Latest news with #cleaninghacks
The Sun
5 days ago
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
The £1.25 M&S essential cleaners are calling a ‘life-saver' & it's perfect for parents with messy kids too
EVERY parent knows the constant battle of trying to keep a child's clothes clean. A budget-friendly M&S buy can help to tackle stains and leave all your laundry looking spotless. 2 Cleaning enthusiasts heaped on the praise for a handy item that is sure to become an essential in your caddy. The buy was shared in a Facebook group dedicated to Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips. Sharing a picture of fabric cleaning wipes, one impressed poster wrote: "These!!!! Currently £1.25 a pack in M&S. They are a life saver!" The M&S customer went on to detail her experience with the Stain Removing Wipes. "I've used on several tops which have had the dreaded spaghetti bolognase sauce on," the Facebook user revealed. She summed up the results by saying she would "highly recommend" the item to other parents. Other cleaning fans added their thoughts on the wipes in the comments section. "And they smell lush," wrote one impressed person. "I've seen loads of good reviews about them," agreed another Facebook user. "These wipes are a life changer for holidays, used them for a couple of years, best stain wipes ever," said a third cleaning fan. Mrs Hinch loves it but it's the most toxic cleaning product ever… I've seen it do so much damage & I'm a pro cleaner "I wouldn't be without these, they are amazing!" commented another buyer. Another homeowner pointed out that the wipes are "great on carpets and car seats too". Fabulous has tried and tested some of the top stain remover hacks out there so you don't have to. The M&S wipes tackled everything from tomato sauce to stubborn oil stains. Instead of reaching for baby wipes to clean up your little one's mess, upgrade to these budget buys. 5 cleaning hacks Say goodbye to ironing Don't have time to smooth out the wrinkles of a shirt with an iron? Lenor 's Crease Releaser makes wrinkles vanish - simply hang up creased items, give them a quick spritz and smooth against a hard surface. Teabags for trainers When trainers smell a little squiffy, pop a used (and still moist) tea bag inside and leave for about an hour. The tannins will seep into the sole of the shoe to fight nasty-smelling odours. Remove limescale without scrubbing When bathroom taps start looking a little grimy with limescale, slice a lemon in half and sprinkle on baking soda. Rub the fruit over the taps and with a gentle clean they will come up sparkling. Use a toothbrush to get in all the nooks and crannies. Streak-free mirrors and windows White vinegar is a handy secret weapon when it comes to keeping mirrors and windows streak-free. Mix one part white vinegar with four parts water in a spray bottle. Squirt then wipe with a microfibre cloth and voilà, clean glass in an instant. Make your home smell amazing For dust-free skirting boards, pour some fabric softener onto a cloth and give them a quick wipe. It will stop dirt collecting so quickly and, as an added bonus, make your home smell amazing. However, for larger or older stains that have alreadt set in, you will likely need something a bit more heavy duty. So if you're investing in these cleaning wipes, be sure to act quickly if you spot a stain. And be warned, tougher stains such as grass may require a little more elbox grease. Or check out the five other highly-rated stain removing products on the market. 2
Daily Mail
12-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
'Cleanfluencers' reveal 10 nifty hacks to keep your house smelling great between deep cleans
No matter how hard you scrub the floors, a house doesn't feel clean until it smells good. This was the idea that FMCG giant Procter & Gamble used to turn its air freshener Febreze from a 'flop' into a billion-dollar brand in the late Noughties - after it initially struggled to find buyers. By scenting the originally odour-less spray - that was designed to eliminate bad smells - the firm saw a massive uptick in sales of Febreze as people incorporated it into their daily lives as the final step of their cleaning rituals. The pleasant scent felt like a reward for their effort - an aspect of human psychology that has fuelled the sales of air fresheners, disinfectants, candles, and diffusers alike while also leading many to come up with their own, free hacks to make homes smell amazing. For instance, UK-based cleaning influencer Carly Wood - who has over 50,000 followers - recently revealed her top secrets for a divine-smelling house in a clip as she confessed 'it's the biggest compliment for me'. And it all starts with the basics, with Carly advising homeowners to deal with their bins as promptly as possible because they 'stink very quickly'. Her next 'old-school' trick is to add a few drops of essential oil to the inside of your toilet tube rolls. This will release the scent every time the roll spins, and you can do this every three-four days to keep your loo smelling delightfully fresh. 2. Set of 3 Honey & Silk Aroma Oils £4.80 Shop Finally, Carly advised pouring your best-smelling disinfectant in the sink, followed by some boiling water, as the scent diffuses through your home. 3. Astonish Zesty Lemon Concentrated Disinfectant 300ml £1.20 Shop Elsewhere, popular 'cleanfluencer' Georgia - who co-hosts The Homebirds podcast - shared her most effective hacks to 'make your home smell BEAUTIFUL' on TikTok last week. Her first trick is to stick felt pads in your drawers and spritz your favourite perfume on it. 4. Argos Home Felt Gard 25mm Round Pads - 16 Pack £1.50 Shop Spraying crease releaser on your bedsheets and duvet covers will keep your bedroom smelling lovely for hours, she added, and popping a dryer sheet into your pillowcases before washing them is also incredibly effective. 