How Skips Can Help You Make Your Home Waste Free

Home is a place where you can feel safe and relaxed. However, if you don’t make your home waste free, then it can be a threat to your health.

A research study revealed that 93.1% of homes disposed of food as waste and 77.8% disposed of plastic materials as waste. This clearly indicates the need for a proper waste management system, and skip bins are a great approach for disposing of your garbage.

Before you order a bin, it can be good to first have an understanding of the ways this can help make your home waste free, and your life easier!

Time for Renovation

When you start to renovate your home, you are going to have a lot of extra garbage on your hands. Rubbish will start to pile up, but you can’t just throw it outside.

In times like these, you should consider hiring a skip bin. This will make your clean-up process much faster and more efficient. As your garbage stacks up you can simply throw it in the container you hired and when your work is done, they will come and take it all away!

Garden Clean-up

Perhaps you have a beautiful garden around your house. Gardening might be hobby of yours, or maybe you simply want to lend an artistic look to your property. Whatever the case, once in a while you’re going to have to clean the garden if you want to hold onto that elegant look.

As you start cleaning, you garden wastes will accumulate. The best way to get rid of this wastes is to call for a waste removal professional. Let us come and take care of all your garden waste for you!

Save Your Valuable Time

The old-fashioned method of garbage removal includes bagging up all the garbage, loading it into a vehicle and then going to the dump to dispose of it. This clearly becomes a pretty lengthy process, and will consume much of your time. Why waste your precious time dumping garbage when you could be doing something that matters?

A skip bin can reduce this unnecessary hassle. From contacting us to choosing the best bin size for you, the entire process can be done online without you getting up from your chair – it’s that easy. We will come and deliver your bin at time that you prefer, and after your work is done, we will take it away.

Lower Your Expenditure

Hiring a skip bin is economical, especially when compared to the traditional way arranging everything on your own. No more hiring a vehicle for transportation and carrying the garbage yourself, order your desired skip bin online, place your waste in the bin, and the rest is our responsibility.

Efficient Waste Management

When cleaning your house, you are faced with a variety of rubbish types. It is necessary that you dispose of your garbage efficiently.

You always have to be aware of the impact that your waste has on the environment. Hiring a skip is an excellent way to dispose of your garbage safely and sustainably. Also, as we are using the latest technologies available in this field, rest assured that most of your waste will be recycled.

To know the process of disposing of your household waste safely read our another blog here.


Due to their usefulness, skips have gained popularity all over Australia. Skip bins are being chosen by many as the means to be rid of their renovating, garden and household waste in a cheaper, more efficient and time-saving manner.

Is It A Good Idea To Buy Cheap, Lower Quality LED Lights?

The LED lighting revolution has brought with it many new providers that have entered the market within the past 18 months or so, looking to capitalise on growing demand from the commercial and domestic sectors. Like in any market, there are high quality, more expensive LED products and lower quality options that are naturally cheaper. This article will examine a few characteristics of inexpensive LED alternatives and why investing in them may not reap the benefits you’re after.

Longevity Issues

Part of the appeal of LED lights is their longevity compared to halogen and incandescent globes, indeed research indicates that compared to some older lights, LED alternatives will last as much as 50 times longer. Not only is this obviously convenient and represents value for money in itself, but there is also the added incentive of spending less time and money on replacing these globes.

When you have regular globes, it can be a hassle to have to go out, get new ones and install them yourself. Part of the appeal with LED Lights is that you may only need to do this (or have someone do it for you) every 8-10 years.

When you buy cheap LED lights, you’ll be getting lower quality products that can often fail within a year and possibly less. This works against one of the biggest drawcards or benefits that come from purchasing LED lights. Make sure you check the specs and know exactly what you’re buying.

Warranties and Guarantees

Unfortunately, even if the details look good, accountability can be a problem with low-end LED providers.

A good LED company will stand by its products, meaning that you have a warranty in place if the lights malfunction or don’t live up to what is required of them. This means you have a guarantee in place that you are getting the return on investment, and essentially the cost savings, that you are promised. This may not be the case with the cheaper products on the market. When you’re looking into LED solutions, do your homework on the suppliers you’re considering. Make sure you understand the terms of their warranty policy (if they have one) as this can be very important down the road.

Potential Problems With Safety

They’ve been cases already of cheaper LED lights having faulty wiring, and giving a slight shock to those that have touched them within a few months of being installed. This is often a risk if you buy the products online from overseas; for safety reasons we’d recommend against buying LED products on eBay, for instance.

But there are other potential safety issues that come with LED lighting if you are working with an inexpensive provider, or simply buying cheap products and installing them yourself. Some blue or white light LED lights have low colour temperatures, meaning the light is highly concentrated and ‘scatters’ when it reaches our retinas. The safety issue is that this can cause significant glare is certain environments. Not only can this damage the eye, but it can also reduce the visibility of workers in warehouses and factories, for instance.

