Believe it or not, an average American family with school aged children spends about $500 on supplies for the school season. Because these supplies are a necessity, we wind up buying disposable supplies like pens and glue sticks that will do the job. But these supplies are often thrown away before their time. In fact, six billion pens are thrown away in the United States every year.

Paper is another school supply that is wasted quite often. The average school throws away almost 40 tons of paper every school year. About 650 trees are cut down each year just for paper, which is why purchasing recycled paper and then recycling it after using it is important. Think about it, for every 220,000 sheets of paper that is recycled, 17 trees are saved. So remember, don’t be afraid to follow your path of green and learn behaviors that can last the entire school season and beyond.

Another beautiful summer season is about to end, but that doesn’t mean your love for the planet has to! All summer long, you’ve been green – ditching those pesticides, composting leftover food, and replacing plastic water bottles with reusable ones. Heck, you even rode your bike to work a few times! Don’t let the autumn weather and the beginning of school stop you in your green tracks. When school is in session, there will be plenty of reducing, reusing, and recycling that can be done while you are reading, writing, and doing arithmetic! Where shall you begin? How about in your supply bag.

Some customers ask us if we charge more expensive rates rates because we clean green!  But we charge the same rates as other local cleaning services that don’t clean green.
You can be confident that Maid Brigade’s cleaning service prices are competitive locally. You can also be confident that Maid Brigade’s cleaning services will give you a clean healthy home, freedom and peace of mind – all at a fair price.

It’s easy to get an estimate based on your individual needs – just follow these 3 steps:

1. Find your local Maid Brigade, because each Maid Brigade office sets their cleaning services prices locally.   Simply type your zip code in the yellow box at the top of this page.  When you hit submit, you will see the local Estimates form. 

2. Complete the local Estimates form.  In order to calculate an estimate Maid Brigade will need some basic information, like what kind of floors you have and how many bathrooms you’d like us to clean.  The form takes only a minute or so to complete.  When you submit the form, it is sent immediately to your local Maid Brigade.  The local owner will calculate your house cleaning rates ASAP.

3. Expect our phone call.  Your local Maid Brigade will call you to verify your needs and give you customized house cleaning prices for the tasks you’d like us to perform in your home.  We will call you within one business day, however usually you’ll hear from us and get your cleaning services prices much sooner – often within an hour if you request house cleaning prices on a business day.

Every home is unique, and no two Maid Brigade customers have the same cleaning needs.  Because our services are customized to suit each family’s needs, our house cleaning rates vary from home to home.  Some factors that affect our cleaning service prices are the size of your home, the number of people and pets, and how often you want your home cleaned, but there are other factors as well.

Families, couples and singles hire Maid Brigade because we’re all so busy these days! If we all had one less thing to do, especially house cleaning, we could get more important stuff done and enjoy more quality time! That’s why people choose Maid Brigade cleaning services!

Most of our clients use our green maid service for regular visits, but we also clean for other reasons:  parties (pre- or post-), seasonal deep cleanings, when company’s sleeping over, post-construction or renovation, asthma and allergy relief and sometimes, just for a well-earned indulgence!

There are many different cleaning products and tools on the market, each promising to help make housework easier. However, in order to keep your home clean, there are a few basic tools and cleaners that are an absolute must-have to make cleaning both effective and easy. Although everybody's cleaning needs are slightly different for instance, a home with full wall-to-wall carpeting throughout will have different needs than one with hardwood floors these house cleaning basics will cover all your cleaning bases

More Green Tips

Be conscientious with your accommodations. Look for hotel accommodations and tours with Green Seal or Green Leaf certifications and standards. Green hotels reduce energy consumption through fluorescent lighting. They also institute recycling programs, and they conserve water through installation of energy star products. If you choose a hotel that does not recycle, consider taking your empty bottles or other items out to recycle. Also, pick a hotel close to public transportation or near the places you are going to visit during your stay. Remember to do your share of “green” by turning off the lights, TV, and air conditioner when leaving your hotel room. Take short showers and leave toiletries behind if you didn’t use them. Hotels too expensive? Stay at a working farm that also functions as inn. They cost less than hotels.

