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What is that Green Thing Underneath My Sink?!

By Sally Weatherley

Home Stager with EXIT STAGE RIGHT

October 04, 2010 10:34 AM

What is that Green Thing Underneath My Sink?!

Environmentally friendly cleansers for home staging

If you carefully open the door to the cabinet underneath my kitchen sink, you will definitely find something green. Don't worry, though, it's not a growing fungi, but a bottle of environmentally friendly or "green" All Purpose Cleanser.

One of the areas our company, Exit Stage Right, harps on about, is that when you present your home for sale, it must be Q-Tip clean! No one is interested in buying and living in your dirty home, so it's very important to ensure that all surfaces, floors, windows, light fixtures, and appliances are sparkling clean and brand new looking. Our company prides itself in using as many eco friendly products as we can, and environmentally friendly cleaning products are a natural fit.

Environmentally friendly cleansers for home staging

We were happy to find a cleaning company, here on the North Shore, based in West Vancouver, called AspenClean. This company produces environmentally friendly products that are better for the environment, and are also produced locally, cutting down on the carbon footprint. These products are readily available, and I picked my personal supply up at the local West Vancouver Whole Foods grocery store. Whole Foods even has a tag on the shelves of their store, emphasizing that this product travelled only 2 kilometers to reach their store. How fantastic is that?

Here is a list of which ingredients are and are not included in this natural cleanser: 100% Natural, ECOCERT Certified
Safe and effective on all washable surfaces

Yes
Natural ingredients derived from plants and minerals
Pure essential oils
100% Vegan

Environmentally friendly cleansers for home staging

Biodegradable (test OCDE 301 D or E)

ECOCERT Standards France 32600
High tech, effective additions, like microfiber cloths

Post-consumer material in all packaging
Reusing and Recycling
Social and environmental responsibility

No

Petroleum
Phosphates
Colors
Parabens
Ethoxylates and Sulphates (SLS/SLES)
Carcinogenic Ingredients (not listed on IARC categories 1, 2A, 2B)
Animal ingredients
Testing on animals
Synthetic fragrances
Disposable products

Next time you need some cleaning products, think "Green", and think local. Just because it's under your kitchen sink, it doesn't mean it has to be scary!

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Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Roger - I'm glad you're an open book!

Oct 04, 2010 05:05 PM

Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Cathy - I know, 'green' is great! And no, sorry, I can't stage underneath your sink!!!!!!!

Oct 04, 2010 05:06 PM

Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Ricki - Too true - it's getting easier and easier to be green, too, with the emphasis on all the new, green products out there. It really becomes a conscious choice.

Oct 04, 2010 05:07 PM

Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Karen - Love the name of your green carpet cleaning company, "Ecosuds". Very catcy.

Oct 04, 2010 05:08 PM

Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Gary - We're definitely on the same page here. I'm happy to promote this company because they make a great product that is beneficial to all.

Oct 04, 2010 05:10 PM

Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Shar - That's a fair question. No, I don't clean homes when I stage, although I will sweep up and I do clean glass tables and mirrors if we've brought them in. I also have an all-purpose cleaner with me when staging, if something needs a quick clean or polish. My message here is that homeowners need to present their home for sale as if it were Q-Tip clean. Using "green" products would be a very good idea. They can hire cleaners or do it themselves, but these green products are a good alternative to the usual Ajax, bleach or Pinesol.

Oct 04, 2010 05:14 PM

Julia Maher

Nestings: Connecticut Home Staging and Model Homes - Fairfield, CT

Connecticut Home Stager

Thanks for introducing some of us to this new Group, Sally!

Oct 05, 2010 01:36 AM

Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Julie - Wow, this group is out of the gate and to the races really quickly, isn't it?!

Oct 05, 2010 02:13 AM

Shar Sitter

Rooms With Style - Minneapolis, MN

Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis/ St. Paul, M

Thanks Sally. When you said your company uses all green products I didn't know if that meant you promoted that to your clients as far as cleaning their homes. I do know many stagers that add cleaning to their services so I was curious.

Oct 05, 2010 02:56 AM

Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Shar - No problem - I realized when I re-read the post that I didn't really make that all that clear. I'm with you - we're home stagers, not home cleaners!

Oct 05, 2010 03:03 AM

C. Bartch

Newark, OH

Hey Sally do I spy a bottle of wine to left and back a bit in there too? Maybe it's wishful thinking on my part :) Good entry for the contest!!!

Oct 05, 2010 06:12 AM

Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Cynthia - Knowing me, you would think that was a bottle of wine, but sadly, I have to disappoint. It is a bottle of Balsamic Vinegar. I was actually torn between writing about green products under my sink, or why I house oil and vinegar underneath my sink. That is a whole other story unto itself...

Oct 06, 2010 04:37 AM

Valerie Sagheddu

Apostle Art Home Staging & Design - Stroudsburg, PA

~Home Staging Professional, Poconos, PA

Great "under the sink" post. You nailed it! I got scared away from the challenge after I saw someone had a roadrunner under their sink...how do you beat that??? You did a great job though...I would have staged the shot too...I am a little scared to look under my sinks though!!

PS...just did a "BAM" with your subscribe button too! Can't believe I did not hit that little thing sooner either!!!

Oct 06, 2010 09:30 AM

Valerie Sagheddu

Apostle Art Home Staging & Design - Stroudsburg, PA

~Home Staging Professional, Poconos, PA

Oh Yea...be careful what you wish for Sally...Tom might be reading and you just might be getting a rubber glove holder in your mail soon!!!...LOL!!

Oct 06, 2010 09:32 AM

Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Valerie - That Roadrunner post was hysterical! You should look up Alan May's post about "under the sink". It might get your creative juices flowing... it was equally hysterical.

Glad we've both subscribed - don't want to miss out on anything! As for that Tom, I wouldn't be surprised if that glove rack showed up "special delivery". Oh, check out the Zinger #50's under the sink post and you'll get the yellow rubber glove reference...

Oct 06, 2010 01:13 PM

John Novak

Keller Williams Realty The Marketplace - Las Vegas, NV

Henderson, Las Vegas and Summerlin Real Estate

Very convincing and encouraging post for local green products. I'm impressed that Whole Foods is so thorough (travelled only 2 kilometers) in their marketing.

Oct 06, 2010 01:27 PM

Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

John - I agree and I'm pretty impressed with Whole Foods' attempts to promote green products. I also love how they make you feel really guilty if you didn't bring your own cloth bags into the store and have to use one of their paper offerings.

Oct 13, 2010 05:38 AM

Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Valerie - Thanks, although my post didn't stand a chance next to your yellow rubber glove drying rack. Now that was genius!

Oct 13, 2010 05:39 AM

c m

Colorado Springs, CO

Didn't see your post before I added my entry to the contest, but somehow I knew we would be on the same page! =o) I will also admit to staging my "undersink photos", but who could blame us? It's what we DO! =o) Love that you are able to use a local product!

Oct 18, 2010 05:37 PM

Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Cheryl - Ha! Too funny. All I can say, is great minds think alike! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one to stage underneath my sink...

Oct 18, 2010 06:20 PM