The company has homeowners covered when it comes to meeting the new criteria of the Energy Star program that became effective on January 4, 2010. The Energy Star program has changed their criteria for the Door, Window and skylight category to continue to raise the bar for energy efficient consumer products available on the market today,” said Steve Jasperson, code and regulatory compliance manager for Therma-Tru. “Even with the new criteria, almost all of Therma-Tru’s fiberglass and steel entry door systems meet these strict ENERGY STAR guidelines and are also National Fenestration Rating Council® (NFRC) Certified.”

ENERGY STAR is a government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency. The ENERGY STAR program for window and doors uses U-values and Solar Heat Gain Coefficients to determine energy performance levels. In the new 2010 criteria, the Door category has eliminated climate zones and is now based solely on the size of the glass in the door. The Window category still uses climate zones. Therma-Tru fiberglass doors offer up to five times the insulation of wood due to their polyurethane foam core. This essentially creates an energy-efficient barrier in the door, stabilizing the interior temperatures and therefore decreasing energy costs.”

- SDA Offers Safety Tips For Those Considering Home-Made Concoctions

You might think it’s safer or more effective to mix your own cleaning products at home. Think again.

According to a new survey from The Soap and Detergent Association (SDA – www.cleaning101.com), 28 percent of Americans say they have mixed their own cleaning product at home.

When asked what was the most important factor in deciding to try and make their own concoction, those who did so said they believed it was safer to know what was in the products (38%), they believed it was cheaper (38%), or they believed it was more effective (28%).

“When it comes to making your own cleaning products, consumers should think twice before mixing once,” said Nancy Bock, SDA Vice President of Education. “There can be serious safety implications if proper care is not taken. In the frantic haste of an emergency situation, will the person who made the mix-at-home product know exactly what to tell a Poison Control Center on the phone?”

What do consumers need to consider before mixing their own concoctions?

Labels: Homemade cleaning products aren’t always stored in properly labeled containers. While you may feel confident that you know what’s in them, consider the fact that a child or a pet may get a hold of them when you’re not around. How would other members of the household know what’s inside or what to do in an emergency if there’s no label with safety instructions?
Testing standards for safety: An incredible amount of research, development and testing goes on before formulated cleaning products ever hit the store shelves, not to mention that the products must meet all applicable federal and state quality, safety and labeling regulations. Homemade cleaners are not tested or held to any standards. An ingredient may be labeled as “natural” but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe for ingestion by children or pets.
Testing standards for use: Untested homemade mixtures may have unforeseen consequences, such as damaging your kitchen counters or stripping the finish from your brand-new wood floors.
Secure storage containers: Formulated products come with safety and precautionary language, including reminders about storing the product safely and securely. A number of products are also fitted with child resistant packaging if there are significant precautions for usage. When you make it at home, you’re on your own.
As a longtime supporter of National Poison Prevention Week (March 15-21), SDA reminds consumers about the proper ways to store and use cleaning products in the home:

Close cleaning product caps securely. Even child-resistant packaging doesn’t work if the container isn’t properly closed.
Lock products up. Store them in a location that’s away from children, pets and food. Install child-resistant locks on cabinets and doors.
Keep cleaning products in their original containers. If an accident occurs, the label provides information concerning the product’s contents and advice on what immediate first-aid to perform.
Carefully dispose of empty cleaning containers. Replace the caps and then discard in a sealed recycling bin or garbage container that’s safe from curious children and pets.
If there’s a poison-related emergency, contact the U.S. Poison Control Center’s nationwide toll-free number: 1-800-222-1222. Post this number, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, next to every phone in the house and add it as a contact into all your cell phones.

SDA has more specific information online for consumers on the safe, beneficial and proper use of cleaning products, including:

Clean and Safe in the 21st Century, available at www.cleaning101.com/health.

Facts About Mix-at-Home Cleaners, available at www.cleaning101.com/environment/facts/.

The survey was completed for The Soap and Detergent Association by Echo Research, Inc. Echo questioned 1,001 American adults (501 men and 500 women) via telephone February 26-March 1, 2009 on whether they had ever mixed their own cleaning products. The second question was asked of 302 adults (123 male, 179 female) who had answered “yes” to the first question. Both questions have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percent.

The Soap and Detergent Association (SDA – www.cleaning101.com), the Home of the U.S. Cleaning Product and Oleochemical Industries(R), is a one-hundred plus member trade association representing the $30 billion U.S. cleaning products market. SDA members include the formulators of soaps, detergents, and general cleaning products used in household, commercial, industrial and institutional settings; companies that supply ingredients and finished packaging for these products; and oleochemical producers. SDA and its members are dedicated to improving health and the quality of life through sustainable cleaning products and practices.

