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Ideal Home’s October 2026 Ask Lucy column features contributor Lucy Kalice answering three household cleaning questions. Her suggestions include using Bar Keepers Friend powder on a curry mark, fitting replaceable felt-style pads to chair legs and adopting a shoes-off, mat-and-towel routine to limit dirt on floors.
Ideal Home published a new Ask Lucy column in October 2026, with contributor Lucy Kalice responding to readers’ questions about a curry stain on a worktop, scratches from kitchen chairs and dirty floors in a home with young children and a dog. The advice focuses on routine household fixes, although the column does not identify the worktop material or provide product-specific safety guidance.
For the curry mark, Kalice recommends Bar Keepers Friend powder. She says to dampen a cloth or kitchen towel, use a small amount of powder and rub it into the stain, adding more if the mark is larger. She then advises wiping the area with water or a kitchen spray. Kalice says she prefers the powder to the spray because she dislikes the latter’s lingering smell, and estimates the cleanup can take less than 30 seconds. That timing is her account, not a tested guarantee.
For scratches beneath kitchen chairs, Kalice suggests attaching soft pads to the bottoms of chair legs and replacing them when worn. She says this can help prevent further scratching, but warns that existing marks may not be removable without replacing the flooring. The column does not specify flooring type, chair-pad material or a repair method for scratches already present.
For floors exposed to dirt from children, a dog and wet weather, her four recommendations are to take shoes off indoors, keep mats by entrances, wipe and dry the dog’s paws with a towel after it comes inside, and vacuum daily. Kalice says she uses mats at the front and back doors and keeps towels near exits. These are practical habits rather than a guarantee that floors will remain clean.
Small Habits Can Limit Floor Wear
The column addresses recurring household problems that can become more costly or time-consuming if ignored. Cleaning a spill promptly may limit the time a stain sits on a surface, while chair-leg pads and entrance routines aim to reduce repeated abrasion and dirt tracked indoors. For households with pets or small children, the advice emphasizes prevention and regular upkeep rather than a one-time deep clean.
Readers should treat the product recommendation as Kalice’s personal advice, not as confirmation that the powder is appropriate for every countertop. Worktops vary in finish and material, and some may be sensitive to abrasive cleaners. The article’s suggestion to test cleaning products according to their labels and the surface maker’s guidance is especially relevant before applying powder to a visible area.
Bar Keepers Friend powder for kitchen stains
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Three Reader Problems, Three Fixes
Ideal Home describes Kalice as an Open House contributor who writes about cleaning, home decor and making the most of small spaces. The October column follows a question-and-answer format, using readers’ domestic problems as the basis for short, actionable suggestions.
The three questions cover different kinds of maintenance: stain removal from a work surface, prevention of further floor damage from furniture, and controlling dirt brought in through household entrances. Kalice frames the floor-cleaning advice around autumn and winter, when wet and muddy conditions can make indoor floors harder to keep clean. The source does not provide a publication day or report that the tips have been independently tested.
“Whatever you do, don’t panic.”
— Lucy Kalice, Ideal Home contributor
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Surface Type And Results Vary
The source does not say whether the stained worktop is laminate, stone, wood or another material. It also does not specify whether the cleaner is suitable for that particular finish, or provide details such as a manufacturer’s care instructions or a patch-test result. Readers cannot assume the same method is safe for every surface; product labels and worktop guidance should take precedence.
The flooring advice also leaves details open. The column does not identify the floor material, quantify how much chair pads reduce scratching, or explain how to treat existing marks. Kalice’s statement that scratches cannot be removed without replacing the floor is presented as her advice, not a technical assessment of every flooring type. No follow-up test or independent verification is included.
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Check Care Labels Before Cleaning
The source does not announce a follow-up test, product review or further reporting. Readers considering the worktop suggestion can first check the cleaner’s instructions and the surface manufacturer’s care guidance, then test in an inconspicuous spot if permitted. For floor protection, the practical next steps in Kalice’s advice are to fit suitable chair-leg pads, check them for wear, place mats at entrances and keep a paw-drying towel nearby.
Ideal Home presents the column as part of Kalice’s ongoing contribution on cleaning and home topics. It also invites readers to sign up for its newsletter, which it says includes style inspiration, real homes, project and garden advice, and shopping information.
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Key Questions
What does Lucy Kalice recommend for a curry stain on a worktop?
Kalice recommends dampening a cloth or kitchen towel, applying a small amount of Bar Keepers Friend powder and rubbing the stain, then wiping the area with water or kitchen spray. The column does not identify the surface material, so readers should check the product and worktop care instructions before use.
How can I help prevent chair legs from scratching a floor?
Kalice suggests attaching soft pads to chair legs and replacing them when they wear down. Her column does not specify which pad or flooring types are suitable.
What floor-cleaning routine does the column suggest for homes with pets?
Her suggestions are to remove outdoor shoes at the entrance, use mats by doors, wipe and dry a dog’s paws after outdoor trips, and vacuum daily.
Does the column explain how to remove existing floor scratches?
No detailed repair method is provided. Kalice says the marks may not be removable without replacing the flooring, but the article does not assess different floor materials or repair options.
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