It's time for a spring clean, so where better to get some go-to cleaning hacks than from the Queen of Clean, Lynsey Crombie.
See below for Lynsey’s top tips for the key areas you should be focussing on and why.
Lynsey Crombie's cleaning top tips
When it comes to tackling the spring cleaning, think of your house like a cake – start from the top and work down. Choose to do a section each day. If you live with others, involve them, it shouldn’t all rest on your shoulders. Divide the house up into sections and make a plan.
Top tip: have the windows open to make the house cold as this will make you work faster to warm up. Use a ten-track playlist as a timer and choose upbeat music like you’re going on a run. Put your phone on airplane mode so there are no distractions whatsoever.
High contact areas of the home like the kitchen, bathroom and workspace are full of sneaky germ hotspots (the germs on your fingertips can double just after using the toilet!) which usually get forgotten or missed when it comes to the daily wipe down.
As the big spring clean can sometimes feel daunting, these are the go-to target areas to tick off the list first:
1.) Kitchen
2.) Bathroom
TOP TIP: If you’re tackling limescale around the bath, spray undiluted white vinegar on the limescale, leave it for 20 minutes, then wipe it down with a microfibre cloth using just water and the limescale will just wipe away. Chemicals will just mask the problem, they won’t eliminate it.
3.) Workspace
Other cleaning tips
• Laundry - If you hang clothes well, it means less ironing for you! Don’t forget to clean the things that clean you too – make sure you air out your washing machine regularly otherwise the mould that builds up in there will transfer onto your clothes and be as clean or fresh.
• The best cleaning products are in your kitchen - white vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, lemon, ketchup (for rust!), beer, and even things like white shaving foam (an amazing carpet cleaner!) are all fantastic cleaning products. One thing I love to do is put a little bit of white shaving foam on a microfibre cloth then wipe down my bathroom mirrors and leave for a few minutes before buffing. Your mirror will be condensation-free the next day after you’ve had a shower!
• Keep your cloths clean - When it comes to cleaning your cloths and scourers during the spring clean, I often keep a small bucket of water under the sink in the laundry room (with a little detergent in it) and put the microfibre cloths in there after use, then pop them in the washing machine once a week. For multi-use scourers such as the Marigold Scrub Away, put it on the top shelf of your dishwasher and let the steam give it a little spa treatment.
• A little goes a long way - The biggest mistake people make when cleaning is using far too much product and far too many chemicals (too much product will actually make things streaky!) Sometimes all you need is water and a microfibre cloth or mop!
Lynsey's must-have cleaning products
groceries.asda.com
When washing up, I always wear Marigold Kitchen Gloves (which are 100% recyclable with TerraCycleu00ae) u2013 what I love about the cotton lining is that when you take them off, it doesnu2019t feel like your hands have just been in the bath!
groceries.asda.com
Make sure you use Marigoldu2019s Longer Bathroom gloves when cleaning in the bathroom u2013 these are double layered to protect you from bleach and have longer cuffs for toilet cleaning and roll top cuffs so theyu2019ll stay up. Just like the kitchen gloves, they are also 100% recyclable u2013 itu2019s so important that we look after the environment when weu2019re cleaning.
www.wilko.com
Marigold Let It Shine! Microfibre Cloths come in four different colours so you can coordinate your cleaning to avoid cross contamination. They are machine washable so you can reuse u2013 remember not to use fabric conditioner/softener otherwise youu2019ll ruin the microfibre. If one of the cloths is smelly and you want to clean those germs, add a dash of white vinegar in with your detergent, as it acts as a deodoriser and will break down any smells. Whatu2019s great about these cloths is you only need water, and this will remove 99% bacteria; you donu2019t need to be using lots of products all the time. Theyu2019re also really thick and durable and leave behind absolutely no fluff.
www.sainsburys.co.uk
Marigold Squeaky Clean is great for any quick damp dusting. Get it wet and it takes on a spongey feel and let the microfibre do the work. In fact I always take it with me when I go on holiday!
www.wilko.com
My go-to for getting tough stains off pans is Marigold Scrub Away - all you need is warm soapy water. Itu2019s also great to use on grills and BBQs as we all gear up for plenty outdoor gatherings!
www.wilko.com
For a non-scratch alternative for your non-stick pans, for example, the Marigold Cleaning Me Softly Non-Scratch Scourer is a great option. It is approved by TeflonTM u2013 lifts away the dirt, doesnu2019t change shape and is easy to rinse, meaning it will stay fresher for longer.
The great thing about the Vileda 1-2 Spray Mop is that you can use it for so many different tasks. It can do the floors, the ceiling and any tiled walls. Simply swap the microfibre pad for the different tasks. Unlike others on the market you donu2019t need any batteries and with the reusable, washable microfibre pad, it removes 99% bacteria with just water. I keep different pads in different rooms, to avoid cross- contamination.
The Vileda Windomatic is not just for windows u2013 try it on splashbacks, mirrored furniture, large glass dining tables and even in cars! The flexible neck ensures easy movement if you need to get to hard-to reach places and good coverage for streak-free cleaning. Whatu2019s unique to this one is it has a removeable water tank, so you can clean it in your dishwasher. Mould can build up if you donu2019t clean the tank enough.
For more cleaning tips Lynsey's latest book is available now:
