My basic speed cleaning kit - 20 mins to a clean home

 A speed clean is just that, Its quick. Its a great clean for before guests arrive or just a fast clean for an on-the-go lifestyle.
I put myself together a little speed cleaning kit a while back. I keep it in a basket as I can just grab and go (which saves me time searching for everything).
It only has teh basics in it as this is a basic clean. I dont need the polish, drain unblocker, limescale remover, vannish bar and all that jazz just for a basic clean.

I will share with you my little kit and routine and see what you think.

On average, it takes me around 20 mins to clean my one bed apartment every day if its a speed clean.
Obviously there are times where you need a deep clean and that takes a lot longer. But for an everyday wipe down, this is what I do:

Contents:

1 x bottle of homemade anti bac
1 x bottle of home made air freshener / fabric freshener
1 x bottle of stronger non-diluted cleaner
1 x kitchen roll / paper towels
1 x sponge with a stronger side and a softer side
1 x re-usable firm cleaning cloth
1 x pair of gloves

Extras I often add in:
Bag for rubbish
Bleach bottle
Ready wet wipes


What else I use that is not in my kit:
Hoover
Washing up liquid
Mop
Empty medium - large basket

The routine:

I start by going into the kitchen and filling up my sink with water and washing up liquid ready for the dishes to go in and soak for a bit.
While I am waiting for my sink to fill up, I often give my surfaces and oven top a very quick wip-down.
I pop all the dishes into the sink to soak, I grab my speed cleaning basket and leave the kitchen.
Next I make my way into the living room.
Open up all the curtains and open the windows for some fresh morning air.
Pick up all the trash in my rubbish bag and junk that made its way into the front room I pop into my empty basket to transport it to the correct room in.
I plump up my sofa cushions and pop the remotes on the side table.
Tidy up the cats bed and toy area, then wipe down any surfaces with anti bac and kitchen roll.
  I then make my way into the hallway and into the bathroom. First thing I do is wipe down the sink and taps with anti bac. The I move round to the bath and do the same. Finally I get to the toilet. I give the back, sides and seat a wipe round with the anti back and pour some stronger cleaner or light bleach round the toilet rim, then flush.
I leave the bathroom and make my way to the bedroom. We have quite a big bedroom so this takes quite a bit of effort.
I pikc up all dirty washing and pop it in the dirty washing tub. Then I make the bed and tidy up the surfaces.
Bin any rubbish open the curtains and windows.
I bring all rubbish backs, dirty washing baskets and my clenaing kit back out into my kitchen. I put it all down and start washing up what has been soaking in the bowl. After that I leave it to drain and wipe round my sink and taps quick.
Next I will pop some washing on and tie up the rubbish into a sack. I take the rubbish out of the house.
Next I hoover up every room, spraying my room spray as I go to get the home smelling lovely.
Lastly, I spray anti bac on my bathroom and kitchen floors and give them a quick mop wipe over.

Thats it, im done. The home look lovely and its only taken up 20 mins of my day.

Simple and cheap cleaning tips for around the home

All I know is when im cleaning I want it done as well as possible and in the quickest time I can, If I can add thifty to that dream list I will!

Here are a few of my quick and cheap housework methods I have found that spead things along a bit and do not cost the earth.

1) NEVER waste time scrubbing the microwave!

Nothing is more dull than clenaing the microwave, unfortunately, it has to be done now and again to keep you healthy and your home clean. Rather than scrubbing away on the hard burnt on food and sauce splashes, heres what I do:

Take a microwave safe bowl and fill with 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water. Place in the microwave for anything between 3 - 10 mins depending on how dirty it is. USE HEAT GLOVES to remove from the microwave. Take a sponge and wipe round, you will find the muck just falls away.

So simple and no scrubbing required!

2) Easy DIY oven cleaning can save you money!

Instead of paying out for a proffesional oven cleaner to come round just try doing it yourself. You will be amazed at how cheap and easy it is to do yourself.

Make sure you choose a time to do these when you wont be using the oven that day.

Remove all oven racks and soak them in your sink, fill sink with water and a few drops of washing up liquid / dish soap.

