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cleaning

This may just boil your blood to dangerous levels. Many of us are well-used to cleaning up after ourselves, as well as the men around us.

New research has found that women who share a home with a male partner undertake the 'majority' of the household chores, which is unsurprising to most.

Researchers at University College London and Imperial College London have found that women still do most of the household duties when they live with a man, specifically 16 hours per week on tasks compared to the mere six that men carry out.

The Independent reported on the data, which was taken on 8513 heterosexual couples who lived together between the ages of 16 and 25 from 2010 until 2012 in the UK.

The findings of the UK Household Longitudinal Study can't be applied to queer couples or couples who don't live together.

The study was published in the journal Work, Employment and Society, and focused on a series of weekly work variables; hours spent at a paid job, hours spent caring for a child or adult and hours spent on chores.

The education of the participants and their attitudes towards gender roles were also examined.

The couples were divided into eight groups, based on the balance of paid and domestic work each partner carried out.

A range of people were included with different backgrounds such as low caregiving responsibilities, men who are the primary earner, women who are the breadwinners, women who do most of the household work, dual earners who shared caregiving responsibilities, women who work part-time and do domestic work, couples with men who work long hours, and unemployed couples with low caregiving responsibilities. 

It was found that women completed the majority of the domestic tasks in a shocking 93 percent of the couples surveyed.

When both partners worked full-time, women were FIVE TIMES more likely to spend 20 hours or more a week on chores.

50 percent of the couples examined had a "relatively egalitarian division of work," according to the authors of the study.

However, only two groups (seven percent of the couples) were seen to be the most egalitarian: a female earner who shared domestic work and couples in which men spent long hours on chores.

"The female-earner was the only group in which men’s contribution to the housework was similar to that of their partners, and this group had the highest proportion of women with educational qualifications higher than those of their partners," the study reads.

The authors concluded that in the UK, "gender equality in divisions of work is rare and gender norms remain strong."

Both partners need to share feminist ideals when it comes to household work being divided fairly, but a baby constantly thrust couples back into their old roles.

"The largest egalitarian groups in this study were less likely to have children," according to the data.

Gender disparities clearly still exist when it comes to care-giving and household duties, with domestic employment still mainly women in the workforce.

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The goddess of cleaning is back – and we are DELIGHTED.

Mrs Hinch is releasing a book FULL of her top tricks to having a spotless home.

Whether you're a clean freak or a messy betty – this bible of cleaning tips is set to teach you her secrets to achieve a sparkling home.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Sophie Hinchliffe (@mrshinchhome) on

Mrs Hinch aka Sophie Hinchliffee has an army of 1.4m cleaning junkies on Insta.

The book "Hinch Yourself Happy: All The Best Cleaning Tips To Shine Your Sink And Soothe Your Soul," is based off pictures she regularly posts to her social media account.

Her army, known as the Hinchers await her snaps of her pristine home and the tips, cleaning products and recommendations that she gives.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Sophie Hinchliffe (@mrshinchhome) on

Sophie announced the news of her book on Twitter and fans are already excited.

Some are even calling for her to launch a book tour.

Mrs Hinch tweeted: "Hinchers I’m hoome. ​And I’m only releasing a book aren’t I! Can you even believe it." 

"Mate I can’t. Thank you so much to you all my #hinchers. Because without you all this would never have been possible."

The cleaning guide won't be on sale until April 4, 2019 but if you're a fan of the cleaning guru, you can preorder the book on Amazon.

The tips and tricks will set you back a modest £12.99, which is a price I'd be willing to pay in order to try and tidy up my sh*t – sorry mum.

We are delighted for Mrs Hinch and can't wait to see what cleaning treats she has in store for us.

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Cats and dogs have been, for a long time, man’s companions, pets, a part of your family. But with the new technology wave spreading nowadays, the digital era brings a new type of invention, a new type of ‘pets’: robot pets.

Robot pets – What are they.

An artificial intelligence, AI for short, inside a machine, a robot pet is, as the name implies, a robot designed in the shape and size of a common pet: dog, cat or even bird. Made to be similar in attitude and behaviour with a real animal, robot pets are used to help elderly people that, for various reasons, cannot keep a pet.

The robots are supposed to help with dark emotions, like depression, to keep the elderly active, maintaining their wish to live, fresh. But with the creation of such robot pets, comes the question everyone asks at the end. Can robot pets really replace real dogs and cats? The answer is simple: it depends on the individual.

