You may have seen from my recent Instagram stories and posts, I have been on a cleaning frenzy. I hold my hands up, I’m obsessed with everything Mrs Hinch touches, I find labelling and organising things unbelievably satisfying and my Zoflora collection is becoming almost embarrassing. Lockdown has only fueled my desire to clean and achieve domestic goddess status out of sheer boredom, however, finding cleaning supplies where I live isn’t the easiest. That’s why I was delighted to discover Viking Direct.
Viking Direct specialise in office supplies and storage, however, they also have an entire section dedicated to cleaning and catering so you can stock up on cleaning supplies for your home, office or business at discounted prices all in the comfort of your own home. They basically have my entire cleaning routine sorted including, perhaps the most important step of all, my morning coffee. Caffeine is an absolute must and, as I spend my days in lockdown looking after a baby, a 3-year-old and working from home, my Nespresso machine is being put through its paces. These Starbucks Colombia Pods are my absolute favourite, however, there is also a range of Dolce Gusto and Tassimo capsules available here, as well as flavoured syrups. Chocolate is another necessity… surely this goes without saying? If you have self-control, the Nestlé Mini Breaks Treatsize Sharing Box is perfect for a quick nibble between cleaning tasks, although I ate all the Rolos within minutes of opening the box.
The Bathroom
Cleaning my bathroom can be a time-consuming process. I have a tiny toilet downstairs which is perfect since Penny is toilet training but, as you can imagine, she has a few misses now and again so you might find the odd puddle of toddler pee on the floor. The main bathroom is where the girls have their nightly bath and guests primarily use so it gets the most attention. It might seem a bit extra, but I like to colour-code my sponges and cloths for different jobs around the house to avoid cross-contamination so I use ‘blue for the loo’, a phrase coined by the legendary Lynsey Queen of Clean. The Vileda Sponge Cloths are thick, strong and available in a selection of colours so they went straight into my bathroom caddy. Recently I’ve been putting the Cif Power & Shine Bathroom Spray to the test. It’s really effective at removing limescale around the taps and shifting soap scum around the rim of the bath. It packs a punch but doesn’t have a harsh smell and leaves my sink with a beautiful shine. It’s a fantastic ‘every day’ kind of product but if you’re looking for a product that’s a little more powerful or if you live in a hard-water area and you have a bit more time on your hands, I’d recommend using the Viakal Descaler as it’s more concentrated.
If the baby starts kicking off or you just don’t have time to grab your marigolds for a deep clean, the best way to make you bathroom look instantly clean is by sprucing up the toilet with a quick squeeze of Toilet Duck in Citrus (pine gives me an instant headache) and attaching a product like the Harpic Fresh Power 6 Block under the rim. Also, a beautifully scented handwash, such as the Method French Lavender, and an ample supply of luxurious toilet paper (handy to know if people start to bulk buy again) are a few more ways to make your guests feel at home (or distract them from the sticky handprints up the walls).
The Kitchen
Believe it or not, the kitchen is my favourite room to clean. It’s probably because I spend most of my time in there (definitely not with a cuppa hiding from my adorable cherubs) and making sure it’s a clean, uplifting space just makes me feel a lot calmer and motivated. This week I decided to tackle my dishwasher. I filled my Dishmatic with the Ecover Lemon & Aloe Vera Washing Up Liquid (a brilliant degreaser) and used it to quickly scrub the racks and under all the lining. I then used the Finish Dishwasher Cleaner on a hot wash, which does the majority the work for you and topped up my rinse aid. I then wiped down all my worktops and cupboard doors with the Cif Power & Shine Kitchen, which is formulated to be safe for food preparation areas and finished off with a quick mop of the floors with the Flash All Purpose Cleaner in Crisp Lemon.
Finishing Touches
It’s definitely easy to get carried away and fill your cupboards with a full arsenal of disinfectants, sprays, polishes and cloths, however, there are some fantastic multi-purpose product available if you want to simplify your routine. The De-Solv-It Sticky Stuff Remover, for example, is a unique powerful gel solution which can be used to remove label residue, chewing gum, sealant, crayon, sticky tape – you name it! An absolute must-have for any household with a 3-year-old, believe me. The Pledge Multisurface Cleaner is another handy product. They’ve revamped their traditional polish so it can now be used on sealed wood, glass and, most importantly, electronics. Finally, the Delphis Multi-Purpose Cleaner has a professional strength formulation, however, it’s plant-based and contains no phosphates or ammonia. So if you’re looking for a powerful cleaner which can be used pretty much everywhere (I especially like it for the baby’s changing mat and highchair) it’s perfect.
If you have the time and energy to deep clean each room – go for it! However, if you’ve only got a 20-minute window whilst the baby is having a nap and your little girl is glued to whatever happens to be steaming on Disney Plus, these products work a treat. Just whatever you do… don’t forget the chocolate.
*This post features items kindly gifted by Viking Direct.
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