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Amazon Must Haves

If you are looking for household items that will speed up your housework and make it much easier for you then you need to check out my amazon must-haves.

Everything I have listed here I have been using for years and they are absolute firm favourites.

Tap the image to get yours!

Car Wash Mop/Cleaning Brush

White Vinegar with the Fresh Smell of Lemon

Angry Mama Microwave Cleaner

Flexible Sink Unblockers

Oven Liners

Tub and Tile Scrubber

Silicone Toilet Brush

Bona Mop and Hard Floor Cleaner

Limey Descaling Gadget

Flatmate Flat Duster

Baseboard Cleaner

2 in 1 Window Gap Slot Cleaning Brush

Dr Beckmann Colour Catcher

Space Saver Storage Bags

Faultless Hot Iron Cleaner

Bendable Duster 

Dusting Glove

Gel Lint Roller

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Queen of Clean Stain Busting Guide

Stains happen and that is just a fact of life but hopefully, my stain-busting tips will help you save your favourite top and freshen up your carpet.

My Top Tips

As soon as you spot a stain act as quickly as you can and remember if you are out and about, your hand sanitiser is a good place to start, rub some all over the stain and let the sanitiser get to work and then once home the stain will be much easier to remove.

If the stain is on your clothes, turn inside out and flush the stain out under the tap.

If you are using a stain-remover product, make sure you read and understand the instructions before using it. Stick to the measurements the brand has given you.

Never Mix Stain-removing Products

If you are removing a stain from your favourite top or carpet and you are unsure text a patch first, behind the sofa, under a table or if it is your top turn inside out or under the collar area.

Once you have got the stain out ensure you thoroughly rinse out the stain-removing product, pop clothes on a short wash and really rinse and blot dry your carpets and rugs.

Remember product takes time to work, it is very rare you get an instant result so be patient and give the product time to work but ensure you check regularly.

Before drying ensure the stain has gone as once dry the stain will be set even further into the fabric.

My Stain Removal Must-haves

Water

As simple as it sounds water is your first line of defence.

White Vinegar

A powerhouse cleaner and great stain remover: get some here

Washing-up Liquid

Really good at fighting oil-based stains due to its degreasing powers.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Practically great for mattress and pillow stains: get some here

Bar of Soap

Pure soap works well on bodily stains.

Rubbing Alcohol

Great for ink stains: get some here

Laundry Disinfectant/Cleanser

Can act as a great stain remover and odour destroyer: get some here

Toothpaste

Toothpaste is very mild and contains bicarbonate of soda, great to use on white trainers, cricket whites and removing scuff marks on walls.

Bicarbonate of Soda

Mixed with water can tackle most stains: get some here

All of these stain-busting ingredients can also be used to make amazing eco-friendly natural household cleaners: view recipes here

Download the guide here: Stain Buster Guide

A -Z of the Most Common Stains

Baby Stains

It isn’t easy keeping baby clothes and bibs clean; most babies will create stains and mess daily.

If you catch the stain quickly run the item under a cold tap from the reserve to flush out and rub in a little washing-up liquid. Leave it submerged in water until you put your next wash load on.

If you have missed the stain which is often very common when we have babies scrap off as much of the stain as you can using a blunt knife but be very careful not to rub the stain further into the fabric.  Once removed run under a cold tap add a spritz of white vinegar and some washing-up liquid, leave for 15 minutes to allow the products to work, and then rinse. Keep it wet until your next washing load.

Breast Milk Stains

Breast milk leaves a protein-based fatty stain, run under a cold tap, and rub into the stain a little of your liquid laundry detergent. Keep wet until you wash as normal.

Formula Milk Stains

Soak in cold water some oxi active non bio stain remover.

Baby Poop Stains

Rinse off as much of the poop as you can, using warm water. Mix a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide with washing a tablespoon of washing up liquid and gently work into the stains using a soft bristle brush, leave the products to work before rinsing and washing as normal.

Butter

A butter stain is oily by nature so never rub in the fabric as this will only make it worse and spread all over the fabric.

Scrap as much as you can off using a blunt knife. Then using a piece of kitchen roll blot the stain to get as much of the oil out as you can.  Sprinkle the stained area with bicarbonate of soda and let it sit for 30 minutes, after this using your fingers and a tiny amount of water gently rub over the stain and again leave to sit, this time for 15 minutes. Rinse off and wash as normal.

Blood

With blood stains ensure you get to them as soon as possible and flush with cold water, NEVER use hot water with blood stains as it will cook the protein into the fibres making the stain much harder to remove.

