Before I begin, let me clarify – my cleanliness is, in almost every way, meticulous.
I shower daily, my sheets are washed every week without fail, and my bedroom remains spotless at all times. However, I have one unfortunate flaw that bites me almost every day: I spill things.
Coffee, pints, porridge, sandwiches – I’ve worn them all at one time or another. To make matters worse, I also like to wear white shirts. As someone who prides themselves on being clean, this is the one trait that truly lets the side down.
I constantly found myself rushing to the bathroom to splash water on whatever I had just spilled, cursing my own clumsiness once again, and resigning myself to the fact that my top would likely become yet another sleep shirt.
But now, I have absolutely eliminated this problem with a simple £7 purchase: the humble Tide Pen has changed the game.
I was first introduced to this genius little product on a press trip to Ibiza where I was surrounded by some of the most glamorous journalists and influencers I had ever seen.
During a beachfront lunch, paella made its way on to my white trousers and I sighed the familiar sigh of resignation. However, the host saw my issue and quietly handed over the Tide Pen he kept on him.
With one tiny application of this miracle product on a greasy tomato stain, I felt my entire worldview shift. All it takes is pressing the pen’s tip to the stain until the liquid is released, then gently rubbing the affected area with the nib.
In seconds the stain was gone and I demanded to know how I could procure one of these for myself.
After several days and several spills with me desperately trying to chase the dragon of the Ibiza success I finally realised to make them work, you need to remove the nib and flip it before replacing it to make the liquid escape.
Now, I never leave my house without them. I keep one in my purse, one in my bedside table and the other in my work bag – and I have relished the opportunity to share the magic with anyone I meet.
They truly have changed my life, and now I can wear my favourite white shirts without having to panic about at what point they will be relegated to the pyjama drawer.
