The new Rapide Ultra 2 carpet cleaner from leading UK floor care brand Vax, is able to achieve spotless carpets in just 20 minutes, with its deep cleaning, quick drying technologies.

An average front room takes just 20 minutes to wash, and is dry enough to walk on again within an hour or two.

Cleaning your carpets can seem like an enormous job that you never quite have time to do. Therefore it’s no real surprise that recent research by Vax, revealed that over half of UK parents let their kids crawl and play on carpets that are never washed.*

The Rapide Ultra 2 carpet cleaner takes all the hassle out of washing, so you can be confident your carpets look and smell as clean as your clothes, every day.

• Its flexible hose and wash tool make it easy to clean your stairs, upholstery and even your car seats.

• For really stubborn spots, there’s also a pre-treatment kit to break down dirt and stains before you wash.

• Watch the demonstration video at www.vax.co.uk/about/videogallery.php?video=rapide_ultra2 to see how quick and easy it is for yourself.

Why wash your carpets?
A clean carpet is not just about how it looks; even if it’s vacuumed daily and looks spotless on the surface, your carpet can still become a breeding ground for dust mites, pollen, bacteria and mould.

They get trapped between its fibres and thrive in the warm, humid conditions of our double glazed, centrally heated homes. Regular washing helps keep these unwanted houseguests at bay, so your home is a healthier place for you and your family.

The W90-RU-P Rapide Ultra 2 is available from major retailers for RRP £279.99 and includes a 2 year guarantee.

For more information about the Vax Rapide Ultra 2 carpet cleaner, please visit the website.

Customer Careline Tel: (0844) 412 8455

*The Vax survey of 1,937 respondents found that while 88% of parents said they let their children play on their carpets, 48% of parents never washed their carpets.

NHBC, the UK’s leading warranty provider and standards setting body for new build homes, is offering the following tips to keep your home watertight and draught free for the coming winter:

There are many things we can and should do to protect our homes from the effects of harsh weather and good planning also helps to reduce maintenance and utility costs.

Gutters: Gutters should be cleaned out at least once a year to remove leaves and debris. Wet patches on the walls below (both external and internal) may indicate that gutters or downpipes are blocked.

Paintwork: External finishes will become dirty over time and, where appropriate should be washed on a regular basis. Owners of new homes should consider repainting after two years. You may need to repaint more often if you live by the sea or in an exposed area.

Drainage access: Inspection chambers and rodding eyes are there to provide access to the drainage system below ground – so it’s important that these are not covered by soil, turf or paving.

Flat roofs: Flat roofs should be inspected once a year, to ensure that they remain in sound condition and rainwater outlets checked to ensure that they are not blocked.

Heating Systems: Central heating boilers should be checked and serviced at least once a year by a registered competent maintenance engineer, to check they remain safe.

ChimneysShould be swept at least once a year (unless the notice plate suggests alternative maintenance arrangements) to prevent chimney fires and the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Bleeding radiators: If you notice that a radiator is warm at the bottom but cool at the top, this indicates that there is air in the system, which prevents the warm circulating water from reaching the top of the radiator. If this is noticed, the radiator will require bleeding.

Cold Spots: An important job as winter creeps in, is to make sure that the house is free of draughts. Look for potential cold spots, and take the necessary cheap and simple measures to eliminate them, to keep the heating down and the home comfortably warm.

If your home is covered by NHBC’s 10 year Buildmark warranty and you spot any problems within the first two years after the home is finished, you should notify the builder in the first instance (keeping a copy of any correspondence) telling them about the damage or defects to your home.

If the builder fails to meet his obligations or it is after the two-year period (years 3-10), contact NHBC on 0844 633 1000, or visit http://www.nhbc.co.uk for further advice.

Would be thieves are well aware that we all have lots of high value presents in our homes during the festive period and they do their utmost to take advantage.

So Yale are offering some seasonal security advice, to help keep your gifts safe from surprise visitors, other than Santa Claus:

Alarm Systems
It’s important that your home is protected while you’re out visiting family and friends or away on holiday, therefore a security alarm can act as a crucial visual deterrent and will alert neighbours when activated by burglars.
60% of burglaries attempted on homes fitted with an alarm are unsuccessful - Yale’s wirefree alarm kits are quick and easy to install, and offer discreet protection for all types of properties.

External Doors
External timber doors should be secured using a mortice lock and/or night-latch that meets British Standard BS3621 and if you have a PVCu or Composite door, then it is recommended that you upgrade the euro profile cylinder in your multi-point lock to British Standard as well.

Windows
Yale advises that all windows, both upstairs and downstairs, are fitted with at least one appropriate lock. Many burglars will avoid smashing a window and will instead try to force the window frame itself.

Sheds, Garages and Outbuildings
Sheds and garages are often used to store larger, more expensive presents like bicycles and televisions, making them a prime target. Heavy-duty padlocks are recommended for shed doors, whilst anchor locks and cables can secure individual items. Stand alone alarms, which run on battery power, can also be fitted to outbuildings as an extra security measure.

