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With the increased cost of living and energy bills, most of us are feeling the crunch at the moment. Are you looking for ways to save energy in your home? From easy, quick and free actions, to long-term investments, here are some energy saving tips to save you money.

Turn down your combi boiler flow temperature

If you have a combi boiler (the most common type, without a hot water cylinder), you could save up to £100 a year by turning your flow temperature down to 60°C.

If anyone in the household is over 65 years old, under 5 years old, or has a health condition that makes them vulnerable to cold temperatures, set the flow temperature to 65°C.

The flow temperature is the temperature at which the water is when it is sent into your radiators. Reducing the flow temperature will not have a noticeable effect on the temperature of your home - it might just take a bit longer to reach the target temperature set on your thermostat.

Turn down radiators in unoccupied rooms

Do not waste money heating empty rooms. Turning down radiator valves to between 2.5 and 3 (around 18°C) in rooms you are not using, could save you up to £70 a year. When you want to use the room, simply turn the valve up.

It is important that you just turn the valve down, rather than turning the radiator off completely, as this can be counterproductive. When you come to use the room again and turn the valve up, your boiler would have to work harder to bring the room up to temperature from being off.

Switch appliances off at the socket

Nearly all wired electrical home appliances and technology continuously draw power, unless they are unplugged or switched off at the socket. This includes televisions, computers, video game consoles, and smart devices.

You could save £70 a year by unplugging appliances or turning off the power switch at the socket when they are not in use.

Reduce your tumble dryer usage

Tumble dryers take a lot of energy to run, so using your tumble dryer less frequently could save you up to £70 a year.

Cut down your tumble dryer usage and energy bills by using a clothes airer or washing line to dry your clothes on, whenever possible.

If you must use your tumble dryer, make sure you have a full load before putting it on to make the most of the energy used. However, you should avoid overfilling as this will mean the dryer will have to run for longer. The drum should be around three quarters full.

Wash clothes less and at a lower temperature

You could save up to £40 a year by using your washing machine less frequently and washing clothes at a lower temperature. As with your dryer, make sure you have a full load before running your washing machine.

Modern washing machines make it possible to effectively clean clothes at a lower temperature. Switching from 40°C to 30°C can make a big difference - doing 2 washes at 40°C can use the same amount of energy as doing 3 washes at 30°C.

We hope that some of these tips help you to save energy and money. Please bear in mind, when it comes to heating your home, that it should be heated to 18°C to be safe. If a room is prone to condensation, ensure it is heated sufficiently to prevent a damp problem.

If you have got ink on your clothes or soft furnishings, or accidentally washed something with a pen in the pocket, you will know how tricky it can be to get ink stains out of fabric. If not dealt with quickly or correctly, ink stains can ruin your clothing.

Different solutions and methods are required to remove ink stains, depending on the type of ink and also the material that is stained. To avoid doing more harm than good, follow our advice on how to remove ink stains from clothes.

Removing permanent ink

As permanent ink is formulated to last forever, it is not always possible to remove it. The success of removing a permanent ink stain depends largely on the material that is stained, the colour of the ink, and how long the ink is left to set in.

To remove fresh permanent ink stains, you will need plenty of paper towels and rubbing alcohol. Place a paper towel underneath the stain then apply rubbing alcohol to the stain with a sponge or paper towel and carefully rub the affected area.

Keep replacing the towel underneath with a clean one whenever it becomes too damp or dirty, until no more ink is being transferred from the garment to the towels.

Rinse the garment in cool water and check whether the stain is still visible. If it is, then try the previous steps again. Once the stain has been removed, wash the garment as usual and air dry.

If after trying again, the stain is still visible, or if the stain has been allowed to set in for a while, then you could try a dedicated permanent ink stain remover or bleach, if your garment is bleach-safe.

Removing felt tip pen ink

Felt-tip pen ink can be time-consuming to remove, but should be easier to do and is more likely to be removed than permanent ink. To remove felt tip pen ink, you will need hot water, ammonia, and stain-removing, bleach-free laundry detergent.

Start by rinsing the stain under cold water to flush out as much of the ink as you can before soaking the garment in a solution of hot water and laundry detergent with a dash of ammonia.

Rub the stain with your fingers then let it soak for 30 to 60 minutes. If the stain is stubborn, you may want to add some more ammonia and leave to soak for a few hours or overnight, and rub it intermittently.

Rinse the garment once the stain has been removed or lightened as much as possible, then rub in a bit more laundry detergent and wash as you normally would, then allow to air-dry.

