The Real Dirt on Clean » House Cleaning

Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones From The Dangerous Spread Of Swine Flu With These 9 Easy Steps You Can Take Right Now

Sargent Steam — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:08:48 +0000

The Swine Flu (H1N1) virus is on the minds of many of us these days. Whether you have small children or elderly people around you may want to take some precautions to keep you and your family safe. The Swine Flu is thought to be a reassortment of four known strains of the flu virus: one endemic in humans, one in birds, and two in pigs/swines. Transmission of the new strain is human-to-human. In the end of May and early June the Swine Flu spread globally even shutting down Mexico City, Mexico for days. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the flu outbreak to be a pandemic.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) noted that is was a very serious virus, and most hospitalizations and deaths had been of persons that also had underlying conditions such as asthma, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, or a weakened immune system. Just in our city yesterday there were 5 more deaths from the Swine Flu.

This is definitely not a matter to be overlooked. Through my research I have come across 9 different tips into this matter that will help prevent you or your loved ones from catching the Swine Flu.

If you or your loved ones (kids and spouses) are experiencing any symptoms of the flu for heavens sake STAY HOME until you are not contagious. With the Swine Flu it is said that you are contagious one day before you see any symptoms and 5-7 days after. Keep the sick person away from other people as much as possible, especially from those who are at high risk for influenza complications like small children and the elderly.
Remind the sick person to cover their mouth with their arm near the elbow when coughing or sneezing. Do not cover your mouth or nose with your hands. Yes the germs are not in the air but they are now on your hands and anything you touch there after.
Dispose of used tissues immediately. Do not let them accumulate in garbage cans or on the night stand. EWE!!!
Do not let anyone, ill or healthy, share drinks or eating utensils. If you could see the germs your mouth leaves you wouldn’t want to share even if you are not sick.
Encourage everyone in the household to wash their hands often, using soap and water. A soap and water wash should last 30 seconds – 15 seconds lathering up and 15 seconds rinsing with warm water. Wash all the way up to your elbows if possible. If you are getting people in your house not washing their hands for that long just teach them to sing Row Row Row Your Boat while they are washing their hands and by the end of the song they can be done with washing their hands.
If soap and water are not readily available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is a second choice. Note: Chemical hand sanitizer should stay wet for at least 1 minute to be effective. Do not mistake hand sanitizer for an acceptable every-time alternative to soap and water.
Dedicate individual cloth towels for each person in the household. One towel for bath and another one for drying their hands after washing. For example, assign a different colored towel for each person and launder them regularly.
If close contact with a sick individual is unavoidable, consider wearing a facemask or respirator, if available and tolerable and remember to wash hands regularly.
Clean the commonly touched surfaces (light switches, refrigerator door handle, remote control, etc.) in your home daily, preferably with steam. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta reports steam is the best way to clean and sanitize a solid surface thought to be covered with contagious germs. A good quality household steam-cleaning machine is a wise strategic defense against the spread of all kinds of contagious diseases.

You and your loved ones health are very important. Practice the above steps often so that you are guarded from catching the Swine Flu. Please pass these steps along and teach others. Maybe together we can stop the pandemic outbreak of the Swine Flu.

Do yourself and your family a favor and protect them from the flu this season. Whether it be the seasonal flu or the Swine flu a Sargent Steam Cleaner can eliminate those nasty germs that harbor on your surfaces. If you would like more information on how steam can help you and your family stay healthy this year check out our website at Sargent Steam. http://www.sargentsteam.com or visit our blog at http://www.therealdirtonclean.com.

Sargent Steam has been in business and been steam cleaning experts since 1993. We are the go to gals of the industry when it comes to cleaning and cleaning with steam. Let us help you with your cleaning challenges.

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There’s Another Window Waiting To Be Cleaned – And She’s Too Smart To Leave Streaks. No Streak Window Cleaning!

Sargent Steam — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:16:18 +0000

One of my most favorite things about Spring and Summer is looking out at nature through nice, clean windows. For some reason having clean clear windows just changes the feel of my home. Everything seems cleaner when the rooms are full of sunshine. The whole house seems brighter and cheerier.

I do have a confession, though, in the past I didn’t wash my windows very often- in fact almost never. It was just such a daunting task. I have tons of them and they’re high – I couldn’t reach most of them without getting on a ladder. Not to mention how time-consuming it was. It seemed to be an all day long event.

Worst of all was the lousy results after slaving all day long. I always ended up with streaks no matter which stuff I used – vinegar, Windex, alcohol – I tried them all. None of them were very effective. I had to spray it all over and manually wipe it all off again. I think I covered every square inch of my window 17 times by the time I finished fighting all the streaks.

