Clean,Clothes,Hanging,On,White,Radiator,In,Room

Stop drying your clothes on your radiators

by Laundry

Radiators will dry your clothing quickly, but you’ll be storing up potential problems in your home.

The moisture from the wet clothing has to go somewhere; it doesn’t just magically vanish. 

The two primary reason against drying clothes on a radiator is the cost and mould.

Radiators are not designed for drying clothes, and using them for this purpose can be inefficient. It may lead to increased energy consumption and higher electricity bills.

Cost


Your radiator, even without a thermostatic valve is trying to reach a certain temperature. Yet you’re plugging the upstream heat of your whole system. Your boiler then has to struggle to heat the room using a radiator whose cycle is blocked by your washing. Your radiator is rendered completely inefficient and it’s costing you money.

The central heating hates it and your bank account isn’t any better off either.

Mould

Mould loves it when you’re drying clothes on a radiator. Modern homes are especially vulnerable to condensation and mould because double glazing and better insulation means that there’s no air escaping. 

Drying clothes indoors releases a surprising amount of moisture into the air. This is because the water in the clothes needs to evaporate, and that moisture is then released into the surrounding environment.

The moisture released during the drying process can lead to an increase in indoor humidity. When this moist air comes into contact with cold surfaces, such as windows, walls, or the radiator itself, it can condense into water droplets.

The moisture that condenses on these cold surfaces can create favourable conditions for mould growth. Mould thrives in damp, dark, and humid environments. If not properly ventilated or dehumidified, the moisture from drying clothes on a radiator can contribute to mould problems in a room.

Stick to a well ventilated area

Here are some tips for effective clothes drying in a well-ventilated area:

  • If possible, use a designated laundry room with good airflow and ventilation. If you don’t have a dedicated laundry area, choose a room with windows and good airflow.
  • Consider using a clothesline or drying rack near an open window or outside, if weather permits.
  • Use fans or open windows to improve air circulation during the drying process.
  • Ensure that the room is not overly humid to prevent moisture-related issues.
  • Use a dehumidifier which will cost you an average of 14p to run.

By following these tips and drying your clothes in a well-ventilated area, you can help maintain a healthy indoor environment and ensure your clothes dry efficiently.

Laundry,Room,With,Washing,Machine,Or,Tumble,Dryer.,Modern,Household

Combat smelly workout wear

by Laundry

If you hit the gym or the local park frequently for a good power walk or run or you may just enjoy wearing workout wear for comfort when doing the housework, you have most likely experienced stinky workout wear. That unfortunate occurrence when the stink lingers after the clothes are clean and dry?

The fibers in workout wear are generally not natural and tend to hold on to odours due to the type of material and how tight the material is woven. It can be hard for detergents to penetrate the tight weave.

The simplest trick to keep the stink at bay

Is to just add an extra rinse. The extra rinse ensures that you remove any detergent and most importantly, any trapped odours.

A few more tips include:

Use a liquid laundry detergent. with enzymes – liquid always works best!  It works so well because it’s powered by an enzyme blend that searches out dirt, stains and those nasty odours.

Don’t over use detergent. This is one of the biggest mistakes people make with all laundry, more detergent does not mean cleaner! If you use more detergent than is recommended, the suds might not get fully washed out of your clothes during the rinse cycle. This can be a big problem, as odour-causing bacteria are likely to thrive if any of the soap remains on your work out gear after it has been washed. Unfortunately, the results aren’t going to be very hygienic or fragrant. The cap on the bottle is normally the measuring tool so use this or read the label for the correct measurements.

Cold water. Avoid the heat. Elastic clothing doesn’t like being exposed to high heat, and that heat will also amplify odours.

Never use fabric softener. The fabric softener coats the fibers making it difficult to clean the clothes. Instead you can add 20ml of white vinegar directly to the drum, white vinegar is a natural disinfectant and will banish those odours from workout wear.

Don’t over-dry workout wear. As soon as the clothes are dry, remove them from the dryer. Letting them continue to dry too long just makes really statically and no one wants clingy shorts or leggings. Workout wear dries quickly so even in the winter months on dry days hang it outside to air dry.

