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Keep your home germ free this winter

by Cleaning Tips

We have had the loveliest summer here in the UK but I get the feeling winter is going to hit us with a real bang. With winter comes the cold and flu season. People will be coughing in supermarkets and  the germs will be flying around and unexpectedly hitting us.

During the colder months it is very important to make sure we try to keep our homes germ free.  There are a few basic steps we can all do to help stop the spread of germs and keep our homes germ free.

Hand Washing

It still baffles me that people don’t wash their hands as they come out of the toilet! Washing your hands really is important and really does stop the spread of germs.  The best way to wash your hand is with warm soapy and whilst washing you should pay particular attention to in between your fingers and count to 15 this way you know you have given your hands a really good clean. Wash your hand as soon as you come in as whilst you are out and about you will be touching many germ hot spots from door handles, shopping trolley, shopping baskets, coffee tables and keyboards.

I have invested in one of these Trolley Bags that acts as a basket for those quick trips to the supermarket. I really do highly recommend getting one.

To get your hand on one of these bags take a look here

Keep a small bottle of hand sanitiser in your handbag or pocket and use this as much as you can whilst out and about. Hand sanitiser won’t kill all the germs but it is certainly better than nothing!

Wipe down sides and door handles in your home.

Use an antibacterial spray and cloth to wipe down items people touch frequently such as phones, door handles, drawers, work surfaces, tables, remote controls, the fridge door, toilet handles and seat, light switches, computer keyboards and so on. if you can try to make a point and do this daily.  The dettol antibacterial spray is also really quick and easy to use as all you need to do is simply spray.

Put the toilet seat down when flushing and not in use

Toilets are some of the most germ-infected places in your home. Deep Clean your toilets at least once a week. Try to put down the lid of your toilet seat prior to flushing, to prevent bacteria and germ-infected water from landing on other surfaces in your bathroom, where it can survive for a couple of hours.The germs from your toilet can even hit your ceiling and do not store your toothbrush near your toilet.

Use a good toilet brush too that keeps germs safely locked away. I am a huge fan of this one as it’s not a brush top TOILET BRUSH

Disinfect your cleaning cloths and sponges.

Was these after ever use. There are a few simple ways to keep these clean.  Put them in the dishwasher on the top shelf, pop them in the microwave and run for a few minutes. soak them in boiling water and a disinfecting product whilst you are out or put them in the washing machine on a hot wash. The higher the temperature the better as the heat will kill the bacteria.

Shoes off

Do not let anyone wear shoes in your house. Encourage guests to remove their shoes. Leave a basket near the front door to back this up. You don’t want any mud and dirt coming into your home and spreading germs. If anyone is resilient about taking off their shoes due to health and safety etc. Offer them some Shoe covers

Carpet Cleaning

This is a good time of the year to clean your carpets. Try get into the habit of cleaning carpets once a quarter. I have linked here the one I have this is affordable and works very well. Carpet Cleaner

Bedding and towels

Regularly change bedding and towels and avoid sharing them. When finished with you towel make sure you hang it and keep the bathroom window open so your towel airs and driers. Try to prevent towels touching each other when being used by other household members. .

Invest in a Humidifier

Using a humidifier over the winter months can really help. They improve sleep, help you breather better, cough less and improve sinuses. You really don’t have to spend a lot of money on one of these either.  I use this one in Jake’s room – Cool Mist humidifier

I hope you have found this useful, you could always wear a face mask but that is not always practical! 

Thanks for reading
Lynsey Queen of Clean xoxo

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laundry

Drying your Laundry over the winter months

by Laundry

Getting your laundry done when you no longer have the facility of the washing line in the winter can be a real pain. Who really wants to go out in the freezing cold and hang out there washing when the chances are it probably won’t dry. This can make getting your daily laundry done a real chore.  We are left with not many options and one is to dry our clothes indoors, which to me can be really unhealthy and potentially cause mould and mildew.

I have put together some solutions that will hopefully help you out and make the winter laundry more bearable.

Extra spin 

When your laundry cycle  has finished do an extra spin.  You will be surprised at how much this can help with the drying time and how much more water is removed. The washing machine uses less energy than the tumble dryer so this is definitely worth trying.

Tumbe Dryer

Running a tumble drier can be expensive so I highly recommend adding in wool tumble dryer balls these will speed up your drying time, reduce static and prevent your clothes getting tangled. These fabulous balls also give off a fresh scent too so an added bonus! For a small load add in 3 balls and a larger load 6 balls, they will last approx 1000 uses. Just store them in your tumble dryer so you never forget to add them in.

Create a drying space.

If you are lucky enough choose a spare bedroom or unused room for your drying racks . Keep the room well ventilated. Open the windows and shut the door so the fresh air can circulate.

Hang garments

One of my favourite drying tricks is to hang clothes on coat hangers and then hang them on the curtain rail with the window ajar or on the bathroom shower rail.  You will be so surprised at how quickly clothes can dry like this plus it also makes the clothes less creased so much easier to iron, if you need to iron them at all.

Good non slip hangers are essential to keep your garments in shape.

A Dehumidifier

A DEHUMIDIFIER is another great option to help dry cloths. Some of the newer models are so advance and have setting specially designed for drying clothes. The drying mode is very suitable for wet weather or seasons. It can remove excessive moisture from clothes and keep them dry and clean. 

Portable Electric Cloths Dryer

Electric cloths driers are a great alternative to the tumble drier. They are energy efficient, simple and easy to assemble. The heated, thermostatically controlled, lightweight aluminium frames will dry your laundry gently – perfect for delicates like satin & silk that are not suitable for a tumble dryer and cost as little as 10p per hour to run.

Do not over loads radiators

Don’t hang clothes on the actual radiators as this will make your boiler work harder and increase your heating bills. Instead opt for the Radiator airers and you will find the clothes crease less too so much easier to iron. These radiator aires are easily attached to a radiator, and because of the robust arms that keep your clothing safe while they dry, they will remain firmly in place. Folds flat for easy storage when not in use. A plastic covering on the drying rack for clothes gives you the assurance of a long, rust-free life. The arms will firmly stay in place over the radiator, bath, or door, keeping your laundry secure while drying.

Cold and sunny winter day

I love my washing line and still believe the best way of drying clothes is outside. I  will hang some of my washing out to dry outside if it’s a cold sunny winters day.  Light items such as shirts and bedding will dry if they are outside for the majority of the day but when you bring the washing in it will feel cold. By drying our clothes outside we keep them fresh and well aired. This avoids moisture being trapped in the fibres encouraging musty smells that are always unpleasant.  Putting clothes away clean and aired will enhance the life of any garment over time, which means your favourites remain your favourites for longer!

Don’t forget the sun is also a natural disinfectant and bleaching agent so if the sun is out make sure you get it out.

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