A Perfect Clean For an Allergy-Free Home

I admit. Sometimes, IG has me scrolling forever. It's addictive but there are some things I discover that is might I say, life-changing!

Growing up, I had childhood asthma. My son inherited that too. Because of this, a dust-free home is very important for me. Of course, I don't let my son live in a bubble but things like a rug or a carpet is not ideal for those with allergies, especially for children whose immune systems are still developing. I discovered that my son has an eye allergy too! Didn't even know eye allergies are possible. Back to my news, I discovered Mike Gamez (IG handle: mikegamez_atyourservice)  and his Gruenheim vacuum and steam cleaners. 

I finally was able to try this cleaning system a few days ago and here's the review:

His assistant, Jeffer, demonstrated how it works. First, unlike the usual vacuums with a dust bag, this one uses water to mix with the dust and dirt that it picks up. That means no grimy/dusty/icky dust bag to deal with... I've had my share of those. Simply throw the dirty water (outside, preferably near your utility area). Pls. don't throw it on your shower or bathroom drain!

It has several attachments: for the floor, delicate items, hard to reach nooks and crannies, carpets and rugs, and this big-ass power vacuum attachment that's perfect for mattresses/sofas/lounge chairs.

I hope you don't get too grossed out by all the dirt I got!!! There's even some plastic stuff. I don't know why my helper didn't just pick it up. I think she fell in love with the vacuum too!

Next, follow up with the dry steamer. I don't actually know why it's called a dry steamer (since steam involves water and water is wet...crickets...)... Ok, anyway, you place 2 bottles of water into the steamer. For the initial use, wait around 10 minutes for the water to boil. Then, you can now use the steamer in various areas needing a thorough disinfecting and cleaning. That means, kitchen, tiles, bathroom (sink, toilet, faucets) and all your upholstery! The temperature indicated is 150-170 deg. Celsius. That means it's even higher than the boiling point of water (which is 100 deg. Celsius). Yes, it's hot but no, you just get a free facial!! The steamer itself is I believe made of stainless steel, although when you touch it, it won't burn you. It is still a bit hot but not hot enough to scald. The lovely thing about it is you get to dissolve stains, watermarks, grime, and disinfect your items too. This, I must say, feels so great... It's also supposed to kill/remove dust mites from your mattresses and upholstered items. I don't really have a test for that although I do believe that this extreme heat is sooo good for those pesky dust mites.

When opening the water refill area, the steam won't even go to your face, so safety-wise, this is also great. The "on" button also won't work when the water is all used up. It will simply beep and a red indicator on the steamer will indicate that you need to refill. No explosions experienced! For refills, you don't need to wait another 10 minutes. You can use it right away.

For my bathroom, there's this silicone sealant that is placed between the glass and the tile. I've been living here for 6 years, and although I do my glass squeegee after every bath, I'm too lazy to wipe it dry. So for that at least, the black stuff is simply stuck. I believe I really need to replace it. The best way to make sure you don't have any of those gunk build-up is to really wipe it dry after every use!

Final thoughts:

I loved using both the vacuum and dry steamer. Yes, I used it together with my househelp! I like cleaning when I'm in the mood (yes, full disclosure there). For those who are allergy sufferers or with children who have frequent asthma/allergy attacks, I believe this will ease up their attacks. For the regular household, it is still a great way to do at least some general cleaning for quarterly or semi-annual use. I think the more often, the better. For restaurants and hotels, I believe this is a necessity since it is a public space and cleanliness and disinfecting surfaces are crucial for food safety and handling. I believe for hospitals, it's a given!

Check out my tiles! Looks brand new right?! You can see the dirty one at the lower right-hand corner. 

Check out Mike Gamez.

Note: This is not a paid advertisement. I used these cleaners and paid for the rental myself.

Want to know more about a certain subject? Let me know in the form below (or on the comments) what your struggles are in your space.

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KIDS AND YOUR SANITY!

Hate the mess? Having children does not necessarily mean a messy home. Making organization fun for them will also return your sanity as well.

via Better Homes and Gardens

Use colorful bins and LABEL!

I know it seems like another task to label but your kids will follow more if you teach them and label their bins. It will give them a sense of ownership.

via Better Homes and Gardens

Set up hooks and a bench at the entry of your home or at the entry of your child's room.

via Hobby Lobby

I never realized how important this is but having a command center is something I think everyone should have, kids or no kids. After all, we have letters, bills, shoes and other paraphernalia that will accumulate and create a mess if we don't have a space for it. Add bins at the bottom of the bench and label with each child's name.

Use a desk organizer, cork board/blackboard/whiteboard for their study.

Well, you're not the only one who needs this! Your kids do as well. They'll be studying for at least 16 years after all! For those with asthma, use a whiteboard. For older kids, a cork board and a blackboard is fun!

Place a bin near their bed.

I honestly don't know why my son has so much things near his bed. I solved the problem by adding a bin. It relegates his mess to one container! Sorry, son, you star in this role!!

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EASY WAYS TO ADD CHARM TO YOUR CHILD'S ROOM

As responsible and loving parents, we only want what’s best for our kids. This includes giving them a safe space that is both comfortable and appealing.

The good news is you don’t have to spend that much. There are lots of ways to enhance your children’s rooms, such as following DIY ideas, cheap but stylish wall decals, fun storage, and even colorful paint.

To start with, you could always count on the internet for do-it-yourself decorations. For example, you could have their names hung on their wall with Lego or paint!

Etsy

Use wall decals as a tool for decor or to educate your kids with the alphabet. These wall stickers/decals are commercially available in-store, as well as online. There are different designs to choose from that your children will definitely enjoy!

Charlotte's room

Storage need not be plain and boring. Teach your kids to fix their toys and place them back in colorful baskets. Who said that chores and cleaning up after themselves cannot be as fun and as colorful? You can color code them as well for easier storage. Remember to teach them the code!

Apartment Therapy

And lastly, play with different colors of paint. You can cover the walls with a striped pattern or with bright colors. Another fun idea is to leave a part of the wall plain white, and let your kids paint it themselves! Just make sure you use non-toxic paint. It will certainly be a perfect bonding moment between you and your kids!

House & Home

See, as long as your kids have fun, you really don’t have to shed too much cash on their bedroom decorations!

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