This sign is on most homes in Hawaii to remind locals and non-locals alike to take off their shoes before entering the home.   To walk into someone’s home with your shoes (or “slippers”) on is considered very disrespectful, rude, and quite simply, something you just don’t do.  So it got me thinking – why this “tradition”?  Was it spiritual?  Part of the ancient Hawaiian culture?  Nope.  They just think it is disgusting to bring whatever you have walked in throughout the day into the home.  Hmmmm…

Think about where your shoes go throughout the day – parking lots, public restrooms, grassy areas that have been used at pet restrooms, and areas that have been treated with pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides.  For allergy sufferers, our shoes pick up pollen from the grass and any other surface.  Then whatever is on your shoes or your guests’ shoes comes right through your home.

Many of us sit or lay on the floors and our children and pets play there as well.  If you are like me, you may even fold your clean laundry there at times.  So keeping dirty shoes off this area REALLY is important.    And there is a reason carpet cleaners describe certain areas as “high traffic” and there is a marked difference in dirt and stains in these areas.   We literally wipe off the day’s grime on our floors.    And where do you think all the dirt comes from when you sweep?  Usually from dirty shoes.

So aside from the “gross” factor, having everyone remove their shoes before entering your home can cut down on the cleaning time as well.  It reduces the sand and dirt that must be swept or vacuumed and helps your carpets stay cleaner much longer.    And we all want to find ways to clean less often!!  Plus limiting allergens can make everyone feel better.

Adopting this “Hawaiian Tradition” makes sense for all of us – and actually hanging a sign to remind visitors is not a bad idea.  The first step is to schedule a carpet cleaning and get all that gross and nasty stuff up off your carpets.  Then order a cute sign for each door and make sure your family is on board.  Enjoy a cleaner home knowing you haven’t tracked who-knows-what across the floors!!  Aloha

As much as we would all love to have daily maid service, for most of us, that is only a dream. So while SCHUMANS can make your life easier by taking care of the bulk of your cleaning, we know that keeping it clean in between our visits is something we could all use a little help with. And I will confess a little secret – I hate to clean. Now that is just me – thankfully God sent me a wonderful husband who not only enjoys cleaning, but has a passion for it. Seriously. Heath is the only person I know who looks forward to cleaning his garage (spent all day yesterday on that). By the time he finished, it was cleaner than most people’s kitchens!! That is just want he does – and explains why no other competitor matches us in quality and attention to detail.

But back to me – I really do like a clean house. And I love when our boat is spotless. But we have two dogs, two kids, lots of their friends, and I have a background in infection control and food service -so I know why things should be clean -I just don’t like to DO the cleaning. That is why opposites attract and we make a great team. Since I really don’t enjoy cleaning and he LOVES a clean house and the owners are like the shoemaker’s kids (you’d think a perk would be regular cleaning – not), I am always looking for new products that 1) make cleaning easier and 2) are quick and even fun to use. Why fun? With anything, if it is fun, you are more likely to do it. Cleaning is no different. And I am a sucker for all new cleaning gadgets – if it promises to make my cleaning easier, I try it.

So I do plan to use this blog to review new products as I try them – and let our customers know which are worth it and which to skip. One area I also want to focus on is green cleaning. It is a commitment SCHUMANs is making in all our divisions – its just healthier for everyone – our customers, our staff, pets, and the environment. We have found some excellent products and cleaning methods that work even better than some of the harsh, toxic ones. I’ll share those as well. Looking forward to these topics as well as sharing much of the experience and helpful solutions we have learned throughout our daughter’s battles with allergies. We are officially blogging now…..