This Easter, our thoughts and prayers are with Ukraine.

At Just Helpers we are working to support our Helper Olia, who is from Ukraine, at this very difficult time. I asked Olia how her family would usually be celebrating Easter.

“Easter in Ukraine is a very big celebration, second only to Christmas. In Ukrainian we call Easter ‘Velykden’ which means ‘Great Day’. We celebrate Easter in the Julian Calendar, so it will be the 24th April in Ukraine. As I now live in London, I celebrate Easter twice!

Many of the traditions around Easter in Ukraine as the same as Christian traditions in other parts of the world, but we have some which are particular to our folklore.

Easter Preparations

We start preparing the week before Easter, in Holy Week, which is the week following Palm Sunday. The Thursday of Holy Week is called “Clean Thursday” where we clean the house inside and out. We go to the cemetery to clean the graves of our loved ones, and to plant flowers. We also make painted, decorated eggs called Pysanka.

The Food

We prepare the special food which we will eat at Easter. Food is a very important part of our celebrations. We bake a sweet bread called “Paska” which is similar to panattone. This is part of our Easter basket, along with eggs, butter cheese and salt The contents of the Easter basket is different depending on the traditions of the village where you live.

Food is particularly important at Easter in Ukraine because traditionally people fast during Lent. Nowadays, for many people that might mean giving up meat, but in the past they would also have avoided eating eggs and cheese as well.

On Good Friday, many people will fast all day. They will go to church, read the Bible and pray.

On Saturday, everyone takes their Easter basket to the church to be blessed, but we can’t start eating it until Sunday!

On Easter Sunday, the whole family go to Mass together. We greet each other with “Christ is Risen!” and we will use this greeting when we meet friends and family for a month after Easter.

After church we have a big family feast and we are finally able to enjoy the treats in our Easter basket.

Spring Games

Children will get together in the church yard to play Spring games, such as Hide and Seek. They have “egg battles”, knocking their painted eggs together until they break. The last egg to break is the winner!

The Monday after Easter is a day for remembering family and friends who have died, with a special service in church. This day is also known as “Wet Monday” when children pour water over each other and themselves . In the cities, there are organised events so that children can have fun with water games, and the adults can stay dry!

Easter in London

I have lived in London since August 2020, and I follow many of these traditions with my family here. We make an Easter basket, and take it to be blessed in church. The children have egg battles and throw water around on Wet Monday – fortunately many of our neighbours are Ukrainian so they understand!

My family in Ukraine

This Easter of course I will be thinking of my family back home. My family are safe for now, but the war is getting closer. They live in Western Ukraine, not far from the border with Poland. Recently an empty factory just 7 kilometres was hit by a missile.

We feel very helpless so far away, but we need to stay strong, and provide support in whatever way we can.

We are very grateful for the help being offered by the British people, and we are praying that the war will end soon, and Ukraine will be able to rebuild.”

Olia’s charity of choice is UNICEF.

During this lockdown period I’ve been working on a really exciting project with Sussex Innovation Centre to look at the future direction of Just Helpers.  In particular I’ve been looking at our commercial cleaning service.

Exciting Opportunity

At a Female Founders Event in February, I talked with a member of the Innovation Centre team about Just Helpers. It was so exciting to reflect on where we have come from, with someone who was seeing the business for the first time – a “fresh pair of eyes.”

Following this event, Sussex Innovation Centre gave us 12 free hours of business coaching, as part of a project funded by the European Union.

This comes at a great time for Just Helpers. Over the last few months we have been  thinking about who our clients are, what we can do better, and how we can connect with more commercial clients in particular. We already provide a great service to a number of commercial clients, and our Helpers have been asking for more of this type of work.

I spent some time with Simon Chuter from the Innovation Centre where he helped me to really focus on what we offer to our commercial clients and what makes it special.

