Counter bad habits with good ones for a tidier house...

As I'm typing this, I'm watching 'How Clean is your House?'. I know I've mentioned the show before, but I think there is allot to be learned from these shows to show how quickly a house can get so out of control that it poses a health threat. Not that a bit of dirt is dangerous, but a buildup of dirt, dust and damp is. Most people who's houses are dirty say things like "I'm not unclean, I'm just untidy" or "I actually hate living in an unclean house" and "It's so bad I don't know where to start".


The problem ALWAYS starts with untidiness. Once the clutter takes over, the surfaces are unreachable and things need moving before you can clean, so things just don't get cleaned. You cannot clean an untidy house, and an untidy house is daunting! But can all these untidy people change? Untidiness is normally a result of bad habits, habits that people can't seem to change.

Photo from and episode of How Clean is your House

Regular readers of my blog will know that I have said before, I am not naturally tidy, at all... my bedroom as a child and my student flat both had at times, a floor covered in clothes/wet towels etc. So what has changed? Well, I haven't changed, I still have very bad habits, the difference now is I admit I have bad habits, and I've developed good habits to counter the bad habits. Yes, at times our house does get very untidy, especially when there's a bit of DIY decorating going on. I can sympathise with the above statements, but the secret to a clean house, really is being tidy and clutter-free. Let's be honest there is no such thing as a 'clean untidy house'. So what can be done? The solution lies in first identifying the bad habits.

Here's an example of how a chaotic house starts off.

Let's start with a clean slate and imagine I've just finished my spring cleaning and the house is perfect on a Sunday night. This is what happens.
1- Sunday night I go to bed, and leave my clothes from that day on the floor after I get into my pajamas.
2- The next morning Mr L has a shower, and leaves his towel on the bathroom floor.
3- When we get home Monday evening I leave my coat on the sofa, sit down with a cup of tea and kick my shoes off. Mr L gets home, and after dinner he too kicks his shoes off when he sits on the sofa, and takes his jumper off because the house is nice an warm.
4- Then we take the dog for a walk, and it's raining outside, so he treads through the house with his wet feet, and chews his post walk biscuit on the rug.

In only one day we have gone from a perfectly clean house, to a bathroom that has wet towel on the floor, a bedroom with clothes on the floor, a living room with a coat and a jumper on the sofas, 4 shoes on the rug (and probably their socks too) and muddy footprints along with biscuit crumbs on the rug. And this example doesn't even include the cooking in the kitchen, the toothpaste in the sink or the dog hairs on the sofa. Now imagine another five days like this passes, and you can imagine that you already have a house that feels out of control and daunting to clean. so how do we change this scenario? All it takes is a bit of time to remember to look around and see what needs doing. Here's how we can change the same scenario with the bad habits still in place.

1- Sunday night I go to bed, and leave my clothes from that day on the floor after I get into my pajamas. Just before I put the lights out, I fold my jeans that are were only worn once, and put my undies and top in the laundry basket.
2- The next morning Mr L has a shower, and leaves his towel on the bathroom floor, I walk past and remind him nicely to hang it up and wipe the shower door down with the squeegee.
3- When we get home Monday evening I leave my coat on the sofa, sit down with a cup of tea and kick my shoes off. Mr L gets home, and after dinner he too kicks his shoes off when he sits on the sofa, and takes his jumper off because the house is nice an warm.
4- Then we take the dog for a walk, and it's raining outside, so I put a doggy towel at the front door to wipe his feet on. The dog then chews his post-walk biscuit on the rug. Before our favourite program starts, I set my timer for 5 minutes in which time I tidy away anything that doesn't belong in the lounge, and do a quick vacuum of the rug whilst Mr L unpacks the dishwasher in the kitchen so that we can use it the next morning.

Taking time to look at what is out of place, is a great way to start cleaning. so stop feeling guilty for the bad habits, and don't get mad at your partner for theirs either. Some bad habits are so ingrained that you're better off developing a new good habit than trying to un-learn a bad habit. With your good habit in place (give it time, actions take between 20-30 days to become a real habit) without realising it you might unknowingly stop the bad habit, and if you don't, oh well, you know you'll do something about it. And once your house is tidy, well then the surfaces are quick and easy to clean, and the vacuum cleaner can glide over the rug without the risk of getting a sock stuck in it.

Have you got any bad habits you'd like to confess?

Have a great weekend!
x

How often to clean what...

I hope everyone in the UK has been enjoying the lovely sunshine! It's been scorching hot yesterday and today, but lovely... just what we need really.

I've been bad at getting into my old routine after our holiday (hence not posting regularly). Even our healthy eating seems to have gone out the window since our return. So every now and then I think it's a good thing to be reminded of the basics around that need to be done, so I thought I'd do a post about how often what needs to be done about the house as a reference for others and a reminder for myself. Of course this is only a rough guide, and every household would need to adjust it accordingly. For instance having a dog with muddy paws probably means vacuuming or mopping needs to be done more frequently than in other households. But a basic guide is a great way to help write up a cleaning routine. I myself find looking at these daunting, but the point of them is not to make more work but rather to help create a schedule so that work around the house can be done efficiently and regularly enough so that no job becomes a major task. I'll start from daily tasks through to tasks that need only be done yearly.

Just a small note: Please don't allow this list to make you feel bad for not doing all of these things all of the time. I certainly don't get all of this done, but if you try an do as many of these just as regularly as you can you certainly have nothing to worry about. I remind myself that it's not a requirement but just things I could do to show that I appreciate my house.