Working with a commercial provider that understands these risks and can deliver a safer solution given your needs is essential. Not only will a high-quality LED lights wholesaler company provide great customer service to understand your business needs, whether commercial or residential, but they will provide the best value for money on state-of-the-art LED lights, that will save you in the long run. Speak to the team at littil LED today for more information.

Safety with High Visibility LED Lights

No doubt you’ve heard about how energy efficient and cost effective LED lighting can be compared to older lighting alternatives, something that has seen the number of homeowners and companies investing in the ever-improving LED technology all over Australia. Interestingly, there are a number of advantages in terms of general safety that LED lighting provides as well.

Replacing your globe with LED lighting alternatives can actually go a long way in preventing fire hazards and this article will discuss a few of the ways and reasons why.

Less of a Fire Hazard

As Australians, we are all aware of how devastating fires can be. Whether they be bushfires that burn through largely rural areas or house fires that are contained within a single room, they pose a huge threat to our wellbeing.

You may be surprised to hear that people using the wrong kind of light bulb in their fixture are one of the top five causes of home electrical fires. This is generally a case of wanting more brightness and using light bulbs that have a higher wattage than the light fixture can handle. When you’re constantly changing light bulbs several times a year, it just so happens that sometimes a mistake is made.

Thankfully, LED lights are a little different. Brightness is not determined by wattage, whereas there is a correlation between the two with incandescent bulbs. As they consume less energy and remain cool to touch, you are able to get the same brightness with a fraction of the wattage and they can be left on for hours without generating more heat. They therefore greatly reducing the chance of having a fire hazard on your hands, particularly in summer where excess heat can spark an electrical fire.

Shatter-Proof

The majority of LED lights are made out of hard plastic, meaning that they really - if ever - shatter, and are completely harmless if they do. They are cases in the past where fluorescent light bulbs have burst and shattered, which sends pieces of glass down onto the floor. This can be a considerable safety risk, particularly given that if the light is not working, you may be walking around in the dark and you can easily step onto a piece of glass! LED lights enable you to avoid this problem.

Health Benefits

One of the most overlooked benefits of LED lighting is the fact that it is free of certain UV emissions found in older lighting technology. These emissions can actually lead to several health conditions, in certain cases, including nasty things like skin cancer, headaches or even premature ageing. There was some concern when LED lighting first become popular that the nature and colour of the light could lead to eye strain, however, technology has improved to the point that warm lighting can also be produced and there is little risk of this occurring today.

Further, LED lights are free of the mercury that is found in incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs. This substance is actually toxic to humans and without a doubt poses a various risk to our health.

The list of advantages of LED flood lights with high visibility like NIMMO Floodlights are extensive and include the fact that they are more energy efficient, more cost effective, long lasting and require far less maintenance. But as this article has shown, there certainly are safety benefits as well and this is something you should consider if you are looking to invest in LED lighting in Australia. If you’re looking for more information, feel free to contact littil today for a discussion about your needs and initiate bigger changes with  steps towards LED. 

Choosing Commercial LED Tube Lights for Your Business

So you’ve made the decision to invest in LED tube lights for your business. The problem is you know very little about this technology and what solution you’re looking for. Working with a professional Australian-based provider will generally mean that you’re getting the right advice given your needs. But as is the case for any retail product, a little bit of knowledge about what you’re buying can put you in a much better position to make a decision and look at your options as objectively and clearly as possible.

This article will take you through some of the things you need to think about when buying LED tube lights to ensure that they fit your illumination needs.

Considering Length

The first thing you need to consider when it comes to tube lighting is the length of the lights. This will depend on the room that you are planning to install them and what their main purpose is. Most tube lights will vary from around 2 - 8 feet or more but this will vary from supplier to supplier.

Measuring Quality

Higher quality LED tube lights like Fortis T8 LED tubes will naturally be more expensive, so if you feel you are paying a little extra and you’re expecting a product that will perform and last, consider the CRI and CCT. These take into account the quality of the light and its temperature, which is a determining factor in a globe’s longevity. This information should be readily available of you take a look at the specs of your LED lights.

Colouring Rendering Index (or CRI) measures light quality, with a higher score indicating a greater spectrum of colours being produced by the light source. Generally speaking, for a casual commercial environment you’ll be looking at CRI of 80 or above, but in cases where high visibility is of great importance, you should consider LED tube lights 82 > CRI for the best results.

Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) is all about the heat that the light produces and the colour of light it produces; the two are closely tied. One of the defining features of LED lights is the fact that they produce lower levels of heat, utilising more of their energy in producing light rather than heat.

That said, some heat is naturally still produced; LED globes with a higher CCT (usually 5000 kelvin+) will produce a much sharper, cooler white light. For those with a CCT of around 3000k, you’ll be getting a much warmer, comfortable light, possibly suited to a relaxed dining area or living room for example. Most work areas and office buildings ar best served with globes of around 4000k, but consider these factors when thing about the kind of atmosphere you wish to create in your commercial setting.

