Space solves: Biro marks on wood and gold taps

How do we remove black and red Biro marks from light oak dining room furniture? It's solid oak and oak veneer – the Sonoma range from M&S . "Add a few drops of vinegar to a small bowl of milk to sour it," says our cleaning expert, Stephanie Zia. "Soak a kitchen towel in the milk, cover the marks and place a weight – something like a vase or bowl – on top. Leave for 30 minutes, then rub. Repeat; ­repeat again, if necessary. The process can be speeded up by rubbing the marks with a little non-gel toothpaste between soakings. Toothpaste can lighten some woods and, if used too ­vigorously, damage ­veneer, so test first on a hidden, ­underpart of the table. "Or try HG Meubeline Furniture ­Restorer (£5.72, from hagesan.co.uk ) ­to remove stains, haze and water marks, and disguise scratches on ­varnished, oiled, waxed or ­untreated furniture." We have inherited a bathroom with gold-plated taps – it's all very grand, but not ­really our style. ­Unfortunately, the taps are now quite tatty and much of the gold has worn off. It's too complicated and expensive to replace them, so how do we best restore them to their former glory? We put your problem to a tap ­restoration specialist at architectural reclamation company Lassco , who told us that the only solution is to have your taps replated by a professional. Replating isn't cheap (you're looking at a cost of around £200), so if you're not convinced by gold taps, it may be time for a change. • Got a question for our crack team of domestic experts? Email [email protected]