Latest news with #householdessentials
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Shoppers rush to Amazon as 75 mega-pack of Calgon Washing Machine tablets are slashed to 19p each
BARGAIN hunters are rushing to Amazon to claim a deal on Calgon Washing Machine tablets that slashes the price of each tab to just 19p. The retail giant has discounted a 75-tablet 'Mega Pack' from £28 to just £14.49, a 48% discount. Calgon Power Tabs x75, £28 £14.49 from Amazon BUY HERE The limited-time deal has already caused a rush to buy the tablets, with 7,000 people heading to Amazon to take advantage in the last month alone. If you're meticulous about keeping your washing machine in tip-top condition, this is a steal you won't want to miss. The deal becomes even more impressive when you compare it to supermarket prices. Tesco's largest pack of Calgon is a 30-tablet box for £10.50, which works out to 35p per tablet. Asda offers a slightly larger 45-pack for £15.98, making each tablet 35.5p. At just 19p per tablet, Amazon's mega-pack deal is unbeatable. The best deals on household essentials this week *If you a click a link in this article, we may earn affiliate revenue. Our team of shopping experts are constantly on the lookout for the best deals on household essentials — whether that's pantry staples, laundry pods or necessities like kitchen and loo rolls. Here are the best deals we've spotted at Amazon this week: Vanish Gold Oxi Action Plus Stain Remover, £10 £3.96 - buy here Finish Ultimate Infinity Shine Dishwasher Tablets, £27 £12.85 - buy here Flash Power Spray Mop, £45 £32.75 - buy here Ecover Fabric Softener, £10 £6.65 - buy here Dettol Washing Machine Cleaner x3, £15.99 £8.50 - buy here Method All Purpose Cleaner Spray, £4 £2.38 - buy here Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Gift Bar 850g, £13.44 £8.50 - buy here Mutti Chopped Tomatoes x6, £9.18 £5.51 - buy here Oatly Barista Oat Milk x6, £12.60 £8.10 - buy here Heinz Beanz x12, £16.80 £8.99 - buy here Plymouth Original Dry Gin, £28.50 £19.30 - buy here Bulldog Age Defence Moisturiser, £8.99 £4.49 - buy here Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, £9.99 £6.80 - buy here NIVEA Q10 60+ Mature Skin Body Lotion, £12.09 £5.11 - buy here Those who remember Calgon's famous jingle — "washing machines live longer with Calgon" — know that this product is nothing short of essential for those living in hard water areas like London, the South East and East Anglia. Hard water can cause limescale to build up in your washing machine, leading to unpleasant odours, reduced efficiency, and costly repairs. Calgon tablets help your washing machine in four ways: They remove limescale and other harmful hard water deposits They soften water, protecting your washing machine and clothes They prevent rust They neutralise bad odours Reviewers have highlighted how effective Calgon is at keeping their washing machines in working order. One Amazon customer wrote: "Third time ordering. UK water is hard so it makes your drum in your [washing machine] smell, this helps a lot and it also softens the water for softer washing. Good value for money". Another wrote: "[I] bought a new Bosch washing machine in January 2011, have used a Calgon tab in every wash for the last 15 years and it's never missed a beat, still going strong — brilliant price for 75 tabs, can't be beaten anywhere."