Our Commercial Cleaning Service

At Just Helpers we  really care about our service.  That means:

• Attention to detail and being responsive
• Supporting our Helpers so they stay with us – our high retention is rare in the cleaning industry
• Being an integral part of your team
• Contribute to a company’s CSR as with every hour of cleaning purchased, we donate to a B1G1 project
• Every Helper is paid the London Living Wage as a minimum
• Taking care of your cleaning so you don’t have to!

Reaching New Clients

Simon is going to be developing a marketing plan for Just Helpers to help us to reach more of the commercial clients we want to work with. I am so grateful for the European Union Funding which has made this possible.

We are looking forward to working with some new commercial clients in the future. So if you are:

• A business of 5-30 members of staff
• Looking for 6-10 hours of cleaning a week
• Located in Farringdon, Blackfriars, Holborn, Euston, London Bridge, Oxford St, Soho, Tottenham Court Rd, Islington, Victoria

please get in touch.

Of course we will still be providing our great service to our domestic clients too!

My Vision

Like many small to medium-sized business owners, I am often juggling many different aspects of the business – I often feel like a “jack of all trades”!   So it’s great to have real experts on board and supporting Just Helpers.

In addition, I will also be working with Anne-Fay Townsend looking at my role as a female founder, and my hopes and dreams for the future of the business – and they are big!

Involving the Team 

We’ll be holding a remote team training day for our managers in the coming weeks to look at how these developments can be rolled out across the business.  At the end of that day we will be having a whole team Zoom AGM involving the Helpers, to get their feedback and ideas.

Over the coming weeks I will be sharing regular updates with you.  Watch our for my Tuesday Thoughts, live on our Facebook page every Tuesday at around 6.15pm.

#EC1 #EC2 #EC3 #EC4 #E1 #WC1 #WC2 #SE1 #W1 #N1 #SW1

“Just Doing the Right Thing” is at the heart of what Just Helpers is all about.

So when I was recognised as Employer of the Year in London, in the Venus Awards, I couldn’t have been more thrilled.

What are the Venus Awards?

The Venus Awards have been called “The working women’s Oscars”. They recognise the achievements of hard-working women, and female-friendly businesses, across the country. I was lucky enough to be nominated for the award by a Just Helpers customer. From 45 nominations, I made it down to the shortlist of 4. Then, at a glamour-filled ceremony at the Waldorf Hotel in London, I was announced as the winner! For me, the award is a recognition of the achievements of the whole team at Just Helpers.

Values

I founded Just Helpers out of a passion for justice, fair pay and decent working conditions. Inspired by my charity work with an anti human-trafficking organisation, I placed these values at the heart of the business.

In our cities, vulnerable migrant workers, and particularly women, are often exploited by unscrupulous employers with poor pay and working conditions.  I saw this injustice first hand, and so I decided to begin my own business to provide an alternative – providing domestic and commercial cleaning services.

The Just Helpers Approach

Being an ethical, professional business which nurtures and supports women is central to the Just Helpers Approach.

• Paying the London Living Wage – a good day’s work for a good day’s pay
• Developing People – mentoring our Helpers to improve their confidence and communication
• Professionalism –through our process of vetting, hands on interview and shared standards, we ensure your Helper is right for you
• Pride – Our Helper of the Month Award, nominated by our clients, rewards a job well done
• Recognising Potential – where we can, we grow our Helpers into Managers

Campaigning

Campaigning is a big part of who I am. The award has been a great opportunity to encourage people to follow the Just Helper’s approach. In my acceptance speech I said: “Please make sure you know how much you pay your cleaner and if you are going to use an agency, make sure they are ethical. A good day’s work for a good day’s pay – everyone deserves that.

A good day’s work for a good day’s pay – everyone deserves that.

Just Helpers is affiliated to the Living Wage Foundation. This organisation campaigns for workers to be paid fair wages which reflects actual living costs in the capital, and across the nation.

