DIY Ideas During Lockdown discussed by Eco Solutions
During this lockdown more and more people are using their time to revamp their homes, decorate, do some DIY, sort out their gardens and give everything a deep clean, and these are often the things that we don’t have the time to do. We’ve got loads of ideas and inspiration for you for all your DIY Ideas During Lockdown. So there’s never been more opportunity to take on some of those interior and exterior jobs yourself that you’ve been meaning to do for so long. Starting and finishing a DIY or cleaning project often gives you a real sense of achievement and purpose which is a really positive thing in these strange and different times. It will keep your mind and body active and give you satisfaction when each job is done.
DIY Jobs During Lockdown
DIY – Decorating – Painting, Wallpapering & Freshening Up
Have you been meaning to decorate a room for ages? If so now is the ideal time to get started, maybe repaint and freshen up a bedroom, bathroom, hallway, lounge, dining room, kitchen toilet, utility room, conservatory or teach yourself how to wallpaper using youtube videos to help you.
Use the internet to search for different room ideas, colour combinations and inspiration, Pinterest is a great site for this and you can see colour, wallpaper and furniture ideas.
Some DIY shops are delivering and some are offering a click and collect service at this time so if you get your painting and wallpapering done now you can always replace your flooring and furniture if you need to when lockdown is lifted.
If you just need to freshen up up your skirtings then Grime Go is a great product to use, just spray it on, leave it for 10 minutes, wipe it clean with a damp cloth and all those dirt and scuff marks will disappear. If you want to freshen up your sofa, armchairs or carpets then again Grime Go is a brilliant product for cleaning fabric and carpet and removing stains that may have been there for years. Just spray it on leave it to work its magic for 20 minutes and then wipe away with warm water, giving any hard to remove stains a scrub.
DIY – Removing Artex
If you have an old house and need to remove any old Artex then our X-Tex Artex Remover is the product you need. Paste it on, leave it for anything from an hour up to 24 hours and it allows you to easily and quickly scrape the textured coating off. It is a non-toxic water-based product that is safe for you to use at home and makes this horrible job easier.
Artex is a surface coating that is used for interior decorating, it is often found on ceilings but sometimes on walls as well in older style properties. Artex isn’t used as much now as people tend to prefer smooth ceilings and walls but if used it allows a professional plasterer or decorator to add texture and patterns to a surface.
The name Artex is a trademark of Artex Ltd, which is a company based in the United Kingdom. The Artex name is commonly used with all textured coatings, however, there are several other businesses that manufacture and sell similar products. Artex coating was originally made with white asbestos to strengthen and harden but only up until the mid-1980s. Artex (the company) stopped using asbestos in the mid-1980s, however, other manufacturers may have continued to use it up until 1999 as the law around the use of asbestos changed in 2000 in the UK.
Asbestos is a term for a group of minerals made of microscopic fibres which if inhaled can damage your lungs and cause other serious diseases. Asbestos is only harmful when it is in a powder form, for example, when it is being sanded and removed and it normally poses no risk if it is undisturbed. It’s always advisable to check with a qualified person or company if you have asbestos in the coating on your ceilings or walls if the house was built before 2000 and they will be able to advise you of the best action to take, as well as if it is dangerous.
You can safely remove a ceiling or wall covering containing asbestos using non-toxic Eco Solutions X-Tex Artex Remover. It is a paste that enables you to scrape the textured coating away rather than having to sand it and creating the dust which is dangerous if inhaled, with or without asbestos in.
Many professionals use our product to remove Artex or textured wall or ceilings coatings as it is a safe, quick and easy way to remove. Eco Solutions X-Tex is the best Artex or textured wall covering remover as it allows the removal of textured coatings without creating dust from the harmful asbestos fibres.
X-Tex Artex Remover was formulated by Eco Solutions from the most advanced, innovative water-based technology using “science not solvents”. The X-Tex wet consistency clings to all surfaces that you want to remove and it stays wet for long periods of time, enabling you to remove large surface areas in one go, making it less messy, efficient and easy.
DIY – Upcycling & Revamping Furniture
If you have an old sideboard, cabinet, dressing table, dining room table that needs a bit of love and attention then you can easily upcycle it and nows the time to do it. Many people are upcycling as a preferred option to buying new products as older style furniture are more sturdy and tend to have ornate features and details.
Upcycling furniture is a fantastic way of taking unused and unloved items of furniture and making them look refreshed and like a newly brought item of furniture. It is is a great way of adding style and more often a theme to your home at a much lower cost than buying new, as well as it saving the environment from any old items going to landfill, as well as the impacts of producing new furniture to replace old.
