Housekeeping: A Novel

Well, we've been discussing housecleaning tips, housekeeping services and green products since the Diamancy blog began and I thought this post we would do something a little different.

Housekeeping: a Novel

It is no surprise that something as popular as housekeeping would spawn a novel. Housekeeping: a Novel is a book by author, Marilynne Robinson. Considered an absolute jewel, this book is a heartwarming tale and worth picking up if you're in the mood for a good book. Not only has it received excellent reviews, but it is only $11.20 on Amazon.com, so it won't even put you out to purchase a copy.

Reading about this great book got me thinking that many of you probably have interesting house cleaning stories to share. I would love to do a series on your weird, cool and heartwarming house cleaning stories... if you have one, please leave it in the comment section below, or send me an email at katie@diamancy.com and I'll post them up here.

Until next time -- happy housecleaning!

-Katie

How confident are you in your housecleaning products?

A recent Canadian survey shows that 87% of Canadians are confident in the safety of their household cleaning products, as long as they're safely stored. 93% of Canadians read the labels on cleaning products before using them.

Household safety is an important issue when it comes to housecleaning. Although it is important to keep one's home clean, it is an equally important issue to be informed on the cleaning products that you use (or that your housekeeping staff uses). With so much ongoing debate concerning the use of environmentally friendly cleaning products, it is no surprise that there have been a number of surveys done to gage how Canadians feel about household safety when it comes to their cleaning products.

We've all seen the "Do not Consume" labels sprawled across our cleaning products labels, and according to the statistics above, the majority of Canadians do heed the directions on cleaning products, but do we really practice household safety? Are these dangerous products containing bleaches, harsh bathroom cleaners and other chemicals properly stored away from children? Do we wear the proper plastic gloves? Do we breathe in too many fumes when housekeeping?

Next time you read the labels on your housecleaning products, remember that there are alternatives to the harsh chemical-filled cleaning products. Check out something more environmentally friendly, or practice caution when cleaning. Household safety during housekeeping can make all the difference.

-Katie

Three cheers for growth!

Diamancy will be opening an office in Toronto, Ontario at the end of this month. We anticipate our opening to be roughly October 27th, 2007.

It has been an exciting time for us here at Diamancy. We've been growing, expanding our website and our office space, not to mention keeping up with our housecleaning! Thanks to the support of all of our fantastic customers both in France and in the Montreal area, we have decided to open a new office in Toronto, Canada.

This new office will help us to serve Canada's housecleaning needs better as this country is huge and having two offices in main cities will definitely help us reach you on a wider level. We're looking forward to getting to meet new staff and new customers!

If you are living in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and would like more information about Diamancy, our newest location, and our services and employment opportunities, please visit our website at http://diamancy-housekeeping.blogspot.com or give us a call toll free at 1.877.788.6116

Thank you for all your loyal support.

- The Diamancy Staff

It is time to make a drastic change

"In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." - Iroquois belief.

I was in Burlington, Vermont this weekend and got the opportunity to tour the Magic Hat Brewery. For those of you who haven't had the opportunity to visit Burlington, Vermont I highly suggest it. I think, in a lot of ways, people from Vermont understand what's going on a lot better than the rest of us. They actually live environmentally friendly lives and their stores and businesses readily support that.

Magic Hat Brewery was founded by a man named Alan Newman and his partner Bob Johnson and is heavily based on grass roots advertising and a strong sense of community. Although Magic Hat is an unbelievably interesting company, we're going to discuss another company in today's article called Seventh Generation. Seventh Generation is an environmentally friendly cleaning products company, which was also founded by Alan Newman in 1988 in... Vermont!


From environmentally friendly housecleaning products to recycled tissue paper, Seventh Generation's goal is to make drastic changes in our environment. Following in the Vermont footsteps of maintaining an environmentally friendly lifestyle, the Seventh Generation website gives users tips on how to live a "green life" as well as lists the mass number of green associations, organizations and special days that the company supports.

Many of us don't realize the effect our housecleaning products can have on our environment. While it is important to have clean and sanitary homes, it is also important to know how to reduce waste and products that can be dangerous for ourselves and our planet.

If you're currently interested in changing your housecleaning products to something more environmentally friendly, I urge you to check out Seventh Generation products. They are inexpensive, high quality and very environmentally friendly.

Saving the planet doesn't have to be a big deal, but it does make a drastic change on our world. Give it a try.

For housecleaning services, please visit our website -- http://diamancy-housekeeping.blogspot.com/

-Katie

Introducing... Swiffer Dusters! A good Housecleaning product

Who loves dusting?

I cannot imagine seeing many hands if I asked that question in a room full of people. Perhaps if I was asking in the Swiffer Dusters office more would raise their hands. Swiffer Dusters have made dusting fun. It seems an impossible task for cleaning products to add enjoyment to one's housecleaning, but this cleaning product really is great.

What are Swiffer Dusters?

Swiffer Dusters are feather-like dusters that have tiny "fiber fingers" in order to trap dust rather than merely shift it from one area to another. Lightweight and flexible, these tiny plastic housecleaning products make dusting a lot less challenging than a damp cloth or feather duster.

Where can I get them?

