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How to host a festival at home

Image by Henry Burrows

With festival season being, close to, completely cancelled because of COVID19, it’s time to bring the festival fun to you. Grab your tents, glitter, and music, because this is how you can host a festival at home. 

  • Give your festival a name
  • Make access passes
  • Create a map
  • Pick your line-up
  • Get your house festival-ready
  • Set activities 
  • Get yourself festival-ready
  • Dine al-fresco
  • Stick with camping 
  • Document the journey

Give your festival a name

Begin planning your stay-at-home festival by naming it. Don’t stress yourself out too much about creating a funny or witty name, something simple will do just fine. Naming your festival will simply put a name to the event and make it more official.

Make access passes 

It’s always nice to have memorabilia from a festival. Despite your festival taking place in your own home, and with limited guests due to COVID rules, making access passes is a fun way to commemorate the event. Make your passes by either drawing or create a simple graphic. Print your graphic on plain paper or card and fold it into a small rectangle. If you have access to a laminator, laminate the pass to avoid it becoming damaged by spilled drinks or general wear and tear. Finally, attach your passes to some string, or a lanyard if you have one, and hand them out to your festival-goers. Don’t forget to remind them that without their passes they can’t access the festival, so they must be worn at all times. 

Image by goblinbox_(queen_of_ad_hoc_bento)

Create a map

It may seem silly to create a map for your festival when it’s being hosted in your own home, but it’s part of the festival experience. Draw a simple layout of your house and pinpoint the areas where events will take place. You could even create a breakdown of which bands you will be playing at certain points of the day, just like in a real festival program. Similarly to the access passes, creating a map will provide your festival-goers with a small token from the festival that they can keep. 

Pick your line-up

You can’t have a festival without music. Unfortunately, you can’t have any live performances, unless someone in your social bubble is a musician. Luckily, there are a few music streaming options that will provide all the tunes your festival needs.

Firstly, many festivals that have been cancelled due to COVID have been showing performances from past acts. For example, Radio 1’s Big Weekend is available to watch on IPlayer. You could create your perfect festival line-up by going through performances from festivals past and playing those for your guests.

Alternatively, you could create your own playlists using a streaming service. This way it is completely up to you which songs to include in your set. Regardless of your decision, make sure that you have a headline act that is worth sticking around for. 

Image by Karen Woodham from Pexels

Get your house festival-ready 

You can’t host a festival without getting your house adequately festival-ready. Make a stage for your virtual bands to perform on by using a chair or table to prop a laptop on. Pitch a tent in your garden and allocate camping space for those staying at the festival. Use fairy lights to illuminate your food court and stage area. Create an outdoor seating area using throw pillows and blankets. Finally, finish off creating the festival vibe by using colourful streamers and banners to decorate the area. You want to create a new experience for your festival-goers, so get creative with your decorations. 

Set activities

When visiting a festival there are usually activities that can be done between seeing performances. These can be anything from face/glitter painting to playing human-sized Jenga. Plan some activities throughout the day that can involve all of your festival-goers. Do some face-painting, play some games and, most importantly, have fun with it. Make sure that your activities are appropriate for all ages so that any children at the festival can join in. 

Get yourself festival-ready

Part of the fun of festivals is dressing up for them. Think flamboyant but comfortable. Shorts, feathers, sequins, tassels, and, of course, a pair of wellies. You want to be prepared for all weather conditions, so it’s best to wear something lightweight for the sun, but also have a waterproof coat on-hand for the rain. The most important thing to remember when getting ready for your festival is… you can NEVER wear too much glitter. 

Image by ChrisPerriman

Dine Al-Fresco

Eating at festivals is all about grabbing something easy to eat at a food truck and dining Al-Fresco. Set up a BBQ and have burgers, hot dogs and other easy-to-eat delicious BBQ foods available for your festival-goers. Create your very own food court and let your guests lounge on throw pillows and blankets whilst they enjoy some, much-needed, festival food before they get back to their raving. The bonus of attending an at-home festival is that you can skip the endless food queues. 

Stick with camping

One of the best parts of going to a festival is camping. The joy of a stay-at-home festival is that you don’t have to camp in a crowded campsite, surrounded by queues of people waiting to use the portaloos in the middle of the night. Upgrade your camping experience by creating a calming campsite that your festival guests can enjoy. Pitch some tents and make them comfortable and cosy. Leave out plenty of sleeping bags, pillows, and blankets for your guests to snuggle up in, and light your tents with a multitude of fairy lights. You want to give your festival-goers a relaxing area to wind-down after a day of partying to their favourite artists. 

