5 Favourite Laundry Helpers!

I recently mentioned what was the easiest way to sort your washing and now I want to let you know about some of my favourite 'Laundry Helpers' to make it all a bit easier. Washing the clothes, drying it all AND ironing takes a long time, a lot of effort and isn't that enjoyable but some things can make it easier.

1. Little Feet Sock Pairers
I mentioned this in my article about sorting the wash, but anyone who missed it, these clever Little Feet will ensure your socks stay together when in the wash or tumble dryer. Simply push the socks securely into the Little Feet and place into the washing machine. See one happy customer comment:

I have had little feet sock pairers before and find them excellent. I bought some more for my family. Children's socks (and gloves) can be put 1 pair in each hole, and great for organizing the wash if you can just be bothered to apply yourself. Socks stay paired all the way through. End of sorting headache! No more odd socks!
S Berkovitz - Tuesday, 2nd February 2010

2. Dryer Balls
A re-usable, safe, non-toxic & environmentally friendly way to soften your laundry without using chemicals or fabric conditioners. The pink & blue "Tumble Dryer Balls" soften fabrics the natural way. And they save you money because they reduce drying time. Place both balls in the tumble dryer on the usual setting. As well as retaining heat, the balls lift washing and increase circulation of air within the machine.

The specially designed nodes physically break down hardness in fabrics created by water when drying, leaving your clothes beautifully soft. These clever Dryer Balls even reduce the amount of lint (waste fluff) as well as creases and wrinkles - saving you time at the ironing board!

And they are anti-static too. This amazing environmentally friendly alternative to fabric softener and dryer sheets is reusable so there is no need to ever worry about softening your washing again.

3. Ecoforce Peg Basket with 24 Strong Hurricane Force Grip Clothes Pegs made of Recycled Plastic
Make hanging up the clothes as simple as possible. This strong & durable Peg Basket has 100% more grip than a standard peg, is 100% washable in the dishwasher or washing machine, no broken springs or peg stains and frost proof. Being 93% recycled plastic, 100% metal free and Made in the UK, the only thing you need to feel guilty about is asking someone else to do the hanging up!

4. Ironing Cloth made of a heat resistant polyester fabric
Use an ironing cloth to protect your delicate garments whilst being ironed & prolong the life of your clothes. This one is made of a heat resistant polyester fabric. 45 x 30 cms ( 17 3/4 " x 11 3/4 ") and will help to prevent fabrics looking shiny after ironing as the iron is no longer in direct contact with the material.

5. Net Washing Bags
With many sizes available from a Household Pack to individual Bra Wash Bags (in sizes A to K) they will protect your laundry in the washing machine & tumble dryer. Great for shared washes and great for using when sorting your wash! Plus Shoe and Trainer Wash Bags also available to protect your machine!

For many more ideas on products to make your washing day easier check out our Homecare Range.

How to clean and be green!

Started your Spring Cleaning yet? For those of you who still need a little inspiration to get going check out ‘Let the Spring Cleaning begin!’ and later articles for how to get going on what can seem like a very large job! However, it isn’t as simple as tidying and cleaning up as usual anymore, many people now are conscious of being as green as possible, so here are a couple of tips and products that will help.

Obviously vacuum cleaning is a job that can’t be completely skipped, but instead of using it every day why not use some of your own power to get smaller areas clean and for in between days? In many cases this can be easier than getting out the hoover and more effective.

Hand held manual Carpet Cleaners and Roller Brushes are great for these occasions. This is especially true if you’re trying to keep up with removing pet hairs. The Orange CarPET Cleaner is a really useful brush for doing just that – it effectively removes pet hairs from rugs and carpets (I use it frequently on a rug which is favoured by my dog and it is more effective than using the hoover!)

Roller Brushes are equally useful, not only for removing hairs from clothes/carpets but also for harder to clean areas such as sofa upholstery, curtains and when using the paper wrapped around your hand cleans areas a vacuum cleaner never can!

Ok, so you want to reduce the chemicals you use, but you also want to save money. Why not switch your fabric conditioner for the super effective and cheaper Dryer Balls, providing a re-usable, safe, non-toxic & environmentally friendly way to soften your laundry without using chemicals or fabric conditioners. Using fabric softeners and drying sheets can sometimes cause unwanted allergies, but the pink & blue "Tumble Dryer Balls" soften fabrics the natural way.

They save you money because they are re-usable and they reduce drying time.  All you need to do is place both balls in the tumble dryer on the usual setting. As well as retaining heat, the balls lift washing and increase circulation of air within the machine.  The specially designed nodes physically break down hardness in fabrics created by water when drying, leaving your clothes beautifully soft.

These clever Dryer Balls even reduce the amount of lint (waste fluff) as well as creases and wrinkles - saving you time at the ironing board! And they are anti-static too. They really are an amazing environmentally friendly alternative to fabric softener and dryer sheets.

Want to do some cleaning but don’t want the chemicals? Check out these Gonzo Cleaning Sponges which can be used over and over again! The range includes sponges for removing pet hairs, cleaning the dashboards & upholstery in your car, your Lampshades, Ceiling Fans, Venetian Blinds, Curtains, Computer Screens, Books and more!

Similarly the E-Cloth Kitchen Pack provides chemical free cleaning for all hard surfaces. Brilliant on stainless steel worktops, glass, chrome, granite & wood.  Perfect cleaning with just water. They save time, save money and are kind to your family and the environment.

Need an emergency heavy duty stain remover? The Gonzo range of red wine, pet and multi stain removers are environmentally safe, don’t smell and are non-toxic…. plus they really work!