Removing ballpoint pen ink

The good news is that ballpoint ink is typically the easiest to remove. As with all ink stains, the sooner you deal with it, the better. To remove ballpoint pen ink, you will need paper towels, rubbing alcohol, and a pre-wash stain remover.

First flush the stain with rubbing alcohol. If it is a small stain, you may want to use an eyedropper to minimise the area to which the alcohol is applied. For larger stains, immerse the area in alcohol which has been poured into a small dish and allow to soak for 15 minutes.

Use a clean paper towel to blot the stain and continue blotting until no further ink is removed from the fabric, then rinse the area with cool water and apply a pre-wash stain remover. Wash the garment as usual with a suitable fabric-safe bleach.

If the ink stain is still present after being washed, repeat the above steps again until the ink has been removed.

Things to consider

Before getting into our tips and tricks for removing ink stains, it is important to note a couple of things that you should be aware of first.

When using rubbing alcohol to keep it away from open flames as it is flammable, and to wash any garments thoroughly after applying alcohol to ensure it is washed out.

Although rubbing alcohol should not cause damage to most fabrics, try applying it in an inconspicuous area before applying to the affected area to air on the side of caution.

You should never dry stained garments in a tumble dryer. The heat will set the stain and make it even more difficult to remove.

If a garment should be dry-cleaned only, do not try to remove any stains from them yourself at home as you may ruin them. Dry-clean only garments or particularly stubborn stains will require specialist cleaning.

If you love fried food but don’t want the mess and cleanup involved with frying in oil, or want a healthier alternative, look no further than an air fryer. This versatile kitchen appliance uses convection and high circulation to create great-tasting food.

Their growing popularity is not surprising, considering they are quick and easy to use. From sweet to savoury, and breakfast to dessert, there are so many things you can cook in an air fryer - here are some of the best.

Fries or chips

French fries and chips are some of the most popular and easiest things to cook in an air fryer. You can create chips that are fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside, and without the greasiness that comes with cooking in a deep fat fryer.

Cauliflower tots

Swap out fries or chips for cauliflower tots for an even healthier option, with less fat and fewer carbohydrates than potatoes. Using the air fryer to cook cauliflower tots, you can achieve a lovely crumbly texture.

Empanadas

Typically fried or baked, empanadas can be filled with savoury meats and vegetables, or even fruit and jam for a sweet treat. Cook in an air fryer to achieve beautifully cooked empanadas with a flaky outer layer.

Falafel

Cook up light and fluffy falafel with a crisp exterior, and serve in a pita with hummus, in a salad, or on a bed of rice. Air frying helps to retain the flavour of falafel without the grease that comes with deep-fat frying.

Mozzarella dippers

It is easy to make mozzarella dippers at home with an air fryer, and they will taste better than any frozen ones. The secret to creating delicious mozzarella sticks is to double-coat them with a lightly beaten egg and breadcrumb mixture.

Macaroni cheese

You can easily make creamy macaroni and cheese in an air fryer. When cooking macaroni and cheese in an air fryer, there is no need to boil the pasta separately, so there’s less fuss and less to clean up.

Fish fillets

Cooking battered or breaded fish in an air fryer will result in a crispy batter or crumb, with soft and flaky fish on the inside. You can use any type of fish fillets, but we especially recommend cod, pollock, hake, haddock, or salmon.

Chicken wings

Create great-tasting chicken wings in just 20 minutes with an air fryer. Use seasonings such as lemon, garlic, pepper and mustard to add flavour without marinating the wings. Cooking in an air fryer will result in juicy and tender chicken with a crispy skin.

Bacon

Another favourite among air fryer owners is crispy bacon. Bacon cooked in an air fryer is typically healthier and creates less mess, as you won’t get grease splattered on your hob or stove. Bacon will be cooked in just 7 to 11 minutes, with no need to preheat.

Doughnuts

You can make yourself some fluffy and delicious doughnuts using an air fryer. Use frozen doughnuts or make your own from scratch. Coat with glaze, sugar, cinnamon or chocolate for extra yumminess!

We hope this has given you some food for thought when it comes to thinking up new things to cook in your air fryer. If you haven’t yet got an air fryer, hopefully, we will have convinced you to invest in one, so you can try these delicious air-fried foods and more.

 

Keeping your home organised and free of clutter can be time-consuming and hard work. However, if you spend 15 to 30 minutes every day maintaining your home, rather than just having a thorough tidy every now and then, it will not feel like such a chore.

