If you live in a Victorian house, autumn can be the point at which all its charming period features start to show their less appealing side. As temperatures start to drop and we begin closing our windows, turning the heat on and drying laundry indoors, condensation and damp can quickly become a bit of an issue.

I live in a Victorian house myself and know all too well the pitfalls of single glazing in autumn/winter, and while I love my house's high ceilings and features, keeping moisture under control is something I have to be far more conscious about starting from now. Older properties can be particularly susceptible to damp problems, especially where there are cold external walls and areas with limited airflow.

The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to prevent damp before the wettest, coldest weather arrives. These are the habits worth getting into right now.

1. Check gutters, downpipes and pointing

Before concentrating on moisture inside your home, take a walk around the outside. Autumn is a particularly important time to check gutters and downpipes as falling leaves and other debris can quickly cause blockages.

'I'd look at the colder areas first. Around windows, in corners, against external walls and behind wardrobes or sofas are all places where you can get a bit of a damp or condensation problem because the air doesn't circulate as well,' explains Tony Reynolds, Managing Director of Supreme Merchants.

And he also recommends looking outside. 'Gutters and downpipes can easily get blocked, and things like damaged roof tiles or cracks in the pointing can let water into an older house. Autumn is a good time to give everything a quick check before the weather gets really wet.'

If damp repeatedly appears in one particular spot, rather than as general condensation around the home, it's especially important to investigate whether water is getting in.

Mary Widdall, Product Category Manager for Laundry at Minky, also recommends checking lofts and roof spaces for signs of leaks and condensation, as well as making sure they have adequate ventilation.

2. Keep the house consistently warm

You don't need to crank up the thermostat, but allowing a period property to become very cold can make condensation harder to manage.

Catrin Parry, Buying Lead for Cleaning and Laundry at Lakeland, recommends keeping your home at a relatively consistent, warm temperature. Cold surfaces are more likely to become places where moisture in the air condenses, which is why external walls and windows can be particular problem areas in Victorian properties.

Once your heating is back on for autumn, aim for consistency rather than allowing rooms to become extremely cold before heating them intensely for short periods.

Mary points out that colder homes often have colder walls and surfaces, making it easier for moisture created by everyday activities (even breathing overnight) to turn into condensation.

This is why bedrooms are another area worth monitoring. Check windows and cold external walls first thing in the morning for persistent condensation rather than focussing on traditionally damp rooms such as kitchens and bathrooms.

3. Keep ventilating even when it's cold

As much as you don't want to open a window when it's cold and wet outside, and you've just paid to heat a room, ventilation becomes really important once we're spending more time indoors.

'Ventilation remains important throughout autumn and winter, even when it feels counterproductive to let cold air inside,' says Laura Bradbury, Head of Ecommerce at Vonhaus. 'Opening windows for a short period each day can help replace warm, moisture-laden air without leaving the property cold for hours.'

There's no need to leave windows wide open all day. Briefly airing rooms, using extractor fans and ensuring existing air bricks, vents and chimney ventilation haven't been blocked can help.

Tony agrees that 'if you keep the house completely shut up, all that moisture has nowhere to go.'

Pay particular attention to rooms you rarely use, too. Mary recommends regularly checking cold, poorly ventilated spaces for early warning signs such as musty smells, persistent condensation, staining and visible mould.

4. Change how you dry laundry indoors

This is a big one as we head into autumn. Once washing can no longer reliably go outside, all of that moisture has to go somewhere.

Avoid placing wet clothes directly over radiators. Instead, Catrin recommends choosing one well-ventilated room for drying laundry and, if you use a heated clothes airer or standard drying rack, pairing it with a dehumidifier.

I use a heated clothes airer alongside a dehumidifier myself, and I find it a really useful combination during this time of year. Rather than allowing all the moisture released by wet washing to linger in the room, the dehumidifier actively removes some of it from the air.

Keep the door to your chosen laundry-drying room closed too, so you're not simply allowing that moisture to travel around the rest of the house.

Mary stresses that using a heated airer doesn't remove the need for ventilation either. The heat might help your clothes dry faster but the water from those clothes is still being released into the surrounding air.

Shop our favourite heated clothes airers

5. Pull furniture away from external walls

Now is also a good time to look behind wardrobes, sofas and other large pieces of furniture, particularly those sitting against external walls.

Laura recommends leaving 'a small gap between furniture and external walls, so air can circulate instead of moisture becoming trapped behind wardrobes and sofas.'

These hidden, poorly ventilated areas can be easy to overlook until you move a piece of furniture and discover a musty smell or patches of mould.

Pay particular attention to external walls, corners, window frames and the inside of cupboards. Laura also suggests keeping a closer eye on cellars, chimney breasts and ground-floor rooms in older properties.

For smaller condensation hotspots, a passive moisture absorber can be useful too. Mary recommends products such as Minky's 200g Damp Guard, £9.99 on Amazon, for targeted areas including bathrooms, bedrooms, utility rooms and around windows. It doesn't require electricity and works silently, with each tablet lasting up to three months depending on conditions.

6. Get on top of moisture from cooking and showering

It isn't just the weather outside that causes problems. A lot of our everyday activities continually add moisture to the air.

Cooking, showering and drying laundry indoors are three of the biggest culprits, so use extractor fans whenever possible and close the door while producing steam.

Catrin points out that these activities don't stop just because the season has changed, which is precisely why ventilation remains so important through autumn and winter.

It's also worth checking your extractor fans now. Tony recommends making sure they're clean and actually working effectively rather than simply assuming they're doing their job.

And if you wake up to condensation covering your windows like me, wipe it away rather than allowing water to sit against the frames and sills throughout the day. Critically, Mary recommends positioning moisture absorbers (I love Minky's moisture absorber, £25 at Argos and use it in my bedroom) in specific problem areas rather than treating them as an alternative to ventilation or a powered dehumidifier where there is a significant moisture problem.

Shop our top-rated dehumidifiers

7. Monitor humidity and use a dehumidifier

Finally, stop guessing how damp your house is. A simple hygrometer can tell you what's actually happening to humidity levels throughout the day and help identify rooms that consistently struggle with excess moisture.

'A cheap hygrometer is actually quite useful because it gives you an idea of how humid your home is, rather than having to guess,' says Tony.

A dehumidifier can also be extremely useful in a Victorian property, particularly in rooms where you regularly experience condensation or when drying washing indoors.

Laura stresses, however, that it should be used 'alongside suitable heating and ventilation rather than as a replacement for them.'

And that's a really important point as a dehumidifier can tackle moisture in the air, but it can't repair a leaking gutter or a plumbing problem. If one patch of damp keeps returning despite all your efforts, look into the cause rather than simply running a dehumidifier.

For smaller problem spots, Catrin also recommends moisture traps or compact dehumidifiers that can be placed in cupboards and wardrobes, while a larger compressor model is better suited to managing moisture across bigger rooms.

Ultimately, preventing damp in a Victorian house is less about one miracle product (frustratingly) and more about controlling where moisture comes from and giving it somewhere to escape to. And crucially, spotting any potential problems, like rising damp, early.

After months of continuously hot weather, it's all too easy to associate certain appliances with keeping cool.

But as someone who's literal job it is to test the best fans around, I'm finding that I still have plenty of use for the fans I have dotted around my home, despite the cooler temperatures we're now experiencing in the UK. I have one in my office, my living room and my bedroom, and I don't think I'll be packing them away any time soon.

This is why I don't think you should either.

1. It helps reduce stuffiness

Temperatures may be a lot more tolerable now than they were a month ago, but that doesn't mean that the air is feeling lovely and crisp.

Still air combined with the rainfall we've been having lately can easily make rooms feel stuffy, so I've been using my fan to circulate the air, removing any staleness and encouraging fresher air in from outside.

When it comes to how fans can help with humidity, they might not be able to actually reduce moisture levels like the best dehumidifiers can, but the movement of air can help reduce how muggy a room feels.

2. It can help you fall asleep all year round

While experts advise not to leave a fan running all night long, I'm a big fan (pardon the pun) of having a fan on while I fall asleep. It's a combination of the feeling of a gentle breeze across the skin, and the almost imperceptible hum it creates, that sends me off into a deep sleep.

And so even though the nights are getting cooler (although I've not yet swapped to my autumn/winter duvet), I'm still using my fan on the lowest setting (and with a timer so it's not running all night), to help me drift off.

3. It can help prevent damp-causing condensation

While you might not think about using a fan during wetter months, it can actually help keep damp and mould at bay.

Having good air circulation can help speed up the evaporation of moisture, and prevent condensation from forming on windows and walls, which if left unchecked could lead to problems with mould and damp. And I definitely don't want those, so I've got used to sticking the fan on for a bit especially after cooking or showering and it seems like a good idea to me!

For more serious issues with excess moisture, a fan won't be enough though and you'd be better off with a dehumidifier. You can always use your fan to help your dehumidifier, boosting its effectiveness in a shorter amount of time. It might also be worth assessing whether a multi-functional appliance is a more worthwhile investment to give you year-round use.

4. It could help boost my heating (when I turn it on)

OK, admittedly I'm a little way off turning my central heating on for the first time this season, but with the energy price cap due to rise again in October, I'm definitely keen on any low-energy options that will boost the benefits of my heating, without costing me a fortune.

While it can seem counter-intuitive to use a fan in the colder months, it can be a great tactic for helping to circulate warm air around your home, using the same logic as radiator fans.

When the time comes to put my heating on, I plan on putting my fan near my radiator, and on the lowest speed setting, to help help evenly and quickly distribute the heat around the room. If the room feels warmer more quickly, I'm less likely to resort to having it on for longer than necessary, keeping my energy bills as low as possible.

FAQs

Do you need to use a fan all year round?

Whether you'll get the benefits of using a fan all year round will depend on your home and how it handles moisture and heat distribution.

If you have no issues with excess moisture and your heating emitters work like a dream, and burping your home gets rid of any stuffiness, then you might not need your fan over the colder months and you can probably quite happily pack it away.

However, even though you won't need it for cooling, if your fan can keep your home feeling fresh and help your dehumidifier work more effectively then it's worth keeping it at the ready. Fortunately, many of the models you can buy today are relatively unobtrusive, quiet, and inexpensive to run.

Although the sun may still be (slightly) shining, there’s no denying that the seasons are changing. The days are getting shorter, mornings are getting colder, and it’s definitely getting damper. And that’s only going to get worse as the weeks go by.

Of course, knowing how to get rid of damp will be key during the autumn and winter months. But certain rooms in the house are naturally more moisture-prone than others, and, unfortunately, many of our bad shower habits are making things worse by creating the perfect breeding ground for mould to develop and spread in the bathroom.

As Emma Mannion, Cleaning Expert and Product Development Scientist at Astonish, explains, ‘The tricky part is that it usually builds slowly, so a lot of people only spot the problem once the black marks have already appeared.’ But if you tackle your bad habits now, you can focus on prevention rather than the cure.

1. Letting moisture sit

Showering flings water everywhere, from the tiles and shower screen to the floor itself. And while it can be easy to run from the bathroom to your bedroom without a second thought as to what you leave behind, people with consistently clean bathrooms never let this moisture sit for too long.

Emma says, ‘The biggest mistake is letting moisture sit after every shower. Water left on screens, tiles and sealant gives mould the damp surface it needs to spread, so a quick squeegee or wipe-down makes more difference than people realise.’

If you want to be extra efficient, removing this moisture is one of the cleaning tasks you can actually do in the shower (with the water off, of course), using a squeegee and a cloth to reach every nook and cranny. Personally, I always use an absorbent, streak-free cloth like these Marigold 2 x Squeaky Clean Microfibre Cloths (£6.78 at Amazon).

2. Scrunching up towels

When it’s damp outside and damp inside the bathroom after showering, scrunching up towels won't help the situation. This is echoed by Samantha Lawson, Bathroom Design Expert at Drench, who says we need to focus on keeping towels fresh and dry in between uses.

‘Because bathrooms are naturally warm and humid, leaving a wet towel folded or scrunched limits airflow, meaning it takes much longer to dry. This extended dampness allows mildew to form, resulting in a sour, musty odour that is incredibly difficult to wash out,’ she explains. And if those damp towels are left on or up against tiles, this can cause damp in the room itself, too.

It may be that switching up your towel storage idea helps with this, and Samantha advises, ‘Allow your towels to dry as flat as possible, or better yet, place them on a heated towel rail. Make sure they are 100% dry before folding them away.’ And if you have a small heated towel rail, using hooks like these Set of 2 Black Magnetic Hooks (£12 at Next) can instantly double your space.

3. Closing the bathroom up

Alongside rogue water from the shower itself, one of the biggest causes of damp and mould in a bathroom is excess steam. And, ideally, you want to get rid of the steam as soon as possible - instead of trapping it inside the bathroom to condense, form water droplets, and settle on surfaces.

This steam is especially damaging if you’re trying to stop condensation in a windowless bathroom, which is why Emma urges everyone to open windows (if they can) and use extractor fans for as long as possible after a shower. She also suggests keeping the bathroom door open once the room has cooled to keep the air circulating.

If you’re guilty of closing the bathroom door immediately, it may also be worth utilising moisture-absorbing bathroom plants and considering whether you can use a dehumidifier in a bathroom. After all, it’s important to use the right type of dehumidifier to ensure it’s as safe as possible.

4. Using too many products

Everyone has their own take on what essentials they need in the shower, from shower gels to shampoos. And while you can technically use as many as you want, you need to be conscious of how these products affect your bathroom - especially if you want to keep your shower damp and mould-free.

Samantha explains, ‘Plumbing blockages are actually the leading cause of bathroom complaints across the UK, and they are a massive source of nasty, musty odours. Over the summer, a buildup of hair, soap scum, and body oils accumulates inside the pipes. When a drain is partially blocked, water cannot flow freely, creating stagnant pools that quickly become breeding grounds for bacteria and pests.’

Come autumn and winter, pipes and drains still blocked from summer can lead to water pooling and bacterial growth, causing damp and mould. Thankfully, it’s very easy to clean a shower drain. You can use these EcoZone Drain Cleaning Sticks (£9.99 at Amazon), or pour bicarbonate of soda, followed by white vinegar, down the drain and let it sit overnight. This should break down any stubborn grime.

5. Not giving furniture enough space

No matter whether you have a tiny shower cubicle or a whole wet room, there’s a high chance that you also have some furniture in your bathroom, like a bathroom vanity or a laundry basket. And while these are essential for a tidy bathroom, they can aid mould build-up.

Samantha warns, ‘When we push them completely flush against the bathroom walls, we cut off vital air circulation. Moisture from humid showers settles in these narrow gaps, creating dark, damp pockets where mildew and mould thrive completely unnoticed.’ In fact, this is often why most people end up with mouldy grout and silicone sealant.

Thankfully, the solution is easy. Samantha explains, ‘Move freestanding furniture and accessories slightly away from the walls to allow air to flow freely. I often recommend opting for wall-hung vanity units. Elevating your furniture off the floor not only makes your bathroom feel significantly larger and brighter, but it also eliminates awkward, unhygienic floor gaps, making it incredibly easy to keep the surrounding areas clean, dry, and damp-free.’

6. Overlooking the shower curtain

While some may think that they’re old-fashioned, there are so many amazing shower curtain ideas that are both modern and chic. But if you have one in your bathroom, you need to take care of it, as overlooking your shower curtain can lead to bigger mould problems that are harder to tackle.

‘Shower curtains constantly get wet, making them prime real estate for mould and soap scum buildup long before you notice visible signs of dirt. If your curtain is bunched up in the corner while wet, moisture becomes trapped in the folds and begins to smell damp,’ Samantha explains.

The solution here is to pull the curtain back to dry after every shower, and clean it regularly (at least once a month) to keep on top of any mould or mildew growth. Samantha says, ‘A brilliant laundry hack is to throw a couple of clean, dry bath towels into the washing machine drum along with your shower curtain. The towels provide gentle friction during the cycle, helping to scrub away slimy soap scum and mildew without damaging the curtain's fabric.’

7. Ignoring the extractor fan

Airflow and moisture extraction are key when you want to keep mould and damp out of your bathroom, and using your extractor fan is essential - even for the quickest showers. However, too many people neglect their extractor fan and don’t give it the TLC it needs, which can reduce its effectiveness and lead to moisture buildup.

‘Over the summer, dust and fluff combine with high bathroom humidity to create a thick, felt-like layer over the fan's filter and grilles. This severely restricts airflow, meaning your fan has to work twice as hard to remove half as much steam, leading to moisture settling directly on your walls,’ Samantha warns.

