If you’re snowed in and looking for something productive to do, I’ve got just the thing… a kitchen spring clean!

I did mine recently and have to say that it needed it. Eight months of decorating later, my home looked as though a bomb had hit it, especially the kitchen, so not only have I had a HUGE clearout, but I also (ingeniously) decided to try some of the latest cleaning products on the market.

I started with my old Belling range cooker, which was the part I was really dreading. I’m embarrassed to admit that it was in dire need of a good clean inside – I’d left it that little bit too long and it showed! As Emily said in her blog, Lakeland’s Oven Mate, £7.99, works wonders. You simply paint it on with a brush, wait for a few minutes (or leave it on longer if you’ve lots of grime built up) and then wash it off. I used it alongside Lakeland’s Oven Rack Soaking Tray, £9.99, and my shelves came up sparkling. Very impressed!

Next, I tried the new Shark Steam Pocket Mop from JML. This steam cleaner has a head that swivels 180° to get into those tight corners and can be flipped over for extra-long cleaning – ideal for my kitchen as there’s lots of little corners that are hard to get to. It can be used on wooden and stone floors, and carpet.

JML's Shark Steam Pocket Mop

Finally it was down to some serious spritzing. Mrs White’s Natural Cleaning Range has a great range of new kitchen products, from Steel Yourself, £8, which contains lavender and sage and works on chrome and stainless steel, to Marbelous, £8, with eucalyptus and lemongrass for Corian, granite and marble.

My kitchen is looking better than it has in a very long time – now I’ve just got to keep it looking that way!

Laurie