Tag: cleaning

Natural cleaning remedies you need to try

Natural cleaning remedies you need to try

If you were to look at your current cleaning products and read what’s actually in them, you’ll find an incredibly long list of chemicals. Some of which can be pretty toxic. More and more people are turning towards natural remedies; they’re cheaper, better for you and are a great eco-friendly alternative. You’ll be happy to know that your kitchen cupboard already contains more natural cleaning remedies than you think.

Baking soda in a jar with wooden spoon

Baking soda

You may already be aware of using baking soda for cleaning. After all, you can use it in pretty much any room of your house. From scrubbing your bathroom and unclogging drains, to loads of laundry and carpet cleaning. Baking soda is such a versatile ingredient and it’s great at getting rid of odours and stains.

Bottle of vinegar, spreay bottle and ladle in front of a potted plant

White vinegar

White vinegar is another great, multi-purpose product. You can use it to get rid of mildew, mould and stains. If you’re worried about the smell, you’ll be happy to know the smell fades pretty quickly or you can add a couple of drops of your favourite essential oil. You can also use white vinegar to create your very own all-purpose cleaner. Use equal parts vinegar and water, then add a few drops of essential oils to offset the smell. Or you could use citrus rinds for a lovely, fresh, scent. As with all cleaning, make sure you wear rubber gloves to protect your hands.

Lemon, lime, baking soda, essential oils, clothes pegs and pile of towels

Lemon juice

Citrus is not just for scent. Lemon juice is an incredible cleaning product. There are so many different ways you can clean your home with lemon juice. You can add sparkle to your stainless steel, get rid of grease from your microwave and even clean your entire oven. Thanks to the natural acidity of lemon juice, it lends itself to being used for cleaning. Plus, its versatility means it can be mixed in with other natural cleaning remedies.

Pile of salt crystals

Salt

Salt is such an everyday kitchen ingredient – it’s mainly used for cooking and seasoning food. However, you can also use salt to help you clean your home. Salt is a mineral that does a fantastic job at helping you scrub off dirt. You can use it to clean grimy pans and get rid of rust. Also, when you combine salt with baking soda or vinegar, it boosts the cleaning effects.

Natural soap, scrubbing brush and cleaning cloth

Castile soap

You possibly won’t find this last product in your kitchen cupboard, but when it comes to sorting out natural cleaning remedies there’s no other product quite like Castile soap. It’s a plant-based soap. You can use it to clean your home, as well as yourself.

Changing up your cleaning cupboard and embracing natural products not only saves you some cash, but it’s also much better for the environment. Do you use any natural cleaning products that you’d recommend?

[disclosure*]

Price Points: Dustpans and brushes

Dustpans and brushes

Anyone who has a real fire or wood-burning stove in their home will need a fireproof dustpan & brush.

Dustpans and brushes are the only way to properly clean up the ashes and embers once your fires have gone out. A metal dustpan and brush with natural bristles (rather than plastic) are what’s needed when there could be the odd smouldering remnant in the pile.

Even though we’re sure any of the above options would do the job judiciously, we just love the look of the Toast model.  It’s made of natural-finished foraged wood and would look just perfect next to the little stove in our dining room!

  1. Oakart mini dustpan and brush set: £11.90, Amazon
  2. Dustpan & brush: £20.00, EcoVibe
  3. Geoffrey Fisher Potting Shed dustpan and brush: £45.00, Toast

shop dustpans and brushes

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.

Geoffrey Fisher Potting Shed dustpan and brush
Geoffrey Fisher Potting Shed dustpan and brush
£45.00
Dustpan & brush
Dustpan & brush
£20.00
Oakart mini dustpan and brush set
Oakart mini dustpan and brush set
£11.90
Geoffrey Fisher Potting Shed dustpan and brush
Geoffrey Fisher Potting Shed dustpan and brush
£45.00
Dustpan & brush
Dustpan & brush
£20.00
Oakart mini dustpan and brush set
Oakart mini dustpan and brush set
£11.90
Geoffrey Fisher Potting Shed dustpan and brush
Geoffrey Fisher Potting Shed dustpan and brush
£45.00
Dustpan & brush
Dustpan & brush
£20.00
Oakart mini dustpan and brush set
Oakart mini dustpan and brush set
£11.90
Geoffrey Fisher Potting Shed dustpan and brush
Geoffrey Fisher Potting Shed dustpan and brush
£45.00
Dustpan & brush
Dustpan & brush
£20.00
Oakart mini dustpan and brush set
Oakart mini dustpan and brush set
£11.90
Geoffrey Fisher Potting Shed dustpan and brush
Geoffrey Fisher Potting Shed dustpan and brush
£45.00
Dustpan & brush
Dustpan & brush
£20.00
Oakart mini dustpan and brush set
Oakart mini dustpan and brush set
£11.90

How to keep your home clean during a busy family summer

How to keep your home clean during a busy family summer

Summertime is the best, isn’t it? Spending lots of time outdoors, barbecues, sea, sand, picnics… the list of fun activities you can do in the summer just goes on and on. Following in the wake of the Coronavirus crisis, when last summer was virtually ‘cancelled’, we have all the more reason to have a blast this year.

