Guest Blog Post By Genesis 950: Green Cleaning For Your Family’s Health

People often associate Green cleaning as using a product that is safe for the environment. Too many cleaning products can inadvertently damage watersheds and pollute air with high VOC’s (volatile organic compounds). Consumers are rapidly becoming more sensitive to this, and as a result looking for cleaners that do not harm the environment. However Green cleaning is not just about keeping the environment clean. It is also about keeping your family safe.

The vast majority of cleaning products can actually promote health issues themselves. Various cleaning products contain ingredients that have been linked to cancer, asthma and respiratory issues, allergies, skin irritation such as eczema, damage to red blood cells and other serious issues. Some of the most popular cleaners contain ammonium compounds, 2-butoxyethanol, nonylphenol ethoxylate, butoxydiglycol, methoxydiglycol and a number of unpronounceable chemicals. There are some cleaners you might have in your cleaning cabinet that can contain up to 148 different chemicals, including the ones listed. The impact of these chemicals can cause health issues through immediate contact, ingestion or through inhalation of the vapors. Many countries have actually banned products containing these chemicals due to the long term impacts they have had on people’s health.

Most people do understand the benefits of Green cleaning and that it is a safer alternative to traditional chemicals. Major companies are also growing more aware that Green cleaning is not just a trend, but it is something families expect. Unfortunately, the marketing machines have found their way around actually making a Green product. There are several products that have named their product “Green.” While “Green” can be a product’s namesake, it does not necessarily mean the chemistry of the product is green in the environmental sense. Other marketing ploys include masking the bottle or the label with green colors. In doing so, the illusion is created that the product is visually green, overshadowing the fact that the product is actually unsafe. Just take a look at your cleaning products, the color of the packaging, the verbiage used and then scroll through the active ingredients.

Genesis 950 Concentrate

Genesis 950 is a green cleaner that is not just safe for the environment, it is also safe for your family. Genesis 950 works a little different that traditional chemicals. While many cleaners rely on hazardous chemicals to clean, Genesis 950 relies on water.  As a surfactant based, concentrated cleaner that mixes with water to break down stains. When Genesis 950 interacts with a stain, it breaks the bonds of a stain. When a stain’s bonds are altered, it then becomes water soluble. Once water soluble, the water, working with Genesis 950 can be broken down and flushed from the surface. There are no harsh chemicals, no hazardous vapors and no adverse impacts of the health of you or your family.

Genesis 950 is also free of soaps. Too often, people try to use soap based cleaners for hard stains and carpet stains. While soap is great for cleaning dishes, it creates more of a problem when cleaning hard stains, or stains in carpet and upholstery. Soap is designed to attract dirt. When dirt is attracted, it can essentially be gathered and cleaned off. On a plate, this is an ideal means of cleaning as the surface is flat. However in carpet and fiber, the soap can actually end up blocking the removal of a stain as the attraction of dirt can occur within fibers. The residue soap creates can then keep a stain within the carpet. Attempts to rinse out soapy cleaners often fail because they create more residue through foaming. Instead of removing the dirt, they encapsulate dirt within the carpet.

DIY carpet cleaners have become quite the trend. Too often people try to clean carpet stains with homemade recipes and constructions. Typically, these DIY recipes call for ingredients like laundry or dish washing detergent, baking soda or vinegar. Detergents are soap based, leading to the issues discussed above in which the soap can actually clog the carpets with residue which seals in the dirt or stains. Some detergents contain oxidizers, which should never be used on carpet as the process of oxidation can discolor carpet, typically leaving an orange or pink discoloration. Baking soda is often used in cases where carpet odor is a problem. The issue with baking soda is that it is a deodorizer.  Deodorizer’s do not remove odor. They simply mask the odor. In cases where baking soda is used to cover a foul scent, it is not killing the bacteria which is responsible for that odor. As a result, once the baking soda wears off, the smell will return. Baking soda can also leave carpet feeling crisp, and if not removed properly, can leave hardened chunks in your carpet. Finally, vinegar as cleaner, particularly in carpet, is the WORST thing you can use to clean your home if you have pet. Vinegar is often prized as a natural cleaner. The acidic content in vinegar allows it to eat away at stains without damaging carpet. However the acidic base is chemically similar to the acidic levels of pet urine. Animals urinate based on instinct. They tend to urinate in the same areas where they have gone previously. When an animal urinates on carpet, they will continue to do so because the acidic odor from the urine reminds them that this is the spot! To stop this behavior, the area must be thoroughly cleaned to remove the urine and it’s acidic odor. In the event that vinegar is used to clean in a home with pets, the acidic odor of vinegar can actually encourage your pet to continue to urinate in that area because animals can not differentiate the acidic base of vinegar in comparison to their urine.

As an added bonus, Genesis 950 isn’t just a great cleaner, it contains antibacterial agents which can destroy odor causing stains, kill mold and bacteria. This doesn’t just give you a cleaner home, it gives you a healthier home.

