It's the time of the year that many of us take part in the annual Spring clean of our homes, yet few of us have a clue about where to start when it comes to specialist surfaces and appliances. Speaking to friends and family, I've realised that those who think they know what they're doing, are often doing it incorrectly and that some 'sworn by' methods are likely to cause irreversible damage. Wearing my Cleanzine editor hat, I've been on cleaning training courses and although it's easy to think that 'anyone can clean', I quickly learnt that it's really something of a science if you want to get it right. For example, I know people who tip bleach down the loo every night, who think I'm daft when I warn that this can damage certain sanitaryware, causing what I'll describe here as thousands of tiny pockmarks, which will harbour germs and encourage further staining.

I don't of course, have to explain how to safely check for drugs paraphernalia such as syringes before starting the clean, but there's an art to that too!

A press release from stone and wood specialists Stone Age and Root London (www.stone-age.co.uk / www.root-london.com ) sharing their tips on how to clean stone and wood, made me wonder how many retailers offer, as a matter of course, specific advice on how to clean the products being sold.

After all, if a product fails to look its best (or perhaps breaks) because of incorrect care, who's going to get the blame? It certainly won't be the person who's inadvertently caused the damage, will it? You can guarantee that the retailer or manufacturer - or both - will be slated and their reputation/s tarnished through subsequent conversations with, or social media posts by, the disgruntled customer, when really the suppliers are not at fault at all.

I'm thinking that an illustrated and comprehensive 'how to clean & maintain your product/appliance' page would make a handy addition to any manufacturer's or supplier's website, and that this advice should be referred to verbally during the sale as well as on any literature and packaging.

And if you're planning on Spring cleaning over this coming Bank Holiday weekend and are likely to tackle any stone or wood products, may I recommend some thorough research before you start, if you haven't taken this important step already?

Yours,

Jan Hobbs