The Truth About Teflon

Is Teflon an additional health hazard in your home? When Teflon-coated pans are heated, within five minutes they reach 750 degrees F. The Enviromental Working Group reports that the degradation of the synthetic polmer (PTFE) leads to a litany of toxic compounds which include highly lethal and corrosive gases as well as a chemical warfare agent known as PFIB. PFIB is ten times more lethal than a chemical warfare agent used in WWWI and WWWII known as phosgene. These toxic compounds do not break down further and linger in your home.

It is a well known fact that PTFE is toxic to birds. It causes the exposed lungs of birds to hemorrhage, to fill up with liquid that leads to suffocation. What are the effects on humans? Teflon toxicity causes a temporary, intense, though not very serious flu-like syndrome. Experts call this polymer fume fever. Since the fever mimics the flu, most doctors do not make the connection to overheated Teflon. In a study that tested the milk of 45 nursing mothers, PTFE residuals were found.

Dupont, aware of the hazards associated with heated Teflon, required workers to wear respirators as early as 1962 in poorly ventilated areas.. During that year, Dupont tested on volunteers Teflon-laced cigarettes. Nine out of the ten volunteers became very ill with flu-like symptoms. Despite these results, Dupont repeatedly denies knowing about any serious Teflon-induced health effects. Both Dupont and the government lack the data needed to know with certainty that Teflon in home cookware is safe.

Fight Pollen the Natural Way

Spring is here and summer is just around the corner. Along with the chirping birds and flowers blooming comes sneezing and wheezing. Instead of reaching for medications to control allergies, try these natural approaches...
1.) As much as you can, keep all doors and windows of your home closed. Turn on your air conditioner and remember that during pollen season, it is important to change the air conditioning filter at least once a month.
2.) As soon as you arrive home, take off your shoes and wash or rinse your hair. Skin and hair hold a lot of pollen and if not removed, can cause you problems while you are sleeping.
3.) Use a vacuum with hepa filtration and buy hepa filters for your air conditioner. Use a dehumidifier which kills pollen spores and other allergens.
4.) Eat foods that contain natural antihistamine properties such as apples, garlic,onions and citrus.
5.) Before pollen season starts, jump start your immune system by ingesting 1 to 2 teaspoons of locally produced bee pollen.
6.) During the peek pollen-producing times, avoid the outdoors. This is usually in the mornings.

Let's Be Friends!

                           Hello and Welcome To The Maids!


We hope that things are going well for you! From the beginning, The Maids has consistently put our fans (aka loyal customers) interests first with each home that we clean. We know that you want a clean home from top to bottom for your family to enjoy. In the age of never-ending impersonal communication, get to know your team in Portland by becoming one of our Facebook fans. As a fan, you will get the scoop on all of what we do. We'll share expert cleaning tips, inside information and news about what is happening. We take pride in the important conversations that take place on our Facebook wall and social media sites and invite you to join in the fun!                                     

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Does an Apple A Day Really Keep the Doctor Away?

Did you know that the average apple is sprayed with pesticides seventeen times before it is harvested? Unless your apple is pesticide free, it is not only sufficient to keep the doctor at bay, it is more likely to keep the doctor on call. You may be thinking that the dose is so small that it really does not matter, however it has been found that some toxins are more harmful in smaller doses! In a study by the EPA, it identified more than 55 pesticides that can leave cancer-causing residues on food. And, according to the Natural Resource Defense Council, the use of pesticides has risen more than tenfold since the 1940s. On an average year, 1.2 billion pounds of pesticides are used in agriculture in the United States alone.

While pesticides  kill pests quickly, increasing research shows that they may harm or kill humans slowly. Pesticides are not easily washed off produce and the same is true once ingested. Fat-soluble pesticides are attracted to the fat stores in your body. In fact, even though DDT was banned in Canada and the United States over three decades ago, it is found in 100% of human fat samples tested by the EPA.

The best way to avoid pesticides on your produce is to buy organic food. It is more expensive and perhaps to lower the cost you could get to know the local food growers in your area that offer pesticide free produce. Avoid spraying your house and lawn with insecticide and choose natural alternatives to bug spray. Plant you own garden and grow blueberry bushes so that you may control what you are exposed to!

Spring Clean Your Home Naturally With Lemon!!

