Price Points: Natural soap bars

Three natural soap bars | H is for Home

We have a bio-digester at our new house – a drainage & waste system that we’d had no experience of previously. Basically, over time, natural bacteria breaks down waste in a series of tanks. It means that anything that goes down the sinks or loo has to be completely natural so as not to harm the bacteria or upset the balance of the system.

We have to source suitable bathing, laundry and cleaning products, but we’ve got used to it quite quickly… and there are lots of lovely products out there from which to choose. This week, we installed a couple of those wall-mounted vintage soap trays in the cottage; an old pottery one in the kitchen and a shabby chic enamel one in the garden room. Each will hold a nail brush and a bar of soap – useful at any time, but particularly so now with the current emphasis on handwashing.

Perhaps you have a bio-digester system too…. or just like the idea of completely natural soap bars with no harsh additives. So, here are three of our favourite natural soap bars from our shopping search. 

  1. Dr Bronner’s All-One Hemp Pure-Castile Almond Bar soap, 140g: £5.35, Feel Unique

    Warm, comforting and slightly sweet—like marzipan or amaretto! Our Almond Pure-Castile Bar Soap is made with certified fair trade ingredients and organic hemp oil for a soft, smooth lather that won’t dry your skin. 100% biodegradable in a 100% post-consumer recycled wrapper.
    Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Bar Soaps are biodegradable-vegan, gentle and versatile, good for washing body, face or hair!

  2. UpCircle chocolate charcoal chai soap bar, 100g: £6.99, Holland & Barrett

    Gently exfoliating soap to brighten and nourish face and body. Activated charcoal draws out toxins and tightens pores. Cacao extract boosts skin radiance resulting in brighter looking skin. A gently-exfoliating soap to brighten and nourish both face and body. Skin is left cleansed without feeling dry. Certified Organic, 100% natural, vegan and cruelty-free. Made in UK. Reused, repurposed, reloved. This soap is made with residual chai spices used to create chai syrup.

  3. Aleppo original soap (50% laurel oil and 50% olive oil), 200g: £13.75, Amazon

    Aleppo soap also known as savon d’Alep, laurel soap, Syrian soap, or ghar soap, is a handmade, hard bar soap associated with the city of Aleppo, Syria. Aleppo soap is classified as a Castile soap as it is a hard soap made from olive oil and lye, from which it is distinguished by the inclusion of laurel oil. As it is produced only from natural oils, Aleppo soap is biodegradable. It can be used daily as soap for washing and shampooing, as face mask, as shaving cream and for bathing infants and babies. Laurel oil is an effective cleanser, antimicrobial, anti-fungal and anti-itching agent.

shop natural soap bars

Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Aleppo original soap (50% laurel oil and 50% olive oil), 200g
Aleppo original soap (50% laurel oil and 50% olive oil), 200g
£13.75
UpCircle chocolate charcoal chai soap bar, 100g
UpCircle chocolate charcoal chai soap bar, 100g
£6.99
Dr Bronner’s All-One Hemp Pure-Castile Almond Bar soap, 140g
Dr Bronner’s All-One Hemp Pure-Castile Almond Bar soap, 140g
£5.35
Aleppo original soap (50% laurel oil and 50% olive oil), 200g
Aleppo original soap (50% laurel oil and 50% olive oil), 200g
£13.75
UpCircle chocolate charcoal chai soap bar, 100g
UpCircle chocolate charcoal chai soap bar, 100g
£6.99
Dr Bronner’s All-One Hemp Pure-Castile Almond Bar soap, 140g
Dr Bronner’s All-One Hemp Pure-Castile Almond Bar soap, 140g
£5.35
Aleppo original soap (50% laurel oil and 50% olive oil), 200g
Aleppo original soap (50% laurel oil and 50% olive oil), 200g
£13.75
UpCircle chocolate charcoal chai soap bar, 100g
UpCircle chocolate charcoal chai soap bar, 100g
£6.99
Dr Bronner’s All-One Hemp Pure-Castile Almond Bar soap, 140g
Dr Bronner’s All-One Hemp Pure-Castile Almond Bar soap, 140g
£5.35
Aleppo original soap (50% laurel oil and 50% olive oil), 200g
Aleppo original soap (50% laurel oil and 50% olive oil), 200g
£13.75
UpCircle chocolate charcoal chai soap bar, 100g
UpCircle chocolate charcoal chai soap bar, 100g
£6.99
Dr Bronner’s All-One Hemp Pure-Castile Almond Bar soap, 140g
Dr Bronner’s All-One Hemp Pure-Castile Almond Bar soap, 140g
£5.35
Aleppo original soap (50% laurel oil and 50% olive oil), 200g
Aleppo original soap (50% laurel oil and 50% olive oil), 200g
£13.75
UpCircle chocolate charcoal chai soap bar, 100g
UpCircle chocolate charcoal chai soap bar, 100g
£6.99
Dr Bronner’s All-One Hemp Pure-Castile Almond Bar soap, 140g
Dr Bronner’s All-One Hemp Pure-Castile Almond Bar soap, 140g
£5.35

Get their look: Labelled laundry

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Home Decor Styling With Nicole (@fancyfixdecor)

I’ve mentioned in an earlier post about my love of uniformly tagged storage jars – and this decoratively labelled laundry brings sheer pleasure to my eyes.

If there’s the space (and budget), a separate washing machine and dryer can halve laundry times. And on the same subject, these white goods are so bulky, doing what you can to ‘pimp’ them up really transforms the space. Affixing a decal takes practically no time at all, but it really prettifies an otherwise big, white box.

