0:00:04 > 0:00:06Take a look around your home.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11Can you be sure that every appliance is safe?
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Is everything a company tells you about a product true?
0:00:18 > 0:00:21And are you getting the best value for your money?
0:00:22 > 0:00:24With the help of the country's top experts,
0:00:24 > 0:00:26we're going to see what it takes
0:00:26 > 0:00:29to test the household products we use every day.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34We'll discover how they're pushed to their limits.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40We'll put the makers' claims on trial.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45And show you how to make your money go further.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49You'll find these products in any ordinary house.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53But this is no ordinary house, and no ordinary street.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56This is the Watchdog Test House.
0:01:01 > 0:01:06Hello. We're deep inside one of Britain's leading science centres.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09Here at the Building Research Establishment,
0:01:09 > 0:01:13some of the products and materials that we use every day
0:01:13 > 0:01:16are put to the test to make sure that they're safe,
0:01:16 > 0:01:20environmentally friendly, and that they don't fall apart.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22Coming up on today's programme,
0:01:22 > 0:01:26thinking of buying a tyre second hand? Check carefully.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29A 19-and-a-half-year-old second-hand tyre.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32Michael's life was worth far more than this.
0:01:32 > 0:01:33We take to the track to find out
0:01:33 > 0:01:36just how dangerous a defective tyre can be.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41Two fitness instructors. Three days. No showers.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44Do you really need a deodorant that claims to last 72 hours?
0:01:44 > 0:01:47- This is going to get smelly.- You bet!
0:01:47 > 0:01:50Plus sharp edges, choking hazards
0:01:50 > 0:01:53and an astonishing array of harmful chemicals.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55We reveal why safety laws on children's toys
0:01:55 > 0:01:57have become so stringent.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05We drive more than 7,000 miles on average every year,
0:02:05 > 0:02:08so you want to be sure your tyres are safe.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11But if you buy yours second-hand, beware.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15What seems like a good deal could turn out to be a bad risk.
0:02:17 > 0:02:23It is completely outrageous that a tyre that was nearly 20 years old
0:02:23 > 0:02:27was on a vehicle transporting 53 kids
0:02:27 > 0:02:28on a 500-mile round trip
0:02:28 > 0:02:31on a motorway doing over 60 mph.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35In September 2012, Michael Malloy was on his way home
0:02:35 > 0:02:37from a music festival on the Isle of Wight
0:02:37 > 0:02:40when the coach he was travelling in crashed.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44When she heard, his mother Frances rushed to the hospital.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47I said, "Just take me to Michael," you know, "Just..."
0:02:47 > 0:02:49And...
0:02:49 > 0:02:53the police liaison officer just said, "There's no easy way to say this.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56"He died at the scene. He died instantly."
0:02:58 > 0:03:02Michael was among three people who died on the coach that day.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04The cause of the accident was clear -
0:03:04 > 0:03:08a blow-out on the front near side tyre of the coach
0:03:08 > 0:03:12had caused it to veer left off the dual carriageway,
0:03:12 > 0:03:16mount the embankment, crash through a fence and into a tree.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19The tyre had been bought second-hand
0:03:19 > 0:03:21and was almost 20 years old.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24It was older than Michael. It was older than the coach itself,
0:03:24 > 0:03:26and it was actually legal.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29The company was fined more than £4,000 for
0:03:29 > 0:03:34allowing the use of a vehicle with a tyre with ply or cord exposed,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37and for allowing too many people on the coach.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40But there's currently no legislation
0:03:40 > 0:03:43governing how old a second-hand tyre can be,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46something Frances is campaigning to change.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49A 19-and-a-half-year-old second-hand tyre,
0:03:49 > 0:03:52it's completely and utterly outrageous,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55and I just won't give up or give in on this.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59Michael's life was worth far more than this.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02Whilst there's no legislation
0:04:02 > 0:04:06governing how old a second-hand or part-worn tyre can be,
0:04:06 > 0:04:10there are rules on the condition in which they are allowed to be sold.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14And it's the job of Trading Standards Officers to enforce them.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18Today we're following officers in Sandwell, in the West Midlands
0:04:18 > 0:04:20as they carry out routine spot checks
0:04:20 > 0:04:22on a number of premises on their patch.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27First up, this garage on an industrial estate.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31The owner explains he imports his part-worn tyres from abroad
0:04:31 > 0:04:33and that he does check them.