It's that time of year again, time to clean your living space. Using harsh chemicals can contaminate your home with toxins, defeating the purpose of all that dusting, washing, scrubbing and polishing. Exposure to these harsh chemicals can also have adverse effects on the health of your family. Some household cleaners can cause mild irritation, and they have also been linked to asthma and cancer. Every year thousands of children are poisoned by ordinary household cleaners. Not only do they make thousands of children ill each year, they also pollute our air and water, pack landfills and contaminate water sources.

Luckily there is an alternative provided by nature that is simple, easy to use and disinfects naturally and that is LEMON! Lemons are natural disinfectants with a wonderful smell that people associate with cleanliness. >You can use a lemon to remove stains from counter tops and cutting boards. Slice a lemon and pour the juice onto the stain. Let the lemon sit for awhile and wipe clean. For granite or marble surfaces try club soda instead. > Dip a sliced lemon in salt and use that to scrub copper-bottomed pots and pans. This trick will also help to dissolve soap and hard water stains in sinks. > Drop a whole lemon into your garbage disposal and turn it on to eliminate odors and bacteria. > You can also use lemon to brighten your whites and give them a fresh smell. Add 1/2 cup of lemon juice to the rinse cycle and volia!

Tips on How to Get Rid of Bugs Naturally

Here are a few simple tricks to get rid of those pesky bugs that munch on your plants. The are easy to make and are earth friendly.

1.) To Get Rid Of Ants: To get rid of ants, spray their routes with apple cider vinegar. This will cover up their pheromone tracks, which are invisible, so that they can not find their way back to their foraging sites. Mix together equal parts of baking soda and powdered sugar and mix thoroughly. Place the mixture into a salt shaker and sprinkle the mixture directly onto ant hills and trails. Into the areas where ants invade, shake diatomaceous earth. When the ants climb over the earth, their bodies become desiccated.

2.) To Get Rid of Aphids: Believe it or not, many aphids and mites can be eliminated by a strong blast from a hose. This blast breaks and dislodges their sucking mouth parts. Also, aphids are drawn to the color yellow. If you set a yellow pan of soapy water near the infested plants, the aphids will enter the water and die. Also, if you buy the larvae of ladydird beetles and release them into your garden, they will eat hundreds of aphids in one day.

3.) To Get Rid of Grasshoppers: On cabbage worms, loopers and grasshoppers sprinkle non self-rising white flower in the early morning when your plants are covered with dew. This will cause the pests to petrify. Rinse plants off the next day.


4.) To Get Rid of Beetles: Early in the morning, and armed with a bucket of warm, soapy water, take a long-handled spoon and gently whack the flower that is infested with the beetles. The beetles will drop straight down into the suds. One of the beetle's biggest enemies is the spined soldier bug which you may purchase from a nursery. Release them into the garden and let them take control.

For those spots in your home that get cleaned only occasionally The Maids offers 3 non-toxic recipes for wall cleaning, window cleaning and oven cleaning.

~*~ Most of us do not wash walls on a regular basis, but over time dirt and grime build up on walls. Take a closer look at your walls, and if they need some cleaning, here is an easy method to use...

1 quart warm water

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 tablespoons biodegradable liquid soap ( such as castile)

2 sift cloths

First start by removing excess dust from the walls by using a towel wrapped around the head of a broom. Then mix the above ingredients in a clean bucket. Wash the walls from the botton up to prevent streaks. Use a clean, soft cloth to dry as thoroughly as you can to prevent mildew! For oily stains, make a paste of 1/4 cup baking soda to 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Pat the mixture on the stain with a damp sponge. Let it dry then brush away with a soft dry cloth.

~*~ To keep your oven working its best, it is wise to keep it clean. Avoid the harsh chemicals that are associated with conventional oven cleaners with this following recipe...

1/2 cup salt

1/4 cup washing soda

1 box baking soda

Scant 1/4 cup water

3/4 cup white vinegar

10 drops thyme essential oil

10 drops lemon grass oil

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn off and keep door open. Combine the salt, washing soda,and baking soda with just enough water to make a paste. Spread the paste over the walls with a sponge and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes. In a spray bottle combine the vinegar and oils and shake. Spritz the walls with this mixture and wipe clean.

~*~ To make windows shine use this following recipe...

2 tablespoons white vinegar

2 quarts water

2 small buckets

Lint-free cloths

Fill each bucket with a quart of warm water. Mix vinegar and water in one of the buckets and shake gently to mix. Start at the top of the window and work down using this solution with a clean cloth. Rinse with warm clean water from the other bucket. Wipe off any excess water with a squeegee.