5. Lenor Crease Releaser Spray Removes Creases in Fabric, £10.23 Shop 'The next time you find yourself mopping your bathroom, don't just stop at mopping the floor,' she continued. Georgia advised using a floor cleaner with a strong scent, like Astonish's Peony Bloom variant, to swab her bathrooms walls and ceiling as well. 'I kid you not, the smell lasts for days.' 7. Astonish's Peony Bloom floor cleaner £1.09 Shop Meanwhile, one of Australia's best-known home influencers, Chantel Mia, surprised her 1.6 million TikTok followers when she revealed she mopped the tiles in her bathroom using shaving cream to 'neutralise odours'. 8. Gillette Classic Sensitive Shave Foam 200ml £2 Shop In a separate video, she tested different hacks that make her house always smell good and shared the best budget-friendly tricks - including popping two tablespoons of vanilla extract in a baking dish and put it in the oven to 'bake' for a few minutes. 'Your home will smell like cookies,' she revealed. 9. Nielsen Massey Vanilla Extract £7 Shop The Melbourne-based mum also swears by dunking cotton balls in essential oils and placing them strategically around the house including under bin liners. For the tenth tip, it's worth looking into high quality room sprays to upgrade your cleaning routine with minimal effort. Co-founder of cleaning brand Preston Lane Preston Konrad states 'scent is half the battle. 'You know the feeling when you walk into a hotel and everything just smells clean? That's not bleach - it's intentional fragrance. I believe scent is one of the most powerful tools in your cleaning routine. Products that smell amazing instantly make your space feel fresher, even if it's not perfectly spotless.' Preston Lane has rolled out its range of innovative water-based room sprays made without no nasties imbued with scents that will transport you to a sun-soaked European holiday destination. Otherwise, Neom are known for their luxury home fragrances. If you'd like to whip up a DIY scent for your house, Chantel recommended boiling one sliced lemon, four sprigs of fresh rosemary, and one tablespoon of vanilla extract to create a refreshing scene. 'Allow to simmer to fill your home with fragrance,' Chantel wrote and carefully carried the pot of scented water around her home. 'Remember to keep topping up with water throughout the day.' TikTok users were thrilled with the insight, and one woman questioned how the leftovers should be used. 'Distilled water is a great room spray, or with 50/50 white vinegar and water you can make a multipurpose cleaner,' Chantel said. She also said the homemade scent last up to three full days, while a homemade spray would last a few months. 'Going to do that today, hopefully get rid of the foggy smell - all natural as well!' another person wrote in the comments of the video. 'I did this last night and it smelt like Williams Sonoma!' another said.
The Sun
12-06-2025
- General
- The Sun
The 39p trick to get your garden furniture rust-free and it works in magic while you sleep
WITH summer now here, most of us want to go out and make the most of our gardens. But, if you've left your furniture out all winter long, then it most probably is rusty and not looking its best. 1 Fortunately, a garden furniture expert has shared the easy way to get it looking brand new again rather than forking out hundreds on new tables and chairs. The experts at Pergolux revealed how you can use common household items to remove rust from garden furniture and tools. Sam Stevens, from the company, said: "A lot of people will be looking at their gardens to get them ready for the brighter and longer days ahead. "Garden cleaning doesn't need to be an expensive job. "We all love a cheap and cheerful hack, so whether you're buffing away stains, achieve a streak-free finish on glass or eliminate rust, you'll find something in your house." And one of the best ways to banish rust is by using a fizzy drink. Fizzy drinks remove rust through a chemical reaction where phosphoric acid converts the rust (iron oxide) into a less harmful iron phosphate compound, reports the Express. This iron phosphate forms a protective layer on the metal, inhibiting further corrosion. You can use the drink to clean pretty much anything, from rusty tools and furniture to hinges and the metal parts of your barbecue. Small tools can be soaked in fizzy drinks overnight while furniture and other large items you will need to pour some of the drink onto a cloth and wrap it over the rusty area overnight. That means it does all of the hard work while you're asleep. In the morning, simply give it a wipe down and the rust should be gone. Value brand fizzy drinks can be bought at all major supermarkets with prices starting at 39p for lemonade and 49p for cola in Tesco and Aldi. You can also use ketchup in the same way if you don't have any fizzy drinks to hand. This is great for brass or copper garden décor including patio furniture, garden gates or old metal watering cans. Simply apply a thin layer of ketchup to the affected area and let it sit for around fifteen minutes before gently scrubbing it away and rinsing with water.
