Smudging, the ancient ritual of burning sage and other sacred plants, was a great favourite with Native Americans to shoo away unwanted spirits and negative energies. . Studies show its remarkable ability to clear 94 per cent of airborne bacteria and other non gratae.

If you want to find Zen in the chaos of everyday life, take a deep breath and open this dictionary.

Soda bicarb is magic stuff. It can do (almost) anything. Your efficolonomical ally for….

Moths joyously feasted on your favourite cashmere jumper, leaving it hole-riddled. The most effective strategy is to act immediately and thoroughly at the first sign of trouble and follow a 3-step process: identify the culprit, clean everything and prevent future infestations.

It is with the deepest stupor, consternation and humiliation that we discovered that our desks, computer and telephone keyboards were dirtier than our toilets. Thorough, methodical and regular cleaning of the disaster areas is imperative.

When life gives you lemons... make lemonade, but whatever you do, don’t throw the peels, pulp or pips away. They are too good to be wasted and so versatile that their only limit is your imagination.

A nasty biro stain is ruining your beloved leather It bag and you are torn between screaming and fainting. Forget both, take a deep breath before trying to assess the situation. If the unfortunate victim is your Hermès bag, do what Carole did: use the siren and speed to the nearest Hermès shop where the professionals will take care of the poor wounded arm candy. For bags with no after-sales service, time is of the essence, so act as quickly as possible. Each stain is an ordeal and a big challenge you have to face with fortitude, sometimes in tears, with the tools at hand in your cupboards.

The good news is that you can clean your home without slaving away for hours or poisoning yourself and your family. All you need to destroy domestic terrors is the holy trinity of cleaning, three fabulous, efficient, eco-friendly and economical products: sodium bicarbonate aka baking soda, vinegar and hemp oil soap.

Cleaning the fireplace insert doesn't have to leave you fuming. The task can be daunting and tricky the first time around but once you master some simple techniques, returning the insert to its original beauty won't be a problem. You won’t feel like Cinderella before her fairy godmother took matters in hand.

 Julie Bousquet-Fabre shares her secret recipe to give your windows the “impeccable cleanliness and dazzling brilliance” they deserve....

According to experts, the air in your home is more polluted than the ring road. Needless to say, that you are mortified to admit that your cosy little love nest is a den of pollution, full of extremely toxic non-grata squatters. Among them, the horrendous VOCs (Organic volatile components) clan – with members called benzene, acetone, formaldehyde, toluene, xylene, etc. – and their toxic mates ammonia and carbon monoxide.Thank goodness, your indoor plants are gallant fighters of these villains in your home sweet home. Your lovely little botanical companions have got amazing talent to combat air pollution, release oxygen in the room at night, filter out a host of toxins and help you breathe better, thanks to the humidity from their leaves.

Fruit stains are always a tragedy. They are members of the terrible Tannin gang, not an easy lot to deal with. The fiercest are the red fruit ones, like the deadly splashes left by Giovanna’s heavenly blueberry pie on Raymond’s white shirt: a delight for the taste buds but a demon to get rid of. Next time, the dear boy will have to wear his diving suit to wolf it down without damaging his clothes.

Doom and despair: there is blood on the divine white fabric settee that was your pride and joy!

Some historians will swear that top to bottom housecleaning originated in Persia, over 3000 years ago, and was part of the new year – Norouz – celebrations held on the first day of spring. Others assert that, around the same time, Hebrews did the same for Jewish Easter festival – Pessah – in the spring too.

So, now is the time to do it!

God bless Josephine Cochrane, inventor of the first working practical automatic dishwasher. And bless her clumsy servants for badly chipping her expensive 17th century heirloom China tableware. Without then, Josephine might have stuck to embroidery or taken up golf.

Who knows?

Saying that Raymond’s trainers do not smell of roses is the understatement of the year. The way to deal with this odoriferous challenge effectively is to grab for your beloved baking soda.