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Frances Kindon & Courtney Pochin & Zahna Eklund

Mrs Hinch fans share trick to banish limescale and make baking trays looking new for free

As the cost of living crisis continues to bite, people are naturally looking for way to cut down on their bills and expenditure.

But the good news is that the cost savings can start at home, with Mrs Hinch fans sharing their thrifty hacks to keep interiors spotless using things you already own.

The social media star Mrs Hinch, AKA Sophie Hinchliffe, made a name for herself sharing simple and affordable advice that make cleaning quicker and easier.

And the former Essex hairdresser's fans regularly add their pearls of wisdom to the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips page, revealing how unexpected items like mayonnaise or a pumice stone can leave your house sparkling... for free!

Banish limescale

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Mrs Hinch fans have a killer solution for removing stubborn limescale using a common household item.

When one frustrated woman begged for help after trying everything from Coke to toilet cleaner, others were quick to offer their invaluable help.

One user suggested: "The only thing that worked for me was a pumice stone on a stick. The limescale came away like a stone…then binned it (couldn't be flushed).

Another user advised: "A pumice stone really does work, tried everything to get urinals/toilets scale-free.

A third commented: "I did my son's in his house that he had just moved into. I used a cheap pumice stone

"I then started to rub the stone inside where the limescale and water is and it was really bad. When I finished it, it looked like a new toilet and no it didn't scratch the bowl. Give it a try and you'll be amazed."

Gleaming toilets, sinks and showers

Mrs Hinch has a devoted fan following (Mrs Hinch / Instagram)
Showers and porcelain surfaces can come up gleaming (purdyandfigg/Tiktok)

For watermarks and limescale buildup on porcelain, all you need to do is raid the copper jar.

Fans advise taking a two pence piece and scrubbing at the grubby buildup with the copper coin until it all comes free from the porcelain - simple.

One woman wrote: "I'm trying to remove heavy limescale buildup from the bottom of my toilet bowl. Have used white vinegar, on joy and 24 hours with Spirits of Salt which shifted some but not all. Any suggestions?"

One fan advised: "Use a two pence coin to rub the limescale off, it's so quick and easy."

Another commented: "Two pence coin works amazing on limescale."

Revive burnt baking trays

Forget pricey oven cleaner, all you need is 2p (Getty Images)

Speaking of the humble two pence piece, another fan revealed they also come in handy for another purpose - bring old baking trays back to life.

Instead of binning and replacing burnt trays, the commenter said: "I spend a fortune on baking trays because I buy the cheaper range and they don't last long being marked by tough cooking stains. But I tried the 2p trick going about and it worked."

She continued: "Rub baking tray with the 2p and then wash as you would with daily dishes.

"It works, takes away the burnt marks left from baking/cooking. No more binning and replacing."

Sparkling radiators

Radiators can be tough to keep clean (Getty Images)

Instead of forking out cash for a radiator brush for those hard-to-reach areas, several users told how they rely on a unique hack using an item most people own.

One person replied: "I blow the hairdryer down mine to blast the dust out and then hoover up what comes out!"

While another agreed, adding: "Blast with a hairdryer. It will blow the dust out of the bottom."

Someone else took a DIY approach to the radiator brush and suggested simply fashioning your own brush using other common household items.

They wrote: "I attach a cloth to a feather duster that works.”

Clean washing machine

There are several things you can do to prevent mould building up (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

There's nothing more annoying than doing a load of washing only to find it streaked with black marks caused by a buildup of grime in the seal.

To combat the mould problem, several users suggested leaving the door open between washes.

Another explained that washing towels at a high temperature with no conditioner gives the machine a good clean out.

The cleaning enthusiast said: "Regularly do a 60C wash for towels. For example, with washing powder and oxygen bleach and no conditioner, which doubles as a machine clean wash."

While another explained that switching from liquid to powder is the way to solve the problem.

"There are no enzymes in liquid like in powder," the commenter explained.

"Powder enzymes keep the mould and black in the drawer away."

If you do find your machine door seal getting mouldy, one poster suggested using white vinegar to clean the rubber.

They posted: "Clean with white vinegar."

Well-kept kettle

Hard water is the kettle's enemy (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

For those living in a hard water area, the scale buildup can be so extreme that the only solution is to buy a new kettle.

But not any more. When one fed-up woman revealed she was having to replace her kettle every six months, the replies came in thick and fast.

And the solution? A lemon or lemon juice.

One user suggested: "Cut a lemon in half. Put both halves in with a kettle full of water. Boil it with the lemon in and preferably leave overnight. Empty in the morning - perfect every time!"

Another person agreed: "Half lemon and boil a few times. Have used vinegar, then boil, worked also."

Perfect Patio

There's no need to buy expensive chemicals to revive your patio (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

It doesn't take much for a patio to begin to look worn and neglected.

But one woman has come clean about her easy hack, admitting there's nothing more effective that regular bleach.

"Use bleach in boiling water and a hard brush, mine came up sparkling," the online user said.

And a second forum member agreed, adding: "My dad uses cheap bleach, scrub with a sweeping brush then jet wash."

Erase sticky marks

Mayonnaise is the solution you never knew existed (Getty Images/Glowimages RF)

Grease, Sellotape, stickers and mucky fingers are the main offenders when it comes to those stubborn sticky marks on walls and surfaces.

Members of the group claim spreading full fat mayo on a trouble spot on a hard surface, such as a window frame or cupboard door, and leaving it on for at least 30 minutes (but preferably a few hours) will do the trick.

Once the time is up, simply wipe off, and your surface should be good as new.

Others advise mixing the mayonnaise with warm soapy water, applying and taking the mayonnaise off several times throughout the day and wiping off with cooking oil, but it seems these steps are totally up to you.

Do you have any thrifty cleaning hacks? Share your tips with our community in the comments section below...

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