The Sun
08-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Cleaning expert reveals 80p Sainsbury's buy to get BBQ sparkling for summer – plus common error that poses hygiene risk
A CLEANING expert has revealed a 80p hack to make sure your garden is sparkling all summer long. Now that summer is finally upon us, and with temperatures set to ramp up again next week, many of us are likely making plans to have friends and family over for BBQs. And although barbecuing is an easy way to make a delicious dinner, it can be tricky to get grills clean afterwards. Dirty barbecues interfere with the quality of food, and don't make a great impression when you have guests. However, experts at HG have revealed some super cheap hacks to get them gleaming again. Lemon Juice The experts revealed that one budget friendly hack you can use to get your grill shining, is to use lemon juice. "Tackle tough BBQ grime by spraying lemon juice and water on the grill", they said. Lemon juice is super cheap, and you can pick some up from Sainsbury's for just 80p. If your BBQ is extra greasy, the experts recommend using another budget staple too - an onion. "For extra cleaning power, rub a hot grill with half a raw onion – the natural acids help lift off grease and food residue", they said. Aluminium Foil Another budget-friendly hack the experts recommend is to use aluminium foil. "Crumple a piece of aluminium foil into a ball and rub it over the grill to remove stubborn burnt-on bits," the experts said. My DIY BBQ station transformed my yard & my meat – it only cost $100 & makes better ribs than my metal smoker ever did "Follow with a quick brush to finish the job." Foil is another super cheap hack, and can be picked up from the supermarket for as little as £1. Grass If you're looking for a hack that's extra purse-friendly, using grass won't cost you a penny. "Place a cooled BBQ grill on the lawn overnight – the dew helps loosen debris for an easy wipe-down", the experts explained. Government advice on BBQ safety The UK Government have issued some guidelines for staying safe whilst using a barbecue: Keep a bucket of water, sand or a garden hose nearby for emergencies. Follow the safety instructions provided with your gas, charcoal, or disposable barbecue. Never use a barbecue indoors, in a tent, under an awning or in a caravan. Use enough charcoal to cover the base of the barbecue, but not more (normally around 5cms or 2 inches). Keep children, pets and garden games away from the cooking area. After cooking, make sure the barbecue is cool before moving it. Empty ashes onto bare garden soil, not into dustbins or wheelie bins. If they're hot, they can melt the plastic and cause a fire. Make sure your barbecue is well away from sheds, fences, trees, shrubs or garden waste. In the countryside or public park areas, only use disposable barbecues where there are specially designated areas and carefully follow the safety guidance. Enjoy yourself, but don't drink too much alcohol if you are in charge of the barbecue. Never use petrol or paraffin to start or revive your barbecue; use only recognised lighters or starter fuels on cold coals. "No grass? Wrap it in a damp newspaper instead. "Suitable for aluminium and stainless steel grills only." BBQ warning However, the cleaning experts revealed that there's one common cleaning hack that BBQ lovers should avoid. They revealed that it is a common myth that turning on the grill and burning off residue makes the BBQ clean. 'There is a misconception that high heat creates a clean cooking environment, but the truth is that it doesn't thoroughly clean your BBQ" they said. "Lingering grime can seriously impact both flavour and hygiene."
The Sun
06-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
I was a royal cleaner at Buckingham Palace -my 5p hack gets rid of nasty smells immediately – it's discreet & lasts ages
A FORMER royal cleaner has shared a simple 5p trick she used to keep Buckingham Palace smelling fresh. If you've ever visited the famed London palace, and marvelled at its cleanliness, you may be forgiven for thinking that cleaners polish and scrub using pricey products. 2 2 However, Anne Simmons, 57, who worked as a cleaner at Buckingham Palace for over a decade, has revealed that budget hacks are fit for the King. Anne, from Berkshire, shared that in order to keep royal cars fresh, she swapped pricey air fresheners for an every day essential that will cost you less than a Freddo. During her time working in the palace, Anne often had to face last minute inspections, which caused her to think on her feet and come up with inventive solutions. 'One day, I was asked to get a car ready for a senior royal's outing" Anne told Plates Express. "Everything looked spotless, but the inside just smelled… stale. 'We didn't have fancy sprays or scented gels to hand, so I reached into my bag and pulled out a dry tea bag. "I tucked it under the seat and let it sit. "By the time they stepped in, the smell was gone—and in its place was a gentle, comforting scent.' Tea bags are incredibly cheap, with each individual bag costing as little as 5p. Anne now swears by the hack. "It's something I've used ever since. It's discreet, cheap, and lasts much longer than people think," she said. "Black tea is my go-to, but you can use herbal ones like lavender or mint if you want a fresher smell.' Tea bags work as they are natural odour absorbers, and pull moisture and bad smells from the air as they dry. 'Tea bags work quietly in the background,' Anne explained. 'They don't overpower, and they don't make people sneeze. "I just pop one in the glove box, under a seat, or inside the cup holder.' And this isn't the only handy hack the royal cleaner has up her sleeve. Anne previously revealed how she used an old tube of toothpaste to get palace mirrors gleaming. And the royal cleaner even swears by a kids toy to keep homes dust free. She revealed that slime is also perfect for dusting. 'It's safe, easy to use, and doesn't leave any marks,' she said.