To help you get started, we have put together this flexible weekly routine. You can follow our suggested routine or adapt it to create a weekly routine that best suits you and your home.

Daily Habits

Get yourself into the habit of doing at least three simple things everyday. These tasks should be easy to do and not take up too much time, but will help to keep your home clutter-free.

To give you an idea, here are some examples of what these could be:

• Put all coats and shoes away. Hang coats up on hooks, in a closet or on a coat stand. Store shoes in a cupboard or box, or on a rack, or lay regularly-worn shoes neatly on the floor of the porch or utility, or by the door.
• Clear all counters and tables of things that should not be there. Put dirty dishes in the sink or dishwasher, throw rubbish in the bin, and put any other items back in their designated places.
• Sort your clothing. Put any clean clothes, or clothes you will wear again before washing, away in drawers or wardrobes, and put any dirty clothes in the laundry basket.

Monday

 

We recommend dedicating time on Mondays to setting yourself up for the rest of the week, by getting organised and doing some prepping in the kitchen.

Start by decluttering and tidying the kitchen, so that you have a clear space for prepping and cooking. Simply clear the countertops, store away any items that are not in their rightful place, and quickly wipe down your kitchen.

Once your kitchen is free of clutter, plan your meals for the week and write out what ingredients you will need to make them. Use your list of ingredients to do your grocery shopping. This will help to ensure you get everything you need so you do not need to make another trip to the shop, and will save you time and money.

After you have got all of your ingredients, you may want to start prepping some of your meals for the next few days, or even just prepping some of the ingredients, such as cutting up vegetables and sorting them into portions.

Tuesday

 

Focus on organising your bedroom and doing the laundry on Tuesdays. Start by sorting where your clothes should be stored. If your closet, drawers, or wardrobes are full or unorganised, then clothing tends to pile up on the floor, or on chairs, or on top of drawers.

Although your wardrobe or drawers may appear to be full, they may simply just be badly organised. If you have this problem, it may be worth taking everything out and putting everything back in neatly to create more room.

If you come across any items that are damaged beyond reasonable repair or that you no longer wear, then keep them aside to bin, sell or donate. Once you get into a routine of always putting clothes away neatly and where they should be, you will not need to do this often.

Gather up any clothing, shoes or accessories that are strewn around the bedroom and put them all away in their rightful places, and put any dirty clothes in the laundry basket.

After you have put all of the clothes away, scan the bedroom for any other clutter. Toss any rubbish in the bin and put things in their proper places. Once your bedroom is free of clutter, clear your laundry basket by doing a load of washing.

Wednesday

Receipts, letters, flyers, leaflets, newspapers, and other documents seem to pile up around the home. Staying on top of tossing and filing these away will not only help to keep your home tidy

and organised, but will also make it easier for you to find them when you need them, thus saving time and reducing stress.

Work through your home, starting in the entryway, gathering up any papers and documents. Review them and get rid of anything that is not needed. Shred anything with sensitive or personal information on, and put the rest in your paper recycling bin.

Anything you want or need to keep should be put in an appropriate place, either stored away or on display as a reminder. Review the papers and documents that you keep each Tuesday, and get rid of anything you no longer need.

Thursday

On Thursdays you may want to revisit the kitchen. As it is a high-traffic area, it likely needs your attention on two days of the week. Now is a good time to prep ingredients, snacks and meals for the weekend, if you haven’t already.

Then have another quick clean and declutter of the kitchen, and perhaps focus a little more time to one or two areas of the kitchen that need a bit of extra attention, such as your refrigerator, the cupboard under the sink, or your junk drawer.

If you have some time spare, do a quick sweep of the house to collect any rubbish that needs throwing out or dishes to be put in the sink or dishwasher.

Friday

Now is the time to tackle the living room, ready for some rest and relaxation or in anticipation of any expected or unexpected guests that may visit over the weekend.

Clutter is likely to have accumulated in the living room over the past week, so start by gathering this up and putting everything away in its dedicated place. You may also want to quickly run a brush or vacuum around the floor and dust any surfaces that are particularly dusty.

After you have got your living room looking a little more presentable, revisit your bedroom. Freshen it up by swapping out the sheets on your bed for fresh ones, vacuuming or sweeping the floor, and doing some light dusting.

If you have another load’s worth of dirty laundry by now, then do another load of washing so that this does not end up overspilling into your bedroom by Tuesday.

Saturday and Sunday

Spend some time over the weekend in your bathroom. Swap out your hand and bath towels for fresh ones, declutter the counters, and organise your drawers and cupboards, empty any bins, and clean the toilets, shower, and bath. Make a list of any toiletries, cosmetics, or other health and beauty items that need replenishing.