0:04:33 > 0:04:34But despite his reassurances,
0:04:34 > 0:04:39the officers inspect the tyres that are on sale for themselves.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42They look at their condition. That includes tread depth,
0:04:42 > 0:04:44whether there are any defects,
0:04:44 > 0:04:47and also whether they are labelled correctly.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49- You've got a part worn stamp?- Yes.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53The inspection starts well, but things soon go downhill.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57You see the kink in the bead there?
0:04:58 > 0:04:59Yep.
0:04:59 > 0:05:00You see on this one?
0:05:00 > 0:05:04- Obviously, that's the bead wire exposed.- Bloody dangerous.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09This one, it's had a nail penetration.
0:05:09 > 0:05:10When a tyre's been penetrated,
0:05:10 > 0:05:15the cavity formed by the penetration has to be plugged or filled.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18In total, Brian and his team find seven tyres on sale
0:05:18 > 0:05:23at this first garage that could pose a risk to unsuspecting drivers.
0:05:23 > 0:05:29We checked roughly about 30 tyres and we found that 25% of them failed
0:05:29 > 0:05:33due to damage in the tyre wall and different issues with the beading.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35But there's worse to come.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38That is an absolute potential killer,
0:05:38 > 0:05:40and the side wall has collapsed.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45Find out later just how many tyres fail Trading Standards testing.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47We'll also be taking to the track
0:05:47 > 0:05:51to demonstrate how dangerous driving with a part-worn tyre can be.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58Now, we've all been there.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00You're getting ready for the perfect night out.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02Little black dress to hand.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05Just one final swipe of anti-perspirant deodorant
0:06:05 > 0:06:08before heading out. And then, disaster strikes -
0:06:08 > 0:06:10white marks all down your clothes.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14And that's despite some of them claiming to be invisible.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20Yes, Sophie, we're talking sprays, roll-ons, sticks -
0:06:20 > 0:06:23an explosion of anti-perspirant products
0:06:23 > 0:06:26all claiming to leave no white marks. What's their secret?
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Dr Laura thinks it might all be down to the size of the particles.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33If you make large particles
0:06:33 > 0:06:35which rub off onto clothing,
0:06:35 > 0:06:40you'll see them much more clearly than if you make smaller particles,
0:06:40 > 0:06:43so even if they do rub off, you won't see them with the naked eye.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48For the purpose of our tests, we've chosen three stick deodorants
0:06:48 > 0:06:51as we could only find three on the market brave enough
0:06:51 > 0:06:53to claim the powers of invisibility.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56They are Dove Invisible Dry Anti-white Marks,
0:06:56 > 0:07:01Nivea Invisible Black & White White Mark Protection for black clothes,
0:07:01 > 0:07:03and Sure Crystal Clear Invisible.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05We'll also compare those products
0:07:05 > 0:07:09to one that makes no claims about invisibility whatsoever.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Time to get technical.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14Dr Laura wipes an equal amount of each deodorant
0:07:14 > 0:07:17onto a chemical substance which mimics the behaviour of the skin.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21Clever. She then places them under the microscope.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24First up - Dove Invisible Dry.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28You can see those streaks there, so we have got some particles,
0:07:28 > 0:07:30but they're certainly not so small that you can't see them,
0:07:30 > 0:07:34so you wouldn't expect, if you were to look at it in real life,
0:07:34 > 0:07:35to appear invisible,
0:07:35 > 0:07:37you would expect to see particles of this size.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40It's a similar story with Sure Invisible.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43Now, again, you can see large particles under here
0:07:43 > 0:07:46so you would not expect this to be invisible.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48As for the Nivea product...
0:07:48 > 0:07:49Looks quite good, actually.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52As you can see, it has a very different texture about it.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54It looks quite flat, looks quite even
0:07:54 > 0:07:58and nowhere near the particles as large or clumped together.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00So it seems that under the microscope
0:08:00 > 0:08:03the Nivea deodorant looks like it has the smallest particles
0:08:03 > 0:08:06and therefore might be more invisible than the others.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09As for the one that makes no invisibility claims...
0:08:09 > 0:08:10I think it clearly shows
0:08:10 > 0:08:13the particles are clumping together more.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16You get larger particles, and therefore you would be less likely
0:08:16 > 0:08:19to expect this one to be invisible.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Interesting. So that's the particle size in the lab.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26How will that translate to where it really matters?
0:08:26 > 0:08:28That's right, armpits!
0:08:28 > 0:08:31We've got three volunteers, who work in this gym in Huddersfield.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34three black T-shirts, and our three stick deodorants
0:08:34 > 0:08:38boasting that they won't leave any white marks.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40They'll apply each of those to their left armpit.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43And on the right, they'll use the stick deodorant
0:08:43 > 0:08:46that makes no claims about invisibility.