Because of this, it’s worth cleaning your extractor fan and its filters before autumn really rears its head. Make sure you isolate the power first, and then use either a duster or a handheld vacuum to remove any lingering dust. You can also remove the plastic cover, wash it in a solution of washing-up liquid and water, then allow it to dry and pop it back in place.

So, take this as your sign to break up with your bad bathroom habits this autumn.

Until joining the Ideal Home team, I had never considered how a washing-up bowl can make cleaning a kitchen easier, nor that sometimes its design can be interesting, too. But now that I am well-acquainted with these facts, I’m back with another clever washing-up bowl: the ReBorn Washing Up Bowl Pro (£39, Argos).

One thing people with tidy sink areas always tend to have is some sort of clever caddy or bowl to help make the cleaning process more efficient. If you’ve always found bowls make more mess than they save (me), the ReBorn Washing Up Bowl Pro is designed to sidestep this problem.

With a clever cutlery compartment and handy drainage plug, here’s why I predict ReBorn’s new washing up bowl will be the sink of every washing up pro soon.

For a long time, the Joseph Joseph washing up bowl was a favourite amongst Ideal Home editors due to its built-in plug, which allows you to drain dirty dishwater without having to lift it up to tip it. This feature made it a great choice for people with mobility issues, as well as offering everyday convenience. You can even get an even more affordable version: Minky’s £10 washing-up bowl with plug.

ReBorn’s washing-up bowl also has the aforementioned clever plug for easy draining, but what sets it apart from the Minky and Joseph Joseph bowl is that it has a separate drainage drawer.

This drawer can be attached to the inside or outside of the bowl to store sponges and brushes, or even to drain cutlery. This space-saving feature is great for small kitchens, where you may lack the space for a separate sink caddy.

It’s been designed to fit in most sinks while holding a whopping 9L of water. It’s lightweight and durable for ease of use, and it is also dishwasher-safe, making it easy to keep it clean. If you have the space, you can also get a matching ReBorn Sink Tidy for £18.

At £39, this is definitely one of the most expensive washing-up bowls I’ve spotted, so I can appreciate it’s not a practical choice for everyone. I recently discovered foldable washing up bowls (which you can snap up for as little as £3), which, as the name suggests, fold flat when not in use, making them great for tiny kitchens, uni houses and even camping trips.

Would you invest in the ReBorn Washing Up Bowl Pro?

Cupboards are always a tricky one. On the one hand, they’re ideal for hiding everything from cleaning products to food packets and bathroom essentials. But in my experience, hiding something behind a cupboard door doesn’t always lend itself well to home organisation - which is why I was intrigued when I spotted the new Tall SlideAway Storage Caddy (£4.99 at Lakeland).

As I write, I know there are at least two cupboards in my house that will empty themselves onto the floor as soon as I open them. And as I’ve recently moved house and plan to give it a complete organisational redo, I’ve set aside some money to buy clever clutter-busters to help me along the way. Luckily for me, this option is ridiculously affordable.

Technically, this Lakeland storage caddy comes in a set, and you can buy the smaller - but wider - Short SlideAway Storage Caddy for the same price of just £4.99 at Lakeland. But for less than £10 for the pair, I still think Lakeland has just won the clutter-busting storage war.

I recently wrote about Lakeland’s under-the-sink organiser, which I immediately added to my basket. However, these two new storage caddies can offer similar storage space to the first organiser - for less money and without taking up as much space. And in my eyes, it’s also way more versatile.

While the under-the-sink organiser was largely designed for people who want tidy under-the-sink cupboards, these caddies can be used anywhere - from under the sink to your kitchen cupboards and bathroom vanity. Personally, I’d also use the taller one for paperwork in my home office.

The slimline design makes them perfect for smaller cupboards and spaces, and they even come with wheels and a handle so you can quickly pull them out and grab what you need in seconds. This means that you don’t have to reach over and grab the item you need - which, let’s face it, always seems to be right at the back.

Despite being small in footprint, they’re also still big enough to hold cleaning bottles, jars, packets, tubes, and anything else you’d like to keep separated or categorised.

Plus, I’ve already seen how pull-out caddies like this can transform cupboards from chaotic to calm in no time. That’s because Ideal Home’s Managing Editor, Thea, uses caddies just like these in her under-the-sink cupboard and beyond.

She uses the Joseph Joseph CupboardStore 2-tier Easy Access Wheeled Storage Caddy (£25 at Amazon) and the Joseph Joseph CupboardStore 2-tier Easy Access Wheeled Storage Caddy (£35 at Amazon). All in all, those caddies set her back £60.

For two very similar caddies at Lakeland, you could spend just £10. And while they don’t quite have the same bells and whistles as Joseph Joseph, they’re ideal in their simplicity.

They’ll allow you to separate everything from food items to cleaning products, and give everything a home in a cupboard for a budget price.

Alternatives to buy

I think Lakeland might be my new favourite shop for clever storage solutions!

Whatever kind of air environment you want to create in your home, you can probably buy an appliance to help you achieve it. Whether it's one of the best fans to help circulate fresh air, a purifier to remove allergens or a dehumidifier to help banish damp, there's a product solution.

However, if you need a fan or air conditioner in the summer, a heater and dehumidifier in the autumn and winter, as well as a purifier all year round, then that's a lot of appliances to find space for and it can easily feel like clutter.

More and more, you can find these functions grouped together in single appliances, which is great from a space-saving point of view, but is a combined appliance really as good as a single function one? As well as having tried individual and multi-purpose appliances myself, I've also reached out to the experts to weigh up the pros and cons.

What are the benefits of having a fan, heater, air conditioner and dehumidifier in one appliance?

There are lots of benefits at choosing an appliance that offers multiple different functions.

Firstly, despite the fact that they are more expensive than single function alternatives, multi-function appliances that offer cooling, purification, heating and dehumidification are usually more cost-effective than buying each of the appliances individually.

Cost-per-use is also usually lower too as you could use the multi-function appliance year round, rather than just for a few weeks depending on the season. For example, Dyson's HP1 combines fan, heater and air purifier functionality in a single appliance. While it costs more than £500, you could easily spend that buying a fan, heater and purifier of similar quality.

In addition to making sense if you intend to use the extra functions over the course of the year, they 'can reduce upfront outlay versus buying separate appliances, cut clutter, and save storage space,' says Meaco's Chief Product Officer, Chris Michael. 'They can also reduce running costs in practice because you can run the mode you actually need at the time.'

What are the disadvantages of having a fan, heater, air conditioner and dehumidifier in one appliance?

But while there are undoubtedly benefits to buying a single appliance that offers a range of functions, there are some downsides to consider before you buy.

Multi-purpose units can be sizable, bulky and heavy, especially if they have air conditioning functionality. While they may still be portable, this can make them challenging to move up and downstairs. This is especially the case when it comes to portable air conditioners.

It may also be that you don't have use for all of the functions your unit provides. For example, if your home doesn't struggle with excess moisture then you might not need a dehumidification function. You might also be able to use a single function appliance throughout the year (I'm not packing away my fan just yet and plan on using it frequently over autumn).

Or if your home is well insulated and holds onto heat well, a heating function may not get used that often, in which case, it may be more cost effective to buy an appliance that is dedicated to the function that you need. You might also already have a couple of air quality appliances, in which case you may be doubling up unnecessarily.

But for me, based on my own experience, the biggest downside is that not all of the functions on a combined appliance are as good as their standalone counterparts. I find this particularly apparent on portable air conditioners with fan and dehumidifier functionality. The air conditioner is usually the star of the show, while the fan especially is louder and not as powerful as a standalone fan. I always tend to see the dehumidifier as a bonus feature rather than of equal standard as the air conditioner.

Ideal Home's Senior Digital Editor Jenny McFarlane (who's been reviewing and writing about air quality products for years), agrees, saying: 'I'm always a little wary of appliances that try to do too many things at once, and that's true of dehumidifiers with built in air purification.

'I've tested enough dehumidifiers to know that more features don't necessarily make for a better appliance, because most importantly, a dehumidifier needs to be really good at getting excess moisture out of the air.

'Having an air purifier function is a really nice bonus though, but it wouldn't sway me to buy a combo appliance if the extraction performance isn't as powerful as it should be.'

Finally, it's important to think about your air quality needs around your home before deciding on a combined or single function appliance. Maybe you need a dehumidifier in a poorly insulated part of your home, and an air purifier in the bedroom to help with allergies. If that's the case then a single appliance may not be suitable.

Instead a dedicated dehumidifier for the room that has issues with excess moisture, and a separate air purifier for the bedroom would be a better and more sustainable set up. Just make sure you weigh up whether a dehumidifier or purifier will be best for your home before you commit.

What is worth buying in a single unit?

If you aren't after something whisper quiet, then opting for a dual purpose fan and heater can be an effective way to get more use our of your appliance over the course of the year. These are available in slimline designs that won't take up too much room and are usually light enough to move around with relative ease.

If you can find an air conditioner that also offers a heat mode, and you are short on storage space then it's worth investing. Air conditioners can be bulky and hard to store, but if you can find use for it over the winter months, then you don't have to worry about packing it away.

For a dehumidifier, where it's effectiveness will be paramount if you want value for money, you may find that you need a standalone appliance. However, we were very impressed with the Meaco Arete Two dehumidifier that has a purification function when we put it through it's paces.

Despite open plan reigning supreme for the last few years, I never really loved the look of a single wide open space with no visual breaks. In guides on how to design an open plan living/kitchen/dining room, you’ll notice there is a real emphasis on zoning — I know, because I’ve written a fair few over the years.

The idea of zoning is so the spaces feel interconnected, but for them to have their own identities. Naturally, this then developed, as all interior trends do, into the ‘broken plan’ layout. Similar to open concept, this style uses physical dividers, such as walls with archways or open doorways to give the circulation flow, but with a certain level of cosiness to each space.

Once my kitchen-dining-sitting layout was finished with builders, it felt void of character, so I got to work one weekend and started plotting an easy DIY project to create a visual break, add colour and character, inspired by mid-century design and broken plan living.

Designing the mid-century divider

Between the kitchen-diner and the living space, we installed a dwarf wall alongside the two small steps for the change in level. It gives the space a cosy feeling like a mid-century conversation pit, without being too on-the-nose.

But the idea was always to create a divider atop the dwarf wall that would encourage the light between the spaces, while making them more separate. One idea was simply to install timber slats, another was glass panels, but after playing around a little bit with different drawings, we ended with a ‘cubby’ idea on three levels to house the different objects, artwork and plants.

The final design also allowed for us to connect two sets of speakers to our record player so when we have people over, or while we are reading/cooking at the same time we can listen to music through the rooms.

How I built the divider

As we were building this DIY, which is made of plywood, my partner made a cut list that maximised the material — which, let’s face it, is not nearly as cheap as it once was — and made use of B&Q’s cutting service.

While we were able to cut small widths at home using a mitre saw, it was substantially easier and quicker to pay for their industrial panel saw in store to get straight and consistent length cuts rather than fight it with our table saw.

For ease of assembly, my partner constructed the ‘cubbies’ row by row, counter sinking screws (which would have a flush finish) into the uprights so they wouldn’t be seen once it was installed, as well as glue for long-term strength.

As the dwarf wall is made of timber, we screwed in the bottom section of the divider to provide stability — it was going to house a lot of treasured and expensive items so we didn’t want it to go toppling over.

The dwarf wall is also hollow so we were also able to drill a hole for a cable to fish through down to a nearby plug, which is then hidden by the sofa. After it was installed, it was time to caulk, prime and paint!

Although we could have left the plywood edge raw to match some of the other furniture pieces my partner has constructed, we opted to paint it all. The key here was to use wood filler, like this Everbuild Multipurpose Wood Filler, £4.78 from Amazon, on the counter-sink holes and the exposed edge to even it out for a uniform finish.

Enjoying the result

The kitchen, dining and living areas are all painted off-white (for now), so I wanted to encourage the theme of greens alongside our kitchen units and windows. We chose Farrow & Ball’s Green Smoke in a high sheen finish and it looks fantastic.

The open structure means that our belongings can be rearranged constantly to freshen the space up. Plus when we have guests over and one person is cooking they can still be involved in the conversation rather than feeling separate.

If we were to commission this style of carpentry, it would have cost us around £300 at least — it probably would have gotten us a slightly better finish, but I’m delighted with how it looks. I think you could achieve a similar look by embracing some IKEA hacks, but I think for the time spent and that we were able to customise the cubby sizes to fit the speakers/record player it was well worth the effort.

Finding the right heated clothes airer for your home comes down to a few key things, including how much washing you regularly need to dry, the size of your household and, importantly, how much space you have to spare.

I've tested quite a few of the best heated clothes airers for Ideal Home, from compact options for smaller spaces to family-sized tiered airers and speedy drying pods. Through testing them with real loads of laundry in my own home, I've learnt which features genuinely make a difference and which are worth looking out for before you buy.

So I've rounded up the main considerations below so you can decide if a heated airer is worth buying for your family and household.

How to choose a heated clothes airer

1. Types of heated clothes airers

There are two main types of heated airers: heated drying pods and heated drying racks. A heated rack warms the rails to speed up drying, while a drying pod circulates warm air around clothes inside a cover.

In our tests, drying pods such as the JML DriBUDDI Heated Indoor Airer, £79 at Argos and Minky's heat pod, RRP £60 at Argos, were the fastest, drying clothes in roughly three hours. However, their fans make some noise, and they generally hold less washing, making them particularly useful for getting school uniforms and sports kits dry quickly.

Traditional heated racks are slower, taking around six to ten hours in our tests. However, they're silent, generally cheaper to run and can accommodate more washing.

If you're choosing a rack, we've generally found tiered models more effective than winged designs. More of the laundry sits close to the heated rails, whereas longer garments can hang below the heated sections of a winged airer and remain damp.

2. Their drying capacity

Check how much washing an airer can accommodate before buying. Capacity may be given in kilograms of laundry, metres of drying space or, for pod-style airers, the number of garments it can hold.

'The right heated airer size depends on how much laundry you regularly dry, the size of your household and the space available in your home,' says Mary Widall, Product category manager for laundry at Minky.

Mary suggests a compact model will generally suit one or two people, while a larger three-tier heated airer offers more drying space for a household of three or four. Larger families should look for maximum drying capacity and multiple heated tiers.

Catrin Parry, Buying lead for cleaning and laundry at Lakeland, gives a useful benchmark for a family-sized model. The Lakeland Dry:Soon 3-Tier Deluxe Heated Airer, £199.99 at Lakeland, offers 21m of drying space, holds approximately 15kg of washing (around two wash loads) and is well suited to a family of four. Its design is also more accessible from the front than the smaller mini and standard models.

However, bigger isn't always better. 'Avoid overcrowding; leaving space between garments improves warm-air circulation and helps clothes dry faster and more evenly,' Mary advises.

If floor space is limited, a vertical or tower-style airer can also provide plenty of drying capacity without taking up as much room.

3. Size and storage

Don't underestimate how much space a heated clothes airer can occupy once unfolded. Check the dimensions and think about where you'll use it, remembering you'll need access to a plug socket and enough room to move around it safely.

Storage is just as important, particularly if you don't have a dedicated utility or laundry room. 'One that folds up nice and compact' is Catrin's recommendation for homes where storage is limited. Look for a design that's quick to put up and collapse, and always check its folded measurements before buying.

Small practical details can make a difference here too. Lakeland's Dry:Soon models have handles at the top to make them easier to move, and optional wheels are available if you need to transport a loaded airer between rooms.

Some covers can even double up as storage solutions. Catrin explains that the Dry:Soon cover can be zipped flat around the airer once it's collapsed, so you don't need to find somewhere separate to store it.

If you already own a three-tier airer, another space-saving option is a system such as the Minky Heat Pod Pro (£45 at Argos). It sits underneath a standard three-tier airer and adds a cover and warm-air technology, so you don't need to store a second full-sized drying rack. Minky says it can dry clothes up to four times faster than air drying.

4. Covers

A cover is one feature I'd recommend looking for, as it can make a heated rack more effective.

'A covered heated airer can be more efficient than an uncovered one because the cover helps trap warm air around the clothes rather than allowing heat to escape into the room,' explains Mary. 'This creates a warmer drying environment and can help clothes dry faster.'

Catrin agrees: 'We'd always suggest adding the cover. It traps the heat in and dries things faster.'

However, ventilation is important. Look for a cover with vents that allow moisture to escape rather than trapping humid air around your washing, which can leave clothes damp or musty.

5. Energy use

Heated airers are generally much cheaper to run than a tumble dryer, but running costs vary depending on the model's wattage and your electricity tariff.

'A heated clothes airer is generally very economical to run,' says Mary. 'Most heated airers cost approximately 5p-15p per hour to operate, making them a lower-energy alternative to a tumble dryer.'

Lakeland puts the running cost of its Dry:Soon Deluxe at around 8p per hour, compared to approximately 65p for a standard tumble dryer. These figures are based on an average electricity unit cost of 26.11p per kWh as of July 2026, so actual costs will vary according to tariff and usage.

Don't judge efficiency on hourly running costs alone, though. It's also worth considering how quickly the airer dries clothes. A higher-powered model that finishes the job faster could prove more practical than a lower-powered airer that needs to run all day.

6. Features that make drying easier

Heat isn't the only thing that dries clothes quickly – airflow and how you arrange your washing are just as important.

Look for good spacing between rails, multiple heated tiers and enough drying room to avoid bunching garments together. Adjustable tiers are also useful for accommodating longer items.

'Give garments a good spin in the washing machine first, spread them evenly across the airer and leave gaps between items,' recommends Mary. 'Avoid overloading, as airflow is just as important as heat for achieving faster drying.'

A timer is another feature I find useful, particularly if you're likely to leave the airer running for several hours.

Also consider the accessories available for the airer you're buying. Mesh shelves can be useful for drying delicates or items that need to lie flat, while dedicated hangers can make better use of the available space.

7. Ventilation and humidity

A heated airer gets water out of your clothes, but that moisture has to go somewhere. Drying laundry indoors can increase the humidity in a room, so ventilation is an important consideration.

Catrin recommends leaving 'a small space around the airer for ventilation,' adding that heated airers can also make the room feel warmer. Depending on humidity levels, she suggests leaving a window on the latch to allow moisture to escape.

Mary similarly recommends using a heated airer in a well-ventilated space and opening a window or using an extractor fan or dehumidifier where appropriate.

Pairing a heated airer with a dehumidifier is actually one of my favourite ways to dry clothes indoors during autumn and winter. And it's a combination that both experts recommended.

As Catrin explains, 'The airer warms the fabric and the dehumidifier pulls the moisture from the surrounding air, which speeds up drying even more and prevents damp.'

Shop our favourite heated clothes airers

Ultimately, these are all the things I wish I'd known before buying my first heated clothes airer. Get them right, and you'll avoid any buying mistakes and own a model that suits your space, laundry loads and drying routine.

Last week, I awoke to a spider (quite literally) hanging out on my bedroom ceiling…right above my head. The next day, I unknowingly took a shower with one of these eight-legged critters. And if that’s not a sign that spider season is officially here, then I don’t know what is.

Even more horrifyingly, experts warn that this year’s spider season will be worse than ever, as the warmer temperatures will result in them staying active for longer as they go in search of their mates. Because of this, knowing how to get rid of spiders is key - but understanding why they’re coming in is equally as important.

And it turns out that many of us (me included) have unknowingly been luring these spiders into our homes without even realising it. So, it’s well worth understanding what attracts spiders and making a few changes before these rent-dodging lodgers outstay their welcome.

1. Moisture and humidity

While spiders can set up camp in any room of the house, they definitely have a preference. As Alex Woods from Victorian Plumbing explains, ‘You’re most likely to find spiders in your bathroom or kitchen, because their food is attracted to dark, moist areas.’

And by ‘food,’ Alex means most insects, including flies, mosquitoes, moths, and earwigs, all of which are typically attracted to your moisture-ridden drains and pipes. So when a spider needs a meal, it’s going to head straight to the source and head to the areas that are high in moisture and humidity, too.

Because of this, it’s well worth cleaning your drains regularly and keeping humidity in these rooms to a minimum. Opening windows and using extractor fans can help here, but you may also want to use a non-electric dehumidifier, such as this Absodry Moisture Absorber (£27.99 at Amazon), to tackle excess moisture.

You can also use plants and the scents spiders hate to your advantage here. Alex explains, ‘Plants such as mint, lemongrass or eucalyptus will not only elevate your bathroom interior, but they will help warn off spiders as they hate these kinds of aromas.’

2. Bright lights

The days definitely start getting shorter in September, and you may be inclined to use your outdoor lights as a result. Just be warned that these can also attract spiders into your home, especially if you’re also leaving doors and windows open to enjoy the still-warm weather.

Helen Godsiff, Brand Manager at Eurocell, warns, ‘When spending time outdoors, keep outdoor lighting to a minimum where possible, as the lights can attract insects, which in turn provide a food source for spiders.’

She adds, ‘This can make areas around the home and garden more appealing to them, so don’t be surprised if you notice an influx in the kitchen or garden rooms.’ And when they’re in your house, they’re probably not going to want to leave anytime soon.

Of course, not using your lights at all may be a step too far for you, but simply understanding that lights will attract spiders can be all you need to keep them out - especially if you enlist the help of a spider catcher and rehome them as soon as you spot one trying to sneak its way in.

3. Clutter

It’s already a well-known fact that excess clutter can cause damp, so it should come as no surprise to learn that clutter can also attract spiders. But it turns out that spiders also love hanging out and spinning their webs in clutter because they love being warm and cosy and hate being out in the open.

Luke Newnes from Hillarys explains, ‘Dark, undisturbed areas with piles of stored items can provide ideal conditions for spiders to settle. Keeping these spaces tidy and regularly checking stored belongings can help discourage them from nesting.’

After all, if a spider nests in your house, there’s a very high chance that future spider babies will soon call your home their home - making the situation so much worse. Because of this, decluttering regularly (without making a bigger mess) can work wonders. You also need to maintain a regular cleaning schedule.

Having one of the best vacuum cleaners to hand can help. Dr Jonathan Kirby, Head of Research & Development at Safeguard Europe, says, ‘Regularly remove or vacuum webs and any visible egg sacs. This can reduce activity, but spiders will quickly attempt to rebuild their webs if suitable shelter and insect prey remain. Reduce clutter and keep flies and other insects out to make it harder for spiders to enter and settle.’

4. Shelter

You probably don’t need me to tell you that the weather in the UK is becoming increasingly unpredictable. This summer alone, we’ve gone from month-long heatwaves to flash flooding. Because of this uncertainty, spiders seek shelter in our homes to find a stable place to enjoy mating season.

And when they want to come in, they do so through the weak spots in your home - including cracks and gaps in windows and door seals. The good news is that fixing these can also help you draught-proof your home ahead of winter.

Luke advises, ‘Check external doors and window frames for small cracks or gaps where spiders can enter. Replace damaged weather seals and use exterior-grade sealant- both of which can be picked up for less than £10 from most DIY retailers to close openings around frames, helping to prevent spiders from getting inside.’

In fact, you can buy this UniBond Outdoor Window & Door Frame Sealant for just £8 at Amazon. And if there are bigger gaps that need to be filled in order to keep spiders and draughts out, you can also buy draught-excluder tape for a very affordable price, too.

5. Food waste

We already know that spiders follow their food's footsteps, and flies will also enter homes with human food waste and crumbs for them to eat. Because of this, it’s also important to keep this to a minimum during spider season - and at any point throughout the year - if you want to keep critters at bay.

This means emptying normal waste bins as soon as possible, sealing your food waste caddy and taking steps to deter flies, and regularly wiping down surfaces to remove any lingering crumbs, sticky residue, or large chunks of food.

When you’ve done this, it’s well worth cleaning any areas where food has been present with essential oils, as spiders hate these scents. Alex advises, ‘A drop of essential oil is enough to deter a spider. You can make your spider repellent by mixing essential oil (20 drops) and water in a spray bottle. The best essential oils to use for your repellent are: tea tree, lavender, peppermint, citrus, and cinnamon.’

Just be warned that some essential oils are toxic to pets, so it’s worth taking caution if you have animals in your home - or avoid them altogether. Thankfully, making a white vinegar spider-repellent spray can be just as effective, and you can pick up a bottle of white vinegar for just £1.50 at Dunelm.

Sorry, spiders, if you're not paying rent then you're not coming in...

Today, Dyson announced it’s adding a wide range of floorcare appliances to its already-stellar lineup. But perhaps most exciting is its first sub-£500 robot vacuum - a nice step away from the premium price we’ve come to expect from this premium brand.

While the best robot vacuum cleaners have become the new must-have appliance in homes across the UK, they’re not cheap. Many of the top models - including Dyson’s own robot vacuums - retail for anywhere between £700 and £1,000. But the new Dyson R1 Nurovi Dry breaks the mould at just £499.99… and it promises excellent cleaning power, too.

The Dyson R1 Nurovi Dry isn’t alone, though. It’s one of THREE new robot vacuums unveiled by Chief Engineer Jake Dyson at the Dyson Unveiled Event in Berlin today (which I was lucky enough to get an invite to), and you can read on to find out what makes these new robot vacuums so special.

The affordable R1 Nurovi Dry forms part of the new Nurovi range, aimed at offering varying levels of innovation and cleaning power across three very different machines: the R1 Nurovi Dry, R2 Nurovi Wash+Dry and the Dyson R3 Nurovi Spot+Scrub™ UV.

All three offer varying features and price points, but to cut the jargon, I’ve put the information you need into an easy-to-understand table below:

Of course, the cheapest R1 option is undoubtedly the most basic model, and it's worth weighing this up if you’re buying your first robot vacuum cleaner.

But if you primarily have soft flooring in your home and don’t need a robot vacuum that also mops, it’ll suit you perfectly. Especially with the new, souped-up cleaning technology and the side-sweeper system that aims to reach nooks and crannies like never before.

If you do want a robot vacuum that’ll mop your floors, the R2 is the mid-range option offering both wet and dry cleaning with new Reuleaux triangle pads designed to offer an effective and efficient clean that covers every inch of your floor - something that robot vacuums with round pads often miss.

And this is what Dyson wants from this new era of robotics. Speaking at the event, Jake Dyson explained, ‘With the Dyson Nurovi robots, we’ve rethought things from the ground up – from how debris is captured, to how edges and corners are cleaned, and how the machine senses and adapts to its environment.’

‘The result is a range of robots that clean intelligently, precisely, and effectively across every surface,’ he added.

But if you’re not a fan of robot vacuums, you don’t have to worry. Dyson unveiled a whopping 12 new home appliances at the unveiling - including the new Dyson W1 PencilWash (£299 at Dyson), which builds on the success of the original PencilWash by offering a self-cleaning roller dock and a more absorbent roller.

Or if you’re in the market for an old-school vacuum cleaner with a twist, the iconic vacuum brand has also reimagined the Dyson Big Ball Konical Vacuum Cleaner (£399.99 at Dyson).

You’ll probably recognise this classic design as one of Dyson’s first big successes, but this new model has been upgraded to include the Konical head (which can be seen on the Dyson V16 Piston Animal), improved cyclone technology for powerful suction power, and self-righting ball technology - which means it’ll never fall over.

Fans of the best cordless vacuums, and more specifically the hugely popular Dyson V15 Cordless Vacuum, will also be happy to hear that the brand will release its most powerful V15 model ever in 2027.

I’ll share more details on this in the coming months, but from what I hear, it’s going to be extremely versatile and very powerful.

Things are looking exciting over at camp Dyson!

I test vacuum cleaners for a living. And while I know that a large majority of consumers love the convenience of a cordless vacuum, I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’ll almost always favour corded. That’s because these appliances clean… and they clean well.

Luckily for me, Shark just dropped a brand new corded vacuum: the Shark PowerDetect Transformer LX5001UKT Corded Upright Vacuum Cleaner. But this ‘triple threat’ model isn’t like any other model I’ve seen before, so I was desperate to see if it could compete with the best vacuum cleaners out there - not forgetting the best Shark vacuum cleaners.

In a nutshell

While I do love my job, testing vacuums for a living often takes the shine off cleaning my own house. But I can honestly say that testing the Shark PowerDetect Transformer Corded Upright Vacuum - and then using it in my home as my regular vacuum cleaner - has been pretty exciting.

I had assumed that the 3-in-1 transformation was a novelty that would soon wear off. But two weeks on, I’m still marvelling at how one vacuum can offer so much and deliver such impressive cleaning results - and have even mastered the art of transforming it from upright to stick and then handheld in three seconds flat. I dare you to try and beat that.

As a vacuum, it’s powerful, convenient, and smart in a way that makes cleaning incredibly easy, detecting everything from different floor types to the amount of debris it needs to pick up. And the corded nature means it offers boosted power (compared to cordless vacuums) and unlimited runtime, with a lengthy cord that let me stretch from one side of my house to the other without unplugging.

However, I did have some niggles. Not only did I struggle to find the right tool to vacuum my carpeted stairs, but in upright mode it’s also large and heavy, making manoeuvrability and storage a little tricky. Let’s not forget that it’s almost £500, making it one of Shark’s most expensive vacuums on its roster.

Specifications

• Weight: 8kg
• Cord length: 8m
• Bin volume: 1.3L (upright), 0.2L (handheld)
• Physical modes: 3 (upright, handheld, stick)
• Cleaning modes: 4 (Detect, Hard Floor, Carpet/Low Pile/Thick Carpet/Area Rug)
• Noise level (tested by us): 77- 79 dB
• In the box: Floorhead, vacuum pod, wand, handheld unit, accessory posts, anti-odour cartridge, crevice tool, pet multi-tool, pet power brush, accessory bag
• RRP: £499.99

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

It’s quite literally my job to test vacuum cleaners (yes, really!) so I’m no stranger to big-box deliveries. And while the Shark PowerDetect Transformer came in a hefty 11.5kg box that made me glad I had my Wheetabix that morning, I understood why when I opened it.

After all, the box was packed to the rafters - and in eco-friendly packaging, no less - with so many goodies inside. This included the main floorhead, vacuum pod, wand, handheld unit, accessory posts, anti-odour cartridge, crevice tool, pet multi-tool, pet power brush, and accessory bag.

As I pulled everything out of its packaging, two things initially struck me. 1) Everything felt very sturdy and well-made, which is something I’ve come to expect from Shark. 2) I really loved the green colourway. However, as I was assembling everything, I noticed that the green really picked up dust, so I made a mental note to check on this during testing.

Assembly was very easy, though. I started by inserting the anti-odour cartridge into its home on the floorhead, attaching the wand to the floorhead, and then slotting the handheld portion of the unit to the wand. This is where the cord attaches to the unit, so I unwrapped it and wound it around the dedicated cord holder for the time being.

Then, the last step was to attach the accessory posts to the vacuum pod and then slide the vacuum pod onto the main unit. This is by far one of the heaviest parts of the vacuum, but the pod slid on quickly and efficiently, with little wriggling or faff.

With everything assembled, I could then take a step back and assess the vacuum as a whole. My verdict? It looked good, felt robust, and was certainly an interesting concept. I was just a little worried that it would be fiddly with so many moving parts and modes, so I wanted to get started and see for myself.

Luckily, this model is corded, so I didn’t have to wait for anything to charge. I could just get cracking!

Using the Shark PowerDetect Transformer Corded Upright Vacuum

Before I take any new vacuum for a spin around my home, I always complete a few dedicated tests to help me compare models and ultimately assign a star rating that reflects its performance and price. So, I threw some sugar, porridge oats, rice and my dog’s pet hair on the floor to see how well it reacts to - and removes - different types of debris.

For this test, I put the Shark PowerDetect Transformer in its upright form and turned on Detect Mode so it could adjust its cleaning power according to the floor type and debris level. And as you can see in the video, it tackled all the debris incredibly well and removed everything from the floor in a single forward pass.

So well, in fact, that you can actually see the pet hair being sucked into the rollers before it’s even touched them. And as I live with a dog that sheds a lot, this was amazing to see.

I then repeated the same test on carpet, and the results were identical. And when I began to use it as my everyday vacuum, I continued to find that the Detect Mode was extremely responsive and efficient. It reacted instantly when I moved from my hard flooring to my rug, and the edge cleaning and the floorhead lights picked up dust and debris I didn’t even know was there.

And while I did try out the Manual Surface Modes - which allow you to choose a specific floor type on your own - I didn’t feel like I needed to, as the automatic adjustments of Detect Mode always offered the optimal clean. However, it’s nice to have the option to use them if you have particularly delicate flooring.

I also found myself using the upright mode more often than the stick mode, as the large debris chamber makes it handy for deep, whole-home cleans. But having the option to switch into stick mode in seconds? Well, this was very handy - especially when I needed to clean under furniture or wanted to quickly clean up a dedicated spill. After all, the onboard debris bin for the stick portion is pretty small at just 0.2L.

Of course, the elephant in the room is that this new vacuum cleaner is corded and on the heavier side in upright mode - a dealbreaker for some. But Shark has been very generous with the 8m cord, and I was able to vacuum the majority of my downstairs from the same plug socket. It also propels itself forward when you push gently, so it doesn’t feel as heavy as it is.