Also take a look at your entryway. Return items to their rightful places. Make sure that your bags, coats, shoes, and any other items you may need for the week ahead, are by the door. This will help to make mornings less stressful and ensure you are ready to leave the house more quickly.

If you have any other free time over the weekend, you could spend it doing a general sweep throughout your home, or focus on a particular area that needs a deeper clean.

If you do not have the time or supplies to keep on top of your cleaning, or would simply prefer to leave it to the professionals so that you can spend your time relaxing or doing other activities, you may want to consider hiring a cleaner to take care of the cleaning for you.

Time For You specialises in providing properly screened and vetted domestic cleaners to private households to provide you, our client, with more time for you. Find a cleaner near you by simply entering your postcode, and let us take care of the cleaning, so you do not have to.

Time For You is the premier international house cleaning service company with hundreds of local business owners which clean tens of thousands of homes around the world every week.

Time For You are the premier international house cleaning service company with hundreds of local business owners across the UK, Australia and Canada. Time For You are currently cleaning tens of thousands of homes across the world on a weekly basis.

Simplify your housekeeping by focusing on one area or completing one big task per month, alongside your smaller daily and weekly routines. Follow this monthly calendar full of helpful tips to get your home clean and tidy and keep it clutter-free all year round.

January

January is a great time to go through your closets, wardrobes and drawers that hold clothing. Start with the smallest closet, such as the coat closet, and work your way up to the largest one, which is likely to be in the main bedroom.

Take out everything and review every item in them. Sort into piles of clothing that need repairing, items that are damaged beyond repair, and items that you do not wear, that are too big or too small, or that you simply no longer want or need.

Neatly put away anything you wish to keep. Store similar items together, such as trousers in one drawer, skirts in another drawer, and dresses in the wardrobe.

Throw away the items that are damaged beyond repair, and sort items to be donated or sold. If you have items which are damaged yet salvageable, then either repair or arrange for them to be repaired during January.

February

Focus on your kitchen in February. With so many utensils, appliances, and aids required for cooking and baking, the kitchen tends to be the most cluttered room in the house.

Break your kitchen down into several smaller areas and focus on a different section each week of the month. For example, during the first week you could clean all of the appliances such as the oven, microwave, and refrigerator.

The following week, you could focus on organising the cupboards, then the drawers the next week. Then during the final week, you could focus on decluttering the counters and table if you have one in the kitchen.

March

Spend your time in March organising any papers that you have lying around the house. Gather up any receipts, flyers, leaflets, certificates, letters, bank statements, invitations, and other documents that you can find.

Go through what you have collected up, and sort them into piles of what is rubbish or no longer needed, and what you would like to or need to keep.

Anything that contains personal or sensitive information should be shredded, and everything else can be recycled if possible or otherwise thrown away.

Put away anything that is left over. If you don’t already, you should get files or boxes to store any important papers and documents in, to keep them safe and organised so that you can easily find them in future.

April

Dedicate April to deep cleaning and organising your bathroom. Having a clean and organised bathroom is not only aesthetically pleasing, it also helps to minimize the risk of health hazards and accidents.

You are likely to have accumulated an assortment of health and beauty items in your bathroom. Some of which may have expired or that have not been used in a long time.

Take some time to review the items in your shower, bathroom drawers, cabinets, and cupboards, and on shelves. Throw out any expired medication or beauty products, and get rid of anything that you no longer use or need, like old toothbrushes.

If you have unused and unwanted gift sets or toiletries, consider donating them to a charity shop or homeless shelter. If you have linens, blankets, or towels that need replacing or that you no longer use, consider donating them to an animal shelter.

Have a deep clean of the bathroom. Thoroughly clean the tiles, sink, bath, shower, toilet, walls, floor, and ceiling. Be sure to tackle any mould or grime that has accumulated in the bathroom.

May

Organise your shoes and boots in May, when it is typically dry and not too muddy outside. Gather all of the footwear that is in your home and get rid of any shoes or boots that are peeling, have holes in them, or have irreparable zips or heels.

Clean and disinfect the remaining shoes and sort them. Keep your everyday shoes stored in a shoe cupboard or on a rack. Put shoes that are for special occasions or that are valuable or delicate in a box for safe keeping.

Then sort the rest of your shoes into boxes dedicated to each season or type of weather. For example, sandals and flip flops in one box, and boots and wellies in another box.

