Old Style Book - Can You Help?

innovate

moonbeam682 wrote:

sorry I didn't mean to offend anyone by mentioning microfibre cloths - I was only trying to be helpful.
I don't have shammy leathers & don't buy newspapers & as the cloths have saved me lots of money on cleaning products I thought others might find them useful. They have been mentioned on OS before & nobody has said anything about them not being OS.

Absolutely agree with moonbeam682 - whilst microfibre cloths themselves have not been around for a long time and could therefore be considered "not very old-style", cleaning without chemicals is doubtlessly old-style!! Also, if you interpret "old style" as "money saving", microfibre cloths most definitely score very high!

Shammies and newspapers have been around for a bit longer, true, but they really can't touch microfibre cloths when it comes to effectiveness and efficiency.

There are dozens and dozens of applications for a plain damp or dry microfibre cloth, with results that just about nothing else can come close!

Moot point: where I don't fully agree with moonbeam682 is on where to buy the cloths......I found the cheapohs disintegrate quite quickly, so I prefer to buy e-cloths. They are probably 2-4 times pricier than the cheapohs, but they last and last and last (i.e. are better value for money). And I think they clean better than the cheapohs, too.

moonbeam682

where can you buy e-cloths innovate - they do sound better value for money

Hermia

Edinburghlass wrote:

Interesting point, off topic of course, but what is your concept of Old Style?

I personally use water, vinegar and newspaper for cleaning glass just like my mother did :snow_grin

I don't use a bread maker as I bake my own bread in the oven, do use a slow cooker sometimes and my mother's old pressure cooker, don't use a tumble drier as I hang up outside.

But yes, I do use a computer, where else can I google for recipes from :santa2:

Interesting point as I'm sure we all have our own ideas of what OS means. I am personally never going to be using newspaper and vinegar to clean glass. I don't buy newspapers and I loathe vinegar so I don't want that nasty smelly stuff sitting in my cupboard. I use nice stuff I can buy from a supermarket like my dear old mum did! I have flicked through OS cleaning books in the library and I just never have the ingredients they assume people have in their cupboards.

To be honest I don't see OS as being about just blindly copying what people did back in olden days. I see it as being about adapting those ideas to suit modern lifestyles.

Glad

I too use cleaning stuff bought from a shop, and I also use microfibre cloths, they are quick and easy when I'm busy, hubby will only use old rags for cleaning and newspaper for his car windows, nobody will be living completely as they did in the old days, I was just raising a point on the book thread that these were not essentially two great old-style ideas and there are more economic ways,

apologies if anyone took my post as a criticism, especially the odd newbie who popped in

inapickle_4

moonbeam682 wrote:

where can you buy e-cloths innovate - they do sound better value for money

E-cloths, or microfibre cloths are widely available. There is this reference in the index from Ticklemouse

The cloths are great for anyone with allergies etc. nad as they are washable, they can be used again and again.

innovate

moonbeam682 wrote:

where can you buy e-cloths innovate - they do sound better value for money

Waitrose, John Lewis, B&Q, the e-cloth website, Lakeland, eBay...........

BTW, anyone subscribing to Which? (I don't any longer, so haven't seen the report with my own eyes) - I was told they did a 'what's the best microfibre cloth' recently, and e-cloths came top. If anyone has actually seen the article, may be they could post a precis (without breaking copyright rules )

innovate

Glad wrote:

apologies if anyone took my post as a criticism, especially the odd newbie who popped in

It's ok, Glad, you can get up again :snow_laug:snow_laug:snow_laug:snow_laug we won't wager a microfibre cloth at you!!!!

Sorry if my post appeared harsh, t'wasn't meant like that at all! I just get carried away a bit at times evangelising about the microfibre cloths, and the e-cloths in particular, because these things are just about the best thing since sliced bread. HONEST!

BWZN93

I think vinegar is amazing. Id bought my massive wardrobe from ikea and my grubby hands had smeared prints all over the mirrored glass. I figured id do a test and see really how well the vinegar/water combo worked.

OMG!! AMAZING! they cleaned so quickly and effortlessly, and there was not a single smear on the glass. Ill never go back to regular cleaners now as the chemicals are way too strong and the vinegar works as well as anything else (better on glass I say).

Anyway - Microfibre cloths are great for picking up dust etc, and there is no need for special cleaners. I also say use proper wax on decent furniture instead of constantly spraying with polish, I wax mine every couple of months and buff off to really treat the wood, and then use a microfibre cloth to take off the dust in between.

[Deleted User]

As the oldest of 7 children and almost in my 60s I can tell you that I did my fair share of cleaning `old style`

What on earth is so good about `old style?` well the only thing I can think of is the lack of harmful chemicals but who today would want to know about sprinkling used tea leaves on a rug to freshen it up? We used masses of elbow grease and spent masses of time. Our hands were constantly in water. There is too much choice today but I am not going back to the `old style` way. No thanks. Give me a good new micro fibre cloth and a steam cleaner and I have `new style` without the drudgery

innovate

jw1096 wrote:

I think vinegar is amazing. Id bought my massive wardrobe from ikea and my grubby hands had smeared prints all over the mirrored glass. I figured id do a test and see really how well the vinegar/water combo worked.

OMG!! AMAZING! they cleaned so quickly and effortlessly, and there was not a single smear on the glass. Ill never go back to regular cleaners now as the chemicals are way too strong and the vinegar works as well as anything else (better on glass I say).

Anyway - Microfibre cloths are great for picking up dust etc, and there is no need for special cleaners. I also say use proper wax on decent furniture instead of constantly spraying with polish, I wax mine every couple of months and buff off to really treat the wood, and then use a microfibre cloth to take off the dust in between.

So have you not tried the microfibre cloth bit without the smelly vinegar bit? I agree vinegar is great, and I used it (with peg in nose cos it stinks and I hate it) until I discovered microfibre cloths.

I now clean my windows and mirrors with just water - and they end up completely streak free. A good wipe with a damp MF cloth, then a quick wipe with a dry MF cloth and hey-presto! everything looks as new.

Nice side-effects of microfibre cloths are that you need less elbow grease, and for some reason, things seem to stay cleaner for longer, too.

Sorry, I am evangelising again ........