Laundry hacks you’ll love

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We are always looking for ways to do chores better, faster, smarter and cheaper and when it comes to laundry, every little trick helps.

We have some savvy shortcuts to share that we hope will keep nasty smells away and save you time, money and effort.

Colour coded baskets
Yes, we know this sounds a bit OTT but it works. Buy three laundry baskets and colour-code them as whites, colours and darks. On wash-day, simply empty one basket into the machine and press go leaving you free of stinky sorting.

Stain free
Go easy on chemical stain removers, and trying rubbing a little chalk into stains before you put your clothes in the wash and everything from lipstick, grass and bacon will be gone.

Bright whites
To get your whites bright once again, slice several lemons, put them into a pot of water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat off, add your clothes and let them soak for an hour before washing as usual. To get glowing results, let them dry outside in the sunlight.

Make it quick
If your laundry is pretty much stain free, go for a quick wash setting which will clean and refresh but won’t take forever or add to your utility bills.

Inside out jeans
Washing and drying is tough on denim and washing can see colour and shape being lost. To keep your jeans looking and feeling new, turn them inside out before they go into the machine and leave them like this as they dry.

Towel fresh
We all love soft, fluffy towels but keeping them in pristine condition can be tricky. Forget
fabric conditioner and instead add a cup of white vinegar to your wash load and as well as bringing towels back to life and keeping them soft and absorbent, the vinegar will also help keep musty smells away.

Go for a spin
If you want to aid the drying time of your washing, go for an extra spin during the washing cycle. Adding just ten minutes to a wash will actually cut down drying time later.

Keep your machine clean
From time to time it is worth cleaning your washing machine if you want to keep it in good working order. To do this, simply add half a cup of bicarbonate of soda to the machine drawer with half a cup of white vinegar and put it on a quick, low temperature wash.

Tumble faster
If you want to speed up drying time, and bring down costs, add a couple of clean tennis balls, dry towel or scrunched up balls of foil in with your clothes and the job will be done in flash.

Bed bundles
Once your bedding has been laundered, rather than simply stuffing back in the cupboard, why not make life easy and pack it into ready to use bundles? Put a clean folded fitted sheet, duvet cover and pillowcase in a pile, then carefully place this into one of the pillowcases and next time you change your bed, everything will be there ready and waiting for you. Add a little lavender and it will smell good too.

Got a tip that works for you? Get in touch, we would love to know what it is.

Team Pure Beauty

Don’t let hay fever get you down

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The sun is shining, the sky is blue, off the shoulder dresses are on trend and everyone is happy.

Well, nearly everyone.

With an estimated one in five people suffering with this common allergic condition during their life, summer can be unbearable for many.

In a nutshell, pollen from grass, flowers, plants and trees can cause sneezing, runny or blocked nose and itchy eyes and it can be both painful and frustrating as there is no known cure.

Of course, the most effective way to keep hay fever under control is to avoid pollen exposure. This, however, it’s difficult and impractical, so we have some tips and tricks to help keep it at bay so you can enjoy your summer as much as everyone else.

Medicines
Hay fever can be controlled with conventional, over-the-counter medicines on sale at your chemist. Antihistamines help prevent allergic reactions and corticosteroids ease inflammation and swelling. If you try these and they aren’t helping it is worth speaking to your GP to see if prescription medication is needed.

Diet
Eat organic food where possible as this helps avoid pesticides and additives. Low-allergen foods such as brown rice, quinoa, broccoli, cabbage, sweet potatoes, leeks, peas, pears, apples and papaya are all good options and of course will aid general peak health.

Mushrooms
Mushrooms aren’t just for breakfast and can really help regulate the immune response. A good quality organic extract from Reishi mushrooms is a good option and worth investing in if you are serious about dealing with hay fever for once and all.

Drinking
Keep your water drinking up and reduce your alcohol intake. Beer, wine and spirits all contain histamine, which is the chemical that sets off allergy symptoms in your body so as well as making you more sensitive to pollen, alcohol also dehydrates you, making your symptoms seem worse.

Wash your hair
Did you know pollen can stick to your hair? Well it can and when you go to bed it transfers to your pillow and will affect you as you try to sleep. If you have been out for the day, it is a good idea to have a shower and change your clothes before going into your bedroom and sprinkling pollen around and making life harder.

Go for sunglasses
As well as shades protecting your precious peepers, they are also a great way of stopping pollen from getting into your eyes. Go for a decent wrap around pair to create a barrier and to ensure your eyes are less red and itchy.

Housekeeping
We aren’t saying you don’t clean but given that pollen can easily get into your carpets it is a good idea to vacuum regularly and sweep it away. Try not to have the windows open too much and dust with a wet cloth so pollen doesn’t unknowingly spread around your house

Barrier
It is said that applying a little Vaseline (petroleum gel) around your nose can stop pollen getting into your system.

Home comforts
This isn’t going to happen every day but if the pollen count is high (over 50 grains per cubic metre of air) you might want to stay at home or visit a shopping centre, cinema or museum rather than being outdoors and at risk of symptoms getting worse.

Spice up your life
Garlic, ginger, red onions and other spices are all brilliant ways to help clear sinuses and ease congestion. Add them to curries, salads, stir fries and BBQs to keep your pain away.

