Bernard sent us an email explaining he had been rather absentmindedly mowing his excellently kept lawn, only for the power to cut out of his mower quite abruptly. After a split second of bewilderment, he realised that he had made one of those mistakes.

Of course, Bernard was indeed lucky not to have been electrocuted, since his cable was plugged in to an RCD, or residual current device, so the mains supply was cut off immediately. Still, we at eSpares recommend that you remain vigilant and try to always avoid mowing through anything with a current running through it, so you won’t have to rely on that RCD to prevent you from being frizzle fried, as it were.

In the end, Bernard was happy to find a replacement Flymo power cable at eSpares.co.uk, which had his Hover Compact 330 running (safely) once more. 

So if you’re kicking yourself after making that mistake, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered.

Special thanks to Bernard for sending us your email and photo – a £10 voucher is on its way to you!

As Sky News reports, you don’t have to be of the wartime generation to understand that in today’s economy you need to ‘make do and mend’. Old fashioned values are coming back as consumers battle the economic downturn.
                                                   
Here at eSpares, we’ve seen the number of spare parts we send out increase by over a half since the credit crunch began. David Laurie, eSpares CEO, said that “We live in a society today where we need to think about what we have a little more carefully. We need to make do and mend rather than simply buying something new. It’s common sense from both an economical point of view and also an environmental point of view.”

eSpares carries over 350,000 appliance spares for the home and garden.

Every year we sell quite a few Flymo replacement power cords which has lead us to believe that it's common for people to accidently cut through their cable when mowing or strimming their lawn. It goes without saying that severing a power cable can be quite dangerous.

When using a mains powered garden appliance we would always recommend that you do so with an RCD safety plug. The safety plug simply slots into your power outlet and then you plug the appliance into the RCD. The RCD safety plug acts as a buffer between your electrical current and lead. The RCD safety plug that we carry has a 30 millisecond trip time which will help protect you from electric shock should you accidently mow over and catch your leads power cable.

We also recommend that when you use a mains powered lawnmower or strimmer that you start the job at the point closest to the power outlet and work away from that location. This should help keep you from accidently running over the cord.

As outdoor appliances are usually subjected to moisture from the lawn if you have severed your power cord we would recommend that you buy a new cable rather than trying to repair the old one. eSpares carries a huge selection of replacement power cables in our garden spares section.

"It was only natural for us to expand our existing selection of spares into the world of gaming. For many, the games console has now becaome as vital a home appliance as a cooker or washing machine" stated Matthew Henton, eSpares Marketing Director.

eSpares now stocks a complete selection of parts and cool accessories for Xbox, Nintendo and PlayStation consoles.

 If you'd like more how to fix it videos please visit the eSpares YouTube Channel.

• Clear away all the garden furniture from your patio and give the decking a good sweep to get rid of winter's debris. You'll be surprised at how much dirt and dust is lurking.
• If you've got a brick or stone patio and pesky weeds have taken seed between the stones deal with them now. Try using a weed remover tool to remove the weeds by the root. If this doesn't work then try a weed killer spray.
• To get your patio looking like new employ the help of a Karcher Pressure washer. A pressure washer will get rid of mould and stains. To make light work of this project try Karcher Patio and Deck detergent. Make sure the pressure washer is on the right setting as not to damage your patio slabs or wood.
• Get your garden furniture looking like new with a quick spray with a pressure washer or scrub down by hand with a brush and some warm soapy water. Wood furniture should then be treated with the appropriate oils or stains once it has dried. If you've got cast iron furniture wipe it down with a damp cloth and assess it for any rust. Rust will need to be sanded down and treated.
• If you've got planter boxes on your patio now's the time to start thinking about topping them up with some lovely flowing annuals that will bring a bit of colour to your patio all summer long.

Before enjoying outdoors make sure to slather on the sunscreen and you're ready to fire up that barbeque!