Expertise

In further recognition of what we have achieved at Just Helpers, I am excited to have been asked to be a Champion for the London Mayor’s “Good Work Standard”. This initiative aims to bring together the best employment practices in London. It will work to raise standards for workers across the city, through educating employers and informing government policy. I’m looking forward to sharing my expertise and working alongside them to ensure a robust and fair policy for all sizes of businesses.

The Future

The Venus Award has been a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and to reflect on all that we have achieved so far at Just Helpers. The positive validation from someone outside the agency has encouraged us to punch bigger and higher. Our greater passion has now become to end exploitation within the UK cleaning agency. Watch this space!

Over the coming months, Just Helpers will continue to grow, with a new Just Helpers App, an exciting new rebrand and new services such as Lifestyle Support for people in retirement.

Merry Christmas from Just Helpers!

As an office team, we want to take this opportunity to say thank you for trusting us to find great cleaning colleagues who match your home and office spaces over this past year. This year has been a big year of growth for us, which has been exciting and has kept us all very busy. We are excited about the creation of our new App which will be launched in the first quarter of next year. This will help to ease communication, allow you and your Helper to keep up with your cleaning schedules, give you an easy platform to make comments and allow you to connect with the team more readily.

It was thrilling to have our 3 babies in the manager’s team and the arrival of baby Matthew to Monika in September has been wonderful – more on that in January!

Empowering Women

Being nominated by one of you for a Venus award this year was also very humbling, and much more making it through to the final 4 and a ‘juoozy’ awards evening at the Waldorf with the team on the 3rd as an Employer of the year has been an interesting journey. We look forward to announcing the results.

Spreading Christmas Cheer

Many of you ask me about potential gifts for your Helper. For all of the team, the very best thing for them is a monetary tip as they are often trying to support family still located in their countries of origin. I will leave this between you and your cleaner, but please do be mindful of your last cleaning day before Christmas with your regular Helper. I would suggest just leaving a card etc, in a prominent place where she is likely to find it. Last year I can honestly say that most of my team were moved to tears because of your generosity. Thank you in advance.

Our Christmas Charity Appeal

We are supporting two charities this year:

The first is Bulgarian charity spearheaded by Olga one of our cleaning colleagues. She and a group of friends organise a busload of items to be delivered to a charity that cares for Children in the care system in Bulgaria. There is a desperate need for items of clothing, toiletries, stationery and toys. As many of our team are Bulgarian, we want to get behind this in two ways:

Our team will rally together to donate various second-hand items from their family. Secondly, any money raised by the team for both this and our UK charity below will be matched by the agency. We will divide the money and have a day as a team in the spring where we create as many gift-boxes as we can to send with the next bus that Olga and her friends will organise. We would LOVE it if you could consider donating some money towards this.

The second is Children with Cancer UK. This was the charity that is close to our manager Yana Yaneva’s heart and won the team’s vote too. Already as a team, we have raised over £600. This will be matched pound for pound by the agency. Could you join us in donating to this charity too? Find out more at https://www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk

Christmas Festivities near you

We currently clean for 9 great churches and their clergy around London. I know that they will be busily planning their Christmas services now. If the thought of Carols by Candlelight, Alfrescosinging, festive wreath making, midnight mass, an evening of carols at your local jazz bar, Children’s Nativity service, a Christmas market or the chance to find out what Christmas is really all about beyond the trees, carols, Santa and gifts piques your interest, why not drop into one of their services or a church more local to you. See below for details of our connections:

Streatham Central Church
Dundonald Church Wimbledon
Hornsey Parish Church
St Michael’s Battersea
St Thomas More Swiss Cottage
St Peter’s Bethnal Green
St Andrew’s Chelsea
The Bridge Battersea Community Church
St Mary Abbots Parish Church Kensington

Christmas and New Year often provide a time and space for us to reboot, rethink and in some cases change direction. I pray for safety and well-being for each and every one of you as you pause, reflect, spend time with family and friends and enter into a new year.