Light Optics

The optics of an LED globe essentially determine how concentrated or dispersed the light is. Clear optics will allow for a focused beam of light that is stronger but is contained in a smaller space. This is often the preferred option in for industrial applications where high visibility is very important.

For office spaces, you’ll generally be looking for Diffuse optics, which are moderate in terms of light dispersion but allow you to minimise glare and create a comfortable, relaxed working space. Wide beam optics are useful to splash light around a large room; the light is internationally directed upwards into the fixture which enables it to fill a room more easily. This means you have a smoother, well distributed beam of light rather than the ‘cave’ effect’ that can make large rooms quite uncomfortable.

This article has covered the basic considerations you and your supplier need to make when fitting your building for LED lights. Finding the balance is often best left to a professional if you have little experience, so it’s always worth while to chat it through with someone that has worked closely with T8 LED tube lights and is knowledgable about their product. For more information, we’d encourage you to get in touch with the team at littil today to discuss your LED needs or find out more information about the process.

5 Easy Ways YOU Can Save the Planet (Yes, Really!)

The fact that climate change is an ever-growing, man-made risk is shockingly still a divisive debate among the general public, with most people unable to grasp the severity of the situation and how they’re contributing to it. They don’t realize that 2016 was the hottest year recorded since 1880, that sea levels are rising at their fastest rate in 2,000 years, that global flooding is predicted to triple by 2030, or that 21.5 million people have been displaced since 2008 as a result of climate change-related weather occurrences.

If they did, they would join the 43 percent of UK residents who do, too and take proactive measures to counteract their carbon footprint. Here’s how you can start helping now:

Walk more and utilize public transit

If possible, opt to walk or bike more often than driving. Not only will this reduce greenhouse emissions, but it will save you money on gas and parking, and help improve your cardiovascular health! If walking is not an option due to weather, distance, or general health, take public transportation as often as possible. If you have the kind of job you can perform at home, you may want to discuss telecommuting options, even part-time.

Buy second-hand instead of new

While there may be key things you only feel comfortable buying new, consider giving gently-used items a second home. Buying second-hand furniture, clothes, books, and more are instrumental to sustainability. This delays the amount of time before these items will reach over-crowded landfills, as well as saving the resources it would cost to manufacture more of them. Think that cost is too low to make a significant difference? Consider the 2,700 litres to make one cotton t-shirt, or the 6,800 litres it takes to create one pair of blue jeans! 

Reduce water usage

Studies have found that the average person in the UK uses approximately 150 litres of water every day—so, where is all our water going? Ever leave the tap on when brushing your teeth? That wastes six litres per minute. Have a leaky tap in your home? That can add up to 5,500 litres of water a year! Sure, you can turn off the water while you brush and fix that leaky tap, but what about your toilet? There are approximately 45 million toilets in the UK, using a whopping two billion litres of water every day! If you truly want to make an environmental difference, consider an alternative. Specialist companies like Mr John furnish portable toilets that can save over 470 million litres of water every day!

Read: How Improper Waste Disposal Can Affect the Environment!

Donate or recyclable electronics

Longevity is a feature you look for when you purchase a computer, smartphone, or other electronic, but that same benefit becomes an environmental nightmare when you’re ready to part ways with your e-waste. The glass alone has the potential to take 1 to 2 million years to decompose! Greenpeace has found e-waste to be extremely toxic, thanks to the rechargeable batteries’ cadmium, LCD screens’ lead, printed wiring boards’ mercury, and much more. While the raw materials can be recycled, they often find their way to landfills or overseas. Donating your electronics will help reduce e-waste and also give someone the opportunity to own something they may not have been able to afford otherwise—it’s a green win-win!

Eat less meat

While no one is forcing you to become a vegetarian, cutting out meat (especially seafood) one or two days a week and limiting your portions can make a huge impact. This will take the burden off of the cropland that grows the food your food eats, as well as limit the amount of antibiotic- and hormone-treated animal waste that could infect our water. An increase in seafood consumption is even more detrimental to sustainability efforts. With commercial fishing operations working to meet the demand, many species of fish are in danger of extinction. In fact, certain conservation experts fear our oceans could be empty as soon as 2048 if no changes are made. So, the next time you reach for a second helping of beef or order fish for dinner again, consider how easily you could make a difference instead.

Now that you have a better understanding of the current climate change issues we’re facing and how your everyday decisions affect them, join us in taking the first step toward a more sustainable tomorrow.

The Problem of E-Waste and How it is Dealt with

The average Australian household today has a huge number of electronic items whether it be phones, computers or whatever else. And at some point, it’s all going to be obsolete; it’s going to be junk. Indeed, Australia’s volume of e-waste is increasing three times as quickly as general waste. So it pays to be mindful of how this waste is disposed of and steps we can take to make this process as efficient as possible. Read on to find out more about e-waste and the issues surrounding it.

What is E-Waste?