While summer is all fun and games, it can be hard to keep your home clean during this busy season; especially if you have kids or pets – or both! Your home can quickly become a dumping ground for toys, sand, grass, wet towels and other summertime debris! So, how can you keep on top of your home chores without sacrificing fun days out in the sun? In this post we’ll take a look at how to do just that. Strap in for a summer of fun, here we go!

Cleaning products

Clean during the evenings

Most of us think of cleaning as a daytime ritual, right? We set aside a few hours during the day to clean up the house, tidy, do laundry and generally set things straight. However, during the summer, you may find that your weekends are filled with fun social engagements that require you to soak up the sun at every opportunity – and you shouldn’t miss out on that!

An easy alternative is to change your cleaning ritual so that you mainly clean during the evening. This allows you to spend as much time as you want having fun outside during the day, and still helps you to keep up with your indoor chores.

Robot vacuum cleaner

Get an automated vacuum cleaner

Another way to keep your home clean during the busy summer months is to let your tools do all the work. An automated vacuum cleaner will clean up your floors without you having to lift a finger. Your only responsibility is emptying and charging the vacuum cleaner, while your new machine does the rest while you are out having fun! This is a perfect summer solution to the grass and sand that will inevitably make its way onto your floors this year.

Room full of clutter

Minimise your home’s clutter

If you want to keep your home clean with minimal effort, then it’s time to get minimal! The less clutter you have lying around the house, the easier it will be to give the place a once-over at the end of a long summer’s day. Clutter gathers dust, gets in the way and can generally increase the feeling of having a dirty or over-filled home.

So, before summer really begins, make sure you spring clean your home and get rid of any unwanted belongings. You could give them to charity, auction them off or recycle them – just ensure you don’t go into the summer of 2021 with excess baggage in your life.

Final thoughts

Summer is built for fun, not chores. If you want to reduce your chores while keeping your home a clean, clear and healthy environment for all, use this guide to help you achieve that harmonious balance this year.

[disclosure*]

Reasons to de-clutter your home this month

Reasons to de-clutter your home this month

Clutter can accumulate with considerable ease. It only takes a few minutes for your house to look like a bomb has gone off, but it takes a lot longer to organise everything, and you might have to look into skip hire before you even try. When you consider this, it’s not surprising that a lot of people put off de-cluttering. However, if you do one thing this month, you should set aside a day so that you can de-clutter your home. You’ll thank yourself for it later – we promise! With that in mind, let’s have a look at some of the different reasons why you should de-clutter your home this month.

  • You’ll find things that you’ve been looking for for ages – Once you begin to de-clutter, you’re bound to come across things that you thought you’d lost. This always happens! Whether it’s a misplaced T-shirt or an old keepsake, you’re bound to unearth something unexpected during the de-cluttering process.
  • You’ll find your home a much more relaxing and enjoyable place in which to be – We’ve all had to spend more time than expected in our homes over the past 12 months. You may be sick of seeing the same four walls! However, by de-cluttering, you create a more zen and relaxing environment. It can be impossible to relax and de-stress when you have belongings all over your home, which is why de-cluttering is such an important task.
  • You can get rid of things you no longer need – If you haven’t used something for a year, the chances are that you’re not going to use it this year, or next year either, for that matter. It makes sense to look into hiring skip bins so that you can get rid of anything you no longer need. So many people have heaps of belongings that are simply weighing their home down. You can make sure this is not the case at your property by thoroughly de-cluttering.
  • You can store sentimental items that are taking up space – Sometimes items that haven’t been used in a while have sentimental value, therefore, getting rid of or donating them is not an option. Try storing these items in an onsite storage unit. The items will still be easily accessible, but they won’t be taking up precious space in your home.
  • You can donate items to those who need it – You know what they say; someone’s rubbish is someone else’s treasure! By de-cluttering, you’ll come across items that you can donate to those who need them most.
  • Make your home look bigger – In addition to the benefits that have been pointed out so far, another advantage that cannot be ignored is that it will make your home look bigger. By getting rid of all the extra bits & pieces that are lying around your home, you open up the space, making it appear much bigger and more welcoming too.

Cartoon of a person holding clutter back behind a door

So there you have it: some of the different reasons why you should consider de-cluttering your home this month. Clutter can cause so many problems. Not only does it make it incredibly challenging to find the things that you need, it prevents you from being able to unwind and relax, which is exactly what your home should be used for! If you take just one day in March to de-clutter your home, you’ll find that you’re able to enjoy it so much more.

[disclosure*]