0:08:46 > 0:08:47Got that? Good.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51A few minutes to let the deodorants dry. Talk amongst yourselves.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53OK, on go the black T-shirts.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55And now take them off again.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58Time to assess the damage.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01That's my invisible.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05But there's some white marks there, aren't there?
0:09:05 > 0:09:07First up - Dove.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09Both this product and the one that makes no claims
0:09:09 > 0:09:11did leave some white marks.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13Not much in it, is there?
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Next, the Sure so-called Invisible.
0:09:17 > 0:09:18That's made more of a mess
0:09:18 > 0:09:22on the T-shirt than the product that makes no claims!
0:09:22 > 0:09:24There's quite a lot, isn't there?
0:09:24 > 0:09:26But what about the Nivea Invisible product?
0:09:26 > 0:09:29The one that had the smallest particles in the lab?
0:09:29 > 0:09:31No white marks on that side of the T-shirt.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35But on the other side, the no-claims product has left a small mark.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39So the winner of this test is not just Nivea - it's also science,
0:09:39 > 0:09:42as that's just what the lab particle size test predicted.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46Our tests, of course, are just a snapshot.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48Unilever, who makes Dove and Sure,
0:09:48 > 0:09:50say they have confidence in their products,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53which are proven to have effective anti-white marks protection
0:09:53 > 0:09:56under rigorous consumer and scientific testing.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01But some companies also make bold claims about how long
0:10:01 > 0:10:02anti-perspirants will last.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06Wonder why these fitness instructors look nervous? We've just told them
0:10:06 > 0:10:09they're going to be testing 72-hour anti-perspirants
0:10:09 > 0:10:12and won't be allowed to wash for three days.
0:10:12 > 0:10:13Find out what happens later on.
0:10:19 > 0:10:24Recognise her? This is a Cindy doll from 1963.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26She had the washable bobbed hair,
0:10:26 > 0:10:30the stripy T-shirt and even arms and legs that moved freely.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32But she also needed something extra,
0:10:32 > 0:10:36around 16 pages of safety documentation.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Now, these aren't on sale anymore
0:10:38 > 0:10:42but if you compare her to this, a modern-day Barbie,
0:10:42 > 0:10:44under current legislation,
0:10:44 > 0:10:48she requires thousands of pages of official paperwork.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52So what was it that sent the toy industry into legislation overdrive?
0:10:52 > 0:10:56Whatever it was, I'm sure Lynn Faulds-Wood will know all about it.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58MUSIC: 1980s Watchdog theme
0:10:59 > 0:11:01Welcome to Watchdog. On tonight's programme...
0:11:01 > 0:11:04All these people have written to us...
0:11:07 > 0:11:12'Watchdog's uncovered a stockingful of dangerous toys over the years.'
0:11:12 > 0:11:14My baby would love this, he's nutty about aeroplanes,
0:11:14 > 0:11:17but wait till you see what's in the wing - a razor blade!
0:11:17 > 0:11:20How many of you have actually bought toys like these in the past
0:11:20 > 0:11:21for Christmas or birthdays
0:11:21 > 0:11:25and they turn out to have hidden spikes in them, or perhaps
0:11:25 > 0:11:29nasty chokeable chunks of stuffing coming out...
0:11:29 > 0:11:31'But even in the 1980s,
0:11:31 > 0:11:35'toys were actually among the most regulated products you could buy.'
0:11:35 > 0:11:39And nowadays it's even more so - they test for sharp edges,
0:11:39 > 0:11:43harmful chemicals, small parts that children could swallow.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47But that certainly hasn't always been the case.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52In fact, you only need to look at some of the toys of the 1950s
0:11:52 > 0:11:54here at the Museum of Childhood
0:11:54 > 0:11:57to see why we've had to develop such strict rules.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01Here's a little tool set, and inside you've got a saw
0:12:01 > 0:12:03and tools that are all original
0:12:03 > 0:12:06and working for making craft items.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09And then here you've got an amazing little soldering kit.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11You could be up in your bedroom soldering away.
0:12:11 > 0:12:16The first British Safety Standard for toys was introduced in 1961.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21It touches on everything we use today, pretty much,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24but in a very short way, and appropriate to the toys of the time.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26They had metal toys then,
0:12:26 > 0:12:28so it specifically mentions metal edges
0:12:28 > 0:12:30and that they shouldn't be sharp.