E-waste covers a wide range of electrical equipment that is obsolete and no longer in use or functioning at all. This includes old computer equipment, televisions, cables, kitchen appliances such as toasters, lamps, air conditions and heaters,  vacuum cleaners and mobile/landline phones to name a few. As you can imagine, we produce a great of e-waste as a country and we are constantly updating our electrical equipment in modern times, where technology is improving rapidly.

Also, this kind of waste can contain any number of materials and metals such as copper and even lead. This fact alone makes them potentially dangerous to dispose of as we would other types of wastes and hence we categorised them differently.

How is E-Waste Disposed of?

So what exactly do we do with all this junk? This kind of waste can’t simply be thrown in a landfill, it will take a serious toll on the environment and can take any number of years to discompose.

Rather, it needs to be broken down into materials that are environmentally-friendly. The difficulty is that e-waste can contain a number of different materials within it so the process is essentially about separating these materials and disposing of them accordingly. To do this, the first step is to sort through this equipment, removing any copper materials or batteries, which are dealt with separately. Then the remaining equipment is effectively shredded, broken down into small parts that are much more manageable.

At this point, waste disposal experts need to be sure to remove traces of steel and iron and they do so with the use of magnets. Other metals such as aluminium and copper are also removed. These metals can be sold on and used in the manufacturing of other products. Some items also have glass and plastic content, which obviously need to be separated with the use of water.

At the end of the process, you have a range of raw materials that are then recycled.

What Should I Do with My E-Waste?

While the volume of e-waste is rapidly increasing, we are not yet at a point where most councils are able to process and dispose of it correctly. So if you throw it into one of your rubbish bins and have the council pick it up, chances are it will end up in a land fill, which is not ideal considering the negative effects it can have on the environment.

You do have the option of placing your e-waste out to be collected during annual council rubbish collection, however, keep in mind that you should erase all data off the equipment if it is still able to be operated. People will often take on monitors or computer parts that are left out for pickup.

Otherwise, get in touch with a waste disposal or skip bin hire company that provide e-waste recycling services. They will take care of everything including pick up, transport and sorting through the e-waste and disposing of it correctly. You can speak to a bin hire service in Melbourne today if you have any further questions.

Hazardous Household Waste Items You Should Be Aware Of

Given that waste disposal is something that we all need to do, it pays to know a little bit about the kinds of different wastes we produce around the house and even at work. Some items, for example, can be hazardous not only to the environment but to our own health too. Importantly, many of these cannot be legally disposed of with your other regular trash items.

A good bin hire service provider or waste disposal professional will be able to dispose of these items in an environmentally-friendly way. It is, however, important that you identify and possibly limit hazardous items in your home, disposing of them thoughtfully and responsibly.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common hazardous waste items you may have around the house.

Household Cleaners

There are many cleaning products on the market that contain toxic chemicals. These can pose a risk to your family and often produce fumes that can be quite harmful. We’d highly recommend always looking for natural, bio-friendly cleaning products when you’re at the supermarket, as there are plenty of highly competent ones out there.

Batteries

Used batteries generally contain heavy metal and if not disposed of correctly, leakages can occur that are quite harmful to the environment. Under these circumstances, the pollution can damage soil and water. The majority of people will dispose of alkaline batteries in the regular trash, which is usually fine. However, we’d recommend looking at investing in rechargeable batteries if you can.

Lead-acid batteries, such as car batteries, are a different story altogether. The lead and/or sulphuric acid that is contained inside them is corrosive, posing a risk to health and safety. Car batteries should usually be taken to a hazardous waste drop-off point.

Paint, Solvents and Paint Thinners

If you’re renovating or brushing up around the house, the best thing to do with leftover paint is to quite simply use it at a later date. More to the point, you should try to buy as much paint as is needed for the job - obviously, this is sometimes easier said than done. We’d generally recommend that you buy organic, water-based paint if possible as this is more environmentally friendly. If there is simply no way to use your leftover paint, try to give it away to a friend. Remember that you should never be running it down the drain or throwing it in with your regular trash under any circumstances. If worst comes to worst, get in touch with a waste contractor.

Tyres

Tyres remain one of the most problematic household waste products, given that a large percentage are dumped illegally and many end up in land-fill. They are also often burned in stockpiles, which poses serious health and environment risks, releasing toxic gases in the process.

Luckily, the material from used tyres can be used for other things, and there are places you can take them to ensure they’ll be recycled. You can also arrange for disposal of your tyres when originally purchasing them in some cases.

Remember that there are many resources online that can provide additional information about how to properly dispose of hazardous waste materials, so if you’re unsure you can always do some research online.

How the Council is Helping to Keep Public Spaces Clean

If you’re like us, you know the importance of keeping the environment healthy. Concern for the environment is on the rise and more and more people are starting to recognise that we all need to do our bit to ensure the planet’s well-being for future generations. This not only means reducing our impact on the environment and trying to keep our carbon footprint to a minimum, but also helping to keep public spaces clean. 

