When the innocent-looking red thing in your Indian take away turns out to be chili, your first impulse is to reach for a drink. Don’t! It will just spread the heat around. Instead, eat a lot of bread or rice or try dairy products, like milk, sour cream, ice cream, yogurt…

I believe there is hardly anybody who would not recognise this logo! Believe it or not the Cif has been on the market since 1969. Launched in France and at the moment it is sold in 51 countries. The Cif product is sold under the names Jif, Vim, Viss and Handy Andy, depending on which of the 51 countries it is sold in. Asia is Cif’s fastest-growing market, and India its largest.

It is marketed against scouring powders such as Vim, as a creamy and hence protective but powerful domestic cleaner. Initially focused on cream cleansers for the kitchen and bathroom.

This is not a product endorsement, but I have found that it is the most effective product to dissolve the dirt relatively quickly.  We are more and more often approached by the local estate agents for the end of tenancy cleaning and for these types of cleaning we really need products which works well and relatively fast, especially when it comes to cleaning of any wood work like kitchen cupboards, window frames, door, door frames, banisters and skirting boards.

I also achieved a great result when it comes to clean any types of trainers (not the fabric one), cleaning outside and also inside of the fridge – although here I have to point out to rinse the cream cleaner off was very long process. Same with the bath – works great however the rinsing process takes far too long.

1. Cif – the original: LOVE IT and please God, do not let anybody to change it! It really works and all the achievements I was talking about are thanks to the original Cif.
2. Cif – lemon: Not very keen on this one. May be it smells nice but in my opinion it is too liquid and it really does not work as well as the original one. Sorry!
3. Cif – bleach: Extra power when you need it. Sometimes people could complain about the unpleasant smell….well it has a bleach in it so what would you expect… Dolce Gabbana smell comes out of the bottle?! This is the number one when it comes to sticky and greasy tops of the kitchen cupboards!

Bleach can irritate skin and eyes but we still use it in our home a lot. Most non-chlorine bleach is hydrogen peroxide. You can buy branded versions, or just stick to the 3% one sold in drug stores. And doing so the environment would really thank you.

Where do YOU stand? Are you modern eco friendly person or continuing with the usual products?

Let us know we would love to hear your opinion!

It may seem as if shops have permanent sales these days,

but January is still the best time for big bargains.

Here are a few advices on how to make your money go further on the high street:

• Stick to styles that work for you: Don’t try something totally different to wear just because it’s on sale at a knock-down price.
• Hung out discounts: Search online usisng price comparison sites such as or www.offeroftheday.co.uk or www.livingsocial.co.uk or www.groupon.co.uk…..there are so many these days, to find out where the good bargains really are.
• Set yourself a budget: January is a tough time financially and that must-have buy might not be such a bargain once you add in interest from your credit card. Use a 0% card or clear your balance in full each month.
• Pay attention to the price: Ignore how much you’re saving; it’s what you’re being asked to pay that’s important. Would you buy it at that price without the discount?!

Good luck and keep shopping locally to support our local community as well! 

Cocktails like Buck’s Fizz, G&T and Mojito are appearing ready mixed in supermarkets – and what could be more convenient?! But be WARNED, say the GHI (Good Housekeeping Institute): you could be paying more than twice as much for something that doesn’t taste half as good as those you mix yourself….  

MOJITO                     BUCK’S FIZZ                     G&T

40ml rum, 20ml lime juice,                 50ml sparkling brut                              150ml tonic water,

10ml syrup, 70ml fizzy water             150ml orange juice                               50ml gin, wedge of

2 mint sprigs (1 serving)                       (1 serving)                                      lemon (1 serving)

Silver items and jewellery will quickly tarnished from normal wear resulting in loss of glow. In this blog post we will focus on cleaning silver jewellery using household items. The aim is to bring back that lovely glow to the silver without causing damage to the item and scrubbing a layer of silver in the case of coated silver jewellery.

Cleaning Silver Jewellery That Does Not Contain Precious Stones:

Before the cleaning process can start, you should remove the item if you are still wearing it and choose a sturdy surface that can act as your work surface. You will need clean tap water, table salt, backing soda and a small deep plate to hold the mixture together. Having prepared the necessary bits and pieces, start by padding the inside of the plate with kitchen foil until the entire inside of the plate resembles an aluminium plate. Add tablespoon of table salt, a tablespoon of backing soda and warm water into the plate. Mix the ingredients together until the baking soda had dissolved in the water. It is very common for the mixture to bubble a lot while the backing soda dissolves. Dunk the silver jewellery in the mix, checking every few minutes if the solution had worked. In most cases, the result of this simple process will bring the silver’s glow back.

Cleaning Silver Jewellery That Does Contain Precious Stones:

If the item contains stones, the method above will prove ineffective, even harmful to the stones. In fact, many chemicals can have an adverse effect on precious stones so always check the label before using cleaning chemicals on your silver jewellery. The most basic (and often the safest) method is using water, toothpaste and a toothbrush. Simply brush the item from side to side using an old clean toothbrush covered in toothpaste and rinse in a bowl of water. If you decide to rinse the item in the sink, be sure to plug the sink before…. so your jewellery does not go down the drain.

There you have it, two simple to use silver cleaning methods using ingredients found in most kitchens.

Blog post by My Sphere Of Life A UK based brand of silver items.

Good Housekeeping tested the domestic Henry HVR200A which scored 77/100 for picking up dust and pet hair from laminate, floorboard and carpet.

Although the Henry is no heavier than many other vacuum cleaners, it can be a little awkward to manoeuvre upstairs due to its bulky build.

New Bags

• As soon as you buy  your new leather bag Scotchgard it. Also continue to feed the leather with a specialised conditioner (Mulberry’s leather nourisher works for me), on a regular basis. Allow 24 hours for the cream to sink in and then buff.

Rainy Days

• Preserve your leather and use a canvas bag on a rainy day. Line it with a discreet plastic liner and valuables should stay dry.

Wet Handbags

• Will it ever be the same again? Don’t be tempted to dry it with a hairdryer or place it near a radiator. Instead stuff it with tissue paper and place it in a dark, warm, aerated cupboard.

Marks on Leather Handbags

• Shine up your leather handbag and get rid of marks with a liberal spray of Pledge. It works a treat!

Pen Marks

• Got biro on your bag? Squirt on a little Elnette hairspray and wipe it away.

Grease

• Been eating greasy food and ruined your handbag? Lighter fluid will get it out in a flash.

When Your Handbag Gets Grubby

• For dark leather apply leather cleaner (www.leathermagic.com) sparingly. Only place a little on your bag with a very clean white (preferably cotton) cloth – old t-shirt do the job. Extremely expensive light-coloured leather bags should always be placed in the hands of the professionals for cleaning.

Marked Suede

• Little stains on suede will come off easily if rubbed with a hard rubber eraser in a circular motion. Keep a stock of products to help nourish and revive your suede including brushes with brass bristles – use a brass brush only on heavy suede.

Delicate Suede

• To brighten up delicate suede use a crepe suede brush, or one made of horsehair, to effectively remove dust and raise the nap. Cover lightly in talcum powder and then brush or vacuum for a new lease of life.