The Sun
23-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
I've tried 6 viral popular stain remover hacks that claim to be ‘the best ever' – most effective was a bargain
A POWERFUL stain remover is a household essential – especially with kids in the mix. From tomato sauce to mystery smudges of make-up, keeping your whites crisp can feel like a constant battle. 7 Stain removers have come a long way in recent years, with some not even needing a washing machine any more. And they are going viral on TikTok. But which ones actually work – and which are just hype? Yasmin Harisha sees if the most popular online picks have what it takes. Here, she puts them to the test versus grass stains, foundation, red wine, coffee, oil, sunscreen, tomato sauce and even marker pen. Tide To Go stain pen, £12.49 for three, Amazon PERFECT for your handbag or toiletry kit, this stain remover pen is a lifesaver for quick clean-ups before stains set. Just shake, uncap, press on to the mark and rub back and forth — and the stain disappears fast. It worked brilliantly on every stain I tested, but it is definitely best for smaller spots. Larger stains are trickier, you will either spend a lot of time scrubbing or end up using multiple pens, which is not exactly budget-friendly. Still, for everyday mishaps such as make-up smudges or food splashes, it is a handy, travel-friendly option that delivers quick results when you need them. Best at banishing: Coffee. As long as it is a small amount. I've tried 6 viral TikTok stain remover hacks that claim to be 'the best ever' Worst at tackling: Foundation. It ended up smudging the stain into the fabric. Rating: 2.5/5 Bicarbonate soda, fairy liquid & hydrogen peroxide, £1, any supermarket WHEN it comes to viral DIY hacks, this one is a classic — and it actually works. Bicarbonate of soda has been a cleaning staple for years. If you are on a budget and don't mind a little DIY, it is just as effective as shop-bought options. I mixed 1 tbsp of bicarb, 1 tbsp of washing-up liquid and 2 tbsp of hydrogen peroxide into a smooth paste. I applied to the stain then let it sit for 15 minutes (longer for tougher stains), then gently scrubbed with a soft brush, rinsed, and washed. It works but I prefer something ready-made and less labour intensive. Best at banishing: Sunscreen. You could see it working instantly. Worst at tackling: Marker pen. It needed to be soaked still. Rating: 3.5/5 Stain-removing wipes, £1.25, Marks & Spencer IF you need a quick, on-the-go fix, this stain remover is a game-changer. The wipes come in a compact, sleek packet that slips easily into your handbag, perfect for tackling fresh stains in a pinch. From tomato sauce and oil to a splash of red wine or a smudge of blusher, it is your go-to solution. Parents who usually reach for baby wipes might find this a serious upgrade — and it is affordable, too. However, there is one caveat. For larger or older stains that have set in, you will likely need something a bit more heavy duty. Best at banishing: Oil but you need to act quickly. Worst at tackling: Grass stains. This took some elbow grease. Napisan non bio stain remover powder, £4.50, Morrisons A LONG-TIME parenting staple, this germ-killing powder (99.9 per cent of germs, to be exact) has recently become a hit for stains on socks and trainers. It works best when you soak laundry in warm water mixed with the powder before tossing it in the washing machine. Personally, I wasn't impressed. It didn't do much for foundation stains while other marks left behind faint traces. Grass stains were barely touched. It has a lovely, fresh scent but its stain-fighting power felt average. Great for general freshness, just don't expect miracles on tougher stains. Best at banishing: Oil, but be sure to soak it. Worst at tackling: Grass stains. WINNER: Wipe Out stain remover spray £5.50, Homecare Essentials THIS spray is the gold standard of stain removers. It doesn't just lift stains from clothes, it doubles as a powerful multi-surface cleaner. While it didn't completely erase an extra-dark foundation mark, it made serious progress and I'm sure a second go would do the trick. The best part? It is super affordable. Just a few spritzes, wait 30 seconds and you are set. It tackles everything from grease and grime to biro, coffee and even blood. Plus, it works on almost anything — fabric, wood, metal, glass, stone, vinyl, ceramics, you name it. Worst at tackling: Wine. It needed to be put in the washing machine for it to vanish completely. Scrubology stain remover soap, £7.99, I HAD high hopes for this stain remover after TikTok kept serving it up, with cleaning fans calling it the 'best ever'. You are meant to wet the stain, wet the bar, scrub until it foams, then soak the item by hand or pop it in the wash. But for me, it wasn't that simple. Despite plenty of elbow grease, it barely foamed. It felt like nothing was really happening. Honestly, I think a regular bar of soap might have done a better job. This one just