At The Maids, we are sometimes asked about the safety of the products used by our cleaning service professionals.
For example, we were recently asked by a prospective Jamaica Plain maid service customer in if we used bleach to clean. We don’t for three reasons:
Flickr credit: rubberglovelover
1. There are plenty of cleaning products that, in normal situations, can deliver the same cleaning performance as bleach without introducing a toxic substance into a home. These chemical residues most commonly come into contact with small children and pets.
2. We are also concerned about the continual exposure of our employees to strong chemical cleaners. Bleach is a respiratory irritant that can make a workday very unpleasant. Over time, exposure to certain chemicals can create a sensitivity to the product. This can create a situation for which an employer could be held responsible.
3. Products such as bleach can create permanent damage in a home. Have you ever gotten bleach on a shirt? That can be relatively easy to replace when compared to someone’s carpet or upholstered furniture. While each of our professionals uses the utmost care, accidents can and do happen.
Our regular cleaning service products are water based, non-toxic, and biodegradable and are purchased through a supplier with a commitment to reducing the risk and impact of their product line. There are plenty of quality products available in retail stores – Seventh Generation is one of the most prominent.
We do have some stronger cleaning products that we use for heavy duty applications. These products are carried separately and require special safety gear and training before our cleaning teams can use them.
In doing a little research, it’s fascinating how easily a substitute can be made. Ingredients include vinegar, baking soda (separate from the vinegar), citrus; the list goes on.
This video on dangerous house cleaning products was interesting – I look forward to reading the book:
