1. Remove chewing gum from carpeting by using ice cubes to help. Freeze up the gum with the ice; it will turn very hard, and you can pick the gum out of the carpet fibers much more easily

2. Clean your gold jewelry on the cheap. The following applies to gold alone or with all stones but for opals, pearls, turquoise, mother-of-pearl, or any other delicate stone. Take out a coffee mug. Put one single drop of dishwashing liquid (for dishes by hand, not the dishwasher type) in the bottom and fill with LUKEWARM water. Carefully place the ring, bracelet or necklace you wish to clean on the bottom. Leave overnight. In the morning you will find a lot of dirt specks floating on top. Rinse jewelry gently with warm (never hot) water and dry thoroughly. Warning: Again, NOT for use with opals (which absorb water and are sensitive to extreme heat and cold) or turquoise or pearls, or any other stone which might absorb the water or be damaged by it or the chemicals in the dishwashing liquid

3. Glass shower doors will stay clean longer if you spray them lightly with furniture polish and then shine

4. To stop the bottom of your shower curtain from becoming discoloured or mouldy, coat it with baby oil

5. to descale your kettle, pour some malt vinegar and water (50/50) over the element of your kettle, and boil the kettle

6. It's a pre-recycling one. When you've finished squeezing your lemon, don't chuck it in the bin or compost. Cut it open and rub it over your hair - it will give you natural highlights in the sun! Of course if you favour dark hair - stay well clear! Oh and of course - then chuck it in the compost bin :)

7. To clean beneath your fridge, tie a sock to a stick or the end of a broom handle

8. Glass shower doors quickly look grubby, and limscale can be hard work to get rid of. Try using a squeegee – the sort that motoring shops sell for car windscreens – for a sparkling look in minutes.

9. Wipe large items like freezers and washing machines with car wax to make them shine and to remove small scratches.

10. To descale a clogged shower or clean up hard water stains on tiles, clean with one part water mixed with one part vinegar