Some of us love a clean house; others can take it or leave it. Unfortunately, as a Virgo, I fall wholeheartedly into the first category. I love tidy. I love clean. I love organised. Sad, very sad. I'm more of a "Sad-ie", the cleaning lady, rather than a Sadie. (Go on, click on the link and sing-a-long for old times' sake.)
My biggest and best cleaning tip?
Water.
Yep, plain old water. Sometimes heated to steam. Mostly associated with a micro fibre cloth. I own lots of micro fibre cloths. Love them.
Don't want to leave streaks? Use a micro fibre cloth.
Don't want the dust recirculating? Use a micro fibre cloth.
I'm not one for expensive cleaning products full of unpronounceable words … chemicals … enzymes. I just use water for almost every cleaning job. It does the trick.
Surprisingly, I'm not infested with all sorts of dastardly diseases from the sleazy germs that are supposedly lurking on every surface needing to be chemical-ed into oblivion, as all the advertising would have me believe.
There are a few exceptions to my water based regime.
There's Ajax (or similar, depending on the price) living in my cleaning box … for those things that sometimes need a bit of a scrub.
And Orange Oil based products … one to remove sticky stuff and one to clean shower screens.
And disinfectant … for the loo.
But that's about it.
Simple. Inexpensive. No fumes, just nice smells. I don't need to invest in a gas mask as my cleaning fashion statement.
I'm a cheapskate when it comes to cleaning of any kind.
My dishwasher tablets are the cheapest I can get my hands on. (I tried making my own once. You can read about that experience here.)
My rinse aid is the generic brand.
My dishwashing liquid is the cheapest I can find. I have no loyalty.
My clothes wash in liquid detergent that is home brand and dirt cheap. It sits right at the base of the supermarket shelf where they don't want me to look.
Now there's another of my tips: Look down when supermarket shopping, the cheapest items are near your feet.
My whites pre-wash-soak in an Aldi product that is better and cheaper than any other I can find.
My Sadie supplies.
My philosophy: I'd rather spend that extra money on a coffee on the Champs-Élysées or the plane flight to get there than on expensive cleaning products.
But, why all this musing about cleaning??
Well, when I was a working person, I didn't clean. Nope, did not raise a finger to clean. Shocked? Amazed?
Was my house a pig-sty?
No.
I paid a lovely person to clean for me. A Sadie. My Sadie. I had no delusions of being a super-woman on steroids who worked and cooked and washed and cleaned … and then collapsed.
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.
And this is what I am able to offer you. A FREE 3 hour HOUSE CLEAN. Yep, if you live in the Sydney or Melbourne metropolitan areas, you can be in the running for a FREE 3 hour HOUSE CLEAN. How cool is that?!?
So, the big question … what do you need to do to be in the running to win?
Firstly, live in the Sydney, NSW or Melbourne, VIC metropolitan areas.
Secondly, read the T&Cs of the giveaway here.
Thirdly, write a comment on this blog, before Sunday, August 9, 5pm, telling me why your house needs … wants … must have … is in dire need of a 3 hour clean from Home Hello.
This competition is a game of skill, not chance, the winner will be selected by the most creative comment.
If you're from Sydney or Melbourne metropolitan areas, get your thinking cap on and comment away; Sunday 5pm is quickly approaching.
If you don't fall into the giveaway geographical area (SORRY), please share your cleaning tips with me. I'd love to know your secrets.
If you don't fall into the giveaway geographical area (SORRY), please share your cleaning tips with me. I'd love to know your secrets.
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