logo
I was a royal cleaner at Buckingham Palace – little-known cheap cleaning hack will keep your home dust-free all summer

I was a royal cleaner at Buckingham Palace – little-known cheap cleaning hack will keep your home dust-free all summer

The Sun17-05-2025
A FORMER royal cleaner has revealed a simple trick to make sure your home is dust free all summer long.
Anne Simmons, 57, from Berkshire, worked as a cleaner at Buckingham Palace for almost a decade, and throughout her career has picked up countless nifty tricks to keep your home spotless.
2
2
The cleaner is constantly coming up with inventive ways to make sure her work is efficient, and has now revealed a little-known hack for getting dust off hard to reach places.
"There was one time I was asked to tidy up a car before an afternoon outing,' she told Plates Express.
'The vacuum wasn't available, and I needed something quick to lift dust from awkward spots like cup holders and vents.
"That's when I remembered the slime my grandson had left at my house. It worked like magic.'
Slime, is a popular toy with young children, and is used for squeezing and squishing into shapes.
However, Anne revealed that it is also perfect for dusting.
'It was safe, easy to use, and didn't leave any marks,' Anne said.
'From that point on, I always kept a small tub in my kit just in case.'
Unlike cleaning cloths, which push dust around and miss spots, slime moulds itself to any surface, so is perfect for hard to reach spots.
Simply press it into the dusty area, and then pull away.
I tried Zoflora's new carpet cleaner - it works in just 30 seconds and leaves your home smelling super fresh (1)
The dust will stick to the slime, leaving the surface squeaky clean.
However, Anne warned that not all slime is suitable for using as a duster.
'Avoid slimes that contain glitter or too much colouring", she said.
"I prefer plain, soft cleaning slimes made for electronics or car detailing — those are best for interiors."
Anne previously revealed a 35p hack for keeping your towels light and fluffy.
Many people believe that by loading their towels with fabric softener they will become fluffy and fresh.
However, this is not the approach taken in the royal household.
She said: "People assume adding more fabric softener makes towels softer, but in reality, it ruins the absorbency. In the palace, we never use it on towels."
Anne revealed that royal household cleaners instead place half a cup of white vinegar in with a load, which removes odours and banishes detergent buildup.
White vinegar can be purchased for just 35p from the supermarket, and also softens towels, and keeps them fresher for longer.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Five cheap activities to keep kids occupied this summer hols
Five cheap activities to keep kids occupied this summer hols

The Sun

time2 hours ago

  • The Sun

Five cheap activities to keep kids occupied this summer hols

AVOID school holiday boredom by planning ahead now. But before you splash out on expensive activity sets and magazines, try these brilliant DIY alternatives. And keep them stashed away, ready for those inevitable cries of 'I'm bored' . . . DOUGH THIS: Whip up a batch of playdough in minutes with ingredients you might already have in the cupboard. Mix 8 tbsp plain flour, 2 tbsp table salt, 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 60ml of warm water in a bowl until a dough forms. Split into three and add a dash of food colouring to each dough ball and knead. Store in old, clean yoghurt pots or airtight containers. Old cereal boxes can be turned into a canvas to paint, while toilet rolls can become binoculars when taped together and decorated. Head to Poundland for PVA glue, tape and paint sets for £1 if you don't have them already. Keep everything in a storage box, ready for dull days. CLEVER COLOURING: Printable activities are a lifesaver and has an amazing selection of free activity kits and animal colouring-in sheets. Watch as ex-teacher reveals why she quit and doubled her income Hey Duggee super fans can find activity pages at curations/colouring-sheets. It's also worth checking your local library website. MEMORY SAVER: Create your own custom memory game or version of Snap using plain card, £1, The Works. Use a felt tip to draw matching shapes on pairs of cards or you could use stickers you already have at home. Lay the cards face down on the floor and watch as they try to remember where the matching pairs are. GO WILD: Encourage outdoor ad- ventures with a home-made explorer kit stored in a plastic bag, tote or rucksack. Plan a scavenger hunt by writing out a list of things that can be found outdoors, such as ladybirds, soil, spiders etc on paper, which kids can tick off. Also add plain paper and wax crayons for leaf rubbing. Place the paper over a leaf and rub the crayon over the top to see the leaf come to life. All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability. 7 Deal of the day TREAT your hair to the Remington Style Essentials gift set with hair dryer and straighteners included. Usually £49.99, now £34.99 with free delivery at SAVE: £15 Cheap treat KEEP little ones cool with the Dreambaby Smart-Grip Flexible Caged Fan, which you can attach to prams. Was £10.99, now £7.99, Top swap TO save on buying expensive mini travel toiletries, decant your essentials into the Rawr Beauty travel bottle set, £7.50, or get the TravelShop travel bottle set for £2.99 at Home Bargains. Shop & save FOR huge savings, head to for the summer sale. This Star Wars 3D Puzzle Millennium Falcon was £49.99, now £15. Hot right now WALKABOUT bars turn 30 this year – order a Parmi dish and get a free pint on Wednesdays. Book at walkaboutbars. PLAY NOW TO WIN £200 7 JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle. Every month we're giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers - whether you're saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered. Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket.

