After debuting the original IXEO All-In-One in 2019, Tefal has launched its newest combination steaming solution, the IXEO Power, created to replace a garment steamer, a steam generator, and an iron and ironing board.
The Tefal IXEO Power was designed with efficiency in mind, producing an output comparable to that of a boiler steam generator. It can also heat up in just 70 seconds.
It comes with an adjustable Smart Board, which has several different built-in positions. The steam head is half the weight of a traditional steam iron, and the removable water tank can hold up to a litre of water. This main unit and steam head can also be detached from the rest of the system, for maximum portability and ease of use.
The base is set on wheels, meaning that the steamer can be transported around to wherever you need it, or be stored away until you need it next. Accessories include a steam-brush, designed for thick fabrics, and clips to fasten your garments to the built-in board.
IXEO Power also features Smart Protect technology, created to ensure that the temperature is adapted suit all garments – even the most delicate pieces, like silk – without the need to manually adjust any settings.
And with home hygiene at the forefront of everyone’s mind right now, the IXEO Power was designed for increased manoeuvrability so that you can steam and sanitise all around the house. Upholstery, curtains and even bed linen are ideal candidates for steaming, as the power of steam kills up to 99.9% of bacteria.
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“We were constantly on the hunt for safe, affordable, toxic-free cleaning products that would not only make our home smell naturally fabulous but would actually work. We felt our sons, and pets, shouldn’t have to hold their breath in order to avoid absorbing chemicals every time we cleaned the family home,” says Jess Bragdon who, with this in mind, co-founded the Australian cleaning product brand Koala Eco.
Koala Eco founders Jess Bragdon and Paul Davidson
Launched in 2017, with the help of her co-founder husband Paul Davidson, the brand now boasts over 800 stockists across multiple countries with a US expansion next on the list. Not bad for a little Aussie start-up!
Made in Australia, Jess worked with a Sydney lab and chemists to formulate and develop the product line-up which encompasses everything from kitchen and floor cleaner to hand sanitiser, vegetable wash, bamboo cleaning brushes and more. Importantly, the range has been independently lab-tested and proven to have the capacity to kill 99.99 per cent of germs, viruses and bacteria which is obviously very important in times like these.
Packaged in 100 percent post-consumer-recycled plastic bottles, the products are free of synthetic fragrance and colouring, allergens and irritants and draw on the medicinal and therapeutic properties of Australian native plants. “Species such as eucalyptus, lemon myrtle and peppermint have natural antiseptic and astringent qualities and have been harvested for millennia by Australia’s Indigenous people,” says Jess.
Essential oils are derived from the bark and leaves of native Australian trees and plants like Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Lemon Scented Iron Bark, Lemon Myrtle, peppermint, lavender and rosemary. “We also use essential oil extracted from the peel of citrus species like grapefruit and mandarin.”
A personal favourite of mine, this product smells amazing!
“For example, Eucalyptus Australiana (which we use in our Stainless Steel + Chrome Cleaner) is a great antiseptic, while Mentha Piperata (Peppermint) is a natural insect repellent which is why we put it in our Glass + Window Cleaner, as well as several other products in our range. To these essential oils we add ingredients like vinegar, sugar-based biodegradable alcohol and bicarbonate soda, plant-derived solubilisers and surfactants, and purified water,” says Jess.
And aside from smelling fabulous, the products look rather gorgeous too which is no doubt due to Jess’ background. She once ran a floral design business with her twin sister Adrienne (in her native US), before meeting her Australian husband in New York City and making the move down under.
“Initially I lived in Perth where I worked at the cultural organisation FORM. I had the privilege of working with many designers, and also collecting some of their work,” says Jess who put her design eye to good use when creating the brand’s beautiful labels.
But in the biggest coup for the brand to date, it’s expanding into the US this year with a Californian office currently in set-up phase. “It’s been an ambition of ours from the beginning and the US business will run on the same principles as the Australian operation, with mail order and in stores too.” Jess will continue to develop new products from the couple’s Sydney base.
