20% off Joseph Joseph Cleantech and Communication and Clean Living

 I was watching the philosopher Alain de Botton being interviewed the other day, and with his psychotherapists hat on, he was talking about communication within a couple's relationship. This is always fertile territory, and not without a personal echo or two for me.

Before I go into that, I want to touch on something a little more tangible, namely the Joseph brothers' latest products, many of which I think are really rather good. So, I’ll come back to them shortly.

Firstly I may have to take back my words from last week regarding the (lack of) purpose of the lid on the Le Creuset Pumpkin Mugs, after David got in touch saying

"Instead of dunking and squishing your teabag the minute the water has been poured, you put the lid on to keep the water hot and let it brew as per a teapot. 

I've started doing it and, I have to say, I notice a difference - better flavour but not stewed."

I'm intrigued and will be trying this out myself, ready to stand corrected. 

Anyway, communication.

Lost in the mists of time, many moons ago, I had a girlfriend who was bright, funny and generally rather marvellous, but who found close personal relationships a bit challenging (my interpretation, not hers!) One of her values, I realised long afterwards, was “never make a fuss”. If she made her thoughts known once, on a controversial matter, that, she felt, was enough, and at that point she’d consider the matter addressed.  Sometimes she wouldn’t even mention it at all, preferring me to read her mind maybe, or "get it by osmosis".

Well, I’m a bloke and can be a bit thick or just thick skinned, or maybe I’m both, and sometimes I need things spelled out for me. So, when De Botton was talking about relationships he said that when counselling a couple, one of the questions he asks is, “have you told him (or her) about the issue?” Quite often the respondent would come back with “oh no, I haven’t”, frequently implying that their partner must already know, a sort of mind reading being required. And this brought up some old feelings for me (sadness and regret) from all that time ago, of missed opportunities amongst others.

Personal experience tells me that communication has either been non-existent or at best, unclear. It also tells me that this “mind reading” expectation, that we so often indulge in, is romantic nonsense, best left to Mills and Boon, and you know, I don’t think osmosis is much cop either.

What does work is plain talking, preferably said kindly and without judgment and equally someone willing and able to listen.  And, I’ve a feeling that this is the bit that we often skip. We assume that the other just gets it and sees the issue from their point of view. But with surprising regularity we don’t!

It makes me wonder how many have experienced this, where they’re disappointed their partner wouldn't pick up their "signals" on issues or conversely the opposite, being seemingly oblivious to issues since their partners "signals" never registered. 

So, to Product:

This week the Josephs have come up with a cleverly designed multi-application cleaning system. I’m suspecting you will have one of two reactions to this.

Switch off, I’m not interested in a cleaning system and especially not at 6.00am on a Saturday morning, you’re joking right? And so, you sensibly move on to the next email in your inbox.

Or maybe, if you’re a sad git like me, who actually quite likes cleaning, hoovering and ironing, not for the act itself you understand, but for the quiet, possibly smug pleasure that follows… everything clean, calm and all is right with the world. If you are of that persuasion, then you will appreciate what the Josephs have done in creating a modular cleaning system that feels more engineered than domestic. The sort of thing that feels just right in the hand!

So, if by chance, you’re still with me, let me give you a guided tour, a treat to get your cleaning tastebuds salivating!

Joseph Joseph Clean Tech System.

The heart of their system seems to be the aptly named The CleanTech 6 Piece Cleaning Tool Set £70.  It comprises the following pieces, all of which we also stock separately but together have a sort of Swiss Army knife feel to them.  