Daily tasks

• Make the bed
• Put dirty clothhes in the laundry bin, and hang up or fold the rest
• Sort out laundry, whether it's puttin on the washing, hanging it up or ironing
• Wipe the bath, shower and sink after use
• Wipe down kitchen surfaces after use, and clean the sink
• Wash the dishes/ load and unload the dishwasher
• Tidy away books and magazines in the sitting room/bedroom
• Sweep or vacuum floors as needed
  

Once a week tasks

• Thoroughly vacuum carpets and rugs
• Dust all surfaces
• Change the bedlinen
• Clean and disinfect the toilet bowl
• Clean surfaces and fixtures in the bathroom
• Clean mirror
• Shopping for food and non-food items
  

Tasks for once a month

• Clean the windows (or every other month depending on where you live)
• File all papers
• Turn and vacuum matresses
• Wash mattress & pillow protectors
• Wash the inside of the dishwasher and washing machine (vinegar is perfect for the job), and wipe down the rubber seals with some vinegar
• Wash hair and make-up brushes
• Wash scuff marks on walls and paint work
• Wipe down the oven, microwave and fridge shelves and kitchen cupboard doors
  

Spring cleaning tasks for once a year

• De-clutter by discarding old magazines, outdated catalogues, clothes you no longer wear, and electronics that don't work.
• Check and replace batteries in torches, remote controls, alarm clocks etc.
• Polish furniture
• Wash ornaments
• Dust or vacuum books
• Clean light fittings, shades or chandeliers
• Shampoo carpets, and have soft furnishings, curtains and blinds cleaned
• Turn-out and clean the loft/attic/garage
• Empty and clean all cupboards that are rarely used.
  

I know! Other than the shopping for non-food items (now that I can do!), this is quite a list and probably reminds you that housework is never done. And well, okay it's not really. But if you have a routine or a list of things to do at a time, or even if you do 10 minute timer cleaning, you will be done for the day and put your free time to something else. For me it's about changing my mindset about housework from seeing at as a chore, to seeing it as just a daily thing I do because I appreciate that I have a roof over my head, and a lovely space to which I come home to. Without wanting to sound airy fairy, we need to love our homes and enjoy them regardless of it's size or status.

Have a great week! I hope to catch up with you all soon
x

Sources:
The Housewife's Handbook by Rachel Simhon
Home Comforts by Cheryl Mendleson
How to be the perfect Housewife by Anthea Turner

Herbs in the home

I'm very late with this post, mainly because we've had some trouble with our Internet connection, broke down in my car on the motorway yesterday - long story - and we've been packing for our holiday. But today's post is one I feel passionate about. I love herbs, growing them and using them for cooking. But herbs are also great to use around the home. In fact, have you seen the BBC show 'How to grow your own drugs' ? Sounds a bit dodgy I know, but it's not at all. The presenter is a botanist showing how to make basic health remedies from herbs you can grow in the garden... I've got my eye on the book, and it's on my Amazon wish list now. One of the great recipes shows how to use hops under your pillow to relieve insomnia - so simple, but apparently is works.



As you might have noticed before, I am not a fan of chemicals and generally prefer 'natural' solutions. I've gathered some great simple and natural recipes for using herbs to clean and freshen the home, I hope you can make use of them. I've not tried all of these myself, but do let me know if you use any of these successfully. And I think Spring is just the right time to try them out!

Many of these recipes include Eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptus is a great oil that every household should have alongside a bottle of Lavender oil. It's also readily available from supermarkets and chemists. Eucalyptus is not only a disinfectant, but will also keep pests such as moths and fleas out of your home, and it smells really fresh too.

Lavender fresh carpets
The first recipe is one I saw on the program "How Clean is Your House?" with the brilliant and funny Kim and Aggie. Mind you, it's a pretty grim program, and I reckon most people watch it to be able to say 'at least my house isn't THAT bad'. Goodness, I hope there aren't many houses around as dirty as those ones - some of the houses shown on the program makes me feel ill, yuk! This recipe is to freshen up carpets in preparation for vacuuming...


Mix some bicarbonate of soda with some fresh lavender that has been slightly bruised and crushed in a pestle and mortar. Add them to a shaker pot and sprinkle over the carpet surface. Leave for approximately 30 minutes before vacuuming the carpet thoroughly.

The lavender not only makes your carpet smells nice, but as it gets vacuumed up, the lavender scent will be spread around the room through the vacuum's air outlet... lovely!


All Purpouse Thyme Cleaner
Thyme is a disinfecting herb that can be used safely around the house.

2 1/2 cups water
1 handful thyme (fresh or dried)
Vinegar
Liquid castille soap (squirt)

Boil the water and then add the thyme. Simmer for 3 hours over medium-low heat, covered. Cool, then strain. Pour the water into a spray bottle, top with white vinegar and add a squirt of soap. Use as needed.


Herb Disinfectant Cleaner
This spray cleaner disinfects surfaces, kills mold, and discourages its return. Eucalyptus,
lavender, and tea tree are all known for their antimicrobial properties.
1 tsp. sodium lauryl sulfate
1 tsp. borax
2 Tbs. white vinegar
2 cups hot water
1/4 tsp. eucalyptus essential oil
1/4 tsp. lavender essential oil
3 drops tea tree essential oil
Mix all ingredients together and stir until dry ingredients dissolve. Pour into spray bottle. To use, spray as needed on any surface except glass. Scrub and rinse with clean, damp cloth.
*Source: The Herb Companion, September 1999

Lavender Laundry
A brilliant Martha tip: Add a Lavender Bag to your dryer when drying your linen and sheets. Can be used at least 25 times.


Lavender Gentle Scourer
3/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup powdered milk
1/8 cup (one-eighth) liquid castile soap
5 drops lavender Essential Oil

Combine all ingredients and add enough water to make a smooth paste. Apply to surface, then wipe area clean with a damp sponge or cloth. Rinse well.

Linen Spray
1/2 cup Distilled Water
1/2 cup Vodka
10 drops Eucalyptus oil or any other favourite essential oil

Mix the ingredients and pour into a spray bottle. Shake before use.

Tub Scrub
1 cup Baking Soda
15 drops Eucalyptus oil

Mix the baking soda and oil well then scrub onto bathroom tub and sink with a damp sponge. Leave sit for a bit before rinsing off with clear warm water. I can personally vouch for this recipe working a treat! It really does take the hard work out of cleaning a dirty bathtub and leaves the bathroom smelling clean.