• Prior to operating any machinery make sure that you read the manufacturers instructions. Familiarise yourself with where the on/off switch and emergency stop mechanism is (if there is one).
• If you're tired or not feeling well then put the strimmer to one side and head to the hammock for a bit of rest and relaxation. If you're not feeling your best then you're more likely to have an accident. When you are ready to do the job, don't rush or take short cuts. Taking your time will make sure you get it right the first time without any accidents.
• Be aware of the area that you're working in. Clear away any large debris and make sure you're aware of all potential tripping hazards. If you have children or pets keep them away from the area in which you're working in.
• Maintain your strimmer guards and cutting shields. If they're looking a bit knackered it's easy to replace them with eSpares selection of strimmer spares.
• If you're using a strimmer with a powercord be very careful to not accidently sever the cord or trip over it. Never operate your strimmer if the cord is damaged. Purchase a replacement strimmer cord prior to operating your appliance again.
• If you've got a petrol strimmer only refill the petrol when the appliance is cold. If fuel splashes out of a hot engine it can catch on fire.
• Wear sensible clothing such as slip resistant shoes and make sure your legs are covered with a heavy fabric to protect them from any flying debris. We recommend that you also protect your eyes and wear ear plugs to protect yourself from hearing damage.
• Don't trim if what you're cutting is wet. This can cause damage to your trimmer.
• Your strimmer is meant to cut back things at ground level. As tempting as it may seem to use it to trim back that unruly hedge we recommend that you leave jobs like that for a hedge trimmer. Keep all your cutting to below knee level.
• If your machine isn't working properly shut off the strimmer and take the time to assess the situation.
• Always use the correct strimmer line for your model. The incorrect gauge could stress your machine.

We hope that these safety tips will allow you to use your strimmer with confidence and have your lawn looking great in no time.

• Always be alert when using a chainsaw. Accidents can happen quickly and it's important that you're in your best form when using this bit of powerful machinery. Don't operate it if you're feeling tired or sluggish; it's just not worth it.
• Dress for the occasion. Wear sturdy boots that have a reinforced steel toe and thick gloves. Protective eyewear will protect your eyes from stray chippings. As chainsaws are especially noisy earplugs are essential to protect yourself from damaging your hearing. Make sure to have your arms and legs covered in clothes that are made of a heavy fabric. Tie your hair back and don't wear loose clothes that can get caught in the machinery.
• Make sure that you always use a sharp chain. You can sharpening your existing one with a chainsaw blade sharpening kit or purchase a new chain entirely. eSpares has a huge selection of sharp replacement chainsaw chains that we can deliver straight to your door.
• Make any adjustments you need to ensure that your chain is operating with the right amount of slack and make sure to regularly look after it with chainsaw chain oil.
• Be aware of your surroundings when using a chainsaw. Make sure there is nothing you can accidently trip over and keep the area free of animals and children.
• Use precaution: if something doesn't feel right with your chainsaw stop what you're doing and assess the situation to rectify it.

Remember that eSpares carries a huge selection of chainsaw spares so no matter what part you need we're sure to have it. With these tips in mind and your chainsaw operating in tip top shape your garden should look great in no time.

ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU UNPLUG ANY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE BEFORE UNDERTAKING ANY WORK.

The products used in this video are a Flymo 33cm Metal Blade and a Blade Spanner and Space Kit. We've got hundreds of lawnmower blades to choose from; make sure you order the correct blade for your Flymo lawnmower model.

Not only can a Karcher pressure washer provide you with a quick solution for garden cleaning; it can also provide a money saving and practical solution if you have a blocked drain. The Karcher 15 Metre Drain Cleaning kit is an eSpares customer favourite allowing you to clear a drain without the need for harsh chemicals or an engineer call out. The hose simply hooks up to a Karcher pressure washer and the backward firing jets will propel the hose down the drain clearing the blockages. The kit can be used over and over again and this is a great buy if you have a particularly problematic drain. Our customer SimonNeedsASparePart from Northhampton reported that the last time his drain was blocked he paid £120 to have it cleared. He since invested in this Karcher drain cleaning solution and it only took him 5 minutes to have the blockage cleared.

