Spring is in the air, so now is the time to give your house and yourself a good spring clean that will both revive and inspire you to look and feel fresh. Here are our top tips for getting ready for spring…
Get started with your skin
Skin health is important to delay the natural aging process and to keep you glowing.
- Sun protection – it is important to protect your skin from the sun by using sunscreen and protective clothing and always seek shade between 10am and 2pm.
- Eat well – a healthy diet will keep you looking and feeling your best. Follow our 2 Step Plan to optimise your nutritional uptake.
- Drink plenty of water – drinking water will hydrate your cells, plumping your skin and making you look much healthier.
- Exfoliate – Dead skin cells absorb less moisture, which defeats the purpose of applying moisturisers to begin with. If you use an Eco Max Princess Body Brush for dry body brushing before taking a shower you will remove these dead skin cells without stripping your skin of its natural oils. But best of all you will open up your pores, allowing your renewed soft skin to optimally absorb and retain moisturisers.
- Use a mild soap – strong soap and detergents will strip the skins natural oils making it dry and cracked. Ensure you only use mild soaps and detergents. Try our Spicy Goat Soap.
- Moisturise – ensure you have a daily moisturising regime to replenish your skins moisture and prevent drying. Try our nourishing Skin Rejuvenator Cream.
Don’t forget your feet…
It is time to get your feet ready for sandals and the freedom of being shoe free.
- Soak your feet often – soaking your feet can soften the dry skin as well as soothe away aches and pains. Try our Spicy Goat Foot Soak.
- Use an Eco Max Foot Brush – Daily use of a natural fibre brush like our Eco Max coconut fibre Foot Brush, when in the shower is the easiest way to get smooth feet. Be sure to concentrate around the edge of the heel and balls of feet, using firm pressure to gently rub away hard skin and dead cells.
- Moisturise – your feet will love you if you use a natural oil to moisturise. Your feet need a deeper penetrating cream, like our Essential Balm, than the rest of your body because the skin is thicker and harder to penetrate. Massage your feet with balm before going to bed and your feet will be much softer in the morning.
- Allow your feet to breathe – get in the habit of letting your feet have shoe free time. Your feet sweat and after hours of being in closed in shoes they will love the freedom.
- Keep your nails trim – to prevent ingrown toe nails make sure you regularly trim your toe nails.
- Always wear the right size shoe – shoes that are not the correct size will cause corns, blisters and bunions.
Don’t forget the house
Spring is a time of new beginnings – we open the windows to warmer weather and sweep the winter dust out the door. So what better time to ditch the ugly plastics in your home, and upgrade to beautiful natural brushes that you won’t want to hide away.
Cleaning does not have to be complicated. Go back to basics with these chemical free cleaning recipes and Eco Max’s natural household brushes. The Japanese inspired Eco Max Scrub Brush will have your cleaning done in no time, thanks to a two-pronged attack!
- Rice Root – A wavy yellow fibre from the roots of a native Mexican grass, for a tougher scrub.
- Tampico – A variety of cactus, which absorbs water and releases it as you scrub, making it ideal for softer an over all clean.
It is the unique combination of these two natural fibres that will make your spring-cleaning a breeze. Plus the Eco Max Scrub Brush is so pretty; you will want to keep it on display. So get a helping hand to scrub those tough spots with this tried and tested homemade remedy…
Bicarb Bathroom Blitz – Make a paste of equal parts lemon juice, vinegar and bicarb soda and use it to scrub grout and bathroom tiles. To remove mould spray a mix of a ¼ teaspoon of oil of cloves added to a litre of water, leave overnight, then wipe clean.
Tea Tonic for Timber – Did you know Tea contains an acid, which is brilliant for timber? The Tannins in the tea react with the timber and keep it healthy. Simply make a pot of tea using 5 teaspoons of tea leaves, let this steep then pour into a bucket of boiling water. Wrap an old pair of pantyhose around your broom, dip your broom into the tea mix, and then use to mop your floor.
Deal with Dust Mites! You can’t see them, but they’re all over your home. I am talking about Dust mites. They live in your carpet, fabric lounges, bedding, and curtains, even your child’s stuffed animals. These tiny insects, visible only under a microscope, feed on dead skin and animal hair and are generally pretty harmless, but in large numbers can be really aggravating to those with allergies! In fact, dust mites are likely the most common cause of year-round allergy and asthma symptoms. Spring is the perfect time to make sure you minimise their number, you can never get rid of them but with a few tips you can reduce their numbers.
- Aim to wash your sheets and pillowcases in hot water with a tablespoon of Eucalyptus oil once a week. This may not be energy efficient but cold water will not kill dust mites. According to a study at the University of Sydney Australia, adding Eucalyptus essential oil to your wash will eliminate 99% of dust mites from your bedding. Dry in a dryer and not on the line. Pollens in your garden will settle on your sheets and the heat from the dryer should finish off any mites that may have been missed.
- While your sheets are in the wash, take a few minutes to vacuum your mattress! This process should be done once a month or so to eliminate dust mites that have made it onto the mattress. Use a mattress protector that can be washed once a month in the same way as your sheets.
- You probably vacuum weekly but make sure you do not forget your curtains and lounges. If you can wash your curtains follow the directions on them but add a tablespoon of Eucalyptus oil as well. Spring is the perfect time to clean your curtains before opening the windows and allowing mites to blow around the house.
- Wash your kids stuffed toys – put them into pillowcases or wash bags and wash with the addition of 1 tablespoon of Eucalyptus oil. Allow to dry in front of the dryer or on an airing rack by a sunny window. They are now ready for more hugs!
With these simple tips you will have your home and yourself refreshed in time for summer!
Ditch the plastic and go green
We are now selling Eco Max’s range of eco-friendly body and household brushes, look for them under Accessories!