Search
Results (160)
Surfactants (yellow) cause water to lose surface tension, which is what keeps water separate from other materials
Have you ever seen a bead of water sitting on a surface? This is because water has a property called surface tension. This tension causes water to form a bead on the surface of things like glass or fabric. You can see surface tension at work by placing a drop of water onto a counter top. The drop will hold its shape and will not spread.
In order to clean the dirt…
Today is the perfect time to stop and think about your laundry routine. We have tips for how to get clothes clean as well as advice to make sure you’re practicing safe laundry habits, particularly around liquid laundry packets and bleach. If single-load liquid laundry packets are your go-to, always keep them safely away from children, out of reach or locked in cabinets and drawers.
Laundry…
Cleaning products play an essential role in daily life. They can remove dirt and stains from our clothes, dried on food from our dishes, and even germs from our hands! Let’s learn more about the chemistry that makes this happen.
What Is Cleaning?
Cleaning is the process of taking something dirty—like your kitchen counter—and removing dirt, grease, and grime found on it. When we clean,…
Q. American Heart Health Month has inspired me to use my treadmill (for exercise, not a clothes rack!) How do I clean it?
Keeping your treadmill and other exercise equipment clean is important for maintenance and safety. Fortunately, it’s easy. (Much easier than keeping up with a rigorous exercise routine.) Just follow these steps and you’ll be off and running!
Use a clean, dry cloth to wipe away sweat on the deck, handrails and conveyer belt after every use.
Once a week,…
The ingredients in your cleaning products fall into several different categories, added to provide different characteristics and cleaning functions. Each product formula is a careful balance of various ingredients that will work best for what you are trying to clean.For more information about the specific ingredients in a cleaning product, visit the manufacturer's website or look for the product in SmartLabel…
There are two key strategies you can try for getting your children on board with chores. Keep it simple … and challenge them to be part of the solution.
Start by creating a Chore Chart in a central location. Try a chalkboard, bulletin board, or basic sheet of paper set up in a grid: columns for days of week, and rows for family members. Scratch paper with pushpins or reusable Post-its®sticky-notes are great tools – involve the kids by having them write one chore per slip of…
Keep kids safe by storing laundry products carefully, paying attention during use and disposing of products properly. For a healthy and safe laundry routine, follow these guidelines each and every day.
Store laundry products carefully for safety.
Keep laundry products out of the reach of children and pets, especially liquid laundry packets.
Remember to keep products in their original container with the original label intact and immediately put them away in a secure location after…
Understand the language of soaps and detergents.
ALCOHOL: A class of organic compounds containing one or more hydroxyl groups. The alcohols used in light duty and liquid laundry detergents are isopropanol or ethanol (ethyl alcohol). These alcohols are used at low levels in liquid detergent formulations to control viscosity, to act as a solvent for other ingredients, and to provide resistance to low and freezing temperatures encountered in shipping, warehousing, and use. &…
Cleaning: This involves removing unwanted contaminants, such as soil, dirt and grease, from a surface, material, or your hands. It’s usually what you’re doing when washing with soap and water. Cleaning along with rinsing and using a cloth or paper towel may remove some germs as well when they’re washed or wiped away.
Sanitizing: When sanitizing, you’re reducing (but not necessarily eliminating) the number of germs on the…
The key to a clean house is finding a system that works for you and your schedule. What worked before you had kids may need some modifications. And empty nesters may have a busier schedule than before the days of carpools and kids sports.
Cluttered Kitchen? Just Say No
It’s tempting to let the dishes "soak" while you relax after dinner, but you have to do them anyway…