Let’s look at a few of the things communities have been doing to help ensure that this happens.

More Rubbish Bins

You’ll notice that there are more rubbish bins than ever before in the street, in parks and in other public places. It stands to reason that this encourages people to use rubbish bins; people are rarely littering on purpose and will generally put rubbish were it belongs if there is a bin nearby. Nowadays, it’s also about having the public sort their waste according to bins for glass, paper and cardboard and food waste. More bins have cigarette trays as well, which can encourage smokers to bin their butts.

Hiring Ample Cleaning Staff

Cleanliness breeds cleanliness; if people see that a park is sparkling clean, for instance, they’re less likely to litter themselves. That why it’s been important for these areas to be properly staff by cleaners and council workers. Keeping a clean public space increases the likelihood that it will remain clean. Festivals organisers, for instance, will always invest in grounds staff to take care of the litter problem, which they know is inevitable.

Prohibiting of Alcohol and Smoking

Part of the reason that alcohol is prohibited in some parks and on the streets is the litter problem. People loitering around these areas drinking are much more likely to litter than if they were doing so in the comfort of their homes or at a licensed venue. Of course, this is not the case for all parks, and often these rules won’t be enforced unless it’s taken to excessive lengths.

There are also rules against smoking in some parks and certain public places, again lessening the impact of cigarette butts in these areas. Studies show that 50% of littered items are cigarette butts, which is a staggering proportion. As time goes on, laws that encourage people to do most of their smoking at home may help to reduce this figure.

Fining Litterers

Unfortunately, it’s inevitable that people will litter and it can be difficult to spot them.

Ensuring that there are strict fines in place can act as a deterrent and reduce the amount of littering in the community. It’s also important that people are aware that there are fines, so having signs around reminding people has been important too. In one sense, littering like speeding on the roads, which can be lessened, but never fully stamped out, by putting fines in place.

These are just a few of the ways councils have been trying to tackle the littering problem to ensure public places stay clean. Community awareness is also very important in order to lessen our impact on the environment and the cost not only to the planet, but to us as well. If you’re looking for more information about waste management and bin hire in Dandenong and surrounding suburbs, speak to the team at Metro Bin Hire today.

What Are the Best Waste Removal Options?

Waste removal and management is something we all take an active part in at some level, whether it be individually or professionally. The fact is, this is a very important part of society and the way we manage waste removal can determine the well-being of future generations. 

This being the case, it can be helpful to examine our waste removal habits and always look at new, more efficient ways to go about it. Let’s look at some of the common methods and learn a little about them.

Composting and self-recycling

This is a form of waste removal and disposal that sits firmly with the individual. Just about anyone can compost; all you need is compost bin and a garden or plants to spread it onto once it’s properly decomposed. 

Not only is this terrific for your garden, but it can reduce the load on tips and in landfill considerably. You can also recycle other everyday items that have other uses for you around the home, including everything from plastic bottles to books and shredded paper.

Roadside collections

Everyone is familiar with the roadside collection, the most basic and one of the most important methods. Provided by councils to the home, the waste is taken to tips and often put into landfill or incinerated if it cannot be recycled. It’s important to fill rubbish bins correctly according to the category of waste (whether it is a green waste, recyclable or general) as this make the process more efficient for everybody. In Victoria, there are times during the year when you can dispose of greater quantities of waste and junk items. Check with your local council for more information.

Skip bin hire

Hiring a skip bin is a good option when you have a large quantity of waste that needs to be disposed of quickly. In these case, regular roadside collections aren’t really viable. It could be that you’re doing a lot of gardening, remodelling or building or moving house. Whatever the reason, most skip bin companies are to deal with any kind of waste - excluding that of a chemical variety (though it would be only in usual cases that you would be dealing with this at your home). There are waste removal providers that will come in and physically fill the skip for you if you don’t want to get your hands dirty, but keep in mind they can be rather expensive.

Generally, waste is taken to a recycling yard where it is sorted and either recycled or disposed of accordingly. However, this may not be true of all providers. When selecting a skip bin hire company, look for one that has a good reputation and upholds environmentally friendly practices if you can.

If you’re looking for more information on waste disposal or skip bin hire in your area, contact the team at Metro Bin Hire. We provide a range of skip hire and waste removal services and always do our bit for the environment.

How to Get the Best Value When Hiring Bin Service

There is a multitude of reasons why you might need to book a skip bin, whether for your home or business. You might be planning a clean-up at home, you may be renovating or you might just have a lot of junk around that you want to get rid of. Thinking about why you require this kind of service and how you intend to use it is quite important if you want to get the most out of it. Let’s take a look at some things you should think about beforehand to make the overall process easy and more efficient.

Figure Out What You’ll be Loading the Skip Bin with

Most rubbish bins hire companies can deal with nearly any kind of waste including building materials, brick, metals, concrete, glass, green waste and other recyclable materials. However, it always pays to let your provider know exactly what you’re dealing with just to be on the same side. Most skip bins hire companies to recycle the majority of materials that will end up in your skip, with a small proportion going to landfill. However, there are materials that they can’t be dealt with - for example, chemical waste, asbestos, etc. So always be wary of these kinds of materials.