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas!
Warmest wishes,
Antoinette, Lydia, Monika, Vivian, Vanya, Yana, Yana, and the Just Helpers Team

Just Helpers Journey – The Reason

I started the company in 2013 when I landed an amazing part-time job working for an anti-human trafficking organisation.

Having loved being a secondary school teacher for 12 years, the cut in salary to pursue something that I am so passionate about was tricky. I have always loved cleaning for friends and family and took pride in seeing peoples faces after my efforts. Coming home after a long day of work and knowing that your home space is serene, organised and clean is a joy to behold. Ensuring that “wow” and “ahhhh” feeling when clients get home still gives me the same satisfaction today. This motivation was key in inspiring and brainstorming business ideas to help support my charity work. So through my love of cleaning and hard work a business was born.

Small Beginnings

Consequently, through friends at church, I was connected to my first amazing client (Eve, how apt!) and the cleaning agency has rapidly grown from there.  My passion for justice, fair pay and working conditions was at the core of the business from the very beginning. As I received more and more referrals the business grew and gradually evolved through word of mouth recommendations. From a one-woman business to appointing my first colleagues Barbara and Yana Yaneva along the way, to what you see today – Just Helpers.

It was clear by 2015 that my role should evolve more strategically and I should continue to combine my two passions:

Cleaning and Empowering Women

Unfortunately, through my anti-trafficking work, I saw first hand the exploitation that happens in all communities even those right on our doorsteps. In our UK neighbourhoods, vulnerable people are taken advantage of and not given the opportunities, rights and kindnesses that every person should be afforded. I knew early on that If I could provide an alternative career, where women were nurtured and encouraged to build their own businesses: then my vision would help many individuals in their own journeys.

Fair pay and good working conditions are rare in the cleaning industry

I decided that this ethic should underpin everything that we do. So “Just doing the right thing’ became our motto. Just Helpers from its very inception have been proud affiliates of the London Living Wage Foundation. An organisation campaigning tirelessly to ensure fair pay is awarded to workers and help highlight the poverty crisis in the UK (please find out more here). Just Helpers supports your cleaner by ensuring they receive an equitable wage from their clients but my conscience pushed that we go way beyond that. Just Helpers is my family and I instil pride and enthusiasm in all of my teammates from the very start. With a team of great in-house, ‘home-grown’ managers, we mentor your Helper to improve their confidence and assist them in their communication with their clients.  Where we see Helpers with the potential for growth beyond cleaning, we promote them to be a manager at the earliest opportunity.

Ethics are central to our company operations and we employ this internally within our office team and in our interactions with you and your cleaner.

We have grown to be a management agency providing London cleaning services for both domestic and commercial clients. We act on behalf of professional, affordable and conscientious cleaners (we prefer the term ‘Helpers’), who will love your home like their own. Our experience in the industry enables us to help you and your Helper develop a strong, solid relationship.

All of our Helpers providing cleaning services in London are vetted and put through three hands-on cleaning interviews to make sure that they are the right Helper for you.  We want to know that they subscribe to a shared standard that they have agreed upon as a collective over time. This is ever-changing, especially as new Helpers join the ranks and share their expertise. We have learnt how to spot a great ‘Helper’ through our robust interview process and are regularly approached by women wanting to join Just Helpers as our honest, fair and empowering reputation spreads across communities both here and abroad. I am so proud and delighted to advocate and administrate for such a committed team of colleagues.

So that is the Just Helpers Journey so far. What’s next?

The Future

Being a South Londoner, London has always been my home but since childhood, I have had a love of the sea. In my younger years as a teacher, I taught both in the UK and in Africa and have been fortunate enough to travel broadly.  Even with experiencing many countries, I love nothing more than coming home. This summer I took the first step in making my longer-term dream come true. I moved to live by the sea. Just Helpers now has a team of Operations Managers and over 40 Helpers providing high quality, reliable and efficient cleaning. My aim is to eventually own my own home by the sea and help raise teenagers through fostering.