The $5 item that keeps selling out at Bunnings for a VERY specific reason: 'Holy grail'
The $5 item that keeps selling out at Bunnings for a VERY specific reason: 'Holy grail'

Daily Mail​

time3 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

The $5 item that keeps selling out at Bunnings for a VERY specific reason: 'Holy grail'

A cleaning expert has detailed her secret weapon when it comes to breathing new life into dirty white sneakers - and it's surprisingly found in the aisles of Bunnings. Home expert Caroline Solomon regularly shares cleaning content to her social media channels, including a string of videos that highlight different methods to clean a variety of white sneakers. One helpful explainer video about 'how to clean your white leather sneakers' sees her incorporate a cleaning product that's not traditionally thought of as a shoe cleaner. 'I'm sharing two easy ways to make your white leather sneakers look brand new again,' Caroline said at the start of the TikTok video. 'The first thing you need of course is a Magic Eraser.' For the uninitiated, a 'Magic Eraser' is a cleaning block sponge made of melamine foam, and is best known for its ability to remove grime and scuff marks on walls and floors. But as per the Mr Clean website, their melamine sponge is not only superb for 'removing marks from all around the house' but can also be used as a 'sneaker cleaner'. In Australia, Bunnings sell a large Mr Clean Eraser Pad Block for $4.98 - or you could buy a 4 pack of Mr Clean Melamine Eraser Cleaning Pads for $7.49. Caroline explained the method to clean dirty white sneakers with the Magic Eraser, starting by first running the melamine sponge under water to get it 'damp, but not soaked'. Then, she demonstrated gently scrubbing the foam block along both 'the sneaker and the rubber sole of the shoe'. (But always do a patch test to ensure it isn't too abrasive.) The result? Instantly refreshed looking sneakers. To up the ante of, the cleaning expert suggested additionally cleaning your shoelace. She demonstrates this by removing the laces and soaking them in a warm soapy mix for 10 minutes, before using a cleaning toothbrush to further scrub them clean before hanging to dry. The combination of the Magic Eraser cleaned shoes and washed shoelaces made the once-dirty white sneakers look refreshed. The comments section was filled with replies from people who'd tried Caroline's suggestion. 'This worked for me,' read one reply. A 9-pack of he original Mr Clean Magic Erasers can also be found on Amazon for $47.14, which equates to just over $5 per sponge However, one queried the state of the Magic Eraser at the end of the cleaning procedure. 'This worked so good. Thank you! But, my Magic Eraser was completely torn apart once finished. Did yours? Totally worth it.' To this point, Caroline agreed that she'd sacrificed the sponge for the tough cleaning job. 'Yes sadly it will take a toll on your Magic Eraser but agree it's well worth it.' Another person chimed in: 'I cut mine in half to get more use out of them that way! They get worn faster when wet so I also only wet half of sponge.' On the Bunnings website, the Mr Clean Eraser Pod Block has a stellar 4.9 stars rating, with many reviews raving about how it 'works great' to remove scuffs and marks from walls and floors. However, none of the reviews made mention of its bonus use to clean up dirty sneakers. Meanwhile, one of Caroline's other white sneaker cleaning videos offered alternative advice for tackling dirty 'white canvas sneakers'. In one of the videos, Caroline recommended making a paste from 'equal parts baking soda and dish soap in a bowl' - using about a tablespoon of each. Once stirred into a paste consistency, Caroline demonstrated painting the white canvas sneaker with the mix and using a cleaning toothbrush to scrub it section by section. The sneaker was left to sit with the mix applied for a couple of hours before being rinsed off 'with a damp paper towel' and left to dry overnight. For more set-in stains on white sneakers, another one of Caroline's white sneaker cleaning videos suggested a more potent DIY cleaning formula, comprised of '1 tablespoon of baking soda, half a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide, and half a tablespoon of warm water'. This mix was spot applied and scrubbed into the shoe with a cleaning toothbrush, before being wiped off with a damp sponge. 'Lay them out to air dry and voila,' Caroline concluded.