June

Tackle your garages and sheds in June. Garages and sheds quite quickly and easily become unorganised and full of clutter. Keep them organised by splitting them up into zones.

Have separate zones for auto supplies, sports and athletic equipment, household items, and gardening tools. Review any items are left over that do not fit into these zones and group similar items together in their own zone.

Having items in set zones will help make it easier for you to find them in your garage or shed when you need them.

July

July is typically the hottest month of the year in the UK. Instead of getting yourself all hot and bothered doing housework, spend some time reviewing your routines and planning for the latter half of the year.

Think about any new habits you want to get into or things you want to try or goals you have and start taking action towards achieving or implementing those. You may want to start waking up earlier, or going to bed earlier, eating more healthily, drinking more water, doing more exercise, or scheduling time for yourself.

August

Spend time in August decluttering and cleaning your bedroom. Collect up any clutter and put it in its rightful place. Dust and polish any surfaces and then vacuum or sweep and clean the floor.

Take off all of your bedding and vacuum your mattress to help get rid of dust, skin flakes, allergens, and dust mites.

Although you already went through your clothing in January, you may want to re-review everything since many months have passed since then.

September

Focus on your living room in September. If you have kids, then they will be returning to school after the summer holidays and having spent more time at home and making a mess. So, now is the perfect time to organise the living room.

Gather clutter and return it to its designated place. Clean, dust and polish all hard surfaces, ornaments, and furnishings. Vacuum or sweep and clean the floor. Spot clean and vacuum all soft furnishings. Wash your cushion covers, throws and blankets. You may even want to wash your curtains.

October

In October, address anywhere else in the house that has been missed or that you feel you need to revisit. Perhaps the stairs, office or dining room need some attention, or maybe you need to go back and do another deep clean in the bathroom.

November

November is a great time to start prepping your kitchen for the holidays. Have a thorough look at the contents of drawers and cupboards.

Ensure all of your drawers and cupboards in the kitchens are clean and well-organised. As it has been several months since you last reviewed what is in your cupboards, re-review the food in your kitchen and throw out anything that is past its sell-by date. Take out or bring to the front anything that you know you will need for the holidays.

Examine your cutlery, pans and other utensils. Replace anything that is badly tarnished or stained, or that is damaged, and replace dull knives. Ensure you have enough knives, forks, and spoons and replenish anything that is missing ready for the holidays.

December

The focus for December is maintaining and decluttering. Do a general sweep of the house to make sure it is clean and tidy for any guests coming to your house over the holidays.

After the holiday rush, be sure to declutter ready for the new year. Throw away or recycle boxes, wrapping paper, and gift bags. Look to donate, give away, sell, or recycle as much as you can to make room for new things, or to simply clear some of the clutter.

Neatly and carefully put away your seasonal decorations. You may want to invest in storage bags or boxes for your tree and ornaments to keep them safe and neatly stored away.

If you do not have the time or supplies to keep on top of your cleaning, or would simply prefer to leave it to the professionals so that you can spend your time relaxing or doing other activities, you may want to consider hiring a cleaner to take care of the cleaning for you.

Time For You specialises in providing properly screened and vetted domestic cleaners to private households to provide you, our client, with more time for you. Find a cleaner near you by simply entering your postcode, and let us take care of the cleaning, so you do not have to.

Time For You is the premier international house cleaning service company with hundreds of local business owners which clean tens of thousands of homes around the world every week.

Time For You are the premier international house cleaning service company with hundreds of local business owners across the UK, Australia and Canada. Time For You are currently cleaning tens of thousands of homes across the world on a weekly basis.

If you want to get organised and keep your house clean and tidy, follow our advice below. Stick to these rules, and they will soon become second nature. 

Keep similar items together 

When tidying items away, store them together with similar items. This is a logical way of organising things and making it easy to find your belongings when you need them. 

Even if you are naturally disorganised, it can be easy to mask the clutter. Simply store similar items in a container, receptacle, or tray to make your home appear organised. For example, throw all your shoes in a large basket or box, and keep all remote controls on a tray. 

Have a place for everything 

Designate places for every item you own and ensure everything always goes back to its place as soon as you are finished using it. This way you are unlikely to misplace anything as it will always be where it should, so losing your keys, glasses, and wallet will be a thing of the past. 

Only have one junk drawer 

It is common to have a junk drawer, but if the junk is spreading into several drawers or cupboards or containers or areas, then you need to review what is in these. 

Sort as many items into proper storage as possible, and condense the items that are necessary yet difficult to categorise into a designated place into just one drawer. Once the drawer becomes full, review what is in there and get rid of any non-essential or unwanted items. 