We like passing savings onto our customers and now when you purchase your Kärcher K2.900M Deluxe Pressure Washer from eSpares you'll only pay £99.99; that's £30 off the RRP and you'll receive £115 worth of free cleaning tools.  Tools included are:

• 4 metre of high-pressure hose fitted with a Karcher pressure washer hand gun .
• Karcher variable high pressure spray lance which allows pressure control with a single turn of the lance.
• Dirtblaster rotating pencil jet providing up to 50% greater cleaning power than a standard high pressure lance.
• T50 T-Racer surface cleaner for efficient, splash-free cleaning of patios, decking and hard floors.
• Soft bristled wash brush for extra cleaning power. This brush is great for cleaning your car and getting rid of traffic film and road dirt.

eSpares carries a large selection of Karcher Pressure Washers and Karcher Pressure Washer spares.

• Water the lawn regularly during hot weather and mow it regularly. Mowing regularly stimulates the grass to give it a lusher appearance.
• Always cut your lawn with a sharp blade. Dull blades risk ripping your grass out by the root and can create a patchy lawn. eSpares carries a huge selection of Flymo Lawnmower Blades. Now that you can have blades delivered straight to your door there is no excuse for mowing with a dull one.
• Vary the direction in which you mow each time to keep your grass blades from curving in one direction.
• Don't mow your lawn when it's wet. Not only can wet lawns get diseased but they can get matted down unevenly which also means you'll be cutting unevenly. Additionally by mowing it you can be causing it to take longer to dry which means fungus has a greater opportunity to establish itself.
• Try to not let weeds get established in your garden. The eco-friendly approach that we would recommend is getting a weed puller tool and removing the weeds by the root before they get the chance to seed.
• Leave your grass clippings on your lawn as a natural fertiliser.
• If your lawnmower isn't working properly try to diagnose the problem. Most lawnmower spares can be purchased directly from eSpares and can save you loads of money over buying new.

With these hints you'll be able to enjoy those barefoot barbeques all summer long.

You may have to wait a while for the next generation of appliances mentioned earlier, but in the meantime you can busy yourself with keeping your Dyson Ball running smoothly with our huge selection of Dyson Spares.

Ripjordan purchased a Karcher Pressure Washer Connection for £3.99 and reported that he saved over £75. He told us that "having left my Karcher pressure washer in the shed during the recent freezing weather the ice caused a split in the outlet valve. With the washer costing £100 and repairs £75, this saved me a small fortune."  

Our Karcher Pressure Washer 15 Metre Drain Cleaning Kit is a customer favourite. This kit hooks up to your domestic Karcher Pressure washer and the backwards propelling high-pressure jets push the 15 metre hose through your pipes to clear blockages.  JC345 from London reports:  "Excellent piece of kit. Works a treat, saves the excessive call out fees of professionals, this makes you feel like a professional." What we like about this kit is that it’s reusable which means you save money on call out charges every time you clear a drain; it’s guaranteed to make you popular with the neighbours.

We love stories like the one Gratefulfromsheffield reported. He recently purchased a wave guide cover from us and says "This purchase (£3.29) has saved me having to buy a new microwave. Approximate cost £200."

Fitting our spares yourself can save you loads over hiring a repairman to do it for you. Suec from Plymouth recently purchased a dishwasher door lock and reported that this part was so easy to fit that it only took 5 minutes and she saved £60 on engineer costs.

AMCM from Glasgow purchased the Washing Machine Inner Timer Knob and was surprised to find that parts were available for his older machine model. He said that "when it arrived it fitted with ease and was identical to the broken part." He even went on to say that he thinks eSpares saved him at least £200.  

