suncreamstainimage879879

How to remove suncream stains

by Laundry

Suncream can be a real pain to get out and the longer you leave it the worse it is going to get.  If you are out and about when the stain occurs you are naturally going to wipe the stain with a tissue or a wet wipe but the heat from the sun and perspiration can activate the grease even more making it much worse. Try to gently blot to absorb as much as the cream as you can or if you have your hand sanitiser with you, cover the stain and this will stop if from spreading.

This is a fantastic old school tip but If you are at the beach cover the stain with sand to dry out the stain.

Try to prevent Suncream stains always rub the suncream into your skin really well and wash your hands straight after application. If you are travelling with suncream always place it in a safe secure plastic travel pouch bag or place inside two carrier bags and wrap tight. There is nothing worse than getting to you destination opening your suitcase to burst suncream.

My Advice to remove suncream 

As soon as you can rinse the stain from the reverse under a cold water tap, this way the stain is being pushed out of the fabric and hopefully flushing out as much as the stain as possible.

White vinegar

Sun cream has an oil base so you need something to break that down, one of my go to products is white vinegar. Simply cover the stain in the vinegar then leave for a good 30 minutes to really allow the vinegar to work and wash as normal.

Eucalyptus oil

Eucalyptus oil has magical stain removal qualities when it comes to greasy marks – and it smells incredible.

Coat your stain in the stuff, leave for 15 minutes, then wash as normal.

If the staining was really bad then you may need to repeat but don’t panic as it will come out.

Sunshine

For light coloured clothes where the sun cream may have stained the fabric yellow, try hanging your clothes out in the sun to dry after the wash. The sun is great at naturally bleaching whites in a natural way. If the stain is really not budging, squirt some lemon juice on it first.

If you are due to travel soon then don’t forget my Holiday organisational planners which can help with your packing and ensure all those needed jobs are done before you travel.

Clothes,Hanging,On,A,Washing,Line,To,Dry.

How to stop birds from pooping on your washing

by Laundry

Birds love nothing more than pooping on your dry clean washing which causes nothing but stress and hassle for us. There is nothing worse than hanging out your clean fresh smelling washing and having birds poop all over it. My washing always smells so good too. Personally I really don’t want to touch bird poo and scrub it off. Bird poo is also very dangerous.  Histoplasmsis is a respiratory disease that can come from bird poo and it can be fatal. I found out about this when I filmed a County House episode for Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners. They wanted me to stay in a room where a lady had hung herself that was covered from top to bottom in bird poo!  As if I would-have stayed in there…….

My bird phobia is really bad, I struggle to walk down our local high street and the children often have to protect me by surrounding me and I do struggle to sit in the garden especially if no one else is at home. If I hear a bird flap or a tree rustle. I run straight inside with an almighty scream. No wonder my neighbours think I am mad!

So what can we do to stop birds for ruining our fresh clean washing. 

Some of my lovely social media followers sent me some amazing ideas so I thought I would share them with you.

Change the position of your clothes line.  If your clothes line is near a fence, wall or a tree where birds can land then move it away.

Hang old unwanted CD’s around the garden. The don’t like to see their reflection and if the CD’s click against each other random sound patterns will help keeps the birds away too.

I have heard today that birds are very scared of owls. So invest in some garden ornaments of Owls to scare them away. I am not sure I will be even able to cope with fake birds in my garden.  although I did find these ones that don’t look too bad. Garden Owls There are also these reflective hanging owls

Washing line protectors. Now this is a great idea and is also great for when its raining too.  I am definltley going to invest in one of these

Now I did already know this one, so why haven’t I brought some?  But hanging chimes are great for keeping them away. These twisting scare rods scare away all species of birds.  They also look great too. Click here for the chimes

Bird Tape. I had never heard of this and what a great idea. Bird Tape is an effective bird deterrent made of polypropylene tape, which emits a penetrating vibration that birds won’t go near.  I really love this idea and can’t wait to see how effective it is. Bird Tape

If like me you are struggleing with the Bird poop in your garden then I hope this ideas can help.

A massive thank you to my lovely followers who helped me put together these ideas.

