Saving money on fuel bills

Whilst officially we are still in the throws of summer there has been no escaping the news headlines regarding the increase of up to 18% on home fuel energy prices. An article was brought to my attention relating to the cost savings to be had by fitting lined curtains. Whilst doing some research into this I found hundreds of articles discussing the very same subject but for insulated lined curtains.

Insulated curtains are lined curtains which are meant to help keep warm air from leaving or entering through your windows which are a l­arge source for heat loss in almost every home. This reduction of heat loss will help you keep your room temperature constant without relying as heavily on the thermostat. Your heating uses lots of fuel, so any steps you can take to use it less should reflect on your bills and bank account.

Insulated curtains help maintain constant temperature by protecting your home from the four major types of heat loss. These are conduction, infiltration, convection and radiation. Essentially, heat is energy that moves from warm areas to cooler areas. Insulated curtains help slow down or stop that movement. The level of insulation depends on the curtains you buy, but most systems will comprise of an outer decorative layer protected by an inner lining, a high-density foam that blocks heat exchange and sound waves, a reflective vapour barrier to block moisture and a reflective film that directs heat back into the room. Together these layers insulate your windows against the conditions outside.

Often, there is also a magnetic strip sewn into the edges of the curtains and placed either in the window frame or along the surrounding walls. The magnets in the curtains form a tighter barrier with the wall than standard free-hanging curtains, adding another extra layer of protection. These curtains are available in a variety of patterns, thickness and durability. They're all relatively easy to maintain and require mild dry cleaning to freshen up. Like normal curtains, a light vacuum while hanging will keep them looking bright and dust free.

If you would like your curtains or anything else dry cleaned, contact Iron Maids on either 01622 87011 or 01233 779009 or via http://www.iron-maids.co.uk/.

School Uniforms

Now we are approaching the end of August and many parents (albeit secretly) are counting down the days for the arrival of peace, quiet and time to themselves that the start of the new school term brings! But of course, behind every silver lining there is always a black cloud hiding! This is of course the start of the new school year.

The brief sigh of relief that the return to school will bring is completely drowned out by the thought of the last minute rushing around getting the uniforms, P.E kit and countless other items that will need to be purchased and organised, so that the kids are set and ready,  prepared for the long slog up until the Christmas break.  

Those with older kids have a slightly easier time of it as any changes of uniform and routines are already established but for those parents who find themselves having to cope with the event of moving to the ‘big school’ this is quite a daunting prospect.

Once all of the new blazers, badges and ties have been bought there is still all of the sewing on and going through the brochure with a fine toothed comb to make sure that everything is set and nothing has been missed. There is however salvation at hand! Just take some solace that once September has passed, all will be downhill from then and after all, next year will bring another army of frantic parents desperately trying to get the kids and themselves together for the first day of term!

If you need help with dry cleaning, laundry and ironing, contact Iron Maids on 01622 870111 or via iron-maids.co.uk

How to dry clean clothes

When you look at a label in an item of clothing and it says “Dry Clean Only” you probably sigh and think ‘oh well, I’ve got to find time to take that down the dry cleaners!’ But, have you ever wondered what is actually involved apart from the added inconvenience and expense?
What's so special about fabrics like silk and wool blends? Well, these materials may shrink, change colours or lose their shape if washed in water. Garments made of rayon become rumpled and misshapen because water is attracted to the hydrophilic fibres in this fabric. When immersed in water, the fibres expand because water molecules form hydrogen bonds with individual molecules within each fibre. The water molecules also interfere with weak attractions between adjacent fibres, and the fabric as a whole can lose its strength. In order to avoid ruining your favourite shirt, you'll have to resort to other means of cleaning it such as dry cleaning.

Dry cleaning removes dirt and other stains from clothes without using water. Despite its name, commercial dry cleaning is not actually a "dry" process. Clothes are immersed in Perchlorethylene (perc) which is a solvent, instead of in water. These solvents are especially good at removing oil and grease-based stains, but they have some drawbacks. For instance, the solvents used can make you sick if you're exposed to them constantly. This primarily affects the workers who actually run the dry cleaning machines.  Don’t panic though, almost all of the solvent is removed from your clothing before it is returned to you. However, some people find the remaining traces of the chemical in their clothes to be very irritating to the eyes, nose and throat.

In the past, your only choice was to go to a commercial dry cleaner. Now, you have the option of cleaning dry-clean-only clothes without leaving your home. Several home dry cleaning kits now on the market let you launder these delicate garments using your tumble dryer. These can be effective but do not offer the guarantee that professional dry cleaners do.

To   contact   Iron Maids, either call    01622 870111   or   01233 779009  or   via iron-maids.co.uk

Here comes the holidays !

Now we are in the season for the mass school exodus for the long summer holiday. But, do children have too many breaks and are they just too long?

Historians at Old Sturbridge Village, a living history museum that recreates an 1830s New England farming village, say not. According to the web site and headmistress there, farm children went to school from December to March and from mid-May to August. Adults and children alike helped with planting and harvesting in the spring and autumn. The schools in the 1800s also lacked the long summer break modern people take for granted. Like working families today, new immigrant families needed a safe and affordable place for children to stay while parents worked. In large cities, children of parents who worked in factories, shops, or mills learned English and other subjects during an 11-month school year.

Short school years with long holidays are not the norm in Europe, Asia, or South America either. Children in most industrialized countries go to school more days per year and more hours per day than in America. While just sitting in a classroom longer does not necessarily ensure children will learn more, many American teachers spend weeks every autumn just reminding kids of what they forgot over the summer. Some teachers,  parents, and children believe strongly that a six or seven week break hurts children, fragments education, and wastes tax payers money. Since the early 1900s, school boards around the country have offered a longer school break or a school calendar of multiple short terms interspersed with many short breaks. Other parents feel just as strongly that short school years and long summer vacations are essential to growing up.

One popular alternative calendar is the "45-15" type, by which nine-week terms alternate with three-week breaks throughout the year. Kids start school in "waves", rather than all on the same day. In this system, one group is always on holiday during any given week. Schools are less crowded, with fewer students in attendance at once, but still serve the same number of children.

To help free some time for you during the breaks, contact Iron Maids at iron-maids.co.uk or call 01622 870111. We can fold your clothing if requested to save you time when packing.