If you have a broken appliance you can save money by fixing it yourself. Further savings can be had by shopping with eSpares; our Price Match Guarantee means you’ll be getting the best possible price on the parts you need. So don’t delay on fixing those niggly appliance problems like wonky oven doors or leaky dishwashers; you can fix it yourself and save money.

Our ancestors have responded to the first few warm days of the year in the same way for millennia.  But the spring cleaning ritual has died out in the last few decades and no one even noticed. No minute's silence. No mourning.

Most of the responsibility lies with the common vacuum cleaner, of course. Prior to the advent of the Hoover, homeowners would wait until it was warm enough to open all the windows before going crazy with the duster. And in days of yore, people would bring their animals inside the house for the winter, so spring cleaning would involve getting rid of more than just dust.

But it's good for the soul to have an annual clear out, even if it's not exactly a spring clean. Here are our tips:

• Apply the 6 month rule to your wardrobe. If you've not worn it in the last 6 months, then take it down to the charity shop.
• Declutter the rest of your house too. A great way to keep useful stuff out of the landfill is www.freecycle.org. If you don't use it any more, then Freecycle it and let someone else use it.

We assumed that getting the Marigolds on and doing the dishes by hand was better for the environment than using your dishwasher. Not necessarily so. An efficient dishwasher can use less water and electricity than washing dishes by hand.

A study by researchers at The University of Bonn in Germany looked at the water efficiency of human washer-uppers compared with automatic dishwashers. The study found that washing up a 12 place setting of dishes by hand took an average of 103 litres of water and 2.5 kWh of energy. This compared with 15 litres of water and 1.05 kWh of energy for the dishwasher. What's more, the manual way took 79 minutes to complete compared with just 15 minutes to load and unload the machine.

However, make sure you follow our dishwasher tips to ensure your machine is running as efficiently as possible.

• Scrape food from plates and pans before putting into the machine rather than soaking or prewashing. You should only need to soak burned-on food.
• Only run your dishwasher when it's full. But be careful not to overload though, as this can mean that your dishes won't wash properly.
• Don't use the "rinse hold" function on your machine if it has one. It uses much more water and electricity.
• If you live in a hard water area, run your dishwasher once a month with a limescale and detergent remover. It will remove limescale build-up from the element and other internal parts, keeping the machine efficient, and helping to prolong its life.

• Hard water contains high levels of calcium and magnesium salts
• These salts are deposited as limescale on the internal parts of your washing machine and dishwasher
• Limescale build-up on heating elements makes them less efficient, meaning more electricity is used for each wash
• The most common reason for buying internal washing machine and dishwasher parts is due to limescale damage
• A build-up of limescale can significantly shorten the life span of your appliances.

To check your own water hardness, try entering your postcode in our limescale post code checker. The easy way to protect your appliances and keep them running efficiently is to run a normal wash cycle once a month with a limescale and detergent remover. Taking this precautionary measure will help keep your appliances limescale free for years to come.

Counterbalance Hinge
“Thought i was going to have to buy a new freezer till i went to e-spares. Hadn't been able to get a replacement hinge till then. It took hardly no time at all to replace the broken hinge and now the lid closes better that it ever did.”
This review was left by Tichier from Sunderland

Bosch Washing Machine Door Hinge
“Ordered on Sunday, delivered the following Thursday. Part was in mint condition, and I followed the helpful instructions that a former purchaser had left. I'm no DIY expert, but this was much simpler to fit than I expected. Result was a working washing machine for under £10.”
This review was left by reluctantRepairer from Guildford

Bosch Vacuum Hose Handle
“Fantastic service. I did not know where to purchase such a specific item so was delighted
about espares. They have saved me £££'s and the part was easily fitted. Great!!!”
This review was left by Mynonna from Cambs

Ariston Fan Oven Element
“We have replaced the element in the past and the cost was nearly 3 times what we payed from e spares, We are very pleased with the part and will use e spares in the future.”
This review was left by Swampy, a DIY Beginner