I hope you enjoy and try out some of these - do let me know how you find them in comparison to the usual chemicals in brightly coloured bottles you can buy? I still get sidetracked and end up buying some, but I'm always sorry when I smell those nasty smells.

I found many of the recipes from this fabulous website, take a look for some more:
http://tipnut.com/homemade-herbal-cleaner-recipes/

And a great website to buy bulk cleaning basics such as borax and castille soap in the UK is Summer Naturals.

I'll be away for two weeks - we're off to Egypt! It will be our first ever visit there, and I'm ridiculously excited about it, walking around the house singing 'walk like an Egyptian' over and over. It also means two weeks to get me out of my cleaning routine, so I'll need to remind myself how to do things by the time I get back, so right now I'm off to clean the house before our holiday. Getting back from holiday is always a bit of a downer, but less so if you return to a clean and fresh home. Have a great couple of weeks!


xxx

Scrub-a-dub-dub

Happy Easter everyone! I hope you are all having a wonderful Easter weekend. We are definitely relaxing a bit this weekend, but we've also still been busy with our spring cleaning. This morning we did a quick 10 minute tidy downstairs, and 20 minutes upstairs using the timer - it worked great and means I can put my feet up for the rest of the weekend. As promised however, here is my post about scrubbing a floor...

I'm not sure if I should admit this or not, but here goes... I have never in my life scrubbed a floor. Mopped, yes of course, I have mopped my floors many times, and may I just add that my floors are mostly pretty clean because I sweep them with a hard bristle broom before mopping. But since it's spring and I've kind of always wanted to try this (probably because I watched the Cinderella movie too many times as a child), I decided to try it myself and blog about it. The majority of our house downstairs has laminate floors, and they don't need scrubbing. Our bathroom floor is a shiny tiny tile floor that I simply wipe clean along with the rest of the bathroom. But our kitchen floor is a lovely uneven slate floor. It's probably about time that it has a 'deep clean'. So I'm on a mission to find out what all the fuss is about scrubbing on your hands an knees, and will it really leave my floor cleaner, undamaged and sparkling?

Before we get started, let me just say that even my Martha Stewart Homekeeping Handbook mentions that scrubbing is not something that needs to be done on a regular basis... phew, I almost started feeling guilty. Secondly, never scrub a surface that cannot handle being waterlogged, or is prone to scratching (eg. wood, laminate, vinyl).

Some people claim that scrubbing a floor on your hands and knees is therapeutic, and having literally just finished I can kind of agree, but I'm more impressed with the amount of calories I must have burnt doing that - bring on a slice of Easter cake!

Let's get started with the supplies, and of course, please do let me know if I have got any of
this wrong, I am after all just a novice at this.

You will need:

• Floor scrubbing brush
• Knee pads or a kneeling cushion (even if you are young and spritely, knees are sensitive things - I used an old cushion that I popped into a plastic carrier bag)
  
• 6 or 7 drops of dish soap in a bucket filed with a gallon of hot water.
• A second bucket filled with clear water
  
• Absorbent sponge, an old towel or a big floor cloth
• 

1. Starting in a corner and working your way towards the entrance of a room, dip the scrub brush in the soapy water and scrub floor in a circular motion paying particular attention to grubby bits and grooves.
   
2. Dip the scrub brush in the bucket with plain water before re-dipping it in the soapy water to repeat step 1 as you move along the floor.
3. When you've covered all of the floor surface, rinse both buckets and fill one with fresh clear water. Roughly go over the floor surface again using long circular strokes, dipping the scrub brush every so often.
4. Use an absorbent sponge, old towel or a floor cloth to mop up excess water to allow the floor to dry quicker.
   

This is me having a go....

So what's the verdict? I'm pleasantly surprised how quick it was (okay, so my kitchen is quite small), and that I didn't feel at all like Cinderella, boo. The kitchen floor does however look cleaner for it, but once again, I don't think this is a task I would add to my weekly cleaning routine (I love my mop too much), but it sure was a great spring clean task. Now, with a stronger back and a distinct lack of guilt I can go have an extra Easter egg for my effort.
xxx

PS: I might just share my new favourite recipe with you on Monday - the best Steak Salad ever!!! Yum.

Freshen up!

I'm back from my trip to South Africa... as well as having some lovely moments with my family, some sunshine and excellent food I've come back very relaxed and too embarrassed to post because my housework has been so behind. But never mind because in the northern hemisphere Spring is officially here! In the UK we have had some lovely sunny days for the past week, as a matter of fact it feels like I'm still in South Africa some days. With spring in full swing there's no hiding from the fact that's it's time to thoroughly clean the house.

So have any of you started the Spring clean routine? I have started a bit today, I say a bit because I was distracted yet again by the gorgeous sunshine and ended up doing this for half the day....

What's better than a good book in a hammock under the sun? Not much I tell ya!

So as the title of this post says, spring time is time to 'freshen up' the house. It's a time to open all the windows so that air can circulate, hang the laundry outside again, and get rid of clutter. This really is the one time of year when the days are getting longer and our energy levels increase, so there really is no better time to de-clutter than in the spring. And what a great time to clean those places you don't get to clean regularly. But just starting to spring clean without a plan is like trying to do grocery shopping without a planned menu... it could work, but you might not get through everything or have everything that's needed to get you through. So if you haven't got a plan just yet, then here are some ideas to get you started (and me of course because I need to get off my backside and do this properly before Spring is over).

• Make a list of things that really bother you around the house (that Tupperware cupboard, or under the stairs for instance?) Prioritise, and decide which tasks are achievable for a spring clean. Start with these tasks.
  
