Fuss-free cleaning

DO you feel annoyed cleaning the same things over and over again in your home? Here are some tips to help you cut down on what needs to be done.

Prevent drips on your floor

Wet shoes and umbrellas leave drips all over the floor. Place a rubber mat under your shoe stand, and put a solid plastic umbrella stand next to it that catches all the drips. If you use a coat rack, set it away from the wall on the rubber mat.

Spray sofas and rugs

If you have kids, pets, visitors or tend to always spill things, invest in protector spray for all your upholstery and rugs. There are fabric protectors for sofas and chair, canvas protectors for shoes, and grouting sealants for bathrooms and tiled areas. A good place to source these are hypermarkets and hardware shops.

Line your plants

Plants and flowers are life and colour to a home but keeping the soil moist and the water fresh can mean rings and splashes. Water beads or “magic beads” are polymer crystals that absorb water and release it very slowly. You can use them over and over again, and they come in lots of colours. Buy them in quality gardening shops, upscale hypermarkets or look for them online.

Sort your laundry

Does your laundry creep up on you, turning from a molehill to a mountain overnight? Instead of having a single large hamper, put up three small ones the size of a typical load of washing: one each for whites, colours and darks. When one is full, you can tip it into the machine in one go. If you can afford it, buy a dryer and save on ironing.