Latest news with #royalcleaner
The Sun
4 days ago
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
I was a royal cleaner at Buckingham Palace -my 5p hack gets rid of nasty smells immediately – it's discreet & lasts ages
A FORMER royal cleaner has shared a simple 5p trick she used to keep Buckingham Palace smelling fresh. If you've ever visited the famed London palace, and marvelled at its cleanliness, you may be forgiven for thinking that cleaners polish and scrub using pricey products. 2 2 However, Anne Simmons, 57, who worked as a cleaner at Buckingham Palace for over a decade, has revealed that budget hacks are fit for the King. Anne, from Berkshire, shared that in order to keep royal cars fresh, she swapped pricey air fresheners for an every day essential that will cost you less than a Freddo. During her time working in the palace, Anne often had to face last minute inspections, which caused her to think on her feet and come up with inventive solutions. 'One day, I was asked to get a car ready for a senior royal's outing" Anne told Plates Express. "Everything looked spotless, but the inside just smelled… stale. 'We didn't have fancy sprays or scented gels to hand, so I reached into my bag and pulled out a dry tea bag. "I tucked it under the seat and let it sit. "By the time they stepped in, the smell was gone—and in its place was a gentle, comforting scent.' Tea bags are incredibly cheap, with each individual bag costing as little as 5p. Anne now swears by the hack. "It's something I've used ever since. It's discreet, cheap, and lasts much longer than people think," she said. "Black tea is my go-to, but you can use herbal ones like lavender or mint if you want a fresher smell.' Tea bags work as they are natural odour absorbers, and pull moisture and bad smells from the air as they dry. 'Tea bags work quietly in the background,' Anne explained. 'They don't overpower, and they don't make people sneeze. "I just pop one in the glove box, under a seat, or inside the cup holder.' And this isn't the only handy hack the royal cleaner has up her sleeve. Anne previously revealed how she used an old tube of toothpaste to get palace mirrors gleaming. And the royal cleaner even swears by a kids toy to keep homes dust free. She revealed that slime is also perfect for dusting. 'It's safe, easy to use, and doesn't leave any marks,' she said.
The Sun
6 days ago
- General
- The Sun
I was a royal cleaner at Buckingham Palace – simple £1 trick leaves windows spotless & streak-free
A FORMER royal cleaner has revealed a £1 hack she used to keep the Buckingham Palace windows sparkling. If you've ever visited the royal palace, and seen its windows gleaming in the sunlight, you would be forgiven for thinking that cleaners use pricey products to keep them sparkling. 2 2 However, Anne Simmons, 57, who worked at the famed London palace for a decade has revealed her cleaning trick costs less than a cup of tea. The cleaning pro, from Berkshire, told Plates Express that when she cleaned royal windows "there was no room for error." 'The windows had to be perfect no streaks, no marks. "We weren't allowed to use harsh chemicals either, so I had to find a better way.' Anne revealed that her simple trick was to use £1 worth of distilled water, which is water that has been purified and stripped of minerals and impurities. 'I kept a jug of distilled water on hand,' she said. "Before cleaning the windows, I'd wet the cloth with it. "It made a massive difference—no streaks, no oily residue. "It was a simple trick but very effective.' Anne revealed that it is important to use distilled water as, unlike tap water, it doesn't leave behind mineral deposits or spots as it evaporates. Stacey Solomon shares 3p way to clean your windows which doesn't leave any smears & you may already have it at home 'I kept a jug of distilled water on hand,' Anne said. 'I know some people worry about spending money on fancy cleaning solutions,' Anne said. 'But a bottle of distilled water from the supermarket costs less than a coffee—and lasts a long time.' And this isn't the only handy hack the royal cleaner has up her sleeve. Anne previously revealed how she used an old tube of toothpaste to get palace mirrors gleaming. She recalled how a "surprise inspection" led to the discovery. With nothing "fancy on hand" to wipe down glass surfaces, she remembered an old trick her mum swore by. "I ran in, grabbed a tube of toothpaste from the staff bathroom, and gave [the surfaces] a gentle scrub. Minutes later, they looked brand new," she recalled. And the royal cleaner even swears by a kids toy to keep homes dust free. 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's safe, easy to use, and doesn't leave any marks,' she said.
Daily Mail
02-06-2025
- 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.
