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Why hotels always have white sheets, according to experts – and it’s not just for cleanliness

HOTEL linen is always bright and white – but experts have revealed the decision is more tactical than you’d think.

Apparently there is more to using the classic crisp white sheet than just aesthetics.

two white towels are rolled up on a bed
Getty
Using bright white sheets is actually a well-thought out choice[/caption]

Hotel experts reveal the reason behind the colour theme isn’t just coincidence, but is due to cleanliness, practicality and design function.

Here are the reasons why the next hotel room you stay in will most likely have bright white bedding.

Cleanliness

Area general manager for Coury Hospitality Delane McCoy told Travel + Leisure: “After safety, cleanliness is always the hotel’s first priority.

“White, crisp linen reminds the guest how clean the hotel is.”

Delane explained how when you first walk into a nice new hotel room, more often than not the first thing you notice is the bed.

She added: “The hotel bed is the focal point of any guest room, and all attention is drawn there.

“A bed with fresh, crisp, clean, white linen gives guests the peace of mind that the entire room is clean and sanitized.” 

Practicality

A lot of luxury hotels will opt for white bedding because it immediately flags which sheets need cleaning.

Using a white linen also signposts when linen needs replacing, as any marks are easier to spot.

Healthcare is often associated with the colour white – it’s often used in hospitals, dentist offices, and health clinics.

This is because you can tell when dirt accumulates on a white surface and so by observing the colour white it appears clean.

Another perk of using these sheets is that they haven’t been dyed a different colour, and so with multiple washes they won’t fade or change.

This makes all the linen uniform and allows lets them last longer before they need to be exchanged.

Hotel bedding is constantly being washed so by replacing them less frequently the hotel is able to save money.

Design

General manager of The Hamilton Alpharetta Amber Edwards believes plain white sheets elevates the look of the rest of the hotel room.

She said: “The beauty of crisp, white bedding is that it complements the room’s design, allowing other elements — like plush throws, elegant pillows, and carefully chosen décor — to stand out and create an elegant, cohesive look.”

By using bedding without patterns and colours, guests are better able to appreciate the style and layout of a carefully designed room.

White also also fits in with a range of interior design styles and so would be a suitable pick for most hotel rooms.

How to make your bed feel like a hotel

WHETHER you want to recreate the perfect hotel stay or impress guests during their visit - these hacks are a game-changer.

Self-professed Home Hacks Queen, Carolina McCauley, shared her three top tips for making your bed.

The first trick is to use a bed making tool, an iron-shaped plastic device that acts as a “mattress jack” and keeps it propped up.

This helps you tuck the bed sheet under to ensure it doesn’t pop off and leave any mattress exposed from underneath.

“To help lifting heavy mattresses and tuck in sheets without braking your nails,” Carolina added.

Another way to make your bed looks five-star is to get rid of those crinkled duvet covers.

An easy hack to avoid ironing only requires some warm water and a spray bottle.

“Add warm water to a spray bottle and spray over your bed while smoothing with your hands to remove wrinkles with no ironing,” the homemaker explained.

The third tip to recreate a luxurious hotel bed is to “keep the sheets tag in the right hand corner so your sheet fits every time.”

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‘Something happened’ Strictly’s Sam Quek flooded with support by fans after cryptic comment after disappointing routine

STRICTLY Come Dancing’s Sam Quek was supported by fans after something “went wrong” during the live show.

This week, the Olympian performed a Quickstep to Natasha Bedingfield’s Unwritten alongside pro partner Nikita Kuzmin.

a man and a woman are dancing on a stage
Sam and Nikita suffered an error during their quickstep
Eroteme
a man in a pink vest is hugging a woman in a pink dress
Sam was noticeably upset during deliberations
Eroteme

However, she was notably upset during the deliberations, with the judges noting Sam was a “little off” in the routine.

Alluding to an error in the dance routine, Motsi Mabuse said that it looked like her nerves had got the better of her.

Sam later told Claudia Winkleman that she was upset with her own performance, telling her: “I’m just so disappointed, because that could have been our moment, and we felt it coming into it, I was confident.

“Something happened which people don’t need to know about, because I don’t want to make excuses, that’s not what it’s about, and it’s just delivering in the moment, and unfortunately, I kind of let the side down.”

Crediting Nikita for always having her back, Sam added: “I’m just so guilty of being a bit of a perfectionist sometimes, and that can be a detriment to me. But you know what? I still enjoyed it.”

Sam and Nikita eventually earned 26 out of 40 for the routine from the judges, with the public vote yet to be revealed.

