March 26, 2020 - Urban Union Ltd

Day: March 26, 2020

During this unusual time where we are advised to stay at home where possible, families are spending much more time together. As a result we are all using the internet at once in order to work, study and play.  Here are some ways to maximise your internet speed:

Check your speed

A good broadband speed has never been more important, so the first thing to do is to check your speed. You can usually do this yourself using your broadband provider’s website. Check the speed you are paying for and check the speed you’re receiving. Sometimes there are quick fixes that your provider can carry out remotely to improve things.

Is your router in the correct position?

By placing your wireless router in the incorrect spot in your home can make a huge difference to its performance. If it is placed next to an electrical appliance, a window, a mirror, on the floor, in an extension or at the top of the property it can have significant interference and slow your speed right down.

Try and position your device near the centre of your home and close to the place that you rely on it the most – either close to your television or home office. Talk to your provider to make sure you have the latest model as this can also have an impact.

Don’t turn your router off

Make sure it’s on all the time unless you are going on holiday. If you keep turning it on and off you may find that it becomes slower because the local exchange will think your phone line is unstable and cannot deal with the high speeds.

Give it a kick start

If you find that it sometimes drops in speed, try turning it on and off again. It sounds obvious but this can make a difference.

Fit a microfilter

A microfilter is a small box that stops services interfering with each other – this is important if you use a home phone line.

Check your router settings

Talk to your Internet provider and find out how to remotely access your router settings. This will have settings that will enable you to make your router more efficient.

Change your username and password

Change your router name and password to something recognisable and memorable otherwise you could find it time consuming connecting to different devices throughout the home.

Make sure you’re on the fastest channel

Your wireless router will have several channels and some will be faster than others. If your neighbour has the same channel then you may find this slows yours down. Try different channels until you find one with a better speed – it’s trial and error with this one!

Use a booster

You can get hold of a wifi extender which boosts and carries your internet connection through your wiring and taking it to all corners of the home where the signal is otherwise weak. This is especially true for those with an extension. You can use these to create your very own wifi hotspot.

Use an ethernet cable

If you want a quick fix for a strong signal straight to your computer, use an ethernet cable from your router.

Check your data limit

A data cap limits your internet usage which can cause a slow-down in your broadband speed. To find out what this is and if you’re close to the limit, contact your broadband provider.

Check how many devices you’re using

Turn off any devices that aren’t being used as these can slow your internet speed considerably. Media pop ups can also be a culprit so make sure applications that aren’t being used are turned off.

The way we live and even shop for food has changed. We’ve all been advised to only go to the supermarket when absolutely essential and no more than once a week if you are only shopping for your household. This could throw up a few challenges and if you’re used to buying what you need when you need it, you might be interested in how to safely store your food.

There are lots of things that you can put straight in the freezer instead of the fridge and by being aware of how you can store certain foods, you may find that you enable your stocks to last much longer.

Meat, poultry, ready meals, pasta, cheese, butter and bread can be frozen for when you need them. Here’s what you can freeze:

Dairy

All milk can be put in the freezer and defrosted before use. Make sure it’s sealed properly as it can expand and when you defrost it and avoid using a microwave which can cause uneven temperatures and could spoil the milk faster once it’s defrosted. Place it in the fridge overnight and in the morning you should be able use it as normal.

Many hard cheeses freeze well and maintain their structure through the process. However, many hard cheeses such as Parmesan do last for quite a long time so it may not be necessary. You can also freeze grated cheese allowing you to use what you need in sauces and dishes.

Baked goods

Bread, rolls, flatbread and wraps can all be frozen and flat packed tortilla and sandwich wraps are very easy to store, taking up very little space compared to a loaf of bread. You can also freeze things like crumpets, bagels and buns. Bread can be toasted from frozen. If you bake cakes, these can also be frozen whole or in slices.

Pasta

Fresh pasta can be stored in the freezer to ensure it keeps for longer – with egg content it usually only has a shelf life of a week or two. It can be cooked straight away in hot water without the need to defrost. Just note that a packet of fresh pasta takes up much more room than it does in dried form.

Fruit

If you make smoothies – frozen fruit is an amazing item to have in your freezer. It can be mixed with juice and yoghurt giving you a fresh, cold and healthy smoothie. They can also be used for baking in pies or served with ice cream.

Freezing meals

If you make a large pot of stew, soup, chilli, bolognese or pie, try and make extra and freeze it for future meals. Just make sure you only freeze and defrost them once.

Follow guidelines

If you do freeze your food, make sure you follow the guidance on the packaging and only freeze items that haven’t already been frozen. Make sure that meat and fish aren’t left in the freezer for too long – they can still go off.

 

In the war against COVID-19, it’s not just our hands and surfaces that need to be cleaned properly. It’s also important to wash your clothes especially as, at present, there’s no solid evidence about how long the virus can live on fabrics.

We have all been advised to stay at home where possible, so if you’re not a key worker you will at home and limiting your contact with the world outside your household. The advice is to take one walk a day within walking distance of your home, shop for food just once a week and use deliveries to minimise contact with people.

This is having a serious impact on our daily life, so we thought we’d offer some advice on how to ensure your clothes are clear of all germs and bacteria to help you get through this difficult time without getting ill.

Clean everything

Make sure you thoroughly clean all bedding, towels, sportswear, soft furnishings and sportswear to be on the safe side. While it’s important to use high temperatures to kill germs, it’s not always necessary to use the highest temperature especially as this can be harmful to the environment. Tests have shown that washing your clothes at 60°C, with a good detergent, is sufficient.

Check the instructions carefully

Check the label to ensure clothes can be cleaned safely at 60-degrees otherwise you could cause damage or shrinkage. If they can’t be washed at 60-degrees in a washing machine, check guidance on the label of each item to be washed and make sure you use a good quality and quantity of laundry

Wash as you go

Make sure you regularly clean clothes without letting them pile up otherwise it’s tempting to use a quick wash and if you wash things straight away it’s better than having clothes with germs hanging around within the home.

Outerwear is just as important

Don’t forget outerwear, as these items can be neglected when it comes to washing and can still have germs present as they are usually worn every day. Make sure your hats, scarves, coats and jackets are cleaned regularly too. If items are dry clean only, use an antibacterial spray in the interim.