Lynsey Crombie - Queen of Clean - How to Clean Your House and tidy up your lif

Firstly I would like to thank the fabulous people at both HarperCollins and PFD for giving me this amazing opportunity and making my dream come true.

A massive thank you also to my wonderful little family who have supported me on this journey and who gave the belief that I could actually write a book. They all have to put up with me insta-storying most of our lives and take daily photographs for me so I can share all my wonderful cleaning tips and home hacks.

Also to the wonderful people at Betty TV who took a chance on me and gave me a regular slot on Channel 4s Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners.

And lastly, to all of my wonderful followers who have stuck with me for the past two years and have held me up with such amazing support and encouragement, even when I felt like giving up.

Lynsey, Queen of Clean is one of the UKs most popular cleaning bloggers with over 100k Instagram followers and a blog reach of around 40/50k per month. Her devoted followers turn to her every day for her expert tips and tricks. Lynsey was first seen back in 2014 on Channel 4s Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners where she was a regular cast member cleaning some of Britains dirtiest homes. She runs a successful cleaning company and regularly appears on UK shopping channels.

How to create your own Queen of Clean tool kit!

I am often asked by newlyweds, people leaving home for the first time and new home owners about the best cleaning tools and products. I know that, for some, this can be very confusing; the supermarket shelves are packed with so many products, its hard to know what to buy.

My advice is to create a home cleaning kit. A perfectly-formed kit is the key to successful cleaning and will save you both time and money; you really dont need to have cupboards bursting with products. The other beauty of having a dedicated kit is that you have everything to hand and you will know when you are starting to run low and need to replenish items.

This section will help you put together the ultimate cleaning caddy that is not only practical, but well organised and transportable, and which contains all the essential cleaning products you need to keep your home clean and give you fantastic results.

When building your kit, consider creating a few smaller additional kits that you can keep in different places in your home. This will help save you time when you are cleaning, so that you dont have to go up and down the stairs like a yo-yo if you have forgotten anything.

Lets get started

You will need:

a sturdy, good-sized cleaning caddy with a handle

NATURAL CLEANERS

I tend to lean towards homemade products, so these few items are key if you are keen to follow the homemade, natural route.

White wine vinegar (a degreaser and a mild disinfectant)

Bicarbonate of soda (a natural mild abrasive and deodoriser)

Baby oil (great for shining-up stainless steel)

Essential oils (for fragrance)

BOUGHT CLEANING PRODUCTS

Multipurpose cleaner

Furniture polish

Washing-up liquid

Glass and mirror cleaner

Limescale remover

Bleach

CLEANING TOOLS

Rubber gloves

Sponges

Microfibre cloths (in a good mix of colours see page 24)

Toothbrush

Wire wool

Lint roller

Squeegee

Duster

ADDITIONAL MUST-HAVE TOOLS

These obviously wont fit in your caddy, but you need them.

Vacuum

Mop and bucket

STORAGE

When choosing your caddy and products, think about where you are going to store them. Do you have a large enough space? It is so important to consider this before you go out and buy loads of items.

Its good to designate a space under your kitchen or bathroom sink or in your laundry room for cleaning products. Under-sink storage solutions are a great use of space and will free up other areas of your home.

If space is tight, dont panic there are some great options available these days. Consider using over-the-door storage solutions. If you are using a mop and bucket, use the bucket for storing items. Roll up your cloths for easy storage, too.

Vacuums arent always the easiest items to store and can take up valuable room. If cupboard space is limited, you could store your vacuum under your bed, in an under-stair cupboard, behind the sofa or even on top of the wardrobe, if it will lie flat.

I am a huge fan of natural cleaning and making my own cleaning products. The air quality inside many homes can be two to five times more polluted than the air just outside. Traditional shop-bought household products play a huge part in creating this pollution, which is why I avoid them as much as I can. Besides, making your own products can be fun and most of the ingredients can be found in your own kitchen.

Its important to remember that homemade cleaning products dont last indefinitely they only have a life span of around 3 months. Make small batches and replace them frequently. If you are using fresh lemon juice, you will only get one use from the cleaning solution, as the lemon juice will go off and not be effective thereafter.

Try to use smaller bottles when mixing your own products. I love to use 500 ml bottles this size will give me enough product to last for a few weeks.

BENEFITS OF MAKING YOUR OWN PRODUCTS

You control the ingredients.