There are numerous benefits when it comes to owning a robot pet:

Helps with several mental illnesses

Several mental illnesses, like depression or dementia, are, in the long run, hard to cure. By using robotic pets, there has been an increase in relaxation and lack of stress in the elderly people diagnosed with such illnesses.

They not only respond better to the caretakers, but they also are more active, more sociable, engaging in discussions and interaction with other fellow patients. The pets provide the necessary emotional support for the patient to take a step forward in a positive way.

Does not bring additional costs aside its acquisition

Once you buy the robotic pet, there are no other future costs. It will not require medicine, treatment, food or water to survive. With several types of robotic pets already on display, there are sure to be some affordable robot dogs or cats you can ‘adopt’ and bring into your family.

Is ideal for those who suffer from allergies, as it does not shed

Allergies are not something you can control fully. Some people are born that way; some acquire allergies in their lifetime.

Those who are allergic to animal fur, but still wish to have a pet, can now have their dream come true. They do not need to compromise anymore, as the robotic pets do not shed and have no real fur.

According to what model of robot you choose, they might have a synthetic coat over their mechanical body that imitates the way real fur looks like, on the one hand. On the other hand, if you prefer a more mechanical look to it, you can choose one that will satisfy your taste.

Does not need cleaning

As they do not eat and drink, they do not defecate. So you do not have to take them outside for them to do their business, nor do you need to clean after them while indoors.

They will not misbehave

Everyone who owns a real pet, be it dog or cat, has come face to face with the situation in which the pet misbehaved.

A friend came to visit you and your dog jumped up and down, barked and tried to bite your friend? Did your cat act aggressively, trying to scratch the one who wanted to pet it?

With the robot pets such misbehaviour does not exist. They are programmed to recognise you as their owner no matter what, their expressions and actions already installed in their memory. Or, if you are good at computers, you can also download and instal several other tricks for your robotic friend to perform.

In contrast to the benefits a robotic pet can have, there are a series of downsides that, for many, are just a deal breaker.

However, there are also undeniably drawbacks in terms of owning a robot pet:

It only has a limited set of actions and cannot respond to you directly

They already have programmed in their memory what type of actions trigger what effect. For example, a cat will only purr if you pet it on the back, while a dog will wag its tail only if you pet it on the head. If you do any other type of action and expect the robots to either purr or wag their tail, you are going be disappointed as they will not do anything.

It may break down unexpectedly

You never know when it might break down. Some products do need to recharge their ‘energy’, but others may use a more advanced and complex system that does not require batteries or recharging. If one of such products breaks down, the only way to repair it might be to send it back to its producer and have it replaced with a new one.

No walk

Robot pets do not need to be taken out for a walk. And while this might seem attractive at first, on the long run it is a major drawback. Walking your dog is highly beneficial to both yours and your dog’s health. You get to exercise, you have a way to meet new people, and you relax and avoid over-stressing while the dog gets his energy level down a notch while doing its ‘doggy business’. But with robotic pets, your healthy lifestyle might suffer.

Does not provide the emotional achievement of training or interacting with a real pet

Pets, no matter what type, have their own way to show their affection, to communicate and interact with you. Moreover, when you finally manage to train your dog or you receive your cat’s affection, you get a feeling of fulfilment, of serenity, of achievement.

When robot pets are concerned, there is no such feeling. They are already programmed to do certain things and to offer you their ‘unconditional love’. But at the end of the day, robots do not have feelings, and they cannot compensate for yours.

No emotions

A pet will feel sad when you leave it alone for too long and will be a cute, furry joy-ball when it sees you. There is no dog that will not wag its tail as soon as it sees its owner. It will do anything in its power to grab your attention in order to receive a few affectionate words or a pat on the head.

A robot pet, however, is another story. If left alone it will enter a standby state, in which it will try to imitate ‘sleep’. It might fall under the ‘cute’ category at first, but as the time passes, you might feel the need to be ‘asked’ for attention by your pet.

A robot is not capable of doing so while putting feelings and emotions into the act itself. Sure, it might emit certain sounds and noises to get your attention because its battery is running out, but it will never behave like a true, real, animal.

In conclusion, despite being a new trend, and despite having their own benefits, robot pets still have a very long road ahead before there is any chance for them to replace a breathing, loving cat or dog.

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How often do you wash your hairbrush? 

We wouldn't be surprised if you have to go quite far back in your memory to find the answer.

 Six months? A year? Never?

Well, you're not the only one.