Identity Theft
At Christmas time, you are more susceptible to fraud, as the increase in larger purchases, Internet shopping and a busy social calendar means you are less likely to notice unusual activity on your account. To protect yourself, keep your gift receipts in a home safe that’s bolted securely to the floor or wall.

Answering The Door
Yale recommends fitting a door chain and spy hole to external timber doors to enable you to check who is at the door before opening it.

Personal Safety
Christmas is the official party season but don’t let your fun be ruined by compromising on your safety. With darker nights and more evening social events to attend, it is crucial to remain self-aware when travelling and Yale recommends always carrying a personal attack alarm.

Yale security products are available from your local DIY store, locksmiths or hardware stores.

For more information please visit the website or visit http://www.yalesecuritypoint.co.uk , where you can fill in your details to request a free home safety security survey.

Tel: (01902) 364647

Introducing the compact and lightweight HandyCut™ DIY tool from Worx Icon, which is half the size of standard models, making it a resourceful and desirable tool for dealing with tasks in tight spots easily:

• The protective blade guard automatically lowers, to enclose the blade for increased safety once cutting is completed.

• With four interchangeable blades, the HandyCut slices easily through materials such as floorboards, tiles, plastics, wood, aluminium and more, all without the need for another tool.

• Laser guide technology projects a sharp laser to ensure total precision when sawing and an adjustable gauge lets you control the depth of the cut at the flick of a switch. The blade depth varies up to 22mm, making it easily the best tool for cutting out kitchen surfaces and other plunge cutting tasks in the home.

So forget frightening and bulky circular saws and treat yourself to the versatile Worx HandyCut tool, available exclusively from B&Q. Priced at £99.99.

About Worx Icon - Worx Icon is the latest innovative range from power tools brand, Worx. This multi-use range, offers powerful performance, whilst being ultra-lightweight, incredibly versatile and, in some cases, unbelievably compact.

Wood burning stoves and open fires are making a comeback, due to concerns about ever increasing energy prices and people looking for more eco friendly ways to heat their homes.

Wood burning stoves in particular, are more environmentally friendly and cheaper than regular heating methods, especially if you season and prepare the wood yourself:

Slow burning and smokeless fuel is produced when wood is allowed to dry naturally and weathered over time.

A sturdy log store is needed to store and season the wood, but it can make a striking garden feature, and by gradually stocking it up during summer, you can provide enough free fuel for the entire winter!

The robust British made log store featured here, is constructed from high-pressure treated wood, making it much harder-wearing than it might otherwise be. It is delivered in flat pack form and can be erected easily by one person.
Available online from GreenStamp priced at £275.

These log stores are made in the UK from the finest quality timber, all with FSC certification every process from harvesting, debarking, rounding, profiling and machining, is undertaken with the highest level of care and precision by a highly skilled workforce.

To view Green Stamp’s extensive collection of garden log stores, please visit the website.

Tel: (01637) 854717

There is a superb range of beautiful oak doors on offer at UK Oak Doors.co.uk and all at incredible prices, which shows that quality solid oak doors are not just for the fortunate few.

So look no further than UK Oak Doors to totally renovate your home interior, no matter what your property style - be it country cottage, urban apartment, barn conversion or period town house.

Or why not add a striking impact to the exterior with a solid oak front door. Using only high quality solid oak from PEFC certified forests, the doors are handmade using traditional methods of construction and will last more than a lifetime?

There is a choice of contemporary styles, such as the Mexicano range, period styles such as Victorian or Edwardian, cottage style barn doors, classic ledge and brace doors and many more.

Everything required for the finishing touches is included, with a grand range of ironmongery, frames and linings, skirting boards and architrave.

UK Oak Doors is a market leader in supplying solid oak doors to both the trade and public and are proud of the fantastic value for money that is passed on to their customers.

Managing Director Nick Lines comments: “We pride ourselves on providing top quality doors at great value and that means getting everything from materials through to finishes right.”

Doors are supplied unfinished so that you can personalise them to match your interior.

Whether you’re relocating or renovating, changing the doors can make a huge difference in transforming your home.

So if you desire excellent quality oak doors, affordable prices and to deal with an experienced family business, then UK Oak Doors can provide the solution.

For further information, or to view the UK Oak Doors extensive ranges of oak doors, please visit the website.

Tel: (01455) 818597

Dremel has now launched a range of accessories for its latest Multi-Max cordless oscillating tool.

The Multi-Flex (£27.99) is the first oscillating attachment in the market designed for detailed cutting.

The innovative design and special blades ensure the widest cutting capability. Three spiral cutting blades and three saw cutting blades are supplied, for use in wood, metal, and plastic.

The 10mm Flush Cut Blade (£11.49) is used to make precise cuts when installing flooring or wall trim. It can be used on wood, plastic, drywall and other soft materials.

Long Wood Flush Cut Blade (in our picture) also £11.49 has a longer blade design that delivers the fastest cutting speed of all Dremel oscillating accessories. It features a high-carbon steel blade for precision wood cutting.

The Rigid Scraper Blade (£13.50) is for large area removal of harder materials such as vinyl flooring, carpeting and tile adhesives.

The 60 Grit Diamond Paper accessory (£49.99) is for rough grinding, shaping and smoothing of masonry, stone, cement or thin-set mortar.

