‘I want to believe it is magic’ – Vicky Pattison reveals the £4.99 cleaning buy she swears by to keep her Scandi-style home and walls scruff-free

by Furnishly | Dec 8, 2025 | Design Inspiration

If you’ve ever sat and wondered how a celebrity keeps their home clean, wonder no more, as Vicky Pattison has revealed that she swears by magic erasers (£4.99 at Amazon) to keep her home spotless.

Recently, the famous Geordie sat down with me to talk about her partnership with Dyson, and inevitably, it wasn’t long before we got onto the topic of the best cleaning products, with Vicky stating magic erasers were her go-to.

Famous or not, we all have to clean our houses, and magic erasers are marvels at everything from getting rid of scratch marks on a wall to removing stains from your toilet. Multi-purpose and affordable, I’m in complete agreement with Vicky on what a game-changer they are.

‘You know the little magic sponges?’ Vicky said. ‘I’m a huge fan of those, and maybe I’m pretty late to the party.’

‘I like a Scandi-chic vibe mixed with a farmhouse feel, and I want it to feel warm and inviting and lived in – but mate, we’ve got two dogs, and I’m a whirlwind, so I could never be one of these like aesthetic people, our home is lived in, and I love that.

‘But we have gone for white walls, so if there are any marks on the wall, they should show up so much,’ she explained.

‘Someone on Instagram recommended I get those magic sponges. I don’t know how they work, and quite frankly, I don’t think I want to know because I want to believe it is magic. I’m obsessed with them.’

Not to burst Vicky’s bubble, but magic erasers are unfortunately not magic. They are mildly abrasive, acting similarly to sandpaper, when used with water. This allows it to break down stains, as well as lift and trap dirt.

Because of this, you can use them on soap scum, kitchen grease, scuff marks, staining, and even mould and mildew, making this one of the best cleaning products for under £10.

However, due to the sponge’s abrasive nature, you should avoid using them on polished or varnished surfaces and furniture, kitchen cabinets, delicate materials or cookware, as the sponge can damage the surface.

If you’ve opted for a Scandi-style home with lots of white finishes, like Vicky, keeping a few magic erasers in your cleaning caddy is essential if you need to remove scuff marks and staining quickly.

Before you do your big Christmas shop, you need to try this clever trick to defrost your freezer quickly – all you need is aluminium foil

by Furnishly | Dec 5, 2025 | Design Inspiration

This time of year, we all need all the freezer space we can get, as festive food shops are quick to hog the entire space. Before you bring that frozen turkey home, experts have revealed a clever hack that uses aluminium foil to remove excess ice from your freezer.

Freezers can quickly become iced up, limiting storage space and reducing the efficiency of the appliance. There are a number of reasons why ice builds up in a freezer, and if you’ve found this has happened to you, the aluminium foil hack is a good way to defrost a freezer.

The simple hack uses a roll of aluminium foil and a bowl of hot water to gently melt the excess ice in your freezer and defrost a freezer quickly. Here’s how it works.

How to remove ice from a freezer with aluminium foil

If you’re struggling to organise your freezer, trying this hack first can help give you more space.

First, switch your appliance off before putting a layer of aluminium foil over the interior of your freezer. Then, place a bowl of boiling water inside the centre of your freezer and shut the door. The hack uses the foil’s heat conductivity to help melt the ice, and after 10 minutes, the ice should be loosened enough for you to remove it.

‘This can be a good method to use as the foil will act as a heat conductor, and it will help to distribute heat and steam from the water to make the ice melt faster than if the hot water was used by itself,’ says Steve Larkin, a kitchen expert from Kitchen Door Hub.

Should you use this hack?

This hack is great if you want to defrost a freezer fast. However, Steve warns you should never use the foil itself to try and scrape the ice away.

‘This is because using it to scrape ice risks damaging freezer components or scratching the inner plastic lining of the freezer. When the inner lining of the freezer is compromised, this can allow moisture to build up between layers and potentially cause more issues related to a buildup of ice in the future,’ he says.

You should also remove the foil after finishing the hack, as while it may seem like a time-saving way to stop ice from building back up, it can have a detrimental effect.

‘Lining shelves or walls with foil to “make the next defrost easier” is a bad idea because it can obstruct airflow, trap condensation, and leave edges that nick door gaskets or the liner. The better approach is to defrost when frost reaches about 1/4 inch, keep door openings brief, check the door seal, and store food covered so moisture doesn’t migrate into the cavity,’ says Viktor Velikov, Director of ELSERVE.

After you have used aluminium foil to remove excess ice from your freezer, it’s worth investing in some handy storage solutions to make the Christmas prep even easier. This is what we recommend.

