Latest news with #dusting
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Late Queen's former cleaner reveals why she uses a CHILDREN'S TOY to dust
A former royal cleaner has revealed the unexpected cleaning hack she uses for dusting. For more than a decade, 57-year-old Anne Simmons worked as a royal cleaner across Buckingham Palace 's 775 rooms. Throughout that time, she learnt numerous clever ways to clean to the highest possible standard. Anne has also created her own ingenious tips and tricks when it comes to getting a place looking spick and span. One of those clever methods includes a very surprising item she uses when it comes to dusting. Speaking to Plates Express, Anne revealed that she was once asked to tidy a car up before an afternoon outing. Dust had collected in awkward places inside the vehicle, including the cup holders and vents. However, according to Anne, the vacuum cleaner was not available, and so she had to think of something else to get rid of the pesky dust. She came up with a genius solution. 'I remembered the slime my grandson had left at my house,' she said. 'It worked like magic.' Slime is a children's toy made by Mattel. Made primarily from guar gum, it is a squishy substance which is neither liquid nor solid, and can be squished into different shapes. Anne said that the unusual item turned out to be perfect for dusting, as it was easy to use, safe, and didn't leave any mark on the car interior. Because the slime has a slightly sticky quality, dust adheres to its surface, which is left looking clean. 'From that point on, I always kept a small tub in my kit just in case,' Anne said. It's worth noting that not all Slime should be used for dusting. According to Anne, some options contain glitter, or too much colouring, and these should be avoided. 'I prefer plain, soft cleaning slimes made for electronics or car detailing,' she said. 'Those are best for interiors.' As well as cleaning hacks, Anne has previously shared insights into how Buckingham Palace was kept clean, including some of the items house maintenance items that were banned from the royal residence. Among them was disposable wet wipes, which were forbidden for use in the Palace by King Charles. The reasons for the items being banished were two fold according to Anne, who revealed that they had caused damage to Palace bathrooms - and this has been expensive to fix in the past. In addition, the wipes are thought to be bad for the environment, and the king is known for his concern about the planet. Anne explained: 'At the palace, wet wipes caused significant plumbing issues. Despite being advertised as 'flushable,' they don't break down in the system like toilet paper does. 'This led to repeated blockages and costly plumbing repairs. It became clear that they simply weren't worth the trouble.' She added that instead of the disposable wipes, they opted for reusable cleaning cloths. In addition to preventing the issues the wipes caused with plumbing, the switch saved money, as the need for frequent repairs was reduced.
The Sun
17-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
I was a royal cleaner at Buckingham Palace – little-known cheap cleaning hack will keep your home dust-free all summer
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.
