Question: My husband cleaned our bath with limescale remover and has left white streaks around its inside. It’s an enamel pink bath – what could I use to remove these unsightly marks?
Answer: I’m afraid you don’t have stains – this is damage. The limescale remover has stripped the enamel off the bath, so you’ll either have to have it re-enamelled, which is expensive, or replace the bath. Or you could throw limescale remover over the whole lot to get it all white! The simple answer, sadly, is that there’s no easy fix here.
Question: My ex-flatmate has fleas and they are now in the carpet. Now she has moved out, how can I remove them?
Answer: I’d say that the best option is to get your carpet steam cleaned. The temperature will deal with the fleas, but make sure you get right into the corners. If you have any curtains, steam clean them too, along with the covers of any soft furnishings. Always try the process out on a small corner of each to make sure it won’t do any damage first, though. If you aren’t keen on steam cleaning your curtains, consider getting them dry cleaned, though this will be costly.
Question: I need some advice on how to clean my toilet! The bottom of it is covered in a brown scale which I can’t get rid of. I’ve scrubbed with bleach and all proprietary toilet cleaners but it’s still there. What shall I do?
Answer: This will need a bit of elbow grease, but it’s sure to get your toilet back in shape. Get your rubber gloves on and bail the water out with something like an old yoghurt pot. Then, start scrubbing at the scale with a dampened pumice stone and rub, rub, rub. With enough effort, you’ll get it all off without damaging the surface.
Question: I have a five year old girl and I am worried that if I clean worktops with cleaning products I might make her ill. Would just plain water keep the tops clean and bacteria-free or are there any safe cleaning products I could buy?
Answer: The bottom line is that if she’s fit and healthy now, you’re doing the right thing already. But simply using water won’t keep your worktops bacteria-free. Don’t worry, you don’t need to use industrial cleaner – hot soapy water with a dash of bleach will keep it all safe as houses. But make sure you always use a clean cloth.
