The Oven Sparkles, and So Do I

The Times – January 2004

Great news. All those still slumped in chairs and feeling slothful might like to dwell on some blissfully comforting statistics compiled by some august body (no, can't remember which but I'll never forget their findings) which proved, definitively, that New Year's Day was one of the most dangerous days of the year. More people, it seemed, dropped dead, or had serious cardiac, knee, ligament and other "incidents" because of unaccustomed bouts of strenuous exercise embarked on with unusual vigour than on any other day of the year. If you have the sort of puritanical spirit that needs an excuse for giving up on the usual sort of New Year's resolutions - eating less, exercising more, that sort of thing - well, there it is. Much better to turn one's mind to other more agreeable things. Whilst undoubtedly more exercise is what my body requires (writing, I've often opined, is an extraordinarily fattening occupation) there are all sorts of other things that would make a more immediate difference to my sense of well-being. Exercise and diets are both for the long haul. Just for the minute I'm looking for some instant fixes that mostly require some action (and a cheque book) but not hours slogging it out on running machines or days spent downing nothing but fat and flesh (whatever happening to the toying-with-bits-of-lettuce diet?)

Here are just a few of the sort of things I have in mind.

I'm calling in the professionals to get the oven cleaned - not that it's all that filthy but it isn't as clean as I'd like. Cookerburra (tel: 0118 967 4198, or www.cookerburra.co.uk) will do the lot for £53 including VAT. The Oven Cleaning Company (01252 783003) will do a large oven for £32, a small one for £20, each rack is £2, each roasting tray £4, the hob is £25 but there's VAT on top. The Oven Cleaning Company has a great wheeze - it comes round in a van and in the back of the van are the vats in which they soak the racks and roasting trays. And no they don't use organic products (I wish…) but they do wipe everything brilliantly clean so that not a noxious fume is anywhere to be sniffed.

We have an old pine cupboard in which we keep all our wine glasses. It fitted in perfectly with our 70s rustic kitchen but doesn't look quite so good in these more glamorous times. Paintworks (211-212 Avro House, 7 Havelock Terrace, London SW8, tel: 0207720 8018, or www.paintworks.co.uk) are coming along to give it a make-over. They're going to give it a two-layer paint effect so that it'll blend in perfectly with the pale grey aura of the open-plan dining-room and kitchen. Nicky, of Paintworks, comes along, checks out the furniture and its surroundings. She then goes away, paints up some sample boards to test the effect, and gives an estimate. It has its own brand of paints, can revive anything from old bits of furniture to walls and it also runs classes for those who want to have a go at doing themselves.

Then a bit of wardrobe detoxing. I always get exercised at this time of the year with dealing with moths (dear reader if you, too, had lost your favourite softest, purest, most beautiful pashmina to moths you'd be on the warpath too) so here is the summation of what I know. John Lewis has something you just spray around the cupboard - dead easy and they say it works and whilst it doesn't smell great nor does it smell noxious. It's called The Moth Protector Spray (splendidly straightforward they are at John Lewis stores) and it costs £2.95. More enchanting are Blossom and Browne's Sycamore's anti-moth sachets - they smell delicious, either of something spicy (which I mentioned a few weeks ago) or in a new, fresher version, of lavender. Both sets of sachets are filled with nothing but pure natural botanical essences - lavender, vetiver, peppermint, geranium, clove and neem. Square sachets cost £4.95 for a box of three, hanging sachets costs £3.50 each - but remember the deterrent effect wears off after about six months so you'll have to keep refreshing the bombardment. Otherwise the best thing to do is to keep sweaters always clean - it's stains and bits of food the moths go for.If you've already got moths, you'd better send the lot off to be dry-cleaned - the process kills the larvae eggs. Blossom and Browne's Sycamore (tel: 020 8552 1231) will not only clean everything meticulously but they also offer an invisible mending service for pashmina, sweaters and anything else.

I've just come across something called Bliss Lifestyle Gifts (no relation to Bliss spa, in case you're wondering) and it has capitalised on the notion that many of us don't need any more things but we do need more help in getting organized - so it offers it, in present-sized chunks. How does a 10-hour professional house clean sound? (well, it sounds brilliant to me). It's yours for £275. Or how about a garden blitz? We're not talking design or building here (though it offers that, too) - we're talking a seven-hour garden blitz and tidy which sounds just as brilliant to me. Yours for £240. Tel: 08700 664 064, or www.blissonline.com.

Lucia's last word: Skin Ceuticals offers state-of-the-art UVA and UVB protection for skiers with its UV Defense Sport SPF 45 cream. £35 for 90 ml. Tel: 020 8997 8541 for stockists.