Get around without a car. Reduce your carbon footprint by participating in cheaper, Earth-friendly transportation options like biking, walking and taking public transit. You can even take a low impact walking tour. They are inexpensive and fun! Download from www.greenmap.org to find the latest top spots to visit and to dine.

If you do choose wheels, go green! When selecting a model, choose a smaller economy vehicle or a hybrid. Turn down free upgrades that seem nice but could cost you more money in gas.

Tips for Green Travel

Summertime is coming to a close. Some schools even start back next week! So if you’re trying to get a last-minute trip in, it can be difficult to prioritize traveling green.

The good news is that more and more companies are realizing their impact on the environment and are turning their old ways to newer, greener ones. Here are a few ways to stay green while enjoying the precious rest of your summer:
1. Prepare your home for vacation. Set your air conditioner to 75 degrees. Unplug electrical appliances and televisions. Put lights on timers. Suspend your newspaper and mail delivery until your return.

2. Go paperless. When flying, book electronic tickets to reduce paper waste. Most airlines will scan your smartphone instead of a paper ticket, even at the gate!

Turn off the TV and put down those cell phones; it’s time to picnic!

Summertime, a season filled with beautiful sunny days and outdoor fun, is the perfect excuse to pack up our picnic baskets and enjoy the weather outside. Head down to the local park, embark to the beach, or better yet, set up camp right in your own backyard. Wherever you choose to picnic, there are several questions you can ask to make sure things go as smoothly as possible:

Location, Location, Location

For many of us, controlling asthma symptoms is a way of life.  It is almost impossible to avoid these symptoms all of the time, but knowing what materials, conditions, or activities trigger your asthma and learning how to avoid them is key to living a healthy life.

Things that cause asthma attacks in one person might be different for someone else.  Educating yourself on common causes of asthma attacks is important in preventing exposure and reducing allergy flare-ups. 

Ick! What do I do about them?

It is impossible to get rid of dust mites completely, but there are ways to keep them at a minimum in your home and your bed:

• Keep your bedding clean.  People spend a lot of time in their beds and lose a lot of dead skin while they’re there. Wash your bedding at least once a week and wash the bedding in hot water. Cold water will not kill every dust mite.  Cover your mattress, pillows, box springs and duvet covers with micro-porous material.  Remove clutter near your bed.  Before making your bed in the morning, air it out to reduce moisture buildup.  Make sure your mattress is made from latex.  Freeze all stuffed toys that cannot be washed for about 48 hours to kill dust mites.
• Also, get your pet its own bed. A dust mite is just as happy to eat pet dander as human.  Remember to wash your pet’s blankets and bedding weekly too.
• Carpeting is a dust mite magnet because there are so many places to hide in it!  Even when you vacuum, most dust mites stay alive by grabbing onto the carpet fibers.  If possible, remove as much carpet as you can and switch to wood, linoleum, or laminate flooring.  If flooring is not an option, have your carpets steam cleaned on a regular basis.
• Keep your home free of clutter as much as possible.  Everything in the home should have a place.  Clean your home.  Wearing a dust mask, start high and work your way down.  With a dry microfiber cloth, dust walls, fan blades, tops of shelves, tops of picture frames, and anything else that might collect dust. Don’t forget to clean the draperies.
• When vacuuming, use a vacuum with a HEPA filter.  Vacuum upholstered furniture, floors,  and carpets.  Mop floors with a damp microfiber mop.
• Since dust mites thrive in a warm and humid environment, lower the thermostat below 70 degrees and install some air conditioners. Air conditioners are really good at lowering the humidity levels of a home. So are dehumidifiers. Ideally, keep the humidity level below 35%.
• Keeping a clean and clutter-free house is just one of the ways you can prevent house dust mites from taking over your home.

Remember, dust mites can never be fully eliminated, but these basic tips will help you suffer less because of them.

Why do they trigger allergies?

