How to Pack Light When Traveling with Kids

This is a guest post from Julie Crawford, of knittedbliss.com. She recently took a trip and tried out our Getaway Gang!

Traveling with small kids can strike fear into the heart of even the most stalwart of travelers, but I recently did just that –  I took a two week trip to England and Spain with my husband, 4-year-old daughter, and 9-month-old son, and we only packed two small suitcases. Spain was hot, and England was chilly – none of the clothes we wore in England were worn in Spain, and vice versa.

The secret? Packing strategically and washing things as we traveled.

If you are going to do any traveling (especially with kids!), you need Eucalan’s Getaway Gang. It contains 10 packets of no-rinse wash, 6 stain treating towelettes, one emery board, and a little sewing kit for emergencies (even tiny scissors!).

I took some of the stain treating towelettes, the emery board, and the sewing kit (minus the scissors, as airport security can be pretty strict) in my carry on. And I was glad I did, since I got chocolate milk on me in the departure lounge, before even getting on the plane:

Possibly light grey pants were not the best travel outfit choice. But the stain towelette did the job, and took away the worst of the chocolate milk. All that was left (other than a damp spot, which needed to dry) was the faintest mark, hardly visible during the rest of the journey. Once I took them off and washed them completely, it was like it never even happened.

Packing Your Carry On: Tips

• Don’t just throw the pouch with all your Eucalan goodies into your checked bag! Take out at least 2 stain treating towelettes (3 if you’ve got kids with you), the emery board, and the sewing kit (if you have to leave the scissors in your checked bag, that’s okay).
• Pack a lightweight change of clothes in your carry on not only for the kids, but for yourself – take it from my husband, who had the misfortune of being vomited on by another kid (and not one of our own, another little one who didn’t make it to the washroom in time.)
• Pack a plastic bag for serious messes. Because even if the above hadn’t happened,  the baby had a crazy diaper situation and required a full wardrobe change mid flight.  I just bagged up the offending outfit and washed it when we got to our destination.
• Antibacterial wipes- this is the only time I use them. When we first get to our seats, I wipe down the armrests, the trays, everything around us. Not just because the baby will inevitably end up chewing on an armrest, but because you know that they don’t ever really wipe down the surfaces of the plane between flights.

As for packing light, I only packed 4 outfits for each country for each person (except the baby – he had some extras ), which meant that me, my husband, and my 4 year old had a total of 8 outfits: 4 for cool weather, and 4 for hot weather. We also packed lightweight waterproof jackets (England was indeed rainy!).  Each outfit was chosen for it’s ability to be worn with everything else packed for that climate  – shirts had to match all the shorts that were packed, light sweaters and cool weather clothes had to be able to mix and match. This meant that you could recombine pieces for a lot of variety, even though very little was brought for each person.

In England we were staying with family, in Spain we stayed in hotels and then a rented apartment in Barcelona.  Having regular access to a washing machine makes it a lot easier to pack less, but having fewer items means that you also don’t have full loads of laundry very often, even with 4 people. Sink washing certain items just made sense, as I could do it in the morning and things would often be dry by the following morning:

The baby sleepers in particular seemed to need far more frequent washing than anything else- not that surprising, as babies are pretty messy!

In England, the laundry detergent they had was so harsh and really overly fragranced that I ended up rewashing the first load in Eucalan. It got out the strong perfume smell of the previous detergent. In Spain, I wasn’t about to go and buy laundry detergent, so I used Eucalan in the washing machine and everything came out perfectly:

We are already talking about another trip again next summer- but this time if we go to different places, we will try to choose ones with a similar climate!

 

 

 

 

 

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Tutorial: How to Wash a Yoga Mat

Pop quiz: when was the last time you washed your yoga mat? Even if you only use your mat occasionally, it’s probably been a while – if at all – since you washed it.

Now is a great time of year to wash your mat and give a clean start for fall. On today’s blog post, we’ll show you how easy it is to wash your mat with Eucalan, plus give you a handy tip for keeping it sanitized after each use.