Think before you buy 

Stop making impulse purchases. Buying things for your home without giving it much consideration can lead to clutter. If you do not know where it will go or what use it will have before you buy it then it may be best to leave it. 

One in, one out 

Try to stick to the one in, one out rule, whereby when you buy a new item, you donate something similar that you already own. 

For example, if you buy a new shirt, and you already have one that is similar or a shirt you do not wear, donate the old one. The same applies for anything you bring into the home, such as an item of clothing, a new toy, or a new book. 

Get rid of unnecessary items 

Have a shopping bag or small basket in the house to put items in that you no longer want or need. If you end up missing or needing an item that is in there, take it out. Donate everything that is left in it, either once it is full or at the end of each month. 

Make use of hooks 

Hooks are great for utilising space for additional storage. Put hooks on the backs of doors and on walls. Rather than throwing your jackets, coats, dressing gown, bags and scarves on the floor, bannister, or a chair, get in the habit of hanging them up on designated hooks. 

Put away your clothes 

Stop throwing your clothes on the floor or chair, on top of your drawers, or anywhere else they should not be. Put them neatly away in your drawers or wardrobe, or put them in the laundry basket, as soon as you take them off or after they have been washed. 

Stick to a routine 

Setting a daily routine for organising your home will help you to keep on top of it. If you are an early bird, you might want to get things done in the morning or after breakfast. If you are a night owl, you may prefer to organise after work or before bed. 

If you do not have the time or supplies to keep on top of your cleaning, or would simply prefer to leave it to the professionals and spend your time relaxing or doing other activities, you may want to consider hiring a cleaner to take care of the cleaning for you. 

Time For You specialises in providing properly screened and vetted domestic cleaners to private households to provide you, our client, with more time for you. Find a cleaner near you by simply entering your postcode, and let us take care of the cleaning, so you do not have to. 

Time For You is the premier international house cleaning service company with hundreds of local business owners which clean tens of thousands of homes around the world every week. 

 

Your bedroom may look visibly clean at a glance, but is it truly spotless? Chances are that there are some areas of the bedroom that you are not cleaning. 

Hard to reach or less obvious places are often overlooked, which can lead to a build up of dirt, grime and germs. Read on to discover some of the most easy to miss places in your bedroom to ensure you are being as thorough in your cleaning as possible. 

 

Under the bed and furniture 

You will be surprised at how much dust accumulates under furniture. Vacuum or dust the floor underneath your beds and other furniture that is raised off the floor. Then also take a look at the undersides of the bed and furniture and give these a clean. 

 

On top of tall furniture 

Get on a step ladder or stool to check the top of your wardrobes, bookcases, and other tall furniture and give them a good clean. Also look up at the tops of light fixtures, door architraves, and picture frames, and keep them clean, as these can also collect a lot of dust. 

 

Walls and doors 

You may think that dust will only settle on horizontal surfaces but it can in fact cling to vertical surfaces, too. Dust your walls and doors from top to bottom, then clean away any marks. 

The corners of the room, and the areas around the light switches, sockets, and door handles, are typically the dirtiest areas. 

 

Handles, switches and remotes

The things you touch or handle every day, including any drawer or door handles or knobs, light switches and remotes, should be cleaned at least once per week in order to prevent a build up of bacteria and dirt. 

 

Skirting boards 

Don’t forget your skirting boards. These are often overlooked as they are low down, which means they tend to gather a lot of dust and can get quite dirty. You may need to use a damp cloth or a brush attachment on your vacuum if there is a lot of build up. 

 

Curtains and blinds 

Curtains and blinds collect dust and mildew, so it is important that these are also cleaned. Some fabric curtains can be machine washed, whereas others may need to be dry cleaned. Blinds can usually be dusted and wiped down with a damp cloth. 

 

If you do not have the time or supplies to keep on top of your cleaning, or would simply prefer to leave it to the professionals and spend your time relaxing or doing other activities, you may want to consider hiring a cleaner to take care of the cleaning for you. 

 

Time For You specialises in providing properly screened and vetted domestic cleaners to private households to provide you, our client, with more time for you. Find a cleaner near you by simply entering your postcode, and let us take care of the cleaning, so you do not have to. 

Time For You is the premier international house cleaning service company with hundreds of local business owners which clean tens of thousands of homes around the world every week.

It is likely that your walls are often forgotten when it comes to cleaning your home. Luckily it does not take much to get your walls looking like new.