Establish How Much Waste You Need to Dispose of

A big part of the process is having some grasp of what size of skip bin you need for the job at hand. If you haven’t used a skip bin in the past, you may be better off speaking to your provider rather than winging it. A lot of the time your provider will be able to give you some kind of suggestion for what size skip bin best suits your needs. Otherwise, you’ll probably want to go one size too big rather than one size too small, so keep that in mind.

Find a Good Local Skip Bins Provider

The quality of skip bin companies even here in Melbourne can differ tremendously depending on who you go with. Generally, you’ll want to choose someone that has a good reputation in the area, supports the environment and is dependable. Timely delivery and pickup are very important when you’re probably on a schedule yourself for rubbish removal, so do your research and choose the reliable and cheap skip bins carefully.

Expert tips: How to choose the right skip hire service

Consider Sorting Through Your Waste Beforehand

It is simply not safe to overload skip bins so aim higher if anything needed. You may even find that sorting through your waste and taking out some of the recyclable items saves you space in your skip bin and thus money.

Be Prepared to Get Your Hands Dirty!

This goes without saying but waste disposal or rubbish removal is generally pretty messy, no matter what materials you’re dealing with. It’s best to wear old clothes and possibly gloves to protect your hands. If you have a couple of extra hands to share the load that can be a big help too!

5 Tips To Keep Your Garden, And The Environment, Healthy

Many Australians are passionate about gardening and it’s not difficult to see why. We are blessed with some of the world’s most amazing native plant life and given our low population, we are lucky enough to be able to keep quiet large gardens.

Gardening tips are a dime a dozen and there’s lots of advice out there on how to get your garden looking magnificent. Part of this is dealing with organic or green waste. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at ways it can best be reduced, recycled and reused, as well as other helpful gardening tips that help out the environment too.

1. Be aware of the negative aspects of organic waste

You might not be aware just how damaging it can be to the environment when organic waste is thrown into a landfill. More than 50% of this is an everyday home waste like the garden waste, food scraps and the like. Research suggests that it creates ‘landfill gas’ when put in the ground, a dangerous concoction that is 55% methane and contributes to the greenhouse effect. While some of this gas is collected and used by landfill operators, the majority is not.

As homeowners, it is worth taking steps to finding other ways of dealing with this waste.

2. Make an effort to compost

For avid gardeners, composting is a no brainer. Even if you have a small garden or a few plants, it’s still well worth it. All it takes is an effort on your part to collect food scraps and garden waste together, add some soil and keep it moist.  The upside of composting is that within a few weeks you have yourself a nutrient-rich soil that essentially acts as a fertiliser and can help you grow plants in your garden.

But given the above, taking the time to collect your organic waste and turn it into compost provides a benefit to more than just your garden. Disposing of it in this way means it does not end up in a landfill, so it’s a win-win!

3. Deal with weeds appropriately

Weeds are the bane of the gardener’s existence; they spread very quickly and are, in most cases, unsightly. It is estimated that de-weeding activities cost the Australia agriculture industry around $1.5 billion yearly.

But they have a negative impact on the environment too. Weeds compete with many forms of plant-life, threatening their survival considerably. They take up the space, sunlight and nutrients in the soil that would be used by other plants, reducing the natural diversity that makes Australian flora so wonderful.

So if you come across a weed in your garden, take the time to remove it, have it sit in the sun to dry out and mulch it if possible.

Read more: Key features of eco-friendly homes at Neutrino Burst blog.

4. Avoid dumping

When it comes to other forms of waste, it is basic common sense that dumping is not the done thing. With organic waste, however, it doesn’t seem a big deal to go through the odd bunch of garden scraps on the lawn.

In actual fact, this is one of the ways weeds are spread and start growing in bushlands and even urban areas - generally, they have escaped from gardens just like yours. Avoid doing so if you can and always dispose of this waste responsibly.

5. Take time to maintain

Weeds will naturally thrive if you don’t make the effort to stomp them out, but once your weed-free you still have work to do. You need to keep an eye on weeded areas and apply dense mulch around the garden as much as you can.

If you’re planning on shaping up the garden this summer, keep these tips handy and consider hiring a skip bin if the waste is too much to deal with! Metropolitan Bin Hire always dispose of garden waste responsibly and with the best interests of the environment in mind.

3 Green DIY Cleaning Tips In Your Home

No doubt there are cleaning products that are perfectly environmentally friendly but one of the biggest reasons we are harming the environment is production and consumption. So if there are ways we can clean our homes by recycling other products that we are done using, it’s a win-win! Add the fact that it saves you money and there’s no reason you shouldn’t be making your own cleaning products.

Let’s take a look at how you can use everyday items to give your house or apartment a good clean.

