Healthy Home Cleaning Alternative

How many people out there have the same cleaning challenges that I do- When to clean? How to clean? Is it safe to clean with this or are these chemicals harmful to me or my family? Should I clean green? Will cleaning green actually work?

With so many questions and concerns I decided to do some research. I was surprised to find that in a January 2009 report by the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine it stated “all the women in their study who were exposed to cleaning agents, including both asthmatic and non-asthmatic participants, had respiratory symptoms in response.” Since asthma runs in my family I was now scared to death that I could actually be giving myself and my family a chronic illness by cleaning! WOW! Who knew?

I decided to research a bit deeper into eliminating those harsh and toxic cleaning chemicals and my research led me to cleaning with steam. Steam uses ordinary tap water to clean and sanitize practically every surface in my home. With steam, I don’t have to worry about harsh chemicals that are harmful or fatal if accidentally ingested or inhaled.

There were so many steam cleaners to choose from out there. Small hand held ones that were about $99 and big industrial looking ones that were about $7,000. Luckily I found a steam cleaner that was right in the middle cost-wise at about $1,200. You might think I’m crazy for spending all that money on a steam cleaner but I weighed the pros and cons. Cleaning with steam is not only going to save my family’s health, it’s actually going to save me money over the years instead of cost me money. Can you believe that?
I bought my steamer at Sargent Steam and I’m so impressed with it! It easily blasts through my toughest grime and hardest jobs, but is gentle enough for use on my hardwood floors and painted walls. I can’t believe how versatile this machine is! I absolutely LOVE it! And so does the environment. You really can have it all- a clean home, a healthy family and a green cleaner that actually works.

For more information on cleaning with steam, purchasing a steam cleaner, or having a FREE cleaning demonstration in your home, call Michelle at 801-979-6707.
I have many years of experience with a cleaning business, but once I became acquainted with the Sargent Steam cleaner, I decided not only to use the machines in my cleaning business, but also to become an independent business owner.

Do you or your loved ones suffer from allergies? The kind that makes everyone miserable both the sufferer and those who look after the sufferer? Allergy

causes are as different as their symptoms. It’s brutal and not easy to diagnose but you’ve come to realize that, among others, indoor air pollution from dust, dust mites, mold, mildew, and pet dander are possible factors.

So you’re cleaning all the time but the cleaning chemicals are often just as harmful to you as the problem you’re trying to solve, right? How do you choose which symptom to address first, the itchy watery eyes and nose you get from mold in your shower or the red itchy rash from the tile cleaning chemical you’re using to kill the mold? You can’t wear rubber gloves because latex cause allergies, too. It’s a vicious circle and you want it to stop right now and guess what…you’re not alone. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases say 50 million Americans suffer from allergies of some type. That’s about half of us and the numbers appear to be growing.
I feel your pain. Although I cannot cure allergies, cleaning with steam can help on many levels. Professional steam cleaners use 290 degree steam to kill mold and mildew, not chemicals that irritate your lungs and skin. This means you can easily and effectively control mold all over your home and you don’t need to wear protective gear while you do it. Steam also kills mold in areas you can’t reach (the pressure penetrates into cracks and crevices) and areas you don’t want to touch. You don’t have to sneeze every time you take a shower (that’s one of the most common areas for mold growth) and you don’t have to choose between breathing and dealing with a nasty rash all over your hands and arms, either. Steam cleaners eliminate some of your ‘either or’ choices. You don’t have to choose between your health and a clean home. You can have both.

You know you feel better when you’ve had a good night’s sleep but as you lay down in bed, are you wheezing again? Chances are dust mites are your problem. Barb Ogg, Ph.D., at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln has information about controlling dust mites. She recommends eliminating dust catchers, washing bedding in hot water more often, and using heat or steam on your mattresses, carpeting, and upholstery to kill the dust mites that make it hard to breathe. You must also remove their debris which is actually the biggest irritant. Vacuuming and steaming your bedding and carpeting regularly helps keep the dust mite population down and you breathing easier. Dust mites love pet dander, too. Pet dander is neutralized and removed in the steaming process so your dog can be your best friend again.