With periodic dusting, spot cleaning, stain removal, and occasional repairs, you can achieve clean walls and keep them that way. Here are some of our top tips for keeping your walls fresh and clean in your home.

Dust your walls

Use a microfibre cloth to lift away dust, dirt and cobwebs from your walls. You can use it dry, or dampen it with an all-purpose or specialist cleaner.

Put a microfibre cloth on the end of a broom or other long-handled item to get those harder to reach areas. Alternatively, you could use a long-handled sweeper or a brush attachment on your vacuum nozzle.

Wash your walls

We recommend thoroughly washing your kitchen and bathroom walls at least once per year. Dirt is more likely to accumulate on these walls than on the walls in any other room.

You may also want to consider washing the walls in rooms that are regularly used by children or smokers or that contain a fireplace or wood-burning stove.

Dampen a natural sponge with a soap and water solution, and rub your walls gently. Work in small areas. Wash then rinse until there is no dirt remaining in that area and then move over slightly. Once clean, dry the wall with an old towel.

Patch test painted walls

Most glossy and semi-gloss wall paints and many modern matt and satin paints are washable, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

Before committing to washing entire painted walls, first do a patch test in an inconspicuous area. If paint comes off on your sponge, then do not wash any walls with this paint on.

Touch up damage

If damage occurs to a wall, repair it as soon as possible to prevent it from worsening. Apply a filler to any holes, scrapes or chips, then sand until smooth, and feather the paint over the surrounding area to ensure it does not stand out.

If damage is caused by a leak, first fix the source of the leak, then scrape any peeling or bubbling paint away and sand the area before repainting.

Use paint that is left over from when the wall was originally painted, if possible. If you do not have any paint left over, you can have your paint colour computer-matched for free by many common paint suppliers.

Hire a cleaner

If you do not have the time or supplies to keep on top of your cleaning, or would simply prefer to leave it to the professionals and spend your time relaxing or doing other activities, you may want to consider hiring a cleaner to take care of the cleaning for you.

Time For You specialises in providing properly screened and vetted domestic cleaners to private households to provide you, our client, with more time for you. Find a cleaner near you by simply entering your postcode, and let us take care of the cleaning, so you do not have to.

Time For You is the premier international house cleaning service company with hundreds of local business owners which clean tens of thousands of homes around the world every week.

Are you fed up of dusting your house from top to bottom, just to find that dust has settled again not long after? Chances are that you are using ineffective dusting methods and supplies. Follow the tips below to not only achieve a dust free home but to ensure your home remains dust free. You will have a spotless home in no time.

Dust thoroughly every 1-3 months

Have a thorough dusting once every three months, tackling more difficult spots and small items such as ornaments, photo frames, and shelves. In between thorough dustings, dust any easy-to-reach and visible areas that collect a lot of dust at least once a month.

Ditch the feather duster

Most feather dusters move dust around rather than getting rid of it, so you are likely to find it has settled elsewhere soon after.

Using the right methods and supplies, you can achieve a dust-free home more quickly and keep it that way for longer. Microfibre cloths make for excellent dusters as they pick up the dust rather than just spreading or moving it. When it gets dirty, you can put it in the washing machine.

Use a cleaning detergent

For the best results, dampen your microfibre cloth with an all purpose cleaner. Spray the cleaner directly onto the cloth - one spray should be enough to dust several items or surfaces.

Use glass cleaner on a microfibre cloth to achieve a sparkling, streak-free finish on any glass and mirror surfaces.

Work from top to bottom

Once armed with your duster it can be tempting to start dusting the things you can see at eye level, but this can be counterproductive.

When you dust things at a higher level, this may unsettle dust which falls and settles on surfaces below. Therefore it is more productive to start up high and work down.

Start with the dust around the edges of the ceiling and walls, then the light fixtures and ceiling fans. Work down to shelving, bookcases, furniture surfaces, ornaments, and photo frames. Work all the way down to your skirting boards and plug sockets.

Use the vacuum

If you have a brush attachment for the nozzle on your vacuum, use this to dust the harder to reach areas, such as in the corners of the room, and along the skirting boards. This is a quick and easy way of collecting up dust.

Run the vacuum around the floors and any soft furnishings once you have finished dusting to collect up any remaining dust.

Hire a cleaner

If you do not have the time or supplies to keep on top of your cleaning, or would simply prefer to leave it to the professionals and spend your time relaxing or doing other activities, you may want to consider hiring a cleaner to take care of the cleaning for you.