This is my 5-year plan

Professionally, Just Helpers must continue to grow and I have some great people supporting me in navigating the next exciting phase of growth. I have also been privileged to have been invited to contribute to the Mayor of London’s ‘Good Work Standard’ initiative as a Champion.  The aim of this initiative is to promote equitable and nurturing working standards in London businesses. This exciting committee should help to educate and inform other businesses and government policy in this sector. Ensuring working conditions improve for all is the focus for the future.

I am also extremely excited to have been nominated for the Venus Women’s Awards (by one of our clients) in the category of ‘Employer of the Year – London’. This team effort is a great recognition of how far we have come. We are thrilled to have just found out we are Finalists. The whole management team will attend a lovely event in December to find out if we win. Regardless of the outcome I am so proud of everyone and cannot wait to celebrate!

Who knows what the future holds after that, Homecare and Life Administration is another string to our bow coming soon to London’s postcodes. A new system and App to streamline our communication between Helpers, Clients and the office team,  Just Helpers in another part of the UK…Watch this space!

For now though lets ‘Just’ take one step at a time!  And thank-you to all of those who have journeyed with us along the way.

Is your bedroom a place for relaxation and rejuvenating sleep?

In order for your brain to ‘switch off’ this room should be clutter-free and look and smell fresh and clean. Here is a helpful insight into how your Helper ensures that this is our priority in your home, enabling you to spring out of bed ready to rock with whatever your day has in store.

Having the correct toolkit for any job is essential for getting great results. Here is a list of the key ingredients to making your boudoir beautiful. Next, of course, is the method in which the magic happens. Follow this simple, yet highly effective order and I know you will be impressed with the outcome:

Order

1. First strip the bed linen and place it in the washing machine. If you are anything like me, the idea of getting two jobs done in one time slot is intensely satisfying.
2. Vacuum any rugs thoroughly and remove them to the landing outside the bedroom.
3. Make the bed with clean linen (It’s really important to do this now so that lint and fluff doesn’t land on your newly dusted surfaces)
4. Dust all available surfaces going from high to low. Don’t forget your window ledges, blinds and radiators.
5. Use this opportunity to declutter your room and arrange high traffic areas such as dressing tables and bedside cabinets so that things are relevant and easily accessible. This is the time to let your artistic flair shine!
6. Vacuum the floor. If you are a shredder and don’t have a fabulous Miele Hoover with it’s special hair grabbing head, then try using the brush function to loosen any hairs from the carpet.
7. I would suggest, that once a month if you store your life under the bed, pull it out and make sure the vacuum gets into all those nooks and crannies. Once a quarter pull your bed away from the wall and make sure you get to these areas too. Grossly, it’s renowned for dead skin cells, hairs, runaway tissues and all the other clutter you have dropped down the side during your nightly Netflix binge.
8. It’s likely that you have ruffled the bed. Make sure that one of your last actions is to give it that hotel feel. Pull the edges of the duvet out and smooth the duvet down from the middle to the edges using the flat palm of your hands.
9. If you have special items such as silver, gold or brass trinkets, take them out to the hallway and treat them using specialist cleaning solutions. Watch this space for our future blog on ‘The Lost Art of Polishing including Silverware’.
10. Return any rugs.

Stand back and admire our handiwork, smug in the knowledge that you can look forward to a good night’s sleep in crisp fresh linen and a newly adjusted Feng Shui bedroom.

Rock a bye baby….

It’s worth noting that we would recommend minimal use of sprays and products in your baby’s bedroom. Dry dusting with microfibre cloths should be sufficient along with a good vacuum. At worst, an anti-bacterial spray could be used, though there is a school of thought that recommends no products so that your baby can build resilience to germs. I’ll leave that battle with you!  Don’t forget to do a regular dust between the struts of your baby’s cot too.

Sweet dreams, Antoinette.