Speaking on X (formerly Twitter) after the dance, Sam wrote: “I’m a little gutted with my performance, because based on our hard work this week and our rehearsal feedback, it felt like this could have been a #Strictly moment for @kuzmin__nikita & me. My bad. But I will dust myself down & (hopefully) go again.”

But fans were quick to jump in to make sure Sam wasn’t feeling too hard on herself.

“Even the very best can have the odd slip up,” replied one. “Stay determined, continue learning and keep dancing.”

“Sam, you’re a joy to watch, and even if there was a bit of a wobble, it was still a lovely performance. You keep getting better week after week,” added another.

A third wrote: “Don’t be too hard on yourself Sam. You did brilliantly. I think you’re great and you’ll bounce back next week x”

“Sam you were absolutely amazing! Watching you and Nikita dance made me smile the whole time. It was lovely and my dance of the night,” wrote a fourth.

While a fifth told her: “hey you were great and you have my votes. perfect doesn’t exist anyway and you were lovely to watch.”

Sam and Nikita will find out their fate on the show later tonight, with the results airing tomorrow night on BBC One.

Strictly Specials

  • Movies Week – Each year the cast of dancers on the show perform spellbinding routines to an iconic movie soundtrack or hit song associated with the big-screen blockbusters. Previous films to have been featured include The Sound of Music, Bridget Jones’ Diary and Clueless.
  • Musicals Week – In a similar vein to Movies, the cast perform routines inspired by hit stage musicals each year on the show.
  • Halloween Week – Things take a seriously spooky turn as the show transforms into a haven for Halloween towards the end of October. With some bone-chilling costumes and sometimes terrifying routines, it proves to be a fan favourite week year-on-year.
  • Blackpool Week – As the show hits Blackpool Tower, things get even more over-the-top. Huge props, backing dancers and extra special effects flood the ballroom for the extra special week.
a man and a woman are dancing on a stage
Sam admitted her hopes that the routine would be “a moment” for them
Eroteme
a man and woman hugging each other on a stage
Nikita was quick to console Sam over the moment
Eroteme
a man and a woman sit on a stage reading a book
The pair performed to Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield
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craig motsi shirley anton and total are shown on the screen
The pair earned 26 out of 40 for their routine
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Shoppers are rushing to Dunelm for household bargain that’s scanning for £3.50 instead of £14

SHOPPERS were flocking to Dunelm to get their hands on an item scanning for a fourth of the marked price.

The Elora Stripe Green 100 per cent Cotton Duvet Cover & Pillowcase Set was being bought for only £3.50 despite being marked at £14.

cars are parked in front of a dunelm store
Alamy
The popular retailer is known for slashing prices[/caption]
a bed with a striped comforter and pillows in a bedroom
Dunelm
Shoppers could grab the The Elora Stripe Green Duvet Cover & Pillowcase Set for £3.50[/caption]
a bed with a green and white striped comforter and pillows
Dunelm
The 100 per cent cotton duvet set has a striped print on one side and a gingham pattern on the other[/caption]
a bed with a green and white checkered comforter and pillows
Dunelm
The offer was so popular most stores quickly went out of stock[/caption]

Dunelm fans were quick to comment on the offer, posted on hotdealsuk.

One user wrote: “Woohoo! A Dunelm deal locally in stock for me.”

Another added: “Good deal but nearest store that has them from me is 16 mile away. Would cost me that in petrol to collect them.”

The soft cotton set is designed with button to keep your bedding secure to keep you warm during these chilly winter nights.

With a striped print on one side and a gingham pattern on the other, there are multiple ways this bedding bargain can by styled.

For £3.50 shoppers were able to go home with a duvet and two matching pillowcases.

That works out as less than £1.17 per item.

The deal sparked such interest the bedding quickly went out of stock in many Dunelm stores, much to the dismay of multiple keen customers.

Unfortunately the deal expired four days ago and is no longer available.

For those gutted that they missed out on the cheapest bedding about, there are still chances to bag a bargain at the popular homeware store.

There are a few things sneaky shoppers can do to get discounts all year round.

If you check out the shop’s “Returns Outlet” page on the website there are often a range of discounts and deals.

All these products have been bought by customers but then returned to the retailer, but are always in good nick.

The only thing missing from these items are the box.

Another way to hunt down a deal at Dunelm is by visiting one of their outlet stores.

Shoppers can grab discounts worth up 70% at some of the outlet stores, with the items still in perfect condition.

Dunelm describes them as: “Practically perfect pieces at irresistible prices.”

