Cleaner: Shannon Lush (as well as Fine Arts
Restorer, Artist and Author)
Introduction
Shannon Lush is
an Australian best-selling author who specializes in titles that simplify
(or 'demystify') tasks such as cleaning and household management.
Born in Sydney,
she is an art restorer and home economist. Her break into the public scene
began when she started giving stain removal advice on ABC Radio in 2004.
She later
compiled a number of these solutions in the form of her first book, Spotless
(Co-Written with Jennifer Fleming) which was released in 2005 and became the
Australian number one best-selling book of 2006.
She has since
released five other books in Australia, all of which have reached
best-seller status. Her latest book, Stainless (Co-Written with Trent Hayes)
was released in 2010 and serves as a how-to book in understanding Shannon's
stain removal techniques. She has also released three overseas titles,
including non-English translations of Spotless.
(Source: Wikipedia)
2. Shannon has the following things in her Cleaning Kit:
Bicarb Soda – an alkaline and mild abrasive. Also a
natural cleaning agent. When mixed with white vinegar cleans hard
surfaces very efficiently.
White Vinegar – a mild acid. When mixed with
bi-carb soda a chemical reaction occurs.
Methylated Spirits – an alcohol solvent, which
removes pen marks
Lavender Oil – when mixed with water it becomes a
mild cleaner and deoderiser – good for finger marks on walls and general
light cleaning. Also an effective air freshener and personal insect
repellent. Mix 1 teaspoon per litre of water
Lemon Oil – extracted from the peel of the lemon,
very good at keeping spiders and other insects at bay and also for stain
removal
Tea Tree Oil – an oil extracted from the tea tree
bush. It’s used as an anti-bacterial. Also good at getting sticky
marks/labels off jars etc.
Oil of Cloves - cold pressed oil from the dried
flower bud of the clove tree. A useful mould inhibitor and insecticide.
To lift mould from shoes add a quarter of a teaspoon of oil of cloves to
500ml bottle of Baby Oil. Daub onto leather with pantyhose and wipe
mould away.
Unprocessed Wheat Bran – a light abrasive and
absorbent, when mixed with white vinegar and placed in a pair of
pantyhose makes an effective cleaner for soft toys, dusty lamps, sisal
flooring and more
Tea – Contains tannic acid which cleans timber.
Make up a teapot with 4 or 5 tea bags and pour into a bucket of boiling
water. Mop the timber with pantyhose dipped in the tea.
Pantyhose – Mildly abrasive fibres become more
abrasive as they get wet – this won’t damage surfaces but cuts through
grease and grime. To make a pantyhose mitten just wrap the hose around
your fingers and fold the open end over your finger tips to form a glove
- this can then be washed and re-used. This is a very good dust lifter
when used with lavender oil and water.
3. Ask your family what they have in their cleaning kit.
Make a list.
4. Compare the total price of Shannon's cleaning kit to
the one used at your place. Is there a difference? Which one item from
Shannon's list do you think you could persuade your family to use?
5. Look at
Lush
Household and see if there are other cleaning things you would like to
learn about!
6. Read the following article from the Sydney Morning
Herald 3 June 2017 and describe how Steve is following Shannon's ideas.