It seemed pretty crazy as I thought about it – here I am smearing stuff all over the window when what I really wanted was nothing on the window.

The sad part about this whole thing is I thought I’d just have to get used to dirty, dingy windows – I just didn’t have the time, the energy or the right tools. Then I found the tool I had been missing and the solution was so simple I couldn’t believe it. I bought a steam cleaner and I’m so excited about it!

Steam is just water so it doesn’t leave an oily film like chemical cleaners. The water is “distilled” in the machine so there are no hard water mineral spots left on the glass. The heat melts through sticky fingerprints, fly tracks, even doggy nose prints like magic. The shine is awesome and with no chemicals they even stay cleaner longer.

My steamer has a squeegee attachment that’s so effective. I use the soft brush for scrubbing away all the weather and grime then I flip to the other side to squeegee away the moisture and dirt. That’s it! No endless polishing and no streaky residue left that just attracts more dirt. They’re streak-free and squeaky-clean in a single pass!

I can even reach the high windows without climbing on a ladder. I just add extension wands so I can reach to the top while standing on the floor. I finish up any leftover water droplets with a microfiber cloth. Voila! Every window in the house is so shiny, streak-free and clean I can finally see outside again!

Now I enjoy clean windows all the time. I can’t tell you what a difference my steamer has made. I can tell you I don’t miss how hard I had to work to get windows clean before my steamer. The whole house has never shined like this and with so little work it’s so rewarding. Yeah!

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What Every New Puppy Owner Ought To Know About Owning A New Puppy

Sargent Steam — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:03:26 +0000

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.

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My Secret Weapon To The Art Of Avoiding Panic And Actually Enjoying Impromptu House Parties

Sargent Steam — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:44:09 +0000

Entertaining friends at our home is something my husband and I both love to do. Last minute, thrown together dinner affairs are just such a great break from the norm. Seriously, he usually only gives me about 5 minutes notice that he’s bringing folks home for dinner.

I’ve developed a talent for throwing together a great meal in a really short amount of time. We always end up laughing and enjoying ourselves. My secret, you ask? There are three and they all involve being calm and prepared.

The first is keeping my freezer and pantry well stocked. I make big batches when I have time and freeze the rest for just such occasions.

The second is that I’ve given up stressing about whether everything is perfect. Being together with people we love is perfect. Stressing over insignificant details is not.

The third, and maybe the most important necessity, is my secret weapon cleaning tool. The one thing that used to get me riled is that I typically had only seconds to make sure our friends didn’t see anything unsightly in the bathroom.

So I bought a steam machine that tackles pretty much anything dirty all over my house so fast and easily I don’t have to stress about any mess.

I got the warning call yesterday at 5:10 that the party was on for 6:00. I hung up, grabbed a salmon fillet from the freezer, checked the contents of the veggie bin and flipped on my steamer.

I took my steam cleaner to the toilet, sink and mirror. I was almost finished when I caught a reflection of the bathroom door in the mirror. What were all those shiny speckles sparkling in the sunlight?

Upon closer inspection I determined it was hairspray overspray stuck on the bathroom door and the painted wall behind it. Bathroom doors often have those beveled edges that collect stuff and sure enough, mine was caked with industrial strength hairspray. And from the looks of it, quite a bit of it.

I’ve trusted my steam cleaner on most every surface in my home with great results so I knew steam could get that mega super hold hairspray off my door and painted walls safely with plenty of time left over for other party preparations.

I wanted to tackle the wall first because I was so excited to see the results. I attached my diamond brush, covered it with the fitted cloth and chose a low steam setting. I began moving the attachment up and down with a good consistent motion.

It worked beautifully at melting through the sticky buildup without damaging the paint. I switched to the soft brush to get into the beveled corners on the door. Same thing here. The steam melted right through it and with a quick wipe, the door looked beautiful too.

When I finished there was not one trace of hairspray anywhere to be found and the walls felt like they had actually been repainted. This cleaning tool ROCKS! It’s the biggest reason I don’t panic at last minute party plans.

Now all I had to do was throw together a yummy Greek salad to go with the grilled salmon fillet and fill up the ice bucket!

For more information on these amazing steam cleaners visit www.sargentsteam.com

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Discover Pain Free Cleaning – No Day After Aches, Pains or Back Aches

Sargent Steam — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 14:04:50 +0000

I can prescribe a pain reliever, guaranteed to cure all those aches and pains associated with cleaning.

