What Is It Made of?

Also known as petrolatum, petroleum jelly is a mixture of waxes and mineral oils that combine to form a semisolid jelly-like substance using barrel pumps to transfer the product into user-friendly packaging. Discovered by Robert Augustus Chesebrough in 1859, petroleum jelly has not changed significantly over the years. He noticed that workers in the oil industry applied a gooey jelly as a remedy to burns and minor wounds. He thereafter packaged the gooey jelly as Vaseline.

The petroleum in the jelly is the main beneficial ingredient used in the jelly. The petroleum helps to seal your skin, forming a water-tight barrier that enhances your skin’s water retention. In doing this, it helps the skin to heal much faster. To understand the various uses of petroleum jelly, read on.

The Uses And Benefits Of Petroleum Jelly

1. Heal Minor Skin Burns And Scrapes

Studies have shown that petroleum jelly is very effective at helping the skin retain moisture while healing from post-surgery wounds. As such, patients can leverage these properties to heal regular minor skin injuries. That being said, it is important to ensure that you ensure your skin surface is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Applying petroleum jelly on the skin surface with pathogens and bacteria will trap these organisms, infecting the skin and delaying or compromising the healing process.

2. Moisturise Your Hands, Face And Other Parts Of Your Skin

Using Petroleum Jelly As A Face And Body Lotion – For the best results, apply the petroleum jelly after you take a shower. Given that it is an occlusive moisturiser, petroleum jelly prevents your skin from drying. As such, it is a good solution to use for dry noses during the allergy and cold seasons.

Using Petroleum Jelly To Deal With Cracked Heels – To deal with cracked feet, soak your feet in warm water slightly salty water. Thereafter, towel-dry and apply petroleum jelly. Once you finish this process, wear clean cotton socks.

Using Petroleum Jelly To Take Care Of Your Hands – Wash and dry your hands then apply some petroleum jelly. Thereafter, put on clean cotton gloves to help lock in the moisture.

Using Petroleum Jelly To Deal With Chapped Lips – Just apply petroleum jelly on your chapped lips. It’s that simple.

3. Dealing With Pet Paws Issues

If you notice cracks on your dog’s pads and the discomfort arising from the cracks, use petroleum jelly to treats their paws. After taking your dog for a walk or when the dog is resting, clean the paws using cotton gauze and dry the paws. Thereafter apply the jelly.

4. Prevent Nappy Rash

Studies have shown that petroleum jelly can reduce nappy rashes in babies. To use it, just clean and thoroughly dry your child’s skin with a clean towel. Thereafter apply the petroleum jelly. The petroleum jelly forms a barrier that protects their skin from being overexposed to moisture. However, should the rashes persist, visit a doctor.

5. Removing Eye Makeup

As you might know, oil is a very effective makeup removal medium. Moreover, an eye ultrasound study revealed that petroleum jelly is safe to use around the eye region. Just use cotton and or Q-tip with petroleum jelly pressing to remove the oil. Ensure you press lightly without tugging the skin too hard. Always close your eye while doing this.

Additionally, there are people who use it on crow’s feet line. You might give that a try as well.

6. Deal With Split Ends

Exposing your hair to the wind and the sun or even swimming pool water can cause your hair to split. To deal with this issue, just rub a small amount of petroleum jelly between your palms. Apply to your hair ends to reduce their appearance.

7. Prevent Skin Stains Caused By Nail Polish And Hair Dye

Petroleum jelly is applied along the hairline as a protective barrier between the dye and your skin, thereby preventing dying your skin. The practice is used when applying nail polish, especially at home in a DIY setting

8. Preserve Perfume Scents

You can apply petroleum jelly on your skin as your perfume base. This helps it last longer.

9. As Lubricant For Stuck Objects

You use the jelly to remove a stuck ring. Just apply some petroleum jelly around your finger and slip the ring out.

You can use petroleum jelly on door hinges to lubricate the door. Just apply and swing the door or window to help the jelly spread evenly.