Wash workout wear with workout wear. If you can try and wash together and whilst waiting for a fuller load store work outwear together so that horrible smell does not impact other clothing. The clothes will get cleaner this way and it will be so much easier to sort and put away.

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How to get rid of dust mites on soft toys

by Cleaning Tips

Dust mites can be a real pain and more often than not they live inside our kids soft toys.

Dust mite allergy is one of the most common allergies, and I’m sure most people don’t realise this could be the reason behind a lot of sinus or hay fever symptoms.  

Dust mites like to hide in the following:

  • Soft toys
  • Quilts
  • Sheet
  • Mattress
  • Pillows
  • Curtains
  • Carpet
  • Furniture and Clothes

Here to washed stuffed toys

  • Pop the soft toys into a laundry bag.
  • Use your usual detergent.
  • Add in 4-6 drops of tea tree essential oil as this is a natural disinfectant.
  • Reshape them when they come out of the wash.
  • Either hang them by the ears to dry or lay them flat too dry.
  • Give them a little dry brush with a soft brush to get them looking fluffy again. 

In the freezer

Place the soft toy into a plastic bag and pop in the freezer for 24 hours and this will also kill the dust mites and bacteria.  Once they have thawed out you can just put them in the dryer on a low setting for about 15-20 minutes to shake them up.

Vacuum

Another thing you can do is vacuum them. I know it sounds strange but a good vacuum every week using the nozzle removes the dust mites as well as dirt and fluffs up the fur at the same time.

Steam

For delicate soft toys, steam out the dirt and grime with a handheld steamer. The steam will sanitise the toy, making it safe for your child to cuddle with, steam will also help deep clean toys with batteries that can’t go in the washing machine.

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How to clean an iron

by Cleaning Tips

This is question I am asked a lot but every model is different so it is sometimes hard for me to answer, if you ironing isn’t gliding effortless across your garments or if your plate has got oily or sticky then grab your owners guide and just check to see if they have a how to clean section, if you have misplaced the guide most are online so just do a search on your iron brand and model number.

But I do also have a few tips which may help you or maybe you need so simple ironing tips, after all it ones of those household chores many of us try to avoid.

Simple ironing tips

How to Clean an Iron Plate with Mineral Buildup

Mineral deposit buildup in the vents and on the face of the iron which can cause issues with the steaming function of your iron plus cause white chalk like marks when you are ironing, which will result in you having to wash that garment again.

The best thing you can do to prevent the mineral build up in your iron is to ensure you empty the water tank and steam reservoir after every single use.

  1. Start by making a homemade iron cleaner. Mix together bicarbonate of soda and water until you have a thick paste.
  2. Apply the paste to the iron’s soleplate, coating the areas with heavy mineral deposits and wipe off straight away with a wet cloth
  3. Dip a cotton bud is some neat white vinegar and gently insert into the steam vents and around that areas.
  4. Empty any water from the reservoir tank, this is applicable if you have a steam generator iron and add in 50/50 water to white vinegar. Run the iron on full steam over the sink and keep pressing the steam shot until all the liquid has gone, this will be flushing out any minerals.

How to Clean a Sticky Iron

Believe it or not, newspaper makes a great iron cleaner, especially when the soleplate is sticky. Turn your iron up to the highest setting and turn steam off completely. Now run the hot dry iron across newspaper or some kitchen roll until it’s clean. If it is till sticky just simply sprinkle a tablespoon of salt on the newspaper or kitchen roll.

How to Clean an Iron with Oily Residue

Simple solutions work surprisingly well for irons suffering from some oily residue on the soleplate. Make sure the iron is unplugged and completely cool. Wipe the soleplate with a clean rag dipped in vinegar. Then rinse with a soft rag dipped in water. If vinegar didn’t do the trick, repeat the process starting with a rag dipped in ammonia. Dry with soft cloth or kitchen roll and you are done!

