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October marks the start of the entertaining season. Nothing makes entertaining easier than having all your tablecloths, table runners and cloth napkins cleaned and ready for use.  Knowing how to clean table linens and store them correctly is the key. Washing Start by knowing exactly what material your table linens are. Fifty years ago you could assume your tablecloth was either linen or cotton but today a variety of other materials are used. Check to see if there is a care label anywhere on the tablecloth and follow it exactly. If there are no care instructions, then just place it in cool water and hand wash it with a gentle old fashioned laundry soap. Rinse it thoroughly and do not use a fabric softener, as it will discolor the fabric in storage.  Let it hang dry and press with a cool iron. Stain removal Knowledge is power when trying to remove a stain. There are three major stains that occur on a tablecloth or cloth napkins. The first is red wine. Wine tends to drip down the ed

So many of the exercise, diet, and weight loss programs out there focus on the exterior, or the visible: how many pounds you've shed or how many inches you've lost. But they fail to address the invisible. First of all, they don't address what's going on inside your body: the changes in your hormone levels, metabolism, muscle mass, and bone density as you age—all of which affect your appearance. Secondly, they don't address this critical topic: your relationship with yourself. This relationship is one of the inner causes of weight gain—the emotional or spiritual issues that cause you to struggle with your weight and health. You're not a bank account—you're a chemistry lab. That's why it's time to start over. It's time to give yourself a clean slate. Listen to JJ share three of the five secrets she lists in her book, Invisible Fitness Formula - The 5 secrets to release weight and end body shame. Once you listen to this interview you'll definitely want to go out and purchase the book. You can take JJ's 1

  Have you heard of Limelight, by the Alcone Company? It's one of the oldest cosmetic companies in the country. Alcone started in 1952 as a pharmacy that also sold cosmetics and false eyelashes to Broadway showgirls and starlets. "Our philosophy then is still the same today... find the best makeup products from around the world and offer them at affordable prices so everyone (not just the rich and fabulous) will benefit. Just one look at our consumer data lets you know we still follow that philosophy today... everyday housewives listed alongside famous actresses, models, tv personalities, and socialites!" They are serious about customer satisfaction and offer exceptional, hard-to-find products at great prices! They decided to let their customers become their sales reps. Professional makeup artists now can make a career out of not only doing makeup but selling the products they love. Tarah has a unique niche. She has a medical

Meliora Cleaning Products is on a mission to provide families with the information and products they need to have a clean, comfortable home without exposure to toxic and environmentally damaging chemicals. "What do you mean, Proctor & Gamble agrees to reduce the amount of cancer-causing chemicals?" That was founder Kate's reaction when reading about the 2012 reformulation of Tide Free and Clear, a product marketed to parents as "free of harmful chemicals."  She quickly learned that a chemical titled "1,4 dioxane," previously found in Tide Free and Clear, is also a classified as a cancer-causing contaminant. This was disturbing in itself, but as Kate dug deeper, she was shocked to find out the 1,4 dioxane is present in many conventional laundry detergents - even those without dyes and fragrances. Aided with a background in materials and environmental engineering, Kate navigated complicated cleaning product disclosure laws and massive ingredient lists to simply find out what people are using in t

Heating and cooling your home is the most costly energy in your entire home. A comfortable home is a happy home. But it also has to be energy efficient. That's why thousands of families are choosing Fujitsu Ductless Mini-Split Systems for whisper-quiet, energy-efficient heating and cooling for their homes. These sleek units require no ductwork and allow for flexible, room-by-room temperature control. And with available utility rebates, the savings start on day one. How does it work? Mini-splits are heating and cooling systems that allow you to control the temperatures in individual rooms or spaces. Mini-split systems have two main components -- an outdoor compressor/condenser and an indoor air-handling unit(s) (evaporator). They are easy to install usually requiring only a three-inch hole through a wall for the conduit; which houses the power and communication cables, copper tubing, and a condensation drain line, linking the outdoor and indoor units. Mini-split heat pumps are not only great solutions fo

If you are a mom with a child starting school for the first time, you want to get things right. Jaska Damato's son is starting school and her son's new teacher sent home the list of items he will need before he starts school. One of the items on the list is Clorox bleach wipes.  Jaska said these weren't something she ever used in her own home and didn't feel comfortable about buying them for her son to use at school. Instead, Jaska reached out to Leslie Reichert, the cleaning coach, for some ideas on what she should do. In this conversation you will hear how to approach your child's teacher, offer alternatives and even how to change the policies in your entire school. Some of the things we mention in this show: Environmental Working Group's Cleaning Product Data base which can be found at this link. Recipes for making a DIY disinfectant that was seen on the Dr. Oz Show. Link  

It's amazing to think that in the past two years we have gone from a few listeners to 400,000!  So to celebrate this milestone, I picked snippets of the four top shows to share with you. These are not my favorites, but yours. These four shows have the most listens of all of my shows. Sit back, listen and enjoy!  And thanks so much for listening.  Whole 30 with Melissa Hartwig  Show #117 Environmental Illnesses with David Frome Show #56 Real Food with Nina Plack  Show #65 Trash Is For Tossers with Lauren Singer  Show #11   This show is sponsored by Maid Brigade.  www.maidbrigde.com    

