The American Cleaning Institute (ACI)

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Cleaning fine washables for picture perfect portraits Holiday portraits, with family members dressed in their best, are cherished momentos. Whether it's a once-in-lifetime event or a yearly tradition for your family, looking good is the goal. Portrait-worthy Fabrics Clothes that are clean and sparkling are the perfect complement to those smiling faces. To make sure your garments are portrait worthy, the American Cleaning Institute urges gentle care for fine fabrics…
Clean water is a critical element of cleaning.  The vast majority of water on Earth’s surface, over 96%, is saline water in the oceans (USGS). Which means, even though water is plentiful there are limited resources of fresh water to relay on. Beyond cleaning, we also need water to drink and to grow food. The average household may use 88,000 gallons of water per year (REU2016). Within your home, faucets and clothes washers make up a significant portion of…
No matter the type of product you are using (soap or detergent), good cleaning takes a lot of energy. Three different kinds to be exact: Chemical energy, provided by the soap or detergent Mechanical energy, provided by a machine or by hand Thermal energy, provided by heating water Let’s look at how all these elements work together. Assume we have a great, big, oily, greasy stain on one of our favorite…
When it comes to healthy eating, making smart food choices is just one-half of the equation. The other half is using safe procedures for food preparation, serving and storage. Food that is mishandled can lead to foodborne illnesses. And because bacteria are everywhere, cleanliness is a major factor in preventing foodborne illness. There are Four Steps for Food Safety – Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill: Clean Wash your hands. To do the job properly, wet hands with warm,…
You use your cell phone every day. It goes from your pocket or purse to your face. You hand it to your kid to play a game, take it into the bathroom with you and leave it by your bed at night. And everywhere your phone goes, germs follow. In fact, a recent study found that phones have, on average, 10X more bacteria than most toilet seats. Ewww! Wash your hands before using your phone to minimize grime and germs. In addition, here are…
Computer Cleaning: Hotspots for Germs in the Office Think about all the "public" surfaces you touch on your way to work – railings, door handles, coins and tokens, cash machines, elevator buttons and more. Then, when you get to your destination, washing your hands probably isn't the first thing you do. Instead, you probably grab a cup of coffee and turn on your computer. If you power up before you clean up, all the germs and bacteria that commuted with you are transferred from…
How to keep your favorite sweaters in tip-top shapeWhen it's time to put away sweaters for the season, say goodbye to losing a favorite sweater before its prime with these tips from the American Cleaning Institute:Shop TalkWhen choosing a sweater, price is just one consideration.Construction. Harder, tighter yarns are more durable than soft, loose ones, which tend to stretch easily. That's why a fisherman's sweater is more suited to rugged, outdoor activity and a…
Reusable bags are a sustainable alternative to plastic bags. However, they need proper care to prevent things like germs and mold from growing and cross-contaminating your food. Wash and store bags safely between each use. Here's how: Clean Wash bags after each use, following care instructions. See the fabric care label or the table below for more details. Wipe insulated…
Q. What are the moments and places where cleaning is most important?A. We clean for lots of reasons and health is certainly one of them, especially now. The good news is that you probably don’t need to pull the house apart for a full, deep clean (although you may still want to!). As we deal with a new normal when it comes to cleaning in the age of coronavirus, it’s more important than ever to focus your cleaning time on more frequent, specific cleaning tasks.First off, it’s helpful to keep in…
Freshen Your Winter Wear! Depending on how winter clothes were stored, they can resurface with wrinkles or even a musty smell. Read on for tips on freshening up clothes so you can look your best this winter. Get Rid of That Musty Smell: After taking clothes out of storage, wash them in hot water or take them to the dry cleaner before wearing them. You can also tackle stubborn musty smells by adding white…