But there is a fantastic product I do highly recommend, called faultless hot iron cleaner. which can be used to remove melted webs, fusible, iron-on interfacings, trims, burned-on synthetics & coatings caused by excess starch & detergent build-up makes iron glide easier so ironing seems faster. Plus it is the sort of product that will last you ages as you only need a tiny amount.

White,Boys,T-shirt,On,Clothes,Line,Against,Blue,Sky

How to hang clothes on a washing line

by Laundry

Is there are a right way and a wrong way to hang clothes on the line?

You bet there is! If you’ve ever wondered why your clothes take so long to dry, or why they’re an odd shape, or why you have to iron every single item to get it looking presentable to wear, read on for my advice on the correct way to hang clothes on the line allowing fast-drying, wrinkle-free results!

USE THE BEST PEGS

Your choice of clothes peg is important and there is no one size fits all the choice is huge and if you are not sure what to look for then check out my top peg buying tips.

Material

Clothes pegs are usually made from plastic, stainless steel or wood. Plastic clothes pegs are durable and weather resistant, but they can be flimsy, snap easily especially in the colder weather and sometimes struggle to hold heavier items.

Stainless steel clothes pegs are durable and strong, while wooden clothes pegs offer a traditional look and are much better for the environment.

Size

Clothes pegs are available in a range of sizes. Smaller clothes pegs struggle to hold heavier items like wet jeans, bed linen or winter coats. You’ll need to use more of them per item, which will give you less overall. Large and robust clothes pegs are suitable for heavier items.

Grip

If your garden is exposed to the elements, you’ll need clothes pegs with good grip. Those with a tough and sturdy spring can hold heavier items, but delicate garments can become damaged if your pegs grip too harshly. For silks, satins and delicate items of clothing, go for soft grip and gentle pegs.

Durability

Durability and weather resistance is important, as all too often the springs snap under a heavy weight, leaving your clothes a crumpled mess on the floor! Wooden clothes pegs are usually very strong but they’re rarely weather resistant. Ensure you read reviews before you make a purchase.

INVEST IN THE BEST WASHING LINE FOR YOUR FAMILY

Ensure you get a clothesline that matches your largest laundry load. A 9/10kg drum holds a lot of washing. If you use a washing line that is too small this will mean you have to do multiple, smaller loads; or overload your clothesline, which leads to longer drying times, potentially wrinkles and much more of your time.

PEG SHARING

Sharing pegs on the line might be quicker when hanging out and save line space, however, it’s not recommended to give your clothes the best chance to dry quickly. Give your laundry enough space between items to allow better airflow for drying and to avoid causing wrinkles. The more airflow the better. Lighter items, such as gym clothes, shirts and pillow cases dry much quicker than heavier items so they don’t need as much space between items. Hanging your clothes out on a sunny day even in winter will dry your clothes quicker so the spacing is not as much of an issue.

SHAKE BEFORE HANGING THEM

As soon as you take your washing out of your washing machine you must shake them and make sure nothing has got tangled. Sometimes when you grab your wet laundry you will find a pair of trousers that has a leg inside out or a shirt with one sleeve tangled inside itself. Pull it back into shape and give it a light shake. but be mindful that items can stretch when wet so be careful not to shake to hard.

HANGING ITEMS THE WRONG WAY UP

We all hate unsightly peg marks on shoulders and shirt hems, but which is better – hanging clothes upside-down or right-side-up? Hanging your items upside-down will mean you won’t stretch the shoulders/arms of shirts, or the waist of trousers. The best way for shirts is to hang them on the line with a coat hanger, as this reduces the chance of wrinkles and makes the so much easier to iron.

The old fashioned saying is

If you wear it on top hang it from the top

If you wear it on the bottom hang it from the bottom

But this rule doesn’t work for everything, sometimes you just need to make your own judgement call with laundry hacks.

The best way to hang sheets on the line is to hang your sheets over multiple lines to give them the best airflow for drying. This also works for heavy items, such as blankets and throws. Hanging heavy items over multiple lines will spread the weight so your clothesline stays taught for longer. If you only have one clothesline, try to hang your heavy items lengthways on the line so the weight is spread out as much as possible.

