You might have a scented candle on every household surface and a wardrobe of niche fragrances on the dressing table but are you equally mindful when it comes to curating the perfumed products you use to clean your home? If extended daylight hours and the spirit of spring is forcing you to face the dust bunnies, read on...
There’s been a noticeable boom in the market for luxuriously scented, posh and/or ecologically derived household cleaning agents. I already regularly stock up on Delphis Eco cleaners when I’m placing the weekly Ocado order (if it’s good enough for HRH’s ‘throne’, then it’s good enough for mine), and I’ve been spritzing the Lords Fragrance House’s Room and Linen Spray liberally to refresh my coats all winter since interviewing Sacha Lord who gave me the idea herself (lordsfragrancehouse.com).
The Grocer magazine reported on the increase of fragrance as a key driver for consumers back in 2022, and this coincides with the rise of the Covid-driven #cleantok trend which is still hugely popular, no doubt because it has spawned a new genre of influencer. It seems we can’t get enough of watching people clean their homes (much less effort than cleaning our own homes, for sure). I’m less a fan of the accompanying trope of ‘tradwife’ but have I lost time down the rabbit hole? Yes, I have. There’s a cheeky dopamine hit to be had in watching other people transform chaos into calm plus ASMR seekers can take pleasure in the sonic satisfaction offered by the sounds of spraying, scrubbing and sorting out the kitchen drawers.
At the heart of this is the fact that most of us want our homes to smell clean, but what that entails has evolved along with a rise in a premiumisation of everyday experiences. One of my personal mottoes is ‘it’s nice to be nice’ and this applies in no small measure to both household purchasing and cleaning my home. It’s probably another example of what is referred to as ‘the lipstick effect’: trading big purchases for small luxuries during times of economic hardship. OK, so the exotic holiday might be out of reach, but I’ll happily add the bouji cleaning products to my basket in the hope that in so doing I’m layering a further facet of wellbeing into my daily routine.
Whilst Method may have been the first company to focus on natural ingredients and aesthetic appeal, perhaps now the most Internet-famous – certainly on my Instagram feed – of them all is Purdy & Figg (purdyandfigg.com). Founded by two best friends in 2018, it has come to be ubiquitous in the world of eco-friendly, spa-like scented cleaning solutions. Housed in refillable – and recyclable – brown glass bottles and formulated from natural ingredients, product is dispatched in concentrate form, further minimising carbon emissions.
The essential-oil based fragrance selection includes their core blends: Balancing Floral, the timeless sweet scent of a garden in full bloom, the vibrant and refreshing Uplifting Citrus, and - my favourite - Grounding Vetiver which marries sweet spice with warm woods and earthy vetiver to evoke a feeling of calm competence. Each season they add to these with three further selections and there is also a zesty option for the smallest room: lime and lemongrass combine to tackle soap scum, hard water and the dreaded limescale. Having tried their hero product, Counter Clean, I’m a convert. It’s plant-based and pH-neutral, so suitable for most surfaces. It gets to grips with sticky granite worktops, oil-spattered stainless-steel hobs and even dusty wood. Has it made me more excited about keeping my home clean? That’s arguable. But, do I get a frisson of pleasure from using it? Undoubtedly.
New to the market, but boasting 200 years of legacy, is the beautifully decorative Mella 1809 (mella.com). Self-appointed creators of ‘haute cleaning’, products are priced accordingly. The range covers most bases in household maintenance, encompassing laundry detergent and conditioner, washing-up liquid, surface cleaner, candles and reed diffusers, each in a choice of two fragrances. Hemming St, named for Huguenot heritage of East London, is warm and luscious with pleasing fruity notes of jasmine, fig and bergamot. Rue du Dragon is the vivaciously citrussy French cousin – fresh with citrus peel and orange blossom underscored by musk and dazzling pink peppercorn.
Both have been crafted in collaboration with master perfumers to achieve the desired quality, and cutting-edge technology ensures their longevity and promises a capacity to trigger emotional response. I can certainly attest to the quality of fragrance, and to their efficacy. I wouldn’t have expected something which smells so elegant to have been able to grapple so thoroughly with the parlous state of my griddle pan. What’s more, the packaging is so appealing I must admit to confusing the washing up liquid with a hand wash with no adverse effect – in fact, my hands are now as soft as my face…
Also launching in good time for the annual spring-clean is the Natural Cleaning Collection from Daylesford (daylesford.com) which, as you might expect, is certified organic, completely biodegradable and of natural origin. Housed in display-worthy delicately illustrated amber glass bottles to protect against light degradation, the range includes surface cleaner, washing up liquid, laundry detergent and conditioner, all infused with a range of natural fragrances including that of the wild blue basil which grows in Lady Bamford’s private walled garden. How delightful. They have been rigorously tested to be safe for all family members (including those of the four-legged persuasion). Each is testament to the power of botanicals and will keep your house sparklingly clean and imbued with the extremely desirable eau-de-Cotswolds.