• Shake any rugs outside and sweep or vacuum underneath them.
• Move all the furniture, cleaning behind and under it - doing room by room.
• Dust and wash walls removing marks and stains.
• Thoroughly vacuum upholstery
• Go through items in the wardrobes and throw out items that have not been worn in the past season and store away any winter clothing if you need the extra space.
• And my favourite task: hang all quilts, pillows, cushions and blankets (without their covers) in the bright sunshine - it gets rid of those nasty dust mites and brings the smell of the sun back into the house.
  

There are of course lots of other tasks that can be done for spring cleaning, but it can be daunting if you decide to tackle your entire house at once. Because I work full-time, I have decided to dedicate two evenings a week to spring cleaning. And some tasks that I don't feel are urgent I am writing on a list to do in the autumn (washing curtains and re-organising our house filing drawers are just a couple of examples).

What have you done for your spring clean so far?
I hope you have all been well, it's good to be back! I've got lost of post lined up for this season... some more recipes to share, as well as a post about using herbs around the house, a post about South African home keeping and a post about scrubbing floors the old fashioned way - sometimes it just has to be done.

Have a lovely week!
xxx

PS: Happy Mother's Day to those mum's in the UK (and anywhere else that's celebrating today).

All those Dirty Dishes...

Before Christmas is upon us, with the never ending food feasting resulting in stacks of dirty plates, greasy trays and well used drink glasses I thought I should do a post about washing dishes. Yes, I realise most people know how to do this, but at Christmas time it can all seem really daunting. This post is more of a reminder about how to do it properly to save time, effort, water and our nerves.

Now I suppose there is going to be a divide between those with a dishwasher, and those without. But I will be addressing both of these, because even a dishwasher has a right and wrong way to be used. Plus, everyone knows that at Christmas time, it's impossible to fit everything into your dishwasher, and some items are too fragile or valuable to be put into a dishwasher.

Let's get started with hand washing dishes...

1. Start off by arranging all the items that are to be hand washed on one side of the sink. Scrape off any food, check that all glasses and mugs have been emptied and rinse any greasy pots and pans with hot water, then fill with hot soapy water and set aside to soak. Utensils can be left inside these pots for soaking too. And finally rinse any particularly dirty items under the tap. There should be no items left in the sink.
2. Make sure the sink is clean and free of food and grease. Fill the sink with hot water, but not so hot as to scold your hands. The temperature for water to kill germs at are higher than possible for hand washing dishes, but the warmer the water, the easier it will be to get rid of grease. Add dishwashing soap, remember that you don't need much soap. Clear the space on the other side of the sink for draining, or use a draining board.
3. This is where we might have a differing opinion, but if you have a second sink, fill it with clear hot water for rinsing. Alternatively use a large plastic washing up bowl (like the ones you use for camping). I prefer to rinse my dishes and glassware because I don't like soap suds staying behind, but I also realise that doing this under a running tap wastes allot of water.If you don't believe in rinsing dishes for water conservation purposes, just make sure you dry the dishes well with a dishcloth to get rid of the soapy deposits.
4. Start off with washing the fragile and cleanest items first with a soft cloth. These will normally be glasses, and so they will need to be dried with a cloth to prevent soap and water spots from forming.
5. Next up is the silverware. Place all items into the sink and wash each piece as you pick it out of the water, then dipping into the rinsing sink and putting aside for drying.
6. For the plates, start off again with the cleaner ones such as plates that were used for bread of butter, stacking them all in the sink and working your way through the stack with a sponge to make sure you get rid of the grimier bits. Don't forget to wash the back of the plates since they have most likely been stacked on top of the other dirty plates. Keep going until all the plates have been done.
7. The next lot to go in the sink are the mixing bowls and not-so-greasy bowls and serving dishes and utensils. You might find that the water has now become too filthy and needs changing, but give any bowls and serving dishes left a swish in the water anyway before you empty the sink. Once the sink is empty remember to pour out any water that you left in the pots and pans to soak.
8. Now tackle the pots, pans and roasting trays starting with the cleanest. Never use a scourer on non-stick surfaces, I find a washing up brush is brilliant for quickly and easily removing stubborn food and grease from pots and pans without damaging them- I get mine from IKEA. For extremely greasy pans and trays, you might want to drain the water and scrub them on their own, rinsing when all the bits have been scrubbed off.
9. After all the clean dishes have been packed away (well done!), drain, wash and rinse the sink. Wipe down the counters, stove top, and even cupboards where spills have occurred with a sponge or damp dishcloth. Then dry everything with a clean and dry cloth (including the sink and taps!). Collect all the dishtowels for washing.
   

Aah, a lovely clean kitchen ready for the next meal, and of course next set
of dirty dishes :)



Our dishwasher broke last week. Very frustrating just before Christmas, and even worse when we found out it would cost £100 to get someone to come and look at it! In the end, Mr Laundrybasketcase started taking it apart and realised that although we were occasionally cleaning the filter, the spray mechanism had become packed up with bits of food (raisins from my breakfast muesli in particular - I didn't even realise that I left any raisin behind in the bowl). So lesson learnt... unless your dishwasher states that it is amazing and you don't need to clear off any bits of food before it goes in, always scrape off any bits of food before you pack the dishwasher! So this weekend I am buying us one of these:

it's a silicone bowl scraper, how convenient!

Anyway, onto how to properly use and load a dishwasher.

The most important thing about loading a dishwasher is to leave just enough
space between items so that the water and soap can get to all the surfaces, so there are some steps as to the correct way of loading the dishwasher.