did not live up to the hype. Best at banishing: Tomato sauce but only if it was a tiny splatter. Worst at tackling: Foundation. It was the toughest stain across the board, but this soap didn't even make a dent. Rating: 1/5 Can a mini washing machine save you cash? OFTEN spotted on social media, the intriguing Taylor & Brown portable washing machine (£29.99, Amazon/B&Q) was a bit of a puzzle to figure out. Mums online are praising it as the perfect solution for family holidays and the convenience of quickly cleaning the kids' clothes without needing to run a full load. It uses just one-twentieth of the water required by a standard washing machine and, according to Precision Appliance Leasing, a portable washing machine typically uses between 0.2 to 1 kWh per load, whereas traditional machines can consume 1 to 2 kWh or more. With energy costs soaring, this machine sounds a smart, choice. That said, the instructions left a lot to be desired as they were poorly translated and missing key details. You fill it with water, though there's no clear fill line so it is a bit of guessing game, then add detergent and clothes. It doesn't heat the water, so best to add warm water from the tap. Its compact size limits it to one or two tops or smaller items such as underwear – I found overfilling causes spillage and bouncing. It has a touch screen and offers a ten-minute cycle, a two-minute cycle, or just a spin option. But clothes come out soaking wet and could take days to dry. Plus I found it frustrating that the clothes don't come out properly washed and I often put them into a regular washing machine afterwards, which defeats the purpose entirely. It could be handy for washing underwear while camping. But, for me, it wasn't worth the money saved.
The Sun
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Major retailer discounts Andrex bulk buy to just £9 — it costs £13 at Asda and Ocado
LET'S face it: no one's enthusiastic about buying toilet paper. However, it's a less tedious task when you can get it for more than 40% off. Andrex Ultimate Quilts Toilet Paper 24 Rolls, £14.75 £9.01 from Amazon Amazon has slashed the price of a 24-pack of Andrex Ultimate Quilts toilet roll from £14.75 to £9.01. The deal is part of the retailer's first-ever 'Everyday Essentials Week', which has seen discounts on an array of household staples. You can get the bulk buy for £8.56 if you opt in to Amazon's 'Subscribe and Save' programme; you can choose to receive it every month or two, ensuring you won't run out. For comparison, Ocado and Asda sell the same 24-pack for £12.99 and £12.98 respectively. It's the lowest price the deal has ever been on Amazon; the previous lowest price was £12.31. That works out at just 36p per roll (or 0.2p per sheet, if you want to get really specific). Andrex calls Ultimate Quilts its "Most Comfortable Clean", thanks to its three-ply quilted "air pocket texture" — it's approved by the British Skin Foundation. It's also approved by the Forest Stewardship Council, meaning that it's sourced from responsibly managed forests or recycled materials. Andrex also commits to using 50% recycled materials in its packaging, and the packaging is fully recyclable. The popularity of Andrex Ultimate is evident, with more than 10,000 people purchasing it in the last month alone. The best deals on household essentials this week *If you a click a link in this article, we may earn affiliate revenue. Our team of shopping experts are constantly on the lookout for the best deals on household essentials — whether that's pantry staples, laundry pods or necessities like kitchen and loo rolls. Here are the best deals we've spotted at Amazon this week: Nescafé Instant Cappuccino Sachets x12, £4 £2.23 - buy here Walkers Cheese and Onion Crisps 45g x32, £35.20 £19.20 - buy here Mutti Chopped Tomatoes x6, £9.18 £6 - buy here Ellis Harper Fridge Deodoriser, £13.99 £8.39 - buy here Ecover Non-Bio Laundry Detergent, £10 £6.65 - buy here Ariel The Big One Laundry Pods x69, £39 £24.50 - buy here Vanish Gold Oxi Action Plus Super Concentrated 500g, £10 £4.62 - buy here Fairy Outdoorable Fabric Conditioner x8, £40 £28 - buy here Spesh by Cusheen Lemon Scented Toilet Roll x72, £34.99 £23.99 - buy here Duck Fresh Discs x3, £15 £8.55 - buy here Biodegradable 20L Bin Liners x100, £12.99 £7.12 - buy here Mr Muscle Drain Unblocker x2, £8.56 £5.48- buy here It holds a very impressive 4.7 star rating on Amazon, from over 800 reviews. One satisfied customer wrote: 'Great soft toilet paper. Good value for money and quick delivery. Great use for all the family. Lasted ages which is great and good price.' Another review highlighted the benefit of a 24-pack: '[Lasts] much longer than other brands, the cheap stuff is just air. This is soft and tightly packed, lasts ages.' For those still on the fence, one enthusiastic reviewer summed it up perfectly: 'If you're still using generic brand toilet paper, treat yourself to Andrex and experience the, ahem, end game of toilet luxury.'