Hotpoint Dishwasher Door Lock
“This is a great service from Espares, especially the instructions from other very kind people who purchase from the site. I was quoted £28 plus vat for the part from the engineer I called out but when I rang him and told him it was less than £10 including vat and delivery from espares he said he would match the price. As I had said he could come and fix it I let it stand but reading the instructions I reckon I could fix it myself if it goes again, so I shall keep this spare part just in case! (I had to pay £60 to the engineer for the repair). I shall be bold in future and look on espares first to see if there is advice on diy for these smaller and non electrical type of repairs!”
This review was left by Izzy from Birmingham

Indesit Half Grill Element
“The element came within a week. It didn't come with instructions but I just dismantled the other grill element to see how that was fitted. It couldn't have been easier and I feel like I have a new cooker - to think it took me a year of trying to get repair men to do this 20 minute job”
This review was left by LindaGordinho from the North East 

Parkinson Cowan Main Oven Door Catch Striker
“Brilliant site ,and fast service.Your having this Part means ,a very good cooker can continue to feed My family .Instead of having to get an expensive replacement.Keep up the good work!“
This review was left by AML1050 from Bristol

White Washing Machine Door Handle Assembly
“Have used this site a few times now to buy really random spares for my fridge and washing machine. The range is HUGE and its alot cheaper than calling out a plumber to fix stuff for you. Have realised how much I can do myself now I know where to get the right parts.”
This review was left by Blandy from Rainworth

Belling Circular Fan Oven Element
“Took no more than 10 mins to fit. All you need is a screw driver and a bit of common sense to fit this will save you paying loads for someone to fit it for you.”
This review was left by Riglerz, a DIY Beginner

Hotpoint Dryer Door Hinge
“E-spares provided a hinge for my tumble dryer, it saved me an absolute fortune in call out fees and was simple to fit.”
This review was left by UglyToad from Birmingham

Dyson Cyclone Assembly
“Much cheaper than buying a new Dyson and the repaired Dyson performs like a new one.”
This review was left by AlanR from Kent

The central HEPA filter is responsible for filtering out fine dust particles, such as pollen and dustmite feces, which can trigger allergies.  To change the HEPA filter you need to remove the bin from the body of the Vax vacuum the base. Turn the filter counter clockwise and it will release from the bin, the new filter will slot in easily.

On an ongoing bases Vax recommend that you wash the HEPA filter is warm water and leave to air dry for 24 hours every time you empty the dust bin.  Make sure the filter is dry before inserting it back into your cleaner.

The Post Motor filter is removed from the side and it slides out, the new filter simply clicks into place. This filter doesn’t get as dirty as the HEPA filter, thus Vax recommend cleaning it at an interval of every 9 to 12 months.

Make sure that you replace your vacuum filters and bags at intervals recommended by the manufacturer to ensure that you’re not loosing suction. If airways are blocked your vacuum cleaner will not be cleaning effectively and you may shorten the lifetime of your appliance.

No matter what vacuum cleaner type you own, eSpares is sure to carry the filters and bags you need as part of our huge library of vacuum spares.

It's come to our attention that vacuum cleaner spares are now being used as musical instruments. OK, so you probably can't play Beethoven's 5th Symphony or shred out a solo Hendrix style on one, but various vacuum parts have hitherto unknown musical properties. Drag a cleaning tool up and down a vacuum hose to create a guiro type sound. Hit a Dyson HEPA filter with an extension tube for your bass drum sound. Pluck your hoover drive belt to add a string section to your household orchestra. If used correctly a crevice tool might even substitute for a didgeridoo.

While we're not sure this genre will take off, we commend anybody who has tried it or is thinking of starting their own appliance band.

