On May 30th, Bob and Rosie were swimming in the sea, on June 2nd I was muttering about 'Flaming June' and wanting to wear lightweight clothing, last Friday I was writing about hot, sticky summery days.
I complained to Bob that the water butt was empty...
And then this week it has rained, and rained
Don't you just love this picture entitled "Spring Cleaning the Ark" ? It is by London artist William Heath Robinson [see here] Mrs Noah, and her sons and daughters-in-law, got all the animals onto the roof, and they are giving the boat a proper clean. [even tho it is still raining!] I had planned to be out working in the garden, but had to come inside when the sharp hailstones descended. I've spent much of the week doing little odd jobs which should have been done last month. To be honest, in the run up to Bob's hospital visit I didn't feel like housework. Now he is feeling better, and we are both sleeping better, I have had a bit more OOOMPH!. As opposed to 0mph, which is Zero Miles Per Hour. I've become very determined in my cleaning regime.
Steph recommended The Pink Stuff, miracle cleaning paste [not that I had any miracles which needed cleaning!] It does seem to tick many of the boxes regarding the environment. Yes it is a little abrasive and there are surfaces where it is not a good idea to use it. But it is brilliant for dirt on the base of my saucepans [they call it 'bottom grime' - an unfortunate name I think] also marks on the oven door and shelves, and bathroom grouting. I keep old toothbrushes for small scrubbing jobs.
Over half term Liz said she'd had a go at her white towels and sheets, using Ariel Bio detergent. I stopped using bio detergent in 1985 when Steph had a really bad reaction when wearing clothes washed in biological detergent, and ended up in A&E [she was about 8 months old] Forty years later, she lives on the other side of the country. So I decided I would try again. These pods were on offer, so I bought a box. My sheets, towels and hankies are whiter - but I did a longer, hotter wash than usual. Perhaps I should have tried that programme with my regular Lidl powder first. I have ditched the dinge! Thanks Liz and Steph for the cleaning tips!
Have you noticed that Peter Crouch is all over the ad breaks lately? In the last 6 months, he has done, Ariel, Paddy Power gambling, TNT Sports, Chery SUVs, Victorian Plumbing, Shark Ninja BBQs, Bovril, Alpro Breakfast foods... It is 8 years since he stopped playing professional football. Maybe he needs to pay for more tooth whitening. . And still it rains. We have had spectacular thunderstorms. The lightning was so close- we watched it strike our friend's house a couple of gardens away - mercifully no real damage or injury [just a blip in his power supply]
I am hoping it is dry tomorrow, there is a Yard Sale in Foulsham, and I am looking after the pitch outside the Chapel. I would like people to turn up and pay up! At least we do have the Big Gazebo to shelter under.
Hello, I’m from NZ and I’ve recently discovered your blog and enjoying your chatty daily life posts! I like Nancy Birtwhistles books, she has loads of cleaning tips, really cheap things and she has tried out so many methods to get a solution! I request them from my local library. I hope the rain stops and summer gets started again for you!
I like Aldi's bio washing products they work very well, also their dishwasher tabs are very good. My best 'cleaning product' is white vinegar, I use it for lots of things oh and bicarbonate of soda too. I might try the Pink Stuff as I have heard lots of good reports. Regards Sue H
Love bicarb for cleaning and since I like baking I'm never likely to run out. Laundry liquid is M&S because they smell heavenly - unscented also available - and are cheaper than Ecover. As for whites? I've stopped caring.
My favourite cleaning product is a “magic sponge”. It will remove most deposits including burnt on food, makes stainless steel pans sparkle, is non scratch so safe on glass and requires very little detergent to work. It makes light work of the oven shelves, bbq grill and skewers but will only do one turn at those.
Trivia fact for today: the Magic Sponge 🧽 was discovered by accident, it's the same dense foam used in making aeroplane ✈️ seats, and someone realised (no idea how) that if rubbed on marks and burnt on bots, it would erase them!?!
Every now and then I have a review of what cleaning products I use and try and simplify it a bit and also keep an eye on the budget, but occasionally brand name stuff wins because it just seems to work well…..my mum used to tell us about how she had to brush her teeth with chimney soot or salt but ‘ Signal ‘ was her toothpaste of choice……once she had a choice….. all the rest of her life, things move on and improve don’t they? Alison in Devon x
I remember signal toothbrush - and conversations about 'how did they keep the colours separated in the tube?'. I preferred the answer 'magic ' to the real answer. I use pink stuff; it's similar to the Gumption my grandmother and mother had in a tin, but a prettier colour
As I child, we always had Gibbs Dentifrice which came in a tin with a picture of a wonderful turreted castle on the lid. I thought having toothpaste in a tube was really exotic!
I don't think I've ever found anything that really makes laundry white again. I think my laundry abilities are siding with my poor gardening abilities! I do have a favourite cleaning product and I just bought a new container. It is called "Folex" and it works like magic on spots on carpets. I think some people use it as a stain remover for clothing so I'm going to look into that, too.
The weather is supposed to improve over the weekend, so hopefully you will stay dry. I only use Fairy non bio for clothes as we all come out in a rash if I try anything else. I use cheap denture tablets for the flasks and drinking bottles. Take care. Xx
I always used Ariel, because my mother used Ariel, and she used it because my grandmother always used it. It always gave great results, and bear's school shirts kept pretty white through the year. However I now use the Dr Beckmann laundry sheets that are a lot tidier to use and considerably cheaper. I'm sticking to white vinegar for the laundry softener, though.