Image by Matheus Bertelli from Pexels

Document the journey 

Finally, make sure that you document your festival journey. Your festival is bound to be a lot of fun for yourself and your guests, so make sure that you capture plenty of photos and videos to remind you of what you created. You could even go live on Facebook and Instagram and share parts of your festival experience with your followers. 

Image by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels

The joy of a stay-at-home festival is that there is less chance of your clothes getting covered in mud from staying in a field all weekend. If you do happen to get muddy during your festival, let us take care of your clothing. Book a Laundryheap hot wash service by heading to the Laundryheap website or by downloading the free Laundryheap app. 


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Your questions answered on washing face coverings

Image by Marco Verch Professional Photographer and Speaker

We have all been advised to wear face coverings when entering enclosed spaces outside of our own home- but do you know how to care for your face covering? These are your face covering questions, answered. 

  • How often should you wash your face covering?
  • How do you safely remove a face covering?
  • What should you do if you can’t wash your face covering immediately?
  • Can you wash your face covering with other laundry items? 
  • What’s the best way to wash a face-covering in the washing machine?
  • How do you hand wash a face covering?
  • How do you dry a face covering?

How often should you wash your face covering? 

You should wash your face covering after every wear. Your face covering will create a barrier to catch any virus-filled droplets that are breathed out in your everyday life. It is important to remember that you may encounter some people who will not be wearing masks and their virus-filled droplets could attach to the front of your face covering. To avoid any cross-contamination of COVID bacteria it is safest to wash the front and inside of your face mask after every wear. 

Image by Anna Shvets from Pexels

How do you safely remove a face covering?

Remove your face covering with care. Use the strings securing your covering to loosen and take it off. When removing, and once removed, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth until you can wash your hands. You should wash your hands immediately after handling your face covering to remove any harmful bacteria that may have been transferred. 

Image by Anna Shvets from Pexels

What should you do if you can’t wash your face covering immediately?

If you can’t immediately wash your face covering, simply place it in a disposable bag until you can. Avoid placing your covering directly onto a surface as this can spread potentially harmful bacteria. If you do place your covering on a surface, make sure to disinfect the surface as soon as possible. 

Image by Anna Shvets from Pexels

Can you wash your face covering with other laundry items?

You can wash your face covering with other laundry items, as long as your covering is not overly delicate. COVID bacteria are highly unlikely to transfer from one material to another before the laundry detergent eliminates it. 

What’s the best way to wash a face covering in the washing machine?

The best way to wash a face covering in the washing machine is dependant on the material of your covering. Put your face covering in your washing machine with similar materials so that it does not get damaged. Prior to putting your covering in your machine check the care label to see what the highest appropriate temperature is. There is no need to buy a specific laundry detergent, whatever brand you usually use is completely fine. Once you have inserted your face covering with your other laundry items and inserted the detergent, set your washing machine to the highest appropriate temperature, and wait for your cycle to finish. 

How do you hand wash a face covering?

If your face covering is made from a particularly delicate material it may be best to hand wash it. If this is the case, all you need is laundry detergent and warm water. Pour a decent amount of laundry detergent onto your mask and use some warm water and a scrubbing motion to make the material soapy. Scrub your mask for a minimum of 20 seconds, making sure that all areas of it have been covered. After 20 seconds or more, rinse your mask with warm water, making sure that all of the soapy residue has been washed off. 

How do you dry a face covering?

The most effective drying method for a face covering is either by tumble drying or air drying. If you are using the tumble dryer, set the dryer to its highest temperature, and leave your covering in until it is completely dry. Alternatively, lay your face covering completely flat on a flat surface and wait for it to air dry. If possible, dry your mask in direct sunlight.

If you decide to air dry your mask make sure that you iron it once it has been dried. You want to use some form of heat to make sure that all of the bacteria from your mask have been eliminated and using an iron is the fasted way to do this. 

At Laundryheap, we want to ensure that you stay safe. That is why we offer a hot wash service and will deliver your laundered clothes contact-free. Book your slot by heading to the Laundryheap website or by downloading the free Laundryheap app. 


