“White wine cancels out red wine”
It can lift the stain, but it leaves a wine smell you then have to clean up. Washing-up liquid does the job without the pong.
Beat Wine Wendy properly →Myth busting
Every cleaning hack your nan, your mate or the internet swore by. Here’s which ones actually work.
“A window squeegee works on carpet”
Drag it across short-pile carpet and watch the fluff pile up.
Beat Fluffy McShed properly →“Bleach kills mould on anything”
On some surfaces it just bleaches the colour. And never mix it with other cleaners.
Beat Drippy Dave properly →“Blast it with a hairdryer”
Works, but you’ll be wearing the dust. Shut the door, hoover after.
Beat The Dust Bunnies properly →“Toothpaste gets crayon off walls”
It can, but often leaves a shiny patch that’s worse than the dinosaur.
Beat Crayon Kev properly →“Wire wool works on any pan”
On non-stick it scratches the coating off for good. Soft sponges only.
Beat Charred Charlie properly →“Vinegar and bicarb make a super cleaner”
Mixed together they cancel each other out, leaving fizzy salty water. Use them apart: bicarb paste for grease, vinegar for limescale.
Beat Greasy Gus properly →“Limescale in your tea is bad for you”
It’s calcium and magnesium from hard water. Unappealing, not dangerous.
Beat Captain Crusty properly →“Bicarb and vinegar unclog drains”
Great fizz, little proof it shifts a real blockage. Plunge first.
Beat Glug properly →“A box of bicarb absorbs all fridge smells”
In a test of an open box, sniffers couldn’t agree it made any difference. Bicarb works when you clean with it, not when it just sits there.
Beat Sir Pongsworth properly →“Lemon juice works as well as vinegar”
Citric acid dissolves limescale too, and it smells nicer.
Beat Scaly Sid properly →“Bleach gets mould out of sealant”
It can lighten surface spots, but mould grown into the silicone means it’s time to reseal.
Beat Mouldy Mo properly →“Bleach whitens grout for good”
It can lighten it, but the grime comes back. Keeping it dry is what lasts.
Beat The Grout Gang properly →“Cola cleans toilets”
It’s only mildly acidic, and the sugar can leave a sticky film behind. A limescale gel does the job far better.
Beat The Ringleader properly →“Shaving foam stops mirrors steaming up”
Wipe on, buff off. The thin soapy layer stops fog forming.
Beat Foggy Fran properly →“A hot wash fixes any yellow stain”
Warm helps, but very hot can set some stains. Pre-soak first.
Beat Yellow Yolanda properly →“Hairspray gets biro out”
Modern hairsprays contain stiffeners that can make ink stains worse. Rubbing alcohol works better and costs less.
Beat Inky Ian properly →“Flip your mattress every month”
Only if it’s two-sided. One-sided mattresses shouldn’t be flipped: turn them head-to-foot every three months instead.
Beat Musty Morris properly →“Feather dusters remove dust”
They mostly push dust around (and shed feathers). Damp microfibre actually picks it up.
Beat Dusty Doreen properly →“Dryer sheets fix a smelly wardrobe”
They cover the smell. They don’t fix the damp.
Beat Whiffy Wilf properly →“You can spray cleaner straight on switches”
Liquid and electrics don’t mix. Cloth first, then switch.
Beat Smudge properly →“Magic sponges are safe on any paint”
They’re basically super-fine sandpaper. Rubbing matt paint can polish it into a shiny patch, especially on dark colours.
Beat Scuffle properly →“Freezing shoes kills the smell”
Cold pauses the bacteria but doesn’t kill them, so the smell comes back once your feet warm them up. Drying out works better.
Beat Stinky Stan properly →“Clean mud while it’s still wet”
Wet mud spreads deeper into the carpet. Patience wins.
Beat Muddy Mel properly →“Peanut butter gets gum out”
The oil does loosen gum. Then you’ve got a peanut butter stain.
Beat Gummy Gary properly →