To celebrate the beautiful milestone of hitting 6k on instagram, and all the fun we have had this year with organising and home hacks, I have been promising a giveaway of “a few of my favourite things”
Firstly, I do want to mention, I am a firm believer in multi-purpose products. I think my mother taught me that. She would literally clean the entire house off 4 or 5 products max. Of course, when I hit teenage years and discovered the wonders of certain cleaning products, she would always fight with me when shopping; I would throw in certain products and cleaners and she would always say “you’re wasting my money”. She did, however, have a very valid point, and one that has stuck with me. As much as I adore trying new things and new ways to clean, I will always return to a few old favourites. I think it’s important to emphasize, because otherwise, you can end up on spending thousands of Rands unnecessarily in the cleaning aisle.
Keeping your home clean and free of germs doesn’t have to be difficult. Its something we have all had to focus more on with this worldwide pandemic. Whether you’re cleaning up your bedroom, living room or kitchen there’s a handful of basic products (that you may already own!) that can help you get your home into tip top shape.
So, I have put together “a few of my favourite things giveaway” to celebrate the fun we have had over the past year, and all the extractor fans, silverware, and limescale we have cleaned along the way!
What’s in it?
Good old Vinegar and Bicarbonate – My old faithfuls
Yes, I know its not so exciting to include in a giveaway, BUT, as you can see from my article here, with these 2 bad boys, you can pretty much clean your entire house.
White Vinegar is brilliant for getting rid of bad odours, cutting grease and shining glass. I call it my “magic mist”. Just by using vinegar you can take something dull and lifeless and transform it and make it look clean and shiny. It doesn’t leave a waxy residue and lasts a lot longer. Surprisingly, if you use vinegar to clean, your home wont actually smell like vinegar :). We used to clean our windows with vinegar and newspaper. These days I keep one in a spray bottle to mist onto carpets, and furniture for a dustless and odourless result.
Bicarbonate of Soda – the all-time refresher and natural abrasive. You’ve seen me use it on my carpets, on my mattresses, in my washing machine and down my drain. I’ve used it to clean the oven and my grout and it is still often my first go to for anything that needs a pizzazz. Ever seen me polishing silver with it? You need to watch that video, its magic before your eyes 🙂
Addis Microfiber cloths
Whether you colour code are not, these beauties need to be in your cleaning cupboard. They are very absorbent; not only for dirt but for liquid. Used wet or dry they make the ideal cleaning cloth. They are also eco-friendly and can absorb a tremendous amount of liquid. So far Addis has been my favourite brand to find good quality cloths in.
Tip: You might want to buy these in bulk since you’ll be using them for everything!
Chemico Paste.
Another essential in my life, and together we have tackled extractor fans, rust, hard-water toilet stains and grout. This tiny, inexpensive “pot of pink gold” performs miracles before your eyes. It lasts for ages and if it does dry up you can just add a little water, it is something you want to keep in your household supplies. Have a look at all the different ways you can clean with your Chemico Paste here.
Omo Washing Powder/Liquid
I will be honest; we swap between the liquid and powder in my house. As much as I adore how “pretty” the capsules are, I don’t use them because they are not cost effective to me. Again, going back to “multipurpose”; I don’t only use my Omo washing powder to do the laundry, I use it for cleaning the outdoor tiles and the playroom playmats. It’s perfect for these because it foams up wonderfully and you can “scrub” with it. I always use the liquid on more delicate items.
Comfort Fabric Softener
This has been a more recent swap over for me. Up until recently I used another well known brand, but once I smelt comfort, I could never turn back 🙂 Initially I was worried about the stronger scent with a family of eczema sufferers, however we have had no issues at all with it, and wow the aroma that fills my home when I pop clothes into the dryer is incredible 🙂
Sunlight dishwashing liquid
A staple, across all households in South Africa. Since they launched the nature range last year, I have been a convert 🙂 Whether you buy the blue antibacterial or the softer “lemon” it doesn’t matter they are both beautiful (literally I love the packaging). Sunlight is another product in my home that gets used for everything, (both the traditional green bar and the dishwashing liquid), from washing the car to removing oil stains from clothes 🙂
Harpic
A multipurpose thick bleach second to none, and it is NOT just for the toilets. The more recently released “white and shine” baking soda range is a favourite with me and you can literally use it to clean both your tiles and your toilets 🙂 The formula provides excellent hygiene, eliminating E. Coli and Rotavirus.
Vim
I don’t think there is a day that goes by without using Vim in my house! A scouring powder I thankfully introduced my mum to as a teenager and one that she’s still using today too. If you have stainless steel pots and you don’t have vim, you are not living 🙂 We have owned our pots for well over 10 years and apart from one broken handle, they are literally still sparkling. Not to be used on non-stick, but I couldn’t have a cleaning giveaway without this staple.