1. Don't waste water to rinse dishes, but rather scrape all dishes clean of food particles with a bowl scraper or use some old scrunched up paper or packaging that's bound for the bin anyway. Certain have been cooked or baked and dried onto items (and rice particles definitely need to be scraped off). These items will need pre-soaking or hand washing. foods don't always wash off in the dishwasher, in particular proteins that
2. Fragile as well as plastic and Tupperware items need to go in the top part of the dishwasher, these include mugs, glasses, small, bowls and any awkward items that don't fit anywhere else.
3. Cutlery can go into the basket, put like with like, so all the forks go in one compartment, the spoons in the next etc. To create more space so that the items come out clean, place utensils in the basket with the handles one up one down (so for every fork with a handle up, put a fork with the handle down in).
4. Bigger utensils can be placed on their sides in the top rack, once again making sure they do not lie against each other preventing them from getting clean. Good knives, especially wooden handled ones should be hand washed because the can be dulled in the dishwasher. Wooden spoons and cutting boards should also not be placed in the dishwasher because they can split.
5. Plastic chopping boards and thin roasting tins can go sideways on the sides of the bottom rack. Plates should all be stacked parallel in the slots. Once again, putting like with like will make unloading the dishwasher easier.
6. Pots and pans go in the bottom rack facing downwards. Don't pile things over one another or they won't get clean.
7. After adding detergent and rinse aid there are three things you should routinely check before switching on the dishwasher: 1- No breakables should be touching the sides of the dishwasher. 2- The rotating arm is not obstructed and can spin freely. 3- the detergent cup is nor obstructed and can open freely.
   

And there you have it! You should end up with a dishwasher full of lovely sparkling items by the end of the wash cycle.

I've just finished the cleaning and dishes in the kitchen after the mess I made with the mince-pie making (Lesley, I saved you one- but Banjo ate it! So sorry :) Aah, it's so nice to have a clean kitchen.


I'll be taking a Christmas break from now until the new year. Although I'll not be blogging, I will most certainly try to keep up the home keeping.

Thank you to everyone who reads my blog and leaves me comments!
To all my loveliest blogging friends including Ivy, Lesley, Lorilee, Judy, Melmel, Kelley, Steph, Mary Poppins, Victoria, Debbie, Mary, lovely Vintage Kitten, Josie-Mary, Caroline, A Thrifty Mrs, Lori, Claire and Clare (and everyone else who reads) have a wonderful Christmas! And I will catch up with you all in the New Year!
Merry Christmas, and remember to love your homes over the Christmas period!
From Mrs Laundrybasketcase, Mr Laundrybasketcase, and of course Greyhound Banjo! xxx

References for this post
http://interiordec.about.com/od/howtodothings/ht/handwashdishes.htm
http://www.wikihow.com/Load-a-Dishwasher

Shiny clean windows for a great view

Thanks for all the lovely comments on my last post! You'll be happy to know I'm back on track and the dog booties have been made... Debbie, I promise to post some pictures of the dog wearing them soon- he looks ever so sweet. Talking of whom - have you all seen Debbie's grand new online shop? For all things vintage, shabby chic, romantic and just plain gorgeous, go take a look (I don't normally advertise on my site, but Debbie also happens to be one of the friendliest bloggers you'll come across and deserves the recognition).

Back to the windows then. Window cleaning is an essential part of seasonal cleaning. Of course it's easy enough to get a window cleaner to clean the glass, but there's allot more to window cleaning than just the glass, and plus... window cleaning (all of it) is a home keeping skill we should all know how to do properly because it doesn't need doing often. So if you're going to clean your windows before your Halloween or Christmas display go up, you might as well do it properly - and here's how:

You're going to need a window cleaning kit containing...
Dusting cloth
Sponge
White vinegar
Lint free cloths (micro fibre cloths such as the e-cloth is great!)
Rubber gloves
Straight edged razor blade or a sharp scraper
Sturdy ladder
Fungicide or 1:3 diluted solution of water and bleach*
Soapy water (dish washing liquid is just fine)
Squeegee

* This is only if you have mould growing in the corners of your window frames due to condensation.


Ideally start window cleaning from the outside - choose a a time a time of day that the sun is not directly shining onto the windows because this will result in the windows drying too fast and streaking.

• Start off by brushing away cobwebs and loose dirt from around the window.
  
• Mix a solution of 1 part vinegar and 1 part hot water. Use this solution to wash the windows with a sponge rubbing away any dirt.
  
• Starting at an upper corner, wipe the squeegee down the window in a smooth straight stroke, moving along the window and wiping the squeegee with a lint free cloth after every stroke. Dry the sill at the bottom with a cloth.
  
• Now use a dampened cloth and the soapy water to wash the frames of dirt and the vinegar solution, paying particular attention to the corners where dirt and grime gathers.
  
• If any marks remain on the glass after washing, use the razor blade or scraper to scrape off the marks, taking care not to scratch the windows.
• Fungicide or diluted bleach can be used in the corners of windows to prevent mould growing back.
  

Repeat the same steps on the inside of the windows, making sure to clean the frames of any vinegar solution and dusting and polishing any window hardware with a suitable cleaning solution. For large windows, use the method to squeegee your windows that you see office window cleaners use - it's called the snake method. The squeegee gets pulled horizontally across the top of the window, turning at the end and winding your way down to the bottom of the window. Yikes, I'm glad I don't have his job.


Please only ever use very gentle PH neutral cleaners on stained glass. Painted glass should only ever be washed with warm water and a soft sponge, and leaded windows should also only be washed with a PH neutral cleaner - so don't just use a vinegar solution on everything - eek!

When cleaning your windows also check for any window putty that needs to be replaced or rotting wood that could do with filling, or paint retouches that are needed. When we bought our house, the windows had been neglected, and once we touched them up with some wood paint the look of the house from the outside changed drastically!

I'll be honest and say that I find washing windows a bit of a pain, but oh boy does it make a difference. Looking out of clean windows will make your house feel fresh as a daisy, and the light will bouncing off all of your favourite possessions like the crystals in Pollyanna (I love that movie!).
So go ahead and clean your windows before you show off your Christmas ornaments this winter (or summer for those of you down south!)... I know I need to!


References
Channel 4 - How to clean windows
Martha Stewart's Home Keeping Handbook
The Daily Green

Cleaning the stairs

Most homes in the UK have a staircase, homes on one level are called a bungalow. I love stairs, don't ask me why, but I just love the look of stairs in a house. I especially like painted banisters with curly ends, and wonky staircases that twist and turn.