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How to make a DIY face covering

Photo by Engin Akyurt from Pexels

With the world slowly beginning to emerge from COVID19 lockdown, it is essential that we continue to keep ourselves and those around us safe. One was of achieving safety is by making and wearing a face covering.

  • Why should you wear a face covering? 
  • When should you wear a face covering?
  • How to make a face covering from a T-shirt
  • How to make a face covering from a bandanna 
  • How to sew a face covering 
  • How to look after your face covering

Why should you wear a face covering?

Despite the fact that many countries are beginning to ease their lockdown restrictions, Coronavirus has not disappeared. We still need to make sure that we are staying safe. Wearing a face covering helps reduce the risk of transmitting COVID19 when we do leave the house for essential reasons. Additionally, they will protect those who are asymptomatic from spreading Coronavirus unwittingly.

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

When should you wear a face covering?

Face coverings should be worn on public transport, in shops, and in enclosed spaces where social distancing can not be carried out and you are amongst people who are not living in your home. 

Before putting your face covering on you should wash your hands or use hand sanitiser to rid yourself of any bacteria. Once your hands are clean, place your face covering comfortably over your nose and mouth, making sure that you can still breathe.

Please note, face coverings should not be worn by children under the age of 2 or by those with respiratory problems.

Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels

How to make a face covering from a T-shirt 

You will need:

  • An old T-shirt that you no longer want 
  • A ruler 
  • A pair of scissors 
  1. Begin by laying your T-shirt on a flat surface. Using your ruler, measure 20 cm from the bottom of the T-shirt. From your 20 cm mark, use your scissors and cut a straight line across the width of your material, creating a rectangle. 
  2. Using your ruler again, measure 2 cm from the top right corner of your fabric. From the 2 cm mark, make a 15 cm horizontal cut through your T-shirt that is parallel to the top of the rectangle. Repeat this process, parallel to the cut that you have just made. 
  3. To make your ties, cut open the two long strips of fabric that you have just created. Unfold the main piece of fabric and place it over your nose and mouth, making sure that you can still breathe. Tie the top two ties around your head, and the bottom ties around your neck. You must make sure that your ties are secure and will not become unfastened. 
Photo by Quinten Van Kerrebroeck from Pexels

How to make a face covering from a bandanna 

You will need:

  • A bandanna of at least 50 cm by 50 cm 
  • Two elastic bands or hair ties 
  1. Begin by laying your bandanna on a flat surface. Fold your bandanna in half from top to bottom. 
  2. Next, fold the top half of your bandanna two-thirds of the way down and fold the bottom half up so that the two sections meet in the middle. 
  3. Thread your elastic bands or hair ties through the bandanna, keeping them 12 cm apart. 
  4. Finally, fold the overhanging ends of the bandanna into the centre and tuck them into your elastic bands or hair ties. 
Image by Alexander Droeger from Pixabay

How to sew a face covering 

You will need:

  • Two 25 cm by 25 cm squares of cotton fabric 
  • Two 20 cm pieces of elastic or string 
  • A needle
  • Thread
  • A pair of scissors 
  1. Begin by placing your two 25 cm by 25 cm squares of fabric on top of one another. Fold one side of the stacked fabric over by 0.75 cm and hem the material. Repeat this process on the opposite side of the fabric. 
  2. Create two channels by folding over the stacked fabric by 1.5 cm on each side. Stick down both sides of the fabric, making sure that the stitches are strong enough to hold the material together. 
  3. With your needle, run your 20 cm of elastic or string through the hem of your covering to create ear loops. Repeat this process on the opposite side of the covering, making sure that you tie the ends tightly.
  4. To finish, gently pull your elastic or string so that your tied knots are tucked inside the hem. Gather the sides of the fabric on the elastic and adjust them so that they comfortably fits your face. Securely stitch your elastic in place to ensure that your face covering will not fall below your nose and mouth. 
Image by Anke Sundermeier from Pixabay

How to look after your face covering 

It is not enough to just wear a face covering, you also have to regularly clean it. When taking your face covering off do not touch the front of it or the section that has been touching your nose and mouth. Instead, remove your covering using the ties around your head. Once removed, immediately place it in a plastic bag until you are able to wash it. If your covering has touched any surface, you must disinfect those surfaces immediately. To best ensure that your face covering is rid of bacteria, wash it in your washing machine after every use on a hot wash.