Because let's face it, most of us just pull out a few hairs now and then before putting it back on the table.

But unfortunately for us, this is actually a pretty bad habit. In fact, we should be thoroughly cleaning our hairbrushes at least once a month.

And according to dermatologist Francesca Fusco, we should also be spray cleaning them once a week. Oops.

Francesca tells Allure: 'The less you shampoo, the more you use dry shampoo, the more you have dandruff, the more styling products you use, then the more frequently you should clean your brush.

'Residue, dead skin cells and oil colonise the brush and can become a home for bacteria and yeast which in general is not good and can smell unpleasant.'

Em… ew!

So seeing as a lot of us are total novices, Francesca tells us the most effective way of cleaning a hairbrush?

“The best way to clean it is to simply use a fine-toothed comb and rake it through the brush. It should easily catch all the hair and pull it free.”

“Then, run it under the sink and use your hands to massage the bristles to break up product that may be stuck in it. Then use your blowdryer and dry it up.”

 

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IMAGINE cleaning up your room, finding a Euromillions ticket and poof! You've just won €500,000. It would be pretty sweet, right?

Well, that exact scenario has just happened to a man in Dublin.

According to The Journal, the man, who wants to remain anonymous, said that his wife asked him to clean up a pile of papers, and he couldn't believe what he found.

"I was cleaning up a pile of old tickets and I just started checking them on my phone. When I saw that I had won the plus draw, I had to keep scanning my tickets with my wife to make sure we had won.

“It’s hard to imagine that I had a €500,000 winning ticket rolled up into a ball on my floor for three weeks.”

The winning ticket was a quick pick selection and was purchased in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.

When asked how he'll spend his good fortune, the Dubliner said: "We are going to pay off our mortgage first and foremost while the rest of the money will be put towards our children’s education over the next number of years.”

Feature image: Getty

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Ah, vodka. The Sex and the City girls always enjoyed a glass or two.

It can bring out the good, the bad and the very ugly. 

But it's not hard to see why it's one of the most popular alcoholic drinks around the world – it's very neutral, has no harsh smells, and mixes well with many other drinks. 

However, vodka can be used for many other things other than getting sloshed… Shocker! 

It can actually be used for medical reasons, hygienic uses, and cleaning solutions around the house too. 

Treat a tooth ache

When you start having a tooth ache, pour some vodka on a small cotton ball and put it on the gums around your sore tooth. After a few minutes it will start to alleviate the pain. 

 

Prevents dandruff

Mix a shot glass of vodka with a glass of water and use it to rinse out your hair after washing it with your normal shampoo. This prevents any left over shampoo or dead skin from building up. 

 

Use as a mouthwash

Vodka is a great disinfectant and brilliant for killing odours too. Combine vodka with water and add a few teaspoons of cinnamon to create a refreshing mouthwash. 

 

Bug repellent 

Vodka is actually an extremely effective bug repellent. Just pour some into a spray bottle and keep it with you on holidays to warn all the nasty flies away. 

 

Cure jellyfish sting

Instead of going through the clichéd "should I pee on my friend's leg" inner monologue, the next time someone gets stung by a jellyfish try putting vodka on it. It will sooth the sting within 10-20 minutes. 

 

Use as a deodorant

Feeling a bit sticky but have no deodorant on hand? A few squirts of vodka from a spray bottle will do away with any bad odours. 

 

Keep your razor in it

The main reason why razors become so dull so quickly is because small amounts of hair, water and shaving cream are left on the blades after every use. Next time, soak your razor in a cup of vodka, it will totally clean out your blade and disinfect it for your next use. 

 

Clean Windows

Another product that relies primarily on alcohol for its effectiveness is your average window cleaner. Swap it with vodka and it will do just as good of a job. 

 

Clean mould or grease

Greasy dishes or a grubby bathroom? Use vodka and a sturdy brush to remove the dirt easily. For dishes, leave them soaking for about 5 minutes and they will appear as good as new. 

 

Stop clothes from fading

Sometimes dark clothes fade, and the worst thing is they will fade in some places and not in others. To help protect your clothes from this, mix vodka and lavender and spray onto your clothes. They will never fade again – and smell great too. 

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Living in our own home and taking care of yourself can be a bit of a drag, especially if mummy used to do all the work for you. And, unfortunately, cleaning up has got to be one of the worst things that comes with living away from home.

So, to help you get rid of those stains that you keep trying to hide, try these tips:

Getting rid of water marks
Use a little petroleum jelly, like Vaseline to get rid of these bad boys. Simply rub it onto the stain leave it for a day and wipe away.