No one likes the effort of defrosting a freezer, so give this hack ago and see if it could save you a little effort this festive season.

Experts warn every homeowner to do this one crucial home maintenance job before the first frost hits to avoid devastating damage

by Furnishly | Nov 17, 2025 | Design Inspiration

With the first frost expected in the coming week and Storm Claudia having whipped through the country, experts warn that now is the time for everyone to clean their gutters before the first frost.

Cleaning your gutters might not be the most glamorous job, but it is one of the most important. ‘Problems often result from blockages due to leaves and debris, such as moss, being washed off the roof. Gutters will overflow, causing water damage to the building’s structure. Water saturating masonry may also result in frost damage and staining, and will make a wall feel cold, while downpipes may freeze and fracture if water is trapped,’ says Roger Hunt, author of Old House Handbook.

However, a simple check and clean of your gutters before the first frost can save you serious problems down the line.

Why clean gutters now?

‘Gutters work quietly in the background to protect your home, but they need regular care, especially at this time of year. A few simple checks can make all the difference in preventing leaks and moisture build-up.’

By this point in the season, the majority of leaves will have fallen from the trees –meaning any potential blockages will have already occurred.

‘Autumn leaves are the biggest culprits for blockages, and it’s important that you clear your gutters and drainpipes regularly to make sure rainwater can flow freely,’ says Mike Storey, roofing and insulation expert at UKFR Roofing & Insulation. However, cleaning gutters is one of those home repairs you can DIY. For most homes, you can clean gutters using DIY gutter cleaning tools such as this ProGutter Half Round Gutter Cleaning Scraper. ‘Remove large debris by hand and then flush the gutters with a hosepipe to check water flow,’ advises Mike.

Doing this before the first frost will mean that water won’t be trapped in the gutter, where it can freeze and cause cracks in the pipes. After all, no one wants to have to budget to replace gutters in the run-up to Christmas.

‘Your gutters aren’t needed as much in summer, but now the rain and falling leaves have returned in autumn ahead of the inevitable freezing conditions in winter, they become a key part of your home’s defence against the elements once again. Regular checks, especially before and after heavy weather, are the simplest way to keep everything running smoothly and protect your home throughout the autumn and winter seasons,’ says Mike Storey, roofing and insulation expert at UKFR Roofing & Insulation.

‘Autumn is notorious for fallen leaves and moss blocking gutters, which can stop rainwater from draining away from your house. Instead, it can pool on your roof and leak into your home through small cracks,’ says Rhoddy MacKinnon, Group construction director at Barratt David Wilson Homes. ‘In winter, even a small leak can be devastating to a home as poor weather conditions can worsen existing issues.’ Preventing cracks and leaks is essential in protecting your home from damp.

When looking for leaks, you can either wait for a rainy day – to assess how the gutters are working in reality – or simulate the effect with a bucket of water or a hose. ‘The source of water seepage from downpipes and gutters is not always obvious, so check the back, if necessary using a mirror,’ advises Roger Hunt.

If you spot a leak, tape it up using Butyl Tape Waterproof available from Amazon, then call in the professionals. Alternatively, if you are confident with your DIY abilities, you could fix a leaky gutter yourself.

What are the risks of not checking gutters?

Not checking your gutters can have disastrous consequences.

‘One of the biggest – and most expensive – consequences of blocked gutters is structural damage to the foundation of your home. If your gutters fail, water can spill down the side of your house and pool around the foundation, potentially leading to subsidence,’ says Charlie McNeill, Managing Director at Rainclear. ‘The average cost of dealing with subsidence is around £12,500 – but depending on the severity, it can often cost a lot more. Subsidence can also impact the future value of your home and make it more costly to secure home insurance.’

One of the more common consequences of overflowing gutters is damp, mould and condensation. ‘This could set you back around £300 to remove. Worse still, mould within the home can lead to serious health problems if left untreated,’ adds Charlie.

Invest in preventative measures

‘Blocked gutters can cause all sorts of problems: damp, rot, even damage to your roof or walls. When everything is flowing freely again, I recommend investing in gutter guards, which are a simple fix that can save you hassle further down the line,’ advises Clara Dursent, Brand Manager at Thompson’s.

Gutter guards – or a gutter brush like this from Amazon – fill the gutter without blocking drainage of water, to stop debris from collecting in the first place, reducing the risk of accidental damage to your home. Alternatively, you could install a gutter mesh – like this, Parkland design available on Amazon – for a more invisible finish.

Sorting out your gutters now will save you all sorts of trouble further down the line.