0:12:30 > 0:12:35But at 15 pages, compared to today's standards, they lacked detail.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39Now, when you think about edges in general, they shouldn't be sharp,
0:12:39 > 0:12:43but it says what is sharp and what isn't sharp and how to test that.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47So that paragraph has become ten pages to actually explain that.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49Another worry has always been
0:12:49 > 0:12:54whether a toy contains any parts that pose a choking hazard.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56This is Billie and his Barrels,
0:12:56 > 0:13:00a very popular development toy produced in the 1940s.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02As you can see, each cup comes apart
0:13:02 > 0:13:06as you go down in size, all the way to little Billie right here.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08But obviously, little Billie is so tiny,
0:13:08 > 0:13:10he'd be a complete choking hazard today,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13so you wouldn't be allowed to have something so small.
0:13:13 > 0:13:14But this version dates from the 1980s.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16You can see Billie's much bigger here
0:13:16 > 0:13:18and he's also fixed into his barrel
0:13:18 > 0:13:21to make him safer for children to play with.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25And these days you can test whether a toy could be a choking hazard
0:13:25 > 0:13:29by using what's called a small parts cylinder.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32Everything for under-threes cannot have small parts.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35So this cylinder, it looks odd but it's shaped
0:13:35 > 0:13:37specifically for the mouth,
0:13:37 > 0:13:41and a small part, like that £2 coin
0:13:41 > 0:13:42would fit in entirely.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45So you can have that in toys but there would be a warning
0:13:45 > 0:13:48on the packaging saying, "Not for under-threes due to small parts."
0:13:48 > 0:13:51Here are some of those he considered to be potentially dangerous.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54But as we exposed in the 1980s,
0:13:54 > 0:13:58it's not just toys that could present a risk.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01Take, for instance, these harmless looking things here - pen tops.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03During the last series, we told you
0:14:03 > 0:14:06how at least ten children have died after putting pen tops
0:14:06 > 0:14:09in their mouths, inhaling them and blocking their windpipes.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12'So by 1987, thanks to our pressure,
0:14:12 > 0:14:15'manufacturers had changed their designs.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17'The most common solution?'
0:14:17 > 0:14:19They put a hole in the lid,
0:14:19 > 0:14:23so that if a child does inhale that and get it stuck in their windpipe,
0:14:23 > 0:14:26they can breathe until you get them to hospital.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29And this has become the standard not just in this country,
0:14:29 > 0:14:31but right across the world.
0:14:33 > 0:14:38But there are less obvious dangers, like those posed by chemicals.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Many old toys were covered in lead paint.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45Others contained potassium nitrate and even mercury.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49This chemistry set dates from about the 1930s.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52It would have been the ultimate present for a boy
0:14:52 > 0:14:54for a birthday gift or Christmas gift
0:14:54 > 0:14:56and it's full of an amazing array of chemicals.
0:14:56 > 0:15:01Then you'll see these very simple games, maze games. They use mercury.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04There's something really nice about the property of mercury,
0:15:04 > 0:15:05how it runs round, but today,
0:15:05 > 0:15:08you wouldn't find mercury in a toy like this.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10Although the likes of poisonous lead paint
0:15:10 > 0:15:14and mercury were long gone by the 1990s,
0:15:14 > 0:15:17it was another chemical found in plastic toys
0:15:17 > 0:15:19that was causing concern.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22The chemical DIMP is a member of a family of compounds
0:15:22 > 0:15:24called phthalates.
0:15:24 > 0:15:29It's added to PVC, to turn hard brittle vinyl like this
0:15:29 > 0:15:32into soft, squeezy vinyl like this.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36That makes the PVC capable of being moulded into toys.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40It wasn't until 2005 that controls on the use of this compound
0:15:40 > 0:15:43were written into European Standards.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47And it's chemicals in toys that remain the biggest worry today.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49It's increased from the '60s
0:15:49 > 0:15:51where I think there were six or seven chemicals,
0:15:51 > 0:15:53to now we have thousands of chemicals
0:15:53 > 0:15:55that are restricted within toys.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59In fact by 2011 - the last time the standards were updated -
0:15:59 > 0:16:02it's fair to say they'd become pretty comprehensive.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04We did an exercise where we took a toy -
0:16:04 > 0:16:07it's quite a complicated toy, it's electronic and it moves.
0:16:07 > 0:16:12That had 2,500 separate pages of legislation that applied to it.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16So quite a significant change in 40 to 50 years
0:16:16 > 0:16:18to where we are today.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Since 1989, we've been able to check
0:16:21 > 0:16:24whether a toy that we buy meets or even exceeds
0:16:24 > 0:16:28strict European standards by looking for this symbol.