Completing the new accessory range is a Grout Removal Blade for taking out grout between wall or floor tiles, priced at £39.99.

Multi-Max toolkit (£159.99) comes complete with a wood and drywall saw blade, a wood and metal flush cut blade, a hook and loop sanding pad, three sanding papers for wood and three sanding papers for paint.

Ideal for cutting, grinding, sanding, scraping and other tasks, the Dremel Multi-Max has superb ergonomics and is a very comfortable tool to handle - thanks to low vibration and sound levels, the balanced weight and a soft grip zone.
The ’soft start’ ensures smooth operation and there’s an electronic brake for safe stopping.

Powered by a 10.8V Lithium-ion battery with Electronic Cell Protection and an extra battery is included to minimise downtime.

The Dremel Multi-Max and the new accessories are available from the Dremel Direct and The Tool Shop websites.

Why not treat your garden to a makeover, encouraged by the superb gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show?

For an immediate landscaped look with minimal effort, topiaried hedges are a quick way to significantly change your garden.

Jim Kirkwood, garden tools expert from Worx Power Tools, offers advice on how to introduce some of the newest topiary trends from Chelsea into your garden:

Pyramid Pruning:
Pyramid pruning gives texture to borders, as seen in Diarmuid Gavin’s Irish Sky garden; the sharp structured hedges contrast with the soft edges of meadow-planted shrubs.

To achieve this look at home, you will require:

• Hedge trimmer.

• Cordless handheld shears.

• Topiary wire mesh (optional).

“Begin trimming your hedge, starting at the base and working upwards, angling the trimmer to the desired gradient for your pyramid. You can either cut by eye or use a topiary wire mesh to guide you, taking a few steps back from time-to-time to ensure an even cut.

Once you’ve achieved a triangular outline you are happy with, use a pair of hand shears, such as the Worx Shrub/Shear (RRP £49.98, diy.com), to go over the hedge to define the shape. Look out for compact models with lithium-ion technology - this makes the tools super-lightweight so your arms won’t tire.

Box-Shearing:
For a formal effect, try box-shearing small leafy trees to create a neat and structured look, as seen in The B&Q Vertical Garden.

Tools for the job:

• Cordless hedge trimmer.

• Step ladder.

• Topiary wooden frame (optional).

“Begin by shaping the bottom of the tree with a cordless hedge trimmer, starting at the base of the trunk and cutting outward. Use a cordless model, like the trimmer in our picture,from Worx (RRP £94.98, B&Q), giving you more flexibility of movement and meaning there’s no danger of tripping on electric leads. Once you have an even box shape at the bottom, start clipping the sides and top. You could do this by eye or by using a wooden topiary frame as a template, to ensure the cube is cut uniformly.”

For further information about the Worx ranges of power tools, please visit the website.

Growing your own vegetables continues to grow in popularity and the latest innovative trend is vertical gardening.

B&Q’s new Vertical Polanter is making it easier for everyone to have green fingers, no matter the size or shape of their garden space.

The planter can be easily hung on walls or fences (as pictured here) and has twelve planting holes with extra space at the top, to enable you to grow as many flowers, vegetables and herbs as possible.

At The RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May, The B&Q Garden will employ vertical planting, to create a perpendicular edible garden 9M high that demonstrates how anyone can grow their own food and live a more sustainable and self sufficient life.

The garden will also show a wind turbine, solar panels and a vertical greenhouse.

The Vertical Polanter is available from B&Q in green, terracotta, black and pink. Priced at £10.

A ‘grow your own garden’ is achievable in any space - use a window box, planters or hanging baskets, it’s actually very easy.

For further information about the B&Q Garden at The Chelsea Flower Show, please visit the website.

RHS Chelsea Flower Show, 24th to 28th May 2011 is the world’s most famous flower show and is a celebration of the highest quality horticulture.

The Design Fairy, a pioneering new interior design company has just got under way, with a novel mission - to bring affordable and supportive design right to the client’s door.

In these tough economic times, DIY and refurbishment projects are on the increase and people now prefer to “improve rather than move home”.

Some people would welcome a little guidance with their project but can’t afford the substantial fees of a traditional interior designer – just the job for The Design Fairy!

This interior designer service is accessible online, to provide comprehensive interior planning at reasonable prices.

How does The Design fairy operate?

• First purchase a package suitable to your requirements and present initial project information to the Fairy.

• A week later you will receive an in-depth design pack delivered both to your inbox and front door.

• Each package is personally tailored to the client and provides suggested designs + helpful info such as, where to buy the best designer curtains or the most suitable paint for your living room!

• The pack even contains samples to enable the client to experiment with them at home before making any final decisions.

M. Dunston, Berkshire said,
“I purchased an in-depth design for my master bedroom. The Design Fairy’s package was very informative and I loved the designs. I really felt that my up-front comments had been listened to. I can’t wait to finish my bedroom now that I have some direction!”

So if you are planning make some design changes to your home interior, but need some professional help then give The Design Fairy a call and let her sprinkle a little magic over your desired interior.

For more detailed information about The Design Fairy interior design service, please visit the website
Tel: (079 ) 7374 1693