If your face covering has been hand-stitched it may be better to hand wash to avoid it potentially falling apart in the washing machine. If you are hand-washing, lather the fabric in laundry detergent and scrub it for at least 20 seconds. Rinse with warm to hot water, and either leave to dry or use the hottest setting on your tumble dryer.  Once dried, iron your face covering. The heat from the iron will kill any residing bacteria and reduce your risk of contracting a bacterial respiratory infection.

Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels

We want to ensure that our drivers and customers remain safe during COVID19. That is why we now deliver your laundry contactless. To book your delivery slot head to the Laundryheap website or download the free Laundryheap app.


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How to make hand sanitiser

Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels

As COVID 19 continues to affect our lives, we must do everything to stay safe. Hand sanitiser is perfect for fighting germs whilst travelling, however, is becoming increasingly difficult to buy. Try making your own hand sanitiser using this simple recipe. 

  • Warning 
  • Prep
  • What you’ll need
  • The recipe 
  • How to use it

Warning 

Please bear in mind that using hand sanitiser should not be a replacement for washing your hands. The most effective way to kill bacteria is to wash your hands using soap and water. Hand sanitiser should only be used when you are on the go, or if soap and water is not readily available to you. 

You should also be aware that your homemade sanitiser may not be as effective as a store-bought one. This is because the tools you use will not be effectively sterilised, nor will the environment that you produce the sanitiser in. It is always best to use a store-bought sanitiser for the most effective protection from bacteria so only make your own if there are no alternative options. 

Before making your own hand sanitiser, be wary about adding essential oils as they can cause skin irritation. Make sure that you are aware of how your skin will react to whatever essential oils you may add prior to their use. 

Prep 

Before making your hand sanitiser make sure you clean your work station using diluted bleach. You also want to ensure that you thoroughly wash and sanitise the equipment you will be using. This needs to be done to ensure that any bacteria in your environment is eliminated to the best of your ability and therefore will be less likely to transfer into your mixture. 

You will need to use rubbing alcohol in your hand sanitiser mixture. Prior to creating your mixture, you need to ensure that your alcohol is not diluted. Undiluted alcohol will have a higher success rate of killing bacteria. 

Finally, make sure that you wash your hands thoroughly before beginning the process. Similarly to sterilising your environment and equipment, you need to ensure that any bacteria are eliminated, including bacteria that you may be carrying on your hands. 

What you’ll need 

To make your hand sanitiser you will need:

  • ¾ of a cup of rubbing alcohol (99% alcohol volume)
  • ¼ of a cup of aloe vera gel
  • 10 drops of any essential oil you want to include- if you don’t have any essential oils add lemon juice 
  • An empty bottle for your mixture

The recipe 

The key to making an effective hand sanitiser is to keep the ingredients at a 2:1 ratio of alcohol to aloe vera. This keeps the alcohol level of your sanitiser around 60%, which is the minimum amount that is needed to kill bacteria. 

To begin with, pour all of your ingredients into a bowl and mix together with a spoon. Once your mixture has bound together, whisk it into a gel consistency. When your mixture has reached gel consistency, pour it into an empty bottle, ready for use.

How to use

To effectively use your hand sanitiser, apply a small amount to the palm of one of your hands. Thoroughly rub your hands together making sure to spread the gel over the entirety of your hand, including your fingers. Carry on rubbing the gel into your hands until it is completely dry, this should take between 30 and 60 seconds. Note, it will take at least 60 seconds from application for the hand sanitiser to begin killing bacteria. 

We want to ensure that you stay safe during Covid 19 and make sure that we are taking the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of coronavirus. That is why we now offer hot washes to kill bacteria, and contactless services to avoid our customers coming into contact with our drivers. Book your slot by visiting the Laundryheap website or by downloading the Laundryheap app. 


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Coronavirus advice for London

Photo by fsse8info

These are precarious times that we are living in. Coronavirus has gripped the world and doesn’t seem to be letting go. Everyone’s lives are drastically changing on a daily basis and we are being required to adapt as and when those changes come. 8.9 million people are currently living in London, so maintaing hygiene is essential to ensuring the population stays safe. For those living in London, these are some simple steps to help you stay safe.