I visited UK's Swingathon fest with 50-person orgy & spank shows – here's why this year was younger & SEXIER than ever
I visited UK's Swingathon fest with 50-person orgy & spank shows – here's why this year was younger & SEXIER than ever

The Sun

time4 hours ago

  • The Sun

I visited UK's Swingathon fest with 50-person orgy & spank shows – here's why this year was younger & SEXIER than ever

BEAUTIFUL women in barely-there bikinis strut past as a young man pulls a blonde into a tent. She gives a quick, saucy wink over her shoulder before they disappear inside. 9 9 9 For a moment, I almost feel I'm at Glastonbury — until I glance to the side and clock a full-blown threesome in a tent. Welcome to Swingathon 2025. More than a thousand horny revellers have descended on the sleepy village of Allington, Lincs, for a weekend of frolics, flings and full-on filth. As The Sun's sexpert, I've been granted exclusive access to the steamy three-day romp-fest. It's not my first rodeo — I covered this saucy shindig last year — but 2025 is bigger and definitely better. As ethical non-monogamy continues to boom among younger generations — and is now Dear Deidre 's number one query — one of the most noticeable changes is the crowd. Some look like they have just strolled off the set of Love Island and straight into the hot tub. 'It just takes you out of normal life and into a whole new world,' says Macy, a model and mum from Blackpool, who is celebrating her 25th birthday today. Clad in a neon green fishnet bodysuit that's cheekily cut away at the back, Macy gives me a tour of her tent in the glamping quarters. She is sharing with her long-term partner Karl, 34, who she has been with for six and a half years. The pair, who also have a child together, tell me they discovered the lifestyle a few years ago and haven't looked back since. 'It's our first Swingathon but we've been to a few clubs,' explains Karl. 'Everyone is dead accepting. The Sun's Georgie Culley visits UK's largest sex fest Swingathon 'I've seen lots of willies' 'We're a pretty open couple and are open to anything but we tend to stick to softplay (sex with your partner in front of others, but not swapping), but it all depends on the people and couples.' The pair say they do have rules but don't have a safe word. 'She's my queen and I won't see her disrespected,' Karl continues. 'We are in sync with each other and connect with our eyes.' The couple haven't played with anyone else just yet — but the night is still young. 'There's a couple of girls I'm eager to get my hands on,' Macy laughs, excitedly. Their advice for curious couples? 'Don't knock it 'til you've tried it,' says Karl. 'It's a place where you can live out your wildest fantasies.' Macy adds: 'It's about being you, and being free — you don't have to do anything. Just being here is enough for some people.' Nearby, I find Annie, 38, a carer from Bristol and her long-term partner, Dave, 39, a scaffolder. 'We have a really good, healthy sex life,' says Annie, 38, who's been in the lifestyle for nearly 18 years. 'And then we'll come here and treat it like a sex toy — something you use and then put away. For us it's an enhancement of our sex life, not something we need, something we enjoy.' Friday's scorching sunshine caught many out — and let's just say the combo of baby oil and blazing July heat was not ideal. 9 9 There were plenty of red bums on display by sundown, as revellers soaked up the rays — and each other. For some, Saturday's downpour was a welcome relief — finally, something cool in a weekend that's anything but. Still, a bit of bad weather hasn't dampened the mood or slowed anyone down. In fact, there are loads of new additions to the festival this year. 'We've got Naked Attraction — like the Channel 4 dating show, but live and fully interactive,' one organiser tells me. 'There's Kerry's Kinky Quiz, spanking displays, foam parties, a group massage class, naked discos . . . and of course, dozens of orgy tents. 'There's also the new glamping village which is great for socials.' Each play tent comes fully stocked with bowls of condoms (we're talking hundreds), plus lube, blue roll and disinfectant. Revellers are expected to clean up after themselves and leave the space as they found it — or risk a fine for being messy. 'Last night we were in here with 12 other couples,' continues Annie. 