If ever you needed motivation to put on some rubber gloves and deep clean your home, look no further! Sophie Hinchliffe - known as Mrs Hinch - has become an Instagram sensation in a matter of days as her posts of her pristine Essex home and cleaning tips went viral. Take note!
We caught up with the Instagram star, who now has over 300,000 followers and has inspired people to post under the hashtag #hincharmy to get some of her top cleaning tips and the products we should all have in our cupboards.
© Photo: InstagramHow did you start this account and did you ever think it would become so popular?
I started my account back in March 2018. I've always enjoyed home interior design but as soon as my husband and I bought our first house together I was super excited to make it a home. I really wanted to post décor photos on Instagram but didn't want to bore my friends and family, so I started mrshinchhome_x_! I never imagined for a second that my account would become so popular! It's absolutely crazy and I'm so overwhelmed but so grateful all at the same time! I'm just so happy it's resulted in such a positive space for everyone.
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Was it always meant to be about cleaning tips?
Most definitely not intentionally! I mainly posted photos of different rooms and pieces I love in our house, but one day I decided to upload a cleaning story and couldn't believe the loving response I got back from it! So I started to post more and more and here we are… Minkeh (Minky anti-bacterial cleaning pad), Dave (Pledge fluffy duster starter kit), Buddy (Spontex microfibre kitchen kit), Pinkeh (Minky extra thick super absorbent sponge wipes) and Vera (Vileda 1-2 Spray) later! All the best!
Would you say cleaning is your passion?
I would say cleaning started as, and still is more of an escape for me, than a passion, but I do enjoy it (not so secretly anymore apparently). If I'm feeling anxious I use it as a coping mechanism to steady my thoughts. Tidy house, tidy mind.
© Photo: InstagramWhat is the one tip that you think no one is aware off and you think you couldn't live without?
I love to wash my skirting boards and woodwork (doors, frames etc) with a mix of fabric softener and water, and we can’t forget Minkeh, the star of the show! Makes the house smell absolutely divine and works a treat at getting any scuffs off without wrecking the paint.
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What room in the house do you think is the one that should be thoroughly cleaned and why?
I’d say definitely the kitchen because of the fact that it's where you prepare food. Can I just throw in here that yes, even though I do have a vase filled with flowers on my hob, I promise that I do cook! Not particularly well mind you, but it does happen from time to time!
What are your go to top 5 cleaning products?
In no particular order because you wouldn’t make someone choose a favourite between their children… Flash Bathroom with Febreze (very important), CIF Stainless Steel Spray, Pine Toilet Cleaner, 1001 Carpet Spray and Zoflora.
What's your routine? How long do you spend cleaning a day/week? Do you dedicate a certain day to it?
As long as I do 30 minutes a day, I'm happy. I use my Clockwork Clean method to stay focused and not get distracted. I think people assume I'm fanatical about it because of how my house looks but I'm really not. We go out on days out often and I'm happy to leave it. As long as I get to put the sink to bed every night, that suits me.
© Photo: Instagram(Photo: Jasmine Jade Photography)
Does your husband help you?
Yes he does. He's absolutely amazing. He does a mean sink clean which you can watch on my stories. He's obviously been paying attention!
What is the trickiest piece of furniture to clean?
I'd say probably the shower. Because it can be tricky to achieve a streak free shine. Water marks can be annoying. And it's somewhere in the house that gets used every day so it's potentially an ongoing annoyance. Don't forget to clean your plugholes kids!
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