Happy Washing
Lynsey Queen of Clean xoxox

bbqqq

Host an organised and clean BBQ this summer.

by Home Organising

Hooray BBQ season is here, its time to start cooking and enjoying our outside spaces and  host lovely get to together with family and friends. Hosting a BBQ can be busy and to host a good BBQ you need to be prepared. We had a really big BBQ last year it poured with rain and the gas run out!!!!! so it really was a bitof a disaster but this taught me to be much more organised and prepared for the British Weather.

Lets get started in hosting the perfect BBQ

Cooking Equipment & Utensils

Have you got all the equipment to enable you to cook safely. Different utensils for raw meat, cooked meats and the vegetation option.
If you are using a gas BBQ do you have enough gas
You may also want to have a cooking thermostat  to hand so you can check your meats have been cooked well. Nothing worse than all of your guest getting food poisoning from undercooked foods.
Tubberware and kitchen foil are essential.
A small table for the chef is also a great idea so they have a little more room
Cool bags to keep uncooked meat to save you going in and out.

Cleaning Materials

Big tip for BBQ’s is always use disposable plates and cutlery this way it can be chucked away straight away
Have a few heavy-duty bin bags in the garden so people can easily dispose of their rubbish.
Scatter hand sanitziers around so people can freshen up their hands
Have a bowl of soapy water just for the cooks hands so they can wash their hands after handling different types of meats.
Keep cleaning cloths and sponges with an antibacterial spray or washing up liquid to hand so spillages can be dealt with quickly
Keep kitchen roll or napkins in easy reach areas for everyone to use
Anti bacterial wipes and good to have near the BBQ.
Plus  tea towels for drying hands

Weather

Check the weather and makes sure you can bring the BBQ inside if needed. Do you have enough room, can you still cook outside. This is so important to plan and if you do cancel give your guests plenty of notice.  Gazebos with sides can be a good investment with the great British weather.

Garden

Make sure your garden is in top condition. You don’t want your guests to be wading through over grown grass. Cut the lawn and tidy up any edges along with hanging baskets and flower beds.

Seating

Make sure you have plenty of chairs and table space. If you don’t ask people to bring their own or ask neighbours.
Picnic blankets make a good option for children so scatter a few off these around and maybe add a few cushions if you have them. When they have finished eating you pick these up and put them straight into the washing machine.

Nibbles

Snacks like crisps and carrot sticks with dips should be on offer to starve off hunger, while you guests are waiting for the meat to cook, and to prevent them from getting too drunk too quickly.

Drinks

Make sure you have brought plenty of drinks and non alcoholic drinks for the drivers and younger guest.  If it’s a warm day store them in a cool place. I brought this amazing cooler ice table last year and it went down so well.  I just simply filled it with ice and drinks.  This also saved people from going in and out of the house and into my fridge.

Dessert

Delegate this task to your guests, people will always ask if they can bring anything and take them up pn this offer. Don’t try to be a superhero and manage every single thing. Let other people contribute slightly after all you are hosting.

Sun cream

If it’s a warm day have sun cream to hand that guests are welcome to use. It may also be a good idea to have plasters to hand too for any little accidents that may happen.

Set the mood with your music

Certain songs just scream, “SUMMER!” and will keep your party guests in a great mood all afternoon and evening long. Prepare a BBQ playlist with plenty of songs so your guests don’t keep hearing the same song over and over agin. That would really annoy me!

Keep garden decorations simple especially if you have young guests

There’s really no need to overdo it with decorations  string up some garden lights around our patio and bring out some mason jars with tea lights for after sunset. I absolutely love these flower bulb ones

Toilet

Assign one toilet for your guests so that your other bathrooms and toilets stay clean.  Make sure you have plenty of loo roll and a hand towel.  Also have a spray to hand incase anyone does an embarrassing smell.

Have fun

Now the boring bit is over its time to go and enjoy yourself with family and friends

My summer stains post will help will help with any ketchup and grass stains Take a look here

Thank you for reading
Lynsey Queen of Clean xoxo

This post contains affiliate links 

lynseyimagecleaning14

Keeping on top of the cleaning when you own a dog

by Cleaning TipsFamily Organising

As you can imagine, bringing an indoor pet into my family has not been the easiest of tasks for me. You have probably already read my blog post Can a clean freak like me cope with a dog?

