Shake N Vac has been a staple in the cleaning cupboard for over 30 years now. Since then, it has sold over 300 million bottles in the UK - So what is it all about?

Well, incase you have never used it before, Shake N Vac is something you use on your carpets before leaving it for a while and then hoovering it up. The lid of shake n vac is not adjustable so you can't control how much will fall out, however as long as you don't tip it upside down this isn't usually a problem. The particles appear like sieved flour on your carpets, and do hoover up easily after you have used them.

Shake n Vac comes in 3 varieties, and the type I have used most recently is "Citrus Blossom". My idea of citrus is a strong burst of oranges, limes and lemons which is faintly recognisable in this particular variety, but not overly so. I think they could certainly make it a little more zingy!

On the back of the packet, it claims to "Eliminate lingering smells like pet, tobacco and cooking odours that get trapped in carpets". I think that although this does give a burst of fragrance into carpets, if you did have a serious problem with any of the above smells it would be better to use a carpet shampoo (I have also seen carpet shampoo hoovers), as this would be more effective rather than temporarily masking the problem. Having said that, if you have people coming round and simply want to freshen up your home, Shake N Vac certainly is one way of going about it.

Now a word of caution, Shake N Vac should only be used sparingly and it is not recommended for pets to breath in, and the same goes for those suffering with asthma. The particles are very strong and overpowering, and can certainly make you cough if you use too much! After hoovering it up, I think it's best to open some windows to really let the smell out so you are left with a fresh scent with slightly cleaner air, as trust me this can be very strong!

Shake N Vac is widely available in supermarkets, retailing at around £2 for a 500g bottle. On the packet, it suggests a bottle of this size should cover 16-18 Sq Metres. I think if you didn't over use it, and just used it little an often, it should certainly last a good while.

If I do use this prior to hoovering, I notice the smell tends to last for 2-3 days. I would say this is fairly impressive as I don't tend to use too much of it as I know breathing too much of this in isn't good for you. It can also cause allergies amongst some people and even pets, however on the whole is a useful tool for sprucing up carpets.