The Inside Outside Guys ~ How Clean is “Clean”?

The Inside Outside Guys

April 24, 2023

From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein

DETROIT, April 20, 2023 ~ How do you know when something is clean? Does the smell created by a plug-in or the “fresh scent” of a masking spray indicate cleanliness to you?

Since the start of the Industrial Revolution, man has created more than 70,000 chemicals, many of which end up in our homes and businesses and some of which are disguised as cleaning agents.

According to the American Lung Association, ALA, prolonged exposure to some chemicals along with organic pollutants may cause or contribute to infections, lung cancers, and chronic lung diseases such as asthma.

PODCAST:

April 23, 2023 ~ Chuck “The Inside Guy” Breidenstein and Ken “The Outside Guy” Calverly offer the knowledge and resources you need to make the home of your dreams a reality. Catch them every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon on 760 WJR.

(CONTINUED)

You might have noticed your allergies intensify when you go to bed. This may be because dust mites, which don’t drink but derive moisture from their environment, often settle on mattresses, bedding and pillows. They count on that warm, moist, space between the sheets to survive and thrive.

They also settle on and into upholstered furnishings, carpets, rugs, curtains, and the like. It has been estimated that a single square yard of carpeting may contain 100,000 living and dead mites.

Common house dust that you see floating in the air near a sunlit window has been found to contain lead, asbestos, arsenic, fire retardants, pesticides, herbicides, insect excrement and body parts, and many other potential contaminants.

This is only one reason the ALA suggests that persons with breathing issues minimize cloth furnishings in the home and design with more hard woods, stone, and pigmented leather. But many of us choose to endure “seasonal” allergies, whether with mild or severe symptoms, in order to maintain the lifestyle and surroundings to which we’ve become accustomed.

We use multiple cleaning agents that off-gas, oftentimes with volatile organic compounds, VOCs, that further pollute the air in our homes. In fact, many such products may be the source of chronic respiratory issues, allergic reactions or headaches.

We wear shoes on our carpets that have been tracking throughout the day in every matter of material, then vacuum once a week with a machine that picks up very little of the dirt and does even less to clean the air it is using. We allow dander generators, called pets, free rein on the furniture and throughout the home with little to no regard for where those paws or other body parts have been.

So, are the Guys suggesting you radically alter your lifestyle and environment? No.

We are offering an alternative to what we think is clean. The issues we have thrown on the table have been a passion for people like Chet and Sally Sadowski, owners of Chet’s Cleaning in Madison Heights since 1986.

This family-owned business, which now includes their son, is not dedicated to being the biggest. Their mission is to be the best and they provide some great tips for all of us to employ as we try to create a healthy living environment while preserving our furnishings.

Take carpet cleaning for instance. Spend an hour with these people and you quickly realize there is no such thing as “single pass” cleaning or dry-cleaning; not if you want to truly clean and preserve the carpet. Chet’s has a 14-step process for cleaning carpets and rugs. They employ a six-step spotting procedure to remove stains caused by various materials from wine to blood, coffee, and pet urine.

They agree with the Guys that regular and proper vacuuming with a high-quality machine is a part of the process. Use of High Efficiency Particulate Air, HEPA, filters in devices like vacuums and forced air systems can also help.

Rather than an under-sink collection of various chemical cleaning agents, the products Chet’s uses are hypo-allergenic and do not harm humans, pets, or the environment. This company has brought their kind of science to cleaning tile, stone and grout, wood floors, upholstery including various types of leather, outdoor furniture, drapes, and blinds.

So, keep in mind there is such a thing as clean. It becomes more a question of who is doing the cleaning and how. There is a healthy process for truly cleaning that does not involve use of dangerous chemicals or masking scents.

And, as always, you can find resources at InsideOutsideGuys.com.

For housing advice and more, listen to “The Inside Outside Guys” every Saturday and Sunday on 760 WJR from 10 a.m. to noon, or contact them at InsideOutsideGuys.com.