I have been documenting my journey across my social media channels and I have really appreciated all the help and advice I have been offered whilst I was going back and forth about getting a pet.

I am a person who loves routine, with a pristine home, so this really wasn’t an easy decision for me.

Friends had told me about the constant battle with pet hairs all over their sofas and dog saliva on doors.

Some vacuums don’t have strong enough suction to deal with pet hairs or they get clogged up in the filters and cause all kinds of problems.

But I was determined to do this for my family, they were desperate for a puppy and I knew how much joy it would bring to our home.

One of my daughters is an asthma sufferer, so we had to choose our puppy very carefully. We couldn’t risk having a house full of dog hair. After a lot of research, we knew that we needed to find a hypoallergenic dog. These dogs shed very little because they have hair shafts with longer life spans.

We felt the breed Cockapoo would suit us the most as they come highly-recommended to live with children and, by chance, a local lady had five puppies for sale and Hetty just melted our hearts.

I honestly do believe that things happen for a reason.

I didn’t really want to increase my cleaning massively by owning a dog because I think we can safely say, I do enough already. So, before she came home I had to plan ideas that would make my life easier.

Hetty doesn’t moult, so pet hair really isn’t a huge problem for us but as humans we produce dead skin and hair so it’s only normal that a puppy would do too.

To prevent dog hair ending up on my furniture and floor, I brush Hetty daily and then I instantly vacuum the space we have been brushing using my amazing Vorwerk Kobold VK200 Ultimate Homecare System. I really couldn’t cope without this amazing vacuum cleaner as I’m sure you’ve seen on my social media!

With Hetty now here, I use the PB440 Electric Upholstery Brush attachment so much because it gets into hard-to-reach areas with a deep-clean across my sofas, carpets, rugs and upholstery to pull out dead skin and hairs.

The PB440 is an amazing attachment because it has a function switch for vacuuming surfaces or vacuuming crevices with a safety guard to protect your furnishings.

It also loosens allergic particles, such as mite excrement and fine dust, and reduces the risk of asthma and sneezing attacks so it’s a really handy piece with a new furry friend running around the house!

The PB440 is perfect for pet owners, it’s part of the VK200 system that’s built to get rid of 99.99% allergens and it really does clear every last bit of hair.

Whilst the PB440 is not suitable for leather, vinyl, duvets and quilts, it’s perfect for sofas, stairs and curtains so you get a great clean across a range of services and delicate fabrics.

Even if you do have a hypoallergenic dog like us, I would still recommend getting a VK200 because it’s built to tackle pet hairs, dirt particles and reduce allergens.

To also help my cleaning regime, when Hetty goes out into the garden, I give her a good clean when she comes back in to get rid of any muck that can potentially come into my home.

Dogs can pick up so much muck when they are out and about, it’s inevitable that the dirt will come into your home.

I’ve also covered all of my sofas with throws to keep Hetty’s smell and hair off my nice, new furniture. Her bed is washed regularly too.

My life with Hetty really has been made so much easier to keep my home clean with Vorwerk’s Kobold system, I can’t stress that enough. And Hetty is an amazing part of our family now too.

I’d recommend you to arrange a FREE DEMONSTRATION of the Kobold system, especially if you’re pet owners, so you can see the difference it can make – it’s well worth it.

As always thank you for reading and there is more about my journey with Hetty Can a clean freak like me cope with a dog?

Lynsey Queen of Clean xoxo

This is a sponsored post for Vorwerk 

Man,Cleans,The,Filter,In,The,Dishwasher.,Maintenance,Of,Home

Dishwasher cleaning

by Cleaning Tips

Your dishwasher cleans your plates and dishes so if your dishwasher isn’t clean your plates and dishes certainly aren’t going to be clean.  Lots of people forget about cleaning the dishwasher and washing machine but these items really need to be looked after.

I have covered washing machine care before so todays it’s the turn of the dishwasher.

Cleaning the dishwasher is something I aim to do fortnightly.  I have shown this on my instastoriesbefore so  a lot of you will already know my process.

Before using my dishwasher I always ensure the dishwasher is fully filled and then I  set it on an overnight setting using the ecological wash option.

To clean here is what I do using all natural products.

Empty the filter of your dishwasher (mine simply twists and pulls). You can find how to do this in your instruction manual or on your washer manufactures website.

