HOW TO PERK UP YOUR FURNITURE WITH FOODSTUFFS

Empty your cupboards to get your tables and chairs back to their full glory

Lemon and white vinegar have long been heralded as natural cleaning wonder stuffs.

But there are countless ways to take kitchen ingredients further on your furniture.

A coating of olive oil has a winning way with wicker. Other ways to spruce up wood include rubbing a walnut on scuffs or getting stickers off with peanut butter (coat, let it sit for up to an hour, then wipe off). Rubbing with cucumber skin can help lift crayon, and dabbing with a slice of bread removes sticky finger marks. A cotton bud dipped in a mix of used coffee grounds and vinegar can cover up scratches.

Varnish looking a bit cloudy? Cover with real mayonnaise, and leave overnight before wiping off. Try the same trick on water stains for 15 minutes. Layer over ketchup on brass or copper handles or details to clean, while rubbing with a potato does the trick on cast iron. Finally, want to perk up a bit of upholstery leather? Go over it with the inside of a banana skin. Of course. Then ponder what’s left in your fridge for lunch.