After the summer holidays, homes can still show the remnants of children's arts and crafts, from glitter-covered tables to sticky fingerprints on walls. A cleaning expert has shared recommendations for tidying up now that the kids are back at school.
David Wilson Homes partnered with Sarah Dewison of North West Commercial Cleans to get her advice on removing the marks left behind by children. One common issue is kids drawing on walls.
Removing marks from walls
Sarah said: "If your walls are painted with washable or hard-wearing paint, a soft cloth with a small amount of washing-up liquid can help remove many marks. If the paint is not washable, you can still try gently cleaning the area, but it may need repainting depending on how it dries down afterwards."
She added: "Dry eraser pads can be a really effective way of removing scuffs and marks from most furniture. Hand sanitiser is another great hack for helping remove pen from plastic or glass tabletops, but this isn’t always suitable on wooden furniture."
Amazon is currently selling a 10 pack of eraser pads for £4.99, making them 50p each, and the product has more than 5,000 positive reviews. Dunelm is also selling a large eraser for £5, and a pack of three is available from B&Q for £2.
Tackling carpet stains
Carpets can also suffer over the holidays, with muddy footprints, spilt drinks and trodden-in crumbs making them look worse for wear. Sarah has a trick for those too.
She said: "With any spillages or marks on carpets, I always reach for lemon juice first. Pour it on the mark and dab it in lightly – there’s no need to dilute the lemon juice. Leave it for a few minutes and then work it in circular motions with a cloth. If that doesn’t work, a small amount of washing-up liquid mixed with warm water can also be effective."
She added: "I find that this method works just as well, if not better, than other stain remover products on the market – making it great in a pinch, and also more affordable than expensive products. If the stain is still visible after trying these methods, it may be time to contact a professional carpet cleaner."
