborne illness), the most common of which is staph or MRSA. While it’s the most common, it also poses the highest threat.

Most of the time, you come into contact with this bacteria without even knowing, because it doesn’t often doesn’t cause any issue. In fact, many people have a form of staph bacteria present on the surface of their skin. Small cuts, scrapes, knicks, and any type of open wound allow the bacteria to get inside the skin, thus inside the body, and this is where things can become troublesome. Once it’s inside your body, it becomes an active infection. This usually presents with boils on the skin near the wound, but can also present with the usual symptoms of skin infections, like itchiness, redness, and swelling.

Clean After Contact

To eliminate contact bacteria in your home gym, wipe down any equipment, mats, and benches with sanitizing wipes (like Clorox wipes) or an all-purpose anti-bacterial spray and dry wash cloth. You should wipe down anything you’re about to use before you use it, and immediately after you’ve been in contact with it. Cleaning it right after use kills bacteria right away so it doesn’t have a chance to grow, and doing so right before use is an extra precaution – just in case you forgot, or some of the buggers got away the first time. Fungi is another little monster that might be hanging about. Fungi typically invade areas that are dark and wet, like gym bags, gym clothes left in a hamper, and inside sweaty shoes. This is what causes conditions like athlete’s foot. This is a pretty easy thing to avoid, though. Simply be sure to wash and dry your gym clothes, don’t re-wear dirty socks, and keep things dry.

A home gym is a great way to save time, money, and stay in good shape. It’s convenient and economic, plus you’re in control of the environment so you can feel more comfortable and do as you please. Just because it’s your personal gym, though, doesn’t mean it doesn’t need a bit of maintenance. Keep your gym in good condition. After all, that’s what it does for you!

By Karoline Gore, guest writer

Did you know that cutting boards contain 200 times more coliform bacteria than a toilet seat, or that kitchen tap handles contain around a quarter million germs? Dirty kitchen islands, utensils, and crockery can also build up bacteria quickly, potentially resulting in illness for your family. When tackling the issue of cleaning your kitchen, it is important to be realistic. This is because in addition to cleaning surfaces and equipment every time you use them, you will also need to deep clean your kitchen with regularity, to ensure stored items are kept hygienically and to get rid of grease and food remains that can escape your daily cleaning. If you find that you don’t have time to clean as much as you like, rely on a trusted cleaning company to keep your home safe for your family; make sure the company is a certified green cleaner to value sustainability as much as you do cleanliness.

What diseases can kitchen bacteria cause?

Some of the many diseases that can be caused by viruses and bacteria in the kitchen include colds, flu, and foodborne illnesses. As noted by academics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, those who handle food can pass diseases such as Hepatitis A, noroviruses, or diseases caused by staphylococcus and streptococcus, to others. Bacteria in raw foods such as uncooked hamburger and other raw meat and seafood, meanwhile, can cause a deadly disease called uremic syndrome. Those who prep food can sometimes neglect to clean their kitchen as is required because “nothing has happened so far.” But all it takes is one incident to drastically change your family’s health and wellbeing.

How often should you clean your kitchen space?

Those who are very busy may not like the answer to this question. Kitchens should be cleaned daily – that is, countertops and any other items that touch food should be cleaned immediately after use. Research shows that some of the dirtiest areas in the kitchen include the sink area because we tend to use contaminated sponges that contain food bacteria. Sponges should be kept for no longer than one week to reduce the chances of illness. Microwaves should be cleaned once weekly, while fridges should be disinfected once a week. Make sure to throw away old fruit and open packages and cans that can leak or drop onto your fridge trays. Ovens, meanwhile, should be cleaned every three to six months. If you clean your oven regularly, you can rely on steam or natural ingredients like vinegar and baking soda, rather than having to use grease removers with a high chemical content.

Keeping dishes and utensils clean

If you are worried about bacteria build-up on sponges, you might wish to opt for a dishwasher instead. You have two choices when it comes to dishwashers. You can either opt for a standard model (which doesn’t get so hot and sanitizes dishes using chemicals) or for a commercial dishwasher, which uses high temperatures to clean dishes and utensils. If you have a large family that goes through various dishes a day, a commercial type dishwasher may be more suitable. Look into certified green machines, which will enable you to save water and energy yet kill potentially harmful bacteria.

Kitchen floors count too

Be vigilant of floors; steam vacuum them frequently since food often spills onto the floor and those who walk into a kitchen can bring bacteria from the kitchen into other rooms. If you don’t use a steam vacuum machine, sweep the floor first to remove crumbs and potentially sharp pieces of food. Use warm water and a mop, adding a couple of drops of dish soap and a cup of vinegar into your mop bucket to remove stubborn stains. Use a microfiber mop to dry the areas you have cleaned.

When cleaning your home, carpets, and floors may be most important for aesthetic purposes and to lend the home a tidy look when guests arrive. However, it is also important to pay special attention to the kitchen, since contaminated food can have serious health consequences for you and your family. Plan your cleaning routine, using your phone calendar to remind you when specific cleaning tasks are due. Clean countertops, crockery, and utensils immediately after using them, and pay as much attention to floors as you do cooking spaces.

By Karoline Gore, guest writer

How May We Help You?

Did you know that Denver Concierge has been in business for nearly 20 years? The company started back in 1998 as a full-service concierge business. We were walking dogs, buying groceries and running errands. It was a lot of work! Back in the early 2000’s we became exclusively a housecleaning company, and our current owner, John Kitts, bought the company in 2006.