Let me just rant and rave a minute or two about how physically painful cleaning can be. I’ll start at the top with your eyes, nose and throat. They get red, itchy, dry and sore from all the chemicals. Chemical issues go far beyond eyes, noses and throats. They’re also hard on the skin on your hands making them red, itchy and so dry they actually crack.

Most alarming is what those harsh, dangerous toxic cleaning chemicals are doing to you internally. Laboratory test have shown that breathing in chlorine bleach sends your blood gases through the roof! If you breathe it in it actually burns your esophagus and sinuses and it’s absolutely deadly if you mix bleach with ammonia in a small enclosed space.

Moving down your body to your neck area which gets stiff and tense from being bent at so many weird angles while you try to reach into inaccessible nooks and crannies. Your shoulders hurt from mopping and vacuuming and reaching all those places up above your head like the ceiling, walls, light fixtures and tops of appliances just to name a few.

The worst is your back. Who decided that in order to clean it required you to bend at the waist for lengthy periods of time?

Your wrists hurt from scrubbing, and how about the bruises on your knees from kneeling on the hard tile floors so you can reach places like the inside of the tub, behind the toilet, the base boards. And lets not forget the grueling pain of being on your hands and knees with bleach and a tooth brush cleaning the tile grout.

Lets face it, cleaning can be a real pain. I know because I have been cleaning (and in pain) for almost 25 years.

First I thought maybe my cleaning practices were flawed and I just needed to be taught the right way to clean. I invested in books, I went online to do some research and I even asked the professionals for some advise. Their advise was to hire a cleaning company. Honestly, if I could afford it that’s exactly what I would do.

This was not working. I began dreading and procrastinating cleaning my house and the condition of my house was declining rapidly. Little did I know, when you don’t keep up on housework you also start collecting clutter. I needed a cure, and boy did I find one!

I’ve been pain free for two years now. My pain reliever came in the form of a steam cleaner. Since I’ve owned my steamer I’ve never used any form of a chemical. I’ve not been down on my hands and knees since. Tasks that used to require me to bend at the waist in order to clean, I’m now able to do standing straight up.

I no longer clean anything with my arms above my head and my wrists aren’t sore from all that repetitive scrubbing motion. I let this machine do all the work and I feel better all the way around. I know this might sound a little sick but I actually enjoy cleaning now! The results I get from cleaning with a steam machine verses the old way is like comparing apples to oranges. No matter how hard I worked or how much pain I subjected myself to, I could never get the results I get now that I clean with steam.

My house looks and feels cleaner than it ever has. Cleaning with steam is faster and way more effective. The benefits are endless but to me, the biggest benefit of all is I am pain free and my house looks fantastic!

Go to www.sargentsteam.com to check out the best cleaning tool and back saver ever.

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Cleaning Walls Made So Easy Even The Kids Will Help

Sargent Steam — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:36:51 +0000

How many of you out there hate cleaning your painted walls so much you just don’t do it at all? Are you looking for a better solution or do you find yourself wondering what is the easiest and most effective way to clean these darn things?

I am here to tell you that your search is over! I have found the quickest, simplest, absolute best way to clean those walls. Heck, you can even tackle the ceiling at the same time it is so easy.

How you ask – with the most amazing indoor power tool I have ever used. My steam cleaner. I am shocked at how easy it is to clean my walls since buying my steam cleaner.

I used to save this tedious chore for my once a year cleaning project. It was always a weekend long project and by the time I got around to it each year my walls were filthy! Seems like I was even having to bribe the kids to help and then listen to them complain the whole time!

What I hated as much as the complaining was that ridiculous bucket of dirty water that was putting grime right back on my walls and how that dirty water was constantly dripping down my arms. Another thing that was irritating was having to go up and down that stupid ladder what seemed like a thousand times! Ugh!

With my steamer this chore is no longer put off for years as at time, in fact I would be willing to do it every week if it needed it. It really is that easy. I simply turn the machine on wait a few minutes for it to heat up.

Once heated I attach the extension wands so I can stand comfortably on the floor and still reach even the ceiling. I do not miss that ladder! I attach the rectangle brush with a cloth on it and begin to clean the walls in an up and down vacuuming motion.

Steaming means no more buckets with dirty water, ladders, mess and best of all no complaining from the kids. Although, now we do have fights over who gets to use this way cool steamer tool next!

I love my steamer and so will you! check it out at www.sargentsteam.com

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Burning Down The House – Eliminating That Smoky Odor

Sargent Steam — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:28:10 +0000

Recently my friend moved her elderly mother into a retirement facility. Even though it was a very difficult decision, she knew it was the best thing for her mother. The facility she was moving her into was much smaller than her mother’s house. She would have to downsize substantially.