But if you have a larger home, you will need to get into the habit of unplugging and replugging to ensure you vacuum every inch. And you’ll still need to carry it upstairs if you want to use it in upright mode - but there at least is the option to take off the upright pod and only take the stick portion upstairs.

As I do with all vacuum cleaners, I also test the noise levels using a decibel meter app on my phone. And one thing to note with the Shark PowerDetect Transformer is that it came in at around 77-79db. This is actually very average for a vacuum cleaner, and while the noise level doesn’t change when you switch modes, the sound does.

The only way to describe it is that Detect Mode sounds quite airy, while the other dedicated floor modes are a bit whinier. Personally, I don’t mind this - and neither does my dog - but if you’re sensitive to sounds, this is something to consider.

Using the attachments

Another aspect of the Transformer’s transformation is that it quickly detaches from the vacuum - either in upright or stick form - into a handheld. Of course, this isn’t new and something that most cordless vacuum cleaners offer, but it’s still something I like to test out properly. Especially as the Shark PowerDetect Transformer also comes with a few accessories.

Included as standard are the crevice tool, pet multi-tool and pet power brush. I always find the crevice to be handy for vacuuming down the sides of the sofa, and Shark’s iteration did the job well. The multi-tool was also a particular favourite of mine.

This tool can be used with or without the bristles (you simply press the lock button to take them apart), and worked wonders on the dirty footstool my dog sleeps on. It removed all the lingering mud he brings into the house and most of the hair. However, that hair then got stuck on the underside of the tool, which I had to remove manually.

Then there’s the pet power brush, which I had high hopes for. This one let me down a bit, though, as I was expecting a motorised tool that would rotate of its own accord and work hard to remove hair and debris - especially on my carpeted stairs. It wasn’t like this, though.

It wasn’t motorised at all, and it seemed like the suction power was lacking, so it missed a fair bit of debris on the stairs. This left me in a bit of a loop as I typically use a motorised tool to vacuum my stairs, so I didn’t quite know how to clean them. In the end, I opted to use the multi-tool again.

Of course, the handheld section is once again corded so you do have to be cautious of the length of the cord - but I’m used to this as someone who has tested numerous corded vacuums, and I don’t mind it.

It’s also worth noting that this model is compatible with many other accessories, too. This includes a duster crevice tool, a home & car detail kit, and an under-appliance wand - and a full list of compatible accessories can be found in the instruction manual or on the website.

All in all, the handheld’s cleaning abilities were ok, but my favourite thing was the fact that, after I’d finished using the handheld portion, I could pop it back onto the main vacuum unit (with the upright vacuum pod attached) and it would automatically empty itself into the larger dust bin.

This is a new feature I loved, as it meant I could use it quickly without having to empty it after each use. In fact, I could use it multiple times without needing to empty the larger debris chamber.

You can see this in the video above - just keep an eye on the handheld dust bin if you don't have the sound on.

Cleaning and maintenance

When the time comes to empty the larger debris chamber/vacuum pod, you can easily remove it from the vacuum and empty it directly in the bin. This is a sealed HEPA chamber, so it shouldn’t release any harmful pollutants into the air.

When you do this, you can also see the pre-motor filter, which needs to be rinsed and air-dried every month. The post-motor filter can be found by pressing the ‘Filter Door’ button, which can be cleaned in the same way every year.

The handheld vacuum portion also comes with its own pre- and post-motor filters, which can be removed when you open up the dedicated dust chamber. Again, the pre-filter needs to be rinsed every month under cold water and left to air dry - but the post-motor filter every six months.

As the floorhead has anti-hair-wrap technology, I didn’t need to remove any hair from the rollers at any point during my two-week testing period, which was a massive bonus. Plus, the anti-odour cartridge released an amazing scent that made my home smell clean after vacuuming. These don’t last forever, though, so will need to be replaced when the scent disappears if you want to continue using it.

Aside from that, very little maintenance is required for the Shark PowerDetect Transformer. But I will say that my earlier prediction was correct, and the green colourway does pick up a lot of dust and becomes quite dirty in use - but this was nothing a quick dust couldn’t fix.

It also needs to be stored in its upright form, really, so it is still quite big and might not suit smaller households with limited storage. So, just beware if you live in a tiny flat.

How does it compare to similar models?

The Shark PowerDetect is a first for Shark, so it’s hard to compare it to anything else. However, it builds upon the specs and features of the Shark PowerDetect Powered Lift-Away Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner I reviewed in November 2025, so it’s a good idea to start there.

The two models look almost identical and offer the same PowerDetect technologies to deliver a deep clean to your floors. The difference is that the original PowerDetect is only a corded upright (with a Lift-Away Pod for smaller jobs), while the new Transformer combines the upright with stick and handheld modes.

So, it really comes down to what you’re after. If you already have a stick vacuum you love and don’t see yourself giving up anytime soon, the OG PowerDetect will still offer that corded power you’re after - and for almost £100 less. But if you want one new vacuum that will do it all and offer multiple variations of itself, it’s probably worth shelling out that extra cash for the Transformer.

Verdict: Should you buy the Shark PowerDetect Transformer LX5001UKT Corded Upright Vacuum?

At my testing facility (AKA my home), I always have at least five vacuums to choose from at any one point. And if I find myself reaching for one vacuum over another even when my official testing process has finished, I know it’s a good’un - and that’s exactly what’s happened with this model.

If you have the money to invest in a new vacuum, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with the Shark PowerDetect Transformer. It’s extremely powerful, offers so many effective cleaning features, and is multi-purpose so you’ll never need to buy a secondary vacuum - or even a handheld vacuum. It’s your all-in-one solution for whole-home cleaning.

However, it is expensive, and upright corded vacuums don’t suit everyone. But if you’ve only ever used cordless stick vacuums, I do think this model could be a great gateway into the corded realm, as its corded stick form offers a happy medium that lets you taste a bit of everything... for a price.

Aldi has just dropped a clever smart home product for under £10 that will make the running of your home smoother and more stylish.

In 2026, most homes will have some form of smart home ecosystem. You may have an Alexa, Ring doorbell or even a water leakage sensor under your sink (yes, they exist), and now with the launch of Aldi’s Lamp with Motion Detector (£9.99), you can add easy illumination to your list of smart home features.

Landing in stores today (3 September), Aldi’s affordable new light is suitable for use both inside and outside your home. Here’s why we think it’s a great Specialbuy.

Motion lighting is typically associated with smart security, and it’s true: it's a great choice for helping to deter thieves and keep your property safe. As the name suggests, motion detector lights illuminate when movement is detected. When positioned on the exterior of your home, or on garden paths, this can alert you to unusual comings and goings.

As Aldi’s new light is suitable for outdoor use, you can absolutely use it for this purpose. However, its indoor uses are just as good as a reason to invest in one (or a few), too.

You can use an indoor motion detector light in cupboards, porches, hallways or even to guide your way as you step through your front door. If you’re someone who hates coming home to a dark house, a motion sensor light can help you stop from stumbling around in the dark.

The Aldi Lamp with Motion Detector is available in either black or white and has three sets of lights with a PIR sensor (passive infrared sensor). A PIR sensor detects motion by measuring changes in Infrared Radiation emitted by objects in its view. In other words, it detects changes in body heat.

The light duration lasts approximately 15 hours, and it has multiple lighting modes including: On, Off, Motion Sensor Activation or Dim Night Light, which has 30-second full brightness when motion is detected.

Now I haven’t tested Aldi’s sensor lamp myself, but I will say I am frequently impressed by their Specialbuys, most recently their autumn candles, which genuinely smell so good. Alternatively, I’ve tracked down a few more motion lamps that have great reviews, and you can shop online.

If you find yourself in Aldi this week, make sure you consider this sensor lamp for your autumn lighting needs.

While we might think of January as the ultimate decluttering month, there's a serious case to be made for decluttering in September. The busyness of summer is over, the kids are going back to school, and we're all mentally preparing for the return of cosy season.

Knowing what things to declutter in September is the best way to put that back to school energy to good use and get organised. Whether you use one of the pro decluttering methods or not, working through the items on this list is the best back to school reset you can give yourself, and your home.

With that in mind, I spoke to home organisers and decluttering experts to find out what things we should be decluttering this September. A key theme occured around decluttering areas and items that are going to make the next few months feel a little lighter – so we can enjoy everything that cosy season has to offer.

1. The hallway

Getting the hallway ready for autumn is essential prep, as it's likely going to feel more cluttered in the colder months. Heavy coats, wellies, school bags, and umbrellas all take up more space, making September the perfect time to get organised.

'Remove anything that's outgrown, worn out or simply never used, and move summer shoes, bags, tennis rackets and other summer sports kit elsewhere,' advises pro declutterer Rebecca Crayford. 'You don't need an empty hallway – you just need room for the things you're actually going to be reaching for every day.'

If you're looking to upgrade your hallway storage ideas, Argos have some great clutter busters for keeping hallways tidy, such as this Stackable Shoe Rack for only £7.

2. Toys and stationery

'Children’s bedrooms can quickly become a dumping ground over the summer, particularly when routines are relaxed and children have more time to play,' says Vlatka Lake, storage expert at Space Station. 'The end of the holidays provides a natural opportunity to go through everything and work out what is still being used, what has been outgrown and what can be moved elsewhere.'

September is a good time to get organised and upgrade your toy storage solutions, if you need to. Dunelm have some great options, like this Striped Storage Trunk for £16. Maria Delia, APDO member and founder of Dare to Declutter, adds that organising stationery at this time of year is also helpful.

'Empty pencil cases, desk drawers and stationery cupboards and get rid of dried up pens, broken crayons, tiny pencils and anything that has simply reached the end of its life,' she advises. 'You might be surprised at how many perfectly good supplies you already have.'

3. Blankets, throws and cushions

As we get excited about autumn decorating ideas, the first port-of-call is usually to dig all of our blankets, throws and cushions out of the cupboard and pop them around the house. But before we do, Rebecca Crayford says that we should take stock of what we have and get rid of anything we don't need.

'Keep the blankets you actually like and use, donate good-quality ones you no longer want and let go of anything that's worn out,' she advises. 'The same goes for seasonal cushions and cushion covers. There's no point putting things back into your living space – or storing them for another year – if you know you're never going to use them.'

4. The freezer

According to the pros, the freezer is one of the best things to declutter in September because we're likely going to change the way we use it over the coming months. Give yours a makeover with the things that people with a tidy freezer always have (think freezer bags, labels, and rectangular containers).

'A quick sort now gives you more room for soups, casseroles and the batch-cooked meals you're more likely to reach for as the weather gets colder,' Rebecca says. 'Use up older food that's still good, get rid of anything that's past its best and investigate those mystery unlabelled containers you've been moving around for months.'

5. The 'junk' drawer or cupboard

Most of us have a junk drawer or cupboard in the house (and if you don't, hats off to you). In the spirit of resetting the home for autumn and using up all that back to school energy, now is the time organise the junk drawer and finally get rid of the items we don't need.

'Whether it's lids without containers, odd gloves, mystery cables, unidentified chargers, or spare buttons, we all store items that have somehow lost their partner, purpose or place,' Maria says. 'Give the items in your junk drawer one last chance to find a purpose. If you can't, it's probably time to let it go.'

I'd recommend these interlocking drawer organisers, currently half price on Amazon. They're ideal for keeping odd, miscallaneous items in one place.

Ticking off the things to declutter in September will make our homes feel much calmer after the busyness of summer – and help us enjoy hibernation season in all its glory.

As Ideal Home’s go-to for all things storage, organisation and decluttering, you’d like to think that I love decluttering my home. And I do… for a little while. But when I’m halfway through, and my house looks like a pigsty, I question why I even started in the first place (and go off in search of chocolate to make me feel better).

Yes, I’ve tried so many of the best decluttering methods out there, but I often still find myself surrounded by piles of items and making an even bigger mess when I’m trying to declutter - and it’s incredibly overwhelming. And while I appreciate that sometimes things do have to get worse to get better, does that always have to be the case?

According to the three professional organisers I spoke to, no, it doesn’t. These are their top tips for decluttering a home without making an even bigger mess in the process, and what to do if you reach that ‘oh gosh, what have I done?!’ moment.

1. Work in small sections

If you plan to organise your clothes or give your kitchen a complete overhaul, it can be tempting to pull everything out of the cupboards and drawers and start from scratch with everything laid out in front of you. And as someone who has done this many times, I can tell you that this is the worst thing you can do.

Shannon Murphy, Professional Organiser and Founder of Simpl Living Co, agrees, saying that working in small sections is one of the best ways to avoid overwhelm when decluttering a home. She says this also allows you to ‘fully complete an area before moving on to the next.’

‘I often recommend working clockwise around a room, focusing on one small area at a time. This gives you a clear starting point and a sense of progress as you work your way around the space,’ Shannon adds. ‘If you do reach that overwhelmed moment, remind yourself that you don't have to tackle the whole room today. Make the task smaller.’

By working this way, you’ll ensure that you don’t end up surrounded by all of your belongings and abandoning your task - and you’ll finally be able to get rid of the clutter that’s been building up for months (and perhaps even years).

2. Separate and remove items immediately

It can also be hard to know what to do with items when you’re decluttering, often leaving old clothes, paperwork, and toys sitting on the floor with no rhyme or reason for where they’re headed. That’s why separating these items using the four-box method is key.

‘Use four containers - keep here, move elsewhere, donate or sell, and rubbish or recycling. And make sure to finish one zone before expanding,’ advises Gemma Bray, Founder of The Organised Method. If you struggle with emotional clutter, she also says you can ‘allow yourself one small, dated “unsure” box for difficult decisions.’

But even if you have good intentions to get rid of items after a declutter, these boxes and bags can still continue to clutter up your home when you’ve finished if you don’t deal with them immediately. So, try to remove them from your house as quickly as possible to finish the task properly.

Gemma says, ‘Put donations by the door or take them directly to their destination, but do not drive them around until next year!’ Then, you can tick the task firmly off your to-do list.

3. Set a timer

Another reason decluttering becomes so messy is that we get distracted, and I recently wrote about how body doubling can help with that. However, a timer can also work wonders if you struggle to stay motivated. Plus, it helps you break down your decluttering into these smaller tasks.

Kate Dufton, Professional Organiser and Declutterer at Ace Your Space, agrees, saying, ‘I recommend clients use a timer and start with just 10 minutes. We often overestimate how long decluttering a small area will take, and once clients see how much they can achieve in 10 minutes, it often creates momentum to continue.’

She adds, ‘The timer also helps them keep their focus and avoid getting sidetracked.’ But that’s not all. By using a timer and keeping these tasks small and manageable, you can keep the room usable and see a visual difference in your decluttering efforts.

Of course, you can set the timer for as long as you want, but most experts wouldn’t suggest choosing anything over 20 minutes, as you’ll once again be at risk of making a bigger mess and feeling overwhelmed.

4. Start with non-sentimental items

Most people don’t know how to declutter sentimental items and hit a roadblock when they come across things they're emotionally attached to. And if you’re one of them - and you often abandon your decluttering efforts because of it - Kate suggests leaving these items until last.

‘I always recommend starting small with an area that has no sentimental attachment to my clients. When you try to declutter a whole room in one go, you can quickly end up with your belongings everywhere, feeling overwhelmed and with no energy left to finish the project,’ she warns.

‘Instead, start by clearing one drawer or one small surface of items containing items that don’t hold any sentimental attachment. I normally suggest choosing an area with similar items to get you into the flow. This could be a pan drawer, underwear drawer, or dressing table,’ she adds.

And when you’ve done this, you should have built up enough momentum and confidence in your decisions to handle the sentimental items. If you genuinely can’t, take a quick break, but make sure you come back to your task.

5. Take stock of your energy levels

It can be incredibly easy to give up on decluttering when you’ve made an even bigger mess, but this mess will just get bigger as the weeks go by. To avoid this, it’s important to take stock of your energy levels during the process, as you ultimately need to be in a calm, motivated headspace to see results.

Gemma explains, ‘Overwhelm often hits when the room temporarily looks worse and your energy drops. You have not failed; you are simply in the untidy middle. When it happens, stop taking out more things. Remind yourself why you started and that this is usually the worst part, then take practical action.’

She suggests focusing on four key tasks: throwing away obvious rubbish, putting items you definitely want to donate in a bag (and get rid of it as soon as you can), returning anything that has an obvious home, and then clearing one visible surface or pathway to create some physical (and mental) breathing room.

Seeing this visible difference should perk up your energy levels, but you then need to ask yourself another question: Can you continue? Or should you try again tomorrow? There’s no shame in taking a break if it’s going to render better results.

