One of the things I mentioned in last week's leader was that I'd been in discussions with the Domestic Cleaning Alliance's director Stephen Munton about some of the problems caused to his members when KBB appliances, fixtures and fittings aren't designed with cleaning in mind. I received the following response from Stephen, once he'd read my piece: "It was a pleasure to meet you again Jan, and I am thrilled you used our discussion as this week's leader.

"If - as you suggest - the retailers of bathrooms were able to up-sell the option of a hand-held shower hose to compliment those fixed to a ceiling point or over-head only, life would be so much simpler for those of us whose job it is to go in and clean the homes where such features are installed. A hand-held shower head on a hose is a Godsend, never more so than when a shower enclosure has sliding doors, because the shower head can often be switched to the coldest setting and the strong jet of water used to flush out the debris from the rails and tracks on which the doors are hung.

"My only "grumble" (I love that word!) would be about the combined shower mixers which require the user to turn the tap one way for the overhead shower, and the other for the hand-held... many times I have been stood inside a shower enclosure whilst cleaning it... standing right under the overhead shower...and turned the tap the WRONG way... you can guess the rest. I don't think I will ever get used to that!"

I had a chuckle at the picture Stephen painted (and judging by our Facebook comments he isn't the only victim) but I suppose if it's something you're faced with on the first job of the day and you don't have a change of clothes, it can be an absolute pain to get a soaking. His last point about needing to turn taps belonging to the same fixture in different directions for 'on' has puzzled me though. Is it a plumbing or cost-cutting thing or does it save money in assembly? I just can't fathom it out. Can you help me please?

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Yours,

Jan Hobbs