Her mother had been a smoker for years and the thought of moving that smelly old sofa and chair into her new place was not very appealing. Buying new furniture was out of the question.

My friend did not need any added stress at a time like this so I volunteered my time and the use of my steam cleaner. She had her doubts but I knew my steamer would get the nicotine stains and smoky smells out of the furniture walls, ceilings and floors in no time. I knew she had to get this smoky old house ready to sell.

The steam temperature is so hot it actually melts through the tar and carbon that cause the smoky odor. When my friend started seeing and smelling the difference, her doubts about my steam cleaner faded quickly. The couch and chair looked and smelled beautiful.

We decided to start cleaning the items that were being moved to her mother’s new place first. Once the furniture was clean and moved out we tackled the walls, ceilings, floors and carpet. They came so clean we didn’t even have to repaint. It was amazing to see the color of the walls and ceilings change from yellow to white immediately and even the texture was once again smooth – not sticky.

I’m always surprised at how much quicker and easier it is to clean with my steamer. I could never go back to cleaning the old way. One of the things I like best about my steamer is what it can accomplish without any harmful chemicals. I’ve never once needed to wear gloves or a mask when cleaning with my steamer.

Most of the flooring was hardwood so it didn’t take long at all. They came shiny clean and looking like new again. By this time my friend was not only relieved but was a true believer in cleaning with steam. She even commented that if it removed the nicotine smells and stains it could do anything and she’s right.

If you would like more information on how steam can help you clean your home check out our website at Sargent Steam. http://www.sargentsteam.com or visit our blog at http://www.therealdirtonclean.com.

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Healthy Cleaning For Your Birds

Sargent Steam — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:16:00 +0000

I love my birds. They are wonderfully entertaining creatures but I will admit they create quite a mess in and around their cages. Keeping the cages, trays, feeders and toys clean is a real tedious chore but dirty cages can lead to a host of serious health problems. Cleaning must be done frequently to minimize the chances of infections
and or death.

Taking care of a birds surroundings include daily and weekly cleanings. I found this to be quite expensive and overwhelming, but necessary. I did not want my birds exposed to bacteria, parasites and infections. I was also struggling trying to find an easy method to clean all those tiny bars, crevices and cracks that were breeding grounds for diseases.

In the beginning I experimented with many cleaning methods. I was told never to use harsh chemicals because of my bird’s delicate respiratory system. I wanted them to have clean cage, not die from exposure to the crap I used to clean up after them.

I purchased several bird friendly cleaning products from the pet store. The cost for these items added up very quickly. And frankly, the stuff was really hard to use. I still needed a toothbrush for the bars and a toothpick for the cracks and crevices. This is a bird cage, not a dental office.

Sometimes I felt I was making a bigger mess than the one I started with. It quickly got to a point that I was not being as diligent with the cleaning as I knew I should be. I had to find a solution. I went to work.

After a lot of research I found a website that gave me all the insight I needed for this daunting task. All I needed was a steam cleaner and I was on a mission to find it.

Using a steam cleaner made this task so easy and fast. The job it did was phenomenal. The steamer I bought came with several attachments including many detail brushes and a pointy nozzle that were great for all those little crevices. The diamond brush with a cloth made cleaning the bars and the bottoms of cages a breeze.

Prior to purchasing my steam cleaner you could definitely call me a procrastinator. Now my family call me the “steaminator!”

I will never go back to cleaning my cages any other way. I’m confident there is no bacteria, parasites, insects or fungus growing in, on or around my bird cages after I hit it with all that hot steam. This gives me a lot of comfort and peace of mind, it saves me time and a ton of money!

If you would like more information on the steamer I picked out and love check out their website at Sargent Steam. http://www.sargentsteam.com or visit our blog at http://www.therealdirtonclean.com.

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What’s That Nasty Smell Coming From My Kitchen

Sargent Steam — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:01:19 +0000

I think most households are a lot like mine in that family and friends inevitably congregate in the kitchen. We gather there to eat our meals and linger over conversations. The kids work on school projects at the kitchen table. When our friends visit, the dining table turns into the game table or we end up on the bar stools in the kitchen chatting over coffee or drinks.

Bottom line – the kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in the house. So it’s important to me to keep the kitchen clean and smelling fresh. I am a bit of a clean freak and I keep my kitchen ready for the next inevitable party all the time. So firing up my steam cleaner is pretty much a daily thing.