Petroleum jelly has been a staple product in the beauty industry and the medical industry for hundreds of years now owing to its safety record, ability to heal the skin, and emollient properties. That being said, for the best results, ensure you choose a triple-distilled and purified petroleum jelly – such as the world-renowned petroleum products Vaseline. Using purified jelly reduces the chances of coming into contact with toxic contaminants, some which are classified as carcinogens.

How many people actually have a fireproof safe in their home? If you don’t have one what could be the reason? That’s an important question to ask yourself as a homeowner or tenant. You should know that fires in the home are quite common. Between 2015 and 2016, there were at least 38,827 fires in various homes across Great Britain. Northern Ireland experienced 889 fires in 2015 alone.

Our possessions might be less important than our own health and safety, or that of our friends, families and neighbours, but we still need to take the right steps to protect our possessions in the event of a fire — just as it’s important to know the duties of an executor of will in the UK. Here are the top household items you should protect in the event of a fire in your home.

1. Passports

Yes, you can replace your passports but it will take time and a lot of money to do so. However, you might have a hard time if the supporting documents you need to replace the passports also perished in the fire. It might be a hassle if there is an upcoming trip yet you can’t replace all the documents in time.

2. Birth and Marriage Certificates

You will need to produce these documents a few times in your life. If you are not careful about their storage or lose them because of a fire, you will have a hard time replacing them. It’s something you don’t need to go through if you keep them safe.

3. House Deeds

They are proof of ownership of your home and the surrounding land. You don’t want to lose them especially when you are planning on reselling your home in the future.

4. Last Will and Testament

Make sure your solicitor also has a copy of your last will and testament such that any loss will be less catastrophic. You also need to keep your copy safe and review it whenever you need to in the comfort of your home, thus making the necessary amends whenever needed.

5. Insurance Documents and Investment Portfolios

Currently, you might have a lot of investment policies and insurance covers including life, home, medical and income protection policies. A few people also opt for car and holiday insurance and many more. You need to store all these documents in a fireproof safe for the best results.

6. Electronic Data Storage Devices

With the digital age, many people choose to store important data, whether personal or business on backup devices. They should also be protected from any fire damage in a fireproof safe. Here, you can retrieve your backups whenever you need them without any worries about fire.

7. Family Heirlooms & Jewellery

You should store your engagement ring, your mother’s wedding ring or your grandfather’s medals in a safe place. Even better, any other jewellery should be stored properly especially if it has both sentimental and financial value. That’s why a fireproof safe will be the best place to store these precious items that don’t need to be on constant display.

8. Family and Wedding Photos

You might have stored a lot of photos electronically but you might have some old photos in physical albums, especially those taken before the digital era. Make sure they are stored in a fireproof safe if you don’t want to lose all those precious memories.

With a fireproof safe, you can store a lot of documents and possessions safely and prevent any devastating damage in the event of a fire. There are many brands of fireproof safes you can choose from so take the time to find the best one that can handle all your treasures to prevent any damage in a fire catastrophe.

For years upon years, our friendly microwave was seen as a state-of-the-art piece of technology. But due to the continued innovation of technologically advanced gadgets, there now exist a number of devices to ensure that your time in the kitchen is quite enjoyable and reduces the overall time you spend. Our article features the most desired gadgets that families worldwide are looking to add in 2019 to their kitchens!

Smart Fridge

First on our list is the smart fridge of your dreams which dominates the market hands down, Samsung has created their fridge, the Family Hub. This piece of technology gives you several functions and features that go on to make everyday life a bit easier. And, it also features an internal camera, that’s right folks, your internal camera can serve for the purpose of allowing you to see what you may need to pick up from the grocery on your way home. The internal camera is integrated to work with an app known as the Samsung SmartThings app so you’ll always know how soon you’ll run out of milk.

In addition, the fridge comes with a tablet that is fully touchscreen and it allows owners to not only plan but also buy ingredients for dinner and if you’re stuck on a dinner idea, you can browse for inspiration with tons of recipes. And if you’re not excited yet, this device is fully voice activated!

