So, what’s the plan… lots of you told us “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” so we won’t be re-inventing ourselves a la Madonna, that’s for sure. However, there were some stand-out things you asked for which would make shopping with us more enjoyable or our range better suited to you.

So, thank you Paul Clark, Dawn Seddon and Lynne Addison for suggesting that we give you the option to see different sizes grouped together on our website – hopefully you will notice the change in the next few months, so you can jump straight into seeing all the mats we have available at the size you want. Judy Barham, I hope the newly launched Micro Mats fulfill your need for smaller sizes too.

Lots of you wanted new designs and I am happy to say there will be some fresh faces for autumn/winter 2010, with more to follow in the spring. Keep checking the blog to find out more, as we may well post a sneak peek of some of the new designs here first.

Finally, congratulations to Sue Boxall from Camberley who won our survey responders’ prize draw for a National Trust day pass and free cream tea – we hope you have a great day out!

The “Micro” Mat measures 37x50cm the perfect size for all sorts of situations and locations. Here’s just a few:

• Festival/camping essential to keep tents mud free – the perfect “glam-ping” accessory

• Caravanning – perfect doorway size, because Turtle Mats deserve   a holiday too!

• Pet mats – for food and drink bowls

• Kneeling mats – appealing to the gardener in us to avoid muddy knees

• Car foot-well mats

So go take a peek (you can nip straight there by clicking on the picture) and now for the best bit….they’re only £14.95 each and until the end of July we’re offering free postage* when you quote offer code MM88.

* free delivery offer is available to UK mainland addresses only, postage saving for Micro Mat orders is £4.95, postage saving for Micro Mat orders with Turtle Vac is £7.50.

We like to think here at Turtle Mat that we help just a little bit to make mums lives easier; keeping floors and homes cleaner for longer with the dirt-trapping power of a Turtle Mat. Don’t just take our word for it though; the Family Panel (review guide)     thought so too…

http://familypanelreviews.blogspot.com/2010/03/turtle-mat.html

It’s great to receive such positive feedback (stop – you’re making us blush!) and it got us thinking about the secrets our mum’s have shared with us to make housework a breeze.

So we thought we’d spend the week (through tweets #cleaning and Facebook posts) sharing with you the hints and tips that make the boring job of cleaning that little bit more bearable. So to get the ball rolling:

Vinegar is a great household cleaner (good on chips too!)…

* Use white wine vinegar to clean floor tile grouting (two tablespoons of vinegar into a large mug of warm water)

* Cider vinegar (approx 100ml) with about 4 litres of warm water is great for cleaning wood floors – just make sure the mop is well wrung out and not too wet

* Vinegar into the warm water you use to clean glass (1 litre water and 250ml vinegar) makes your windows sparkle, dry-off excess with newspaper

Hope they help and if you have any tips you’d like to share don’t forget to comment, we’d love to hear from you.

In most homes, the kitchen is the busiest room in the house, a hub of activity centered on meal planning, cooking, eating, and cleaning up. And in today’s busy world, it’s essential to be able to maintain the kitchen quickly and easily, so that you can get to all the other things on your to-do list.

Here are some ideas

•Stove and counter top
Wipe up any spills promptly—it’s easier to wipe them before the food has a chance to harden. After stirring soups and sauces, be sure to use a spoon rest rather than sitting the spoon on the stove top or counter top. This simple step eliminates the need for wiping the surface later.

•Table
Keep paper towels handy for cleaning up spills, especially when dining with young children. Use a special tray or plate for condiments such as ketchup, mustard, or salad dressing. When the condiments are placed on the tray after each use, the tray catches any stray drippings, and minimal wiping of the table will be needed.

•Floors
Floors can be the most challenging part of the kitchen to keep clean. To prevent tracking, wipe up any spills immediately with damp cloth or paper towel. Using kitchen mats at key points, such as in front of the sink and stove, can simplify the task of keeping the floors clean. They are easy to toss into the washing machine, and will help minimize the need for mopping the floors.

With these simple steps, you can make kitchen cleaning easy and spend more time on the rest of your life!

If keeping floor clean in the kitchen is one of your most serious problems you might be willing to use Turtle Mat Kitchen Mats – and see how the problem just disappears.

Refinishing hardwood floors in a home can be a dusty and tedious job, but the results are well worth it. And if you’re going to do it yourself, there some things that you should know before you start the process.

Proper equipment to be used during the process is very important for safety and of course, stunning results. Renting a sander for a couple of days from the local home improvement store should be the first step. Make sure to also invest in some good sturdy gloves and a dust mask for your face because as stated before, this type of home improvement can get dirty and dusty.

During the process, make sure to close all doors leading to other rooms. This will cut down on the dust getting into the rest of the house. Do leave a window to the outside open, in order to get fresh air into the room. Depending on room size and previous stains or damage, sanding can take only one day or a couple of days.

Once the floors are sanded down to your liking, putting a new stain on them along with a coat of polyurethane or sealer should be done. There are many different types and colors of stains to choose from, so be sure to research which stain will work best for your home and lifestyle. Oil based stains are generally the most resilient, but water based stains are slightly easier to work with and tend to dry faster.

Hardwood floors are a beautiful asset to any home, and by properly refinishing them they can be enjoyed for years to come.

If you are interested in different type of floor covering please visit the Turtle Mat Door Mats range.