If the blood stain is fresh after rinsing under cold water add some liquid laundry detergent rub in and wash as normal but if it is an older stain scrape off any crusted blood mix water with oxi action and keep submerged in water for at least 2 hours, then wash as normal.

Or if you would like a more natural approach add lemon juice directly to the stain, you can use fresh lemon or lemon from a bottle and add salt, rub the salt into the juice and the stain, and let sit for at least an hour before rinsing and washing

For blood stains on the mattress use hydrogen peroxide, add 30ml to a spray bottle, add a drop of washing-up liquid then fill the rest with water and liberally spray over the marks, scrub in, leave then blot dry using a white cloth.  Always use white cloths as this helps you gage how much of the blood you are removing.

Candle Wax

Waxy stains that candles can often leave behind are not pretty and not easy to remove.

If you have the caught wax drip early and it hasn’t quite hardened, pop an ice cube on the top to harden it quickly this way it is much easier to remove.

Once harden remove as much of the wax as you can using a blunt knife by gently scraping away.

Then cover the stain with brown parcel paper or cut a square out of a Primark bag, cover the stain completely, and then apply heat from either a cool iron or your hair dryer, the heat will lift the stain and it will stick to the brown paper, turn the paper and repeat until the stain has gone.

Chocolate

Chocolate is one of the easiest stains to get rid of, use a blunt knife or credit card to scrap off as much of the chocolate as you can, flush under a cold tap and then rub in some washing up liquid.

Coffee and Tea Stains

If you catch the stain as you spill, grab a piece of kitchen roll, and blot out as much of the liquid as you can. 

Then for both fresh and older stains, rinse the stain under cold water, rub in some of your liquid detergent and pop it in the machine.  If the stain is on a carpet or your sofa, blot away first and then use a soft bristle brush to scrub gently with water and your liquid detergent.  Leave to sit in the stain for a while then blot dry with a cold wet cloth until it has vanished.

Deodorant Stains

For white t-shirts and shirts use a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, bicarbonate of soda, and water then rub into the stain leave to sit for a while then wash as normal.

For darker colour tops liberally spray with neat white vinegar leave it to soak in, then after a while wash as normal.

Grass Stains

Grass stains are very common especially in the summer when the kids are playing out or enjoying a game of cricket.

If you do get grass stains on cricket whites then there is a really simple solution, dampen the stain using cold water, and then using a small soft brush scrub is some white toothpaste.  Leave this on as long as you can, rinse and then wash as normal.

For grass stains on other items just apply a bit of your regular laundry detergent, rub this in using your fingers, leave to sit, and then wash as normal.  There is no need to rinse.

Grease

Like butter stains, dampen the stain then sprinkle with bicarbonate of soda to soak up the grease, you can also use corn starch here which also works just as well, after 15 minutes rub it into the stain and leave again, rinse under a cold tap and wash as normal.

Lemon juice also can work well on grease stains.

Hair Dye

If you dye your hair from home, you may find it can get quite easily get on your clothes and even your carpet.  Best solution is to mix 3 ingredients together, rubbing alcohol, white vinegar and washing up liquid along with water, mix and scrub in using a soft bristle brush.

Ice Cream

Like chocolate ice cream is pretty easy to remove, scrape off as much as you can if it has dried in, rinse with cold water and rub in washing up liquid, and let it sit before washing as normal.

Ketchup

A blob of ketchup can quickly ruin your favourite top or shorts.

Remove as much of the ketchup as you can using a blunt knife on the back of a spoon.

Flush from the reverse under a cold tap and then blot out as much of the stain as you, liberally spray with white vinegar, and then wash as normal.

Nail Polish

Ever painted your toes and spilled the bottle on your carpet?  If you, haven’t you have had a lucky escape, it is such a common stain.

There are a few solutions here you can try, if you use n acetone-based nail polish remover this usually works, if on carpet make sure you test a patch under the sofa/bed first as acetone can strip colour, if it is safe to use dampen with cold water and then apply the nail polish remover.  If this is on a top just test the acetone nail polish remover on the inside seem. 

After using the acetone nail polish remover ensure you thoroughly rinse and wash.

Alternatively, mix window cleaner with washing-up liquid, rub into the dampened stain, leave to work for 30 minutes rinse, and then wash as normal.

Oil Stains

With any type of oil stain happens, never rub or wipe it because that will push it deeper into the fibres of the fabric and make it set.

Dampen the stain and then sprinkle the bicarbonate of soda onto the stain and leave it to sit for at least 15 minutes, then brush away the bicarbonate of soda rub in some washing-up liquid, and wash as normal.