You can pick up Swiffer Dusters at any major department store such as Zellers, Walmart, Canadian Tire and most pharmacies. You can even purchase them online through sites like Amazon.com

How do they work?

Swiffer Dusters use a feature that they call "fiber fingers." These fiber fingers actually hold onto the dust particles while you're dusting in order to make sure that the Swiffer Dusters are picking up your dust rather than merely spreading it around. The Swiffer Dusters are disposible housecleaning products. Each package comes with the plastic handle and five disposible dusters.

What did you think?

I love them. I have to admit, I've never liked dusting and I typically try to avoid it at all costs, but the Swiffer Dusters actually work wonders on any dusting situation. Since they're so flexible, they can be shoved into small spaces and in between large objects. They work great on all surfaces (including countertops, bookcases, computer screens and televisions) and have no chemicals that will hurt wood or electronic items.

Issues/Problems

The only problem I can see with these housecleaning products is their un-environmentally friendly nature. As they are disposible, they are not great for the planet. Other than that, they really do make cleaning fun.

For more information about housecleaning products, housecleaning services or ironing tips please visit our website at http://diamancy-housekeeping.blogspot.com/

-Katie

Dealing with Pet Stains and Fur

I have a cat. I decided to get a cat instead of a dog because I thought that it would be less maintenance as I live in a small house and don't have a ton of time on my hands. My cat (who is an all black little terror, but extremely loveable) is an amazing pet and I adore her, but she sheds. She sheds a lot.

Perhaps you have this problem yourself. Anyone who has pets knows that they definitely leave a mark on your home. Cleaning up after pet stains and pet fur can be a huge pain, but there are definitely some answers to these problems and some helpful housecleaning tips for keeping your house cleaning down to a minimum.

Getting rid of pet fur

Pet fur gets everywhere. From your carpet to your furniture and even on yourself, pet fur is one of those nuisances that we wish we could live without. House cleaning when it comes to pet fur isn't impossible, it just takes a bit of extra care.

• Sprinkle baking soda on your carpets before you vacuum. This will allow you to not only pick up all the fur from your carpet, but will also get rid of any foul odors that pets can leave behind.


• Use packing tape and/or lint removers to help pull all of that extra pet fur off of your clothing and furniture. While vacuums are great for sucking pet fur off of the carpet, some packing tape will really help best remove pet fur from other spaces.


• Brush your pet often. The less pet fur they have to shed, the less house cleaning you're stuck with. Brushing your pet will also ensure they stay healthy and happy.


• Add water. Simply wiping pet fur down with a wet cloth can help the pet fur come off a lot easier.

Getting rid of pet stains

Pet stains are a bit more of a house cleaning issue than pet fur. You'll have to find a cleaner that not only removes the smell, but also helps get rid of the stain itself. We find that baking soda related products (such as anything by Arm and Hammer) work the best for pet stains, but you can also follow up by using an air freshner like Febreze to ensure that odors leave your home.

For house cleaning services, check out http://diamancy-housekeeping.blogspot.com/
For housecleaning and ironing tips check out http://diamancy-housekeeping.blogspot.com/

We're here to help

House Cleaning Tips from the Professionals

Housecleaning can be a trying experience, especially for those of us who simply do not have enough time to get everything done in a day. With the holiday season slowly creeping towards us, we thought it might be a good time to give some helpful housecleaning tips for those of us who just are not into cleaning.

If you are in need of professional house cleaning services, please visit http://diamancy-housekeeping.blogspot.com to find out your house cleaning options. We'd love to help you ensure your home is clean.

House Cleaning Tips

1) Form a plan - Housecleaning can be overwhelming project, so the most important thing is to remember to have a good plan. Start by cleaning the rooms you use most often as these will be the ones with the most amount of wear and tear. Make sure your plan is realistic to the amount of time you allot for cleaning.

2) Make cleaning fun - It seems like an oxymoron, but house cleaning doesn't have to be a huge chore. You can make housecleaning fun by playing upbeat music, moving furniture items around to give your rooms a fresh feel and getting some help from friends and family. Try to make housecleaning a positive experience and you'll find it easier to handle.

3) Don't overwhelm yourself - If you have a larger house, make a plan to only clean a few rooms rather than trying to clean the entire house. Focus on rooms that have higher traffic, like the bathroom, kitchen and TV room/den area. These rooms will need housecleaning more than others that are less used.

4) Pick up clutter - Clutter is one of the biggest problems in dirty houses. We all simply have too many things. To avoid the problem of clutter, try to make sure that each room has a shelving system or a place to put things away. This will make housecleaning easier.

5) Assign chores - You're a busy person. We all are. Enlisting help from your family is a great way to get everyone involved in the housecleaning process and saves you time. Make a family chore list and follow up on progress. If everyone is helping a little with the housecleaning process, it makes the entire process a whole lot easier.

Remember, housecleaning is important and shouldn't be something that should be ignored. Set a plan and follow through with it.

For more information on house cleaning services, please visit our website at http://diamancy-housekeeping.blogspot.com/
For more information on ironing tips and housecleaning tips visit our blog http://diamancy-housekeeping.blogspot.com

-Katie