AT this time of year, your mad house has probably become a mud house.
With wet shoes bringing in dirt from puddles, paths and sports pitches, it feels like a constant battle to keep things clean.
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But despair not.
Start the fightback with these easy steps that will quickly show muddy footprints the back door . . .
FIND YOUR PERFECT MAT: Laying mats inside by your doors is an essential defence against dirt and mud.
Choose ones that are hard-wearing, moisture-absorbing and also machine-washable.
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Dunelm has a decent range of washable doormats, from £12.
SHOE SENSE: Instead of flinging wet, mucky shoes on to the floor, have a washable tray by the door for them to stand on.
Lakeland has a dedicated boot-and-shoe tray, down from £13 to £9.99, which holds three pairs.
For an even cheaper option, Ikea has a Bagg-muck mat for dirty footwear, priced £3, which you can use alone or place under a shoe rack.
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Even an offcut of a PVC tablecloth would keep mud off the floor and can be easily wiped clean.
TOP OF THE MOPS: To keep on top of hard floors, a mop is a must-have.
For speedy clean-ups on small areas, like a hallway, a bucketless spray mop is your friend.
The Vileda 1-2 spray mop, from around £18, is easy to use and you can just chuck the dirty mop pad straight in the washing machine.
SOFTLY DOES IT: If mud finds its way on to carpet, don’t swoop in with a cloth straight away.
Instead, wait until it dries before brushing or vacuuming, then tackle the leftovers with water and a clean cloth.
Avoid rubbing the dirt, which can damage carpet fibres, and instead rinse and blot until the marks have gone.
CLEAN DREAM: Teaching children to clean up their own dirty trainers is every parent’s dream.
But wait until the mud is fully dry, then use a brush, like the Pepprig two-in-one shoe brush from Ikea — currently £1, down from £1.50 — to get the worst of the dried muck off.
Make a paste with three parts bicarbonate of soda to one part water then use the brush to apply this to the soles of the shoes.
Wipe clean and leave to dry.
- All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
You have the eyes of a hawk if you can spot the cat in this muddy field – you’ll kick yourself when you find it
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