Lockdown cleaning tips

Like most people in lockdown, I’ve done more cleaning in the past few weeks than in my life! Now I’m no Mrs Hinch but I seem to have learnt a couple of tips and tricks along the way, most of which you can do with things you already have around the house - which is ideal when the cleaning aisles of the supermarket shelves are empty or you simply just don’t want to venture out again that week.

I tend to stick anything I can in the dishwasher - partly because who has time or can be bothered to wash up everything, and partly because it just makes the house feel much cleaner and tidier when there isn’t lots of dishes (clean or dirty) stacked up on the side of the sink. I know there’s certain things I can’t put in dishwashers like my wooden chopping boards, I don’t want them to crack and warp! If they’ve just had a bit of bread or I’ve used them to present some bowls of food on I tend to just give them a quick wipe, but after a few uses or if the boards have had food on directly I like to clean them with lemon and salt (don’t worry I’m not going to start doing shots of tequila off the boards)! I simply sprinkle some salt over the chopping board and let it sit for a few minutes, and then use a lemon (chopped in half) to rub the salt on the board, squeezing out some of the juice at the same time, and then rinse it away - all done! 

I’ve had a lot more time on my hands over the past few months (hasn’t everyone?) so I decided my cutlery could do with a quick polish, as you do. I also found these cake knifes in a drawer (I didn’t even know I had one cake knife, let alone two!) which I polished up with some toothpaste. I just applied toothpaste to the silver and rubbed it in using a dry microfibre cloth, I also used a toothbrush (I found a spare one, don't worry I didn't use my own) to clean the detailing on the cake knives, then simply rinsed under warm water! Now they are all sparkly and ready for me to use on my lemon and gin drizzle cake.

After about week three of lockdown I ran out of my usual cleaning spray, and couldn’t get anymore from the shops because the aisles were empty! So instead I mixed white vinegar and Fairy Liquid into a cleaning spray bottle - it worked a treat. It’s also better for the environment than standard cleaning sprays, and Nelly and Bob (as well as other pets) because you’re not putting chemicals on the floor which they can digest.

We usually do lots of Hug At Home photoshoots at my house which involves a house full of kids and pets (what’s that saying - ‘never work with children or animals’, we must be mad to do both). I always seem to find scuffs, stains and mud everywhere after a shoot, so I make sure I go around the house with The Pink Stuff quickly before Ady gets home! The Pink Stuff is a dream for removing all sorts of scuffs and stains - I’ve not needed to get out The Pink Stuff as much, seen as though we’ve not been able to do any photoshoots because of coronavirus, but I’m looking forward to being able to have a house full again. Here's Penny at one of our pre-coronavirus photoshoots covered in mud!

A couple more quick tips -

• When cleaning the bathroom use Method anti-bac (rhubarb flavour), spray everywhere and leave for 5-10 mins (have a cuppa) and then wipe down - this way the anti-bac gets to work and it makes a difference when it comes to rinsing off and wiping down the surfaces.

• Use a lint roller to remove dust - this stops the dust just being moved around and the roller picks up it from soft furnishings (which can otherwise be a nightmare to clean on a daily basis).

• Bicarbonate of soda is fab for unblocking drains and getting rid of nasty smells.
  
  
• I love Nelly and Bob but they don’t half malt and leave dogs hairs everywhere! I tend to use a damp cloth or rubber gloves which removes pet hair from upholstery (well for all two minutes until one of them walks passed or jumps on the sofa). 

My biggest tip is to do little and often - don’t leave it to build up! Not only is it easier to clean less dirt and dust, it’s also means you spend less time in your busy life.

I also have Hug Rugs at the front and back of my house to trap any dirt people might bring in! Hug Rugs trap up to 95% of dust, dirt and mud, and they are completely washable. 

Busy Lizzie x