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

Check Out Juniper, Looking For Her Forever Home!

Meet Juniper!

Juniper is a hidden gem at the San Diego Humane Society and is looking for HER forever home! Check out why she is so special:

Ever met a dog who’s a leaner? Y’know, the type who sooo enjoys being pet that they start leaning into you? It’s like they are trying to get as close to you as possible. Um yah, it’s pretty much the cutest thing ever, just sayin’.  …Well on that note, I’d like to introduce you to Juniper, an adorable 1-year old Chow/ Golden Retriever mix, and a total leaner. And she might even roll over and grant you the honor of giving her a belly rub while you’re at it!

While it’s true that Juniper can be a little shy at first – that’s only at first. Once she gets to know you, her abundance of charm and her sweet personality comes shining through! And what’s more, Juniper loves being friends with people and doggies alike. In fact, this special girl would love to have a dog buddy at home, to whom she promises that she’ll be a most loyal and devoted play pal! ‘Cause Juniper certainly does love to play! Fetching tennis balls is one of her favorite activities, but Juniper also enjoys simply romping around with her doggie buds. And, of course, throwing a toy into the mix is always encouraged. But with all her playfulness, this sweet girl still knows how to sit back and enjoy life, especially if cuddling on the sofa is involved!

Juniper is currently living in a foster home where she has almost completely mastered potty training, and where she is also learning some very cool skills like “touch,” “shake,” and “come.” Not too shabby, eh? Her foster family has also been working to help Juniper feel more comfortable with the big scary world that’s all around her, and they tell us that she is making lots of progress. Of course, some things – like the vacuum cleaner – still make her very nervous. Her foster family says that Juniper’s ideal home would be one that’s adult-only (as the kiddies tend to make her really nervous), that’s not too loud or chaotic, and that has a high fence and another dog in the home, or at least lots of doggie play dates for her!

Juniper’s adoption fee of $95 includes her spay, current vaccinations, permanent microchip identification, a certificate for a free veterinary exam, a bag of food from Hill’s Science Diet and a license if residing in Oceanside or Vista! As we said, this very special hidden gem is currently in foster care, so please contact us at (619) 299-7012 to set up an introduction or get more information!

Check out more on Juniper at the San Diego Humane Society‘s Hidden Gem list on their website!

Go Green And Keep Pests Out Of Your Home

No one wants pests in their home.

Unfortunately many solutions to getting rid of pesky pests involve harmful pesticides which are poisonous to you, your children and your pets.

As a green product itself, Clear the Air likes to find green solutions to keeping pests out of your home.  We would like to share some helpful tips on keeping your home pest free, naturally!

Before spreading poison throughout your living environment, which you, your children, and pets will breathe in, try these all-natural alternatives:

Prune Shrubs – To control pests inside the house, a lot of work needs to be done outside the house. Insects often find their way into the house by climbing on shrubs and trees that are touching the outside walls of your house. Trim everything back so there is a foot clearance between plants and exterior walls.

Rake – Likewise, many insects that live in leaf and lawn debris are going to find easy access indoors if they are hanging out near the foundation of your house. Rake this area well. Pull weeds and only keep plants and shrubs that are well cared for near your foundation. Anything that is dead or dying will attract insects.

Clean the Kitchen – Ants often infest a kitchen faster than you can put the cap on the soda bottle. To prevent an all you can eat ant buffet, keep your kitchen clean. Washing dishes after each meal and putting all food away in the refrigerator will go a long way towards keeping the ant pests out of your house.

Relax – Most insects won’t kill you, but the poison you spray on them might. So, if your insect problem is minor, then don’t worry about it too much. Take some preventative measures and let it go.

Smelly Refrigerator?

Refrigerators can get pretty smelly.

If you open up your fridge and it leaves a bad odor in the rest of your kitchen, one of our Clear The Air Odor Eliminator Bags will help!

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.

If you have very strong odors in your refrigerator follow these steps:

• 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 fridge. 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!

Do you have questions about our product? Please contact our customer service representative, Pat, and she will help answer all your questions.

Meet Tuffy, An Available Dog At The SD Humane Society

Tuffy is one of the Employee Picks at the San Diego Humane Society.

Clear The Air loves featuring pets from the San Diego Humane Society who are in need of a home.

Here is who we chose today and why the employees at the SD Humane Society things she’s a gem!

Amie, one of the certified teachers on at the San Diego Humane Society‘s staff who does educational outreach, simply adores the sweet senior doggie named Tuffy. Here’s Amie’s explanation for the bond she feels with this special gal:

“The first time I saw Tuffy, I was drawn in by her big beautiful eyes and sorrowful expression. This girl wears her heart on her sleeve! From the minute you meet this sweet girl you know she is longing for a forever-family of her own. She takes her time when she meets a new person, but once you gain her trust (and having some peanut butter doesn’t hurt!) she blossoms into a love-bug. Tuffy embodies what I love most about the animals I see come through SDHS, an amazing resilience and capacity to love and trust no matter what circumstances that brought them in our door.”

Come to our Central Campus to meet sweet-souled Tuffy today!

How To Care For Pets In The Cold Weather

Cold weather tips all pet owners need to know.

The east coast of the nation is experiencing extreme cold weather conditions. During these conditions it is vital to make sure your pets are inside and warm.