What you'll need

I'm definitely stealing these tips!

Most of us have a ‘doom room.’ This is the awkward, spare room in our homes where we store random items that don’t have a permanent resting spot elsewhere, and it quickly becomes a dumping ground for forgotten things.

And while there are so many things people with tidy homes always have, the doom room is a very niche corner of the home that often gets ignored during regular tidying and organising sessions. But although it can be easy to shut the door and pretend the mess inside doesn’t exist, that isn’t always practical when this spare room also needs to serve as a guest bedroom, home office or hobby room.

So, take this as your sign to give it some TLC! This is what you’ll need to turn your doom room into an organised, practical space that works with your needs rather than against them.

1. Wardrobe or clothes rail

It’s important to understand your own storage needs when tidying a doom room, and if your spare bedroom always becomes an extension of your wardrobe, you need to add storage solutions that tackle this problem - instead of just piling your clothes on the bed or the floor.

And while it may sound counterintuitive to add a wardrobe to what is often one of the smallest rooms of the house, opting for a closed wardrobe can help you maintain consistently tidy clothes and offer storage space to store organised boxes, suitcases, and other items you want to remove from the floor of your doom room.

However, if you’re worried that the closed doors of a wardrobe will encourage you to simply hide mess, I’m a huge fan of clothes rails like this Argos Home Kevin Double Clothes Rail (£46 at Argos). In fact, I’ve previously written about how my clothes rail helps me stay accountable and tackle mess as soon as I spot it.

2. Sleeping space with storage

A doom room is never going to be perfect. But if you want to create a temporary guest room for friends or family members in this room, it’s important to choose your sleeping setup wisely. And in this case, it’s well worth opting for a small-space-friendly bed - with extra storage for your own use, if possible.

The best sofa beds are a great option for those who want their doom room to become a multi-purpose space where they can craft or catch up on their hobbies, and I can’t recommend the Ascot Ottoman Storage Bed (£299 at DUSK) enough. This is actually the bed I have in my own bedroom, and the roomy storage is perfect for storing extra bedding, towels, and even shoes.

If you have a slightly larger spare room and don’t want to scrimp on a proper bed for your guests, just make sure you choose a bed frame with space underneath for underbed storage boxes, so you can keep items you need readily available but don’t want on show.

3. Over-the-door organisers

One of the best ways to create order in smaller homes and spaces is to utilise vertical space, and door organisers are ideal for doom rooms. They also don’t require any drilling or permanent hanging, so can be used in rental accommodation and even be moved from room to room if you have guests and need to quickly tidy up.

The beauty of over-the-door organisers is that there are so many different types to suit the items that you may be storing in your spare bedroom. For example, you could use this SAVERHO Over The Door Shoe Organiser (£11.99 at Amazon) to store and organise all of your family’s shoes.

There are so many more options, though, with door organisers designed specifically for towels or accessories, or with larger pockets to house anything you may need. Just remember to declutter these items regularly to ensure you’re not holding on to anything you no longer need.

4. Stackable boxes

While I love nothing more than a pretty-but-practical storage baskets that serve both storage and decor, they might not be suitable for doom rooms where you need to store a lot in a small amount of space. In this case, stackable storage boxes may suit you better.

The beauty of these stackable storage boxes - like these Really Useful 3 x 62L Plastic Storage Boxes (£33 at Argos) - is that you can stack them on top of each other to minimise the amount of floor space they take up. They also come with handles, so you can easily grab the one you want and move it, or pop them in a cupboard if you have one.

These boxes are ideal for things like seasonal decor, paperwork, and everything else that doesn’t really have a proper home organised and tidy. I’d just make sure you use labels like these Large Labels for Storage Boxes (45 pack for £6.99 at Amazon), so you know exactly what’s in them.

5. A multi-purpose desk

Whether you work exclusively from home or your kids need somewhere to do their homework (that’s not their bedroom or the dining table), a desk is always a good idea. And while the spare ‘doom room' is a good place to put it, there’s no denying that they take up a lot of space.

This is where multi-purpose desks come into play, with many options to choose from. Hideaway desks like IKEA’S BILLY bookcase with a foldable table serve as a temporary desk when you need it, but offer permanent storage in the form of a traditional bookcase. This means you don’t have to live with a full-size desk cluttering up the space.

You can also buy wall-mounted desks, or a compact dressing table that can double as a desk for when you need to take your meetings. Whatever option you choose, opt for something compact, multi-purpose, or with hidden storage you can use.

Remember, a doom room is never going to be perfect... but you can always make it better!

The benefits of solar power are now available to more people than ever before. Thanks to a legislation change, plug-in solar panels are now legal in the UK, and once on sale, are significantly more affordable than traditional rooftop solar panels.

While there are lots of differences between rooftop solar panels and plug-in versions, the installation is arguably one of the biggest. Plug-in solar panels are designed to be plugged into an electrical socket on a DIY basis, with no professional input required. But questions have been raised as to how safe that is, when not every home's electrical system is the same.

So how do you know if plug-in solar panels will be safe to use in your home? Well, I asked the experts to find out.

Are plug-in solar panels dangerous?

Plug-in solar panels themselves aren't dangerous, but there is concern that connecting a plug-in solar panel to an old or faulty socket could be.

'Plug-in solar panels, sometimes called balcony solar or Shuko solar systems, connect directly into a standard household socket,' explains John Collett, Director of Quantum Renewables. 'The primary risk arises in homes with older or faulty wiring. If the household electrical installation is not in good condition, adding any additional load including a solar panel can create a risk of overheating at plug sockets or junction points.'

'Plug-in solar panels can be safe when used correctly, but they aren’t quite the same as plugging in a standard household appliance,’ adds George Penny, Solar Panel Expert and Director at The Solar Co. ‘They introduce a new source of electricity into the home, so existing weaknesses in the wiring could create an electrical or fire risk.

'Homes with ageing wiring, worn components, previous DIY alterations, inadequate earthing or a lack of modern protective devices may require electrical work before plug-in solar can be used safely.'

But it's not just your electrical system that could prove problematic; there are other ways that plug-in solar could pose a risk to your home and safety, including improper installation. George Penny explains: 'Incorrect installation or use could also make a plug-in solar system dangerous. A typical rigid solar panel weighs around 20 to 25kg, so an 800W system containing two panels could add approximately 40 to 50kg before any mounting equipment is included.

'That weight could damage an older or weakened fence or shed roof, particularly when combined with strong winds. That’s why it’s essential to check for rot, cracks or sagging and make sure the structure and fixings can safely support both the panels’ weight and wind loading.'

Using unsuitable connectors could also pose a risk, especially if they are not designed for outdoor use.

'Sockets, cables and connectors should also be suitable for outdoor use and protected from water, dust and physical damage,' adds George. 'Never use a standard extension lead, trap a cable through a window or door, or daisy-chain multiple panels. Adding equipment that the system or household circuit isn’t designed to handle could cause components to overheat.'

It's also important to check you have the necessary permissions in place before you attempt an installation. 'Renters should also get their landlord’s permission before drilling into or attaching panels to fences, balconies, walls or sheds,' concludes George.

How to use plug-in solar panels safely

'Anyone considering a plug-in solar system should have their consumer unit and wiring checked by a qualified electrician first, particularly in properties built before the 1990s,' suggests John Collett.

You should also make sure you are only buying panels that meet the required safety standards. Those sold in this country through reputable retailers will meet those standards, but beware if you are buying online and if they look like they may be delivered from overseas. 'Only purchase systems that are certified to UK and EU safety standards,' adds John. 'Check for the CE mark and confirm the system has been tested to EN 62109 standards for inverters.'

In further buying advice, Electrical Safety First says you should only buy from reputable high street retailers and their websites, rather than through third party retailers on online marketplaces, that currently have no legal responsibility for the safety of the products they sell.

You should also make sure that you follow any installation and set-up instructions exactly. 'My advice to anyone picking one up at their local Lidl: keep expectations realistic, follow the manufacturer's instructions to the letter, and don't be tempted to daisy-chain panels or run them through extension leads,' advises George.

There are certain fixtures and fittings around the house that get a little overlooked, shuffled down to the bottom of the priority list beneath the more obvious elements of a home, such as kitchen units, flooring, wall colour and so on. However, it is these same small details can actually completely ruin an otherwise perfect interior scheme.

Door handles are a great example of this – despite being touched and used multiple times a day and acting as the final decorative flourish for your internal doors, they are often just not given the attention they deserve. In my own house, many of the door handles are the same as when we bought the house – definitely not original to the Edwardian period it was built in but instead, cheap plastic afterthoughts. They really let things down.

If your own door handles are doing little for your decor, the good news is that this is an easy DIY project to get stuck into – my step-by-step guide is here to take you through everything you need to know to getting the job done.

How do you choose the right handles for your door?

New hardware is one of the best ways to update your doors and can instantly make a front door look expensive as well as those inside your house. Before changing your door handles you will obviously need to choose new ones to replace the old.

David Turner, head of product at Leader Online, has some tips on which style works best where. 'The type of door handle should be consistent with the style of the door, as well as how the room is used.

'Lever-on-rose handles are sleek and contemporary and work well on modern internal doors, while lever-on-backplate handles are more suited to traditional or period-style homes,' continues David. 'For bathrooms, choose a handle that has a built-in privacy lock, or pair it with a separate thumb-turn lock. For a more cohesive look, it's also a good idea to match the finish of your handles to other hardware in the room such as cabinet handles, taps or light fittings.'

Shop stylish door hardware

How long does it take to replace a door handle?

This is one of those perfect small DIY jobs to undertake if you don't have days to spare for a home update.

'It takes most people 10 to 20 minutes per door to change a door handle,' reveals David Turner. 'If you are swapping the handle style and need to change the fixing holes or replace the latch, the time may be closer to 30 to 45 minutes.

'It’s a very doable DIY project for most homeowners if you measure carefully and take your time,' adds David. 'The key is to choose replacement handles that match where your latch and screws are currently located, as this will make installation much easier.'

What you'll need to replace a door handle

Before getting started you need to assemble together all the tools and materials required to get the job done. Thankfully, most of these already probably feature in most home toolkits.

If you are still in the process of choosing new door handles, Chris Moorhouse, building and decor category director at Wickes, has some handy tips. 'Check the door’s thickness, which will typically be 35mm to 44mm. It is also important to see whether the new set you are considering uses standard surface screws or bolt-through fixings.

'Before buying replacements, it is helpful to inspect the existing tubular latch too,' adds Chris. 'If the old handle was sagging, the internal latch spring may be worn out and require replacing at the same time.'

Getting organised is key here if you want the job to run smoothly. Here's what you'll need:

• Replacement handles
• Screwdrivers – the Wera Kraftform 350 Screwdriver from Amazon is a great Phillips model, while for a flathead the Magnusson Standard Flat head Screwdriver from B&Q is a good buy
• Tape measure such as this STANLEY 5m Tape Measure from Amazon, which is nice and solid
• Pencil
• If you're fitting a different style of handle, you may also need a drill with the correct wood bit. 'Having a 2mm to 2.5mm pilot drill bit and a manual screwdriver on hand prevents wood splitting and accidental scratches during installation,' advises Chris Moorhouse.

Replacing door handles step-by-step

1. Remove existing handles

Before you can fit a new handle you obviously need to remove the old one.

Keep the door open while you are working so that you can see both sides and use your screwdriver to remove the screws holding the handle in place.

'Begin by unscrewing the current handles on either side of the door and removing them,' says David Turner. 'Then remove the spindle and check that the new handle is compatible with the existing latch and fixing holes.'

Any old holes that won't be covered by the new handle can be filled with wood filler, sanded and repainted.

2. Remove the latch

This next step depends a little on the type of door handle you are replacing. If the new handles are compatible with the existing latch things will be simpler.

'If you’re replacing the handle with the same size and style, you can usually use the existing latch,' explains David Turner. 'If not, you'll need to remove the old latch to fit the new one.'

You can see the visible section of the latch on the side of the door – this is the strike plate. Unscrew the top and bottom screws and it should all pull out. Use a chisel if it resists your efforts.

3. Measure the backset

This next step is really important in terms of ensuring everything lines up between the old and new sections of your door.

Using a tape measure, take the distance between the inside edge of the door and the centre of the hole where the old handle was – this is known as the 'backset' and it needs to match the new latch. In some cases latches are adjustable to make life a little easier.

4. Insert the new latch

Providing your new latch fits into the opening left by the old one, this step should be simple.

Slide the new latch into the space where the original one was and screw the strike plate in, ensuring the bevelled side is facing the door jamb.

You can now insert the new spindle through the holes in the door and the latch which, if you've measured correctly, will line up.

5. Fit the new handle

Finally, it is time to secure your new handles or knobs into position.

Start with one side, threading the spindle through the hole in the handle, and then do the same with the other side, ensuring the two sides line up with one another.

Screw into place. Some styles of knobs and handles come with additional face plates which fit over the inner plate to hide the screws.

Test the door a few times to check everything is working smoothly.

FAQs

What is the best way to update internal doors?

Your internal doors probably see a lot of use on a day-to-day basis – so keeping them looking fresh and in-keeping with the rest of your interiors should be a priority as shabby or mismatched doors can quickly make your whole home look a little tired.

'One of the fastest ways to modernise internal doors is to change the handles, but replacing the hinges, latch plates and escutcheons in the same finish gives a much more polished result,' says David Turner.

'If they look tired, painting internal doors or adding a wood stain can do wonders too,' adds David. 'Upgrading door stops or adding decorative moulding to plain doors is another cost-effective way to give them a more premium look.'

If your doors are in really poor condition, or have been replaced at some point in the past with a style that just doesn't work with the rest of your decor scheme, it might be time to consider replacement. There are so many beautiful interior door ideas to consider – including some ingenious space-saving models.

As a home tech reviewer, I've spent the best part of a decade testing appliances out in my home. And I've had the pleasure of taking some of the best robot vacuum cleaners out for a test drive.

Recently, I got my hands on the iRobot Roomba Plus 415 Combo, and it's a strong cleaner but a poor driver. Of course, which of those observations you care about more depends entirely on what kind of home you keep. So, this is everything you need to know.

In a nutshell

The 415 sits at the entry point of the new Roomba Plus range, vacuuming and mopping in the same run, with an AutoWash dock that empties the bin, washes the pads, and dries them with warm air at 45°C. Suction is quoted at 20,000Pa, which iRobot says is 2.8 times that of the older Roomba 505, though the number is less important than the two DualClean pads spinning at 200 RPM underneath.

ClearView LiDAR handles navigation, and the map-building is quick, with the resulting plan coming out pretty accurately. Sadly, there's no camera-based obstacle recognition at this tier, and after a day of watching it drag a cat toy into the hallway, that omission is my defining impression of the machine.

In fact, I've learned that there is a specific noise a robot vacuum makes when it detects a charging cable and mistakes it for a rug. A rising whine, then the sound of furniture scratching and, in the worst cases, ornaments dropped to the floor as a table falls over. I heard it three times in the first hour with the Roomba Plus 415 Combo, which is a shame because between those moments it did some of the best floor cleaning I've had from a robot in this end of the market.

​The dock is the other thing worth discussing, mainly for what it isn't. At 33 x 33 x 48.5 cm, it takes up roughly half the floor of the MOVA P50 Pro Ultra I tested in the same flat a few weeks ago, and it went into its corner without anything else having to move. Anyone who has tried to house a self-washing dock in a small flat will understand why that's such an important detail.

Specifications

• Suction power: 20,000Pa
• Mop function: Yes
• Pad lift: 10mm auto-lift on carpet detection
• Navigation: ClearView LiDAR
• Multi-floor mapping: Yes, up to 3 maps
• Dock functions: Auto-empty, pad wash, 45°C heated drying, self-cleaning cycle
• Dust bag: AllergenLock, up to 3 months
• Cleaning modes: Vacuum only, mop only, both together, vacuum then mop
• Robot dimensions: H8.35 x W30.3 x D29.8cm, 2.9kg
• Dock dimensions: H48.5 x W33 x D33cm, 5.3kg
• Compatible with: Roomba Home app, Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant

How I tested

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

The packaging consisted of too much cardboard and more plastic than I'd like to see in 2026, but that’s not a knock on iRobot specifically.

The cardboard at least goes out with the paper, but the dock arrives inside a full plastic sleeve, and the smaller parts each get their own compartment on top of that. I've said this about every robot vacuum I've tested, and I'll keep saying it.

What's inside is better organised than the outside suggests. A quick start guide, the dock, the robot, clean and dirty water tanks, an edge-sweeping brush, two pairs of mop pads, a spare AllergenLock bag, and both UK and US power leads.