The Independent
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Best household essentials deals to expect for Amazon Prime Day 2025
Amazon Prime Day is back this July, with savings on thousands of household essentials. Whether you're looking for laundry detergent, bathroom must-haves or cleaning essentials, the online giant has slashed the price of your weekly staples. As well as cleaning essentials, you can expect impressive deals on the likes of Apple, Shark, Oral-B and Cerave, with discounts across beauty, tech and more. However, it can be tricky to navigate all of the deals during the sale. Fear not – our experts are on hand to help you find the best deals. Having covered the shopping event since it first launched, we can easily spot a good deal from a bad one, so keep reading for our expert round-up of the best deals on household essentials. When is Amazon Prime Day 2025? The next Prime Day sale is set to take place in July 2025. Amazon hasn't confirmed the exact dates of the sale, but if last year is anything to go by, you can expect a two-day sale around mid-July. What is Amazon Prime Day? Prime Day is Amazon's exclusive sale for its Prime members. It usually runs twice a year, once in the summer and again in the autumn before Black Friday sales begin. You can expect to find deals on beauty, laptops, kitchen appliances and everyday household essentials. Prime Day discounts are only available to Prime members. A membership typically costs £8.99 per month or £95 for the year, and if you're 18 to 22 years old, you can claim a 50 per cent discount. If you're yet to sign up for Prime, you can register for a 30-day free trial just before the sale starts. This gives you full access to all the Prime Day offers, and you can cancel for free before the membership fee kicks in. Best early Amazon Prime Day household essentials deals: Buying everyday essentials, such as laundry detergent, in bulk can often help you save. This 2-pack of Fairy non bio pods beats supermarket prices at the moment, so if you're nearing the end of your detergent, now is a good time to stock up. We named the liquid gel formula our best laundry detergent for sensitive skin, with our reviewer, Zoe, praising its cleaning power. 'From everyday wear to tougher stains such as food spills and mud on kids' clothes, it left everything looking fresh and spotless,' she said. Batteries – we always need them but never seem to have them on hand. Well, now you can stop stealing them from the TV remote and stock up on some of the Duracell bunny's best offerings. With a 15 per cent discount off the jumbo pack of 36 AA batteries, you'll be set for months. Toilet paper always runs out when you need it most. If you're running low, you can replenish your supply with this deal on Splesh toilet roll. The 30 per cent reduction puts it at its cheapest ever price, so you can be sure that you're getting a decent deal. Made from 30 per cent recyclable materials and with a biodegradable inner tube, it's worth a look if you want sustainably-sourced household essentials. These baby wipes are made of 99.9 per cent water and a drop of fruit extract, so there'll be no mysterious chemicals on your baby's sensitive skin. We all know going through a pack of wipes a day becomes the norm with little ones around, but you can stock up on more than 700 wipes now for less than £25 from Amazon. This huge 400ml bottle of SPF50+ lotion will see you through days out and family holidays this summer, and it's now reduced by 25 per cent. We put the Ultrasun range to the test in our test of the best sunscreen for kids. Our tester praised its lightweight formula that 'spreads on easily and sinks in almost immediately, leaving no stickiness on the skin'. You can currently get 30 per cent off this jumbo pack of laundry pods, designed to tackle set-in stains. If you've had enough last-minute supermarket runs to stock up on laundry supplies, you can set up a regular delivery of the pods through Amazon's subscribe and save service. This gives you a discount when you register, but remember to check every so often if you can get a better deal by switching brands.