First,  gather your supplies. You’ll need your favourite scent of Eucalan (we recommend Eucalyptus, Grapefruit, or our Jasmine scented Wrapture, which all feature essentials oils and are naturally antiseptic). We also recommend using a wash cloth or soft scrub brush if your mat is in need of deep clean.

Fill your bathtub about 1/3 of the way with tepid water and add 5mL/1 tsp of Eucalan per 4L/1G of water. Place your yoga mat in the water; depending on the size of your yoga mat and bath tub, it may be a bit of a squeeze, but do the best you can! Once you have successfully submerged your mat,  scrub the surface with cloth or brush. Allow to soak for 5-10 minutes, flip mat over to scrub other side, and soak for 5-10 minutes more.

Remove mat from water and gently squeeze to remove excess water – you may be surprised with how much water your mat has absorbed in the process!

Allow your mat to dry away from sunlight – we prefer to hang ours outdoors to dry naturally.

In between deep cleans, you can use a spray bottle filled with water and a small amount of Eucalan to wipe down your mat and keep it sanitized after each use.

Namaste!

Season Shift: Transitioning your Knitwear from Summer to Fall

With the changing of seasons, much of our summer wardrobe will be set aside and our fall and winter clothes will make a comeback.  Most people either have their clothes in their closets year round regardless of the weather, while others pack  things away when the seasons shift. Regardless of your storage preference, it’s worth taking some time to properly care for the clothes that you probably won’t wear again for another six months.

Moths are a harsh reality for some. Even if you have never had any, there’s always a chance they could happen. As it’s extremely difficult to get rid of moths once they discover your closet, preventative care is really worth it.  If you store out-of-season clothes somewhere outside of your home (for example,  a garage, shed, or storage locker), you will definitely want to use storage containers that are airtight and cannot easily be opened by temperature shifts or even clever critters.

From our Instagram, repost from @alleelskeragnes.

To Prep your Summer Clothes:

1. Gather together all the clothes that you are unlikely to wear until next spring.
2. Wash everything. For your summer dresses, swimsuits, blouses, and any other specialty fabric you might only wear in the summer, wash with Eucalan.  Spot treat any stains or marks.
3. Make sure everything is dry before returning it to your closet, or store in air-tight storage containers. Vacuum seal storage bags can also be great for this. If hanging items, do not hang any heavy long sleeved items, as the hangers will leave dents in the shoulders when hung for a long period of time.

What about those fall and winter clothes you are about to revisit? Chances are, they are wrinkly and looking tired, possibly even showing food or drink spots you never knew were there, if you forgot to clean them before setting them aside for half of the year.  Sweaters in particular can look rather rumpled after being in storage, and benefit from having their fibers plumped through washing. Time to get them looking fresh and ready to wear for fall!

From our Instagram, repost from @heyladyhey.

To Review your Fall/Winter Clothes:

1. Pull out anything you haven’t worn in the last 6 months from your closet or storage containers.
2.  If there are any items that don’t fit well or you don’t love anymore, put them aside to donate to a local charity.
3.  For the remaining sweaters and clothes,  wash gently with your favourite scent of Eucalan. Lay them flat to dry, reshaping your knits if necessary.

Now you are ready to wear your beautiful fall clothes! Knowing that they look their best should help take some of the sting out of the fact that summer is on its way out.

From our Instagram, a repost from @cocoknits.

The photos in this post are all from our Eucalan Instagram account. If you haven’t taken a look at what we’re sharing, you’re missing out! We also often repost from other beautiful Instagram accounts when they are using Eucalan, too. You just might find your new favourite feed!

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Tutorial: How to Wash a Stuffed Toy with A Battery Pack

 

When your child falls in love with a special toy, they drag it with them wherever they go! They don’t just cuddle and play with their favourite soft toys, they often use their stuffed toy as a napkin or a tissue. If you are lucky enough that the toy is machine washable, you can easily keep it clean by convincing your child that their beloved stuffed animal needs a ‘bath’ now and then, just like they do.  But what do you do when the toy your child loves best has an electronic, non-removable battery pack? How do you wash it?

