Zoflora

[RebeccaJames]

I had a cleaner in for the first time ever this week and she used the Winter Spice Zoflora on my kitchen floor. I loved the smell and ordered some for myself.

I've never used Zoflora so not sure how to fit it into my cleaning regime. I see that you can use it to freshen the washing machine, though, which I got stupidly excited about.

Any Zoflora fans with any tips and advice?

It's so fab for getting rid of vomit smells,I remember it well when ds was little

Just use it very dilute!

Yes, I'm afraid the smell just makes me think of sick now!

I make my own Febreze with it. It's fab because it's a disinfectant and it's a fraction if the cost.

Cecy, the new fragrances are gorgeous though, not like the original one.

I used it on ds's vomity carpet and use it in the washing machine to freshen dh's gym/football kit. Home Bargains had a whole host of fragrances to choose from.

zoflora FAQs

DameDiazepam, do you mean you just dilute some and put it in a spray bottle?

Sorry, question was for Socks!

Yes, that's exactly what I do. I use it on my carpets, curtains and sofa. I even use it on my materess too. I have a dog so it's great for keeping the smell away

It's something my mum taught me. A bottle lasts me ages

I love Zoflora,personally love the lavender one.
I was in Poundland getting party bag bits for my dd last week and found them selling Zoflora in there,and they had hundreds of bottles of that winter spice in there!
I usually get it in sainsburys,no more though,I stocked up very cheaply.

I might have to try a different fragrance, when I use the original one DH and DDs say the house smells of wee!

I like the springtime one and have recently bought the citrus one but havent used it yet

I love the springtime one - but you do need to dilute it really really well as its very concentrated. I can't use it in my home as the smell overpowers my small space, but when I am cleaning other houses it seems very popular with my customers.

Roughly what dilution should I go for?

Also, I don't et how you use it on carpets and sofas because you can't rinse it off? Surely there's strong chemical that remains in the fabric? You shouldn't leave disinfectant without rinsing it off, should you? I was going to use it on hard surfaces only?

Springtime fragrance is fab as a spray, especially on hall carpets etc. Used it to good effect when I was selling my house and would get late notice viewers.
Lovely in the washing machine.
A cheap J cloth rinsed in a dilute and then hung on the radiator is a lovely air freshener when the radiator comes on. I tuck the cloth behind so it can't be seen.

zoflora website says this about carpets:

It can also be used to clean and eliminate odours on carpets/rugs after pet accidents, spilt milk, vomit etc. Just clean up the majority of the soiling and wipe with diluted Zoflora. (I used it on ds's carpet when he puked on it)

Also says this about dilution:

Zoflora can be used undiluted in ceramic and metal sinks, drains and toilets.
For general disinfection of all other surfaces, use Zoflora diluted 1 in 40 with water. One capful of the 120ml, 250ml or 500ml bottle sizes (10ml) will make approximately 400ml of full strength disinfectant.
One capful of the 56ml bottle size (3.5ml) will make approximately 140ml of full strength disinfectant.

Do you dilute it in cold or warm water for cleaning floors etc? Does it matter?

Don't think it matters

I love the citrus one! Favourite thing to clean with

Zoflora is my favourite - the lavender, apple or citrus ones. I make a spray bottle with it too. Clean the kitchen surfaces with it after each time I do the dishes. Mop with it. Clean the cat's tray with it. Clean the toilet with it and leave a few drops in after it's flushed. Put a bit in the washing machine with the bath mats. Put a tiny bit down the plug holes sometimes to freshen them.

I love Zoflora.

My favourite one was/is the rose, but Ive not seen any for ages.

I buy it in poundland/99p store.

I up mad running with my Zoflora and although I like the smell I am a bit disappointed with how short a time it lingers. I'm going to try the tip about rinsing a cloth I'm dilute and putting it on the radiator.

I have made an exception to my the-fewer-products-the-better-for-our-health rule. Now just Cif, Viakal, Zoflora and bleach (for loo only). Or is that a lot and I'm kidding myself?!

I soaked a bit of cloth in Zoflora and stuck it in the hoover bag so when I hoovered the scent came out. Just picked up the linen one and twilight garden, both are nice. I can't stand the smell of bleach so I use this instead.

Folks, zoflora is a strong chemical that's not meant to be breathed in. It's absolutely not safe be sprayed in the room as an air freshner, and defo not headed up on radiators to perfume the room. It's known to cause breathing difficulties later on.

I can't help thinking that we're going to pay for overusing bleach and disinfectants. We're not meant to live in germ-free environments. We need to be exposed to viruses, bacteria etc.

Hot soapy water is enough for most cleaning. Vinegar, bicarb or shop-bought multipurpose sprays are useful when hot soapy water and a cloth isn't enough, but I really think bleach, disinfectant and the like should be a last resort and not something to use every day - whatever the adverts and cleaning gurus suggest.

Absolutely, well said Cynderella. We're already paying for it - there's some recent research showing a link between lower exposure to germs and leukemia. There are at least four threads to this:
a) how can our immune system develop properly if we remove low level bacteria
b) bacteria develop to counter the increasing use of disinfectant - hence why superbugs are a huge problem in hospitals - and the same applies to generic over-cleaning everywhere

• the damage caused directly by inhaling or absorbing all these chemicals over time (That nice smell in your laundry? It's limonene. It degrades to formaldehyde in the air. Formaldehyde is a known toxin. There was a whole segment on tgis on tge very mainstream 'Trust me I'm a doctor' series on the beeb with)
• the long term effect of all these chemicals in the environment, in the water table, in the soil, in our food, in the ecosystem that enables us to even grow food eg bees.

It's a problem, folks. It's not about 'nice smells'.