Wipe down all your seals and around the door with a solution of 50% white vinegar, 20% neat lemon juice and 30% water. I put the solution in a spray bottle as it can be used for other household cleaning jobs. I use Lemon juice as this leaves a fresh clean smell and lemons are also great for breaking down dirt and grim.

Place a cup of white vinegar mixed with lemon juice in the top of your dishwasher and run it on a hot cycle this will help break down any grease and gunk.

Once cycle has completed sprinkle the bottom of your dishwasher with bicarbonate of soda, bicarbonate of soda is great at eliminating any nasty smells.

You do not have to rinse this from your dishwasher just leave until the next time you use.

I hope you have enjoyed this post, this really is a simple cleaning method that takes no time at all.  I love cleaning with natural products especially lemons. Take a look at other ideas I have for cleaning with lemons.

Buying white wine vinegar and neat lemon juice in supermarkets can be expensive or not always easy to find so I have found some cheaper options for you.

White wine vinegar – CLICK HERE

Lemon Juice – CLICK HERE

As Always thank you for reading
Lynsey Queen of Clean xoxo

This post contains affiliate links 

lynseyimagecleaning13

Spend less money on your household cleaning

by Cleaning Tips

Cleaning your home can be expensive, there are so many wonderful products on the market presented in well-designed pretty bottles but it’s not always necessary to buy all of these products and spend lots of money.

When it comes to buying cleaning products, buy them in large quantities! You can use the wholesale stores for your shopping. For example, if you browse through the wholesale online stores and amazon you can bulk buy cleaning products at an affordable rate.

If you get together with some friends, you can buy a bulk order and split it between you so avoiding having too much in the cupboards.

When it comes to purchasing anything, buying on sale saves a lot of money. Above that, there are many stores out there which offer lucrative seasonal and end-of-the-line bargains. So always check that supermarket bargain aisle.

Lots of cleaning products now can be bought as a refill pack. These in the long run will save you money and they are better for the environment as there is less waste packaging.

Lastly you can make some fantastic cleaning products for yourself from simple ingredients that you probably already have in your cupboard. You can make some effective homemade cleaners using white vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, lemons, soda crystals etc. All these products are extremely cheap and they’re really good. So, just buy them, use them as house cleaning agents and save a lot of money. They can be really some frugal replacements for expensive detergents and soaps. You can even grate a bar of soap and make a fantastic laundry detergent.

Cleaning with natural home made products saves time, space and money.

A few of my favourite staples……..

White Vinegar

White vinegar is a natural disinfectant and is fantastic at killing germs, bacteria and mould. Plus, it is great at removing tough stains and descaling kitchen appliances such a coffee machines and kettles. I like to run 100ml through my washing machine every couple of weeks.

I also love to use white vinegar for those pesky water marks. White vinegar can work out expensive if you buy from supermarkets but if you buy in bulk and pop into spray bottles it works out much cheaper and will last you ages.

Cleaning with white vinegar

Bicarbonate of Soda

Bicarbonate of Soda  is great for eliminating odours. If you have a smelly fridge simple add a small dish of Bicarbonate of Soda to the middle shelf and this will soak up and nasty smells. 

Mixed with white vinegar it’s also a very powerful drain cleaning and is great at keeping sink wastes unblocked and odour free if done on a regular basis.  This is one of my absolute favourite cleaning tips.  If the waste is particularly dirty this combination will bring the dirt up for you to see.  

Bicarbonate of Soda  very much replaces the household cream cleaner. It’s great for cleaning up baths and PVC just mix with a little washing up liquid. Bicarbonate of Soda is also great for cleaning up stained Tupperware and oven grills. 

I also use it freshen up my carpets. Add you favourite essential oil mix together, sprinkle on the carpet leave for around 30 minutes and then Hoover off. This will eliminate odours and make them smell fresh again.

Lemons and Lemon Juice

Juicy lemons smell gorgeous and can really help improve shine.  It is really surprising how well they can clean your home.

Use a drop of Lemon juice to clean your dish washer rather than buying the expensive dishwasher cleaning tablets. 

Lemons are also great for removing limescale.  Cut a lemon in half and pop on the end of your tap, leave this for an hour or so to get to work to give it time to work. 