Tumble Dryer Thermostat Kit
"Easy to fit, worked like a charm, save a small fortune, a real credit crunch beater."
This review was left by DadsARMY from Bristol

Bosch Washing Machine Carbon Brush
"Saves the washing machine from being thrown out. Recommended that you remove the motor but I turned the machine on its side and worked from the bottom of the machine. Can be a bit fiddly getting the spring compressed but fitted both brushes in under 10 minutes."
This review was left by Coops124, a DIY Beginner

Oven Door Seal
"Saved me £370. Had decided that only option would be to buy a new cooker until my sister in law recommended you. Excellent service. Seal was with me in a few days & was so easy to fit."
This review was left by Loubi from Liverpool

Dishwasher Door Lock
"Saved us loads money did not have to scrap my dishwasher, was able to repair our selves. was easy to replace and works correctly, thanks."
This review was left by Otto from Shropshire

Tumble Dryer Heat Element
"Fix your own Bosch tumble dryer. In days gone by I would have picked up the phone and called my friendly Engineer to fix the tumble dryer but spurred on by lack of money I decided to attempt the fix myself. The element had failed (checked with a circuit tester before ordering the part). Two screws release the back panel of the Bosch WTA 4108 to reveal two steel panels. You have to remove the top one first. Having undone the screws you then have to ease the panel up to release it (it has tabs that hold it in place). The lower panel has about 6 screws holding it in place and comes away fairly easily to reveal the element. Four screws hold the element and a plate in place. The bottom left hand one is a bit tricky to get to and a magnetic screwdriver is preferable - particularly when you have to screw it back on! There are two wires to disconnect then the whole thing comes out easily. Apart from losing a screw into the depths of the machine it all went rather well and saved me a fortune. Just 20 minutes and the tumble dryer is as good as new."
This review was left by Anonymous Reviewer from London

Washing Machine Door Hinge
"This hinge saved money, hassle, and waiting time for an engineer callout! It seemed to be made of slightly thicker metal than the original and did not fit so snuggly onto the backing plate (which future buyers must remember to hold through the door seal to prevent losing it in the machine!). However, the door now shuts and seals ok. Thanks"
This review was left by DIYDoug from Wiltshire

Dyson Clutch Assembly
"Did what it said. Lots of help on internet including video on removal; and fitting of part. Saved me £250 on buying another dyson."
This review was left by Freddy from Surrey

We assumed it was a joke when we first heard of cooking salmon in your dishwasher. But it seems not. A quick trawl of the interweb reveals that this bizarre use of a dishwasher is surprisingly popular. The secret, it seems, is in creating a perfect seal in the aluminium foil you use to seal the fish. That way, you don’t end up with a fish supper that tastes of detergent.

Whilst you could poach the salmon in an empty dishwasher, that doesn't make much sense (unless your cooker is broken). But it is an energy saving option if you have a load of dishes that need cleaning anyway. Just pop your foil parcels of salmon in the top basket and run the dishwasher on a 'normal' cleaning cycle.

This recipe for Dishwasher Salmon with a Piquant Dill Sauce from The Surreal Gourmet is our favourite.

More than one member of the eSpares team has promised to have a go this weekend.

The pre motor filter should be washed in warm water with no detergents at least every six months. Hand wash the sponge and the filter casing and leave to dry completely before reassembling. If your filter is old and worn, watch the video to see eSpares expert Mat demonstrate how to replace the filter with a brand new one.

The HEPA filter is located underneath the main bin and removes the fine particles that trigger asthma and allergies, such as pollen and dust mite faeces. We recommend that you replace your HEPA filter every couple of years, however it really comes down to how often your Dyson is used, the type of cleaning done and whether anyone in your home suffers from asthma and allergies. In the video Mat demonstrates how easy it is to remove the post filter lid by inserting a 2p piece under the lip in the side and twisting off. The filter lid and seal should also be replaced if there are any signs of damage.

All the Dyson parts in this video, along with a huge range of genuine tools and accessories for all models of Dyson, are available from the eSpares Dyson Spares store.