Thank you for choosing to live in a CHP community! To help you enjoy a healthy and sustainable home, CHP is providing residents with resources for your home cleaning needs. The items mentioned here are inexpensive and easy to find. You can use these tips wherever you live, and even help your friends and family save money by sharing these cleaning methods with them. Please contact your Property Manager if you have additional questions about green cleaning resources available to you.
Save money – Using cleaning solutions made from dish soap, vinegar, and water costs less, is not toxic like many cleaning products, and works well for most home cleaning tasks.
Improve your health – Regular cleaning removes bacteria and dust allergens from your home and helps prevent mold and mildew.
Reduce repairs – Be mindful about what goes down your drains and keep them clog free with a drain snake and plunger.
Vinegar and Water Spray Cleaner
Ingredients:
1 cup vinegar
1 cup water
Directions:
Pour vinegar into spray bottle
Pour water into spray bottle
Shake gently to mix
Spray on surface and wipe with cloth
Follow with dry cloth to remove streaks
For very dirty glass surfaces pre-wash with All Purpose Spray Cleaner
Use For: Glass, mirrors, windows, counters, sinks, appliances, cabinets, tub and shower, toilet
Dish Soap and Water Spray Cleaner
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon dish soap
2 cups water
Directions:
Pour dish soap into spray bottle
Pour water into spray bottle
Shake gently to mix
Spray on surface
Wipe with damp cloth
Follow with dry cloth to eliminate streaks
Use For: Counters, sinks, appliances, cabinets, tub and shower, toilet
Dish Soap and Vinegar Spray Cleaner
Ingredients:
1/2 cup dish soap
1/2 cup vinegar
Directions:
Pour dish soap into spray bottle
Pour vinegar into spray bottle
Shake gently to mix
Spray on spots, stains, or soap scum
Let sit 5 minutes
Wipe with damp cloth
Blot with damp cloth until cleaner is removed
Use For: Spots, stains, or soap scum on counters, sinks, carpet, tub and shower, toilet
Abrasive Powder Cleaner
Ingredient:
Baking Soda
Directions:
Open baking soda shaker
Sprinkle on surface to scrub away spots, stains, and soap scum
Spray with All Purpose Soap & Water Spray to make a paste
Scrub with damp cloth
Shaker can be refilled with baking soda
Use For: Scrubbing spots, stains, and soap scum on counters, sinks, tub and shower, toilet
Only fill bottle as directed by label.
First Aid: If irritation occurs, rinse skin and/or eyes with plenty of water and move to a well ventilated area. If swallowed, drink water and do not induce vomiting. Call a doctor if irritation persists.
Did you know? Microfiber cloths can remove up to 99% of bacteria when used damp with water only for wiping down surfaces and floors. They are also good for scrubbing stains and soap scum when used with All Purpose Cleaner, Glass and Surface Cleaner, or Spot & Stain Cleaner.
Use dry for dusting or damp for wiping and scrubbing.
Clean floors with warm water and microfiber cloth.
Do not launder with clothes or towels. Lint will stick to fibers and cloth will not clean well.
Hand wash – soak in warm soapy water for 10 minutes to release dirt, squeeze to release more dirt. Rinse thoroughly in warm water.
Mold can become a problem in your home if there is moisture available to allow it to thrive and multiply. Common sources of indoor moisture include house plants (watering can generate large amounts of moisture), steam from cooking, shower/bath steam, and wet clothes in indoor drying lines.
There are several ways in which your help can prevent this in the future. The following list may be used as a guide:
Remove Excess Moisture
1. Dry out mops and cleaning utensils thoroughly before storing inside your apartment.
2. Wipe down bathroom walls and shower doors immediately after bathing; allow towels to air out. Wash and dry towels often.
3. Wipe down any condensation from interior of windows and windowsills; wash and dry towels immediately.
Keep Things Clean
1. Keep closets, dresser drawers – any place where mildew is likely to grow – as clean as possible.
2. Soil on dirty articles can supply enough food for mildew to start to grow when moisture and
temperature is right.
3. Greasy films like those that form on kitchen walls, also contain many nutrients for mildew or mold.
Circulate the Air
1. When the outside is drier than the inside, ventilation allows the dry air to enter, take up excess
moisture, and then be carried outside.
2. When natural breezes are not sufficient, please use your central air conditioning (fan only) and
bath/laundry room exhaust fan(s).
3. Poorly ventilated closets get damp and musty during continued wet weather, and articles stored in
them are more likely to mildew.
4. Try to improve the air circulation by opening the closet doors. In addition, hang the clothes loosely so
that air can circulate around them.
5. Dry all wet clothing (including clothes wet from rain or perspiration) before putting it in the closet.
Cleaning Mold from Small Areas
To clean a small area where mold has grown, the Federal Environmental Protection Agency recommends that you first clean the area with soap (or detergent) and water. Let the surface dry and within 24 hours apply a spray-on household biocide, such as Lysol Disinfectant, Tilex Mildew Remover, or Clorox Cleaner. Make sure you follow the instructions on the label.
Do not apply biocides to visible mold that may have grown on porous surfaces, such as sheetrock walls or ceilings. Also, do not attempt to clean or apply biocides to large areas of a non-porous surface where mold is visible.
If you observe mold or mildew, please contact your Property Manager and notify them of the problem.
