Keep your appliances in pristine condition with these handy tips.

Clean your blender/food processor, by filling it halfway with water and adding a few drops of dishwasher detergent. Turn the blender on and let it clean itself.

A kettle with unsightly accumulated deposits in the base is easily cleaned by boiling the kettle half-filled with water and 125 ml white vinegar. After reaching boiling point, leave it aside to cool, then lightly rub off the residue using a sponge and squirt of dishwashing liquid.

A regular ‘boil out’” of your automatic washing machine on the hottest cycle, using a full dose of powder, but without any clothing in, will keep the appliance in tip-top condition.

Bring in your towels off the wash-line before they are completely dry and on the point of becoming stiff from the hot sun. Give them a few turns in the tumble-dryer. They will be cuddly soft again.