According to home improvement expert Leslie Segrete, “With so many great materials and choices available, you’ll be able to decorate stylishly, while making a difference for our planet.” Here are some of her tips on getting started:

Green Foundation

Build an eco-friendly room from the ground up. 100-percent recycled floor tiles made of materials such as rich recycled leather, provide a fashionable and environmentally responsible alternative to chemically-treated rugs and manmade flooring.

Look for carpeting that is made from hemp, linen, wool or cotton, they come in a range of colors made from natural dyes. These biodegradable and chemical-free carpets often even use a rubber backing made from recycled windshield wipers or bicycle tires.

Wise Walls

Sherwin-Williams and other paint companies have recently introduced water-based paints to combat the environmental hazards often caused by chemical-laden paints. Alternative home wall coverings can also be made from earth-friendly materials, like hemp, linen, bamboo, cork and recycled paper.

“For an adventurous, unique look that combines color and texture, try American Clay Plaster,” Segrete said. “Create an array of colors with different tints and finishes that appear smooth, rustic or even Old World.”

Faucet Flow

New automatic hands-free faucets, like the Destiny bathroom faucet from ShowHouse by Moen, conserve water with a sleek minimalist design and a distinctly-styled spout that produces a sheeting water flow. The Destiny faucet reduces water waste, providing water only when it is needed.

Window to Tomorrow

Large, high-efficiency windows let more daylight into the home and decrease the need for electrical lighting. To further this green option, forgo window treatments altogether and install frosted glass panes. Additionally, supplement natural lighting by replacing energy-wasting incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient fluorescent lighting fixtures.

As ‘going green’ continues to gain momentum, it’s easier than ever before to make a style statement in your home while still having a conscience.

About Moen

Moen offers a diverse selection of thoughtfully designed, on-trend kitchen faucets, bathroom faucets, showerheads, and stainless steel sinks for residential and commercial applications. As the #1 faucet brand in North America, customers have come to rely on Moen to deliver dependable products and service. Moen is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE: FO, www.fortunebrands.com), a leading consumer brands company.Going Grecsfff

People are always asking, “Is Mrs. Meyer a real person?” Well she actually is and we want to confirm it once and for all! Mrs. Thelma Meyer is much more than the name behind Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day products. She is a mother of nine who kept house in a small town in Iowa. Though retired now, she has tended to her own home for more than 50 years and is the inspiration behind the brand Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day. Mrs. Meyer’s daughter started the line to honor her mother’s old-fashioned values and make honest cleaners that smell good and work like the dickens on dirt. And now for the first time ever her timeless tricks of the trade are available in MRS. MEYER’S CLEAN HOME, a revolutionary new cleaning guide chock full of practical tips and secrets to domestic success.

With an abundance of children, pets, and work to be done around the house, it’s no wonder that Mrs. Meyer picked up some handy tricks over the years and discovered ways to make the day-to-day work easier and a joy. Though Mrs. Meyer admits to not being a meticulous housekeeper, she knows a little something about cleaning and wants to share her advice with anyone who will grab a duster and listen. With shortcuts and tips for cleaning the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living room (including nooks and crannies), as well as timesaving tips on what to tackle during the week so you’ll have your weekend free, MRS. MEYER’S CLEAN HOME will become a household fixture with advice such as:

Never use vinegar and water on wood floors. One part dish soap and four parts water is the only way to truly get them clean. And remember to buff with a terrycloth towel.
Always clean out the fridge before grocery shopping. Serve the kids “Musko” (“must go”) for dinner, using the items that are fast approaching expiration.
Tackle stains in a flash! When your mascara wand drops on your favorite blouse, mix a tablespoon of dishwashing liquid with two cups cold water, apply it to the stain, and then blot ’til it’s gone.
“A clean house is a happier house,” explains Thelma Meyer. “The faster you can do away with the messes, the more time you have for what really matters — children, relatives, friends and neighbors.”

Fully illustrated and packed with user-friendly lists, charts, and quick tips, MRS. MEYER’S CLEAN HOME reminds us that since life is hectic and messy, keeping your home nice and clean is the only sensible thing to do, and it doesn’t always have to be a chore!

Seeing an opportunity in the marketplace for reinventing the tired, toxic household cleaning market, Monica Nassif created Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day to honor her mother and the hard-working values she taught her children. Launched in 2001, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day is a collection of 16 hard-working home cleaners and five laundry products that embody simplicity, efficiency and the refreshing power of herbs and garden flowers. The line stays true to a bygone era of proud, no-nonsense clean with products that work quickly, simply and effectively. Basil, Lavender, Lemon Verbena and Geranium fragrances get up and go in collections that let you clean your entire home, from kitchen to bath, in one good-smelling scent.

MRS. MEYER’S CLEAN HOME is published by the Hachette Book Group and available at retailers nationwide. Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day makes more than one hundred different hardworking products, from baby detergent to dishwashing soap. All of our products are cruelty-free and biodegradable, ensuring a world, which will remain beautiful for our grandchildren and the generations to come. For further information about Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day, please visit www.mrsmeyers.com.

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