Check out some of my laundry favourites

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Fresh bath towels

by Bathroom TipsLaundry

There is nothing worse than pulling a bath towel from the cupboard and noticing that it does not smell clean.

When shopping for new bath towels we naturally steer towards thick absorbent towels as they feel good and dry us off really well but thick towels will hold onto that moisture long after you have used it and moisture leads to bacteria which then leads to unpleasant smells. YUK

Keep your towels well aired in between uses.

When you get out of the bath or shower and hang up your towel you need to keep the air circulating so your towel does not grow any bacteria. If you have a window to your bathroom throw it open, even if it is cold outside you need to dry your bathroom off and get some air through your towels. If you don’t have a window use your ventilation fan.

When drying forget hooks as these do not offer your towels enough air, instead opt for towel rails, this way you can stretch out your towel fully and allow the air to circulate to all off the towel before bacteria starts to grow.

If you have room on your washing line and it is a good drying day pop outside and let it air dry for 30 minutes or so.

How to wash bath towels

Towels are thick, heavy, and designed to absorb water. So when it goes into your washing machine, it’s going to absorb all of the water and laundry products you are using.  The key with washing towels is to never over use laundry products, stick to the correct dosage as displayed on the packaging/bottle. You may think that because they are bigger and thicker than other items you wash that you will need more but trust me you don’t. Using too much product can actually make your towels smell bad!

Make sure not to overfill your washing machine, with towels think less is more. Using the correct dose of detergent and not overloading your machine will help the water evenly distribute and properly rinse those towels. 

Wash towels together and not with other laundry, washing towels with clothes can transfer germs and bacteria between items in the wash. For sanitary reasons, you should always wash bath towels separately from clothing items. Putting towels in their own load also makes it easier to adjust the setting if you are washing different colour towels be sure to add in a colour catcher. It’s also easier to dry towels in the same load since damp towels dry slower than most clothes. Towels will also rub against your clothes, shortening their lifespan.

Say NO to fabric conditioner

Trust me fabric conditioner is doing your towels no favours and will take away the absorbency and the soft bouncing feeling. Fabric conditioner is actually a soft wax coating that conditions clothes, makes them feel softer and loosens fibres. If you loosen the fibres in your towels the absorbency will slowly disappear.

If you are wanting to use fabric conditioner because you want your towels to smell fresh and give the bathroom an added scent then use it in every 3rd or 4th towel wash.

My top tip for soft fluffy towels is to use white vinegar, white vinegar is a natural disinfectant so will add in an extra layer of protection to element bacteria even when washing at lower temperatures and the vinegar will strip away and residue that is in your towels from products.

Don’t worry your towels will not come out smelling of vinegar as the smell disperses.

The DO’s and DON’T’s of fabric conditioner

Shake towels before drying

Give your towels a shake when taking them out of the washing machine. This will help fluff them and aid absorbency. Shaking your towels also helps prevent them from twisting into a ball in the dryer, lengthening their drying time.

How to Dry Towels

Ensure that towels are dry when you remove them from the tumble dryer, keeping in mind that clothes dry quicker than towels so the cycle will be longer. Even slightly damp towels can quickly mildew. The best dryer setting for towels is the regular or automatic setting that you use for other durable fabrics. This will use the highest heat and be most efficient in getting the job done. Avoid over-drying as it can destroy the individual cotton fibers. Use tumble dryer balls to keep the air flowing freely and speed up the dryer time, the balls absorb water and I recommend using 6 dryer balls for a towel load.

Drying outside is always my preferred option for towels, they normally line dry within 3 to 6 hours dependent on the weather, good quality towels will always come in soft and fluffy. If your towels are coming in a little crisp and hard pop them in the dryer for 5 minutes before you put them away or in the bathroom.

If you don’t have a tumble dryer to use over the winter months it is worth bearing in mind that towels can take up to 24 hours to dry indoors, ensure they are well spaced out on a drying rack in a well ventilated space.

Follow Towel Care Instructions

Good-quality bath towels can last for 10 years with proper care. Always check the label on your towels for particular care instructions before proceeding with washing and drying.

