Well all right, it’s not the most exciting of jobs but there’s nothing like a spot of sunshine to show up the dust everywhere. So not only will a spot of light dusting make the house feel better, it will get you in the mood for summer and, if you’ve got the right gear, then you might even enjoy it. Here are some gorgeous cleaning accessories that might even have you reaching for that pinny. Or ringing the Mrs Mop agency.
MOP AND BUCKET
£17.50
A galvanised steel bucket with integral mop ringer that is stronger than the traditional plastic and will therefore last longer and wring better than its more modern counterpart. The mop is made from heavy weight cotton thread so you can get a good scrub going without bits of string or foam falling off everywhere.
FEATHER DUSTER
£20
Feather dusters are a brilliant way of cleaning without actually feeling that you are doing any cleaning. You can float about waving them over bookshelves, cobwebs and lampstands and they will remove the dust without you having to use any, you know, elbow grease. About the ostriches – apparently their feathers are best for these dusters as they have a natural static charge which helps attract the dust. See, you really do learn something every day.
NORMANN COPENHAGEN DUSTPAN & BRUSH SET
£20.35
www.wheredidyoubuythat.com
The pan is made from really flexible plastic so you can angle it to gather up those stubborn bits of fluff that so often roll underneath. If you then fasten a piece of string through the brush handle, which in turn fits through the hole in the duspan, you can hang the whole thing up from a single hook. Neat.
TALL DUSTPAN & BRUSH SET
£59.50
And for those of us who really don’t like to put our back into the cleaning, is this tall version which enables to you to be a lot more nonchalant about the whole business. It is expensive yes, but I have used a cheap version of these tall dustpans and you will end up on your hands and knees either feeding the dust into the pan or picking it up separately so there is an element of getting what you pay for. Alternatively, yes I know, get the hoover out.
BIODEGRADABLE DISH CLOTHES
£8.50
Designed in Sweden and printed in the Cotswolds, these cloths will wash the dishes, wipe up the spills and clean the bathroom. They’re made from a mix of cotton and cellulose and can be machine-washed at up to 60C and, then, when they’ve finally had enough you can just throw on the compost or in the recycling bin as they’re completely biodegradeable.
LINEN SCRIMS
£9
No, I didn’t know what a scrim was either, but it turns out it’s a kind of duster that’s great for windows or glasses because, unlike those normal yellow dusters, it won’t leave a layer of fluff all over everything.
LINEN STRIPE APRON
£35
www.toast.co.uk
If you’re really serious about doing some cleaning you’ll need one of these. And if you’re not, you can use it for cooking instead.
BLACK AND DECKER PV1825N 18V PIVOT HAND VAC
£59.99
Sometimes it’s just such a pain to get the Hoover out when it’s only a tiny spillage, or little bit of dust. I’ve got this one and, while it was expensive, it’s so sucky and powerful, that I very rarely get the normal vacuum cleaner out of its cupboard any more. In an ideal world, I would have one of these on every floor and I swear I would clean more often. It folds up quite small and just lives on its charger, which incidentally lasts quite a long time. I have done four flights of stairs with it. Admittedly I had back ache for an hour afterwards (and there’s the flaw, you will still need a proper hoover) but the stairs looked great.
METHOD CLEANING PRODUCTS
from £3
available in most supermarkets or
Cleaning products that are non-toxic, environmentally friendly and that actually work. They work by absorbing the dirt rather than using chemicals to break it down. There’s no need to rinse after using either.
UTILITY BUCKET
£22
And once you’ve bought all those products you’re going to need something to schlep them about it. This will do. And it will fit under the kitchen sink for storage too.
With thanks to:
@atticusandfinch @emmakay @GertsenPR @KissHerLondon @daisyfay_ who provided the inspiration for this post during a happy Twitter evening discussing hoovers. No, really we are all very exciting people who lead fabulously glamorous lives.
