The stains are probably grease-based and you’ve not managed to remove all the grease, or you’ve not rinsed well enough and the residue is attracting dirt.

Dab with white spirit on a paper towel (test on a hidden area first) until it’s gone (no need to rinse).

If the mark is still there, mix 1tsp Woolite or the like with 300ml warm water and, working from the outer edge in, blot with paper towel until the stain goes.

Then blot with plain water to rinse. Leave to dry overnight.

The trouble with asking other people to load the dishwasher is that sometimes they’re not fussy about scraping the dishes before stacking (particularly boys). And where do all those lumpy bits end up? In the filter of course.

The other day I had a good delve out and it was amazing how much rice and other scraps had got trapped in there. There’s something very satisfying about having a dishwasher clear-out.

All you need to do is fill the sink with hot soapy water, put the filter parts in there and have a good scrub with either a nailbrush or a washing up brush.

Rinse and replace.

If you have lots of annoying weeds in paving cracks, fell them in one swoop with vinegar diluted 50/50 with hot water.

Put in a small watering can or spray bottle and douse the lot. After a few hours, they’ll shrivel up and die off.

If your PVC windows are no longer the brilliant white they once were, spruce them up with Nilco uPVC Cleaner, a semi-abrasive paste that will remove dirt and stains from PVC doors and windows.

Just apply with a clean cloth over the surface; no need to rinse.

To spruce up white plastic garden tables and chairs, there’s no quicker way than rubbing over with an old cotton cloth dipped in thick bleach.

Once the stains have gone, give everything a good rinse.

You’ll need Lithofin Oil-Ex. This draws out the stain but must be used in warm and dry weather.

You need to apply with a stiff brush and leave 8-14 hours.

If some bricks are discoloured by, say, the overflow from a long-leaking bathroom pipe, first get the leak fixed.

Then to clean the brickwork of stains and algae you’ll need something like HG Green Slime Remover (from good DIY shops), which is perfectly safe near plants or grass but you need to use it in dry weather and when no rain is forecast for the next couple of days (not easy most years!).

Apply with a watering can or broom; no need to rinse. It takes about 36 hours to remove algae but will protect the surface against regrowth for several months.

When cleaning the exterior of a car, it’s hard to beat a good old-fashioned chamois leather.

To make yours last longer, after each use handwash in a warm soapflake solution (rinse well in warm water to which you’ve added a teaspoon of cooking oil to keep it soft), squeeze hard and hang to dry away from direct heat.

When almost dry, scrunch up and store in a sealed jar to keep soft.

How annoying is it when you’re wearing some gorgeous pale-coloured satiny kitten heels at a wedding and the walk to reception involves trailing through wet grass?

Don’t despair and chuck them in the bin…

Instead mix up a strongish solution of biological washing detergent in fairly hot water and steep the heels in this for a couple of hours. Then take an old soft toothbrush and gently work away at the stains.

Rinse, pat dry with a clean towel and leave to dry.