Genesis 950 eliminates the need for multiple cleaning products. When it comes to being an all purpose cleaner, we mean it! Genesis 950 can be used throughout the entire home for all the toughest jobs. To keep costs low, Genesis 950 is sold in concentrate form. This means you are getting the most for your money. Some cleaners can contain up to 98% water. The reason many cleaners are not available at a concentrated rate is because they contain so many hazardous chemicals that they do not pass environmental regulations as a concentrate. That’s how toxic some cleaning products really are. Not Genesis 950. Being safe enough to be sold in concentrate form means you determine how much water you will need to add to it based on your cleaning needs.

The cleaning ratio of Genesis 950 to water varies based on your cleaning needs. If you are cleaning as the most basic level, counter tops, appliances, sinks and so on, Genesis 950 can actually be used at a ratio of 1 part Genesis 950 to 7 parts water. With this type of a breakdown for basic cleaning, that would break 1 quart bottle into 7 quarts of cleaning solution.

When the job is a little tougher, increase the ratio to 1/3 Genesis 950 to 2/3 water. This ratio can tackle tougher stains and has a little more power to break down stains. This ratio is perfect to keep in an accessible spray bottle for messy kitchen spills, greasy stove tops, pet stains on carpet or spills on furniture.

For the worst stains you encounter, the highest recommended mixing ratio is a 50/50 mix. This mix is suggested when you are dealing with heavy odor causing pet stains or cleaning oil stains on concrete. It is important that you do not go higher than a 50/50 mix because with Genesis 950 water becomes the active ingredient in breaking down the adherence of tough stains.

To spot clean carpets, rug and upholstery, the best cleaning ratio for typical stains is 1/3 Genesis 950 to 2/3 water. Locate the stained area and clean up as much as you can with a damp cloth or towel. For the remaining stain, spray the mixture of Genesis 950 and water on the affected area. Be sure to thoroughly saturate the stain. Once the stain has been sprayed, allow it to sit for a few moments. Typically, 2 to 3 minutes is sufficient. If the stain is heavier, allow the mixture to sit longer. The longer it sits, the greater the opportunity for the mixture to break down the stain. After the mixture has soaked into the stain, clean the area using a brush, towel or sponge. Next, use a damp towel or sponge to rinse the area clean. Once the stain has been rinsed clean, allow the area to dry.

For pet stains, heavy traffic areas or carpet with odor issues, Genesis 950 can be used in any carpet cleaning machine. There are several types of tank types for holding solution in machines available for household use.

Some tanks have 1 container where the clean water and the solution are mixed. with this type of machine, you can control how much solution you want to use. If it is a general carpet cleaning to remove dust, dander and pollen, use 1 part Genesis 950 to 7 parts water in the tank. If the area has moderate traffic levels on the carpet or pet stains here and there, use 1/3 Genesis 950 to 2/3 water. In the event that you are dealing with heavy pet odor, or a mildew odor, you might want to go full force and fill the tank up at a 50/50 level.

Other tanks have one compartment for fresh water and one for solution. In these types of machines, fill the solution container all the way up with Genesis 950. Typically these machines have settings such as “Low,” “Medium,” “Heavy” or “Rinse.” This allows you to increase the amount of solution used based on the job you are performing.

Once you have filled your tanks and are ready to begin, slowly go over the carpet with the machines. Take your time and really let the mixture get into the carpet. Once you have completed going over the carpet, allow for the mixture of Genesis 950 and water to sit in the carpet for at least a half an hour. This will give the mixture time to break down stains, dirt, dust, pollen, mold growth, bacteria and anything else that has gathered in the carpet over time. Typically a half an hour is a suitable time for the mixture to sit, however if the stains are overwhelming, this time can be extended. In severe cases the mixture can sit overnight. Just be sure to not allow the carpet to dry as this will simply cause the stains that have been broken down to settle right back into the carpet.

After your carpet has sat for the desired time frame, fill your machine with just clean water. Go over the areas that you have applied the solution to. This step will flush everything that has been broken down into the machine. If you have not cleaned your carpets for sometime, you may see the return water come back blackish as the 950 will have broken down everything below the surface of your carpet. After rinsing, allow the carpet to dry. Fans, dehumidifiers and space heaters can speed that process up.

In addition to looking clean, your carpet will also appear more vibrant. In many cases, customers state that their carpet has been reverted to their original color. Other customers note that their carpet has a revived plush feeling that they have not seen for years. This is due to the lack of soap in Genesis 950. As indicated earlier, soap based cleaner can actually clog the pores of carpet fibers and result in a carpets having a stiff texture. But a clean carpet is not the only benefit. Using Genesis 950 removes any mold or mildew that might be in the carpet’s padding. It also eliminates pollen, dander and dust which aggravates allergies.

Genesis 950 is the perfect cleaner for the rest of the home. Because it has the ability to kill germs and bacteria, it is perfect for the bathroom. Clean everything from showers and tubs to sinks and toilets. While it is powerful enough to remove tough stains, it is gentle enough to clean tile, grout and walls. Using Genesis 950 at the 1/3 950 to 2/3 water ratio in a spray bottle, you can effectively clean water stains, mildew stains, soap build up and easily lift grime from areas where fixtures meet ceramic or tile.