Carpet stain
Put a little whitening toothpaste onto an old toothbrush, rub into the stain and rinse away with cold water. This also works on clothes.

Rust
Moved into a new apartment and noticed a little rust on the bath? Well, simply use some coca cola. Dab a little onto a sponge and use a little elbow grease to get off the rust.

Blood stains
Blood can be a nightmare to get off but you can try this trick – rub a little salt onto the area to loosen the stain and then pop it in the washing machine.

image via Pinterest

 

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Unless you are like Monica Geller, cleaning the house is probably the bane of your life. Unfortunately, it still needs to be done.

Thankfully, these tips will make it slightly easier:

Soap scum
So cleaning the bathroom is certainly not on our list of fun things to do either, but it must be done. Soap scum can be a nightmare to get off, particularly when it is on the walls of the shower. Simply grab a plastic scraper, you can get these in your local car shop, and just gently scrape it off.

Pet hair
While your dog may be the centre of your world, it doesn’t mean you have to tolerate their shedding. The easiest way to get pet hair off furniture is to use the sticky side of duct tape. Wrap the non sticky side around your hand and press onto the hair. Perfect.

Grease
No matter how often you may clean the kitchen, grease will build up and it is a nightmare to get off. However, we have a trick up our sleeves! Simply heat your sponge in the microwave for about 20 seconds, spray on your kitchen cleaner and wipe the grease away. The hot sponge will make it come off a lot easier.

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Whether you live at home with your parents, are sharing an apartment with your other half or are living it up with the girls, becoming an adult can suck a little, especially when it comes to domestic work.

Here are five ways to make your life so much easier:

Stop procrastinating
If you leave your clothes on the floor today, they will still be there tomorrow. Tomorrow’s clothes will then be left on top of today’s clothes and you will have a whole lot more work to do when it comes to tidying. Try to do it as you go along.

Turn up the tunes
Put aside 30 minutes or an hour each day to clean. During this time switch off the TV and pop on some music. You will be surprised just how much work you will get one in those 30 minutes!

Declutter
You will never have a tidy apartment or bedroom if you hang on to everything you own. Get rid of those shoes you haven’t worn in a year and recycle that pile of magazines that has been sitting in the corner for a while. Decluttering your home will make you feel so much better.

Make a list
Make a list of what needs to be done every day: cleaning the kitchen and washing your clothes etc., and what needs to be done once a month: dusting and polishing etc.

Don’t go overboard on stuff
When you first move into your new home, you will probably end up buying a load of items for your first trip to IKEA. Stop. Buy as you need, otherwise you will just end up with a load of stuff gathering dust that you could have done without.

 

 

 

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We’ve copied her hairstyles, fawned over her wardrobe and now we are taking Lauren Conrad’s cleaning advice!

The former reality TV star and entrepreneur knows how to keep her house sparkling clean at all times.

The answer? Consistency!

If you do different chores daily, weekly and monthly, you will find that you have a much lesser workload.

Isn’t that much better than letting it go to the dogs with a piling sink, cinema-like floor and a sea of clothes that will take a full day and half night to clean in one go?

We certainly think so!

cleaning

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A home that has a wonderful fragrance will instantly make people want to come back.

These are some simple tips on how to give your home a fresh and homely feel through the power of smell!

1. Flowers
Keeping some flowers around your home in a vase will allow a subtle but lovely scent to permeate your rooms.

2. Keep it clean
Open the windows, take the rubbish out often and wipe down surfaces, particularly in the kitchen and your home should smell nice and fresh.

3. Candles
Not only do candles emit a beautiful smell around your home they also give a romantic light, perfect for date night.

4. Lemon
The scent from a lemon has long been associated with cleanliness. Use lemon juice to clean your kitchen appliances or even cut some up and put it in your bin to keep it smelling a bit fresher.

5. Bake
Bake a cake or some scones and we guarantee your home will smell like heaven.

6. Essential oils
Mix some water with lavender oil and spritz your bedding and pillows with it for a comforting nights sleep. Experiment with different oils for your living room pillows and spritz them too!

7. Use this great tip
Simmering fruit, spices and herbs can make your home smell wonderful.

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When you use your make-up brushes every day, it is so (so!) important that you clean them regularly to stop the spread of bacteria.

Take an hour this weekend to spend time cleaning your make-up bag – this video shows you just how easy it is  – and it will be so worth it.

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