Cleaning Burnt Pans

 

There’s nothing harder to clean than the burnt remnants of egg, meat or whatever else you were cooking on a frying pan. If you have a bad case, you’ll probably need to soak it for a couple of hours and then scrub until you’re blue in the face.

The good news is you can take care of the problem with a few simple ingredients you already have in your kitchen. All you need is vinegar, water (which is usually fairly easy to come by) and baking soda. Just put a level of water in the pot or pan, add a cup of vinegar and set it on your stove to boil.

Once it’s boiled for a few minutes and is starting to look cleaner, add some baker soda and you’ll see it fizz up. After that scrub for a minute or so and you should be looking at a clean fry pan!

Polishing Furniture

 

Let’s face it, you don’t use wood polish often at all. If this is the case, do you really need to always have a bottle taking up space? There are easier ways to go about it, and all you really need is a lemon and olive oil!

First, you’ll want to get all the juice from the lemon and pour it into a jar or even a cocktail mixer if you have one handy. Make sure it’s pure lemon juice and doesn’t have pulp or pips. From there, add a tablespoon of water and another tablespoon of olive oil to the concoction. Seal the container and shake it for 30 seconds or so. Once that’s done, you’re good to go - just grab a clean rag, dip it in and you’re ready to polish.

A Substitute For Fabric Softener

 

There are many that claim that fabric softener is overrated and does very little to change the way your clothes feel after a wash. We’re not completely sure about that, but they certainly leave them smelling fresh and clean, which is half the point of washing them! If you want to skip the softener, there’s a good way to give your clothes that fresh odour.

Get your jar out again and mix up a cup of baking soda, a cup of white vinegar, a half cup of borax, and a tablespoon of lemon juice and you’re in business. You just have to add this solution to your laundry detergent and you’re sure to have amazing smelling clothes after the wash!

Keep an eye on our blog, because we’ll have plenty more tips in the articles that follow. There are many different ways to go about your home cleaning with kitchen ingredients and products and we want you to know how!

These days you are surely busy enough cleaning your home to arrange a party for the upcoming Christmas! Thus we hope our tips will help you to beautify your home to get ready for the Christmas 2015! Merry Christmas!

How To Clean Your House After A Party

We’ve all been there, the day after a huge party that felt like it would never end, but you’ve woken up the next morning to find a spectacular mess in your house or garden that looks like it needs a team of professional cleaners to take care of it. Cleaning up after a party can be a nightmare, but there are simple things you can do to prevent the mess in the first place.

One of the best ways to prevent your party getting out of control is by clearing out the room beforehand. Fewer things in the room mean fewer things that can fall over get broken or end up in the wrong place. Set aside one room in your home that is off limits and moves any breakables into that room. Move pointy furniture and other valuables out of the way and you are well on your way to having a cleaner party.

 

Provide Plenty of Rubbish Bins

A great way to ensure that your party doesn’t end up in rubbish heaps is to provide plenty of ways your guests can dispose of their rubbish themselves. Provide bins and baskets for your guests to use, and provide them with disposable glasses, cutlery and even paper plates if need be. At the end of the night, simply wrap up your disposable tablecloth and plates and take is straight to the bin for a trouble-free cleanup.

If you are having a party in your garden or at an outdoor function event, ensure bins are placed in easy to reach areas, and if you can, make sure the food and drinks you provide have as little wrapping, plastic packaging or items that can be dropped on the floor or the grass.

Have a beer opening station situated in a prominent location and place a bin underneath it to allow easier collection of beer bottle tops after your party.

 

Consider Hiring a Cleaning Service

After your party is over, even with the preventative measures you have taken, you still could find yourself facing a large mess you need to clean up. The party is over, now the hard work begins! If you are averse to cleaning up a huge mess, you could always hire a professional cleaning service to help you out, they offer a great service for reasonable prices and will save you a lot of time and effort in the long run.

 

Enlist a Friend, or Three!

If your party was of legendary status, you may have enough rubbish to require a skip bin to remove what is left over. If you have damaged furniture or household goods, don’t overlook the availability of a residential skip bin to help you out of a pickle. Get your friends to help you out loading the skip and then have the skip bin company simply take it away.

In the end, the party was probably worth all of the effort, and your preventative measures may have played a huge role in giving you less work to tackle after the party. But don’t forget to call in a friend or two to help with the clear up, so next time the party can be held at their place!

Tips on Getting Rid of Stuffs You don’t Need!

We all have plenty of stuff in our homes that we bought at one time thinking there would be a great use for it, only for it to be retired to the cupboard or garage to collect dust for months or years. Getting rid of items that have piled up for many years is a hard thing to do, as we are all hoarders to some extent. Making sure you get rid of your items properly and planning how to get rid of stuff you don’t need is the best way to start.

Make a List!

Simply put, by making a list of the things you could do without is a great place to start de-cluttering your home. Go through all of your stuff and see just how much you don’t need, starting with the largest items you have collected over the years. Listing the largest items first will give you an idea of how you will dispose of it, as well as the space you will be saving when it’s finally gone!