Honey
Pop some honey on your toast or in your green tea and let the bee pollen in it desensitise your body to the plant pollens that cause the hay fever grief.

We hope you find a way to keep your hay fever under control this summer, and if you have a top tip, would love to know what it is.

Team Pure Beauty

Get your clothes clean, whatever you throw at them

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Whether you are 4 months, 14 or 40, it is inevitable that your clothes will get stained and the worry will be it won’t come out in the wash.

Yes, you can go for bleach or products loaded with chemicals, but we are here to save the day when it comes to looking after your laundry the kinder way.

Blood – don’t freak out! Once you have dealt with the patient, soak the stained clothing in cold water before gently rubbing with mild hand soap before rinsing with cold water.

Chocolate – run the stain under cold water then rub with washing up liquid. Soak in cold water for 15 minutes then wash as normal and you will never know it had been there.

Coffee – rather than rubbing this stain, blot with a kitchen paper, then dab the area with distilled white vinegar before washing as normal.

Deodorant marks can be a nightmare but rub the stain with a pair of nude tights and the texture of the material will work wonders and leave nothing behind.

Grass – create a paste from your usual washing powder and a little water and dab onto the stain. Let it texture of the material for 15 minutes then put through a normal wash.

Ink – blotting the ink to remove any excess liquid is the first task here, then cover the stain with hairspray and then immediately put through the washing machine as normal.

Foundation can be a real pain when you see if on a white shirt, but rub a little washing-up liquid into the stain then wash on a hot cycle and you will never know any make-up had been worn.

Ketchup – dab the bright red stain with a clean cloth then cover with washing-up liquid followed by distilled white vinegar. Soak the item in cold water for half an hour, then dry, ideally in the sunshine, and wash as normal.

Lipstick- your friend for this stain is hairspray. Spray generously onto the stain and leave for 15 minutes. Go back and blot the area with a clean cloth soaked in warm water, then put in the wash as normal….and be more careful next time!

Mud needs to dry before you can brush it off. Soak the piece of clothing in cool water with half a teaspoon of washing-up liquid and a tablespoon of distilled white vinegar.

Oil is best dealt with by keeping calm and rubbing with a mix of washing-up liquid and water. Then simply rinse in cool water and machine washing as normal.

Red wine – no need to throw that shirt away, simply cover the stain in salt and brush away after ten minutes and pink. Then pour boiling water onto the stain, carefully of course, and allow to sit until the stain lifts.

Sweat – add four large tablespoons of salt into a litre of cold water and soak the sweaty garments for 30 minutes. Rinse and leave to dry before then putting through cool machine wash.

The best way to deal with wax is to freeze the clothing to harden the wax, then scrape it away with a teaspoon. You can then cover the affected area with tissue paper and iron it to melt the remaining wax on to the tissue and wash on a cool setting.

Got any great ideas, let us know, we are all ears.

Team Pure Beauty

Easy way to meditate

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There is no getting away from the fact that modern day living is stressful, and seems to be getting more so.

Whether you’re commuting on a packed train into the city, constantly trying to meet deadlines at work, or bringing up small children, pressures can mount up and getting time to unwind can be tricky.

However, relaxing is key if you want to get the balance right and whilst we all do that differently, something we can all incorporate in our lives is meditation.

The word meditation, comes from two Latin words: meditari (to think, to dwell upon, to exercise the mind) and mederi (to heal).

Meditation is a mind-body practice that can help improve anxiety and reduce symptoms of stress, leaving you feeling calmer and more in control. It isn’t just about focusing your mind but also looking at what’s going on inside you, so you can really start to understand yourself and the triggers that make you anxious.

There are various types of meditation with many coming from ancient religious and spiritual traditions but the two most common forms are mindfulness and transcendental meditation.

Mindfulness meditation is about focusing on your breathing and transcendental meditation involves repeating a mantra.

To feel the benefits of meditation you can start with as little as five minutes a day and build from there.

You can attend a group or class, which can be helpful when you are getting started, but we have some tips to get you started on your own.

Do it anywhere. Sitting, standing, lying down, on the train, or walking but the key is to be comfortable and focused. Find a chair you really like, sit on the floor with cushions, lie on the grass in the park – the choice is yours but make it work for you.

When you meditate, go distraction free. Turn off all devices, leave your phone in another room and try to make your space as tranquil as possible.

Be open-minded. Meditation works best when you have an open attitude as this makes it easier for thoughts and feelings to flow and for you to relax.

Breath. Once you are comfortable and ready, start to feel your breath as it comes into your body, through your nose and into your lungs. Count one on your first breath and two as you breathe out. Repeat to 10 and start again.

Scan you body. As you progress and are following your breath, start to focus your attention on your body, one part at a time. Start at the top of your head, down to your nose and chin. Feel the breath in your chest, your stomach and your legs. Move to your ankles, toes and finish with the soles of your feet. How do those feel?

Don’t worry you’re doing it wrong. There’s no perfect way to meditate, just do it and be happy you’re doing it.

Smile. Sounds funny we know, but when you’re finished, smile. Be grateful you had this time to yourself and you took time out for you.

Meditation isn’t always easy and it takes time and commitment, but the benefits can be amazing, so why not start today?