Assembly is where the price shows itself. Everything goes together, but nothing clicks, and the way the panels sit feels flimsy, making me double-check that I'd done it right. Sliding the dock into its corner, I spent most of my energy making sure I didn't knock the water tanks off the top, which may only be a problem on the first day, but it didn't inspire much confidence.

It did, however, pass the test I apply to everything that arrives in a box: whether I can set it up without reading the instructions. The dock is intuitive, the pads only fit one way round, and the app takes over from there.

The robot itself is nicer-looking than most. There's a faux fabric patch across the top and a minimal set of buttons, which is a welcome change from the glossy black plastic discs that make up most of this category. It looks like something that belongs in a room rather than something you'd hide in a cupboard.

One absence I noticed straight away is that there's nowhere to add detergent. Other models have an auto-dosing compartment that meters cleaning solution into every run, but the 415 washes with water alone. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it's worth knowing about if you're used to a floor cleaner that also leaves a smell afterwards.

Ease of use

The Roomba Home app is clean and user-friendly, and the initial mapping run was quick and accurate. You get four cleaning modes, spot cleaning, zone and room selection, scheduling, and the usual voice assistant support across Alexa, Siri and Google.

Where it fell down for me was in the manual controls. I wanted to trigger an auto-empty and a pad wash on demand, partly to time them and partly because I'd just run the machine through BBQ sauce, and I couldn't find an obvious way to do either. They may well be in there, but after twenty minutes of looking, I'd given up, and a feature you can't find is basically a feature you don't have.

Performance

​As per how we test robot vacuums at Ideal Home, I also put the Roomba Plus 415 Combo through some messy tests.

The BBQ sauce test was a roaring success, and I don't say that lightly, given how many robot mops fail it. A fresh, sticky spill on laminate, and the 415 took it up in a single pass, scrubbed rather than smeared, with nothing travelling onto the cream rug sitting alongside. It just dealt with it, then paused a few moments later to wash its pads.​

Edge cleaning is the other genuine strength. The pads and the sweeping brush get right up against the skirting, and the back corner of my lounge by the cat flap, which is permanently filthy in a way no upright vacuum solves, came up lovely and clean.​

Hair pickup was also strong. In the interests of full disclosure, this was my hair rather than the cat's - Jet having made himself unavailable for brushing at the critical moment - but three good tufts of it went up in one pass with no hesitation.

Carpet detection works, and, more usefully, you can hear it working. There's a reassuring uptick in fan noise as it crosses onto a rug, and the pads lift out of the way, so nothing came up damp the next morning.​

Unfortunately, object avoidance is the worst I've tested this year. It’s not cautious or oversensitive like many robots, but simply absent.

Cat toys were dragged from the lounge into the hallway rather than avoided; the robot got tangled in charging cables almost immediately and, at one point, made a determined attempt to climb Jet's puzzle feeder. It also ate my feet, twice, while I was sitting still.

This is the LiDAR-only tier, and iRobot's own product page claims obstacle recognition that steers around cords, shoes, and toys. On the evidence of a full day, I'd treat that claim with a healthy dose of scepticism. The mapping is genuinely good, and the coverage is systematic, but the machine has no idea what any individual object is and behaves accordingly.

It's also deliberately, methodically slow, which I don't mind at all in a machine that runs while I'm out, but it is a problem when you have to babysit.

Cleaning and maintenance

Following the BBQ sauce test, while I was feeling positive about its performance, I opened the robot afterwards to check the brush and found not only remnants of sauce inside but also every strand of hair from the earlier test tightly wrapped around the roller.

On a machine sold on tangle-free rubber brushes, that's a real mark against it, and the sort of thing that turns into a five-minute job with scissors every couple of weeks (or more if you lose hair as I do).

The dock handles the rest well enough. It auto-empties into the AllergenLock bag, pad-washes between runs, and then dries with warm air at 45 °C. That's cooler than the 75°C wash some rivals manage, and whether it's enough to stop pads going sour is a question I can only answer with more time.

​The tanks lift out easily and refill without fuss, and the filters need to be changed every three to six months. Bags and pads are an ongoing cost, and I'd expect it to fall in a similar range to other models in this class.

How does it compare to similar models?

The MOVA P50 Pro Ultra, which I tested in the same flat, has better plumbing and a genuinely anti-tangle brush, but its dock is nearly twice the footprint, and it split the sauce test that the 415 passed outright.

​The Eufy Omni E25 holds a five-star rating from Ideal Home and delivers stronger raw suction, so a mostly carpeted home is better served by it.

​Within iRobot's own range, the step up to the Roomba Plus 575 adds AI visual recognition alongside LiDAR, which is exactly what the 415 is missing. If your floors have cables, pet toys or anything else it might eat, I'd work out what that gap costs before saving money at this tier.

Verdict: Should you buy the Roomba Plus 415 Combo?

If your home is mostly hard flooring and you're reasonably disciplined about clearing the floor, yes, and fairly happily. The mopping is one of the best I've seen at this price; the edges get proper attention, and the dock is small enough that finding it a home isn't a project in itself.

But the object avoidance is a problem, and it isn't a small one. A robot vacuum earns its money by being something you don't have to think about, and this is a machine you have to tidy up for. Every cable, every toy, every pair of shoes left by the door becomes something you deal with before you press start. Whether that's a fair trade depends on how much clearing you were going to do anyway.

Martin Lewis has taken to social media to explain how we can beat rising energy costs before the recently inflated price cap comes into effect on 1 October this year.

This Thursday (26 August), the energy regulator Ofgem announced that the energy price cap would rise by 4% in October, costing the average household an extra £60 a year on their bills.

In true Martin Lewis style, the money expert quickly took to X (formerly Twitter) to explain how consumers can offset rising costs - and it’s as simple as fixing your tariff. Here’s everything you need to know.

Should you fix your tariff?

‘So if you are on the price cap and you’re going to see a rise, what do you do about it? Well, the obvious thing here is that you get a fix. And you get the cheapest fix you possibly can, and this is why,’ says Martin in a video on X.

‘The cheapest fix on the market is around 7% less than the current price cap. Well, if you fix, you lock in that unit rate and standard charge. So, the price cap is going to go up 3.6% in October, so from October expect the cheapest fix to be around 10% cheaper than the rate you’ll be paying from October if you stayed on the price cap.

‘And the current prediction because wholesale rates, which is what’s driving this, the Middle East conflict, the fact that that fighting has gone on and on and in fact, wholesale rates, the rates gas and electricity firms pay, are the highest right now that I’ve seen them since the Ukraine crisis, means that in January, well the price cap is currently predicted though it’s somewhat crystal ball gazing to be going up by another 10%.

‘So by January, the cheapest fix now could potentially be 20% cheaper than what you’ll be paying in January. That’s why a fix is a no-brainer.’

If wholesale prices continue to rise, it’s likely that the price cap will follow suit. Martin’s logic is that by fixing your tariff now and paying the same price for the length of your contract, you will save more money in the long run.

‘Generally speaking, comparing energy providers and switching to a fixed tariff now will likely be the best way for most customers to save on their energy bills, especially for those on a variable tariff who are more exposed to changes in the price cap,’ confirms Gareth Kloet, energy expert at Go.Compare.

‘Doing this will lock your prices at the unit rate you fix at for the duration of your contract, so you will avoid paying the higher prices when they come into effect in October. The amount you could save by doing this will vary by customer, depending on your current deal and energy usage, but it should protect you against the incoming rise at the very least.’

Are there any issues with fixing your tariff right now?

However, while fixing your tariff is generally considered by experts as a good way to save on your energy bill (particularly when prices are expected to rise), there are still a few niggles that you should consider.

‘The only thing for customers to be mindful of when making this switch is to take exit fees into account if you are currently on a fixed rate tariff. You may be charged a fee to leave your current deal and switch to another tariff with another provider, so it can be worth double-checking that this fee won’t outweigh the savings of moving to a fixed tariff,’ says Gareth.

‘Switching to a fixed tariff also means you won’t feel the benefit if prices drop below the current unit rate during your contract, but you will have the stability of knowing your energy costs will remain the same and that you’ll avoid any higher prices for the immediate future.’

In his video, Martin also explains that the cheapest fixed-rate offers are currently more expensive than they were last month due to increasing wholesale prices.

‘And if the Middle East conflict improves, you may be able to fix more cheaply in three, four, five weeks than you can right now. But nobody knows because it’s all about the big orange fella in the White House and what he decides to do.’

Martin concludes by saying that the safest thing to do if you’re on the price cap is to fix today. However, he does say if you’re the type of person who plays the market or is just coming off a fix, there is a chance that you may be able to wait for a cheaper fix.

There are plenty of ways to save energy at home, such as using energy-efficient bulbs and smart meters and making simple changes like not overfilling the kettle. If you are worried about paying your bills this winter, you should reach out to your energy supplier to see what support you’re entitled to.

With energy prices set to rise yet again in October, and solar panels becoming more readily available than ever before, it's no wonder more and more people are investing whether this kind of technology is right for their home.

For many the price of solar panels could be prohibitive, but with plug-in solar panels now legal in the UK, generating solar power could become a reasonable prospect for more and more homes.

But given the changeable weather we get here in the UK, how do the different weather types affect how well solar panels perform? I asked the pros to find out.

How does the sun affect solar panels?

As solar panels convert energy from the sun into power for your home (albeit at differing levels depending on whether you choose rooftop or plug-in solar panels), sunny weather is usually ideal for them. But the angle of the panels, as well as the time of year and the position of the sun will have an impact on how much power they generate.

'Between April and September, you can expect to generate around 65-75% of your annual solar electricity, with just 25-35% generated between October and March,' explains George Penny, Expert at The Solar Co.

'This is due to shorter days and the sun sitting lower in the sky, which reduces the amount of sunlight reaching your panels.

'Vertically mounted solar panels can also outperform traditional tilted systems in winter by up to 24.5%, making orientation a key consideration for year-round performance. However, even with optimised systems, winter output will always be lower than summer.'

And so it's best to look at the output of solar panels over a longer period of time. 'The practical takeaway is to think of a solar year as one long summer harvest with a quiet winter, rather than expecting a steady monthly figure,' suggests Andreas Pierrie, founder at Go Solar Today. 'Anyone judging their system on its December numbers is looking at the worst four weeks of the year.'

Are solar panels less effective in a heatwave?

While sunny days are good for solar panels, extreme heatwaves can have a negative impact, which may seem a bit baffling.

'It is one of the biggest misconceptions about solar power,' explains George Penny. 'Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity using semiconductor cells, and as these cells become hotter their electrical properties change, making it less efficient for electricity to flow.

'For every degree Celsius above the standard test temperature of 25ºC, solar panels typically lose around 0.3% to 0.5% of their power output.

'During a UK heatwave, panel surface temperatures can reach 65ºC or more, leading to noticeable efficiency losses.

'However, the abundant sunshine during a heatwave usually outweighs those losses, so while each panel produces slightly less, the sheer amount of sunlight means solar panels can continue generating large volumes of electricity.'

How does rain affect solar panels?

Rain itself might seem like the worst for solar panels, but it can actually have its benefits.

'Rain is the one people worry about and really shouldn't,' says Andreas. 'Panels are sealed units and are hail tested to withstand 25mm ice balls fired at around 50mph, so a British downpour is nothing. If anything rain helps, because it washes off the things that genuinely do cost you output: pollen in May, road dust, bird mess. Left alone, soiling can quietly shave a few percent off generation.'

But while the rain may do some of the work, you might still need to rope in the pros for a proper clean every so often. 'In fact, regular rain is often enough to keep panels clean in the UK, though some homeowners schedule professional cleanings once or twice a year to maintain peak performance,' says George.

How do clouds affect solar panels?

'The real ‘danger’ to solar output isn’t heat, it’s cloud cover, which can cut output by 75% or more on overcast days.' says George Penny. However, fear not, they won't stop working altogether. They'll just generate less than on a sunny day.

Having a battery as part of your solar panel set up can help you to store electricity generated on clear sunny days to use on days when it's a overcast, or on shorter days in winter.

How does snow affect solar panels?

While in most parts of the UK, snow is a something of a rarity, when it hits it can cause problems for your solar panels.

'If snow completely covers the panels, it can significantly reduce or temporarily stop generation because sunlight cannot reach the solar cells, explains Simon Bones, CEO of Genous. 'Fortunately, solar panels are normally installed at an angle, so snow will often slide off naturally as the panels warm up.'

Should you worry about the weather when it comes to solar panels?

While certain weather conditions can have a negative effect on your solar panels effectiveness, it's best to look at how well they perform over a longer term before deciding against them.

'Try not to become too obsessed with what your panels are doing hour by hour. Solar generation apps can become really addictive, but hourly generation doesn’t mean much,' explains Kian Milroy, Renewables Electrical Engineer at Heatable. 'The best way to judge efficiency is tracking production across the year.

'UK weather is incredibly variable, one miserable week in January tells you very little about whether your panels are performing properly.

'It’s also worth knowing that Britain is actually better suited to solar than people often assume. We may not have constant sunshine, but modern panels still generate from diffuse daylight. And when you add in that our relatively mild temperatures are good for panel efficiency, and our very long summer days give systems plenty of opportunity to produce electricity, it works out to be a fairly good match overall.

'If you’re considering solar, I’d be much more concerned about whether the system has been properly designed for your particular roof, rather than worrying about whether the British weather is ‘sunny enough’.'

Dawn O’Porter’s mustard armchair turned the heads of the Ideal Home team this week, but not for the reasons you might expect. This statement armchair is not for humans; it’s for her dog.

That’s right, dog armchairs are becoming an increasingly popular living room idea. In 2026, the ‘pooch nursery’ is booming as dogs are undoubtedly a significant member of any family, and this means more and more of us are investing in stylish accessories for our pets, be it Le Creuset pet bowls or designer pet beds.

Dawn, famous for her work as a writer and presenter, is serving up serious inspiration with her dog’s stylish armchair. So, I asked experts how to make one work in your home.

I first spotted Dawn’s dog’s armchair on Instagram, where she had snapped a mirror selfie. In the background of the image, her dog had made themselves very comfy on the stylish mustard armchair. It even had a throw for added cosiness. While you may think it’s a little extravagant, a pet armchair is actually a stylish alternative to a standard dog bed.

And it’s an idea I think my own dog, Nancy, would love, too. She’s always been a little bit of a diva, and now, aged 14, deserves to have the most stylish place to snooze. I’ve already been looking at this rusty dog couch bed (£33.04, Amazon) as it doesn’t have legs, so I don’t have to worry about my elderly dog climbing up onto it.

‘We’re increasingly seeing what I’d call the “pooch nursery” effect. Just as parents create a beautiful, considered space for a new baby, pet owners are becoming much more intentional about creating a dedicated space for their dog,’ says Natalie Evans, founder and CEO of home styling and staging company Little Barn Door.

‘Traditional dog beds can be bulky and often feel like something we have to accommodate rather than something we actually want in the room. A pet armchair turns that around. It can become a deliberate part of the interior scheme, particularly when you can choose upholstery that complements your existing sofa or furniture.

‘There is something wonderfully playful about seeing a beautifully designed miniature armchair next to the family's full-sized furniture too. It acknowledges what many of us already know: the dog isn't just a pet anymore; they're part of the household.’

As Natalie points out, dogs are a huge part of the home. The National Dog Survey of 2024 found that 99% of owners saw dogs as members of their family, citing that their pooch helped with emotional support, mental and physical health and reduction in isolation.

How to style your dog's armchair

If you feel your dog deserves their own stylish seat, you need to remember that placement is the most important thing to consider.

‘You can buy the most beautiful pet chair in the world, but if it's sitting awkwardly in the middle of the room, it will still become an eyesore, and your dog probably won't use it either. Remember that this is supposed to be a calming, secure place for your pet. Position it in a quieter, lower-traffic part of the room where they can retreat but still feel close to the family,’ says Natalie.

‘From a styling perspective, I'd treat it almost like an occasional chair. Look at the colours, fabrics and proportions already in the room and choose something that complements them rather than trying to make the pet furniture disappear. And resist over-styling it. A tiny cushion might look fabulous for the photograph, but ultimately this is one interior trend where the pet using it has to come first.’

You can select a chair that matches the aesthetics of your living room so it blends in. Plus, if your dog has their own ‘best sofa’ to lounge on, it can help keep them off yours, too!

'At DFS, we believe that everyone should be able to find their style thing – even our pets! And for those that treat their pets like members of the family, we designed a range of ‘mini-me’ pet sofas, inspired by some of our most loved designs,' says Kellie Wyles, Head of Upholstery and Brands at DFS.

