The American Cleaning Institute (ACI)

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While it’s always recommended to treat clothing stains as quickly as possible, some stains are are just so tough (grass, ink, blood, grease, etc.) that it’s even more important to pre-treat them right away. It’s always best to test a hidden area of the fabric first, in case the fabric is too delicate. Also, if you haven’t already tried enzyme detergents, get one! Learn how to treat the touch stains!
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…
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…
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…
If you’re cleaning and still seeing cloudy spots on your glassware, you probably have hard water. As with most stains, the longer it sits, the more difficult it is to remove. There are cleaning products that can help remove the mineral buildup from surfaces or run dishes through the dishwasher again, this time using a rinsing agent. It can also help to increase the amount of detergent used a bit. On surfaces, look for a cleaning product designed to tackle hard water stains and follow the…
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…
Some clothes are easier to care for than others. Here are some guides for dealing with tricky fabrics, specific color groups, and links to our supporting topic pages. Explore laundry basics and a how-to list, good detergents, and precautions to take around children on laundry day! Dark Clothes Rash Guard…
One of the main uses for cleaning products is washing clothes and dishes. Each load of clothes and dishes requires water, and energy is often used to heat that water. While one load of laundry or dishes may seem like a small task, when you consider all the times we run the washing machine or dishwasher in a week and multiply that by all the households doing the same thing, it adds up!The good news is that our washing machines and dishwashers are getting more…