  • Stay indoors
  • Only go out when it is ABSOLUTELY necessary
  • Stockpile- but don’t be selfish
  • Use your local park
  • Avoid public transport
  • Build a Whatsapp community
  • Call 111
  • Laundryheap services

Stay indoors   

One of the easiest ways to prevent the spread of coronavirus is to stay indoors. If you don’t leave your home you can’t risk potentially spreading the virus to those more vulnerable than yourself. If you have a job that allows you to work from home do so. Only go outside when it is absolutely necessary. That is not to say that you should restrict the amount of fresh air that you get. If you have a garden, make sure you take regular breaks and have a walk, run or even just a sit down outside. Alternatively, open the windows in your home to allow fresh air to circulate your room. This will help eliminate that claustrophobic feeling you can get when you spend too much time indoors.

Only go out when it is ABSOLUTELY necessary 

Limiting the amount of time you spend outside is essential for eliminating the spread of coronavirus. That is not to say that you can’t venture outside when it is absolutely necessary. If you are running low on food you can still visit your local store, however, try and take some precautions. Only visit your local stores and try and avoid supermarkets. Try and go shopping after peak times. Alternatively, if it’s toiletry essentials that you are in need of, order an Essentials Pack and we will deliver it directly to your home. Remember, the less people you come into contact with the better.

Other than shopping, you can leave you home to pick up prescriptions you need to take. A quick trip to your local pharmacy is not going to be detrimental to your health, however, to avoid any risks, look up whether you can get your prescription sent to you instead. Alternatively, if you are elderly, have underlying health issues, or are considered a high risk, get a family member, friend or neighbour to pick up your prescription for you and leave it outside your door. You do not want to take any risks.

Stockpile- but don’t be selfish

As previously stated, you can still visit your local shop for food and necessities, however, try and avoid doing so as much as possible. When you do visit the shop, try and stock up on essentials that you can use to batch cook and freeze. It’s all about being thrifty and limiting your risk to others. Remember, don’t just think about food, think about essential toiletries such as hand wash and toilet paper. 

As useful as it is to stock up on the essentials, remain mindful of others. We are all experiencing this pandemic and we all need to buy the essentials. If you are already well stocked up on food, toilet roll and hand wash, leave what’s left in the shops for those who need it.

Use parks to get exercise 

Your availability to go outside is limited, however, if you aren’t in quarantine, you can venture outside for one hour a day to do some form of exercise. There are 3,000 parks across the 32 boroughs that make up London. Utilise the closest park to you and use it to stretch your legs and do some exercise in the fresh air. Exercise is essential at this time as it releases endorphins that can help improve your mental health. We all need to remain positive at this time and this is one way of doing so.

Note, some London parks have closed, so before venturing out check that your local park is still open and available for you to use.

Avoid using public transport 

Not everyone can work from home or take time off work at this time. To those of you who are key workers we thank you. Key workers, still need to travel to and from work, and are therefore using public transport. If you need to visit the shop or pharmacy, avoid using public transport at all costs. If your destination is within walking distance, take a walk to the shop and back again to stretch your legs. If not, use public transport when it is least likely for key workers to be doing the same. Regardless of how you travel, try and remain 2 metres away from any person you may come across.

If you are at a high-risk of contracting coronavirus, avoid leaving your house. Ask a friend, family member or neighbour to pick up whatever you need and drop it at your front door. 

Build a Whatsapp community 

During this time we need to be protecting those most vulnerable to coronavirus, whilst making sure that we keep ourselves sane. When we’re all self-isolating it’s easy to slip into feeling lonely and detached from the world. This is why building a Whatsapp community is helpful. Build communities of friends, family and neighbours so that you can stay in touch while your self isolating. Keep each other up to date on your health, both mental and physical. If you are able to go out, check in with others to see if you can get some shopping or pick up a prescription for anyone. Or, if you are vulnerable, ask your communities to help you out. We need to do our best to keep ourselves and others as safe as possible.

Call 111

If you are feeling unwell, or experiencing symptoms of coronavirus, call 111 immediately. In times like these we need to take every precaution possible to remain safe. 

Our services 

At Laundryheap, we are committed to ensuring that our customers remain as safe as possible. We are still fully operating, however, we are taking extra precautions. We are now offering a high wash service in a bid to completely eliminate bacteria from all the clothes we launder. In addition, we now run a contactless service to prevent you from coming into contact with our drivers.

Download the Laundryheap app now to book your slot. Stay safe.