Since then, we have spent all of our time on being the best housecleaning company around and based on your feedback we feel like we are doing a good job, although we always strive for perfection.

While we love making your homes shine, many of you have requested that we offer other services. Some examples include carpet cleaning, window washing, handyman services and the like.

Our question for you today is simple. What other services could we offer inside your home that would make your life easier? We would love to hear from you. Just click on the services that make the most sense to you, then hit submit. It’s super fast and easy, just one page! The button below shall set you free. Thanks for your feedback!

Take me to the fast and easy survey!

Performing Arts Center Expansion Coming

Last month in a fairly quiet announcement, Mayor Hancock rolled out his vision for a new, revitalized performing arts complex We are fascinated by the modern look, and while the price tag has yet to be revealed, it looks magnificent!

The article on this project can be found here. If you just want to skip to the wonderful images of what this might look like, they can be found here. Certainly another exciting project in Denver!

If at First You Don’t Succeed, Fail Again

Our perception of success is typically very skewed. We all have a tendency to look at successful people as examples of success and prosperity. What we rarely see are the failures behind that success.

We found a great article on failure. Odd topic for sure, but most folks that have achieved success have done so with lots of adversity behind the scenes that we have never seen.

If you are thinking about starting your own business, or currently have one, hopefully you will find the article interesting. It can be
found here.

Queen Bee Corner

by Angela

We had an exciting start to Spring.  A water line broke in one of our houses while the team was there and a near flood ensued. When I called to alert the client to what was happening she luckily answered immediately.  I was worried I wouldn’t be able to reach her and she would have an awful surprise on arriving home at the end of the day.

Which brings me to emergency numbers.  I have telephone numbers for all of our clients, and emails for most.  If you have recently changed your number or have an emergency number to add please send it off in an email to me.  Our team leaders always call the office when they notice anything unusual in a house which is very reassuring but we need a way to reach you!

Worst Pollen Season? Ever?

Spring is an amazing time of year in Denver. However, for those of you that suffer with allergies, we might be in for a challenge this year.

We have read a few articles on El Nino and the affect it may have on increased pollens in the air this Spring. We found a good piece on the Weather Channel
which can be found here.

The folks at newswise.com also posted some great tips on how to cope with Spring pollens. That article can be found here.

Are you Good at Math?

Some days we are and some days we aren’t! We always forget the “rule of 72” and how it works with investments, for example.

We found a great “cheat sheet” for not only investments, but measuring our habits, how to accurately tip, and our income.

Take a look here if you want to see some easy and helpful tips on remembering important calculations in our lives!

The key for reducing the volatile chemical compounds when cleaning

The best way to reduce the volatile chemical compounds when cleaning is to avoid cleaning with chemical compounds. This means no detergents that you can usually find in the store, nor detergents that are added to the water tank of the cleaning machine. The result may not be that satisfying as when cleaning with a powerful detergent during the big house cleaning, but let’s face it – there will be no need to leave the windows open for a long time, neither to worry about your kids or pets. Some hand-knotted carpets, rugs and other natural upholstery are also very sensitive to chemical compounds. Not to mention the effect of the chemicals onto the wooden texture of the furnishings or onto chrome parts if you pick up the wrong detergent.

The key for reducing the volatile chemical compounds is to avoid or at least to reduce the periods for deep cleaning at home, which means a more frequent cleaning so you can’t let the objects to get heavily soiled. For instance, let’s take the textile floor coverings. A great idea is to rotate rugs and carpets on a monthly basis. This yet simple trick ensures an even wear of all the areas of the carpets, which is especially important for the carpets in the living room or in the bedroom. These are the most frequently used rooms and so the foot traffic is not an exception. By rotating carpets and rugs, you expose different areas to the foot traffic and so the need for deep cleaning with professional cleaning services reduces as well. Another great idea is to flip the carpets and the rugs if they have beautiful backings. By doing so, you basically expose a whole new side of the carpet to the foot traffic and everything else like dirt, dust, indentations from heavy objects, etc. One, the textile floor coverings become longer lasting and two – you reduce the period for deep cleaning with powerful chemical compounds.

Another common way to avoid breathing volatile chemical compounds is to leave the doors and the windows in the house open so there is always a constant airflow. This is simple, but it is applicable only for the warm seasons. That’s why the end or the beginning of the summer are the best moments for deep cleaning at home even if you plan to call the professional cleaners who use big powerful machines with a myriad of cleaning solutions.

Use the vacuum cleaning machine everywhere! Whether it comes to just freshening the fluffiness of the carpets and the sofa or a weekly cleaning of all flooring – the vacuum cleaner is the fastest and yet easiest way for cleaning at home. It removes dust, food crumbs and other loose particles without the need for a treatment with chemical compounds.

Another common way is to beat gently the cushions and the carpets through the windows in order to get rid of the dust and the loose particles. Take a pick of a warm sunny and windy day for cleaning. The wind will help blow away the dirt and the dust, while the effect of wiping off dust should be the same even without using a vacuum cleaning machine.

Yet if you have to deep clean with some commercial detergents – make sure that they’re pet-friendly detergents. A simple hygiene spray should play a great role for cleaning spills of margarine and other common spots from kitchen grease. Always read the labels on the compounds and try to avoid the powerful detergents that are recommended for cleaning machines.

Find more helpful cleaning tips on carpet cleaning please click here.