Time For You specialises in providing properly screened and vetted domestic cleaners to private households to provide you, our client, with more time for you. Find a cleaner near you by simply entering your postcode, and let us take care of the cleaning, so you do not have to.

Time For You is the premier international house cleaning service company with hundreds of local business owners which clean tens of thousands of homes around the world every week.

Time For You are the premier international house cleaning service company with hundreds of local business owners across the UK, Australia and Canada. Time For You are currently cleaning tens of thousands of homes across the world on a weekly basis.

Christmas can quite easily become an expensive time of year, but it does not have to be. After spending Christmases in lockdown, it can be tempting to go all out this year and to treat the family more than usual.

However, with the increased cost of living, it might be wiser to budget and prevent buyer’s remorse and financial stress. You do not need to spend a fortune to have a good Christmastime or make your friends and family happy.

Remember, Christmas is ultimately just one day. It is not worth struggling financially for weeks or months after. So, here are some tips on how to save money on Christmas gifts this year.

Make a list

Before getting started, you should make a list of everyone you are buying Christmas gifts for. This is also a great opportunity to streamline the list.

Is there a friend or relative that you always buy for who does not get you anything? If so, you should consider taking them off the list.

Set a budget

Figure out how much you can comfortably afford to spend on Christmas gifts this year. Make sure your budget is realistic and within your means.

Once you know how much you can spend in total, then work out how much to spend on each person on your list, and on wrapping supplies. You may even want to agree on a budget with some friends and family members, so that you know you are both spending similar amounts.

Keep a record as you go, noting down how much you have spent, on what and for who. This way you know how much more you can spend on each person, plus it will remind you what you have bought everyone.

Start early

Starting your Christmas shopping early and buying gifts over a longer period of time will help to spread the cost and even save you money.

Buy gifts as and when you can, especially if they are on offer, rather than waiting until it is closer to Christmas when they may be harder to find or the prices may be higher.

Take advantage of offers

Be sure to sign up to any loyalty or rewards programmes offered by the places you shop at. Most are free and give great benefits to their customers, such as monthly vouchers based on what you buy, free treat on your birthday, or a discount off when you have made a certain number of purchases.

Check online for discount codes before placing online orders. Simply search for something like “[shop name] discount code”, or you could check their social media pages for discount codes, then try any codes you find at checkout.

Sign up to newsletters via email from your favourite shops to stay up to date with the latest offers. You may even get a discount code to use on your next order.

Get cashback

You could also get cashback on your online purchases through websites such as TopCashback or Quidco. Simply access the website you wish to purchase from via the cashback provider’s site, place your order, and get money back when your purchase is verified by the retailer.

Give family gifts

Instead of giving each individual in a family their own gifts, you could give the whole family a group gift they can enjoy together. This can really help to cut costs.

This could be a voucher or tickets to something that they can all enjoy doing together, such as a show, the cinema, a day out, or some sort of experience. You could get them a hamper or boxes of chocolates, sweets or biscuits to share, or a board game they can all play together.

Do Secret Santa

You could suggest doing Secret Santa this year with your friendship group or family. This way, everyone still gets gifts, but rather than everyone buying for each individual, each person just buys for one other. Be sure to agree on a spending limit per person.

The limit could be higher than what you would typically spend on one person, but you would still save money. For example, if you do Secret Santa with five other people and the limit is £40, but you would usually spend £20 on each of them, you will still save £60 compared to usual.

Cut costs on wrapping

As well as saving money on the gifts themselves, you could also look to reduce costs on wrapping too.

Are you someone that usually wraps a gift in paper, adds some ribbon, tags and bows, and puts it in a gift bag or box? Doing this for every gift can be excessive and eat up your budget and is not great for the environment as a lot of it can’t be recycled.

Cut down on the ribbons, bows, bags and boxes, and look for cheaper alternatives to your usual wrapping paper and tags.

Some high street shops sell a wide range of recyclable wrapping paper for £1.50 or less per roll, so you can help save the planet whilst also saving you money.

Many people wrap presents in brown paper, which is also environmentally friendly and can be found for just £1 per roll.

As well as being good for the environment, using recyclable wrapping means that it can be put in your recycling bins and boxes, so your general waste bin will not be filled to the brim on Christmas day.

Buy a pack of generic tags, rather than the matching tags that are designed to go with the wrapping paper you go for, as they usually have more in and cost less. Instead of paper tags, you could get sticker tags, which can be even more cost-effective.

We hope that there are some tips here that can help you to reduce your spend on Christmas gifts, so that you can enjoy the festive period and go into the new year without financial worries.