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Sustainable spring cleaning tips

by Cleaning Tips

As we welcome the vibrant energy of spring, it is the perfect time to refresh our homes. As more and more of us are choosing more eco friendly ways of looking after our homes let me share with you a few sustainable spring clean tips where every scrub and sweep contributes to a healthier environment.

Swap Out Single-Use: Replace disposable cleaning wipes with reusable cloths or microfiber towels. They’re washable and more eco-friendly.

DIY Cleaners: Make your own cleaning solutions using simple ingredients like white vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, citric acid and lemon juice. They’re effective, non-toxic, and reduce plastic waste.

Opt for Refills: Choose cleaning products that offer refill options to minimise packaging waste. Many companies now offer bulk refill stations or concentrate refills.

Donate or Upcycle: Instead of throwing away unwanted items, donate them to local charities or upcycle them into something new. It’s a great way to reduce waste and give items a new life.

Energy-Efficient Cleaning: Use cold water when using the washing machine, clothes will still wash well at just 20 degrees and air dry clothes on the washing line or on an airer in a well aired room instead of using the dryer to save energy and reduce your carbon footprint.

Declutter Mindfully: Before tossing items, consider if they can be repurposed, repaired, or recycled. Decluttering responsibly helps reduce landfill waste and don’t forget to donate, local facebook selling groups are great for gifting on and charity shops don’t just take clothes they will also take good quality kitchen items such as bread makers and coffee machines.

Plant-Based Brushes: Choose cleaning tools made from sustainable materials like bamboo or recycled plastic. They’re durable and better for the environment. Bamboo dusters can last years and are easy to keep clean.

Support Eco-Friendly Brands: Look for cleaning products from companies committed to sustainability, with eco-friendly packaging and ingredients. One of my favourite eco brand is Miniml they have a great range of products in refillable packaging.

Compost Food Scraps: Instead of throwing food scraps in the trash, compost them to reduce waste and create nutrient-rich soil for your garden.

Share and Borrow: Borrow cleaning tools or equipment from neighbour’s or friends instead of buying new ones. Sharing resources helps minimise consumption and waste. For example carpet cleaning machines are items we probably only use 3 or 4 times a year and not everyone has the storage for one.

Let’s embrace a greener approach to spring cleaning for a healthier planet! 🌍

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How to hang clothes on a washing line

by Laundry

Is there are a right way and a wrong way to hang clothes on the line?

You bet there is! If you’ve ever wondered why your clothes take so long to dry, or why they’re an odd shape, or why you have to iron every single item to get it looking presentable to wear, read on for my advice on the correct way to hang clothes on the line allowing fast-drying, wrinkle-free results!

USE THE BEST PEGS

Your choice of clothes peg is important and there is no one size fits all the choice is huge and if you are not sure what to look for then check out my top peg buying tips.

Material

Clothes pegs are usually made from plastic, stainless steel or wood. Plastic clothes pegs are durable and weather resistant, but they can be flimsy, snap easily especially in the colder weather and sometimes struggle to hold heavier items.

Stainless steel clothes pegs are durable and strong, while wooden clothes pegs offer a traditional look and are much better for the environment.

Size

Clothes pegs are available in a range of sizes. Smaller clothes pegs struggle to hold heavier items like wet jeans, bed linen or winter coats. You’ll need to use more of them per item, which will give you less overall. Large and robust clothes pegs are suitable for heavier items.

Grip

If your garden is exposed to the elements, you’ll need clothes pegs with good grip. Those with a tough and sturdy spring can hold heavier items, but delicate garments can become damaged if your pegs grip too harshly. For silks, satins and delicate items of clothing, go for soft grip and gentle pegs.

Durability

Durability and weather resistance is important, as all too often the springs snap under a heavy weight, leaving your clothes a crumpled mess on the floor! Wooden clothes pegs are usually very strong but they’re rarely weather resistant. Ensure you read reviews before you make a purchase.

INVEST IN THE BEST WASHING LINE FOR YOUR FAMILY

Ensure you get a clothesline that matches your largest laundry load. A 9/10kg drum holds a lot of washing. If you use a washing line that is too small this will mean you have to do multiple, smaller loads; or overload your clothesline, which leads to longer drying times, potentially wrinkles and much more of your time.

PEG SHARING

Sharing pegs on the line might be quicker when hanging out and save line space, however, it’s not recommended to give your clothes the best chance to dry quickly. Give your laundry enough space between items to allow better airflow for drying and to avoid causing wrinkles. The more airflow the better. Lighter items, such as gym clothes, shirts and pillow cases dry much quicker than heavier items so they don’t need as much space between items. Hanging your clothes out on a sunny day even in winter will dry your clothes quicker so the spacing is not as much of an issue.

SHAKE BEFORE HANGING THEM

As soon as you take your washing out of your washing machine you must shake them and make sure nothing has got tangled. Sometimes when you grab your wet laundry you will find a pair of trousers that has a leg inside out or a shirt with one sleeve tangled inside itself. Pull it back into shape and give it a light shake. but be mindful that items can stretch when wet so be careful not to shake to hard.