Smart Oven

Next on our list is another winner from Samsung, the smart oven and it goes on to further save time for those who live a busy lifestyle. Owners can now preheat their ovens via the app and simply get to cooking as soon as they get home! And, if you’ve got hungry mouths to feed, what better way to do so with a preheated oven that saves you a cool twenty minutes of prep time.

Connected Hood And Hob

We know how hectic your day was and we definitely know how easily the thought of switching your extractor fan on can slip from your mind. And, we also know that you’re not going to be happy about all the not so forgotten scents that stayed to linger around. But don’t feel too down because once again, Samsung has got you covered with a hood and hob system that is fully synced to turn your fan on automatically as soon as your hob is turned on. Additionally, it also protects your kitchen from the damages of smoke in the atmosphere as it escapes.

Smart Dishwasher

So far, the previously mentioned super tech made our list because of their working features, however, the smart dishwasher made this list for what it can do to potentially save your kitchen from being flooded. This device was built with leakage and blockage sensors that alert its owners of a potential problem, once alerted, owners can restrict the water flow and not only prevent a flood, but they can also save money and precious time that it would have taken to be repaired.

Cabinet Plus

All of us are guilty of hoarding countless expired packages as well as jars somewhere in the hard to reach back of our cupboards. As the saying goes, once it’s out of sight, it’s also completely out of our minds. So, instead of dreading the hard to reach spaces in your cupboards you can now switch it up with a specially designed shelf that descends at a push of a hassle free button!

Multifunctional Sink And Hot Water Tap

Due to the market demands, property prices are soaring higher than they once were and we’re all looking to save a buck or two with compacted kitchens. A simple sink has also come a long way and can now be fitted with most of your everyday attachments from colanders, chopping boards and even an ice bucket – check out Zen Stone to see how their kitchen designs work! And with the inclusion of a hot water tap, you’ll definitely save time on having to heat up a kettle since you can now have boiling water, hot water and cold water at your fingertips.

USB Charging Tray

Our lives have been drastically changed by smart phones in so many good ways that we can’t begin to name them all. And now with the continued use of technologically advanced kitchen devices, you might just find yourself digging through a tangled mess of charging wires to find the correct charger. But don’t worry, the all new state-of-the-art wooden charging tray will sort things out as it gracefully sits in one of your draws just waiting for you to use any of its charging ports.

Spring is finally here and it comes with milder temperatures and lighter nights. You need to get your house in order. No more excuses! Actually, spring cleaning might appear a bit illogical. During winter, you are mostly stuck indoors without any hopes of going anywhere. Most times we leave the house in the morning when it’s dark and come back when it’s still dark outside. The thought of going outside again is crippling.

You would imagine that those dark and long winter months are the perfect ones for cleaning everything in your home but most people simply hibernate. Well, when spring finally comes around, the sun starts highlighting the clutter and dust accumulated through winter. Well, it’s time to start sorting out everything.

Spring Cleaning Tips For Your Home

Glass Inspirations share a good way to start your spring cleaning and get it done fast. You can actually do it all in one weekend. That way, you can enjoy the rest of spring without any guilt. Here is what you need to do.

1. Declutter in a Day

You don’t need to spend a lot more time decluttering than you actually need to do. You need to make three categories for every overfilled cupboard or other place in your home. These are the keep, throw away and pass-on piles. You should only put back the things you are going to keep. Make sure you store them neatly in an area where they can be accessed whenever needed.

The throw-away pile should be removed immediately so you can throw things away in the bin or elsewhere. The pass-on pile should be taken to charity unless there is a home collection option near you. If there are some items you are unsure about, you can put them in the ‘to be reviewed’ pile. Don’t forget to check them in a month to avoid starting another pile.

2. Start Dusting

Once you have decluttered, you have enough space to start dusting, polishing and vacuuming your home. You need to do this on every surface of every room. Start from the top floors and work your way down. You should start with the ceilings, light fixtures, walls, blinds, curtains and doors.

Next, you should dust then polish the horizontal surfaces. You can finish by vacuuming the skirting boards of the entire floor. If you have wooden floors, you can clean them using a specialised cleaning agent or a steam cleaner.