Search for the topics you are particularly interested in! There are dozens of articles on every subject of steam cleaning. The very BEST way to know for sure if you are interested in purchasing a steam cleaner is to call Michelle at 801-979-6707 for a thorough demonstration at your home. No other company goes to your home to let you personally experience the innovative Sargent Steam cleaner, AND no other company has a complete repair shop in Salt Lake City! These are two very good reasons to get hands-on help to make your decision whether to purchase and which machine offers the best service. Service is worth a lot. It’s a real drudgery to pack up a broken machine and send it back!! We also offer in-store training or on-line training on how to use the machine.

What Every Dog Owner Needs to Know About Puppies

We were so excited for our first addition to our family! Priscilla the English Bulldog puppy! She was so adorable I could have eaten her with a spoon. And that face! Love at first sight. So cute I even forgave her for her 9th little puppy puddle. After the 19th puppy puddle I still loved her but didn’t think she was quite as cute. In fact I was beginning to wonder if we had maybe made a huge mistake.

This puppy potty training thing was a lot more difficult than we had expected. We were certainly not as prepared as I thought we were. I started wondering how that little body could produce so much piddle? Then I found a great book and her training started to shape up nicely.

Now I had time to focus on the mess she had made of my carpeting. I have two words for all new puppy owners – steam cleaner, I repeat Steam Cleaner (just in case you didn’t get it the first time).
If not for my steam cleaner, I can say with certainty that I would not have kept my sanity. The carpet, the puppy or both would have had to go. Because of my steamer I can keep the carpet and the puppy.

There are several reasons my steamer is perfect for this problem. One is because the temperature is so hot it actually kills the bacteria that causes odor. It doesn’t just cover up the smell with a perfumed chemical. Since it doesn’t smell where she went, she won’t go in that spot again.

I also love it because renting a carpet cleaner or calling a professional service is a very difficult, expensive and/or time consuming job. But with my steamer handy I’m able to remove the pet stains myself quickly and easily before they dry and set.

I just move the floor brush covered with a cloth back and forth over the stain. The steam pressure penetrates all the way to the carpet padding. Then as the heat rises, up comes the problem into the cloth. I change the cloth as it gets dirty and I know the problem is gone when the cloth comes up clean.

Now I’m not stressing about my house smelling or thinking about replacing my carpet. I can just relax and enjoy the cute little puddle maker. In fact friends who come to meet Priscilla can’t believe it – our house doesn’t smell like a puppy.

For more information on cleaning with steam, purchasing a steam cleaner, or having a FREE cleaning demonstration in your home, call Michelle at 801-979-6707.
I have many years of experience with a cleaning business, but once I became acquainted with the Sargent Steam cleaner, I decided not only to use the machines in my cleaning business, but also to become an independent business owner. Steams My Team is listed on Angie’s List!

Dogs Are a Household Necessity

Not five year ago, The Covenants and Restrictions (CC&R’s) at almost all condominiums and gated communities forbid having animals. Even apartments complexes didn’t have any such thing as a “companion animal.” I was one of those hard-liners who did not like dogs, had never owned a dog, and wasn’t about to change! Since “change” is a common word these days, it now applies to dogs! After having several dogs run over when my children were young and they cried to weeks, I said, “No more dogs. You get your own dog when you grow up.”

Not only did they grow up and get dogs, but one of my daughters “gave me” one to “keep me company.” I flatly refused to keep Princess, a little white and beige Lhasa Apso. I am an older professional woman who is not retired; consequently, I had no time or desire to have a dog. Come to find out, my daughter who is a flight attendant, bought the dog for $500! When they were children, the neighbors had puppies and we took one for FREE. She begged me to at least take Princess for 2 weeks until she found a sitter. Dogs now need a sitter, of all things. They call them dog “hotels.” So actually the dog wasn’t purchased for me, but she found out she couldn’t leave for days on a flight and have a dog! Of course, we as parents will never learn our lessons. When the children were little, I could just say, “no.” Nobody knows what that word means any more. I know you have already guessed. I vehemently told her, “I will take Princess for two weeks and that is all. No questions asked.”

That was five years ago. How she stole my heart is beyond me. I adore her to the point that my family rolls their eyes at me when I have to take Princess to all the family parties because I don’t want to leave her alone. The same daughter who left Princess on my door step said, “Mother, she is a dog. Dogs stay home all the time.”

I did not take Princess to doggy school, as one is supposed to do to teach them manners. Not only do they need sitters and hotels, but they also need manners! We lived on a farm and the dogs obviously didn’t have manners. They stayed outside in the doghouse with an old quilt, and sometimes got a heating pad in the winter. As you know, it gets worse.

