Sometimes no matter how hard you try to keep your hob clean, if the rings or hotplates are past a certain age, they can look a bit rubbish.

A good solution is to ‘dress’ them with stainless steel hotplate covers from Argos.

And when the hotplates are not in use, they’re also protected from further splashes and stains!

Cat wee contains uric acid and it’s the complex salt crystals in the
acid that cause the awful smell.

The crystals are insoluble in bleach and disinfectant and won’t get rid of this smell.

Clean with a biological detergent solution, which contains enzymes that will help break up the proteins in the urine.

Otherwise any pet shop will have branded enzyme-digester products that will work. Note that unless you remove the stain completely, as soon as it gets wet again, the residue will produce more of the ammonia-like odour.

Position it away from any radiators.

Keep the lid closed to stop dust getting in the works. If the keys are ivory, they naturally yellow over time; newer keys will be plastic.

Either way, wipe clean with a just-damp chamois leather.

Remove any dust from inside the casing with a vacuum, or blow out with a hairdryer set at cool.

Finally, the best way to keep a piano in nice condition is to play it!

Turn the jeans inside out before washing, run on a 30 degree cycle and use minimal amounts of detergent.

The white goes everywhere and you can be wiping for ages and ages.

You need to douse the liquid with cooking salt, which will soak up the eggy mess and makes it easy to clean up with a few sheets of kitchen roll.

I love Boots cucumber wipes, and have been using them ever since my early ‘How Clean’ days in the early 2000s, when I had to slather on the make-up.

They’re brilliant value and I make sure I always have a pack on me, especially when travelling. It’s not unusual for me to wipe down the whole table on the train before I get the laptop out or prepare to eat!

And of course they come in very handy if you drop your mascara on the carpet…

Even if your bathroom flooring is made of lino, vinyl or laminate (ie not carpeted), always use a vacuum cleaner.

If it’s left for a few days you know how much dust gathers (where does it all come from?) so stop faffing around with brushes and mops – get the vac on it every time to get the dust up quickly and properly.

If your bathroom gets a little damp in winter and tin containers are leaving rust marks, paint some clear nail varnish over the base and, when dry, put back in position.

Now any rust marks will be sealed in and won’t seep out.

Wipe on some shaving foam or neat washing-up liquid over the mirror, then buff it off (sometimes it can take a while to get rid of the streaks, and it’s a job you need to repeat every fortnight or so).

An easier solution is to throw your towel over the mirror before you run the water…so when you emerge and reach for the towel, the mirror will be lovely and clear of steam.

No matter how filthy your surface or how enthusiastic you’re feeling, never mix your cleaning products – some combinations can release chlorine gas and prove very dangerous.

Even ammonia on its own is pretty lethal – never, ever try smelling it – you will feel as if your head is about to come off.

Having said that, you’re fine with natural ingredients such as vinegar and bicarbonate of soda (indeed, mixed together make a great cleaner for bathroom tiles).