Paul Ridden writes: The doorbell rings. You answer and it's a bunch of your friends come for an unannounced visit. You show them to the front room but there aren't enough seats for everyone. The kitchen is way too small and as for the bedroom - they're just not those kind of friends! The sun is shining for a change so you could take the party into the garden but there is even less opportunity for bums on seats there. You can't risk losing your 'party host of the year' title by having people sit on the floor or standing around. What to do, what to do?!?
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A humble cup of coffee is usually transformed into a stylish and sophisticated cappuccino by adding frothed milk, which has been whipped up using an electric 'steamer'. But if you don't want a bulky and energy-guzzling device taking up space in your kitchen, a cool alternative is on offer at Ethical Superstore, which now stocks the 'Presso' non-electric espresso and cappuccino coffee maker. It has handles, a bit like a bottle opener, to create the necessary pressure to make these speciality coffees and more.
Still confused? So was I. Follow the jump to see a video of the Presso in action!
£88.95 at Ethical Superstore
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I wouldn't normally get this excited about a cleaning product, but Method's natural stainless steel wipes have proven to be my number one ally in my spring cleaning efforts this year, and I've been raving about them to anyone unfortunate enough to come in and find me in my rubber gloves.
The thing about them is, they just smell fantastic. The natural fragrances and cleaning agents mean that there's no harshness to their scent, and somehow they also seem to make everything they touch very shiny. Pick up a pack for £3 at Goodness Direct
I've included an extra-large image of the bottle this product comes in, just to make the point that Febreeze it definitely is not! Pairfum's room fragrances not only smell lovely (I'll get to that bit in a minute) but it looks pretty smart too, meaning you won't have to consign it to the under-stairs cupboard.
The 'Flacon' range of room fragrances by Pairfum, whose entire range is based around the idea of 'luxury with a conscience', can be used on linens, fabrics or on pot-pourri. What I like best about it is that it doesn't contain the overpowering, 'masking' chemicals found in ordinary room sprays, so I'm quite happy to waft it through my home with gay abandon, and it really helps make the place smell fresh. It's pretty packaging is also fully biodegradable. Available for £14.95 a bottle at Treasurebox
Related: Method want you to kick the bucket | Spring clean the green way with Maison Belle
It's fair to say that if half as many people commuted to and from work each day, we'd halve the emissions that rush hour transport causes each day. Which is a lovely idea, if it weren't for the fact that working from home is not everybody's cup of tea. My main problem with working from home is that I live in a house and not an office, and have never really got on with this whole 'laptopping in your jim-jams' idea. Getting into work mode for many people involves scrubbing up nice and stepping into a professional environment, and my pad just isn't going to become that overnight.
If I had one of these bad-boys in the garden, however, I'd be inclinde to see it rather differently! The Office POD brings a whole new meaning to the idea of remote working as it comprises a rather sleek workspace in an all inclusive capsule. It's not actually available to buy- these pods are designed to be rented by employers as a cheaper alternative to office space.
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Some people claim to enjoy housework: my flatmate likes washing up, whereas I find ironing quite therapeutic. I've yet to find a person who enjoys washing the floor though, so anything that renders the process any less painful and mucky has got to be a good thing.
Method have devised a good new, er, method of getting the job done that's not only more ergonimically acceptable - it's greener too. Their revolutionary 'OMop' uses a non-toxic 'juice' to get your floors sparkling, it takes re-usable microfibre cleaning pads and its packaging is made of pressed bamboo and recycled natural fibres. It's also a joy to use, with a handle that bends so you don't have to. Sounds horribly expensive, doesn't it? But the O-mop is actually pretty well priced at £29.99 at Homebase, John Lewis and Method online.
Related: A green spring clean for 2009 | Method Kid: Good clean fun comes to the UK
As the days grow longer and the sunlight stronger, it's harder to get away with sloppy housekeeping, hence the age-old tradition of giving your place an almighty spring clean around this time of year. Clocks go forward on the 29th March, so in less than a fortnight there'll be plenty more ambient light to work its way into your home's darkest nooks and crannies.
You may normally rely on powerful chemicals to do the work for you, but if you're concerned about your chemical splash and don't want to harm wildlife, you may want to use more natural methods to clean your home. Using strong bleaches and other products has been described as attempting to attack your home cleaning with pesticides, and there are far kinder ways to go about the job.
Follow the jump for some tips on how to get it looking spotless using friendlier substances, like lemon juice, vinegar and sald (plus a few of our favourite non toxic products!)
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