The daffodils and crocuses are starting to peek from
beneath the ground and there have been a few glimpses of sunshine across the
South West these last few weeks. It’s staying light longer in the afternoons so
it’s reassuring to know that Spring is on the way.
Are you a ‘Spring Cleaner’? Some people love an
opportunity to give their home a really good ‘bottoming’ as my Grandmother used
to call it, whilst for others it’s a case of doing what needs doing.
According to Wikipedia, the origins of Spring Cleaning
may date back to Iranian Norouz which is the Persian New Year, falling on the
first day of Spring. Iranians continue the practice of khooneh tekouni which
translates literally into ‘shaking the house’. Whether you love or hate
housework, nothing is more valuable than tips and hints passed down from
generation to generation, or shared amongst friends so the Beehive girls have compiled
a list of some of our favorites to share with you:
1.
Nothing is more frustrating than a smear when cleaning
windows. To locate the smear more easily simply wipe horizontally when cleaning
the outside of a window, but vertically when cleaning the inside and that way
you will be able to tell at a glance whether the smear is inside or outside!
2.
If you mix 20 drops of lavender oil (or lemongrass oil)
in 100ml of water and use from a spray bottle, it’s a great way to wipe grime from
window frames and it leaves the house smelling fresh. As an added bonus,
lemongrass and lavender are also known for their fly repellent properties!
3.
Limescale can
easily be removed from shower heads – just remove the showerhead and leave in a
bowl of white vinegar overnight.
4. WD-40 is great
for removing sticky marks or adhesive residue left by labels on items such as
plastic.
5. Brass and
copper has a real shine if rubbed with a cotton wool ball that has been dipped
in ketchup and then buffed with a soft cloth.
6.
Stained toilet
bowl? Leave fizzy cola in the bowl overnight and then flush for a gleaming loo!
7.
Diluted or neat
lemon juice can be used to remove stains (or rust) on plastic.
8. Eliminate water
marks from wooden surfaces with a small amount of mayonnaise or toothpaste on a
damp cloth – test a small area first!
9. Rubbing the
leaves of houseplants with a small of amount of milk on a soft cloth will make
sure that they shine for weeks!
10.
Glass bottles
and vases can become grimy in the bottom with use and are often difficult to
clean. Place uncooked rice in those hard to reach receptacles with a water and vinegar
solution. Leave to soak for 10 minutes and then (with your hand firmly over the
opening) shake heartily, finish by giving them a rinse with cold water.
We really hope
that some of these ideas are useful to you and we’d love to hear your thoughts
and suggestion if you have any you’d like to share.
Milk on a
houseplant’s leaves – who knew?
Photographs courtesy of Petr
Kratochvil
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