Build Bath & Shower

You might have seen bottles of shampoo and conditioner labelled as sulphate- and paraben-free, but what does this actually mean when it comes to what we put on our hair?  What are sulphates?  Most of us will have shower gels, soaps, shampoos and cleaning products in our bathroom and kitchen cupboards that contain synthetic detergents. The likes of sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), sodium laureth sulphate (SLES), ammonium lareth sulphate and myreth sulphate. These are synthetic, inexpensive detergents that are very effective at removing dirt and also help provide that soapy lather we’ve come to expect when we wash our hair.  In some cases, they can dry out hair, irritate sensitive skin and make eczema worse , so some brands choose to use gentler alternatives .  Typically, sulphate-free products might not lather as much as others containing synthetic foaming agents , so those with finer locks may find they need to give hair two washes.  What are parabens?  Parabens are preservatives used...

Excerpt from 'How Clean is Your House' By Kim Woodburn and Aggie MacKenzie Getting started Kim and Aggie's essential cleaning kit A glance at the shelves of cleaning materials in any large store will tell you that there is a breathtaking array of cleaning creams, powders, polishes, liquids, cloths, mops and tablets available. Of course you don't need them all! Some are time-saving, but buying so many products is hardly economical—we'll show you other cleaning methods that avoid buying a special product that does only one job. However, every home should have a basic cleaning kit . All the homes we visited contained cleaning materials —they just weren't being used. Their purchase was a sign of the best intentions, but then they had been buried at the back of a cupboard—often covered in grease or dust! Name a product and you can be sure that we have tried it. Here is a list of the supplies we never ...

August 14, 2017 No matter how well we clean, our homes are full of bacteria, germs, dirt, and all kinds of invisible particles. If there were an easy way to quantify just how many there are, even the most blasé among us would make a swift shift to full-on germaphobe mode. The germiest places in your kitchen, for instance, are objects and spots you should really clean regularly to stop harmful bacteria from flourishing. But how often do you wash out the vegetable drawer in your kitchen or sanitize the water dispenser? When was the last time you washed the knobs on your stove or washed out your knife block? A month ago? A year ago? Never? Oops. ")}; If you’re grossed out by all of the germs and bacteria that might be lurking in your kitchen, you should know there are plenty of other places for such organisms to hide in your home. And, like those random nooks and crannies in your kitchen, you probably aren’t regularly cleaning these germ hot spots . Ready to see the error of your wa...

When I moved in, my bathroom was outfitted with basic builder grade components that never really went together and to top it all off, they never really worked properly. I just made do with what I had, but over time, I knew I’d have to renovate this space and make it my own. To make the bathroom magic happen , we’ve partnered with TOTO, the Japanese manufacturer  behind those infamous toilets that do everything for you, and to help bring it all together we’ve brought in online interior design platform , Decorilla, specifically, designer Joyce Elizabeth Tranchida . It’s embarrassing to show these but here’s what I’ve been living with… (sad, I know): I hate the glass hand towel light fixture so much I haven’t even replaced the bulb that’s out! The toilet is so basic it doesn’t even have a brand. My basic, boring bathroom needed some modernization, and a brand-new cohesive look as it’s the only bathroom in my home. If you’ve ever looked around at finished bathrooms, you know just how mu...