I have to make a confession straight off the bat, as all who know me well, will know that the last time my iron was sighted was circa 1903!

Don’t get me wrong, I love a well-ironed piece of clothing or better still bedsheet, but running my own business has meant that time for such luxuries has gone out of the wind.

We asked the expert opinion of two of the best ironers from the Helpers, and here’s what they had to say about some time-saving features that help to get you that perfectly smooth finish:

A comfy handle – In order to ensure that you don’t feel too much discomfort as you embark on your Sunday evening ironing marathon, check that your handle is suitable for you. It helps to have a soft or smooth handle, and one where the grip is not too wide enabling you to hold it comfortably for long periods of time.

Steam Generator v Steam Iron – You are probably wondering what the difference is between the two! A steam iron is markedly smaller and cheaper, so it’s the better choice if you’ll be ironing small amounts of clothing, or don’t have storage space for a larger steam generator iron – the best steam irons put out an impressive amount of steam, so can be as effective as their counterpart. If you can pay the premium (normally well over £100) and want the largest steam output, and would also rather spend less time refilling your iron – then the bulky water tanks of a steam generator iron (as recommended by our Helpers) are a far better fit. The best steam generators produce significantly more steam, meaning that you whizz through those stubborn wrinkles in no time. So if budget and space aren’t a concern, then a steam generator is for you.

Self-cleaning  – As we have already addressed the issue of limescale in another blog, a self-cleaning iron, especially in London with the pesky hard water might be a serious consideration for you. The amount of steam your iron produces can be severely impaired by the build-up of limescale over time. Most irons come with a built-in limescale filter, but some don’t, and these irons will clog up really quickly. This is the case where a little bit more spend on a iron with a limescale filter, might save you a few more pennies in the future.

Spray button  – Is a standard feature on most modern irons but should not be underestimated. The extra water boost is essential in helping steam out stubborn creases.

Luxuries include Auto-shut off – This helps cancel out that panicky feeling when you have left the house that you have accidentally left the iron on. If you like me, are always in a rush, then this could be the mind-saving feature for you. If your iron is not moved for a while, then it is programmed to automatically shut off. A useful feature, guaranteeing peace of mind.

The Lamborghini of the irons 🙂

Vivian and Vanya from the South West have said that the Philips Perfect Care Elite Steam Generator Iron is the “Lamborghini of irons”. They love it because:

“It is our favourite iron because it is so light that you can iron for hours without feeling any pain in your hand. It has a large 1.8l tank and works at optimal temperature! We look forward to ironing when we find this in one of our client’s homes”

Maria who works in West London loves the Philips 7400 Series Pressurised Steam Generator

“This iron is efficient, lightweight and ergonomically designed. Excessive steam gives you the ability to iron with excellent results without much effort. An ironing table that has a stable stand and a solid heat-resistant coating is very important. Both are an excellent choice for any quality household”.

Happy ironing!
Antoinette

Our recommended irons and other options can be purchased from  John Lewis and Argos

We all have a responsibility to protect our environment and at Just Helpers we are aware of the impact that cleaning products can have on the planet.

We strive to just do the right thing in all areas of our agency; from paying the London Living Wage to our Helpers, to providing some reviews on products that are kinder to our planet. We aim to make a difference and help you make the choice that is right for your home.

6 reasons why I love Ecover products.

1. In my opinion it has a gentler less obtrusive smell – and it leaves a fresh and subtle perfume. My mum was the first person to introduce me to Ecover, and the smell takes me back to fond memories of her.
2. I love its extensive range. From dishwasher tablets, toilet cleaner, hand wash, laundry detergent, floor cleaner to multipurpose sprays.  Ecover cover everything you could need.
3. They were the first person to champion green, plant based cleaning products: In 1993, UNEP awarded Ecover for “outstanding achievements in the protection and improvement of the environment”.  ^]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecover
4. Refill centres can be found in many areas, usually in health food shops. This reinforces their authenticity in terms of decreasing harmful packing in the environment. You simply take your current container and refill it or bulk order from Ecover to refill at home. I felt a great sense of achievement being able to do this when I lived in Finsbury Park
5. Their packaging for dishwasher tablets for example, is made from 95 per cent recycled cardboard, and even the plastic wrappers, which are necessary to protect the tablets from moisture, are completely biodegradable.
6. Finally the last thing I love is that Ecover is certified a cruelty-free company. That means that caring philosophy is integral to all areas of their company. Be that humans involved in every level of their business, animals and plants.