I have been a huge fan of Hampton and Astley towels for many years, they wash beautifully. So for me it is definitely worth paying a little extra for good quality long lasting towels.

Want to learn more laundry tips then grab a copy of one of my books and I will show you how to clean your house and tidy up your life

This post contains affiliate links

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The best laundry hacks

by Laundry

Most of us don’t enjoy doing the laundry. Yet that pile just keeps on getting bigger and bigger.

But a few simple tips and tricks can make your life so much easier.

Keep socks paired in a mesh laundry bag.

Those mesh bags that we use for bras and delicates are also great at keeping small items from getting lost too. Most houses definitely have a sock monster. A top tip to get in the habit of is using a mesh bag for your socks, leave it next to or hanging in your laundry hamper and then as you take your socks off toss them in. When it is full add the mesh bag straight to the wash.

Zip your zips up

Not only can the zipper itself break or damage the drum in your machine, but the sharp metal teeth of the zipper can snag on fabric or lace and ruin your delicate items. To avoid this, be sure to zip up any clothing items with a zip before adding to your washing machine.

Keep white chalk in the laundry cupboard to treat grease stains.

Why I hear you asking, chalk is ultra – absorbent, you can rub a bit on any oily or grease stain as they happen and the chalk will absorb the grease and keep the stain from setting until you wash your garment.

For more stain tips check out my stain busting guide.

Decrease your clothes with ice cubes.

If you have a tumble dryer you can quickly “iron” your clothes with the ice cube tip. Just pop in the wrinkled items no more than 3 otherwise it won’t work into the dryer with an ice cube or two, on the warmest possible setting for 10 minutes, and let the ice cube create steam in the dryer to leave your clothes looking smooth. This is perfect tip for when you need something quick for a night out, let the steam do the work whilst you are getting ready.

Put your clothes in the freezer.

It won’t kill bacteria, but an overnight stay in the freezer will help to refresh your clothes and combat odours enough to, say, wear that pair of jeans one more time before washing them. Alternatively if it is freezing cold day pop them outside for a few hours, the frozen air will do the same and if the sun is out the sun will act as a natural disinfectant.

Ditch dryer sheets for woollen dryer balls.

Dryer sheets are great for fragrance but not a lot else so instead, go for a pack of woollen dryer balls they will keep the air moving, smooth out wrinkles and speeding up your drying time. Add 3 to a small load and 6 to a larger load.

Hand-wash your clothes in a salad spinner.

Those hand-wash-only items can be a pain to clean. But small items can be thrown into a salad spinner if you have one, add a bit of laundry detergent or Castile soap with water to give them a wash, this will be more powerful than hand-massaging but gentler than the washing machine. You can also use the spinner to dry them afterwards!

Use this tip for swimwear too.

Pre-soak your Sweaty sports clothes in vinegar.

For that foul-smelling load of gym clothes, soak your clothes in a half a cup of white vinegar mixed with cold water for at least an hour before washing. This will help remove unpleasant smells and break down sweat stains.

Prevent Colour Runs

If you’re not one to separate clothes by colours or have loads that are too small then try using a colour catcher. These magical little sheets lock dye in and you can actually see the colour has been absorbed when the wash is done. You can get reusable ones that last up-to 30 washes. But I still recommend trying to keep your whites together.

Shake your clothes to make them dry faster

To help clothes dry quicker, try shaking out some of the excess water before hanging or adding to the dryer. It will open up the fabric and make them dry faster with fewer wrinkles.

Or you can also speed up drying time by throwing a dry towel into a load of wet clothes for the first 15 minutes of the drying cycle. The towel will absorb a lot of the water.

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How often should you wash your garments

by Laundry

Just because you have worn something it does not mean it needs to go straight into the wash. When it comes to clothing, you shouldn’t gauge when to wash items by time at all, but instead by how many times you’ve worn them. Laundry is a time consuming chore so if we can cut back a few washes a week it will save us both time and money.

My following recommendations are meant as general guidelines rather than hard and fast rules. Remember, a sniff check is still a quick and easy way to determine when it’s time for a wash. And of course, common sense applies. For example if you have been at home all day then you know your items aren’t dirty but if you have been out sitting in public places, playing in the park with your children and using public transport then your clothing will most probably need washing.

