A home kept clean and comfortable with the minimum effort and expense has been the dream of people for generations. Good Housekeeping promised us back in 1922 that “the time spent on housework can be enormously reduced without any loss of comfort”. All true of course for those who may have had the luxury of a maid, a cook, and sometimes a nanny to lighten the domestic load. Manuals in the early part of the century often were often full of budgets, timetables, and how to run a home with live in staff.
As the years went by, publications tactically acknowledged that readers were increasingly managing on their own homes and by the war years pages were crammed with hints and tips for making light of housework. Few people now start their days by laying a fire or blackening the range and nowadays, like post war, the hints and tips that were available are as relevant today as they were in the past.
In this feature that will run every four weeks, we are hoping to provide helpful hints, tips, remedies, and advice on how to maintain and keep a healthy home with an eco friendly edge.
Tip one
Remember always test on a hidden area first to check for damage, for safety wear rubber gloves when cleaning, always ventilate your home when you are cleaning by leaving a window open, never mix cleaning agents, and store them out of reach of young children.
Tip two
These are essentials for your store cupboard:
Bicarbonate of soda neutralises acid stains and counteracts smells. For general cleaning dissolve a heaped teaspoonful in 1/2pt or 275ml of warm water, it’s good for fridges, pantries, and work surfaces. It’s also good for the inside of your teapot if there is a stubborn build up.
Salt can be used for cleaning as well as cooking, scouring with salt can help to remove stubborn stains from chopping boards or dishes and used with lemon its effectiveness is increased
Lemon contains citric acid, it’s a super natural cleaner which can be used neat or in water or with salt for a mildly abrasive action.
For further advice on a healthy home contact Lorraine on 094 928 9000.
