San Diego Humane Society Success Story

We love hearing success stories!

As we usually do every Monday, we would like to share a wonderful success story from the San Diego Humane Society. Ruth, aka Elsa, was adopted by a sweet family and they think the world of her:

“…the sweetest dog in the world. We love her so much.”

Dear Humane Society,

I’d like to update you on the wonderful dog we adopted from you on Gaines St. on Nov. 24th 2012.  She was named Elsa while in your excellent care & is a pit bull mix & the sweetest dog in the world.  We love her so much.

I sent a few pictures shortly after we adopted her & here are a few more. We renamed her Ruth after Ruth 1:16 in the Bible where Ruth is speaking to her mother-in-law, Naomi.  “Don’t make me leave you, for I want to go wherever you go, & to live wherever you live; your people will be my people, & your God shall be my God.”  That scripture seemed to fit so Ruth or Ruthie she is & we are her people!

Thank you to all the folks at your place for caring for her so lovingly until we came along.  God bless you all.

Shari & Richard H.
June 2013

5 Helpful Bird Care Tips

Are you a bird owner?

Pet birds can be a lot of fun and provide much entertainment for your entire family. The Clear The Air family loves all animals  and we would like to share some care tips for pet birds.

Remember to use Clear The Air at the bottom of your bird’s cage to eliminate any and all odors. Remember, it is 100% non-toxic even if ingested!

1. Before bringing your bird home, you will want to make sure you purchase a large well-constructed cage.  No matter the species, it is important for your bird to have enough room to stretch his wings and fly short distances.  Horizontal bars and perches need to also be installed in your cage at varying heights.
2. Line the bottom of the cage with plain paper or paper bags that are cut to size and make sure it is changed daily.  We recommend sprinkling Clear The Air at the bottom of your bird cage to keep odors away.  Place your bird’s cage in a warm, bright part of the house off the floor that is close to where the action is but away from drafts and direct sunlight.  Make sure your bird is not close to the kitchen as they are extremely sensitive to fumes from ovens, cookware and such.
3. When it comes to feeding your bird, pelleted food is the way to go.  While seed mixes provide variety, they do not always provide the best nutrition. Fresh veggies and fruits should be given to your bird every day.  Dark, leafy greens are packed with vitamins and many birds also enjoy carrots and broccoli.  Fresh cold water should also be available at all times and changed at least once a day.
4. A trained and tamed bird will need at least an hour of exercise out of the cage in a safe and enclosed room every day.  He may simply want to just sit on your shoulder or explore the room.  For birds that do not take to handling, providing a selection of toys like ladders, swings and mirrors with bells are a great way to keep your bird entertained.
5. Providing a shallow dish at the bottom of the cage is a great way to provide a bath for your bird and keeping his plumage looking perfect.  It is probably a good idea to schedule a bath right before you plan to clean out the cage.

How To Eliminate Diaper Pail Odors

Does your diaper pail smell?

If you have a new baby, you are probably trying to keep diaper pail odors at bay.

However, with some planning and common sense, the diaper pail does not have to stink quite so much. With frequent cleaning, use of Clear the Air’s Odor Eliminators, and limiting the diaper’s exposure to the air, your home can be the best smelling home with a baby in it on the block.

The best way to help eliminate diaper pail odors is to keep one or two of our Odor Eliminator Bags at the bottom of your diaper pail. You can also sprinkle our Odor Eliminator at the bottom of your diaper pail. Hang a bag from the changing table, closest to the diaper pail to absorb odors as well.

You can also empty the diaper pail more frequently to help cut down on the odor. This will also help your Odor Eliminator Bags last longer.

Don’t use air fresheners. These only mask the odor and do not actually absorb it like Clear the Air’s Odor Eliminators. All you end up getting is a flowery/poopy diaper smell. Not too pleasant!

Wash out the diaper pail to limit bacteria in the air from the pail. Wash the pail with hot water and soap once in a while.

Do you have questions about using our product? Please comment on our blog or contact our customer service department. Our products are 100% safe, even if ingested, making it perfect to use around children and pets.

How To Get Your Cat To Use The Litter Box

It is natural for a cat to want to use its litter box.

Sometimes, however, kitties have accidents and they don’t always use the litter box when they should. Most of the time it is something you, as their owner, can change for them and make their litter box more accessible.

Here are some tips for creating a pleasant environment for your kitty’s sandbox:

• Keep the litter box in a safe and quiet location. Make sure it is not in a corner with no escape – like the end of the laundry room with one entry/exit.
• Keep litter box clean….no one likes a dirty outhouse!
• Keep litter box and the cat’s feeding area in separate places.
• Don’t place litter box on carpet…often the feel of carpet is more attractive than the litter.
• Don’t move the box around and if you have to change the location of it, do it gradually (a few inches a day)
• The bigger the box, the better.
• Add Earth Care’s Clear The Air Odor Eliminator to the box every time you scoop or clean the box.