Also Items will need washing more often during the sweltering summer months.

Don’t forget that you can also refresh your clothes rather than wash them, use a garment steamer to remove creases, kill germs and refresh or use a clothing fabric refresher spray to fragrance and freshen up.

After every wear

Tights, Knickers, pants, socks, shirts, camisoles, vest tops, blouses, leggings, swim suits and sportswear.

The commonality among the garments in this section is that they are close-fitting, which means they’re more likely to absorb your perspiration and body oils and will require frequent cleaning to bust bacteria and continue smelling fresh.

Every 2 to 3 wears

Dresses, trousers, skirts, jumpers, sweaters, jeans, trousers, PJ’s and bra’s

This is where you need to use your common sense and maybe your nose. If you’re wearing a camisole or vest top underneath your sweater, jumper or dress then you can probably get multiple uses. PJ’s will last you a few nights simply because you’re inactive while sleeping, but the other items on this list can actually wear out from over-washing. Washing a bra too often can damage its elasticity, which is crucial for proper support, and jeans will fade or wear thin in too many wash cycles.

More bra washing tips

Every week

Bathmats, pillow cases, sheets and duvet covers

Fortnightly

Dressing gowns, pillow protectors, mattress protectors, throws and blankets if being used regularly and door mats.

Once a month

Shower curtains and cushion covers

Every season

Pillows, duvets, outwear, hats, gloves and scarfs

Unless you’ve dropped food on your coat or stained it in some other way, you really don’t need to wash it very often. Same goes for winter accessories, although these items need to be washed a bit more frequently as they’re in closer contact with your skin so can more easily pick up body odours.

How to look after and clean your pillows

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The Do’s and Don’t’s of fabric conditioner

by Laundry

Fabric conditioner isn’t just about making your clothes smell good and keeping them looking fantastic it has its place and sadly can’t be used on all fabrics. When you do use fabric conditioner it is truly amazing and will help to keep your clothes lasting longer, help to retain their shape and protect against colour fading.

It will also help to speed up the drying and that dreaded ironing.

When NOT to use

Cashmere and Wool

Don’t lose the luxury of a cashmere sweater or a soft woollen jumper. Expensive and high quality fabrics like these can be damaged by softeners which can cause bobbling, wear down the fibres and pilling. Fabric softener can also make them feel stiffer.

An easy rule of thumb is to not use fabric softener on an expensive item of clothing.

To keep your jumpers in tip top condition always ready the care label, wash inside out, wash on a low temperature with a low spin and use a gentle detergent designed for delicates. Avoid using enzyme based detergents as this can destroy the protein in the wool.

Towels

Fabric conditioner makes your towels less absorbent, wears down the fibres, makes them slippery and gives them a greasy feel. If you want to keep your towels feeling like new, soft and fluffy then add in 20ml of white vinegar to the wash, you can either add this directly to your drum or add to the fabric conditioner compartment of your washing machine.

The vinegar softens towels and helps removes bacteria, a much better option than coating the towels with synthetic chemicals. If you want fragrance, you can add a drop or two of pure essential towards the end of the cycle.

Follow this advise too for microfibre cloths.

Sensitive skin

Although fabric softener is gentle on fabrics, it can be harsh on your skin. If you notice a skin reaction such as irritation or a rash, it could be your fabric softener. If a reaction occurs, stop using your softener immediately and see if you notice an improvement.

If you have sensitive skin, it is worth checking the label before you buy your softener to see if it is suitable. Some fabric softeners are formulated to be kinder to sensitive skin.

Flame resistant

Fabric softener can also reduce the effectiveness of flame-resistant clothing as it covers the fabric with a waxy coating. This can actually make them more flammable, so stay away from softener when washing items such as baby clothing, children’s pyjamas, dressing-up costumes, and anything else with a flame-resistant label.

