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Fresh bath towels

by Bathroom TipsLaundry

There is nothing worse than pulling a bath towel from the cupboard and noticing that it does not smell clean.

When shopping for new bath towels we naturally steer towards thick absorbent towels as they feel good and dry us off really well but thick towels will hold onto that moisture long after you have used it and moisture leads to bacteria which then leads to unpleasant smells. YUK

Keep your towels well aired in between uses.

When you get out of the bath or shower and hang up your towel you need to keep the air circulating so your towel does not grow any bacteria. If you have a window to your bathroom throw it open, even if it is cold outside you need to dry your bathroom off and get some air through your towels. If you don’t have a window use your ventilation fan.

When drying forget hooks as these do not offer your towels enough air, instead opt for towel rails, this way you can stretch out your towel fully and allow the air to circulate to all off the towel before bacteria starts to grow.

If you have room on your washing line and it is a good drying day pop outside and let it air dry for 30 minutes or so.

How to wash bath towels

Towels are thick, heavy, and designed to absorb water. So when it goes into your washing machine, it’s going to absorb all of the water and laundry products you are using.  The key with washing towels is to never over use laundry products, stick to the correct dosage as displayed on the packaging/bottle. You may think that because they are bigger and thicker than other items you wash that you will need more but trust me you don’t. Using too much product can actually make your towels smell bad!

Make sure not to overfill your washing machine, with towels think less is more. Using the correct dose of detergent and not overloading your machine will help the water evenly distribute and properly rinse those towels. 

Wash towels together and not with other laundry, washing towels with clothes can transfer germs and bacteria between items in the wash. For sanitary reasons, you should always wash bath towels separately from clothing items. Putting towels in their own load also makes it easier to adjust the setting if you are washing different colour towels be sure to add in a colour catcher. It’s also easier to dry towels in the same load since damp towels dry slower than most clothes. Towels will also rub against your clothes, shortening their lifespan.

Say NO to fabric conditioner

Trust me fabric conditioner is doing your towels no favours and will take away the absorbency and the soft bouncing feeling. Fabric conditioner is actually a soft wax coating that conditions clothes, makes them feel softer and loosens fibres. If you loosen the fibres in your towels the absorbency will slowly disappear.

If you are wanting to use fabric conditioner because you want your towels to smell fresh and give the bathroom an added scent then use it in every 3rd or 4th towel wash.

My top tip for soft fluffy towels is to use white vinegar, white vinegar is a natural disinfectant so will add in an extra layer of protection to element bacteria even when washing at lower temperatures and the vinegar will strip away and residue that is in your towels from products.

Don’t worry your towels will not come out smelling of vinegar as the smell disperses.

The DO’s and DON’T’s of fabric conditioner

Shake towels before drying

Give your towels a shake when taking them out of the washing machine. This will help fluff them and aid absorbency. Shaking your towels also helps prevent them from twisting into a ball in the dryer, lengthening their drying time.

How to Dry Towels

Ensure that towels are dry when you remove them from the tumble dryer, keeping in mind that clothes dry quicker than towels so the cycle will be longer. Even slightly damp towels can quickly mildew. The best dryer setting for towels is the regular or automatic setting that you use for other durable fabrics. This will use the highest heat and be most efficient in getting the job done. Avoid over-drying as it can destroy the individual cotton fibers. Use tumble dryer balls to keep the air flowing freely and speed up the dryer time, the balls absorb water and I recommend using 6 dryer balls for a towel load.

Drying outside is always my preferred option for towels, they normally line dry within 3 to 6 hours dependent on the weather, good quality towels will always come in soft and fluffy. If your towels are coming in a little crisp and hard pop them in the dryer for 5 minutes before you put them away or in the bathroom.

If you don’t have a tumble dryer to use over the winter months it is worth bearing in mind that towels can take up to 24 hours to dry indoors, ensure they are well spaced out on a drying rack in a well ventilated space.

Follow Towel Care Instructions

Good-quality bath towels can last for 10 years with proper care. Always check the label on your towels for particular care instructions before proceeding with washing and drying.

I have been a huge fan of Hampton and Astley towels for many years, they wash beautifully. So for me it is definitely worth paying a little extra for good quality long lasting towels.

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

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Intense Bathroom Cleaning with the Queen of Clean

by Bathroom TipsCleaning Tips

Bathrooms are one of the worst places in the home for germs and bacteria to really spread so it’s important that we give the bathroom a real deep clean once a week.

A have put together this simple guide to help you with your intense clean. This should take you approximately 30 minutes. 

Before you start you will need to make sure you have the following

  • Strong Rubber gloves & Apron.
  • Plenty of cloths and a hard scrubbing-brush.
  • Rubbish bag
  • Bucket of warm water
  • Broom/Hoover
  • Multi surface cleaner
  • Bleach
  • Lime scale remover
  • Glass cleaner
  • White wine vinegar
  • Bicarbonate of soda.
  • Sonic Scrubber
  • Karcher Window Cleaner
  • Steamer
  • Lastly tie your hair back

Before you start Clear the Bathroom

Remove all bath towels and bathroom mats.

Remove laundry basket.

Shower curtain if you have one. (put this in the washing machine)

Empty all cabinets.

Clear the sides of any products.

Clear the window seal

Open the window.