Stuffed toys with non-removable electronics are increasingly common, so that they can play music or ‘talk’ to your child when certain parts of them are squeezed, like a paw or a foot.  But if you put this kind of toy into a washing machine (or even a tumble dryer), the damage to the electronics is usually swift and permanent.  But today, we’re going to show you exactly how you can clean your child’s favourite singing sheep, or talking puppy, or chatty Elmo!

Our example toy sheep was getting grey with grime. the mittens, slippers, and bow are a particular weave of fabric that seems to magnetize dirt, even more than the white parts of the lamb. There were even a couple of marks on the face from … who knows. Kids, right? Probably better not to know.  Let’s get down to business!

You Will Need:

• A medium sized bowl
• Warm water
• A cloth (preferably with some texture, to help scrub)
• Eucalan Delicate Wash
• Eucalan Stain Treating Towelette (if there’s some stubborn dirt/stains)

Step 1:

Before beginning, remove the batteries from the stuffed toy and make sure that the fabric of the toy fully covers any access to the battery box.

Step 2:

Add about one tablespoon (or one packet, if using individual packets of Eucalan) of Eucalan to the bowl, and then fill the bowl  with warm, clean water.

Step 3:

Dip the cloth into the water and, beginning at the head (usually the dirtiest part of the toy), gently scrub the outside of the toy.

Step 4:

Repeat as often as necessary, scrubbing gently over the entire surface of the toy.

Step 5:

If there are any stubborn areas or stains, scrub them with the Eucalan Stain Treating Towelette.

Step 6:

Allow the toy to thoroughly air dry. Do not put it in the dryer (this will damage the electronics inside).

 

Step 7:

Watch your child’s face light up with happiness at their wonderfully clean and fresh toy! Well, they would probably light up with happiness even if the toy was still dirty, but you’ll be much happier knowing that singing sheep is now clean.

How to Wash A Wedding Dress: Tutorial

The wedding day has come and gone and you have a multitude of memories and photos to remind you of that incredible, special day.  How beautiful you looked in your wedding dress, not to mention the memories you have of shopping for it,  looking through magazines, figuring out a style or detail you really wanted, and then finally deciding which dress was the right one for you. It’s all part of the story of your wedding dress.

Once the wedding is behind you, it can come as a bit of surprise  that your beautiful dress has a filthy hem or train, or you find food or stains from either you or an overzealous hugger who might have sloshed a bit of their drink on you.  And while you know you aren’t going to wear the dress again, you want to clean and preserve it in a way that will keep it looking beautiful for years to come.

Having your dress professionally dry cleaned and preserved has an average cost of $265 dollars; not to mention the process and harsh chemicals  can damage delicate embroidery, sequins and beadwork.

But did you know that you can actually clean and preserve your  wedding dress yourself? Not only will you probably take more care in cleaning your own dress, but by using Eucalan, it’s far cheaper and significantly better for the environment. Eucalan is non-toxic, biodegradable, free of optical brighteners, phosphates, synthetic fragrance and dye – so it’s a perfect choice for ensuring the preservation of your wedding dress for years to come.  Besides, washing your wedding dress is easier than you’d think! We can walk you through the whole process step by step:

1.  Add Eucalan to your washing machine or bathtub filled with tepid water.
2. Immerse dress in water and allow to soak for 15 minutes.
3. Add Eucalan full strength (straight from the bottle, not diluted in water) to tough stains and rub gently with a soft bristled toothbrush until stain disappears. Your train and hem will likely need the most effort.
4. Squeeze dress with your hands to incorporate soap and water through the fabric.
5. Soak dress for an additional 15 minutes.
6. Eucalan does not require rinsing, but if you wish to, give it a gentle rinse under fresh tepid water.
7. Remove from water and squeeze or spin out excess water.
8. You may roll in a towel, but go slowly and be careful not to get any beads stuck on towel fibres.
9. Hang to dry away from direct sunlight or heat.

That’s it!

And if you are still counting down the days to your wedding, it’s worth having a Eucalan stain treating towelette in your emergency bag. It makes it quick to clean up any little bits of make-up, food, or grass and such from outdoor photo shoots. Give one to each member of your wedding party, as well – it’s worth keeping everyone looking their best! here is a short video showing how quick and easy it is to spot clean with one of the towelettes:

If you love all things wedding related, you should check out our Wedding Pinterest Board!