Have a look online and at home design magazines to see upcycled furniture and décor to give you the inspiration you might need if you are thinking about upcycling a piece of furniture.
Upcycling can be a fun and rewarding way to give your room the style you are looking for and you will get huge satisfaction from making an old piece of furniture into an item that you love. Everyone says that every time they have upcycled something that when they look at their new piece, use it, or see someone else use it they feel a sense of achievement and are proud of what they have produced.
Give it a go using Eco Solutions Grime Go and Home Strip Paint & Varnish Remover which will make the job easier than the laborious sanding down option.
Upcycling Furniture Hints & Tips
Good lighting is so important when you’re painting furniture and outside natural light is always great if the weather is good. If you are going to paint inside then try and use a room that has a lot of natural light.
Make sure you prepare your work area and organise it so when you start your project you can do it without needing to stop halfway through. You need a clean and tidy work surface and buy some plastic storage boxes which are brilliant for storing your tools when you have cleaned them.
Prepare and prime surfaces before you work on them. Before you do anything else you should use a good surface preparation product that will remove all types of grease, oil, dirt, stains, adhesive residues, paint splashes, stains, grime, mould, dirt and prepare the surfaces for re-painting. Go Grime is perfect for this as it is a water-based, non-toxic, powerful solution for cleaning and preparing old furniture surfaces.
If your piece of furniture has paint or varnish on that you want to remove then Home Strip® Paint and Varnish Remover is solvent-free, non-toxic, safe and it won’t harm your skin or other parts of your body. Care should be taken, but Home Strip is water-based and can be washed off easily with no detrimental effects to your skin. It’s easy to apply to any surface and quick to work its magic, leaving you with a varnish or paint-free original surface, removing the need of sanding every edge and awkward to get places. You only need to leave Home Strip on the surface of your furniture for a short while, 20 – 40 minutes plus (dependent on how many layers of paint or varnish there are on the surface). After 20 minutes you can test a small area to see if the varnish is ready to come off. Use a scraper and slide it under the paint or varnish and if it doesn’t lift easily then you will know you need to leave it on a bit longer.
Paint might hide a multitude of sins but if your furniture has some dents or surface scratches that are still visible when painted you should give it a light sand after you have stripped the paint or varnish and this will help to give it a super smooth finish. Dust and wipe the furniture down, letting it dry completely before you start to paint or varnish it.
Always use good quality brushes as these won’t lose the bristles and dry into your newly painted furniture. Clean your brushes well after you have finished using them and you will be able to use them time and time again. A great tip is to wrap brushes in tinfoil whilst you are waiting for paint coats to dry and this will keep them moist and then when you’ve finished your final coat clean them thoroughly so they are ready to use for your next project.
There are a variety of paints and techniques used for upcycling furniture; Milk, Chalk and Egg Shell paints can all be used. Practice and experiment with a few small pieces of wood to help you decide on the colour and end result you want to achieve. Watch YouTube videos and read blog articles to learn how best to paint an item as these will give you the hints and tips that will save you time and money in the long run.
If you’re using a Chalk or Milk paint you always need to add a layer of protection when your paint has dried, use a coat of wax or varnish to protect your painted finish. Wax gives a lovely soft sheen and 2-3 coats should always be applied to protect it. Polyurethane varnish comes in matt or gloss and provides a more robust level of protection.
DIY – Revamping Kitchen Cupboards
If you have an old kitchen or are just fed up with your current one then you can easily revamp your cupboard doors during this time. If they are wooden doors with paint or varnish then use the same process as above as if you were upcycling an old piece of furniture using Grime Go and Home Strip® Paint and Varnish Remover. This will take your kitchen cupboards and woodwork back to its original state and you can then repaint or varnish them the colour you want. This will transform the look of your kitchen and it will feel like a new one. When lockdown is lifted you could then replace your worktops, tiles, add splashbacks and replace your flooring to take it one step further. People who have done this are amazed at the difference it makes, giving your kitchen a new lease of life and costing significantly less than a brand new one.
DIY – Cleaning & Regrouting Tiles
If your kitchen or bathroom tile grout is looking a bit grimy and old then you can use Eco Solutions Grime Go to give them a really good clean and remove any mould and dirt. Spray it on and use an old toothbrush on those really dirty areas. If you feel they need it after you’ve done this then you can always buy a grout pen which are now available in a huge variety of colours and even sparkles to give it that new look and feel.
DIY – Strip Solid Wood Flooring
If your wood flooring is looking a bit tired then you can easily revamp it during lockdown. It may seem like a mammoth job but if you do one section at a time it makes it feel less daunting. First, try using Grime Go to give it a really good clean which will remove any dirt and grime and if it still needs work after then use Home Strip® Paint and Varnish Remover to take it back to its original state. When you’ve done this take your time to decide if you want to revarnish, stain or even oil it to give you the look and feel you want. Use the internet to look for ideas of colours and finishes and you will be amazed by the result, you will have a brand new looking floor without having to spend thousands on replacing it.