Swipe across to have a look at the ‘before’ photo; doesn’t a simple coat of pure white paint on cabinet doors make a huge difference?

shop labelled laundry

Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Laundry labels
Laundry labels
Wash/Dry decal set
Wash/Dry decal set
Extra-small flexi tub bucket
Extra-small flexi tub bucket
Wenko Corno prime grey laundry bin with lid
Wenko Corno prime grey laundry bin with lid
2-piece enamel half bucket set
2-piece enamel half bucket set
Laundry Co. metal wall plaque
Laundry Co. metal wall plaque
3-piece rustic metal galvanized canisters
3-piece rustic metal galvanized canisters
Laundry labels
Laundry labels
Wash/Dry decal set
Wash/Dry decal set
Extra-small flexi tub bucket
Extra-small flexi tub bucket
Wenko Corno prime grey laundry bin with lid
Wenko Corno prime grey laundry bin with lid
2-piece enamel half bucket set
2-piece enamel half bucket set
Laundry Co. metal wall plaque
Laundry Co. metal wall plaque
3-piece rustic metal galvanized canisters
3-piece rustic metal galvanized canisters

3 incentives to get on top of the housework

3 incentives to get on top of the housework | H is for Home

When was the last time you gave your home a thorough clean? If it’s been a while, you might have excuses as to why you haven’t.

  • I’m too tired after work
  • I’ll crack on with the chores another day
  • I have more exciting things to do with my time
  • I don’t know where to start

And so on and so on and so on…

Are these excuses familiar to you? It might be that you have other excuses that we haven’t considered too. Still, you shouldn’t let your excuses deter you from your housework for long because there are some very good reasons as to why you need to get on top of it. Check out our list of incentives below.

Illustration of a woman holding a mop

#1: You’ll be happier when it’s done

A tidier house leads to a tidier mind, so the sooner you get on top of your chores, the happier you’re probably going to be. Because let’s face it, does the sight of dust on your TV, pots piled high in the sink and grime around your bath fill you with feelings of joy? We’re assuming not, so get on with those tasks that need to get done. Not only will you feel happier when you have a cleaner home to live in, but you might also feel happiness because of the satisfaction that comes with a job well done.

Illustration of a man holding cleaning products

#2: You’ll be able to invite people around to your home again

Rather than risk the embarrassment of other people seeing the mess that has accumulated in your home, you might dissuade your friends and neighbours from visiting you. You might make excuses as to why your mum shouldn’t come round too, especially if she’s house-proud and prone to making critical comments when she runs her finger through the dust on your living room sideboard. So, let this be another incentive to get on with the housework. As soon as you do, you’ll be able to improve your social life, and you’ll no longer make excuses to your mum as to why she can’t come around to visit you!

Illustration of laundry and detergent

#3: Your home won’t be placed under quarantine

Okay, so we’re exaggerating a little with our heading, but as this house cleaning guide suggests, if your home is unclean, it will become a hotbed for germs and bacteria. From the mould that’s gathering in your fridge because of the food stains on the shelves to the bathmats that can become a breeding ground for fungus, your home will quickly become a health hazard if you don’t take the time out to clean. To preserve your health and the health of anybody who might share your home with you, check out the guide we linked you to and follow the advice within.

So, no more excuses! The sooner you get on with the housework, the better – for all of the reasons we’ve mentioned here. And it doesn’t have to be a burden to you, either. Check out our cleaning tips to make light work of your chores. Once done, you can then relax in your home, without having to compromise on your social life or your health.

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Price Points: Hanging laundry bags

Hanging laundry bags | H is for Home

We’ve started decorating the bathroom in our new house. The scale of the room matches that of the rest of the cottage i.e. pretty small! We can fit in our existing floor-standing laundry basket in one corner. However, that floor space would be very useful for other pieces of furniture, so we’ve been considering a wall-hanging laundry bag instead. They’re so handy for popping in dirty clothes and used towels… then easily unhooked and carried to the washing machine.

  1. Space-saving door hanging laundry hamper bag: £5.99, Amazon
  2. House Doctor white laundry basket: £12.99, Trouva
  3. Dove grey linen laundry bag by The Linen Works: £30.00, NOTHS

shop hanging laundry bags

Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Dove grey linen laundry bag by The Linen Works
Dove grey linen laundry bag by The Linen Works
£30.00
House Doctor white laundry basket
House Doctor white laundry basket
£12.99
Space-saving door hanging laundry hamper bag
Space-saving door hanging laundry hamper bag
£5.99
Dove grey linen laundry bag by The Linen Works
Dove grey linen laundry bag by The Linen Works
£30.00
House Doctor white laundry basket
House Doctor white laundry basket
£12.99
Space-saving door hanging laundry hamper bag
Space-saving door hanging laundry hamper bag
£5.99
Dove grey linen laundry bag by The Linen Works
Dove grey linen laundry bag by The Linen Works
£30.00
House Doctor white laundry basket
House Doctor white laundry basket
£12.99
Space-saving door hanging laundry hamper bag
Space-saving door hanging laundry hamper bag
£5.99
Dove grey linen laundry bag by The Linen Works
Dove grey linen laundry bag by The Linen Works
£30.00
House Doctor white laundry basket
House Doctor white laundry basket
£12.99
Space-saving door hanging laundry hamper bag
Space-saving door hanging laundry hamper bag
£5.99
Dove grey linen laundry bag by The Linen Works
Dove grey linen laundry bag by The Linen Works
£30.00
House Doctor white laundry basket
House Doctor white laundry basket
£12.99
Space-saving door hanging laundry hamper bag
Space-saving door hanging laundry hamper bag
£5.99