The Decision

So, my question to you is this: Are you ready to ditch the bleach for a more environmentally friendly option such as Ecover? Our Colleagues and their clients are divided!  A few clients comment that greener products are not as effective at removing tough stains or stubborn limescale. Whereas other clients swear by  Ecover’s limescale remover.

So the vote is out

Might I suggest that next time you need to stock up on your products why not try Ecover or a similar brand. Please let us know your views at @JustHelpers1 on Twitter or on our Facebook page Just Helpers. We would love to hear from you.

One thing that is undeniable is that humans are having a significant effect on our planet. If we can move to more environmentally friendly products then our marine, animal and plant life would all say thank you.
Antoinette and the Just Helpers Team x

Ecover also give discounts if you sign up to their newsletter or open an account. Click here for more information.
References – http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/house-garden/kitchen-accessories/10-best-natural-cleaning-products-biodegradable-washing-up-liquid-dishwasher-toilet-cleaner-soap-a7833311.html

London is a hard water area. This means limescale creeps in, in various forms, all over our home: our taps, our showerheads, our toilets, our kettles, even our washing machines are not safe.

Here are a few tips to get you on the clean and shiny path to scaly free homes.

TAPS & SHOWERHEADS:

People think that Viakal is the best product to use but our best buy recommendation is Cillit Bang limescale and shine. Second best is Lime Lite – our clients recommend this regularly – but these pricy products will only work if you are using them regularly as a way of slowly preventing the build-up of limescale on your bathroom and kitchen taps and surfaces. If the build-up is already there, then here’s what you need to do:

TACKLING BUILD UP:

Ever heard about the Coke down the toilet trick? Pour a bottle of Coke down the toilet don’t flush and leave overnight. This works for all forms of limescale build-up. Unscrew all the easily detachable bits from your taps and showerheads and soak them overnight, (making sure you don’t unscrew something essential that gives you a reason to call the plumber). For the other parts use cotton wool pads soaked in lemon juice and wrap firmly around the remaining parts. Keep basting the pads with lemon juice ensuring that the pads are fully in contact with the part. If all else fails, we have a frightening trade secret – Harpic toilet cleaner is potent stuff, but if you don a pair of gloves and carefully apply some with a toothbrush, watch with an eagle eye and leave for no longer than 2 minutes before rinsing thoroughly, this should obliterate limescale on your taps.

KETTLES:

Oust. You can’t beat this. If you are trying to save money and the planet then white vinegar works very well. Fill your kettle 3/4 full with equal parts water and white vinegar, boil, remove kettle form the port source, leave for 15-20 minutes, rinse several times and voila! a sparkly new looking kettle.

WASHING MACHINES:

Are you expecting me to say washing machines live longer with Calgon because some time in the nineties you were inadvertently brainwashed by a nice man in overalls on ITV? Well I was, until I did a bit of research! More about this below. Calgon is a water softener and therefore a preventative rather than a descaler. Descalers on the market that work well in Washing Machines are Oust and ecozone balls. White vinegar has been known to work too.

TO SOFTEN OR NOT TO SOFTEN?

Spending money on water softening tablets for specific appliances is not economical. Tests done by Which? UK show that after six years of Calgon use, you may have a limescale free machine, but you would have also spent approximately £295 while at normal use (40 degrees washing) the limescale build-up in a machine would not grind it to a halt for another 2 or 3 years.