Easy Swimwear Care

Sometimes, you just need a day at the beach (or lounging poolside). But sun, sea salt, and chlorine can wreak havoc on your swimwear if not properly cared for.

The good news is that it’s quite easy to keep your bathing suit in tip-top condition: after every use, wash in your favourite scent of Eucalan. We show you how in this easy tutorial:

As you can see, it takes only a few minutes to remove the oils, chlorine and lotions which can break down the fibres of your swim suit and fade the colours over time. You can even wash your suit in your hotel sink while traveling with our single use pods! We recommend our Lavender, Grapefruit or Jasmine scents for their naturally antiseptic properties.

Need a little reminder every now and then? Keep this graphic handy for future reference by printing, pinning, or sharing on social media:

Now you can have fun in the sun all summer long!

Spa Day for Luxe Lingerie & Active Wear

Luxe lingerie deserves the very best to preserve it for years to come. Just as you would treat yourself to a spa day, why not show your extra special pieces some TLC?

Marlies Dekkers top and bottom with Lavender Eucalan.

Eucalan brings to mind a “spa-like” atmosphere. The natural formula, free from dyes, optical brighteners, enzymes, bleach and synthetic fragrances, shows well in the natural bottle. The bottle itself is see-through, showing  that we are transparent: there’s nothing to hide. Most people feel refreshed when they use Eucalan, which can be attributed to the light, natural essential oil fragrances which scent the air and your delicate garments as well as the fact that laundering with Eucalan couldn’t possibly be any easier.

Giving lingerie, swimwear and active wear a quick wash in the basin is not a laborious task. A quick dip and squeeze is all it takes (click here to view our complete care instructions over on our website). Because Eucalan is free from all the harsh stuff other cleaners have, there’s no need to rinse the product out – in fact, our lanolin-enriched formula will condition and soften your luxe and specialty fibres. Better yet, our gentle, natural formula won’t dull colours or break down the elastic. In fact, your stretchy garments need that quick bath to remove body oils, perfumes and lotions so they can go back to their original shape, which will help them to last longer.

We have four great scents, plus a natural fragrance-free option. For the ultimate spa experience, we recommend our Lavender and Jasmine scents. Click each image below to learn more on our website!

Jen’s Top 10: London Calling

Our CEO Jennifer Edgar will be sharing some of her favourite things in this new blog series. From travel to style and everything in between, nothing is off limits! Jen’s recent trip to London is the inspiration for her first-ever post. Hint: you can click each image below to view a larger size. Enjoy! 

It was a perfect May to take 2 weeks holiday to visit the UK.  The purpose for this holiday?  To celebrate my mum’s 70th birthday and her return to her birthplace for the first time since immigrating to Canada when she was 12.  Although this is a top 10 list of wonderful things I experienced on the trip, the highlight was most definitely watching my mum walk the same steps she took as a child and visit her old homes and to have some time to reminisce with her dear cousin.

Of course, I took my Eucalan with me!  It was so easy to toss a Getaway Gang into my suitcase while packing; in particular, the Wipes saved more than a few outfits throughout our journey! 

1.Harry Potter: The WB Studio Tour was tops on the list.  As a fan of the movies and having a 10 year old daughter who reads the books over and over, this was not to be missed.  I took nearly 400 photos on this excursion alone!  Thank goodness for expandable memory in my phone!

Great Hall

Gringott’s Vault Door

Dumbledore’s Office

Ollivanders

White Card Model

2. Location: Our hotel was in the heart of Trafalgar Square – we really didn’t realize where we were until we stepped out and walked a short distance.  This is the ideal location for tourists!  Nearly everything we wanted to see was within a 10 minute radius of our hotel.  The underground was a 2 minute walk from our door.  How perfect!

Hotel Wall Map

Trafalgar Square

3. Shopping: Any good list should include a little retail therapy, shouldn’t it? My new favourite spot is Fortnum and Mason in Piccadilly. It really is a sight to behold. Everything from the window displays to men in tailcoats and fancy boxes of chocolates had me oohing and aahing.  I managed to find a few lovely tea towels and now have to decide which ones I will part with as gifts for some of my favourite people.

