The three cleaning hacks that could save you hundreds on your heating bill and save you time doing the laundry
It is often said that a messy home makes for a messy mind.
According to experts though, not keeping up with cleaning could not only be damaging your mental health but also your finances too.
With the cost of living crisis, many of us are trying to save where we can, even if only in a small way.
Despite switching off the lights and heating at night, experts at money saving site CUT MY still estimate that average three bed home will spend £1960 on energy each year.
There are some simple ways to reduce utility bills by potentially up to hundreds of pounds though, which Mrs Hinch would definitely approve of.
It turns out cleaning your home is an easy way to make it more efficient, with three easy hacks for save on your bills – especially heating.
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The first is to regularly wipe down your windows, so they let in more light and more residual heat from outside.
If you have have south facing windows, keeping them clean can boost temperatures by up to 4C – meaning you won’t have to switch on the heating on as often.
It won’t cost a lot to get gleaming windows either, just a mix of two parts warm water and white vinegar which should remove any stubborn residue.
You can also use old newspapers to clean them, as this is a mild abrasive but it won’t scratch the panes.
However, this hack isn’t the only way to save on heating bills.
With people keeping heating to a minimum, there is a chance that your radiators aren’t as efficient as they ought to be when you do switch them on.
Understandably, most of us forget to clean our radiators with dust gathering in every nock and cranny - trapping the precious heat.
By using a long brush to cleaning around the coils, you could be increasing its efficiency by up to 25 meaning your home stays hotter for longer.
You can even pour a mix of fabric condition and warm water between the gaps to properly flush out any dirt, as well as leave your home smelling sensational.
Just put a towel and bowl down first.
There one final appliance that you will need to clean though, especially if you also want to reduce your energy bill.
Despite hot water and soap going through the washing machine every cycle, grime can still accumulate around the seal, detergent tray and in the pipes.
Even worse, this build up can lead to longer cycles, clothes that aren't clean and you having to do more washes.
If you want brilliant whites instead of that grey interior designers seem to love, you need to make sure you are regularly cleaning the filter and removing any gunk.
Most machines will have one that you can remove, making it easier to wipe away any debris with a cloth and antibacterial spray.
You can then soak the filter for ten minutes in soapy water to clean it, before giving it a gentle scrub with an old tooth brush and slotting it back into place
To make sure your machine is in tip top shape, you'll need to ensure that you also wipe down the seal as well as rinse your machine with white vinegar every six to eight weeks.
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Not only will this make your machine more efficient, it could save you a small fortune on repairs.
We guess your mum was right to nag you about tidying your room.