Handmade to order (just like the human versions) and much more stylish than a traditional dog bed, pet sofas not only help keep the main sofa clean, but it will ensure your furry friend’s snuggle spot can match your human-sized one, so you don’t have to compromise on style in your space.'

Shop the look

I don't care if it's a little OTT, I wan't my dog to live in style, love and comfort, which is why Dawn has won me over the dog armchair front.

While I’d like to think that my clean and tidy home reflects everything I’ve learned during my years as Ideal Home’s House Manual Editor, it’s nothing compared to my mum’s house. Every time I open her front door, I’m reminded that it really is as spotless as you can get - and it’s both impressive and irritating.

I’d love to say that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, but the reality is that I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from the things people with tidy homes always have to give my house a complete overhaul over the past year or so. But my mum isn’t like that. She isn’t swayed by fancy tools, social media trends or questionable hacks. She’s mastered a regime that works perfectly all on her own.

So, on a recent trip back to Dorset to see my family, I decided it was time to interview the one person whose house has been clean and tidy for as long as I can remember: my mum. And these are her clutter-busting tips for a spotless home.

1. Deal with clutter immediately

There are many things you’ll never find at my mum’s house: clothes on the floor, clutter on the kitchen worktops, or toys spread all over the living room (which is pretty impressive considering my nephews often turn her living room into their own personal racetrack). That’s because my mum deals with clutter immediately.

As soon as she spots something out of place or something that needs to be thrown in the bin, she moves it to where it needs to be - similar to a 10-minute declutter, but more natural rather than a scheduled organising session.

She’s even got my nephews involved and makes them pop all of their toys back in one of these Really Useful 3 x 62L Plastic Storage Boxes (£33 at Argos) when they’ve finished playing. That box then goes straight in the wardrobe when they leave, keeping the living room - and the rest of the house - as clean and tidy as possible.

Tackling clutter immediately is something I’ve struggled with in the past as I am prone to procrastination, but I’m definitely getting better thanks to my clutter bucket technique. I even keep one on my stairs for clutter, and set a midnight deadline that same day to empty this Woodluv Seagrass Stair Basket (£24.99 at Amazon).

2. Pick a dedicated ‘housework’ day

For as long as I can remember, Friday has been my mum’s ‘housework’ day. And every Friday, she starts her morning by giving the entire house a refresh from top to bottom - dusting every surface with these classic yellow dusters (which you can buy in a pack of 10 on Amazon for £10.95), vacuuming the floors, and giving the bathrooms and kitchen a proper scrub.

The only time she has ever strayed from this routine was when I was still in school, and she was still at work - but even then it was early Friday evening rather than Friday morning. But while this seems to run counter to expert advice to avoid cleaning overwhelm, my mum swears by it.

In her eyes, spending a few hours making the house immaculate one day a week is far superior to cleaning little and often throughout the week, and it makes the house much easier to keep clean. And if any spills or messes occur on another day, she can handle them in seconds and won't have to think about cleaning for the rest of the week.

She also loves the satisfaction of seeing a properly clean house by the end of her housework day, and I’ve started doing the same in my home. Granted, my housework day is Sunday, and I often cheat by using these overnight cleaning hacks to let my appliances do the cleaning while I’m sleeping. But copying her has still worked wonders in my home.

3. Storage organisers are a must

Although my mum doesn’t spend a huge amount of money on fancy, trending storage organisers you see all over social media, she does use a few staple organisers to keep certain areas of her home tidy. Including her bedroom and bathroom.

Like people with tidy clothes, she loves using drawer organisers to categorise her clothes so she knows where everything is and can keep them neatly folded. This is something I’ve invested in recently, too - and while she uses the SKUBB Boxes from IKEA for £6, I use the DIMJ 12 Pack Drawer Organisers (£19 at Amazon) because I find the sizes to be way more generous.

She also stores ‘non-essential’ shoes at the bottom of her wardrobe, but keeps a small shoe rack by the front door for everyday shoes to prevent clutter. She’s had the same shoe rack for so many years that it’s now completely sold out, but it’s very similar to this Argos Home 2 Shelf Stackable Shoe Rack (£7 at Argos).

In her en-suite, she also uses a caddy to organise her makeup and face creams, preventing them from cluttering her sink area and ensuring everything has a home rather than spreading out across the rest of her bathroom and connected bedroom.

4. Only eco-friendly cleaning products allowed

Over the past few years, my mum has become increasingly eco-conscious. She’s become vegetarian like me, replaced my dad’s diesel van with an electric one, and switched to entirely eco-friendly cleaning products. In fact, Nancy Birtwhistle’s Clean & Green book (£10.99 at Amazon) has become her cleaning Bible.

This is something I really admire her for, as she now makes her own multi-purpose sprays, floor cleaner, window cleaner, and laundry detergent from completely natural, eco-friendly products - and she even convinced me to try Nancy Birtwhistle’s ‘Pure Magic’ recipe, which completely transformed my toilet last year.

Her home is proof that you don’t need chemicals to clean your home; you just need a few staple ingredients such as washing-up liquid, citric acid, white vinegar, soda crystals, and essential oils for cleaning and to add that much-needed scent whenever you want to give your house some TLC.

My mum pops these multi-purpose, eco-friendly cleaning products in bottles like these Amber Glass Spray Bottles (£13.99 at Amazon), but with fewer bottles of chemicals, she also manages to keep her cleaning cupboard ridiculously tidy and organised.

5. Be ruthless when decluttering

My mum and I were both born in July, and as Cancerians, we’re both extremely sensitive and driven by emotion. And while I often struggle to part with items I know I no longer need and lean into my birth-month decluttering style to find a good compromise, my mum takes the more ruthless route.

To maintain a clean and tidy home, she likes to keep as few things out on show at all times. Of course, she keeps photo frames, decor and family heirlooms on display to add personality to her place, but if something can’t be put back in its dedicated home immediately or no longer serves any purpose… it’s time to go.

In her eyes, there’s no need to keep something ‘just in case,’ and she’s tried many ways to get rid of items after a declutter. She’s found the most success - and money - with platforms like Facebook Marketplace and Vinted, where she’s sold everything from old furniture to car mats, clothes, and kitchen appliances she no longer uses.

She wasn’t always so ruthless, but in finally admitting that she doesn’t need as much stuff as she once had, she’s found that it’s so much easier to keep on top of tidying. It’s also easier to clean her house, as she doesn’t need to move everything out of the way just to dust her living room.

I'm not quite at my mum's level yet, but I'm getting there!

Talk to any proud paw-rent, and they’ll tell you that their dog is very much a part of the family. For those looking to ensure their pooch’s belongings are as stylish as the rest of the home, John Lewis is stocking a Morris & Co pet bed (£55) that is perfect for creating a cosy corner this autumn.

As we transition into autumn, we can expect shorter days and cooler nights, and when this happens, there’s no better feeling than snuggling up with a blanket. We’re not the only ones to feel this way, with a cosy bed providing the optimum lounging spot for dogs during the colder months (although mine would have you believe it’s on the sofa).

But an essential item like a pet bed doesn’t have to be ugly. If you’ve been a big fan of the Morris & Co collaborations that have come out in the past year and have a four-legged friend, this is the latest product release that needs to be on your radar.

For the past couple of years, William Morris prints have been everywhere, and here at Ideal Home, we’ve been eagerly awaiting each collection to drop. A timeless, home decor trend, the work of the Arts and Crafts designer has been spotted in bedding, furniture, wallpaper and now pet beds.

Latest to grace John Lewis’ ‘New In’ section is the Morris & Co. pet bed in the iconic Pimpernel print, with a green reverse cushion. It’s reversible, complete with soft cushions and padded sides to provide comfort to your pet. Plus, as it is available in three sizes, it should fit most cats and dogs, too.

Pimpernel is perhaps one of William Morris’ most recognisable floral prints. It was first designed by Morris in 1876, and it was displayed in the dining room of his London home, Kemscott House. The pattern consists of large tulips, their curling leaves and is punctuated by pimpernel flowers.

While this intricate design may look too beautiful for your pet to sleep and shed hair on, John Lewis says it is machine washable, making cleaning easy.

John Lewis is not the only retailer where you can track down William Morris pet beds. The Pimpernell bed for example, is actually cheaper at B&Q, where it is £48.99. So, I’ve rounded up a few more options you can shop for online.

If you want your dog to relax in style this autumn, or more so, your pet bed to match your decor, Morris & Co have proved it is possible to achieve both.

Energy bills will increase by £60 a year for millions of households, Ofgem has announced. This marks the highest prices we’ve seen in three years.

This morning, Ofgem, the energy regulator, announced the energy price would rise by 4% from 1 October 2026 compared to the current level, with households using a typical amount of gas and electricity expected to see their bills rise from £1,663 to £1,723.

I spoke to energy experts to ask what the impact of the August price cap will be on UK households, and how to save energy at home.

The August price cap announcement

Ofgem says the price rise is driven by the rise in the wholesale cost of gas, which is what suppliers pay, as a result of ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The increase is expected to impact 22 million households in the UK who are protected by the price cap. The price cap refers to a default tariff which is applied to those who are not on a fixed-rate tariff. Ofgem sets the price cap and reviews it every three months to reflect wholesale energy prices. If you have fixed your tariff, you will not be affected by the August price cap unless your tariff runs out.

'One thing that is important to understand is that this is the first price cap announcement based on Ofgem’s updated Typical Domestic Consumption Values, which estimate average household energy use,' explains Gareth Kloet, energy expert at Go.Compare Energy. 'Because those benchmark consumption levels have fallen, the headline cap figure may not tell the full story for individual households. And the price cap isn’t a limit on what you’ll pay, but is based on average household energy use. It’s a key reminder for billpayers to look closely at the unit rates and standing charges on their tariff, rather than relying on the headline number alone.’

‘This is also the first price cap with the Government’s temporary removal of VAT on domestic electricity bills in place, which should offer some support over the winter. But again, it may make the new cap harder to compare with previous announcements, because the October rates will be calculated differently for the six-month period.’

In July, the Government announced that VAT would be cut from household electricity bills as of 1 October, offering savings of around £45 per year. Ofgem says the VAT reduction means electricity bills will remain broadly stable, with most of the increase in the price cap driven by higher gas costs.

'High international gas prices are continuing to drive energy costs in the UK. We welcome the Government’s intervention to remove VAT from electricity bills, without which customers would have faced even higher costs this winter,’ Neil Kenward, Ofgem’s Director General for Markets, said.

How to save money on your energy bills

If you’re looking to save money in light of this announcement, consider fixing your tariff before the price cap comes into effect.

‘Savings are available by choosing a fixed tariff, which are available at £100 or more below the October price cap, and many suppliers offer tariffs with cheaper electricity to smart meter customers for electricity consumed out of peak times. It's also worth considering different payment methods, with prepayment customers paying the lowest price cap rates, and could save consumers an average of about £45 compared to direct debit,’ says Neil.

Gareth also says the main action to take is reviewing your current tariff. But he also recommends shopping around to get the best deal.

‘Those who value certainty may want to explore fixed-rate options, which fixes the rate you pay for your energy for a set length of time. Those on a standard variable tariff should keep a close eye on future price movements, as energy providers can change the rates they charge. It’s also worth comparing tariffs regularly, as the cheapest option isn’t always the best fit for every household,’ he says.

‘If you’re concerned about higher bills, small changes can still make a meaningful difference. Checking your heating timer, draught-proofing windows and doors, and avoiding unnecessary energy use can all help keep costs under control during the colder months. Anyone struggling to keep up with payments should contact their supplier as soon as possible, as support may be available and it’s always better to seek help early rather than let debt build up.’

If you find yourself worried about paying your bills, reach out to your supplier to see what support they can offer. You can also speak to independent bodies such as Citizens Advice, which can also offer support.

I don’t know about you, but opening my under-the-sink cupboard requires at least three full days of mental preparation. It’s messy, it’s chaotic, and I can guarantee the exact cleaning product I need will be right at the back. That’s why I was over the moon when I spotted Lakeland's new 2-Tier Undersink Storage Caddy (£16.99 at Lakeland).

Yes, only last week I wrote about the things I need to organise after recently moving house, and my under-the-sink cupboard is one of the messiest of the lot. And while I know I need to invest in some proper storage if I want to be like the people with consistently tidy under-the-sink cupboards, I’ve yet to bite the bullet as my budget is pretty much non-existent right now.

The fact that Lakeland’s new storage solution will curb the clutter AND keep my purse happy at the same time is a massive tick in my book. And as I didn’t want to gatekeep, I thought I’d share this £17 bargain with you, too.

This new two-tier storage system is specifically designed for those awkward under-the-sink areas, and the clever setup means that the smaller top tier can easily fit around any pipes or plumbing you have under there.

But the size difference also helps you distinguish between the best cleaning products and tools. You can pop your larger bottles on the bottom tier and your smaller tools, like scrubbers, sponges, and cleaning cloths, on the top tier.

And my favourite bit? Instead of knocking everything over to get the item you need from the back of the cupboard, you can simply pull out the bottom drawer and grab your bottle of white vinegar without making a bigger mess. This should also make it easier to see what you have, so you don’t waste money on any duplicates.

Plus, I’ve already seen how transformative these pull-out drawers can be in a clutter zone like the under-the-sink cupboard. Ideal Home’s Editor-in-Chief, Heather, went on her own clutter-busting mission last year and bought very similar caddies to organise her cleaning essentials.

The exact pull-out organisers Heather used are sadly no longer available to buy, but I’d actually go as far as to say that Lakeland’s version is better anyway (sorry, Heather!).

That’s because Heather’s pull-out drawers don’t account for the inevitable wet drips that form when you pop your cleaning products and tools back in the cupboard when you’re finished with them.

In Heather’s trays, wet drips will settle in the trays and lead to mould and musty smells - and this will just get worse if you don't tackle it immediately.

Lakeland’s caddies, however, are made from wire mesh so the moisture can fall through to the cupboard below. You should then be able to spot it and clean it right away.

And for less than £20, what more could you really want? I’m going to snap up some for my kitchen cupboards too, as I think they’ll be perfect for my spices, packets and sauces.

Alternatives to shop

Well, I'm definitely ready to curb the clutter in my under-the-sink cupboard now!

While the most intense heat of the summer may have passed, it's being reported that we could see warmer weather return in September, so don't pack away your cooling solutions just yet.

While the many of the best fans around remain out of stock, handheld varieties are still available and are ideal for those who commute (that tube journey can still feel hot well into the ber months), spend a lot of time outdoors, or simply want a portable way to stay cool whenever they need to.

But when you can spend less than £15 or in excess of £100 on a handheld fan, how do you know what's worth your money? Luckily, I've tested loads of portable fans over this hot summer and this is what you'll get for your money.

What you get with an under £20 handheld fan

You can definitely get a handheld fan for less than £20, and while it'll get the job done, it won't offer the best in terms of wind speed, functionality, cooling potential or design.

I've had a budget handheld fan from Amazon for a good three years, and it's seen me through some roasty toasty times. But would I say it's the best handheld fan I've ever tried? Sadly, no. It has just four ok wind speeds, is quite noisy, and it's quite bulky to fit in my bag. I also unsuccessfully tried to use it as a desk fan, but when I do, the vibrations cause it to slowly spin around, so I was constantly turning it back towards me.

What you get with a £21-60 handheld fan

If you are prepared to pay a little bit more, then you definitely see the aesthetics of the handhelds fans kick up a notch. I've been using Blueair's AlwaysCool Portable Handheld Fan over the summer and love it's clever design, which incorporates a tiltable head so it can easily be adapted from a handheld to tabletop design.

It's also considerably quieter than my budget fan, especially in the lower fan settings. It also has 100 speeds which tops out at 3.8 metres per second (although I couldn't tell a difference between many of them). However, that broader scope of speed settings allows for better personalisation to specific comfort levels. And it is very comfortable to use.

What you get with a £61-100 handheld fan

Being prepared to pay a bit more still, this is where you start seeing some really impressive windspeeds that will offer better relief from sweltering heat whenever you need it. And for me, this is the sweet spot between price and effectiveness.

I've been using the new Dyson HushJet Mini Cool Fan over this roasting hot summer and it's been one of my favourites thanks to its very impressive wind speeds (officially the strongest of any handheld fan I've ever used). I also liked how slimline it was, which meant it was the easiest to fit into my bag, plus I love the dark and bright blue colour combo.

It's really thoughtfully designed too, something that warrants the higher price point. It comes with a neck dock that has little cut-outs for the control buttons, as well as a charging stand with a notch cut out for the cable. I also love that you can twist the fan head from pointing forwards (which is ideal when holding it in your hand), to pointing upwards which is perfect when you use the neck dock.