Handy Andy
A bit like Vim, a product we are never without. I don’t think there is anything it can’t clean, from stove tops to floors and bathtubs. This multipurpose cleaning cream always stands in if we every run out of anything else. Fun fact, my husband once “burnt” the stainless-steel drains and plugs in our bathrooms when he poured a drain cleaner down them. They were literally all black and I tried everything (including my beloved bicarbonate and chemico paste), Handy Andy (with its ammonia, was the only thing that restored the plugs shine)
More specialised products
So those are my basics, items that you will always find in my kitchen cupboard. There are two areas in my house however, that I will always use specialised cleaning product for (sorry mum) – my kitchen and my bathroom (showers).
Astonish Cleaners
Recently launched into South Africa I have fallen in love with the Astonish range. From a curiosity point of view, I think I have tried everything from the range, but I do have some firm favourites. The range is extremely affordable (seriously, and the bottles are big) and they are all proudly cruelty free and vegan. There is still so much of this range that I want to try out but these are a few of my favourites:
The Anti-Bacterial Surface Cleaner is an absolute WINNER in my eyes, I LOVE the fact that it doesn’t actually smell of anything (I don’t want to spray my kitchen counters where I prepare food with strong smelling chemicals) and the size of the bottle is brilliant.
The Citrus Grove Kitchen Cleaner ; I love the soft citrus scent and it is fantastic for cutting through grease. I use this for my kitchen cupboards, everyday wipes on the stove and oven, and on my appliances to cut through that “sticky kitchen grease stuff”.
Window and Glass Cleaner ; I think like most South Africans, up until this year, I used another infamous blue window cleaner. I stumbled onto the Astonish from a curiosity point of view and love it. Used on mirrors or windows its streak free and doesn’t hold a strong smell.
Mr Sheen
Another range that has recently expanded its coverage in South Africa. We could always get a few things, but they have brought in a much more comprehensive range recently and I am loving it. I keep the Disinfectant Spray by the kitchen door and use it on all shoes, packages and school bags before they come in 🙂 I also use the Multi Purpose Surface Spray because I love the soft vanilla and lavender scent. It doesn’t leave “an oily residue” like some of the other furniture polish sprays so that makes me feel like it’s gentler 🙂
In my giveaway I am including the Daily Surface Spray– If I can’t find my Astonish Antibacterial, this is my go-to, especially on Kitchen counter tops. It is a daily disinfectant spray and claims to kill 99.9% of cold and flu viruses, something we ALL need right now 🙂
Dr Beckman
Oh, where do I begin – from the moment I tried out the miraculous “Colour & Dirt Collector Sheets” last year a love affair began. Seriously, if you haven’t seen how these sheets save my laundry, you need to go watch my home hacks highlight. It will change the way you wash 🙂 Since then I have trialled a number of their range, but my absolute top picks have to be the “Carpet Stain Remover”; this bottle and product is just so handy to nip out for any spot stains or treatment needed on fabrics. It is an incredible product to keep on hand if you still have upholstered car seats like me 🙂 The “Service It” Washing Machine cleaner is also fantastic. I typically do my monthly cleans with Washing Soda and Vinegar, but to use this every 3-4 months or so is a treat, it claims to remove 99.9% of all bacteria which puts my mind at ease. Made with Active Carbon, it acts like a magnet to all dirt and odours.
Scrub Daddy Sponges
Last but not least and another new addition to my cleaning cupboard, (and this giveaway), thanks to OneDayOnly.co.za are my “Scrub Daddy” Sponges, Typically you wouldn’t find these in my house because they are not readily available in South Africa. However, all the UK and USA cleaning “gurus” swear by them and I know so many “hinchers” in South Africa were dying to get their hands on this nifty little sponge. I have included two in my giveaway. A sponge is a sponge right? Not necessarily, Scrub Daddy is a “scratch-free sponge” that eliminates needing a different sponge for various uses. Its FlexTexture material allows it to change texture under different water temperatures — warm water makes it soft and perfect for wipe downs and washing dishes, while cold water stiffens it for tough pot and pan jobs. The smiley face makes it easy to hold and handle as you use it.
So there you have it – All of the products included in my favourite things giveaway and some of the items you will always find in my kitchen cupboard. To top it all off i have included one of my favourite IKEA “Variera” Boxes, which I store my cleaning products in, so you can jump on your organisation game like I have 🙂
All entries will be on my instagram page, so head on over to enter and follow me for more home hacks and tips !