Mites are usually associated with allergies because the body parts from dead mites are so small they become airborne and get inhaled.  The mites also produce powerful enzymes that are strong enough to break down delicate cells.  They are known to cause hay fever, asthma, sinusitis, eczema, skin rashes, wheezing, sneezing, itching, watery eyes, allergic and migraine headaches, urticarial dermatitis, and certain gut disorders.

Because house dust mites are so tiny — about 0.3 mm — they are not visible to the naked eye.  They may be visible through a magnifying glass.

What exactly are dust mites?

Dust mites are tiny scavengers closely related to spiders and ticks.  They are made up of 75% water in weight.  They eat dead skin cells and hair covered in bacteria, pollen, mold, fungi, and yeasts.  They can live up to three months in damp, warm environments.  Female mites lay about 60 eggs in that time.  Mites produce about 20 droppings a day, which for them, is considered their source of food because the droppings are filled with leftover food and enzymes.

In our homes, dust mites live in clothing, carpets, bedding, and even our baking flour.  They travel by attaching themselves to material, fur, feathers, socks, pajamas, and soft toys.  They prefer light material items because they can hide in them.

How to Make Cleaning Up More Fun for Your Kids

Amongst the mound of dirty clothes, the half-folded piles of clean clothes, the smelly gym bags and the empty candy wrappers lies a beautiful place we call “the kids room.”

Messy bedrooms and kids usually go hand in hand.  Unfortunately, messy bedrooms don’t sit well with most parents.  That’s why you should get your kids excited about cleaning early on in life.

Start Early On

When children are about two or three years old, they can begin learning ways of keeping their room clean, such as putting away a toy before taking out another.  Setting limits on the amount of toys being taken out at once also helps.  At this age, kids can learn to store toys in certain spaces, like bins or baskets. They also get a sense of organization early on.

Sometimes when a messy bedroom gets out of hand and the toddler needs help cleaning, it is the parent’s job to make cleaning a fun experience and not a chore.  Be specific about each chore.  For example, “putting all the cars in the cabinet,” works well at this age.  Praising the child for being helpful also goes a long way.

When children are about four or five years old, they can learn how to make their beds.  An easy way to teach them is to have them lay in their bed under the covers like they were sleeping.  While under the covers, have them flatten and straighten the top covers.  Then, have your child slide out from under the covers, and voila!  The bed is made!

Keep Things Fun

Here are some other ways to make cleaning your room fun for the kids:

• Pick a color and have your children pick up and put away all the items of the same color.
• Time yourself and try to beat last weeks’ time, or challenge your kids to see who can make their bed faster and neater. If you have a floor full of toys, give each child an empty bucket, set a timer for a minute, and see who can collect the most toys. The winner gets to pick the snack for the night, or the next family movie to watch.
•  Involve all family members in cleaning.  Give them the proper tools needed to do a good job cleaning.  Give them one-on-one instruction and let them learn from you.
• Put on some kid friendly music while teaching them how to fold laundry.  Make it a game and see how much laundry can be put away in five minutes.  Work, then dance!
• Find out which jobs your children like to do the most and assign that chore to them.  Maybe one child is better at washing dishes than dusting furniture.
• Make a list of things that need to be accomplished from each child by the end of the week.  Write a list for each child and put it in their rooms.
• Make an interesting chore chart by making cleaning a part of the Olympics, where each child gets a medal for cleaning.
• Make a habit of daily cleanups, about fifteen minutes each night, instead of longer cleanups which tend to be tedious.
• Reward your children for doing their chores.  Be as supportive and encouraging.  Thank them for their efforts, even if their efforts aren’t perfect.
• As hard as it may be at times, don’t redo their work.  Don’t let your child walk away thinking their work wasn’t good enough.  If you don’t like how they folded the laundry, for example, assign them a different chore next time.
• Have places to store things like important homework, toys, and books.  Place a laundry basket in the bathroom or in each of the kid’s rooms.
• For both teens and younger children, use the “work before play” rule if needed.

Above all, have patience.  Good cleaning habits don’t happen overnight.  Start young and establish fun cleaning and “picking up” skills that your children can learn and accept as part of making the household run smoothly and neatly.

Hello there, Maid Brigade readers! Today is national Eat Your Veggies Day (yeah, it’s a real thing)! And in celebration, we’d like to share some of our favorite ways to serve our veggies.