What you get with a £101+ handheld fan

At the top end of the price spectrum, coming in at £129.99, you have the Shark ChillPill. But if you think that's an outrageous price for a handheld fan, the fan is actually only one of three functions of this nifty portable device.

As well as a handheld fan, you get two other uses that do much more than move the air around you. Firstly, there is a misting head that allows you to aim an ultra fine mist at your face, which when it evaporates, makes the air feel much cooler than a fan alone can achieve.

Secondly, it comes with an InstaChill cooling plate that is designed for direct skin contact. The cooling plate feels like it's just come out of the fridge and offers incredibly effective cooling when swiped across your face and pulse points.

So how much should you spend on a handheld fan?

Obviously your available budget will dictate how much you spend on a handheld fan, but this is definitely the kind of appliance where you get what you pay for.

If you are just looking for a handheld fan for the odd day out, or for a child to take to school with them, then a budget friendly sub-£20 option will get the job done.

However, if the unprecedentedly hot summer we've had is a sign of things to come, then I think it's worthwhile investing in something that performs better and ideally has dual purpose (as, say, a handheld and personal desk fan). That way you can maximise the use you get from it, especially if you have paid more for it.

It's also worth understanding how the functionality differs as the price changes. If you want something with impressive wind speeds or active cooling capacity, then you are very unlikely to find that in a budget device. However, if you don't want that, then you can save your money and opt for a more affordable design instead.

While many air purifiers require regular, expensive filter replacements, Shark has been on a mission to make this must-have appliance more accessible to everyday users. And the filter of the Shark BreatheClear Compact Air Purifier with NeverChange6 doesn't need to be replaced for - you guessed it - a whopping six years.

But does it have what it takes to compete with the best air purifiers out there? I tested it out in my home for two weeks to see for myself.

In a nutshell

The features that sold me on the Shark BreatheClear Compact Air Purifier with NeverChange6 are found in the name: it’s a compact air purifier that clears the air and boasts a filter that doesn’t need to be replaced for a whopping six years. But during testing, I also found it incredibly responsive and easy to use.

This fancy, modern air purifier also uses its sensors to scan the air 3,600 times per hour, automatically adjusting its purification power when it detects pollutants or even someone walking by the appliance. Couple that with easy-to-read air quality data, and you’ve got an air purifier that ticks the boxes for many everyday users.

However, it’s not without its niggles. As it can only be used in rooms up to 27m² to fully benefit, it’s really only suitable for smaller homes rather than larger open-plan spaces. During testing, I also found that it wasn’t quick to react to all pollutant types.

The lack of app and smart home connectivity can also be seen as both a positive and a negative, depending on your personal preference and experience. But if you’re looking for a big-brand air purifier that gets the basics (and a bit more) right, I do think you’ll be happy with its abilities. If you’re already au fait with air purifiers and want something more high-tech, this one won’t be for you.

Specifications

• Recommended room size: 27m² (1 air change per hour), 6m² (4.8 air changes per hour)
• Noise levels (tested by us): 27- 57 dB
• Filter type: HEPA Filter, Activated Carbon, Pet Particle Barrier, Debris Defence Washable Filter
• Dimensions: 23.32 cm L x 23.72 cm W x 29.31 cm H
• Weight: 2.58 kg
• Wattage: 20W
• Smart App connectivity: No
• Timer: No (but does have Sleep mode)
• Auto mode: Yes

Unboxing and setting up

True to its name, the Shark BreatheClear Compact Air Purifier with NeverChange6 arrived in a very compact box. It was lightweight, easy to carry, and, as I’ve come to expect with SharkNinja products, free of unnecessary packaging.

Instead, the air purifier was encased in cardboard scaffolding and the recyclable, fabric-like material that Shark likes to use to protect its products. There was also very little assembly required. All I had to do was open up the base of the air purifier, remove the filter from its plastic wrapper, and re-insert it.

This took all of 2 seconds, so I could plug it in and start setting it up soon after. However, this next step took a bit longer. A lot longer, in fact.

After going through a brief ‘get to know your air purifier’ segment and using the onboard controls to set the day and time, I then got to the sensor calibration stage.

The BreatheClear Compact requires calibration on first use or after long periods without use, but the kicker is that this process takes a whole 48 hours. And for best results, Shark suggests setting the air purifier up in a well-ventilated space while this sensor calibration takes place.

This is the first time I’ve come across an air purifier that requires such lengthy, intensive calibration, so it was a little annoying on my part, as I wanted to start using it as soon as possible. However, I figured this process was designed to make the air purifier as effective as possible, so I decided to suck it up and wait the required 48 hours.

Design

Personally, I’ve always struggled a little with Shark’s air purifier designs. When I tested the brand’s NeverChange 5 Air Purifier last year, I said that it ‘looks more like an alien spaceship than a typical home appliance’ - and the same can be said for this upgraded model. Shark has kept the modern look, and I still think it’ll be divisive in houses that prefer more traditional home decor.

However, I do appreciate the air purifier's size, as its compact design is small enough to remain fairly inconspicuous without drawing too much attention.

It’s also extremely lightweight at just 2.58kg, which means you can carry it from room to room with very little effort.

Shark also sells the BreatheClear Compact Air Purifier with NeverChange6 in multiple colourways if you’d rather it make a statement in your home. I tested the standard ‘Dove’ colourway, but it also comes in a darker Charcoal, Blush, Butter Yellow, or Sage Green (my personal favourite).

Performance

We take our air purifier testing at Ideal Home very seriously, and we conduct four dedicated assessments to evaluate their performance. The first is the smoke test, which shows how well an air purifier reacts to the introduction of smoke (PM2.5) particles. So, with the air purifier in Auto mode and my air quality at 94%, I lit a match and blew the smoke toward it.

Within seconds of my introducing the smoke, my air quality decreased rapidly. And within 28 seconds, it had gone all the way down to 0% - as far into the red level as you can go. You can see just how quickly it detected these changes in the video below.

However, as quickly as it reacted to the negative change in air quality, it worked just as quickly to capture the polluting particles and improve the air quality again. In fact, just 3 minutes and 50 seconds later, my air quality was back up to 95% - which the air purifier rates as ‘excellent.’

This isn’t as impressive as the 2 minutes and 30 seconds it took the Blueair Blue Max 3250i Air Purifier - which is currently the number-one-rated model we’ve tested - to do the same, but it’s still not far off.

I then moved on to the next test, the spray deodorant test. This tests an air purifier’s ability to detect and respond to VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). So, I sprayed the deodorant at the same distance away from the air purifier and noted the starting Air Index level - which was 96%.

The Shark BreatheClear Compact Air Purifier with NeverChange6’s VOC reaction time was slightly slower than in the smoke test, but it was still a fast response, and the air purifier once again took it down to 0% in less than 30 seconds. Two minutes later, it was back in the blue ‘excellent’ category.

Next, I moved on to the dust test, which typically consists of PM10 particles. I emptied my vacuum’s dust bin next to the air purifier and waited to see if it would pick up the dust introduced into the air. However, it didn’t - and that’s more of a testament to my vacuum than anything, as it is already equipped with its own filters to capture these particles.

So, I tried something else and shook my feather duster over the air purifier, as I figured it was full of unfiltered, raw dust. Once again, the air purifier didn’t pick up any change in air quality - although it did briefly decrease by 1%.

From this, I determined that the Shark BreatheClear Compact Air Purifier with NeverChange6 isn’t as effective at detecting and removing larger PM10 pollutants, such as dust, mould and pollen. At least during my independent testing, anyway.

I saved the best test for last: the cooking test. This test sees how an air purifier reacts to gas and cooking smells, as many people now buy air purifiers primarily for kitchen use. So, I cooked up a few rashers of vegan bacon and assessed how well it fared.

Once again, it reacted very quickly to the change in air quality in my kitchen, and I could hear the fan instantly ramp up to combat the additional pollutants. About five minutes into the cooking process, the percentage was firmly in the red at 0%.

Then, it took about 15 minutes after I had finished cooking to go back to normal. The bacon scent also lingered during that time, but when I walked into the kitchen again about 30 minutes later, it was almost completely gone.

However, one thing I did miss during this particular test - and my entire testing process - was the odour cartridge, which Shark included with the older NeverChange5 and within its Shark vacuum cleaners.

This odour cartridge was a highlight during my test of the previous model and made my house smell amazing. It’s a shame that Shark decided not to add it to this model, but it’s not a dealbreaker for me as it was more of a nice perk rather than an essential addition.

After the initial testing period, I continued to use the air purifier for a few hours a day to monitor and adjust my home’s air quality - and it really came in handy when my husband started painting. The Shark BreatheClear Compact Air Purifier with NeverChange6 reacted extremely quickly to VOCs and paint fumes in the air and worked hard to restore air quality to a healthy level when he’d finished.

As it’s so compact, I mostly used it downstairs in my living room and kitchen, but I could see people using it in their bedrooms to help them sleep at night - as long as you keep it on the lowest fan speed or Sleep Mode to minimise noise.

Just be warned that this model isn’t suitable for rooms bigger than 27m². If you need it for a more open-plan space, you can buy it in a larger size from Shark for £299.99. This larger model is suitable for spaces up to 70m², but is also bigger in size.

Ease of use

One thing I will always give Shark credit for - both in terms of their air purifiers, vacuums and even their robot vacuums - is that the products are designed for easy, everyday use. There’s nothing complicated about them, and novices can jump in and use all the features without an extensive learning curve.

But the Shark BreatheClear Compact Air Purifier with NeverChange6 is a slight anomaly in today’s saturated air purifier market - and whether that’s a good or bad thing depends on your own thoughts on the matter. That’s because this air purifier doesn’t have an integrated app, which means all of your controls are on the top of the air purifier itself.

On the control panel, you can turn it on, adjust your device and screen settings, view your air quality data, enable Sleep mode, or manually adjust the fan speed. You can even see the filter life here. And for those who want to understand the basics of their air quality, this should be enough.

However, those who have used air purifiers with apps in the past may find they’re missing a phone-controlled interface that lets them compare historical data, understand what their air quality means, adjust settings without getting up from the sofa, and even buy spare parts straight from their phones.

This new Shark air purifier does come with a few little perks, though - and this can be found in the motion and light detection. And I found that every time I walked past the air purifier, the screen showed a little swirly display, which told me it was boosting air purification and dimming the low light. This does make it more of a hands-off appliance.

Noise levels

Any appliance can be noisy, but air purifiers are similar to the best fans in that they circulate the air. So, I always test the noise levels of any air purifier I test - especially if the brand has made its own claims about the noise levels. In this case, Shark hasn’t.

Using a decibel meter app on my phone, I recorded 27dB at the lowest fan speed and 57dB at the highest. For reference, 27dB is equivalent to a soft whisper or the rustling of leaves. 57dB is the sound of a normal conversation.

This is slightly above average for what you’d expect for such a small air purifier, but it’s also not the loudest I’ve ever tested. Personally, I couldn’t hear it at all over the TV or my music while I was working. I wouldn’t have it on its highest fan speed while I was trying to sleep, though.

Energy use

Running at 20W, the energy usage of the Shark BreatheClear Compact Air Purifier with NeverChange6 is pretty average. It’s not the most efficient air purifier we’ve tested - that honour goes to the Blueair Blue Max 3250i Air Purifier - but it’s also not the most expensive.

When you consider how much it costs to run an air purifier, this model will set you back just a few pennies to run per hour in Auto mode.

However, one thing that is slightly disappointing is that Shark has decided to do away with an Eco mode - something the NeverChange5 entered when it achieved 100% air purification status. The NeverChange6 does lower the fan speed when air quality improves, but it’s not known how this affects the energy usage.

Filter replacement

The main USP of the Shark BreatheClear Compact Air Purifier with NeverChange6 is that you shouldn’t need to replace the air purifier filter for six years. This is a huge advantage for long-term use, as many other air purifiers require replacement filters around every 6-12 months.

So, not having to buy replacements makes it incredibly cheap to maintain, and is a major selling point for those who want an air purifier with minimal hands-on maintenance required. However, you still need to clean the pre-filters.

These are located on the side of the unit, and you can use a vacuum cleaner on low speed or a clean cloth to wipe these mesh filters and remove the dust and debris. You should never use chemicals and ideally not use a damp cloth - but if you do, you need to make sure you leave them to dry for at least 24 hours before reinstalling them.

You don’t have to worry about forgetting this task, either. Not only does the unit alert you when the pre-filters need cleaning, but you can also check the filter life on the onboard display.

Verdict: Should you buy the Shark BreatheClear Compact Air Purifier with NeverChange6?

If you’re a Shark fan and want to add another appliance to your collection to manage everyday pollutants, the Shark BreatheClear Compact Air Purifier with NeverChange6 will tick most of your boxes. It’s extremely quick to react to smaller particles and VOCs, and it’s easy to use and maintain thanks to the 6-year lifespan of the filters.

The motion sensor is also a nice touch, allowing you to witness real-time air purification as it happens. Just be warned that this model, in particular, is for smaller rooms under 27m², so would suit smaller living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms rather than large open-plan spaces.

However, my independent tests found that it struggled to react to high levels of dust, so it may not be your top choice if you are looking for an air purifier that tackles PM10 particles with ease.

Because of this, I see this air purifier as being an entry-level air purifier for those who know they want to improve their overall air quality but don’t have any specific air quality requirements - and don’t mind not having an app to control it.

Before I became Ideal Home’s Cleaning Editor, I was a uni student learning the hard way that it is possible to burn microwave meals and that the cleaning fairy (AKA my mum) wouldn’t magically come to clean my uni room every day. And it’s safe to say that I’ve learnt a lot since then.

But while it’s now my job to test the best cleaning products and understand the most efficient way to maintain a clean and tidy living space, I also appreciate that uni students aren’t like regular homeowners. They don’t have a practised cleaning schedule or a steady income to stock up on cleaning tools; they’re rookies with limited time, space and money.

That’s why I thought I’d use my years of experience as both a student and a Cleaning Editor to keep things simple. Below are the three cleaning tools I think every uni student should have, and most of these non-negotiables will get the job done without costing a fortune. I’ve also added some handy extras if you want to go the extra mile.

1. A damp duster

Dust is the one thing that no one, not even uni students, can ignore. And while a regular duster can cut the mustard, I’ve found during my dedicated dusting tests (yes, this really is my job) that damp dusters are always the better option.

That’s because damp dusting removes more dust than dry dusting, capturing the dust particles instead of just pushing them around. And the beauty of this cheap-but-cheerful cleaning tool is that it can be reused time and time again by simply washing it clean under the tap.

They are incredibly affordable, too, with retailers like Dunelm selling packs of 3 for just £3. And the damp duster can clean almost everywhere, from windowsills and desks to skirting boards and mirrors in uni halls or student houses. It helps that it also looks way cooler than a regular duster…

2. A handheld vacuum

Although I had a shared kitchen at uni, I spent a lot of time eating snacks and meals in my bedroom. Couple that with my long hair, my mattress and floors took the brunt of these crumbs, hair and everyday dirt. That’s why I’d suggest every university student have one of the best handheld vacuums to hand.

These appliances are typically better suited to smaller spaces and messes, making them perfect for uni halls and shared houses where storage space is limited. And as there are so many things you didn’t know you could clean with a handheld vacuum cleaner, I have no doubt that students will use it more than you think.

One of my favourite new handheld vacuum cleaners is the Shark PowerBoost Handheld Vacuum Cleaner (£229.99 at Shark), thanks to its impressive suction power. However, it is on the pricier side, so if you’re after a cheaper option, I’d suggest the Beldray model below.

3. Multi-purpose sprays

I will always remember the day my parents dropped me off at university with bottles upon bottles of cleaning products. Especially as my mum had to take most of them back with her when she realised that I had nowhere to store them in my tiny halls of residence.

And while I’m personally a fan of room-specific cleaning products now that I have my own house and the means to add them to my cleaning regime, uni students just don’t need them. Instead, multi-purpose sprays can be used on any surface or room and will do just as good a job.

Just opt for an anti-bacterial all-purpose spray if you want to keep the spread of fresher’s flu to a minimum, and make sure you use a pack of high-quality cleaning cloths - like these SEEP Eco All Purpose Cloths (£9.50 at Amazon) - to dedicate one cloth per room or space.

University extras to consider

The three products above are my non-negotiables for all new and returning university students. But if you have wiggle room in the budget and want to make uni life even sweeter, these are the extras I'd consider.

Are you or a loved one heading off to uni soon? Make sure you take these university cleaning essentials with you!