Ask Lucy: I’m solving your domestic dilemmas – it’s time to take note of my cleaning tips and tricks
You asked, I answered
Content creator Lucy Kalice is one of Ideal Home's Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on cleaning, home decor and making the most of small spaces. See the rest of her articles here.
My fridge smells but there’s no mouldy/old food in there! Help, what can I do?
A smelly fridge does not make for a happy home does it…
If there’s no mouldy or old food in there like you say or even a smelly cheese in there (these can sometimes be the culprit), I’d recommend doing a big deep clean of the fridge.
I’m not just talking a quick spray here and there, I’m talking all the shelves out, taking the shelf trims off, the full works. You’d be surprised at how even the tiniest of food spillage in the fridge can really make a bad odour. So here’s my step by step way to do it:
Empty the contents of the fridge, including whatever is in the door shelves. All the food needs to come out.
Take the shelves out and put them to one side.
Now this part's important, fill your sink with warm soapy water. DO NOT (and I repeat) DO NOT fill it up with hot water. If you do this you are at risk of cracking the glass shelves which will be cold. Trust me, I’ve accidentally done this before when the water was too hot…oops!
One at a time wash the shelves, taking off the shelf trims too and washing those in the water.
Once you’ve washed all the shelves, let them air dry and now it’s time to clean the inside shell of the fridge.
Use a disinfectant spray, such as Zoflora, and wipe down the inside.
Once everything’s dry, put it all back together again.
This should solve the smelly fridge issue, but if you want to go the extra mile, you can put in a fridge deodoriser. I use the Croc Odor one which you can buy online or in supermarkets.
My husband and I keep arguing over how often we change our bedsheets. How many times a month should we be doing it?
Well let me start by saying you’ll be pleased to know we also have this ongoing argument in my household! My husband thinks it should be every two weeks, but I am an every seven days kind of girl. I know this sounds dramatic but when we go overdue it’s like my body knows and I don’t sleep as well.
Although saying that, I don’t think there’s a hard and fast rule to this. I think it’s down to personal preference…to an extent. For hygiene reasons, we should be changing our bedsheets once a week and maximum every two weeks.
However, if you have been unwell you should wash your sheets every couple of days. And if you are a particularly sweaty person or have dogs in the bed, it is recommended you wash them twice a week/every few days. So there we have it!
I’m looking to upgrade my cleaning caddy. What’s your top 3 cleaning products and why?
What a great question! Let’s get straight into it:
A Scrub Daddy or Scrub Mommy – this is 100% the best sponge you’ll find on the market. It actually scrubs away any dirt but it’s non abrasive.
Domestos Power Foam for toilets and bathrooms – I love it because you can clean almost your whole bathroom with it. It kills 99.99% of bacteria and it sprays upside down which is perfect for those hard to reach areas like underneath the toilet.
White vinegar – the most versatile cleaning product out there. You can use it to clean your windows, your mirrors and limescale build up. It really does do a great job!