“The pandemic this year has made all of us realise good hygiene means so much more than cleanliness; it’s a way of helping to prevent spread of germs. When we clean and care for our homes with products made from natural ingredients, it’s a form of self-care that impacts not only on our physical, but also mental health.”
Jess’ best DIY home cleaning tips
Olive or coconut oil and lemon on an old cloth for polishing wooden furniture is a great natural option, and easily accessible from the pantry.
A few drops of essential oil in the bathroom sink, tub or toilet gives it a fresh aroma – try mandarin or eucalyptus.
Add old citrus peels to vinegar, baking soda and water for a natural cleaner for bench tops that is safe for your family.
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Spring cleaning is one of those things that beforehand sounds horrible, during is even worse, but after? After you feel phenomenal… it’s a bit like exercise really! So to make the process easier we spoke to Jessica Bragdon, founder of natural cleaning range Koala Eco about her top tips for nailing this year’s big clean (and yes you should still do it, even though it’s nearly summer).
Cull before you clean
Your spring clean is a great time to get rid of any clutter or items around the house that you don’t need or want. Once you’ve done that, take everything off the shelves and surfaces and brush them all down with a feather duster. Then use a dust-brush or crevice tool on a vacuum to reach the tight spots and wipe all surfaces down. Once the cleaning spree is complete, return your belongings (only the ones you wish to keep) back to their rightful spots.
Work from the top down
When it comes to dusting, always work from the top of the room down, finishing off by vacuuming the dust that settles on the floor. Remember not to neglect hard-to-reach places such as the tops of ceiling fans and window casings.
Kitchen capers
Attack the stubborn surface grime on benchtops and kitchen cupboards with tea tree or eucalyptus oil or a solvent-free degreaser. Each of these options can also be used to remove stubborn bacteria that resides in fridges and microwaves, thanks to the powerful yet natural properties of essential oils. Make sure to give the kitchen bin a good rinse and wipe down too, it’s a dirty job but worth doing a few times a year, at least! Finish up by mopping the floors with one-to-two tablespoons of soap mixed in a bucket of warm water.
Don’t forget the furniture
Furnishings and upholstery can house an endless supply of dust so remember to take cushions outside and give them a gentle beat. If there are stains, wash them as per the care instructions and use your crevice tools to clean between cracks and under seat cushions. Likewise, many draperies and curtains are machine washable, so check labels before giving them a good wash and vacuum. Use beeswax to clean wooden furniture and blinds. Simply melt it and mix it with a few drizzles of olive oil and a few drops of essential oils (for example peppermint) and then leave it to cool before rubbing into the wood.
The bathroom blitz
Spray and scrub the bath, shower, basin and toilet. Plus wipe down air vents, light switches and fixtures, as well as things like toothbrush holders and soap dishes where lots of bacteria can lurk. Bicarb soda is a wonderful ingredient to unclog and clean drains and shine up chrome and silver bathroom taps and fixtures; to clean sinks and fixtures simply sprinkle the bicarb soda directly onto the surface or onto a soft sponge and begin scrubbing in circular motions. Finally, use a glass cleaner to give the mirrors and shower screens a super sparkly shine.
Clean living
The living room isn’t a place that we ordinarily think needs much cleaning beyond a good vacuum, but if you’re going for gold start with dusting the ceiling, floor moldings and wall corners. Next wipe down the walls, ceilings and light switches with soap mixed with water, which can also be used to polish wooden furniture. Finally it’s time to clean the windows. For a quick and easy homemade window cleaner, mix in a spray bottle 50% white vinegar and 50% tap water. Simply spray the solution directly onto the window and wipe with newspaper. After cleaning the windows both inside and out, give each space a good vacuum, not forgetting to dust lamps and vacuum lampshades.
— Koala Eco boast a sleek-looking, highly versatile range of chemical-free, eco-friendly and biodegradable cleaning products. The range uses high concentrations of Australian essential oils, combined with plant-derived ingredients to provide all-natural cleaning power for every room and surface.