Stairs however are a bit of a pain to keep clean. It's not like a flat room where you can easily and smoothly push a broom or vacuum cleaner around, oh no, I'm afraid they have to be tackled one by one. So I thought I'd share some tips with you regarding stair cleaning, many of which I learned from the TV series and book by Anthea Turner... thanks Anthea!

To clean stairs always start from the top and work your way down. Whether you have carpeted/tiled or wooden stairs, you can use a small handheld broom to sweep the dirt from the top step down to the bottom step. However, if you've had some muddy boots climbing your stairs, use a dust pan to catch the dirt off each stair - you don't want to work the dirt into each step by letting it travel down the staircase!

Here is my step by step guide to cleaning stairs. Bear in mind this is for carpeted stairs, but if you don't have carpeted stairs, simply skip the bit with the glove and instead use a mop - see my post on cleaning hard floors here. I also have to warn you that our stairs are quite dirty because we have had the carpenter in to put up new doors, but I'm sure you don't mind (do you?).

You'll need:
Duster/dusting cloth/ old sock
A vacuum cleaner
Rubber glove
bucket/bowl of water
small hand broom

Step 1:

Use a duster or a dusting cloth to dust between all the banisters. An old sock is great if you slip it over your hand and use it to polish upright posts clean.


step 2:
You can use a short hand broom to sweep down some of the dirt, but the best way to really get the dirt out of the corners where the carpet meets use a rubber glove that you dip into bucket and shake off any excess water.


step 3:
Use small sweeping movements to lift the dirt from the corners with your gloved fingers. You should see the dirt on the glove.

step 4:

Sip the glove back into the water to remove the dirt from the glove, continue this down the stairs. Yuk! Look at that mucky water.



step 5:

Vacuum the stairs. If you have an upright vacuum, consider buying an extension hose if your vacuum cleaner is heavy. I know from experience that it can be quite tricky to balance a vacuum on the stairs while using an attachment. Have the vacuum cleaner lower down to the step where you are working and start from at the top step vacuuming the back of the step. Then move onto the tread. Use the small nozzle to vacuum the corners and sides.



Once you reach the bottom step, you should have a sparkling set of stairs! Now remember to tell everyone to remove their shoes before they go on the stairs and you'll avoid having to do that too often. Carpeted stairs should be vacuumed every three days, but once a week will suffice if you have a no shoes policy. Also, remember to add your favourite essential oil on a cotton wool ball to your vacuum bag for a lovely smelling home!

I'm off to pack my suitcase now. We are going to visit my family in South Africa (and I'm also going to be a bridesmaid for my friend's wedding!). It's only a short visit, but with an 11 hour flight just to get us there. I'll be back in a week's time next Monday and I'll make sure to catch up with all of your blogs as fast as I can! Have a wonderful week.

That under the sink cupboard

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend. We are finally seeing some sun again here in the UK. I hope it lasts!

I have some before and after pictures to share with you of my 'under the sink cupboard'. It wasn't completely disgusting to begin with, but there was no order, and if I needed a new sponge I'd have to dive in and rummage around hoping there weren't any mice. So, I unpacked everything (rule no 1. if you're going to tidy a cupboard). Then I threw away what we no longer needed, got rid of the bucket that was taking up too much space and I bought two cheap containers - one for my sponges and cloths, the other one is for all those bin bags and other plastic bags, including used plastic shopping bags. So here are my before and after photos:


BEFORE

AFTER
Still the same stuff, just arranged better, and no unnecessary containers. The thing that made the biggest difference is how I took all our used plastic supermarket bags, and folded them small. First off I'd like to say that I have the best of intentions when it comes to plastic supermarket bags - I have two cotton string bags that can hold loads. But unfortunately I do sometimes forget to take them with me. However, it is handy to have some spare supermarket bags around (and by some I mean a maximum of 10-15 at any time, nobody needs 100s of plastic bags unless you run a shop). I use spare supermarket bags when we run out of doggy poop bags, or to take treats with to work. I even use spare plastic bags as small rubbish bags. But I also can't stand seeing lots of crumpled up bags stuffed in a cupboard. This solution of folding bags works a treat - I was shown this in South Africa where people now have to pay for supermarket bags, thus everyone saves them. Maybe you already know this trick, so skip the next bit if you do... but if you don't, I hope you find this as handy as I do. They fold up to just the right size so that you can pop a few in your handbag next time you go to the supermarket. Now that is not so un-environmentally friendly after all! :)


Step 1 & 2: Take a plastic supermarket bag and flatten it out neatly on a work surface.


Step 3: Take the edge closest to you and fold it over by about 2 inches.
Step 4: Repeat the folding in the same direction until your bag is folded into a long strip - fold in the bag handles and squash them down so that they lay flat.


Step 5: Now fold the right hand edge over at a 45 degree angle so that the side edge is now lined up with the top egde.
Step 6: Fold up along the 45 degree angle that you've just folded (you're just rolling the bag over to the left as you go).


Step 7: Repeat step 6 until you have a bit left at the end.
Step 8: Now tuck the loose end into a previously folded edge.

Oh gosh - I hope that makes sense, this was a bit harder to explain than I thought. My husband knows this fold because apparently they use to fold their crisp packets like this at school - maybe you did too? But let me know if you'd like me to post a video instead.

Have a great Saturday evening and Sunday, I'll try and post again on Wednesday.
x

Cleaning hard floors

Yesterday I had comment on my blog asking me to share how I clean my floors, and soon after Mandy from The Vintage Kitten blog, asked me specifically about slate floors. Mandy, I too have slate kitchen floors, they are not the easiest flooring to keep clean. But I will be dealing with all sorts of flooring in this post, so feel free to skip to the sections that apply to you in this post.