How to Keep Your Light Fixtures Shining Bright Things we talked about in this episode that you may want to learn more about. Green Clean Starter Kit Blue microfiber cloth Feather duster Extendable feather duster Link to Houzz.com article Link to my private Facebook Community  www.cleangreenlivingcommunity.com This episode is sponsored by Maid Brigade   

Cleaning the stovetop, oven and microwave This article can be seen at www.maidbrigade.com/blog Your oven has been called the "heart" of the kitchen. You prepare every meal on the stovetop or inside the oven itself. Your stove and oven get lot of use AND abuse. Spills dry, harden and burn onto their surfaces. Let's look at a few ways we can clean them as well as prevent spills and messes on your stovetop, microwave and oven. Tips for your stove top Spills should be wiped up as soon as they happen, but the burners have to cool down before you can wipe the stovetop. Because you need to wait for it to cool, the spills to continue to burn onto the cooktop. Start by letting the stovetop cool completely before trying to clean it. Use a wet microfiber cloth and wipe off large debris. Fill a spray bottle with distilled white vinegar and spray the entire stovetop with straight vinegar. Let the vinegar sit on the stovetop for a few minutes. Vinegar is a natural acid and the longer you let it sit on the surface, the bett

I recently wrote a blog article for Maid Brigade on how to clean your gas grill. Since I had so many questions about this simple task, I decided to do a podcast on it as well. You can read the complete blog post at MaidBrigade.com/blog   The first warm evening of spring makes me want to crack open the grill and put on some steaks.  But you don't want to use the grill unless you've taken the time to clean it first – squirrels and mice often use grills as a place to hibernate in the winter. And then there's all that burnt-on yuck that over-wintered there for months. So make sure it's been cleaned and prepped before the first use of the season. All you need is 30 minutes to clean the gas grill. Items you will need: Grill brush Dish soap Large utility bucket Foil Leaf blower Disposable rags Spray bottle of distilled white vinegar Scrubby sponge Apron Old T shirt Read more at https://www.maidbrigade.com/blog/how-to-clean-the-gas-grill/ This podcast is sponsored by MaidBrigade.com

  Finally, it's the official start of summer which means that our pools are starting to warm up enough for us to enjoy splashing around in the water. It also means that we need to pull out our swimming suits to see how they fared through the winter. It never fails that when you go to try on your favorite suit you hear that crunching noise from the elastic and the fabric doesn't seem to be as stretchy as it was the year before. Without the right care, even a high quality swimsuit may not make it through one swimming season. Here are some do's and don'ts for caring for your swimwear. You can download the do's and don'ts at this link.  https://greencleaningcoach.lpages.co/show-notes-148-bathing-suit-care/ or You can read the article on www.maidbrigade.com/blog   This show is sponsored by Maid Brigade

Join Jill Sullivan and I as we talk about how I got started becoming a Green Cleaning expert and ways that you can make your home less toxic. Jill is a great interviewer and I'm sure she's asking me the same questions you'd like answered so you can learn more about living a toxic free life.  We talked about the science of microfiber and how simple products in your pantry can clean and why. I also shared some tips for keeping yourself and your pets free from ticks. You can get the recipe for my tick repellent at this link. https://greencleaningcoach.lpages.co/diy-tick-repellent/ This show is sponsored by Maid Brigade

I was recently asked to look at Martha Stewart's Summertime cleaning list of things that need to be cleaned. I had to say that I don't even clean these things in the summer. So I went through her list and made some "suggestions" so you don't have to spend as much time cleaning this summer. Some would call these hacks - other are suggestions.  When the weather is nice, I recommend just cleaning what's dirty and saving those big projects for the fall. Unless you have a cold rainy day with nothing better to do. Summer is not a time to clean – It's a time to get outside and enjoy! Martha's list in the bathrooms: □ Discard expired cosmetics, beauty products, and medications. Leslie - A quick way to realize what you use is to use a travel makeup bag and pack it as if you were traveling. Use what is in the bag every day and see if you feel like you are missing something. At the end of the summer, go through the rest of your makeup and purge those items you never touched all summer. Martha's list

Welcome to "Ask Leslie". I've been getting bombarded with questions (which I love) and I thought I'd share the questions and the answers with you on this show. Question 1 How do you get burnt on food off a non-stick pan? These are two tools you will need: Xtreme Sponge— Green Clean Starter Kit I start with baking soda and work my way up to more aggressive products. You can also try my green cleaning scrub recipe:   Green Cleaning Scrub 1 cup baking soda 1 cup oxygen bleach or borax 1 cup table salt 10 drops essential oils Mix the dry ingredients together and then add the essential oils. Mix thoroughly and place in an airtight container.   Question 2 What are some ways to keep my home cooler this summer? I want to "summer-ize" my home in a green way. Open you windows at night to let the cool air in. Close them in the morning before the temperature starts to rise Keep curtains closed so the sunlight does not warm up the temperature inside. You can use reflective curtains to help keep the heat out, j

