The Edit | Spring cleaning

After a bit of a break I’m restarting ‘The Edit’, my regular series sharing curated selections of items to help you make the most of simple, relaxed moments at home and beyond. And my focus this month is spring cleaning.

I never relish the prospect of a big clean, but once I get going I always find there’s something very cathartic about it, especially at this time of year. It’s a chance to throw open the windows, clear out the cobwebs (literally and figuratively!), and breathe new life into the house after winter. And it always brings with it a sense of starting afresh, particularly as the weather turns milder and I can hang laundry outside to dry naturally in the breeze (much nicer than the slightly fusty smell you get from using tumble dryers).

Below is my pick of considered buys to make your spring cleaning that little bit more appealing. I’ve focused on sustainable products, so you’ll find reusable cloths and containers, cleaning sprays and detergents made from natural ingredients, and well-made wooden brushes that will last for years to come. They’ll help make your home look, feel and smell wonderful – and when they’re not in use, they’re far prettier on the shelf than brightly coloured plastic!

1. Small tabletop brush made from natural agave and yucca fibres hand-bound with cotton, £18, Your Kind Lifestyle
2. The Organic Company reusable wash cloths, £8-9 each, White Black Grey
3. Bloomingville iron and beech dustpan and brush set, £38, Smallable
4. Iris Hantverk birch peg rail with seven hooks, £22, Trouva [AD – affiliate link]
5. Tangent GC hypoallergenic detergent (1L), £16, KIN
6. Wooden clothes pegs (set of 50) in a cotton drawstring bag, £19.50, Object Story
7. Iris Hantverk tall dustpan and brush set, £72.50, Trouva [AD – affiliate link]
8. Glass laundry powder jar (2.5L) with wooden lid, £24, So At Nature
9. HAY laundry basket, £35, Nest.co.uk
10. L’Alchimiste Marseille soap laundry powder refill (700g), £18, Smallable
11. Humdakin dish soap (750ml), available in ‘Wild Lemongrass & Nettle’ or ‘Salvia & Sea Buckthorn’, £22, Trouva [AD – affiliate link]
12. Three-panel wooden clothes airer, £95, Clothes Horse Co [AD – affiliate link]
13. Ostrich feather duster, £29.50, Object Story
14. Reusable loofah dishwashing sponges (pack of five), £14.50, Trouva [AD – affiliate link]
15. L’Alchimiste Marseille soap stain-remover stick, £8, Smallable
16. Kinfill full house cleaning set (includes extracts that mix with water to make a multi-surface spray, a glass and mirror spray, a bathroom spray and a floor cleaner, plus four reusable glass bottles; refills then available), £51, Smallable
17. Wood and natural-fibre cleaning brush set (contains a large brush with a flat sisal head, a long brush with a round head, a long dish brush with a replacement head, a long brush with curved head, a small brush and a circular brush), £38, So At Nature

I’ve included a couple of its products above, but I have to give a special mention to So At Nature, which has a fantastic range of glass storage jars and bottles, meaning you can buy refills of cleaning products and reduce packaging. There are even reusable spray bottles, one complete with instructions on how to make your own window cleaner using natural ingredients.

Another brand I want to highlight is Kinfill, whose clever cleaning products are supplied as concentrates which you dilute with tap water at home. The initial set includes four long-lasting glass bottles, and after that you just need to top up with refills every now and then. Mixing things up yourself cuts right down on packaging, and everything is responsibly sourced with no toxins or harsh chemicals.

Finally, you’ll find lots of cleaning, laundry and organisation tips in Humdakin’s book, available to buy here. I’ve also put together a dedicated Pinterest board, which you can find here.

Please note this post contains affiliate links (all clearly marked), which means I will receive a small commission on any resulting sales. You won’t pay any more by clicking on these links than you would by visiting the websites directly, and it helps to support the free content I create here. 

All photography via the brands above; top image by Iris Hantverk