If your kids are like most, they do NOT enjoy their vegetables. But to be honest, who can blame them? We as adults have spent decades building up a tolerance, and even we have to force ourselves from time to time to eat our greens, especially when we just steam ‘em and leave ‘em. So let’s shake things up! Here are our 3 favorite tips for mixing up our veggies:

Spice things up with red pepper flakes. Not for the faint of heart, just a pinch of red pepper flakes can spice up a side of broccoli and cauliflower or add pizzaz to some brussel sprouts.
Pop some protein into the mix. Prosciutto can do wonders wrapped around some asparagus, and chopped bacon can be thrown right in the pan while you sautee your kale.
Pile on the veggies as a topping. Well prepared veggies are almost always better as a topping than on their own. Whether a pizza, a taco, or an omelette, almost any dish can be made better (and better for you) with some tender squash or yummy peppers thrown into the mix.
So tell us — what’s your favorite way to prepare your vegetables? And happy Eat Your Veggies Day!

The First Response: The Red Wine Spill!

Take a clean cloth and dab the spill in an effort to get the excess wine up and out of the carpet or clothing fibers ASAP. Once you have the majority of the spill blotted up, next you can tackle the stains with a variety of wine stain weapons. For starters you can take your favorite carpet shampoo or clothing stain remover, and clean as you would if the wine stain were a bit of dirt on the carpet or clothing. Or you can go for a less conventional, but often times more successful approach and try one of these tried and true wine stain solutions.

It’s one thing to not cry over spilled milk, but it’s an entirely different scenario to hold back tears when a full glass of red wine leaves its mark on your white carpet! What can you do to remove red wine stains from your carpet, area rugs or clothing?

You can call Maid Brigade of Pasadena, and we'll get that stain right out of your carpet in no time! 

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Cinco De Mayo

We are Pasadena Weekly's Best of Pasadena 2013 Winner!

Happy Easter!

Organizations that Maid Brigade of Pasadena supports:

1. Cleaning for Heros
2. Pasadena Humane Society
3. Pasadena Children’s Guild
4. Eagle Rock Center for the Arts
5. Smile Train
6. Clairbourn School
7. Alzheimer’s Association
8. South Pasadena YMCA
9. National Kidney Foundation
10. Leukemia Foundation
11. American Cancer Society
12. Lake Avenue Children’s School
13. LACS MOPS
14. Pierce Community College

Green is Good!

At Maid Brigade, green is good – in more ways than one. To us, “green” also means “go.” It means our maids go to your home and clean it to a sparkling shine when we say they will, and it means that you get to go to the Norton Simon Museum of Art instead of sweeping the carpet. Green means you’ll have time to read the Pasadena Star-News while our professional maids scrub the tub and mop the bathroom floor. Green means you can go, without worrying about housecleaning or about getting a thorough, consistent, green clean for your money.

Green Clean is our thing!

Growing evidence shows that the cleaning methods used by traditional household cleaning maids don’t give you the healthiest, cleanest home – or environment. Maid Bridgade’s Los Angeles County maid service has gone green to keep Arcadia, Sierra Madre, Glendale, South Pasadena, and Burbank homes – and our planet – healthy and clean. Our Maid Brigade residential cleaning service is proud to be a Green Clean Certified local maid service in Los Angeles County, CA and surrounding areas. In short, Green Clean Certification means that our professional maids value the health of your family as much as you do. Not only that, but we believe you’ll get a cleaner home because we’re green. To learn more about Green Clean Certified click the Email Local Office link on the left or call our Pasadena maid service office today.

LA wants more than a clean house!

Los Angeles County, California residents want more than a clean house from a professional house cleaning company – residential cleaning customers want a clean, healthy, and green home. And that’s what homeowners in Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank, La Canada, Altadena, Arcadia, South Pasadena, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, Eagle Rock, San Marino, and La Cresenta get from Maid Brigade’s Pasadena maid service.

We are Maid Brigade of Pasadena!

Eco-Friendly Maid and Cleaning Services in Pasadena, CA