All the dogs have to be “house broken,” which also requires some time and skill to teach them to potty only outside or on a pad. Princess not only didn’t have school, but has never gone to a hotel, and is still making puddles on my carpets, if not worse. Her serious potty mistakes are “not her fault.” As I said, I am a busy professional woman and leave for work. My last condominium had a dog door which was great but anyone who has dogs can sympathize with me. When you are gone for hours on end, un-schooled dogs still potty or poop on the carpets. Princess hates the snow and refused to go outside in the wind and snow, so after all this time, I am still purchasing all kinds of carpet-spotters. None of them work and if there is one that does, I hope you’ll give me the name of it, as I am giving you my blog.
Little dogs are barkers, of course unless they have been to school. My neighbors liked me just fine but kindly told me that Princess barks all the time. The solution was getting new neighbors. I sold my condo and found a gated community that “allowed dogs.” Five years ago dogs were not a household necessity. I constantly see” big dogs and little dogs,” as the children’s book says. (If you haven’t read that book, get it for your grandchildren.)

I decided to purchase something else. However, the buyers of my condo wanted me to replace the carpets! If I had wanted new carpet I would have bought new carpet and enjoyed them. That was the selling issue—no new carpets or no the buyers wouldn’t purchase, and the price was great. I couldn’t believe all the spots everywhere when I moved out. I was so mad at Princess. She was responsible for my having to replace the carpets. This wasn’t going to happen in my other house.

I think the point is well made by now. Five years ago I did a favor for my daughter and now I love that silly dog. She has her own blanket and sleeps on the bed. Every other house has a dog too. They all tell me “that their dog doesn’t potty on the carpets.” I actually Googled “dog stains,” and found an unlimited number of entries and what to do about those spots that are now on the carpets of my new house. Fortunately, I now have the perfect solution.

You can Google: Steams My Team. Princess is now 50 years old I’ve been told and is rapidly catching up with to me, but she still potties on my carpets! You may go to the article on my blogspot on, “Dogs Are a Household Necessity.

For more information on cleaning with steam, purchasing a steam cleaner, or having a FREE cleaning demonstration in your home, call Michelle at 801-979-6707.
I have many years of experience with a cleaning business, but once I became acquainted with the Sargent Steam cleaner, I decided not only to use the machines in my cleaning business, but also to become an independent business owner. Steams My Team is listed on Angie’s List!

Teenagers and The Hair Spray!

I don’t need to describe the condition of a bathroom after a teenager has left and gone to school. Hair spray is everywhere. As frustrating as it is, I well remember doing the exact thing many years ago. Hair spray has been around for a long time.

The bathroom looks much like a disaster zone after the kids leave for school. There is hair spray on the mirror and walls. Before anyone gets to the realization that the mirror and walls need desperate attention, weeks have passed. The counters are full of an assortment of spills, drops and smudges! The toilet seat even has hair spray on it. If there are boys in the house, let’s not forget how the toilets and the floor look after a few days, let alone weeks! If this isn’t a bad enough situation, the bickering to see who is going to clean the bathroom is never-ending.

I wondered how I could ever get through this war zone without the Comet, Windex, toilet bowl cleaner, swiffer and lots of paper towels? Everywhere I turned, I kept reading an article on cleaning green. There is so much talk about not using toxic chemicals.

I saw a commercial on the Sargent Steam machine. I actually came across the Steams My Team blog and called about it. My cleaning solution has been solved!

I have worked on the beveled edges on the doors where the hair spray was caked on. When that hot steam hit the doors, I was able to whip away the dirt with a rag. The doors, the wall behind the mirror, and the mirror were gleaming. A soft micro fiber cloth on the mirror made them look sparkling. There was true amazement on my face. The entire process maybe took about 20 minutes. I had saved so much time. I no longer needed ANY chemicals in my house at all.

I actually have so much room under my sinks, the bathroom cabinets, and storage room, that the shelves looked bare! I must have had hundreds of dollars worth of this and that I had seen advertised on television that I bought almost every week. None of them work like they say they will! They just cost a lot of money and give the companies a huge profit every year.

That was a year ago now. Cleaning with steam has made our home happier, cleaner, and saved us from anymore expensive chemicals. My teenagers are thrilled to use a steam cleaner. It makes cleaning fun!