You can also mix some Lemon juice with White Wine Vinegar to make a really good bathroom cleaner, pop both ingredients into a spray bottle with a little water and this is great for the shower door and taps.

One of my favourite lemon cleaning tips is to put a few lemon half’s in a bowl of clean cold water in the microwave and then put the microwave on full power for 5 minutes.  The lemon will release the grease which will make it really easy to wipe off with a cloth.

White Toothpaste 

White Toothpaste is great for cleaning up white rubber trims on your trainers that have become discoloured. Use a dry cloth and buff away using the toothpaste and then rinse off with warm water. Such a simple process which will give you amazing results.

White tooth paste is also great at cleaning your jewellery and making it sparkle again.

Plus another toothpaste tip that my husband loves and uses all the time is to add some onto a paper towel and then clean your car headlights with it.

Alcohol

Alcohol. who would have thought that alcohol can help keep the house clean.  Well it can and its great. I use cheap Vodka or rubbing alcohol to help out around the home. It’s perfect for cleaning windows inside and out and will keep them frost-free. 

I also pour a capful in with my fresh flowers as this will help keep them alive longer plus it great for removing pen marks.

Steam Cleaning

Steam cleaning – I am a massive fan of steam cleaning.  Once you have invested in the steamer all you need is water to keep your floor clean and your upholstery and curtains fresh. With steam cleaning there is so much you can clean including your toilet, floors, sofa’s, shower doors, curtains and so on.  Steam kills 99% of germs and bacteria so its saves you the cost of buying household floor cleaner and fabric refresher sprays. If you are looking for a budget friendly floor steamer than check this one out from Russell Hobbs. Don’t forget I have a fantastic handheld one in my range.

E Cloths

E cloths – Initially you may think that these cloths are quite expensive but the beauty is you don’t need to use any chemicals or products with them.  It’s simply water. Add water to a spray bottle and then wipe with you ecloth to remove dirt and grim or to shine up surfaces. There is a great starter pack that will help get you started.

Essential Oils

Finally Essential oils can be mixed with water and bicarbonate of soda to add relaxing smells to your cleaning. Go for Tea Tree, Peppermint or Lemon oils as these are all natural disinfectant.

Want to learn more about to clean safely then grab a copy of one of my books and I will show you how to clean your house and tidy up your life

This post contains affiliate links 

shutterstock_537669595

10 General Cleaning Hacks for around the home.

by Cleaning Tips

I have rounded up some of my favourite cleaning tips for you to help keep your home extra clean and pristine. Some of these are so easy and simple to do and will literally take no time at all.

1 – Cleaning cloths and sponges really do harbour germs.  My tip is to pop them in the microwave for 2 minutes to kill all those nasty germs.

2 – Use salt to clean the iron plate on your iron. Pour some salt onto a tea towel or old cloth and iron over this without the steam option this will help release any sticky patches or dirt.

3 – The best way to clean your windows is the old-fashioned way with a newspaper and white wine vinegar.

4 – Pop on you rubber cleaning gloves and dampen one of these and then you pick up stray pet hair from Cats and Dogs.

shutterstock_259402718

5 – Put the kids plastic toys in the dishwasher to get them germ free.

6 – Remove hard water stains with Lemons, cut a lemon in half give the stain a good rub, leave for a while and then rinse with warm water.

shutterstock_557033152

8 – Never leave your toothbrush near the toilet as when flushed the germs will jump up and can land on your brush…. Keep as far away as you can. Toothbrushes are full of bacteria from daily usage to keep them clean you can wash them with mouthwash or add a few drops of white wine vinegar to a glass and sit your toothbrush in it for around 15 minutes. White wine vinegar is a natural cleaner.

9 – When cleaning your make up brushes, got a bowl and add boiling water and a small squirt of your shampoo and then let them swirl around for a while.  You don’t want all the bacteria being spread all over your face so try to make this a weekly job.

shutterstock_151697267

10 – To get your bath towels nice and fluffy put a big heaped spoonful of bicarbonate of soda into the washing machine try or drum and then put on a hot wash. This will help bring your towels back to life and will keep them nice and fluffy.

shutterstock_537669595

I hope you have found this home hacks useful and thank you for reading.

Queen of Clean xoxox