Recently had a small accident resulting in a burnt saucepan. Used grandma's recipe with white vinegar and Soda and was amazed by the results! As for that man with the teeth who seems to be taking up all the TV ad time, I can really do without him.
Baking soda is a favorite of mine when it comes to cleaning the stove, etc. Lemon and salt to polish my brassware. I use Comet (similar to Vim, which we used in Sri Lanka) to clean the kitchen sink, which is ceramic and gets stained quite easily. My usual laundry detergent is Tide and I prefer to use the powder to the liquid.
Preacher, teacher, wife, mother, grandmother, craftswoman. Married to wonderful Pastor Bob since 1979, now happily retired to Norfolk, but still busy. I am blessed with two brilliant grown-up daughters and four wonderful grand children
Don't you just love this picture entitled "Spring Cleaning the Ark" ? It is by London artist William Heath Robinson [see here]
Hello, I’m from NZ and I’ve recently discovered your blog and enjoying your chatty daily life posts! I like Nancy Birtwhistles books, she has loads of cleaning tips, really cheap things and she has tried out so many methods to get a solution! I request them from my local library.
ReplyDeleteI hope the rain stops and summer gets started again for you!
Hi Jess, good to hear from you (I seem to be picking up more readers from NZ recently. Don't know why) Nancy B is very popular here
DeleteI like Aldi's bio washing products they work very well, also their dishwasher tabs are very good. My best 'cleaning product' is white vinegar, I use it for lots of things oh and bicarbonate of soda too. I might try the Pink Stuff as I have heard lots of good reports. Regards Sue H
ReplyDeleteWhite vinegar and bicarb are classic, reliable and inexpensive products ✅ ✔️ ☑️
DeleteSharon is my favourite cleaner. She sorts me out every other week for two hours. Lesleyx
ReplyDelete😂Best answer yet!!!😂
DeleteI use oxiclean on the vacuum flasks and teapot.
ReplyDeleteThank you, flasks get very badly stained don't they?
DeleteLove bicarb for cleaning and since I like baking I'm never likely to run out. Laundry liquid is M&S because they smell heavenly - unscented also available - and are cheaper than Ecover. As for whites? I've stopped caring.
ReplyDeleteThat is an interesting fact about M&S v Ecover prices. Thank you
DeleteMy favourite cleaning product is a “magic sponge”. It will remove most deposits including burnt on food, makes stainless steel pans sparkle, is non scratch so safe on glass and requires very little detergent to work. It makes light work of the oven shelves, bbq grill and skewers but will only do one turn at those.
ReplyDeleteTrivia fact for today: the Magic Sponge 🧽 was discovered by accident, it's the same dense foam used in making aeroplane ✈️ seats, and someone realised (no idea how) that if rubbed on marks and burnt on bots, it would erase them!?!
DeleteEvery now and then I have a review of what cleaning products I use and try and simplify it a bit and also keep an eye on the budget, but occasionally brand name stuff wins because it just seems to work well…..my mum used to tell us about how she had to brush her teeth with chimney soot or salt but ‘ Signal ‘ was her toothpaste of choice……once she had a choice….. all the rest of her life, things move on and improve don’t they?
ReplyDeleteAlison in Devon x
I never understood how people got their teeth clean with soot
DeleteI remember signal toothbrush - and conversations about 'how did they keep the colours separated in the tube?'. I preferred the answer 'magic ' to the real answer.
ReplyDeleteI use pink stuff; it's similar to the Gumption my grandmother and mother had in a tin, but a prettier colour
As I child, we always had Gibbs Dentifrice which came in a tin with a picture of a wonderful turreted castle on the lid. I thought having toothpaste in a tube was really exotic!
DeleteI don't think I've ever found anything that really makes laundry white again. I think my laundry abilities are siding with my poor gardening abilities! I do have a favourite cleaning product and I just bought a new container. It is called "Folex" and it works like magic on spots on carpets. I think some people use it as a stain remover for clothing so I'm going to look into that, too.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of Folex!
DeleteThe weather is supposed to improve over the weekend, so hopefully you will stay dry. I only use Fairy non bio for clothes as we all come out in a rash if I try anything else. I use cheap denture tablets for the flasks and drinking bottles. Take care. Xx
ReplyDeleteI use denture tabs in flower vases
DeleteMe too.
DeleteI always used Ariel, because my mother used Ariel, and she used it because my grandmother always used it. It always gave great results, and bear's school shirts kept pretty white through the year. However I now use the Dr Beckmann laundry sheets that are a lot tidier to use and considerably cheaper. I'm sticking to white vinegar for the laundry softener, though.
ReplyDeleteI like the Dr Beckmann stain remover set. Never used the sheets
ReplyDeleteRecently had a small accident resulting in a burnt saucepan. Used grandma's recipe with white vinegar and Soda and was amazed by the results!
ReplyDeleteAs for that man with the teeth who seems to be taking up all the TV ad time, I can really do without him.
Well done with the pan. I agree about Mr Crouch
ReplyDeleteBaking soda is a favorite of mine when it comes to cleaning the stove, etc. Lemon and salt to polish my brassware. I use Comet (similar to Vim, which we used in Sri Lanka) to clean the kitchen sink, which is ceramic and gets stained quite easily. My usual laundry detergent is Tide and I prefer to use the powder to the liquid.
ReplyDeleteI prefer powder to liquid I think
ReplyDelete