Alternatively cover with lemon juice and table salt, rub into the fabric let it sit and then wash as normal.

Paint Stains

Water-based paint stains easily come off with a cold-water flush and liquid detergent rubbed in, leave it to work and then add to the wash as normal.

If the paint is oil-based it is a little trickier, dampen the stain with cold water and then cover in a piece of kitchen roll.  Once fully covered you will need to use some paint thinner, saturate the area add a blob of washing-up liquid leave overnight and then wash as normal the following day.

Pet Stains

We all love our loveable pets but not always the stains and odours that can come from them.

Urine

Urine stains literally just flush out with cold water but it is the smell that can really linger, for clothing and carpets soak in cold water with a big splash of white vinegar, leave as long as you can and then wash as normal.

For carpets dampen with cold water and very liberally spray with white vinegar scrub in using a soft bristle brush, leave overnight and then rinse out in the morning.  The vinegar smell will disperse very quickly.

Faeces and Vomit

Lift and scrap off as much as you can using a blunt knife, flush out with cold water, mix some oxi active with water and rub into the stain. Leave to soak in overnight and then wash as normal.

If the stain is on your carpets on upholstery after scrapping, dampen the area with cold water and sprinkle with bicarbonate of soda then scrub in some hydrogen peroxide, leave, and then vacuum off after a few hours.

Red Wine Stains

The hardest stain to remove is red wine and the old-fashioned wives’ tale of chucking a glass of white wine over the stain, unfortunately, does not work.

As soon as you spot the stain act quick, blot off as much of the stain as you can using a piece of kitchen roll.

Mix a solution of hydrogen peroxide and washing-up liquid and pour directly onto the stain, let it sit for as long as you with regular checks, then wash as normal.

Or dampen the stain with cold water and add sea salt, rub in and leave overnight and then wash as normal.

There is an absolutely fantastic product you can buy called RED WINE NO MORE, if you can get your hands on this the stain will disappear with ease.

Tooth Paste Stains

If you just add your stained toothpaste to the washing machine the stains will come out but if you are rushing out the door and spot a stain from brushing your teeth and have no time to get changed you need to dampen a cloth with cold water add some laundry liquid detergent and rub gently into the stains, blot dry with a different cloth and away you go.

How to Remove those Annoying Suncream Stains this Summer

I must get this question at this time of year up to 30 times a day. I do try to reply to you but sometimes a more in-depth write-up can give you so much more information than a quick answer.

Suncream can be a real pain to get out and the longer you leave it the worse it is going to get. If you are out and about when the stain occurs you are naturally going to wipe the stain with a tissue or a wet wipe but the heat from the sun and perspiration can activate the grease even more making it much worse.

Try to prevent Suncream stains always rub the suncream into your skin really well and wash your hands straight after application. If you are travelling with suncream always place it in a safe secure plastic travel pouch bag or place it inside two carrier bags and wrap it tightly. There is nothing worse than getting to your destination and opening your suitcase to burst suncream.

My Advice to Remove Suncream 

As soon as you can rinse the stain from the reverse under a cold water tap, this way the stain is being pushed out of the fabric and hopefully flushing out as much as the stain as possible.

Sun cream has an oil base so you need something to break that down, so one of your go-to products here is white wine vinegar. Cover the stain in the vinegar and leave a good 30 minutes to an hour to really allow the vinegar to work.

Another option is eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptus oil is great for oily stains. Just cover the whole stain and leave for around 15 minutes.

Next, wash the garment at the hottest temperature that is safe for the fabric, and check for the stain again before you dry. Once the item has dried you won’t get the stain out. So if there is still a trace of the stain repeat this process again.  When an item of clothing has had a grease-based stain avoid the tumble dryer because if there is any trace of the stain it will then be permanent.

I would air dry on the washing line or on a clothes airer.

I hope this helps with some of those annoying Sun Cream stains.

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Spend less money on your household cleaning

Cleaning your home can be expensive, there are so many wonderful products on the market presented in well-designed pretty bottles but it’s not always necessary to buy all of these products and spend lots of money.

When it comes to buying cleaning products, buy them in large quantities! You can use the wholesale stores for your shopping. For example, if you browse through the wholesale online stores and amazon you can bulk buy cleaning products at an affordable rate.

If you get together with some friends, you can buy a bulk order and split it between you so avoiding having too much in the cupboards.

When it comes to purchasing anything, buying on sale saves a lot of money. Above that, there are many stores out there which offer lucrative seasonal and end-of-the-line bargains. So always check that supermarket bargain aisle.