For more information on cleaning with steam, purchasing a steam cleaner, or having a FREE cleaning demonstration in your home, call Michelle at 801-979-6707.
I have many years of experience with a cleaning business, but once I became acquainted with the Sargent Steam cleaner, I decided not only to use the machines in my cleaning business, but also to become an independent business owner. Steams My Team is listed on Angie’s List!

Cleaning Hardwood Floors

My boyfriend and I helped move some friends into a new house over the weekend. The thing our friends were most excited about is their hardwood floors. They were a little nervous because they’ve never lived in a house where they’d have to take care of them.

She had asked other friends if they knew how to keep them looking like brand new without ruining them. The methods she heard were really silly. Someone suggested using vinegar and water to get them clean and wax to keep them conditioned. But what I know about vinegar is that it’s a corrosive! The last thing she’d want is to eat through the varnish! The wax just left everything cloudy and sticky. She could see foot prints on them almost right after she did them.

These just seemed like too much work, and too many things to be worried about all at once so I suggested we use my Microfiber Mop. I just misted the mop pad with regular tap water and ran it over the floor. I could see the dirt and dust cling to the mop. I couldn’t believe how clean it made the wood.

Now they look clean and polished with almost no work at all. The material is a Microfiber-polyamide blend with NO cotton. They weave the fibers to look like star-shaped clusters. These little groupings of thirsty fingers cling onto just about anything they touch.

I like to use them dry to get all the loose dirt and debris off the floor instead of a standard broom. I love them with just a small amount of water to get the harder, stickier messes off with ease. When I’m finished I simply remove the pad from the attachment head and then launder with regular detergent. I don’t use fabric softener because this will coat the fibers and affect how well the mop can do its job.

I purchase the special Micro Fiber rags at Sargent Steam company or just call Michelle.

For more information on cleaning with steam, purchasing a steam cleaner, buying Micro Fiber rags, or having a FREE cleaning demonstration in your home, call Michelle at 801-979-6707.

I have many years of experience with a cleaning business, but once I became acquainted with the Sargent Steam cleaner, I decided not only to use the machines in my cleaning business, but also to become an independent business owner. Steams My Team is listed on Angie’s List!

No More Scrubbing the BBQ Grill


Have you ever had dinner guests come over on really short notice? This morning, my boyfriend tells me he wants to have some of the players on his rugby team over for dinner after their big game. TONIGHT! I was kind of in a frenzy trying to get the house organized and something planned for dinner that could feed a rugby team.

I decided to have burgers and hot dogs on the BBQ with a good simple pasta salad and dessert of some sort; the whole nine yards. (Go big or go home, right?) It would be fast and feed lots of hungry rugby players. I ran to the store and got everything ready for later, when I got home I noticed the barbeque was filthy and the patio furniture was a disaster! I couldn’t even see through the dirt and grime. I didn’t want to spend much time in the house with it being such nice weather. I thought I’d still be cleaning when they all get here. Then I remembered I have my very own miracle machine--my steam cleaner!

I took a deep breath, filled my steam cleaner with ordinary tap water, and while it was heating up, I brushed all the loose dirt and char off the BBQ. When my machine was ready, I started with my patio furniture. I put on my diamond brush with and cloth and turned on the steam. In less than ten minutes, I had my whole patio set sparkling clean and set up. They looked like a brand new patio set!

Next I moved over to my BBQ and steam cleaned the textured outside with my steam nozzle and 2” stiff brush and watched the dirt and grime melt away with almost no effort at all. I added a spiral-cut stainless steel scrubber to do the racks and the charred muck on the bottom by the grease catcher.

My whole barbeque was clean and sparkly in a total of 20 minutes. That job used to take all afternoon! The meal was ready to go and my patio looked amazing. I got to sit back and relax until game time. They won of course. I enjoy myself in the sun and came home for a great yummy meal with good friends on my sparkling clean patio. All of this thanks to my steam cleaner.

For more information on cleaning with steam, purchasing a steam cleaner, or having a FREE cleaning demonstration in your home, call Michelle at 801-979-6707.
I have many years of experience with a cleaning business, but once I became acquainted with the Sargent Steam cleaner, I decided not only to use the machines in my cleaning business, but also to become an independent business owner. Steams My Team is listed on Angie’s List!