For any type of hard flooring, daily sweeping is essential in keeping the floors dust free, scratch free (stones brought in from outside under shoes are a big culprit), and will mostly avoid a build up of dirt. The important thing is to use the right type of broom. You can see my post about sweeping floors, and different type of brooms here, so I won't be dealing with sweeping n this post but rather the washing of floors... and cleaning carpets... well that's a whole different post, but I'll put it on my posts to-do list.

Lets' get to it then, below are tips on how to mop, different types of flooring and how to clean them followed by the different types of mops you can get, and what they are best for.

Mopping should be done on a weekly basis to avoid the build up of dirt and grime. Easier said than done, I know - especially with an uneven floor surface like slate tiles. Always, sweep the floor thoroughly, followed by dry dust mopping or vacuuming before wet mopping a floor. You can use two buckets of water - one with a cleaning solution, and another with clear hot water to rinse the mop in. Change the rinsing water when the water becomes dirty. When you have finished cleaning the floor, tie a cloth or an old t-shirt over a dry mop and wipe over the floor (thanks Anthea Turner for this tip!) to dry the floor and avoid streaking or cleaning solution deposits.

Types of flooring:

Sealed laminate floors
This is what we have throughout the majority of our downstairs floor. The first time I cleaned laminate flooring I used dish washing liquid, and couldn't understand why the floor looked dull after I cleaned it. That's because a soapy solution will leave a film on the surface making the floor look dull. The best solution to use is 1 cup of vinegar in a bucket of luke warm water, this is what I use, and it works brilliantly. Tough stains can be removed with denatured alcohol and a soft cloth.

Vinyl & linoleum
Use a pH neutral household detergent such as dish washing liquid, but remember to wash away any soap with clear warm water.

Wood
Sealed with polyurethane
Most wood floor boards nowadays are sealed with polyurethane which is durable. But water should never saturate the surface as it can penetrate the cracks and damage flooring. Use 1/4 cup vinegar to a bucket of water. Avoid oil soaps that can leave a residue attracting dust.

Finished with wax
Use only plain tepid water to wash waxed wooden floors, but make sure the mop is only very slightly damp, not wet. Therefor it's best to use a mop that can be rung out easily and sufficiently so as not to saturate floors. Spills must be wiped up immediately, and small surface scratches can be buffed away with a soft cloth.

Tiles
For almost all types of tiles, avoid an acidic cleaning solution (so for once forget the vinegar) as this can etch glazed surfaces and damage grout. Once again, it's best to use a mild detergent such as good old dish washing liquid, removing soap by following up mopping with warm water.
Unglazed tiles such as terracotta or unsealed slate are very porous, and can be damaged with water spills. These tiles should preferably be sealed, and can benefit from an additional layer of protective wax.

Stone tiles especially should not be washed with an acidic solution. Because stone tiles are often uneven, dirt can become trapped in cracks and crevices. Using a hard bristle broom with uneven bristles (such as a natural corn broom) to sweep the floor with regularly followed by a soft bristle broom to remove finer dust particles should prevent these floors from becoming clogged with dirt. But you will most likely find that a once a year scrub with dish washing liquid and a floor brush is necessary. For mopping, use a string mop which withstands uneven floor surfaces better.

Brick and concrete
As with stone floors, indoor brick or concrete floors need to be glazed to protect the porous surface from staining. Use warm water and a pH- neutral all purpouse cleaner along with a rag or string mop.

Cork
Cork floors are generally sealed with a synthetic plastic like finish. Never let water stand on this floor surface as it can seep in around the edges and cause the cork to swell. Use a well wringed mop that is only slightly damp and a pH neutral cleaning solution.

Have I missed out a type of flooring you would like me to write about? Leave me a comment and I will add it on.

Types of mops

Rag or String mop


The old-fashioned kind of mop. They are great for absorbing big spills immediately and can cover a lot of surface area. They are great for withstanding wear and tear from uneven surfaces and are more likely to get into the crevices to clean them. This is my choice for our slate floor kitchen. You do get rag or string mops that are self-wringing attachment, alternatively use a bucket with a wringer attachment. A cotton-rayon blend rag head will dry quicker than an 100% cotton mop, and looped ends will last longer resisting fraying. These mops also now come in synthetic microfibre mop heads, I've not tried these myself, have you?

Sponge mop


These mops tend to come with a wringer lever so that the mops heads aren't saturated with water, so these mops are best for wooden floors, cork floors, and laminate floors. They are best on flat smooth surface floors, as uneven floors can snag and damage them. Look for these mops in your local supermarket where they sell replaceable mop heads separately for when yours need replacing.

All-in-one mop

Wow, personally I've never come across these, they look great for quick touch-ups! They have an attached container for water and a spray nozzle attached to the head eliminating the need for a bucket. Most all-in-one mops come with disposable cleaning pads, and you can easily attach your own cloth instead. Mopping a large floor surface with one of these would be a bit of a pain as the cleaning pads may need to be replaced or rinsed out quite often. But for small smooth surfaced rooms where a quick mop is needed regularly, this is great.

Dust mop

Also known as dry-mops, can be used in place of a vacuum or soft bristled broom. Unlike brooms, they are often pre-treated to attract dust, rather than spread dust. Before using a dust mop, make sure any wet or sticky spills have been cleaned up. When you're done, shake out the dust, or vacuum the mop.


That's it for today on floors. I hope I've covered everything you might like to know about cleaning floors - but if you have any extra tips you'd like me to add, or anything I might have missed or even got wrong do let me know and I'll add it or correct it.

Now that reminds me, I better go clean our floors!

Next up is my monthly post on pests, and this time, I'm on about fleas. So if you have PETS (and as a result PESTS), then this post will be very handy.
Have a lovely Sunday!

PS: Thanks to Melmel from At Home with Memel who alerted me to the fact that Oxfam in the UK are selling bicarbonate of soda cleaning products and big boxes at great prices. And what a great tip to sprinkle bicarb on a mattress before vacuuming to leave it smelling very fresh! Thanks Melmel!

Many tips on this post was written with the help of the book Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook, a wonderful resource for all sorts of home keeping questions.