If your kitty misses the sandbox or has an accident somewhere else he/she isn’t supposed to, clean up the spot and sprinkle Earth Care on the soiled area. Cat urine is a very strong odor and unfortunately it stays in the carpet if you do not have the proper way to get rid of it. That is why Earth Care works great for cat urine odor. Earth Care draws in odors like a powerful magnet. The odors are adsorbed and neutralized.

Does Your Refrigerator Smell?

If you open your refrigerator, does an odor linger around in your kitchen even after the fridge door is closed?

Whether it is in your home, RV, boat, vacation house or second refrigerator in your garage, fridge odors can be annoying and distracting!

Clear The Air carries an Odor Eliminating Bag that will eliminate odors from your refrigerator once and for all. All you have to do is simply place the Odor Eliminator Bag in your refrigerator and foul odors will be eliminated. The Odor Eliminator Bags last up to 3 months.

Since it is time for spring cleaning, here are some helpful steps to cleaning out your refrigerator and keeping odors away for good:

• Perform a big fridge cleaning. Take everything out of your fridge. All the items that must stay cold, you can put in a cooler with some ice temporarily. Make sure to throw away any spoiled food and wipe any bottles or canisters that have food leaking out of them.
• Once you’ve taken everything out, turn off your refrigerator. Take out all your shelves and drawers and wash them in the sink to remove any spilled food particles. Wipe down the inside of your refrigerator with soap and water.
• Now, place one to two of our Clear the Air Odor Eliminator Bags in your fridge towards the back or wherever they won’t get in the way. Turn the refrigerator back on.
• Return the cold food items to the fridge and you are ready to enjoy your refrigerator odor free!

Unpleasant Odor Is One Of The Top Reasons People Can’t Sell Their Home

Did you know odors in a home will turn away a buyer in a heartbeat?

Clear The Air would like to share an article from Coldwell Banker that discusses the top mistakes a home seller makes when trying to sell their home.

A recent survey of real estate agents by ActiveRain has confirmed that there are certain things a seller should avoid if they are trying to get their home sold for the best price in the least amount of time. Out of 1000 real estate agents interviewed by ActiveRain, 28% said Unpleasant Odors are the number one turn off to a potential home buyer. (Coldwell Banker’s recent article)

Here’s what they had to say:

Unpleasant Odors in the House – “Mr and Mrs. Seller, your house stinks!”

Most agents aren’t going to be this blunt. But in some cases they wish they could be. They’ll take a more tactical approach and say something like…..’during the time your house is on the market, it might be a good idea to smoke outside’.

But what they know is that nothing will stop a potential buyer in their tracks faster than a strong odor of any sort. In some cases this could just be the left over smell from last nights dinner. In more extreme cases, agents tell horror stories of entering homes that have a bad smell of pet urine or smoking.

The main concern for the buyer is, of course, “is the house going to smell like this once we move in?” Real Estate agents confirm that many a buyer has passed on a home after coming to their own conclusion on that answer.

Your agent isn’t suggesting a fresh coat of paint and new carpet because they don’t like how things look. They are making this suggestion because they realize that the smoke odor in your home is going to be a major turn off for anyone thinking about buying your home.

Check Out San Diego Humane Society’s Dog Up For Adoption!

We love featuring dogs and cats looking for their forever home.

Check out Cinnamon Girl who is looking for her forever home and is currently at the San Diego Humane Society. Here is what they have to say about her:

Cinnamon Girl #127853
American Pit Bull Terrier/Mix – Female –  5Yrs 5Mths 3Wks
Adoption Fee: $95.00

Why I’d make a great companion: “I wanna live with a cinnamon girl, I could be happy the rest of my life with a cinnamon girl…” You just can’t argue with Neil Young’s lyrics, can you? And I just know you could be happy the rest of your life, too, with a Cinnamon Girl like me! You see, I’m just about the sweetest gal you’ll ever meet. I’m super friendly and affectionate and, frankly, I’ve been told it’s impossible not to fall in love with me. Plus I have the PERFECT temperament. Mellow and easy-going, I’m content just to feel loved. And I promise to return the love I receive in spades! ‘Cause what thrills me most in life is sharing my love with those around me & I simply can’t wait to find a special family with whom I can do just that! It will be important for my new pet parents to be conscientious about my health and monitor my diet, as I certainly love my treats!

Type of home I’m looking for: I would do best in a home with children 12yrs old and older and as the only dog in the home, please.

Other things you should know about me: My adoption fee includes my spay / neuter, current vaccinations, permanent microchip identification, a certificate for a free veterinary exam, a gift from Hill’s Science Diet, a license if residing in Oceanside or Vista, and limited veterinary medical coverage from VCA Hospitals up to $250!!

I’m currently located at
Gaines Street
5500 Gaines St. San Diego, California 92110
(619) 299-7012

My adoption fee includes my spay / neuter, current vaccinations, permanent microchip identification, a certificate for a free veterinary exam, and a license if residing in Oceanside or Vista!

5 Tips to Make Cleaning Fun

If your sense of shame outweighs your desire to entertain, it might be time to step up the housework.

