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LIFE IN SPAIN

The Spanish cleaning products that British households love

The British love Spain for its great weather, beautiful beaches, vibrant culture and fantastic cuisine, but now they have fallen in love with its cleaning products too.

Published: 1 February 2023 15:37 CET
The Spanish cleaning products that British households love
The Spanish cleaning products loved by Brits. Photo: Mizianitka / Pixabay

From detergents and air fresheners to window cleaners and floor cleaners, Spanish brands have found a unique niche in the UK.  

The realisation began when a Spanish resident of the United Kingdom  – @La_exquis tweeted her surprise at discovering the British obsession with Spanish cleaning products and it went viral.  

The thread included pictures of adverts for Spanish cleaning products in the UK, gift baskets of Spanish cleaning products and websites dedicated to selling only cleaning fluids from Brit’s favourite holiday destination.  

Many of the outlets selling the brands said that UK customers loved the scents of the Spanish cleaning brands and one even claimed that it “transports you back to a sunny villa in Spain”.

Brands such as Nenuco, Asevi and 3 Brujas were found to be some of the best-loved products in the UK, but the craze didn’t just stretch to cleaning labels. Many body care companies such as Heno de Pravia and Don Algodón had also found a fan base among the Brits. 

A quick search on Google comes up with a multitude of British pages dedicated to the sale of Spanish fabric softeners, floor cleaners, window cleaners and air fresheners, such as The Little Spanish Cleaning Company and Spanish Cleaning Products UK. Some products can even be found on the Amazon UK site.  

But they are not only sold through web pages, Instagram is also pushing these items with many people buying directly from accounts. 

“The products are obviously expensive due to Brexit” the user commented on Twitter.  

In fact, when making a comparison between the prices of these items, the difference is astonishing.  

Nenuco cologne, one of the most successful products in the UK, costs more than triple the price of a 600ml bottle sold in Spain.

In Spain, it costs just €2.65 while in the UK the same bottle is €11.21, but fans still seem willing to pay for a little slice of Spanish zing.

“It smells exactly like vacations in Spain when I was little,” wrote a user in one of the product reviews, summing up one of the reasons for the products’ success in Blighty. 

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For members

PADRON

When and how you need to renew your padrón certificate in Spain

The padrón document you get when registering at your local town hall in Spain must be renewed periodically. Find out when and the steps on how to do it.

Published: 22 April 2024 13:09 CEST
Updated: 27 April 2024 10:18 CEST
When and how you need to renew your padrón certificate in Spain

The padrón certificate is used to show proof of where you live. Your town hall – or ayuntamiento – uses it to find how many people are living in the area and what their ages are.

The number of people living in each area will depend on how much money they will receive from the government. They use this money for local services such as schools, health centres, parks and police officers.

If you are a non-EU citizen with temporary residence (less than 5 years) in Spain, then you will need to renew your padrón certificate every two years.

You will also need to renew your padrón each time you move house, as it should have your current address. 

For some bureaucratic processes in Spain, you will also need to be able to show you have a padrón certificate that’s no older than three months. 

Depending on where you live, there are different ways you can renew it. This could be in person, online or by post.

READ ALSO – Padrón: 16 things you should know about Spain’s town hall registration

Generally, in order to renew your certificate, you will need:

  • A recent gas, water or electricity bill in your name
  • Your rental contract and receipt of your last rental payment
  • If you own your own property, you will need to show evidence that you own it, such as the property deeds

You will also need to show:

  • A valid residence card such as TIE
  • A valid passport
  • In addition, it is also advisable to bring your previous padrón certificate

For children you will also need the following:

  • Records of your digitised family book (libro de família)
  • A valid passport or residence permit of the minor
  • A passport of one of the parents which also contains the identification data of the minor
  • Birth certificate of your child

If you do not live in the same household as your child, you will also need:

  • A delegation for registration form, signed by the parent who lives with the minor.
  • Photocopy of the valid identification document of the parent who lives with the child.
  • In the case of minors under 14 years of age, it will not be mandatory for them to have an NIE, passport or identification document from their country of origin.

Remember that all your documents should be officially translated into Spanish or another local language such as Catalan, if they aren’t already.

READ ALSO: Can I get my padrón online in Spain?

In person

If you are applying in person, you will need to make an appointment at your local Ayuntamiento or town hall.

When the date for your appointment arrives you will need to complete the renewal form, which will most like look something like this, but may change depending on where you live. 

You will also need to bring originals and photocopies of all the documents above.

Online

If you have a digital certificate or Cl@ve PIN you are able to renew your padrón online. You will need to do this via your local government website.

First, you’ll need to identify yourself digitally with your digital certificate or Cl@ve PIN.

Next you will have to complete the renewal form and then attach digital copies of all the above documentation that’s required.

Then you’ll need to submit and sign it digitally.

By post

Although this is not the most common way to renew your certificate, some town halls may let you apply by post and will have details of the relevant address to send your documents and forms to online. 

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