Sparkly, shiny, polished bathrooms

First I wanted to share with you some inspiring pictures of a beautiful bathroom. This bathroom doesn't belong to me, but to a fellow blogger over at The Vintage Kitten blog. Her and her husband refurbished their bathroom themselves. Lots of hard work as she wrote in her post, but by the look of it worth every minute! It looks beautiful, and oh so clean too. What an inspiration - thanks for sharing it with us Mandy!

As I mentioned on my previous post, I've actually been in the mood to clean recently, so this post is part of my Autumn/Spring cleaning musts. One of the rooms I tackled last weekend was the bathroom. Now normally I despise cleaning this room, I just can't stand it! It's the bending over the bath, the limescale that seems to build up when I'm not looking and the fact that as soon as I've cleaned it it somehow gets dirty again within a day. Okay, so that's my rant out the way. But of course, the trick is to clean the bathroom regularly... and yes we all know this don't we :(

Before this weekend I must confess that I have resorted to bleaching the bath ( I know, I know, I'm always going on about not using toxic chemicals around the home) and truth be told I was desperate and actually it didn't really do the trick. So last weekend I got down to basics, preparing for some serious elbow grease and ignoring the bottle of bleach. Imagine my surprise that with some bicarbonate of soda and a mesh covered sponge, it took me only 10 minutes to get our bath looking good as new! As much as I'm always going on about the uses of bicarbonate of soda and vinegar I genuinely thought they would be a bit lightweight for cleaning a bath that has got a bit icky because of the use of bath oils (the price I have to pay for a bit of luxury).

So here's my method to get a mucky bathroom looking good as new!

You'll need:

• Bicarbonate of soda (also known as baking soda)
• White vinegar
• Cotton wool
• Sponge (not a scourer)
• Absorbent cloth or old towel Toothpaste
• An old toothbrush

In general, you want to avoid using abrasive cleaners on any bath surface as they will dull the appearance of the material which it is made of. Bicarbonate of soda however is a very mild abrasive, so although not suitable for regular cleaning, it is a big help when you've left cleaning the bath for a little bit too long. The bicarb can also be used to get rid of rust marks.

Sprinkle the bath and sink liberally with the Bicarb and lightly spray with water to make a paste. Leave it while you tackle the limescale as explained. If you have chrome taps*, arrange some cotton wool around the taps and shower head where there is a limescale build up, soak the cotton wool with water. Spray tiles and other areas of the bathroom where limescale is a problem with vinegar. Now go to work on the bath tub and sink, by scrubbing the bicarb with the soft sponge ( remember - no scourers!) across the surface - that's right, use some elbow grease and think of those calories you are burning. You should soon see an improvement to the whiteness of your bath and sink pretty quickly (if you have a white suite that is). Add more bicarb and repeat if needed. Rinse the bath and sink with warm water.

You can leave the vinegar and cotton wool overnight, and remove the next morning. The limescale would have softened enough that you could easily wipe it away. I use a microfiber cloth for this purpouse (see below).
*Please note that vinegar should not be used on plated taps, especially gold taps !




Microfiber cloths really are a brilliant invention - especially for chrome fittings. They are available through online eco-stores and are starting to show up in supermarkets too. This one is called the e-cloth. I love my e-cloth!


Shower doors can be cleaned with a water vinegar solution sprayed on, or a window cleaner.
And shower curtains should be soaked for an hour in a strong salt solution to prevent mildew forming - hang them to dry without rinsing. You can remove mildew from shower curtains, with guess what!? Yup, a bicarb paste. Oh dear, I sound obsessed with this stuff.

For dirty grout, use either a bicarb of soda paste and a old toothbrush, or use some cheap toothpaste. And to clean the bathroom mirror, wipe down with some white vinegar, then use a drop of shampoo on a clean damp cloth to wipe over the mirror - this will prevent steaming up.

Now for the kind of disgusting bit - the toilet.
You can use one-half of a cup of distilled vinegar as a bowl cleaner instead of bleach, but whatever you do, do not mix vinegar and bleach because the combination results in the release of a highly poisonous gas! The outside of the bowl, toilet seat and lid can all be cleaned with dish washing liquid (as it is also antibacterial). Don't forget to get right in the grooves where the lid is fastened to the bowl, use an old toothbrush or cotton buds if you need to.
And do remember to mop the floor of the bathroom, paying particular attention around the toilet.

Phew - now your bathroom should be lovely and clean, and probably smelling a bit like a fish and chip shop after all that vinegar. But don't worry, the vinegar smell shouldn't last long and at least you wont wake-up the following morning with a headache after too much exposure to bleach fumes.

So how should we maintain our bathrooms? Well, here's a few tips that I hope will help both you and I keep us from having to scrub away filth:

• For regular cleaning of the toilet bowl, drop a couple of denture cleaning tablets into the loo last thing at night and flush first thing in the morning.
• Wipe the top of the toilet bowl rim daily with some toilet paper to avoid a build-up of urine stains and smells.
• Use a microfibre cloth to wipe down the bath, sink, taps and shower.
• Keep some dish washing liquid or a mild cleaning agent in the bathroom. Use it to wash out the bath, shower and sink regularly.
• Keep an old towel or absorbent cloth that you can wipe the bathroom dry after use and after cleaning, this is the best measure to prevent the build up of soap scum and limescale. For a glass shower door, use a wide squeegee to dry the glass with after every shower.
• Mop the floor regularly, or for a small bathroom, have a floor cloth handy to run across the floor after a shower. Wash the cloth after every use.
• Put some baby oil in the soap dish to prevent the soap sticking.
• Toothbrush mugs can be kept clean by daily rinsing, and pooping it into the dishwasher once a week.

So there you have it, the perfect way to keep the bathroom clean and hygienic.

Many of my tips for this post are taken from the helpful book 'How to be the Perfect Housewife' by Anthea Turner. It is a handy concise book of home keeping.