by Zanita Careem
Whiten porcelain

To give new life to a porcelain bath that has yellowed, brighten it by rubbing with a solution of salt and turpentine.

Bath bleaching

For removing any stubborn stains from a porcelain enamel bath, apply a paste of cream of tartar and diluted hydrogen peroxide with a couple of drops of ammonia added. Leave this mixture to sit on the bath for two hours, then wash off.

Great grout

To freshen white grout, cover it with white liquid shoe polish. Any polish that gets on the tiles can be wiped away later.

Sparking showers

Apply silicone glaze car polish every few months to your glass shower recess. Make sure the last person in the shower each morning gives it a quick wipe-over with a window-cleaning squeegee, and it will stay sparkling clean.

De-fog mirrors

A rub with a cloth dipped in glycerine or equal parts glycerine and methylated spirits will help stop a bathroom mirror fogging.

Bathroom blotter

Line the shelves of your medicine cabinet with blotting paper to absorb medicinal and cosmetic spills.

Nylon scrubber

A pad of nylon net can be abrasive enough to clean off bathtub rings.

Loo with lustre

To get rid of lavatory rings, flush to wet the bowl sides, then apply a paste of borax and lemon juice. Leave for two hours, then scrub.

Shower curtains

Plastic shower curtains will stay soft and pliable after washing if you add a few drops of mineral oil to the rinse water. Wash nylon shower curtains by hand and drip dry.

Slimy sponges

Loofahs and natural sponges can become slimy with soap residue unless they are cleaned regularly. Rinse well under cold tap, then soak for an hour in two tablespoons of vinegar per litre of water.

Stained tiles

For extensive stains on tiles, make a paste of bicarbonate of soda and bleach. Scrub, then rinse tiles thoroughly.

Plastic showers

Moulded fibre shower recesses should not be cleaned with abrasive substances. Instead, use a mixture of equal parts of brown vinegar and kerosene.

Soak your head

Plastic shower heads should be soaked in equal amounts of hot vinegar and water. Do not boil.

Removing mildew

Use a paste of bicarbonate of soda or a mild solution of bleach and water to remove mildew from shower curtains. Rinse.