Entrance

Inside

Tea Truck

Champagne & Chocolate Hamper

4. Food & Drink: Fish and Chips.  Need I say more???  I didn’t eat it as much as I thought I would, but I had my fill.  Along with that was, as expected, the best scones and clotted cream.  The most delicious Earl Grey tea is even better when served in fine china.  There were no shortages of excellent establishments near our hotel but it was a real treat to eat next-door at The Sherlock Holmes pub.  Just behind that was The Ship and Shovell, a most unusual pub split on two sides of the street.  It’s astonishing how busy these pubs were every day after work.  

Pub Sign

Scone & Clotted Cream

The Sherlock Holmes

Traditional Sunday Dinner

5. Architecture: The buildings are amazing.  It’s hard to take it all in, there’s so much!  It stands to reason that one could take a trip and just focus on architecture and history of the buildings.  Plenty show signs of the war.  We saw many building being rebuilt while the façade was held in place.  Westminster Abbey is one of the greatest.  No photography is allowed inside so I’ll live with my memories.  It truly must be seen to be believed.

Big Ben

Bridge & Buses

Empire Theatre Hackney

Westminster Abbey

6. History: One specific highlight for me was visiting the Churchill War Rooms.  What I expected to be a small space and museum is remarkably large.  It’s like a time capsule.  We spent at least 2 hours here and I could have easily stayed another 1 or 2 longer!

Entrance

Noiseless Typewriter

Number 10

Signs

7. Soho: We had an enjoyable visit to a friend’s workplace in Soho Square.  Not only did we receive a tour of her office but we walked around the streets and saw plenty of half-timbered buildings and then nicely found ourselves inside the most beautiful Liberty.  It was a feast for the eyes with beautiful displays and matching everything!  Carnaby Street was fun and energy in this part of the city was so electric.

Half-timbered Buildings

Liberty Floral Entrance

 

Liberty Levels

Display

Haberdashery

Merchant & Mills

Measures

Rowan Yarns

Carnaby Street

8. Royalty: We all dream of seeing royalty, don’t we? On our first day of the trip we went down the wrong street from the roundabout in Trafalgar Square.  This was before we had our bearings.   In only a few steps we looked up and saw…Buckingham Palace at the end of…The Mall.  It was down quite a ways but this was such an exciting “turn” that we stopped to enjoy the fact that we were on The Mall.  All of a sudden a motorcade zipped by with Prince William in the back seat!  We then learned that the Queen would be opening Parliament which is one of the most important days of the parliamentary year.  Although it would have been easier to see on tv, we lined up with the other spectators for a glimpse of the Queen in her carriage.  The formality of it all was something to see!  On another day we made our way to the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace and learned about the daily lives of those living there and caring for the horses.  The carriages are remarkable.  

The Mall

Walkway

Horses

Live Music

Gold State Coach

Gold State Coach Detail

9. Transportation: The underground is a real marvel.  The UK has double the population of Canada, yet people move about in such a seamless manner.  The tube is efficient and clean.  We used it during quieter times as well as rush hour.  There’s no time to dawdle and take pictures at rush hour!  The bus system is rather evident.  The double deckers are everywhere and well routed. We never needed to take a taxi since we managed so well with the tube and buses.  Parking is interesting.  We didn’t actually see anyone get into their space or leave so I don’t know how they actually managed it.  

Bus, Bikes, Cars, & Horses

Parking

Underground

10. The Tower of London:This was the final stop on our holiday.  As our Yeoman Warder guide told us, we would learn about all sorts of “bloody deeds”. Not only did we hear fantastic stories but we saw the crown jewels and walked through the White Tower.  It’s a place where you can just imagine stepping back in time.  There is so much to take in here and it’s worth more than one visit.  

Yeoman Warder

Guard

Steps

White Tower

Panorama

So there you have it, my personal favourite 10 things to see or do in London.  We packed a lot into this trip and it was well worth the tired aching feet and jet lag.  It’s so great to be home again but I wonder what new places I’ll discover on my next trip there!