Once you have listed all of your items for removal, place them into separate piles so that you can deal with your stuff properly, those piles should be similar to the following:

•   Sellable items
•   Reusable items
•   Recyclable items
•   Broken items and rubbish

When separating out these objects, you can always choose an undecided option to help you arrange your items better at a later date. So if you have things that you actually do need, you can find a place for them after you have got rid of the stuff you don’t need anymore.

Storing Your Household Items

Storage units are a great idea if you have large pieces of furniture that you need at a later date or simply just can’t part company with. This also goes for family momentums and keepsakes that you don’t have room for in your home, but wish to put somewhere safe to pass on to other members or your family or friends.

You may find out that you have many items such as exercise equipment, old guitars and games that you could turn a profit on if you sold them on. There are multiple ways of doing this such as selling them on auction websites, taking a large number of items to a physical auction house, having a yard sale or selling them in the local classified ads.

Give to Local Charitable Services

Reusable items, as well as clothing, are great to gift friends and family, as well as those in need. If you like to collect old clothing that you end up never wearing again, why not wash them and take them to your local charity shop to help out your community. The same goes for other unwanted items such as furniture and games that whilst you may not need anymore, other people can find enjoyment in without them being added to the waste dump.

Hire a Professional Skip Company

For broken items and rubbish, dumping large items such as those you may have built up for many years may seem daunting at first. Many local dump sites only allow single car journeys and taking multiple van trips to disposal centres could see you rack up heavy charges or fees for commercial level activity. Hiring a skip, in this case, is one of the best ways to remove rubbish and broken items from your home all in a single easy process.

Skip hire is relatively cheap for what it provides - getting a skip delivered directly to your home, the allowance of a single day or a week to allow you to fill the skip up and then taken away at your request is a great service that many people require in this situation.

If you have mountains of rubbish and unwanted items and you simply must get rid of all of the stuff you don’t need in a single load, then hiring a bin or skip from your local bin hire company is the best way to cheaply, quickly and efficiently get rid of all the stuff you don’t need at your own personal convenience. Click here to hire skip bin today.

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The Top 5 Benefits of Hiring Skip Bins

If you or your company is in the process of having a spring clean, renovating or taking on a building project in the near future, there are many huge benefits in using the services of a skip hire company for your waste disposal. Not only will you have a simple solution to getting rid of your unwanted items, you can also save time, money and effort.

1. Help To Protect The Environment

Hiring a skip bin from one of the many different skip hire companies is one of the best ways to help save the environment by discarding of your waste or unwanted items in a professionally managed way. Skip hire companies often have the option of taking your waste to a sorting centre to sort the waste from the recyclable items for you instead of simply dumping all of your waste in a large landfill site.

Not only do some skip hire companies to offer a sorting service, they may also allow you to hire a skip based on the type of items you need disposing of. Be that glass, metal, electronics or household waste - even commercial waste and industrial waste can be catered for, safe in the knowledge that the waste will be taken care of professionally, ethically and in an environmentally friendly manner.

2. Saves You Time, Money And Effort

Not only does employing the services of a skip hire company help you save money on travelling to a disposal site and having to pay for the disposal of commercial or building work costs, but a skip hire company usually has a single base rate for which they charge. This often saves money on an individual basis, as a large waste management will get a better deal than a single individual.

You will save time and effort in making the trip to your local waste disposal site, and plenty of effort if you need to sort your waste yourself. Hiring a bin for building materials, household waste and other items will help you save plenty of time and effort in simply sorting your waste as you throw it away.

3. Ensuring Safety At Home and Work

Enlisting the services of a bin hire company will help secure the safety and good working environment for you and your colleagues or family. Having a single space to dispose of your waste is a great way in which to work, as there will not be piles of waste building up around the site. This is also true for families and homes where a simple renovation or restoration work is taking place in which you will be living around the work taking place.

In terms of domestic use, nothing beats the safety of having a large bin delivered to your door to place all of your unwanted items in. It is a safer option than loading your car with household items and taking them to the waste disposal site yourself.

4. Convenience

One of the biggest benefits to hiring a skip bin is the convenience of having the bin delivered to your door for use when you need it most. Deliveries can be scheduled on a regular basis on commercial sites as well as domestic properties, and pickup scheduled for when you need it, or at a fixed time.

It is easier than ever to find the best bin hire service in Melbourne that offers delivery and pick up at home or work site whenever you need it most.

5. Cost Effective Skip Bin Hire

One of the biggest benefits of hiring a skip bin company in Melbourne is the cost effectiveness in doing so. Many companies offer an up-front fee for a skip to be used for a set amount of time, such as 24hrs to a week and allow you to budget precisely the costs involved.

This is a great way to factor in the costs of waste management in your commercial project or building work and an even better way for those wishing to do renovation work to their home, as there will be no hidden costs involved.