OK, I admit it: I don't actually do a lot of dry cleaning ­ mainly because a "dry clean only" label instantly puts me off buying an item of clothing. I know just how much effort it will be to take it to the dry cleaners, not to mention the excessive expense. Instead I let my few dry cleanable clothes pile up until the last possible moment. I have even been known to plunge them into a sink of water and hope they survive the ordeal. So understandably, I relished the prospect of Persil Revive. Admittedly, it is not supposed to eliminate the need for dry cleaning, but the chance to freshen clothes a little until I finally get round to having a dry cleaning binge, is appealing. As well as freshening, Revive is suitable for clothes that need handwashing and for spot cleaning mysterious stains. It only takes 30 minutes, so it is also perfect for the times when the outfit you need is lying in a crumpled heap on your floor. The Persil name inspires trust and the instructions are clear and easy to follow. For general use, you place the Revive sheet on top of your clothes and tumble dry for 30 minutes. Spot cleaning is a bit more technical. You need to test for colour fastness, treat the affected area with the Revive sheet, and place it in the tumble dryer. Water marks are a possibility and they have to be removed by wetting and ironing. The prospect of all this effort seemed a bit much at first but it is actually very straightforward and I only needed to be reminded of the money I was saving. At £4.99 for five sachets, each of which does up to four items, you're paying as little as 25p per item. Of course, the most important thing is, does it work, and yes, it does. The clothes came out fresh and clean, all the spot treated areas were absolutely clear ­ and they didn't even need ironing! I think it's safe to say that Revive has reduced my fear of "dry clean only" clothes. {{P&P }}

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