 

Gifts for Dads & Grads

Father’s Day is just around the corner and lots of new graduates are about to make their way into the world. Why not surprise dear old Dad  and your favorite grad with a gift you know they’ll use? Today, we share some top picks for both!

1. Food Gifts: Whether your dad has a sweet or savory tooth, you can probably find gourmet goodies to suit his appetite. There are also plenty of DIY ideas on pinterest such as these DIY Popcorn Salts or this recipe for Cowboy Spice mix. New grads (especially those heading off to college!) will appreciate gift cards to grocery stores where they’ll be heading.
2. Beverages: Does your dad love coffee, beer, wine, or whiskey? Chances are, there is probably a monthly subscription club for that, or you could just surprise him with a few well-chosen bottles or beans! Depending on the age of your grad, this might also be a great option to explore.
3. Washi Tape Holders: Use our easy DIY idea for upcycling empty Eucalan bottles into pen, pencil  and paperclip holders! Pick a washi tape print you know your dad or grad will love, to make a one-of-a-kind gift just for them – click here for a free tutorial.
4. The Getaway Gang: Our all-in-one kit is perfect for students who will be on their own for the first time ever! It contains single use pods of each of our 5 scents, our Stain Treating Towelettes, and even a nail file and small sewing kit.
5. A Picture Says 1,000 Words: When in doubt, a framed photo of one of your favorite memories is a heartfelt gift that will always be appreciated.

Need more great ideas? Click here to join us on Pinterest!

Sustainable Tourism & Eucalan

Sustainable tourism is an emerging trend in the world of travel: destinations which support the local economy and preserve the pristine environment can be enjoyed in a number of ways, from backpacking trips to eco resorts. Many of these destinations have specific instructions for what types of personal care products are allowed – for instance, Mexico has restrictions on certain sunscreens which are commonly used in the rest of North America. These measures are aimed at keeping the water supply and surrounding environment pure & clean.

Maya Bay, Thailand

Our biodegradable formula meets the European Union’s strict guidelines for detergents, which means that Eucalan will not negatively impact the environment anywhere in the world. That’s great news for travelers, especially since washing lingerie and bathing suits in between uses is recommended to extend the life of the piece. Packing a Getaway Gang or a few Eucalan single-use pods will safely clean your clothes, wherever your travels take you.

Different scenarios require different clothing, but you’re limited by the size of your suitcase. The little extras you put in your checked bag can make the difference between wearing the same pair of jeans for days or being able to pack a few more wardrobe options for any occasion which may come up. While our single use pods and 100mL bottles are the perfect size for carry-on luggage for a weekend getaway, a longer trip will require a little more planning to quickly and easily keep all of the items in your carefully-packed wardrobe ready to wear.

Eucalan Single Use Pods – Great for a Quick Getaway

Your best bet is to check your luggage, which allows you a lot more leeway when it comes to liquids you can take on your voyage. Our Getaway Gang is a portable pack of garment care essentials that you can easily slip into your suitcase. Inside the clear vinyl zip bag, you will find ten single-use packs of Eucalan’s signature no-rinse delicate garment wash (two each in the five scents of lavender, grapefruit, eucalyptus, jasmine and unscented) along with exclusive handy products that you can tuck into your purse or pocket: a sewing kit, a nail file, and 6 Stain Treating Towelettes. Carrying one with you while you’re on the go is like having an insurance policy for your clothes–you can deal with that spot or spill immediately after it happens.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that Eucalan wash is only for delicates! It will freshen anything in your travel wardrobe that can be immersed in water and allowed to dry – as we already mentioned, Eucalan is great for rinsing out your bathing suit after each use to keep the colors vibrant. We have even more easy-care washing tips for quick reference here on our website or here on our YouTube channel.

You will be ready for whatever adventure  (or wardrobe emergency) your journey brings thanks to Eucalan and the Getaway Gang!

Click here for your chance to win a Getaway Gang of your own! You’ll just need to sign up for our newsletter by entering your email address on the signup form. If you already subscribe, simply enter your email address for us to confirm (don’t worry, you won’t receive duplicate emails from us)!