Clear The Air would like to share some cold weather tips from the Humane Society:

• Keep pets indoors and warm – Don’t leave dogs or cats outdoors when the temperature drops. Regardless of the season, short-haired, very young, or old dogs and all cats should never be left outside without supervision. Dogs and cats are safer indoors, except when taken out for exercise. During walks, short-haired dogs may feel more comfortable wearing a sweater.
• Help neighborhood outdoor cats – If there are outdoor cats, either owned pets or community cats (ferals, who are scared of people, and strays, who are lost or abandoned pets) in your area, remember that they need protection from the elements as well as food and water. It’s easy to give them a hand.
• Give your pets plenty of water – Pets who spend a lot of time outdoors need more food in the winter because keeping warm depletes energy. Routinely check your pet’s water dish to make certain the water is fresh and unfrozen.
• Protect paws from salt – The salt and other chemicals used to melt snow and ice can irritate the pads of your pet’s feet. Wipe all paws with a damp towel before your pet licks them and irritates his/her mouth.
• Avoid antifreeze poisoning – Antifreeze is a deadly poison, but it has a sweet taste that may attract animals and children. Wipe up spills and store antifreeze (and all household chemicals) out of reach.
• The best tip of all: keep your pets with you – Probably the best prescription for winter’s woes is to keep your dog or cat inside with you and your family. The happiest dogs are those who are taken out frequently for walks and exercise, but kept inside the rest of the time.

Read entire article at the Humane Society’s website.

5 New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home

Of folks who make a New Year’s Resolution, 46 percent are successful at their resolution six months later, a study from the Journal of Clinical Psychology reports.

If you’ve been dragging your feet on putting the finishing touches on your home, why not make it a New Year’s Resolution to really create good cleaning and de-cluttering habits?

Use these 5 New Year’s resolutions to get your house in good order.

1. Schedule biannual deep cleanings: The proverbial deep clean is a mainstay of keeping a clean, comfortable house. Early January, when the weather is chilly and you’re full of resolve to stick to your resolutions, is the perfect time for a deep clean. Work room by room, cleaning out all the nooks and crannies. Wash the walls, steam the shades, clean out clutter and donate things you no longer need to Goodwill. When you put away winter clothes for the spring/summer, do another deep clean. For tough smells, Clear the Air odor eliminators will refresh your home so you can start the new year off right.

2. Replace home goods: Over time, you may forget that you never got around to buying curtains for the dining room or fixing the rips in the screen door. You simply don’t see these home flaws. As you deep clean, inventory all of the little things that need fixing — and then fix them. For example, if you’ve been putting up with cracked blinds or ugly, stained window treatments, make replacing them a top priority. You can learn more about the 11 common types of window treatments online at Theshadestore.com, and then buy the right ones with confidence. When you enjoy your shades, you’ll be more motivated to keep those windows clean.

3. Personalize your home: Paint instantly adds character to a house. If you’ve been living with white walls for too long, personalize your living room, dining room or bedroom with a fresh coat of paint. The Augmented Colors app for Windows Phone ($1) comes in handy when picking paint colors. Just point and shoot to capture a color and get its hexadecimal code and RGB profile. Then head to your local paint store to grab a gallon and some brushes.

4. Maintain appliances: It’s all too easy to take your dishwasher or hot water heater for granted. However, preventative maintenance can keep your appliances operating at maximum efficiency, which in turn will save you money off your utility bill. Schedule an appointment with your plumber, HVAC specialist or other appliance repair person. When the seasons change, have your home heating and cooling systems professionally serviced. Seasonally, clean out the dryer vent, change the filters for your air conditioning and home heating, caulk any leaks around your windows and doors, and clean out dishwasher drains to prevent clogs.

5. Keep it up: It’s all too easy to devote a whole weekend to cleaning your home, yard, closet or basement and then let things get messy again. To realize a clean home in June, you’ll need to keep it up. Try setting reminders on your calendar or in an app to perform the big tasks. Perform small tasks, such as loading the dishwasher or wiping the counters, while tackling larger projects like cooking a family meal.

How To Eliminate Cigarette Smoke Odor

Need to get rid of that pesky cigarette odor? Read on!

If you have bought or rented a new home and the previous dweller was a smoker, you are probably fed up with trying to get that sultry cigarette odor out of the house.

Did you know Clear the Air will remove cigarette odor from ANYWHERE? Cars, homes, carpets, rugs, clothes, offices and anywhere else cigarette odor has crept in to.

Unfortunately, cigarette odor has a way of creeping into the walls making it almost impossible to remove the odor completely.  Earth Care’s Clear The Air Odor Eliminator will pull these odors out of your house, 100% guaranteed!  Our product doesn’t even need to come in contact with the odor and it will remove the odors out of carpets, drapes, furniture, clothing and bedding.

Clear the Air is simple to use and is an inexpensive solution to odor elimination.  Here are the directions to removing cigarette smoke odor out of your home:

• Hang 1-2 Earth Care Odor Eliminator Bags in each room that smells like cigarette smoke. One bag will cover 50-100 square feet. Odor will be eliminated in 24 hours.
• A Bag will last 1-2 months, if room is heavily permeated with smoke odor the bag may need to be changed more often at first.
• If odors are particularly strong or room has been smoked in for years sprinkle Clear The Air Odor Eliminator for Carpet and Furniture granules on carpets and furniture. Leave down 24 hours and vacuum. Odors will be completely eliminated.
• One canister of Clear The Air Odor Eliminator for Carpet and Furniture covers 100 square feet; one bucket covers 900 square feet.
• Granules can also be placed in ashtrays and cigarette butt receptacles.

Of course, if you have any questions on removing cigarette smoke odor, please do not hesitate to call our helpful Customer Service Agent, Pat, at (800) 611-1611 or (760) 941-5302 or via email: pmolina@cleartheair.com

Meet Nelson From SD Humane Society

Meet Nelson, available for adoption!

Check out why he is an employee pick at the San Diego Humane Society:

Yes, it’s true. Nelson has MANY admirers around here. And one person on whom he has left a most indellible paw print is Adoptions Counselor, Rebecca. (Sharing a smooch with the special pooch, to the right.)