Athome Mary with Berry

Queen of the cakes Mary Berry reveals her top tips for a happy household and how to get the most out of your home

Mary Berry, Queen of British baking, has whipped up a recipe for a happy abode in her new book Mary’s Household Tips and Tricks – Your Guide To Happiness In The

Home.

“My focus may have been on cooking, but it’s always centred on the home,” says the former Great British Bake Off judge.

“This book’s not about creating more work, or telling people what to do, it’s just passing on a collection of tips, things I learnt from my mother, my own ideas gleaned from years of practical experience, as well as helpful hints from friends and family.

“Home should be a place where, if you have a family, they want to visit and can come in and instantly relax,” Mary adds.

Here are Mary’s top tips:

SORT IT OUT

“My house is tidy but definitely not immaculate. I like to keep on top of things though, so every so often I’ll sort out the chaos in my wardrobe and clear out some clothes.

“I also clean out kitchen cupboards and drawers every six months – I empty them, use a clean cloth and hot soapy water to wash all surfaces, and dry thoroughly.

“I’d suggest lining pan drawers with ridged rubber matting.”

IRON CANDLE WAX OFF A CARPET

If wax has gotten on to a wool carpet, place kitchen roll or grease proof paper on top of the affected area, then iron it. The wax will melt and stick to the paper. (Take care with synthetic carpets.)

CLEAN YOUR MACHINES

To clean a dishwasher, run a wash with white vinegar.

Use around 250ml placed in a container on the bottom rack – just run a normal cycle and it will be like a new machine.

For the washing machine, run an empty cycle to clear the drum, and add a cut lemon to a short empty cycle, to keep the machine fresh.

To pep up your microwave, put a cut lemon in a bowl of water and microwave on full power for one minute – the condensation will release stains around the sides and make it easy to wipe clean.

USE NUTS TO HELP FADE FURNITURE SCRATCHES

Break an oily nut – such as a walnut – in half, and rub the exposed area over scratches in the wood. The oil of the nut should help them to fade.

GET STUCK IN TO PROPERLY CLEAN A TOILET

To remove hard water and limescale toilet stains, wear rubber gloves, flush the cistern and remove a mugful of water from the bowl – I use a tin mug – so you can see the rim of the limescale line clearly.

While the water level is low, pour or spray the loo cleaner around the limescale in the bowl.

Make sure you get the product around the top and where water drips down the back of the bowl too.

Leave for 30 minutes (or according to the product instructions), then rub with a fine scourer or brush.

Pour the water in mug back into bowl, then brush and flush the cistern again.

USE ONIONS TO RID PAINT SMELLS

If you have newly-painted walls, counteract the smell by cutting two onions into quarters and leaving them cut up on a plate overnight.

PROTECT THE FLOOR WHEN YOU’RE PARTYING

Protect carpet if you’re having a party by using rolls of polythene film, used by builders to protect flooring.

Make sure you buy the appropriate film for the floor surface – the one for carpet shouldn’t be used on hard flooring.