I admit it, I’m a clean freak. Regular readers will know this is nothing new! And there’s nothing I love more than a clean and tidy home, it comes as no surprise that good looking, good smelling, good value cleaning products, in beautiful, neutral, modern packaging that looks nice enough to leave out (perhaps even deliberately!) get me more excited than they probably should do! And now that I have a toddler in the house, into everything and eating things off the floor, non-toxic, earth-friendly products are much more of a priority for me.
Introducing the new brand Organic Choice, which three lucky readers are going to win a year’s supply of! We’re not just talking cleaning products, but candles too.
This beautiful range has been developed right here in Australia, from the belief that products can be both effective, and sourced from sustainable, natural ingredients. Organic Choice is definitely filling a gap in the market. These environmentally friendly, sustainable household products are not only a healthier alternative to other cleaning products, but they have modern, non-garish packaging that looks great displayed in your home! Better yet, they are half the price of competitors that tick all those boxes and conveniently available exclusively at your local Coles.
We’re talking $5.50 for a 500ml Multipurpose Cleaner, $5 for a 500ml Dishwashing Liquid (it’s great to be able to leave these out and close at hand, especially when they’re not ugly!) up to $15 for a lidded Candle made with pure soy wax and essential oils.
There’s a large range too, also incorporating Fridge, Dishwasher & Bin Cleaner (I didn’t know I needed it until now either!), Shower and Vanity Cleaner (I’ve been road testing this and it seems to tackle glass and mirrors well too), and Air Freshener in a pump action bottle.
The packaging looks like dark green glass but is in fact recyclable plastic. It looks expensive and natural and will blend in well in your interiors. The products are not tested on animals and are palm oil free. And they all really work! I’ve been road testing them at home for you for a few weeks now.
Now let’s talk about the fragrances. Cleaning is certainly a much more enjoyable (okay, maybe the word is therapeutic!) experience when it leaves you smelling of essential oils rather than chemicals and bleach, right? We’re talking scents like West Indian Lime and Coconut, Lemongrass and Cedarwood (my personal fave) and Grapefruit and Pomegranate. I’ve tried a lot of candles in my time and these are great. The French Pear and Cinnamon Bark is perfect for Christmas and I love the Lemongrass and Cedarwood one burning in my kitchen.
Organic Choice is made right here in Australia by Aware Environmental, also behind well known brands like Orange Power, supported by Planet Ark Australia.
HOW TO ENTER
We know you’re a creative bunch so for your chance to win a year’s supply of Organic Choice products* we’d love you to head to Coles and pick up a product/s from the range. Of course we hope you’ll love it, and we’d like you to style a photo of the product in your home, or as a flat lay or vignette. Whatever you fancy really! Then simply share your picture to Instagram (and follow @organicchoiceaustralia) with the hashtag #OrganicChoiceMoment by midnight AEST on 30 November 2016. Remember, there will be three winners!
*Three winners will each get 12 bottles of Organic Choice Dishwashing Liquid (in two fragrances), six bottles of Organic Choice Air Freshener, three bottles of Organic Choice Multipurpose Cleaner, three bottles of Organic Choice Shower and Vanity Cleaner, three bottles of Organic Choice Fridge, Dishwasher and Bin Cleaner and six Organic Choice Candles (in two fragrances) delivered to their door. Open to Australian residents only.
If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments below.
Being a self confessed neat freak, I have more than a passing interest in cleaning products. I like them to smell divine and not be full of chemical nasties, as well as be effective. I also want them to look good if I leave them out, however ridiculous and shallow that may seem! I don’t ask much, do I?
I have a couple of existing favourites, those being Method and Murchison-Hume, but I’m now adding the new Bondi Wash range to the list, after giving them a try for myself. There’s a lot more to like than their good looks (and smells), let me tell you. These products combine the antibacterial power and fragrance of unique Australian bush oils with a luxurious mix of other essential oils and natural ingredients to create truly distinctive products. They’re good for you, the planet and your home.
