[Redway]

Four things I’d never be without from the “smellies” catalogue are tea-tree, pine, eucalyptus and wild-orange essential oils. Tea-tree smells a little funky to (probably) most so it’s not exactly one for the candles or general aromatherapeutic qualities but it does function as a very sharp, potent antiseptic and antibacterial (and that’s kind of exactly what it smells like, like it or lump it). There’s no harm whatsoever in adding a few drops of it to your mop-bucket on a Saturday morning.

Pine: freshens up and de-toxifies the air. Something to, like, consider if you have the kind of asthma that gets triggered by dust mites (and to the end of dust-mites in general I’d use some of it in your bedroom-laundry and, like, air out a window for a minute once the bedding’s back on). Handy for keeping a fresh toilet.

Eucalyptus and wild orange: like tea-tree but a bit nicer-smelling (although I know some people can be a bit funny about eucalyptus) and can help more actively in terms of de-greasing surfaces. Definitely handy with the gas cooker.

Honourable mention to lemon. Like the above but (like orange) with a definitively agreeable scent, so most people like it. Some people (somehow) are fine with all the toxic chemicals in bleach but have allergies to tea-tree of all things and HATE people using it when they’re there at least but being allergic to lemon essential oil would be a new one.

Come to my kitchen and you’ll see why I’m not the biggest fan of conventional chemical cleaning products. I’m not saying I don’t buy and use them at all (and bleach is non-negotiable for the toilet) but I do prefer to do it naturally when I can. Obviously, the more elbow-grease you give it with whatever you’re cleaning up with, the better the result. Not to go breaking your mop because you snazzed it across the floor too hard but you do need to get those elbows and hands moving.