DIY – Stripping & Repainting Internal Woodwork
As with upcycling furniture you can revamp your window ledges, doors & window frames, skirting boards, architraves, banisters and much more using Eco Solutions Grime Go and Home Strip® Paint and Varnish Remover to either clean them or take them back to their original state ready for you to repaint or varnish. Try using Grime Go first, spray it on and leave it 20 minutes before wiping it away with warm water. This may be enough to bring it back to a clean and new looking state but if not use Home Strip® Paint and Varnish Remover which you can leave to work its magic and then scrape the old paint and varnish away before you give it a light sand and repaint or revarnish so they look like new again.
Spring Cleaning Jobs During Lockdown
General Spring Cleaning during lockdown is a great and satisfying way to spend time doing the things you often don’t have time for; deep cleaning your floor, oven, fridge, windows, window & door frames, carpet and fabric furniture. Our article next month will tell you what you can do and which Eco Solutions products to use for each of these jobs to make it an easy and satisfying job.
Garden Jobs During Lockdown
Sorting out your garden during lockdown will make you feel better when the nice weather is here and you can then sit outside and enjoy all of your hard work. Cleaning your patio, decking, upcycling & revamping your garden furniture, stripping and painting external door frames, doors and woodwork. Weeding, cutting back, deep cleaning your BBQ and creating a compost will all be covered in our article in June.
Eco Solutions Products
Eco Solutions products are all safe, water-based, non-toxic products that make any household or DIY project easy and efficient.
What are the Benefits of Eco Solutions Products?
- One product does all
- No pre or after treatment
- Suitable for many surfaces
- Water-based
- Non-hazardous
- Non-toxic
- No skin burns
- Non-caustic
- Non-flammable
- PH neutral
- Solvent-free
- Tough not toxic
- No H (hazard) or P (precautionary) statements on the label giving you complete peace of mind they are safe to use
Grime Go removes all types of grease, oil, dirt, stains, grime, dirt, mould, adhesive residues as well as paint splashes. It can be used to prepare surfaces for re-painting or just to clean and brighten the substrate. No fumes, no skin burns, no abrasives and non-toxic.
PVCU Cleaner cleans uPVC windows, doors and guttering (may etch certain types of perspex and polycarbonate so always do a patch test first). Removes heavy grime, dirt, oil, and paint splashes too. Spray on and wipe away any stains and grime. The product is safely being used by an increasing number of consumers and professional users alike. DIY Doctor is currently one of the largest home improvement websites in the UK. They are committed to putting the customer first, providing a platform for novice and experienced Home Improvers so they can get together with experienced tradesmen to share knowledge, skills and experience about anything to do with house and home. You can see their demonstration for PVCu Cleaner here.
Super Strength Degreaser removes grease, oil, grime, glue and even light carbon build-up. It is effective and pleasant to use, water-based, no abrasives with no H (hazard) or P (precautionary) statements on the label.
Graffiti Go removes all paints including car spray paints; graffiti shadow, leather dye, marker pens, crayons, fly posters, chewing gum and can be used on all types of surfaces including; woods, all metals (including Aluminium), stone (including soft and porous stones), brick, marble, concrete, most plastics (may etch certain types of Perspex and polycarbonate).
Home Strip® Paint and Varnish Remover removes all varnish and paint surfaces to bring the surface back to its original state. It is ideal for use for furniture, flooring, kitchen cupboards, wooden window sills and frames and much more, It removes the need for heavy and laborious sanding and makes the job less messy, easy and efficient.
X-Tex Artex Remover is one of the quickest, easiest and safest ways to remove Artex®. Simply paint over the artex® walls and ceilings then scrape off when softened. This process is called a working wet system and means that the artex® is kept wet at all times. This results in no asbestos fibres becoming airborne and eliminates the risk of breathing in hazardous microfibres which can lead to Asbestosis.
After applying X-Tex and scraping back the surfaces, pieces will fall directly to the floor. For this reason, we recommend covering your entire floor with old newspapers or other disposable floor coverings. Once done, just wrap the floor covering and artex® into a bag and dispose of at your local council recycling centre. Most refuse sites now take asbestos waste.
Where can I buy the Eco Solutions Products?
Eco Solutions ‘Home Use’ and ‘Trade Use’ Products can all be purchased through Brewers, Buildbase, Jewsons, Travis Perkins or you can find your local supplier here.