For those looking to give their home an winter make-over there are already some Black Friday deals popping up on the Dunelm website:

  • Versailles White Square Laundry Basket, 50% off, £14-£24 – buy here
  • Gabriella Washable Rug, 20% off, from £23.20 – buy here
  • Libra Washable Blackout Pencil Pleat Curtains, 50% off, £17.50-£47.50 – buy here
  • Eddie Velvet Tub Armchair, 30% off, £159 – buy here
  • Lynton 2 Drawer Bedside Table, 30% off, £99 – buy here

How to compare prices to get the best deal

JUST because something is on offer, or is part of a sale, it doesn't mean it's always a good deal.

There are plenty of comparison websites out there that’ll check prices for you – so don’t be left paying more than you have to.

Most of them work by comparing the prices across hundreds of retailers.

Here are some that we recommend:

  • Google Shopping is a tool that lets users search for and compare prices for products across the web. Simply type in keywords, or a product number, to bring up search results.
  • Price Spy logs the history of how much something costs from over 3,000 different retailers, including Argos, Amazon, eBay and the supermarkets. Once you select an individual product you can quickly compare which stores have the best price and which have it in stock.
  • Idealo is another website that lets you compare prices between retailers. All shoppers need to do is search for the item they need and the website will rank them from the cheapest to the most expensive one.
  • CamelCamelCamel only works on goods being sold on Amazon. To use it, type in the URL of the product you want to check the price of.

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One in ten adults have romped on the top deck of a bus, survey reveals


ONE in ten adults has played squeals on the bus — and romped on the top deck, a survey has revealed.

And a quarter of passionate passengers said they got frisky on a double-decker, but hopped off before they went all the way.

a double decker bus with the number 51 on it
Keith Douglas
One in ten adults has played squeals on the bus — and romped on the top deck, a survey has revealed[/caption]

Almost half of those surveyed said they had at least shared a passionate kiss on a bus back seat.

And 63 per cent confessed they had done so when they were hormone-charged teenagers.

Sheffield was the most likely city for bus bonking, according to the survey by freebets.com.

It was followed by Newcastle, Leeds, Glasgow and Cardiff.

London, Birmingham and Manchester were neck and neck for necking, with Liverpool and then Plymouth languishing in the last position of the chara-bang top ten.

The betting website spokesman Tim Agnew said: “That first kiss on the top deck of a bus seems to be a teenage rite of passage.

“But it also appears the top deck keeps its magic for many amorous adults too.

“We were shocked at just how many couples have become intimate on the back seat of a double-decker.”

Percentage of people by city who said they have romped on the back seat of a double decker bus

  • Sheffield – 12 percent
  • Newcastle – 11 percent
  • Leeds – 10 percent
  • Glasgow – 10 percent
  • Cardiff – 10 percent
  • London – 9 percent
  • Birmingham – 9 percent
  • Manchester – 9 percent
  • Liverpool – 8 percent
  • Plymouth – 7 percent

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Aldi’s seven energy-saving winter Specialbuys hitting stores TOMORROW – prices start from just £1.99

ALDI is bringing out some hot deals to heat your house as the cold nights draw in.

With the ongoing cost of living crisis and energy bills scarier than Halloween, Brits are looking for alternative ways to keep toasty this Christmas.

Unwell mature woman in blanket sit in cold living room suffer from air conditioner lack. She is sitting next to radiator.No heating concept.
Aldi is releasing a offers on their heating range on October 20
GETTY

Certain gadgets on sale could keep you from tampering with the radiator and risking racking up the energy bill.

Aldi Specialbuys are a selection of products released each week at a discounted price so you can be ready to help tackle the icy nights.

This week on the Special Buy range are a collection of heating products designed to keep your house as warm as possible without breaking the bank.

The Sun has collected a list of energy bill-saving bargains to look out for.

These products aren’t available yet at their discounted price but will be on the shelves October 30.

The deals are published on the Aldi website but they are sold on a  first-come, first-served basis so make sure to snap them up quickly if you spot something you like.

Heated Airers

a white folding clothes drying rack on a white background
Aldi
Heated airers dry your clothes more cost effectively than a tumble dryer[/caption]

With the bitter British weather, the washing line might be out of action, but this doens’t mean you need to turn to the tumble dryer.

The Ambiano Heated Airer, which you can pick up for £34.99, offers 18 bars of heat to dry clothes quickly and efficiently.

It stretches out to 1.4m so you can dry all your winter warmers ready for bed.