Let’s get cleaning

Fill the bath a quarter of the way with hot water and then add in 4 capfuls if neat bleach.  This will soak whilst you carry on cleaning. Don’t forget to open the window. You will see dirt that you didn’t think was there lift to the top.

Always work from the top down when cleaning so start by dusting the ceiling and removing all the cobwebs.

Dust the light fixture.

Remove the vent or fan cover and soak these in warm water, whilst this is soaking clean the fan well.  Then dry the cover and pop this back.

Using glass or window cleaner clean the window and any mirrors.  If you mirrors have bad water marks rub over these will a cut in half lemon and then rinse after approx. 15 mins. Alternatively use a steamer here.

Clean inside all the cupboards using a multipurpose bathroom spray, don’t forget to clean the doors and handles and also reach to the top of the cabinet as dust can settle here and be thick.

Clean the toilet, pay attention to the bottom of the toilet as well as the pan, and add in bleach. If you have any brown toilet marks at the bottom of the pan add in a good quantity of lime scale remover. I always like to give mine a steam too to make sure I have killed all the germs and bacteria.

If you have any lime scale on the taps then use a strong lime scale remover to remove.

Use a small hard brush to scrub the grout and the tiles. Rinse with warm clean water and then buff dry.

Use the same brush to get into any small areas and really scrub clean.

Hoover or sweep the floor.

Use a solution of warm water and detergent to scrub all tiles and the floor.

Rinse the floor with clear warm water and then use a dry cloth to polish dry.

For the plug holes use a drain cleaner or mix bicarbonate of soda together with white wine vinegar

Clean the shower door and base thoroughly. I use my Karcher for the doors as its brilliant.

Soak the shower in bleach and if it has lime scale, spray on some lime scale remover.

Make sure you clean the shower hose and the switches.

Clean the bathroom light cord/switch

Using the bleached water from the bath now scrub the rest of the bath using an abrasive cloth.  Rinse and buff dry.

Finish up

Put all items back in cupboards on the sides etc.

Bring the colour back into your bathroom by bringing in clean towels, mats, accessories and plants.

If you are at home light a few scented candles.

My Bathroom cleaning essentials are

Sonic Scrubber This is such a must as its great as cleaning in between and for tackling limescale.

Karcher This will help remove hard water stains and leave your shower doors with a perfect streak free finish.

Strong rubber gloves Cheap ones easily rip so invest in a good quality pair that fully protect your hands.

Cleaning Caddy  Keep all your bathroom essentials in one box to save you from going up and down the stairs.

As I get asked all the time here is the link for my Glitter toilet seat

If you feel that this has helped you then why not take a look at my simple daily tasks to help you stay on top of your home or Get the children helping out more

Now Enjoy a nice CLEAN Bathroom

Lynsey Queen of Clean xoxox

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How to keep your towels soft and fluffy for longer

by Laundry

Towels can often become dull in colour and hard and crispy in touch if not looked after well. We all love a nice fluffy soft towel when getting out of luxurious bubble bath or shower and we want them to last so we get our moneys worth.  The life expectancy of a good towel is 5 to 10 years and the best quality towels are made from premium fibres such as Egyptian cotton.

I have put together few basic steps for you to help keep your towels looking and feeling good longer

Always wash new towels before you use them and wash them alone. Don’t just buy them and hang them up in your bathroom.  Firstly they have been handled in a shop and then transported home so they will pick up many germs. Plus many manufacturers will use chemicals to create a sleek finish. Wash them on a cold wash with detergent and fabric softener and then tumble dry on a low heat.  Then they will be ready for the bathroom. In future you will be not be using fabric conditioner to wash your towels as this wears down the fibres making them less absorbent.

Always wash your towels separately and with no other garments, choice a gentle laundry detergent without additives as this will stop the colour fading and will protect the fibres. My personal choice is SURF laundry detergents in liquid form. For fluffiness adding a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to the laundry detergent drawer can help bring them back to life and for strong odours add in a capful of white wine vinegar.

Wash your towels at least once a week. But if you a clean freak like me 3 to 4 times a week.

If using a tumble drier always use a low setting and remove them when they are still slightly wet to keep them supple and absorbent. Over heating can wear down the fibres. Then air to dry or put neatly in the airing cupboard.

I love to hang my towels on the line but try not to have the sun directly on them to save the sun from bleaching them. Hide behind another garment or hang in a more shaded area.

When using your towels always hang between washing in an aired bathroom, preferably with the window open.

Never fold or leave on the floor. Hanging towels keeps the mould and mildew at bay and will keep them fresh longer.

Have a separate washing basket for towels. This way they don’t pick up colours from other garments of extra germs.

Follow these simple steps and you will find that your towels stay fluffier and softer longer.

If you are looking to treat yourself to some new towels then Hampton and Astley have given me a unique discount code to share. With this code you will get a set of 7 Egyptians towels half price. They come in 12 different colours.

QUEENOFCLEAN50 https://www.hamptonandastley.com

Each towel in the Hampton and Astley range is made from superior quality 100% Egyptian cotton. The use of these fine cottons affords a soft and supple fabric to the touch and yet one that is durable and long lasting. Furthermore every piece has high absorbency, effortlessly wicking moisture away from the skin to allow for quick and effortless drying.

If you would like to see more of my amazing cleaning tips for the home then click here

As always thank you for reading
Lynsey Queen of Clean xoxo

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