Have the first rays of sunshine given you the urge to sweep and polish? Frances Quinn dusts off some traditional cleaning tips and suggests modern options, too.
1 Make windows sparkle: there's no doubt that the brighter sunlight at this time of year highlights grimy windows, and it seems granny really did know best when it comes to getting them squeaky clean. If you can, choose an overcast day as direct sunlight dries glass too quickly, leaving smears. Apply a weak solution of white vinegar and water with a lint-free cloth, then finish by polishing with crumpled newspaper to bring out the shine. If you live on a busy road, exterior windows can become especially dirty, but a weak solution of ordinary washing up liquid and hot water, wiped off with a squeegee, will cut through the grime and leave your windows sparkling clean.
2 Descale the kettle: if you live in an area with hard water, the build-up of limescale can be a problem, and the tough residues difficult to remove. To get rid of limescale build-up in your kettle, pour in two to three tablespoons of lemon juice and add cold water to cover the affected area. Leave for at least half an hour, then rinse well. Alternatively, drop a Quickshine Descaler Bag into a kettle of hot water and leave for 25 minutes.
3 Plant power: use Ecover Squirt Eco. With a fresh perfume from plant-based ingredients, this all-purpose cleaner can be used on surfaces all around the home, including glass and chrome. It's biodegradable and comes in an eco-friendly trigger spray.
4 Make metals gleam: mix one part lemon juice to three parts salt to shine brass and copper. Or use Brasso Metal Polish Wadding, from a brand that is more than 100 years old.
5 Freshen the fridge: wipe the inside surfaces with a solution of one tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in a litre of warm water. You can leave an open container of bicarb in the fridge to prevent unpleasant smells from returning.
6 Go for the glow: stainless steel in the kitchen can become dull in time, losing its reflective sheen. To get splashbacks looking like new, use kitchen paper to wipe baby oil sparingly over clean and dry stainless steel surfaces. It will buff up to a soft gleam. Cif Stainless Steel Spray is great for removing watermarks and limescale from stainless steel sinks, too.
7 Don't forget the oven: make a thick paste from bicarbonate of soda, salt and hot water, and spread over the surfaces of the oven to shift stains and burnt-on bits. Rinse off with hot water. Astonish Oven & Cookware Cleaner is a paste you can use in the same way.
8 Smarten up your bathroom: clean discoloured grouting by applying ordinary household bleach with an old toothbrush. Simply leave for a few minutes, then rinse off.
9 Polish that wood: bring out its natural beauty with a DIY polish – olive oil mixed with a little vinegar (but don't waste extra virgin oil as the wood can't taste it!). Or use Aristowax Wood Silk, a product made with beeswax and nourishing oils to highlight the colour and grain of wood, and help to replace natural oils lost through central heating.
10 Use clear-conscience cloths: Mabu Cloths give great results with minimal environmental impact. Made from natural wood pulp, these all-purpose machine-washable cleaning cloths are soft, strong and more absorbent than cotton, with a layered weave that holds on to dirt until rinsed away. A portion of the profits go to reforestation projects. Or try Verdante 100% Organic Cotton Dish Cloths, made from organic cotton, which are biodegradable at the end of their life. And E-cloths Cleaning System microfibre cloths naturally attract and hold dirt, so you don't need to use cream or liquid cleaners – just dampen with water. There's a glass-cleaning version, too.