Fan Heater

two heaters one black and one white are on a white background
Aldi
It costs around 22p or 45p to run a fan heater for an hour[/caption]

For that extra blast of warmth you can take home a Kirkton House Fan Heater for £24.99.

The product offers two different heating settings – 1000W, or you can double heat and have 2000W of powered warmth.

This means it will cost around 22p or 45p to run for an hour.

With a ‘modern freestanding design’ Aldi claims the portable gadget even has tip-over protection.

Insulation Wrap

a roll of aluminum foil that says multi purpose wrap
Aldi
Insulation wrap can prevent heat loss by 65 per cent[/caption]

To keep your house as warm as possible you can line the walls with Multi Purpose Insulation Wrap by Superfoil.

Priced at £12.99, this item tackles the chilly air by keeping out the cold, trapping heat inside, and reflecting UV light.

It also prevents damp and condensation which can cause mould and temperature drops.

This wrap reduces loss by up to 65 per cent for each large insulation wrap, according to Aldi.

Radiator Foil

a roll of reflector rad foam radiator on a white background
Aldi
You can get the Superfoil Radiator Reflector for £9.99[/caption]

Radiator foil is effective at preventing heat loss by reflecting the heat directly back into the room.

This increases the radiator’s efficiency and ensures they are working at their max capacity.

You can nab the Superfoil Radiator Reflector for £9.99 and cut it to adapt to any radiator.

Aldi claims the foil to reduces heat loss by up to a whopping 86 per cent and it comes 0.6m x 3m which should be enough to cover three radiators.

Thermal T-shirts

a black t-shirt and a grey t-shirt on a white background
Aldi
To minimise your energy bills it’s always best to layer up first[/caption]

For £9.99 you can grab a pair Workwear Thermal T-Shirts to keep as warm as possible while still wearing something lightweight and breathable.

In black or grey, the short-sleeved thermal set come in sizes medium to extra-extra-large.

Money saving experts always recommend piling on the clothes before whacking on the heating.

Oil Radiator

a black heater with wheels on a white background
The Kirkton House Oil Filled Radiator costs 20p an hour to run
Aldi

Oil radiators are a cost-effective way to heat your house as quickly as possible.

Costing around 20p per hour to run the Kirkton House Oil Filled Radiator can provide a much needed burst of warmth.

The compact product is marked at £29.99 and comes with a carry handle so you can bring it do your bedroom for those frosty mornings.

With three heat settings and an adjustable thermostat you can tailor your temperature without compromising on cost.

Draught excluder

a black and white rubber strip on a white background
Aldi
Aldi is pricing the Workzone Adhesive Draught Excluder at £1.99[/caption]

If you want the most bang for your buck, Aldi is offering a Workzone Adhesive Draught Excluder for only £1.99.

The Workzone Adhesive Draught Excluder lines the gaps between your windows to prevent drauphts.

Heat often escapes through breaks in the window and can drastically change the temperature of a room.

With the choice of white, brown, or black, you can match the accessory to a range of window frames.

Aldi Specialbuys dropping October 20

Ambiano Heated Airer – £34.99

Kirkton House Fan Heater – £24.99

Multi Purpose Insulation Wrap by Superfoil – £12.99

Superfoil Radiator Reflector – £9.99

Workwear Thermal T-Shirts – £9.99

Kirkton House Oil Filled Radiator – £29.99

Workzone Adhesive Draught Excluder – £1.99

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NHS spent ‘£1.5million’ on ‘quack’ therapies such as reiki and foot massages last year

NHS hospitals spent a fortune on “quack” therapies such as reiki and foot massages last year.

Figures from 20 trusts show they forked out for questionable treatments for more than 3,000 patients.

a close up of a person 's foot with their hands on it
Getty
NHS hospitals spent a fortune on ‘quack’ therapies such as reiki and foot massages last year[/caption]

Treatments also including acupuncture and aromatherapy cost a total of £269,000.

If the figure is applied across all 120-plus trusts the true cost could be well over £1.5million.

The NHS says it will not pay for alternative treatments in most cases.

Evidence they work is hit and miss.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals spent the most, at £170,000.

The Government has warned the NHS to tighten its belt.

The Taxpayers’ Alliance, which did the analysis, said: “With long waiting lists, quack remedies cannot be allowed to divert precious resources.”

Alternative medicine expert Dr Edzard Ernst said: “The NHS often uses complementary medicine rarely based on good evidence but on lobbying of proponents of quackery.”

The NHS said treatments are based “on robust clinical evidence” and are value for money.

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