There are plenty of commercial cleaners on the market, but they can be expensive so here’s a cheaper way.

Fill the bath with hot water, add about 2 tablespoons dishwasher (not washing) powder and about half a cup of bleach and run the water jets for 15 minutes. T

hen drain the water and refill with cold water only. Run the whirlpool for another 10 minutes, then drain again.

You should do this about once a month to keep your pipes clear.

You might think an enamel bath would withstand any amount of elbow grease, but you’d be wrong – the shiny surface is actually very delicate and you should clean only with either a microfibre cloth or a product that bears the logo of the Vitreous Enamel Association (Cif, for example, carries the mark).

If you scrub too hard, you’ll remove the surface and thereafter it takes on stains. And re-enamelling a bath is costly.

Try never to get it wet or muddy, and vacuum regularly.

Occasionally lift the matting, if you can, to sweep up the bits of dirt that fall through the holes.

Most types can be cleaned with a dry foam carpet shampoo, but test on a discreet area first. If anything spills on it, mop up immediately using the tiniest amount of carpet shampoo.

Don’t give up on it and chuck it out. Machine-wash on a wool cycle with some towels and rehang in position straight from the machine.

Each time you run your dishwasher, put your washing-up cloth on the top rung

The high temperature will see off any lingering harmful bacteria.

Do your kitchen cupboards reach almost but not quite to the ceiling?

The tops will take on that nasty, hard-to-shift combination of grease and dust.

Save yourself cleaning time by laying down sheets of newspaper and every so often remove and replace with new sheets.

While it’s warm, rub with a nylon scourer and a little non-gel toothpaste. Wipe clean with a damp cloth. And next time you’re ironing a T-shirt with a motif that might stick, turn it inside out.

When cleaning the bathroom, finish off by polishing taps and shining the basin and mirror with towels that you’re about to put in the washing machine.

To freshen up your microwave, chop up a used lemon, put in a bowl of hot water and cook on high for 3-4 minutes.

The steam will loosen the dirt and the lemon will deodorise any lingering smells.

Pour a little warm water into the dip and gently tease up with pile with the tines of a fork.