Dirty Talk

to remove tea or coffee stains from fine china, rub with a damp cloth dipped in baking soda

to get rid of the unsightly build up at the bottom of a vase, add a few drops of automatic dishwasher detergent and fill with hot water, soak overnight, then rinse

when you wash the kitchen floor, use your rubbish bin instead of a bucket to hold the water. This way you get a fresh bin without the hassle of washing it

keep swing bin liners in the bottom of your bin. When you take out a full bag, the new liner will always be at hand

clear a blocked sink by tipping a handful of bicarbonate soda followed by a cup of vinegar straight down the plug. After a couple of hours, pour down a kettleful of boiling water

to descale your kettle, pour some malt vinegar and water (50/50) over the element of your kettle, and boil the kettle

remove traces of plastic melted on to toasters by dabbing with nail polish and peeling off when dry or tacky

to clean your dishwasher simply run a cup of white vinegar through the entire cycle of the empty dishwasher

if using a dishwasher add a few tablespoons of vinegar to the dishwater, it will cut through the grease.

Use rubbing alcohol instead of commercial waxes on white goods

Wipe large items like freezers and washing machines with car wax to make them shine and to remove small scratches.

To rid white appliances of yellowing, mix together half a cup of bleach, quarter a cup of baking soda and four cups of warm water. Apply with a sponge and leave for ten minutes. Rinse and dry thoroughly.

remove the chemical smell of oven cleaners by heating lemon in a low oven for about 20 minutes.

Soak oven shelves, trays and any other removable parts overnight in a solution of biological washing powder and hot water. Next day you can rinse and wipe the stains away.

make your own oven cleaner from one tablespoon of bicarbonate soda mixed with a good cup of hot water. Wipe the whole oven, including the glass door and shelves and the stain will gradually disappear

Glass shower doors quickly look grubby, and limscale can be hard work to get rid of. Try using a squeegee – the sort that motoring shops sell for car windscreens – for a sparkling look in minutes.

Glass shower doors will stay clean longer if you spray them lightly with furniture polish and then shine