If you are looking to start "greening" up your home, one the best places to start is in your laundry room. That's right, with just a few ideas we can remove thousands of chemicals that your family is being exposed to.  Do you have skin issues in your family? Start by switching out your laundry detergent with an old fashioned laundry SOAP. The science of laundry detergent is the deter-gent is a chemical that is something that is put into the fabric of your clothing during the wash cycle and is left there to "deter" dirt and oils from getting to the fabric. It acts like a shield to protect your clothing from the dirt and grime. Detergent acts like a shield against dirt, but also lays on your skin for 24 hours and after awhile your body starts to react with rashes and irritations. Most allergists don't even understand the science of detergent and how it works. That's why they never even ask you to try switching to a soap. Laundry soap works differently. It goes into your clothing and wraps itself around th

Going natural with your weed killer In this podcast we are going to talk about some tips that block the weed seeds as well as make up a DIY weed killer. Here are some tips on preventing weeds in your yard:  Let your grass grow longer – prevents the seeds from getting to the dirt and germinating. Use landscaping fabric or newspaper to block the seeds Try pine bark mulch to stop those seeds. Use a good two inches of mulch to prevent the weeds. Here are some tips on weed removal: PULL THEM – It's old fashioned but it does work! Buy a nice weed puller to help with the chore. Boiling water – Use a pot of boiling water on the weeds. DIY Weed Killer If you'd like a copy of my DIY weed killer, just click here and I'll give you a downloadable PDF with some tips and the recipe!     Other things you can try Lemon juice – Lemon Juice is also a natural acid, just like vinegar and will work to kill weeds if sprayed on them. I don't use lemon juice in my recipe as i

Today, I'm interviewing Alison Grimes from the Mesothelioma Asbestos Awareness Center.  What is Mesothelioma Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, heart, or abdomen. Caused primarily by the inhalation of asbestos fibers, mesothelioma is most commonly diagnosed in older individuals who worked with asbestos in an industrial setting. Prognosis for mesothelioma is poor, but early detection and newer treatment methods have given many patients hope for survival. Causes of Mesothelioma Asbestos is the only confirmed cause of mesothelioma. When inhaled or ingested, asbestos fibers lodge in pleural tissue of the lungs, heart, or abdomen, causing inflammation and scar tissue that can eventually lead to tumors. Key Points about Causes of Mesothelioma The only proven cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure. Work history, duration of exposure, and type of asbestos increase the risk of developing mesothelioma Men over the age of 65 who worked in the military are most at

It's tick season here in New England and I've heard it's going to be one of the worse ones ever. Everyone is asking about ways to repel them without using chemicals.  In this episode we talk about ways to repel and remove ticks from your home and your body. Did you know? Ticks feed on mice while they are small. So removing mice from your home will get rid of the ticks too. Ticks are arachnids and are smaller than a period on this page. Make sure you can identify a tick. Ticks carry more than just Lyme's Disease. They are carriers of numerous different diseases and bacteria. Nymphs are baby ticks that usually can't get any higher than your ankles. Make sure to wear white socks that are tucked in. Once they get on you they can crawl anywhere. Ticks don't latch on immediately. They look for thinner skin that they can penetrate such as behind your ears or on your scalp. If you've been outside, take a shower right away and check and scrub everywhere! Ticks like humid areas so if you k

The Project Pawsitive Foundation is a team of excited (maybe even hyper!), enthusiastic, and caring friends in the construction and business industries who love to surprise deserving animal rescues in need of great repair with amazing facility renovations. Renovations are filmed to take viewers on the team's quest and get a first-hand look at why so many rescues are in desperate need of help, the importance of animal adoption, and how to prevent animal cruelty. Whether you are a volunteer at a local shelter, or someone who has rescued many animals, you know how important a rescue shelter is in saving the lives of innocent animals. There are literally thousands of animal shelters around the country working tirelessly to save and rescue millions of animals each year. The financial burden it leaves on many facilities is devastating. Crumbling foundations, leaking roofs, frozen waterlines, and rusted kennels lead to increased stress on the animals and lowered adoption rates because people think it'

After years of prosecuting hard-core criminals, rising legal star Alan Bell took a private sector job in South Florida's newest skyscraper. Suddenly, he suffered such bizarre medical symptoms, doctors suspected he'd been poisoned by the Mafia. Bell's rapidly declining health forced him to flee his glamorous Miami life to a sterile "bubble" in the remote Arizona desert. As his career and marriage dissolved, Bell pursued medical treatments in a race against time, hoping to stay alive and raise his young daughter, his one desperate reason to keep going. He eventually discovered he wasn't poisoned by a criminal, but by his office building. His search for a cure led him to discover the horrifying truth: his tragedy was just the tip of the iceberg. Millions of people fall ill and die each year because of toxic chemical exposures―without knowing they're at risk. Stunned by what he discovered, Bell chose to fight back, turning his plight into an opportunity. Despite his precarious health, he began collabor