3. Shining

You can make your entire home sparkle when you clean the windows, glass and mirrors with a bespoke cleaner. Alternatively, you can use an old-fashioned cleaning recipe by mixing water and white vinegar then wiping with cloth or newspaper. Your home will appear brighter with the shining glass.

4. Knockout Kitchens

The kitchen is the heart of every home. It’s the place with the most traffic and where most people meet but that might not be such a good thing. Well, it’s bound to wear out faster than any other area of your home so you need to find ways to bring it back to life.

Start cleaning from top to bottom and focus on the top of the units or appliances. Next, you need to clean the doors of your high cabinets. Dedicate enough time to clean every appliance including desclaing when it’s necessary. You should clear every surface and clean accordingly. You can now move to the lower kitchen cabinets and finish with the sink and the floor. If you think your kitchen is looking a bit tired, maybe you should consider renovations.

5. Bring Some Beauty to Your Bathrooms

Finally, you need to clean your bathrooms starting from top to bottom. Remove all your possessions from the bathroom and start vacuuming the walls and the floor. Next, you should clean the bathroom fittings and surfaces properly.

Spring has finally arrived and the longer days and warmer temperatures mean no more excuses – it’s time to clean and clear out all the dust, grime and clutter that has collected over the winter months.

Spring cleaning is one of those concepts that doesn’t seem to make much sense. Most of us spend most of the winter days and nights at home, making this the ideal time for cleaning. However, the cold and dark seem to have a negative influence and we just don’t feel like making the effort to clean and prefer huddling by a warm fire or cuddling up under a blanket.

This means that the dust and dirt have had all winter to pile up and the arrival of spring just shines a light on how our homes have been neglected. And so the time has come to spring into action and get your house in order with these five steps to spring cleaning your home.

Quick Weekend Guide to Spring Cleaning

Commercial cleaning services, CJH Cleaning Services, say all you need is to dedicate just one weekend to sorting out your house and the rest of spring is yours to enjoy, guilt-free. Five steps to an effective spring clean include:

Step 1 – Declutter

You need to put aside an entire day to declutter but don’t spend more time on this task than you actually need. Address each pile of stuff by sorting it into three categories – keep, throw out and give away. Don’t think about it and only keep items that you actually use. Organise and store the kept items where they are easily accessible.

Get rid of the rest of the items on the same day. Chuck the throw-away category into the bin or take it to the local tip immediately. Stop off at your local charity shop to drop off the items that you want to give away.

Box up any items that you simply cannot decide on and go through them again in a couple of weeks or a month. Set a reminder on your phone so that you won’t forget.

Step 2 – Dusting and Cleaning

Now that you have rid your home of the clutter, the real cleaning can begin. Start by dusting and then wiping down and polishing every surface of your home (including the vertical ones such as walls and doors), room-by-room, top to bottom. Then vacuum the floors, skirting boards and horizontal surfaces such as blinds and curtains as well as upholstery. Wash or steam clean your floors with a suitable cleaner for the type of flooring you have in your home.

Step 3 – Windows

Clean all your windows, mirrors and picture glass and frames with a suitable glass and surface cleaner. Alternatively, use the old wives’ vinegar and water solution wiped away with newspaper for sparkling clear glass.

Step 4 – The Kitchen

The kitchen has probably suffered the greatest from cleaning neglect over winter and therefore needs the most attention when it comes to spring cleaning.

Once again, start at the top and work your way down. Clean the tops of all kitchen cabinets and appliances then the doors. Then clean each appliance individually and remember to descale if required. Clear every countertop and give the surfaces a good scrubbing as well as the walls. Clean the lower cabinets and then the kitchen sink. Last but not least, give the floors a scrub.

If your kitchen is still looking and tired, 2019 might be the year to consider a remodel.

Step 5 – The Bathroom

Your bathrooms don’t just collect dirt but are a breeding ground for bacteria, mould and other harmful microorganisms and therefore need a little extra TLC and cleaning. Remove everything and use a bleach cleaner if suitable to clean and kill all germs including the walls, floors and bathroom accessories.