Tag: cleaning

Creative packaging design: Eco laundry detergent

Selection of eco laundry sheets

Washing powder is one of those long-time stalwarts of marketing and advertising – alongside toothpaste, beer, cigarettes and foreign travel. Detergents were always “new & improved” giving you “whiter whites” and “brighter brights”.

Things have come a long way since the Mad Men mid-century era and before. The 21st century eco laundry detergent buzz words are now ‘plastic free’, ‘refillable’, ‘ocean friendly’, ‘biodegradable’ and ‘cruelty-free’. We’ve never had so much choice! Furthermore, we don’t even have to go to the shops to buy those bulky, heavy boxes of washing powder. Light-as-a-feather laundry strips can be bought on subscription, popping through our letter boxes on a regular or flexible basis.

Sheets & strips

  1. The Lab Co. laundry strips
  2. Wablu laundry sheets
  3. Freddie laundry detergent sheets
  4. Simple Living eco non-bio laundry detergent sheets

Selection of eco liquid laundry detergent

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Selection of eco liquid laundry detergent

Liquid

Image 1:

  1. Eco-Me natural concentrated liquid laundry detergent, Lavender Blossom
  2. Mulieres natural organic laundry liquid – Rose Garden
  3. miniml eco-friendly laundry detergent

Image 2:

  1. Kit & Kin laundry bundle
  2. Faith in Nature aloe vera & rosemary laundry liquid
  3. eco-mate laundry liquid

Selection of eco laundry capsules / pods

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Selection of eco laundry capsules / pods

Pods & capsules

Image 1:

  1. Ocean Saver non-bio laundry detergent pods
  2. Ecover non-bio laundry capsules
  3. Wyx ecological laundry liquid capsules
  4. Laundrythings eco laundry pods

Image 2:

  1. Grab Green, Stoneworks, laundry detergent pods, birch branch
  2. Wilton London botanical eco laundry capsules
  3. smol concentrated laundry capsules

On our radar: Briiv Air Filter

Briiv air filter

We’ve had a couple of lovely sunny days over the Easter period. With all this recent sunshine, I’ve noticed the huge number of particles in the air when beams of light shine through the bedroom Velux window in the morning. Dust, dog fur, dander, wood-burner emissions, mould spores and goodness knows what else. I dread to think what we’re breathing in as we sleep!

I looked online into gadgets that clean the air and discovered the Briiv Air Filter; what a beauty. The company describes it as, “The most sustainable, recyclable air purifier on Earth”. The unit is fitted with two filters which last for a year; one is made of moss and the other coconut fibre. It looks like a mini terrarium – more of a houseplant than a household appliance!

Of course, like any 21st century smart home device worth its salt, the Briiv Air Filter connects to your wi-fi and can be controlled using an app on your smartphone.

It currently retails at £329 which is a huge outlay, but they claim that it only costs £3.64 per year to run (based on the device being switched on for 6 hours per day).

Creative packaging design: Furniture polish

The Original Wood SilkBriwax furniture waxAntiquax Original Wax polish

The preferred furniture polish in my childhood home was Mr Sheen. I can smell its distinct fragrance now!

Now, with a house of my own, I choose to use Wood Silk; a non-silicone beeswax based spray with a wonderful smell.

When it comes to the vintage and antique furniture that we sell in our shop, we apply dealers’ favourite, Bri-wax and buff to bring out the grain and shine in the wood.

Below, we’ve chosen a few of our favourite, eye-catching receptacles for furniture polish in liquid, aerosol and wax forms.

Method Wood PolishHoward Feed-n-Wax wood polishWheeler's Furniture Polish

Left to right:

Method wood polish

Howard Feed-n-Wax wood polish

Wheeler’s Furniture Polish

Rhoose Point Remedies Beeswax Wood Polish & TreatmentAntiquax Original Wax polishFurnitureClinic Beeswax Polish

Left to right:

Rhoose Point Remedies Beeswax Wood Polish & Treatment

Antiquax Original Wax polish

FurnitureClinic Beeswax Polish

The Original Wood SilkMr Sheen Multi surface polishBest Shine Plus furniture polish

Left to right:

The Original Wood Silk

Mr Sheen Multi surface polish

Best Shine Plus furniture polish

On our radar: Henry Quick Pet cordless vacuum cleaner

Henry 'Quick Pet' cordless vacuum cleaner

We’re the proud owners of a couple of Henry vacuum cleaners; one for regular, run-of-the-mill cleaning jobs (the pet-fur-busting green Harry) and an old, 2nd hand one for very filthy jobs (the regular red Henry) such as removing the ash from our wood-burners and range cooker.

Just this week, I’ve discovered that Numatic have launched a Henry Quick Pet cordless vacuum cleaner. I’d expect it gives the same reliable, workhorse performance, but in miniature form. It would be the perfect tool for cleaning our upstairs bedrooms. I say ‘upstairs’, but what I really mean is ‘upsteps’. In our cottage, we have narrow wooden ladders leading up to the loft rooms. It’s a struggle manoeuvring the heavy, bulky Harry up & down through the small opening in the ceiling/floor.

Carrying the Henry Quick Pet cordless vacuum (which weighs just over 3kg) would be a cinch in comparison – and it would mean that the job of vacuuming would get done more often too!