Cleaning Tips for the Rest of the House

Cane and Wicker

• Vacuum with dusting brush. Wash down occasionally using a solution of 30 ml (1 fl oz) ammonia to 4 litres (8 pt) warm water. Wear rubber gloves and rinse well. Leave to dry outside, avoiding direct sunlight.

Carpets

• On smooth, cut-pile carpets, an upright cleaner with a 'beater bar' that raises dust and dirt gives the best results. For loop-pile (such as Berbers) and deep-pile carpets, a cylinder suction-cleaner is better.
• Vacuum regularly to remove dirt before it becomes ingrained.
• If carpets still look grimy after vacuuming, consider deep cleaning with either a shampooer or spray extraction-cleaner. Both can be hired, or the job can be done professionally - check the Yellow Pages for local contractors.
• Carpets treated with stain repellent, either during manufacture or after laying, are easier to clean.
• Tackle carpet stains immediately. Don't rub wet stains, but blot them with a white cloth. Rinse thoroughly, as deposits of stain remover left behind can attract more dirt.
• Use a stain remover on small spots, or try a washing-up liquid solution - cheaper and often just as effective. Either way, test on a hidden spot first.

Curtains and Blinds

• Clean venetian blinds by wiping slats with a damp cloth or using a special brush designed for blinds.
• Use the vacuum cleaner dusting brush to remove dust from curtains and blinds.

Dusting

• Speed up by putting an old sock on each hand and dusting with both simultaneously.
• Don't forget the tops of doors and pictures, light fittings, mouldings on doors, and skirting boards.
• To reduce the static which encourages dust to collect on TV and computer screens, wipe them with a dampened fabric-softener sheet.
• Remove dust from wallpapered walls by vacuuming lightly with the dusting brush attachment.

Floors - Vinyl

• Sweep or vacuum with hard-floor attachment to remove loose debris, then mop with a solution of dishwasher detergent in warm water. Tackle ground-in grime with a white nylon scourer.
• Remove heel marks from solid floors with a pencil eraser.
• Polish or wax the surface occasionally to help prevent dirt penetrating.

Floors - Wooden

• Make up a solution of 120 ml (4 fl oz) cider vinegar in 4 litres (8 pt) warm water.
• Squeeze out a soft cloth in this solution until just damp, then wipe floor.
• Dry with another cloth to bring up the shine.

Furniture

• Regularly move furniture to vacuum underneath.
• A soft, clean paintbrush is good for winkling dust out of carved or awkward parts of furniture. An old toothbrush gets into really tight corners.

Glass

• Rub over glass with a little lemon juice on a soft cloth, dry, then polish with scrunched newspaper.

Lampshades

• Plain fabric lampshades can be dunked in warm soapy water, rinsed, and dried. Treat with caution any that are trimmed or edged with a different colour, as the colour may run.
• Vacuum fabric and pleated lampshades with the dusting brush. Don't let dirt accumulate, as it may create grubby marks that are hard to remove.