Pour a little bit of water into a bowl of baking soda, just enough to make a paste. Then coat the inside of the oven with it. Leave this to sit as long as you can as the longer it sits the better (12 hours would be ideal) Then, once the time is up grab a sponge and scrub away the dirt!

Afterwards grab a clean sponge with just plain water and give the oven a quick wipe around.

Use a tough sponge on the oven glass door if needed.

3) Cleaning the carpets and picking up pet hair

Use a window squidgy (window wiper) for picking up all cat and dog hair. Its amazing, just run it along the carpet and all that awful discolouring pet hair just lifts right off!

EWW

Afterwards spot clean the carpet with a baking soda and water mix paste.

For an overall freshness use a sprinkle of baking soda all over the carpet (leave a few hours) and vacuume up. This gets rid of all odours!

Well, This should do for now! Just reading this is enough to make you tired!

How I saved over £300 a year on 4 very simple changes! Money saving tips for around the home

I think many of us are always looking for new ways for save a few £ around the home yet still feel like we do not want to make any drastic changes to our life styles.
With the costs of food, gas and household items rising its no wonder so many hardworking British families are having to make changes around the home and consider tighter budgeting.

Like many other families in Britain, my little family have decided to make a few changes to save a few pounds. (Admittedly, me more so than the husband)

I thought I would share with you a few tips ive learnt along the way.

1) NEVER waste money on expensive branded surface cleaners!
When I first moved out at age 18 I had no idea I could make my own cleaner! I was always buying branded spray cleaners and they worked out around £1.50 per bottle (I would buy around 2 per week)
Ok so £3 per week doesnt sound much at all... but remember thats £156 per year.
Now what if I told you I spend just £6 per year?? Yes, thats £150 saved and it takes me just a few moments to make my own.
Heres what I do:
I buy dilutive surface cleaner! Into a spray bottle I add a small amount dish soap into it and a good cap full of dilutive surface cleaner. Fill up to the top with water and give it a good shake. It really is that simple! I spend around £6 per year on this and normally buy the Flash brand or similar. I cannot imagine going back to buying ready mixed cleaners and adding an extra £150 to my shopping bill a year.

2) I will NOT waste money on fabric fresheners!
I would always buy a decent brand of fabric freshener for the house as I  just love that fresh smell it leaves behind on my sofa and linen. I would spend around £72 per year on lovely bits like this to keep my home smelling beautiful. They worked wonderfully but thats an awful lot of money for a linen spritz dont you think?

So now I make my own. I take a spray bottle and add some lovely "strawberry and lily kiss" fabric softener by Comfort (Use any kind you like!) and mix that with sterile (boiled water thats been cooled) water. I nomally do 1 part softener to 3 parts water and that seems perfect. I spritz it all around the home and my sofas and linens smell as amazing as ever. I do not know the exact amount this costs me, but im guessing around £3 per year. HUGE saving of £69 AND I like the smell of my own better!

3) Tumble dryer sheets are just not worth the money.
Ive been known to spend £52 per year on dryer sheets. They enhance the smell of clean washing and I sometimes lay them in draws to keep clothes smelling fresh. I am sure I am not alone in doing this.
Now £52 a year doesnt seem to bad I guess, for how much nicer your clothes smell.
That being said I know how to easily make my own for around £5 per year, so I am pretty biased I guess.

To make my own I simply buy a pack of dish cloths and soak them in a bit of fabric softener. Let them air dry and stick one in tumble dry and lay one in draws. Does the exact same job and you get to choose the smell you want. If you suffer with sensitive skin too this is a fantastic way to ensure you are using a non-irritating brand.

4) Buy a clothes arier if you do not have a washing line!
Did you know it costs the average family over £89 to run a tumble dryer a year? Now I fully admit that sometimes you just need to. Bedding is a nightmare to dry without one but can you imagine a world where you used the dryer half as much? For every load you pop in there you pop one on the line or airer? Your bill would half itself AND its green. £45 extra a year seems a pretty good deal to me!

These little tips may not seem much, but that £300+ a year seems an awful lot for next to no work. These tips are practical. Ive read so many blogs on homemakers saving £500++ a year but the methods have always seemed so extreme or impractical for me. Extreme couponing and going without squash has never been me. But I hope these tips help some of you.