HANGING ITEMS THE WRONG WAY UP

We all hate unsightly peg marks on shoulders and shirt hems, but which is better – hanging clothes upside-down or right-side-up? Hanging your items upside-down will mean you won’t stretch the shoulders/arms of shirts, or the waist of trousers. The best way for shirts is to hang them on the line with a coat hanger, as this reduces the chance of wrinkles and makes the so much easier to iron.

The old fashioned saying is

If you wear it on top hang it from the top

If you wear it on the bottom hang it from the bottom

But this rule doesn’t work for everything, sometimes you just need to make your own judgement call with laundry hacks.

The best way to hang sheets on the line is to hang your sheets over multiple lines to give them the best airflow for drying. This also works for heavy items, such as blankets and throws. Hanging heavy items over multiple lines will spread the weight so your clothesline stays taught for longer. If you only have one clothesline, try to hang your heavy items lengthways on the line so the weight is spread out as much as possible.

Check out some of my laundry favourites

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Lets get prepared for the Big Spring Clean

by Cleaning Tips

Spring cleaning is not just great for your home but it is so good for your mind and mood too.

Spring is an exciting time, full of hope and positivity and makes it the perfect season to get our homes in order. Getting your home ready for spring will ensure you will be ready to enjoy the warmer weather when it comes, after all who wants to be inside organising and tidying when it is glorious outside!

But before you get started you probably have some re-organising to do and one advantage of this is you are more than likely going to find something you have misplaced or even some money that you are hidden away to keep safe!

Spring cleaning usually involves getting rid of old clothing, furnishings, and odds and ends. So set aside before you start for a good decluttering session. Don’t forget to recycle, use charity shops and woman’s shelters who will be so grateful of any clothing you are no longer wearing.

Organise a car boot sale or garage sale to make yourself some money too.

National Spring Cleaning week usually starts early march but continues on well into May due to our very unpredictable weather.

Many of us start to feel so much more motivated by the sunshine and mild temperatures.

Essential items to get ready for your big Spring Clean:

  • Vacuum cleaner, give it a good clean before you start
  • Steam cleaner, the power of steam will break down dirt with ease
  • Flat headed mop with good microfibre pad
  • Microfibre cloths
  • Glass cleaning cloths
  • Paper towels
  • Heavy duty bin bags
  • soft bristle brushes
  • Large tubs for your organising
  • Versatile cleaning products
  • Carpet cleaner, if you don’t have one hire one

Follow a plan

Time

Set aside some time in your diary for Spring Cleaning.  Make sure you book nothing else in on these days or simply follow my 30 day spring cleaning challenge, this is so easy and is just one simple task a day. If you have been keeping on top of your housework this works really well.

Plan

Write down a list of what you want to achieve, plan room by room and stick to it.  Have a walk around your home with a pen and paper and write down those tasks that need doing. Involve other household members even kids there are always tasks they can safely help with.  Incentivise their work with a small reward. 

I have created a Spring Cleaning Checklist which may give you some ideas, there is nothing better than ticking off a task as it is completed such a satisfying feeling.

Create a fun playlist

Turn of distractions such as your phone and TV and instead create a fun motivational playlist with your favourite music. 

If you not expecting your door bell to go then don’t answer it, a simple distractions can set your back so just keep going.

Declutter

Freshen up your rooms by removing unnecessary objects from tabletops and shelves, store them accordingly or you don’t need sell or donate to charity.

Replace them with a single arrangement of fresh flowers. Flowers really can bring a room together and create a sense of happiness. House hold declutter can be a problem for many people, it can so easily build up into a huge mountain but this time of year is a great time to get working through that mountain.

Go for it

Be prepared, have all your tools to hand such as cleaning products, a full charged vacuum, apron, and rubber gloves.  If you are not sure what cleaning products to have download a copy of my cleaning caddy checklist.

Ensure you are wearing comfortable clothes and have a good breakfast, so you are full of energy. 

Throw open the windows for fresh air and to keep you motivated, nothing like a cold blast of wind to get you moving to warm you up.

Load up your cleaning caddy and go for it.

Some tasks to include in your big spring clean

Tackle cobwebs

Clean over the front door, sweep away leaves and bash the mat

Take down curtains and wash them or steam them

Have a clean and sort under beds

Wash and polish internal doors and handles

Wash out your dustbins

Remove dead leaves from indoor plants

Wash window seals and touch up any chipped paint

Move and clean under furniture such as sofas and tables.

Don’t forget you can easily lift a room by simply transitioning. Replace your winter candles and diffussers with spring fragranced ones.

Switch up winter throws and cushion covers for more spring like ones, use brighter more positive colours. Simple changes like this are much cheaper than decorating and gives a room a huge lift.

If you feel that having a big spring clean is a bit overwhelming for you then start small. Start in one corner of your home and you will be amazed at how satisfying it is to look at the tidy space, which would be a great motivation to go on and tackle another corner.

Don’t forget my book THE EASY LIFE breaks your cleaning down into seasonal tasks making your cleaning and tidying so much easier.