Lots of cleaning products now can be bought as a refill pack. These in the long run will save you money and they are better for the environment as there is less waste packaging.

Lastly you can make some fantastic cleaning products for yourself from simple ingredients that you probably already have in your cupboard. You can make some effective homemade cleaners using white vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, lemons, soda crystals etc. All these products are extremely cheap and they’re really good. So, just buy them, use them as house cleaning agents and save a lot of money. They can be really some frugal replacements for expensive detergents and soaps. You can even grate a bar of soap and make a fantastic laundry detergent.

Cleaning with natural home made products saves time, space and money.

A few of my favourite staples……..

White Vinegar

White vinegar is a natural disinfectant and is fantastic at killing germs, bacteria and mould. Plus, it is great at removing tough stains and descaling kitchen appliances such a coffee machines and kettles. I like to run 100ml through my washing machine every couple of weeks.

I also love to use white vinegar for those pesky water marks. White vinegar can work out expensive if you buy from supermarkets but if you buy in bulk and pop into spray bottles it works out much cheaper and will last you ages.

Cleaning with white vinegar

Bicarbonate of Soda

Bicarbonate of Soda  is great for eliminating odours. If you have a smelly fridge simple add a small dish of Bicarbonate of Soda to the middle shelf and this will soak up and nasty smells. 

Mixed with white vinegar it’s also a very powerful drain cleaning and is great at keeping sink wastes unblocked and odour free if done on a regular basis.  This is one of my absolute favourite cleaning tips.  If the waste is particularly dirty this combination will bring the dirt up for you to see.  

Bicarbonate of Soda  very much replaces the household cream cleaner. It’s great for cleaning up baths and PVC just mix with a little washing up liquid. Bicarbonate of Soda is also great for cleaning up stained Tupperware and oven grills. 

I also use it freshen up my carpets. Add you favourite essential oil mix together, sprinkle on the carpet leave for around 30 minutes and then Hoover off. This will eliminate odours and make them smell fresh again.

Lemons and Lemon Juice

Juicy lemons smell gorgeous and can really help improve shine.  It is really surprising how well they can clean your home.

Use a drop of Lemon juice to clean your dish washer rather than buying the expensive dishwasher cleaning tablets. 

Lemons are also great for removing limescale.  Cut a lemon in half and pop on the end of your tap, leave this for an hour or so to get to work to give it time to work. 

You can also mix some Lemon juice with White Wine Vinegar to make a really good bathroom cleaner, pop both ingredients into a spray bottle with a little water and this is great for the shower door and taps.

One of my favourite lemon cleaning tips is to put a few lemon half’s in a bowl of clean cold water in the microwave and then put the microwave on full power for 5 minutes.  The lemon will release the grease which will make it really easy to wipe off with a cloth.

White Toothpaste 

White Toothpaste is great for cleaning up white rubber trims on your trainers that have become discoloured. Use a dry cloth and buff away using the toothpaste and then rinse off with warm water. Such a simple process which will give you amazing results.

White tooth paste is also great at cleaning your jewellery and making it sparkle again.

Plus another toothpaste tip that my husband loves and uses all the time is to add some onto a paper towel and then clean your car headlights with it.

Alcohol

Alcohol. who would have thought that alcohol can help keep the house clean.  Well it can and its great. I use cheap Vodka or rubbing alcohol to help out around the home. It’s perfect for cleaning windows inside and out and will keep them frost-free. 

I also pour a capful in with my fresh flowers as this will help keep them alive longer plus it great for removing pen marks.

Steam Cleaning

Steam cleaning – I am a massive fan of steam cleaning.  Once you have invested in the steamer all you need is water to keep your floor clean and your upholstery and curtains fresh. With steam cleaning there is so much you can clean including your toilet, floors, sofa’s, shower doors, curtains and so on.  Steam kills 99% of germs and bacteria so its saves you the cost of buying household floor cleaner and fabric refresher sprays. If you are looking for a budget friendly floor steamer than check this one out from Russell Hobbs. Don’t forget I have a fantastic handheld one in my range.

E Cloths

E cloths – Initially you may think that these cloths are quite expensive but the beauty is you don’t need to use any chemicals or products with them.  It’s simply water. Add water to a spray bottle and then wipe with you ecloth to remove dirt and grim or to shine up surfaces. There is a great starter pack that will help get you started.

Essential Oils

Finally Essential oils can be mixed with water and bicarbonate of soda to add relaxing smells to your cleaning. Go for Tea Tree, Peppermint or Lemon oils as these are all natural disinfectant.

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

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