That’s why I was frantic when I had this weird lingering odor I could neither locate or identify. I searched everywhere. I removed every item from the refrigerator checking for any spoiled or expired food items then steamed every nook and cranny.

I went through the cupboards searching for the culprit but didn’t find anything. I checked and steamed my dishwasher. I took out the trash, steamed the inside and outside of the trash can. I eliminated all of the obvious places unpleasant odors tend to hide but couldn’t find the cause of the awful odor that was now permeating my whole kitchen.

Tuesday I was peeling carrots and I turned on the disposal. Let me just say it quickly became very obvious that I had found the source of that nasty odor. It was the worst smell you could ever imagine. I thought the garbage disposal was designed to pulverize and remove food waste and send it down the drain. I should have realized the disposal was actually the perfect environment for mold and bacteria to grow…wet, dark and hidden.

As disgusting as this was, I was relieved to finally find the cause of the awful odor. I knew this problem could be resolved within 10 to 15 seconds. All I had to do was my turn on my steam cleaner. I knew the steam temperature was hot enough to kill the mold and bacteria that caused the odor and its nozzle was angled perfectly to blast the gunk out from the hidden area under the rubber gasket.

Once my steamer was heated, I put the nozzle down into the disposal and steamed for about 15 seconds. Then I turned the nozzle upside down so I could get up under the rim. A few seconds later the odor was already dissipating. I gave it an extra blast just for good measure, ran some water through it and sure enough the odor was gone!

I now include the garbage disposal sanitizing process in my weekly steaming tasks and have never encountered this problem again.

If you would like more information on how steam can help you tackle your smelly kitchen check out our website at Sargent Steam. http://www.sargentsteam.com or visit our blog at http://www.therealdirtonclean.com.

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Cleaning Your Bathroom Just Got Easier

Sargent Steam — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 14:17:59 +0000

Cleaning bathrooms used to be the worst job on cleaning day only because of the toilet. I hated having to get rubber gloves, harsh chemicals, buckets and scrub brushes just to get the rings and germs under control. Now is it just me, or can you still smell some funky smell even after you thought is should be clean? All that work for nothing but burning skin and sinuses.

However, I found a revolutionary tool that takes all the drudgery out of toilets; Steam Cleaners! This great little invention turns ordinary tap water into the most powerful and efficient cleaning secret ever. Super-heated water becomes extra dry steam vapor with enough pressure to knock out any germs, mildew, and grime wherever it hides…like in the toilet seat hinges and behind the hardware.

I start with my steam nozzle to get into the hinges and fittings (this is a great hiding spot for a whole array of germs, especially if you have little boys in your home.) Then I move to the back of the seat, and on to the seat and rim. Blasting all of the grime and debris in to the bowl of the toilet, then easily get rid of the mess by flushing everything down.

Now, we’re ready to do the bowl itself. Right after I’ve flushed, while the water is going down, I follow with a steam nozzle and a scrubbing pad. This will eliminate the mildew ring and the scummy stuff out from under the rim.

Check out this video to see how to clean your toilet.

If there is a hard water problem, you’ll need some help but, remember, I don’t like to use chemicals. Not only for the reasons I mentioned earlier, but when intense heat is added to the equation, the potency of those chemicals is intensified and even more harmful. I use an enhancer with orange oil and silica sand to cut through this hard water mineral mess. This will work wonders on hard water in combination with your steamer completely safely.

Now all that is left is the floor around the base, and to wipe everything off with a microfiber cloth to polish everything up. Look at that; an entire toilet, germs, hard water and all, totally clean in under 10 minutes! That is My Bathroom Secret!

If you would like more information on how steam can help you clean your toilets and bathrooms check out our website at Sargent Steam. http://www.sargentsteam.com or visit our blog at http://www.therealdirtonclean.com.

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The Real Dirt on Clean » House Cleaning

Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones From The Dangerous Spread Of Swine Flu With These 9 Easy Steps You Can Take Right Now

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There’s Another Window Waiting To Be Cleaned – And She’s Too Smart To Leave Streaks. No Streak Window Cleaning!

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What Every New Puppy Owner Ought To Know About Owning A New Puppy

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My Secret Weapon To The Art Of Avoiding Panic And Actually Enjoying Impromptu House Parties

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Discover Pain Free Cleaning – No Day After Aches, Pains or Back Aches

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Cleaning Walls Made So Easy Even The Kids Will Help

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Burning Down The House – Eliminating That Smoky Odor

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Healthy Cleaning For Your Birds

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What’s That Nasty Smell Coming From My Kitchen

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