The WPJ blog

Don’t wait until spring comes around to have a good tidy up. This autumn, follow these top tips and you’ll have the squeakiest, cleanest home in town.

Declutter

Forget about being sentimental – you’ve got the memories so try to let old cinema tickets and broken trinkets go.

Be ruthless with your clothes. If you haven’t worn it in the past year, it’s unlikely you’ll wear it this year, so put it on eBay or donate it to your local charity shop.

The same principle should apply to your kids’ toys too – if Woody and Buzz have not made it off the shelf recently, it’s time for them to find a new home.

Remove grime and limescale

Vinegar, lemon and baking powder can work wonders. Try using vinegar and paper towels to get rid of buildups on your taps, lemon juice and water to wipe down the inside of your microwave and clear your drains with baking powder.

Get rid of carpet and furniture stains

Common isopropyl alcohol (70%) is sufficient for most stain removal jobs but you could use a stronger denatured alcohol (90%) for tougher stains – just don’t use one that has added colour or fragrance.

It’s also a good idea to do a spot test beforehand as alcohol can damage some fabrics, such as acetate and acrylic, and can remove some dyes.

Eradicate odours

Run out of Febreeze? Again, a sprinkle of baking powder in the bottom of ashtrays and across the carpet can help reduce odours.

If your washing machine is starting to smell, bacteria could be accumulating inside the pipes, so try running some bleach or vinegar through a super hot wash to disperse it.

Venture outside

In the autumn, fallen leaves can play havoc with your gutters and drains, causing damage to exterior brickwork and damp inside your home.

Collect leaves and throw them on the compost heap (or offer them to your neighbour if you don’t have one). Any other debris that could potentially block your gutters and drains should be disposed of too.