When to use

Bedding

There is nothing better than snuggling down in freshly changed bed sheets that smell amazing and fabric conditioner makes this all the more luxurious by keeping the fibres soft and reducing static. If you only use fabric softener on one thing, let that be your bedding! 

Top tip – using a lavender-scented fabric softener on your bedding can improve your quality of sleep, as lavender has been proven to aid sleep

Synthetic fibres

Clothing made of synthetic fibres like acrylic and polyester.

When in doubt leave it out.

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Christmas stains

by Christmas

Christmas can bring with it a lot of mess and one of biggest messes is stains, I have put together my Christmas stain busting guide so you can deal with those pesky stains quickly get on and enjoy the rest of your festive activities and plans.

Red wine

Probably one of the most common Christmas stains, this isn’t the easiest stain to remove and please do NOT chuck a glass of white wine over it as it will be a complete waste. The trick never works.

The key is to get these stains as soon as possible and use cold water to try and release the stain, hydrogen peroxide works well on carpets but do a patch test on your carpet first, ensure you dab and do not rub as the rubbing will make the stain worse. For clothes, liberally spray the stain with white vinegar and then after 5 minutes soak in cold water, chuck in a few ice cubes too so the water is really cold.

Failing this you will need to get yourself a bottle of wine no more, this product is yet to fail me.

Candle wax

Lighting a few candles is the best way to create Christmas ambience but can often drip. Wax is easy to remove, start by using a blunt knife and scrap off as much as you can. Next cover with brown paper or some kitchen roll and then apply heat. You can use your iron or hair dryer for this. Put on a mid-heat setting and heat over the covered wax. The wax will liquidise making it easier to remove.

This will also work if wax gets splattered onto your walls, after heating wipe off as much as you can and remove any left residue with soapy cloth.

Hot chocolate

We all love to curl up with a mug of tasty hot chocolate, a good film and a cosy blanket but it is really easy to spill that hot chocolate down your top or onto the carpet.

To treat hot chocolate stains on clothing, immediately rinse the garment under cold water, running the water through the reverse side of the stain to flush it out. Pre-treat the stain using a liquid laundry detergent, soak for 20 minutes and then wash as normal.

For the carpet, immediately blot up as much of the liquid as possible with a clean white cloth or thick kitchen roll and work from the outside in. To rinse the area, fill a spray bottle with cold water, spritz a small amount over the stain, and blot again. Using a cloth dipped into a mixture of warm water and a small amount of washing up liquid, blot the area until the stain is gone. Remove any soapy residue with a clean cloth dampened with warm water.

Lipstick

Christmas glam may leave your napkins stained, lipstick is normally easy to remove so don’t panic. If you have some micellar water for removing your make up then grab this and cover the stain, let it soak for 10 minutes then rinse away alternatively use your liquid laundry detergent again as a pre-stain treatment.

Soot

Nothing like a burning fire over the festive period. But ash and soot can make a real mess. To remove soot stains on your carpet sprinkle with bicarbonate of soda and leave to sit at least an hour, this will hopefully absorb the staining. Then vacuum the area thoroughly. If the stain remains use a specialised carpet cleaner like the Dr beckmann one.

Food grease from cooking

Head chef over the Christmas period is bound to pick up a few grease and oil stains. Pop washing up liquid on the stain straight away as this is a degreaser and let it sit for 10 minutes, rinse with cold water and then wash as normal. Repeat if there are still traces of the stain. Remember: You should always confirm a stain is completely gone before drying. If you need to repeat add in a few drops of lemon juice to help fight the grease.

Cranberry sauce

Most likely to hit your Christmas table cloth rinse or blot with cold water, spray with white vinegar and rub in some washing up liquid, let it sit then blot, use a white cloth so you can see if the stain is lifting and then wash as normal.

Gravy

Over Christmas dinner there is bound to be a gravy disaster and if you are busy enjoying your dinner the chances of you dealing with it straight away are pretty slim. Scrap of as much as you can using a blunt knife. Then use warm water and washing up liquid, and it will easily remove.

Don’t forget my book – How To Clean Your House at Christmas: The ultimate how-to guide for cleaning your home, with an updated chapter to help at Christmas is available now.