ST. LOUIS COUNTY (KSDK) – Water main breaks have been a growing epidemic in Missouri and Illinois since temperatures hit below zero earlier this week.

The bursting pipes have lead to water gushing into area neighborhoods as well as homes, and one area company deals with cleaning up the mess left behind.

NewsChannel 5 reporter Ryan Dean spoke to Nick Matheny of ServPro in north St. Louis County Wednesday morning about their service calls and how homeowners can protect themselves from having a busted pipe this winter.

More at source: KSDK

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Non-Toxic Microwave Cleaner

Steam clean a microwave with a bowl filled with a sliced lemon in hot water. Run the microwave for five minutes and then towel off with a clean cloth.

Bleach-Free Sanitizer

Clean and sanitize wood or plastic cutting boards by rubbing lemon juice over the surface, let sit for ten minutes, run with lemon to loosen stubborn bits and rinse.

Skin-Safe Silver Polish

Clean silver with a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Run onto surface, rinse with warm water and dry with soft cloth.

Totally Non-Toxic Tarnish Remover

More at source: Fox News

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Read more at source: Digital Journal

By Chris Cordt

TULSA, Okla. undefined 

Mold problem expected to cost Ridgeway Rescue Squad some $250,000, said a report. My Cleaning Products gave out a tip to prevent such a huge mold removal expense.

Richmond, VA (PRWEB) January 06, 2014

A mold problem was discovered in Ridgeway Rescue Squad. According to a report from, it was going to cost the group some $250,000. In response to it, My Cleaning Products shared a method how the public could prevent such a huge mold removal expense.

Based on the report which was posted on January 02, 2013, the mold spread to the sheetrock, floor, ceiling tiles and other parts of the building, shared My Cleaning Products. It was discovered, it added, in March during the renovation of the kitchen.

It was said in the post that the determined cause of mold growth, which were water drainage issues, were already fixed, MCP related. However, it relayed according to President Darren Lockridge's statement that mold removal and some remodeling were still needed in the building.

Here is an excerpt from the post Mold Gets Ridgeway Rescue Squad in Money Crisis by My Cleaning Products.

“Mold, if not detected and removed early, could cost anyone a huge expense. Take, for example, the mold case in Ridgeway Rescue Squad building in Virginia. It is expected to cost the organization some whooping $250,00

More at source: Intelligencer

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As part of the company’s first annual Open Hearts Campaign that gives back to non-profits making a difference in the community, Maid Brigade – the Atlanta-based house cleaning franchise – has awarded $5,000 to Furkids.

Furkids is Georgia’s largest no-kill animal shelter, which provides a cage-free and loving environment for its rescued animals until finding them permanent homes.

“More than 10 years ago I found a stray mother cat with kittens and was unable to find a shelter to take them in – so I started Furkids,” says Samantha Shelton, founder and executive director of Furkids. “Since 2002, we have facilitated close to 9,000 adoptions and today we operate 13 full-time adoption centers throughout metro Atlanta."

With more than 26 non-profits in the running, the Open Hearts Campaign asked Maid Brigade Facebook fans to vote for their favorite charities. A total of nearly 6,800 votes were cast throughout the month of December. Furkids received more than 2,000 votes and was announced the winning organization last week via the Maid Brigade Facebook page.

In close second was Equest, which provides therapeutic sports riding classes and Hippotherapy to children and adults with physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities. The Texas-based organization was awarded $500 from Maid Brigade.

“We wanted to give back in a big way to the local non-profits making a lasting impact in the communities in which Maid Brigade serves,” says Bart Puett, president of Maid Brigade. “The Open Hearts Campaign gave our customers a voice in which charity was chosen. It’s inspirational to see how these organizations have touched the lives of so many people.”

Headquartered in Atlanta, Maid Brigade is the only house cleaning service that is Green Clean Certified® with more than 400 franchise service areas in the United States and Canada. Established in 1979, Maid Brigade is the green cleaning industry leader and has a longstanding legacy of providing quality customer service and consistent and thorough cleaning using the most advanced techniques and equipment. The company has also implemented a consumer advocacy program in response to reports from the Environmental Protection Agency linking chemicals in traditional cleaning products to a wide range of health risks. For more information visit www.maidbrigade.com or call 866-800-7434.

Diamond Back Group, which provides janitorial services, is closing its local operation.

The business employs 45 workers, all of whom will be affected by the plant closing, a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notice posted Monday on the state Department of Labor website shows. 

The filing lists the closing date as Dec. 31 and it is due to a contract termination. It also states the business is affiliated with Eastman Kodak Co. 

Kodak spokesman Christopher Veronda said Johnson Controls Inc., Kodak’s building management firm, has hired a new janitorial service firm and that incumbent workers will be offered interviews. 

ATLANTA undefined U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston is defending comments he made suggesting that poor students who are part of the nation's school lunch program should sweep cafeteria floors.

Kingston made the comments at a meeting of Jackson County Republicans on Saturday. The Huffington Post reported that Kingston told the crowd making children do janitorial work would help them learn that there's "no such thing as a free lunch."

The Savannah Republican is campaigning to become his party's nominee for the U.S. Senate seat of Saxby Chambliss, who has announced his retirement.

Kingston spokesman Chris Crawford said in a statement to WXIA-TV that it's sad that trying to have a "productive conversation" about instilling a strong work ethic in the next generation "so quickly devolves into the usual name calling partisan hysteria."

More at source: Times Free Press

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If you see or smell mold in your home, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends these cleaning methods:

• Use a diluted bleach solution (no more than 1 cup bleach per gallon of water), soap and water or a commercial cleaning product. Use with a stiff brush.
• Never mix bleach with any other household chemical, as the mixture can produce toxic fumes.
• Wear non-porous gloves and protective eyewear. Open windows for ventilation.
• Consult the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (epa.gov) for information about cleaning areas of mold greater than 10 square feet.

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