'It was very hot and sweaty. We like to play with other women and sometimes that does mean a couple swap. But it's got to be pleasurable for everyone.' Festival organisers tell me they've come well prepared — with a jaw-dropping 4,000 condoms and hundreds of bottles of lube and baby oil stocked up for the weekend. And judging from the saucy stories I've heard echoing from every corner of the site, none of it's going to waste. As I walk to get a drink from the shiny phallic-shaped drinks bar, a group of beautiful women rush past me, wearing nothing but painted handprints smeared across their bodies. They giggle wildly, slipping into an outdoor bath, splashing and scrubbing each other down in a blur of skin, suds and laughter. In the content creator tent I find two Only Fans models posing up a storm. They tell me how it's their first time at Swingathon. Laughing, Jazzy, 34, says: 'I've seen lots of willies out which I like — I've had a right old gander at that.' 'It's a bit crazy, innit?' adds Shania Howard, 25, from Surrey. 'There were loads of people having sex in the play tents. I know I do Only Fans but that's wild.' As the day gets into full swing — pun intended — more and more revellers emerge from their tents. At one point, I overheard a couple casually plotting a 50-strong orgy for later that evening — just your average Saturday night at Swingathon. Elsewhere, others strip off without a second thought and slip into the outdoor hot tubs, cocktails in hand, as if it's the most natural thing in the world. Nearby, I meet circus performer couple Annabella Stanyer, 28, and Josh Gill, 32, from Bristol. 9 9 What is Swinging? SWINGING, also known as partner swapping, is a sexual activity where partners in a committed relationship engage in sexual activities with other people. All parties involved must give explicit and enthusiastic consent. Open and honest communication between partners is crucial. Many swingers engage with a community or attend events specifically for swinging. Such activity can enhance intimacy and trust within the primary relationship. It provides an opportunity to explore sexual fantasies and desires. But it is not suitable for every relationship and requires a strong foundation of trust. Jealousy and emotional challenges may arise and need to be managed. 'Sleaze on our doorstep' 'I hired him as a sex slave for a festival,' dominatrix Annabella says. 'And the rest is history.' It's the pansexual pair's first time at Swingathon after Annabella bagged a free ticket by winning Best Fetish Model at the Alternative Awards. The pair have been together a year and set clear boundaries to ensure they don't get paranoid about anything and 'just have fun'. 'You're OK with me playing with a girl,' says Annabella. 'And he can play with boys individually and we play with both genders when we are together.' Josh adds: 'It's important to take things slowly and communicate with each other, which you should be doing in a relationship anyway.' While most locals I've met seem unfazed by the festival, one grand- father said: 'Our beautiful and peaceful little village has become synonymous with swingers. 'It's outrageous, and we don't welcome it. We don't want it here. It is sleaze on our doorstep.' But the founder of the event, 37-year-old Matt Cole, disagrees. He says: 'Live and let live — we are not hurting anyone and no one can hear or see what is going on inside, unless you are attending it.' His wife Stacie, 30, chips in: 'One of the main negative comments we get from people is that we are one big STD festival.' Matt adds: 'They call us dirty swingers and say we are spreading this and spreading that. 'But if we can make it all free for attendees to get tested beforehand then that stops that. In every play tent there are condoms and lube and most people play with safe sex.' For the first time in the five years they have been running the event, Matt explains how he asked festival-goers to test this year before they arrived. He says: 'I sent free NHS kits to everyone and 50 per cent of people here today have taken them. 'Next year, I'd love to work with an online testing company so we get everyone tested and then we will be the first festival that is as safe as can be.' As I peruse the stalls selling sexy underwear and kinky sextoys, a stunning brunette casually strolls by wearing a little jacket and nothing else. It's 7pm and the sun is starting to set over Britain's biggest swinging festival. But judging by what I've seen — and heard — it won't be the only thing going down tonight . . . 9 9

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store