What's included:

• 2-in-1 Glass Cleaner: "Designed for windows, mirrors, and glass surfaces with streak-free cleaning capability". This is a very sensible design with a soft fabric surface for washing the windows and a firm rubber blade for removing the soap and water marks. Rather cleverly the fabric part can be removed for sticking in the washing machine, for when it gets dirty. (£14.00 if bought separately)
• 2-in-1 Tile Scrubber: "Large scrubbing head for tile surfaces with removable grout brush for detailed cleaning". It has a large brush for cleaning larger areas and then press a button to reveal a narrow brush for getting crud out of the grout or just for getting into narrow inaccessible corners, think tooth brush writ large. Clever. (£16.00 if bought separately)
• 3-in-1 Detail Brush: "Compact brush for tight spaces, corners, and intricate areas".  Possibly the least exciting tool in the box. It has two different profiles of brush and a scraping tool at the other end of the handle, I use a toothbrush for doing most of these jobs, but maybe I’m being a bit of a stick in the mud as this does at least have stiffer bristles? (£8.00 if bought separately).
• 2-in-1 Surface Scrubber: "Dual-sided pad with microfibre for delicate surfaces and abrasive side for stubborn stains". This is a clever bit of design, principally for the ease with which you may switch from washing to scrubbing and back to washing again (£12.00 if bought separately)
• 3-in-1 Duster: "Microfibre and noodle fabric sides for flat and uneven surfaces, includes storage sheath". Essentially an elaborate duster, made from Microfibre, this has a smooth side for dusting smooth flat surfaces, and a deeply textured side for cleaning ….yes textured surfaces. Then, rather cleverly, it has “A Thing” that stores in the handle, that you pull out and use to remove the dust currently clinging to the microfibre fibres! And again the business end is easily removed and machine washable   (£16.00 if bought separately)
• Telescopic Extension Pole: "Aluminium construction with non-slip grip". The final piece of the puzzle. Its aluminium, light and sturdy extending from 61cm (2'0'') to 86cm (2'1'').  This plugs into all the above, with the exception of the 3-in-1 Detail Brush, allowing you to reach places, high up or low down, with ease (£10.00 if bought separately)

There is one other piece in the CleanTech range, namely a floor mop.

CleanTech Spray Mop with Replaceable Pad £42.00

This rather exemplifies their approach to design. It is a bit astonishing what they have managed to shoe horn into one floor mop.

1. There is of course, a fabric floor mop. The fabric part easily detachable for the washing machine.
2. There is a Spot Clean Scrubbing pad for stubborn satins
3. There is a bottle for water or dilute soap with a trigger operated spray function
4. There is a wall mounted bracket on which to hang the mop.
5. Spare pads are available separately

And actually there is also a CleanTech Storage Rail £20.00

I’ll let you guess what that’s for ….

The offer this week is 20% off any CleanTech product just use CLEANTECH20 when shopping online or tell us who you are if coming into the shops.

Whilst our stocks are quite good, there is always a chance that individual products will sell out whilst you are still making your mind up. We have a large order in with Joseph Joseph and they have told us that it should be with us by the end of the week.

With this in mind, I thought it would be an opportune moment to remind you of the nifty little function we have on the website. If your chosen product is showing as Sold Out, simply click on the "Notify Me When Back In Stock" button, enter your email address and our system will ping you a notification as soon as the new stock arrives.

We will, of course, keep the CLEANTECH20 discount code active.

Paul, who goes over my emails with a fine tooth-comb, checking for flow and logic, often asks me to connect the subject I start with, to the product. 

Usually there isn’t an obvious connection, they being subjects that don’t necessarily have anything to do with pots and pans or cleaning systems. So, I often fail to find one. However, this week I am going to surprise, delight and impress him with the following logic. 

If you’re not into amateur philosophy you may wish to stop reading now…

I found myself staring at these beautifully engineered tools, so cleverly designed and beautifully produced, all with clear functions and well a thought through purpose. Almost simultaneously I was rereading my first paragraphs, and a thought or two started to germinate. 

Suppose we all came with the same level of design clarity? 

Everything labelled, no hidden agendas, no unspoken romantic expectations, no hidden value systems, no unnecessary emotions, high or low, wouldn’t life be much simpler and very ordered?

Well, yes it might. It might also be rather boring or monotonous, a bit bland, a bit inhuman in fact.  Maybe I’ll leave philosophising to them that have studied it as I fear I’ve opened a can of worms with my musings on the parallel between a well thought through cleaning system, and would life be better were we more Joseph like in design,…

So, ignore me, buy my wares, and carry on being human.

And in the meanwhile, I’ll trust that you have pleasant and peaceful weekend.

Warm regards,

Andrew