Piles of stuff, a smelly fridge, an oven that needs cleaning, toothpaste on the bathroom sink—if this describes the way your home looks most of the time, finding a few cleaning shortcuts will definitely help you out.

It’s not necessary to spend every day engaged in heavy housework if you know and practice the cleaning tweaks recommended by the pros.

Soaker Method

Spray it down and let the cleaner do the work for you. Often, allowing a cleaner five minutes to soak into a surface will save you 20 minutes of strong elbow grease. The same goes for toilet bowl cleaner when you treat the bowl before bed and swish it in the morning. For odors that just don’t want to leave, Clear the Air products will get your house smelling fresh and clean. Placing a bag or sprinkling granules around the house will completely eliminate those stubborn smells.

Make an Appointment With Yourself

If it’s clutter that has you firmly in its overwhelming grasp, make an appointment with yourself several times a week. Even 15-minute intervals provide enough time to whittle down the piles of mail, toys and dislocated items that belong in other rooms or out of your life altogether. Pencil yourself in on your desk calendar, just like you would a doctor or dental appointment. This way you’ll be more apt to honor the commitment you’ve made to a more organized home.

Make Cleaning Convenient

Imagine how difficult it would be for your mechanic to fix your car without the proper tools. Mechanics have implements that make their jobs easier, such as specialty wrenches, extension arms and more. If you approach cleaning with the same mentality—that it takes tools to get the job done right—the task will take on a whole new energetic feel. Find the products that work best for you and make those little household jobs easier:

• Antibacterial wipes
• Microfiber cleaning cloths
• Specially shaped mop heads
• Over-size buckets
• Handy cleaning caddy

The items mentioned above shouldn’t cost much, but you should also invest in a a high-output, low-weight vacuum, like the ones made by Dyson and sold at department stores.

Hampers in Every Room

If even one person in your family is guilty of leaving a trail of discarded clothes in their wake, keeping a laundry hamper in every room will make life much easier. Those little piles of socks and leggings that were pulled off and tossed in the corner go far in giving your home a disorganized feel. Keep the clothes off the floor and neatly tucked away in hampers.

An Ounce of Prevention

It’s the little things that matter—like one doormat that sits just outside every entrance and a second one that lays just inside. It’s the double whammy of dirt prevention. Removing shoes at the door, Keeping a cleaning tablet dissolving inside your toilet tank and adding a few drops of olive oil to your floor rinse to help prolong the shine on your wood floors are all excellent preventative measures you can take to help cut down on the workload throughout the week.

Marshmallow Needs A Furr’Ever Home!

Marshmallow – A  suuuper SWEET treat!

Check out Marshmallow from the San Diego Humane Society! She needs a forever home and is as sweet as can be!

Behold, the marshmallow!! T’was ever there a sweeter treat? And, true to her name, Marshmallow, the 11-month old kitty, is just as sweet as can be. Now, as is the case for any marshmallow, this adorable red tabby can require a little bit of time and care in order to warm up and soften. You see, she had a rough start and was forced to fend for herself during a time when she should have been pampered. As is such, she can be a bit wary of new people and environments.

But this sweet girl has made remarkable progress in the short time that she has been with us, and we just know that when she finds the right home, she is certain to show how very beautiful she is both inside and out. In addition to being sweet and having an adorable face, Marshmallow’s favorite pastimes include looking out the window and watching the world around her, playing with her feather toy, and rolling over for a good belly rub.

We simply can’t wait for this wonderful kitty to find a loving home, where she can feel safe and loved and let her inner sweetness shine!

If you are interested in meeting Marshmallow, please come by our Central Campus on Gaines street to meet her, or call us at (619) 299-7012.

Animal ID 134588

Flood Clean Up Tips

Floods can be extremely destructive and cause extensive damage.

If your home has flooded, check out our tips to clean up from a flood with the help of Clear The Air.

Clear The Air eliminates musty mildew odor that is a result of a flood. It is extremely important to cleanup and disinfect everything in your home that may have been contaminated. Flood water may contain bacteria that can cause serious illness.

We would like to share some helpful tips to help with cleaning up from a flood:

• Act quickly to avoid mildew and odor by removing all loose dirt and debris. Use a disinfecting solution to wash walls, floors or other surfaces which have been touched by flood waters.
• Hang 1-2 bags of Clear The Air in each room with odors. One bag will cover up to 100 square feet. The bag will continue to eliminate new odors for up to 3 months. In addition to the bags sprinkle Clear The Air Odor Eliminator for Concrete or Carpet and Furniture granules on the floor and furniture, leave down for 24 hours, then sweep or vacuum. Odors will be completely eliminated.
• Clean and disinfect all interior walls, counters and floors. You will also want to clean and disinfect all kitchen items such as dishes, glassware and utensils.
• Wash clothing with chlorine bleach to remove mildew and germs. Make sure the clothing labels mention they are machine washable and colorfast.
• Always remember to wear gloves and protective clothing and avoid touching your face or eyes. Make sure to be thorough and wash and dry everything well.