0:16:28 > 0:16:29The Lion mark.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33But although there've been huge advances in design and regulations,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36manufacturers can't always guarantee
0:16:36 > 0:16:40that every single toy on the market will be safe.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Maybe a mould has produced a sharp edge where it shouldn't
0:16:44 > 0:16:47because it's aged and worn. Maybe they've bought a batch of materials
0:16:47 > 0:16:51that doesn't conform with the latest restrictions on chemicals.
0:16:51 > 0:16:56When that happens, they will assess what toys have been affected,
0:16:56 > 0:16:59how many of those toys there are, where they went in the market -
0:16:59 > 0:17:01they need to know all that.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03And they'll contact those retailers and they'll put up notices
0:17:03 > 0:17:05and they'll try to get them back from customers.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08And then they'll go back to the standards
0:17:08 > 0:17:09to actually rectify the issue.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13These days, the big risk to our children's playtime
0:17:13 > 0:17:17comes from illegal toys that don't meet European standards.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Let's hope Trading Standards officers find them
0:17:20 > 0:17:22before our children do.
0:17:27 > 0:17:28Next, solar panels.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31They've long been available as a way to use the sun
0:17:31 > 0:17:34to generate electricity and hot water for your home.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38They help the environment and they can also help your finances as well.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40But which panels should you choose,
0:17:40 > 0:17:43and how long before they start to pay off?
0:17:43 > 0:17:47Well, here at the Building Research Establishment, they test them.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49So who better to ask than Peter White.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51Now solar panels can be expensive, can't they?
0:17:51 > 0:17:54- Are they worth it? - There's two sorts of solar panels.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56The solar water-heating panels needn't be expensive
0:17:56 > 0:17:58and they pay back very quickly.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01For the panels that generate electricity, solar PV panels,
0:18:01 > 0:18:03they do cost more to install, but because of the government
0:18:03 > 0:18:07feed-in tariff you can start to see a return after seven or eight years.
0:18:07 > 0:18:08After 20 years of that grant,
0:18:08 > 0:18:10you'll see a return on your investment of maybe 10%,
0:18:10 > 0:18:12better than a high street bank.
0:18:12 > 0:18:13How does the feed-in tariff work?
0:18:13 > 0:18:16The feed-in tariff is a government grant scheme.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19It pays you for the electricity you generate off your own roof,
0:18:19 > 0:18:20even if you use it all yourself.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23And if you generate a surplus which is fed back to the grid
0:18:23 > 0:18:25you get an extra payment as well.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29So solar panels can save you money. But are they suitable for anybody?
0:18:29 > 0:18:30If you've got a roof that faces north,
0:18:30 > 0:18:33then I'm sorry but solar panels are not going to really going to work.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36But if you've got a large south-facing roof, then yes,
0:18:36 > 0:18:37solar panels are going to save you money.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40It's important to point out that the panels need to be fitted
0:18:40 > 0:18:42by a registered installer so you can get the grant.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45But if you're planning to stay in a property for many years,
0:18:45 > 0:18:49then yes, the payback period, you're going to definitely see a benefit.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51And of course you'll get lower energy bills all that time as well.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53Peter White, thank you.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Back now to antiperspirant deodorants.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03Earlier, we put three stick products to the test
0:19:03 > 0:19:05over their invisibility claims.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08But what about the ones that promise to be long-lasting?
0:19:08 > 0:19:11Time we put those to the test as well.
0:19:13 > 0:19:18Yes, Sophie. For this test we've recruited two very brave volunteers.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22They're both fitness instructors at this sports centre in Huddersfield
0:19:22 > 0:19:25and they each do approximately the same amount of activity every day.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27This is the moment we told them
0:19:27 > 0:19:29that they wouldn't be able to shower for three days.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Oh, no! What?
0:19:32 > 0:19:37Oh, yes. You'd better hope these products live up to their claims.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39On his left armpit, Sean will be wearing
0:19:39 > 0:19:42Triple Dry 72-hour antiperspirant.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46And Adam will be wearing Right Guard Xtreme Fresh 72-hour antiperspirant.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49On their right armpit they'll apply the most standard
0:19:49 > 0:19:51mid-range product on the market we could find,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54which claims to only give 24-hour protection.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57Will the products claiming to last 72 hours
0:19:57 > 0:19:59in reality last two days longer
0:19:59 > 0:20:01than the product that only claims to last 24?
0:20:01 > 0:20:04- This is going to get smelly. - You bet!
0:20:04 > 0:20:08So fast forward just under 24 hours.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12It's almost been one day so we would expect both of the antiperspirants
0:20:12 > 0:20:14to be working after one day,
0:20:14 > 0:20:16so we'll see how they're doing, shall we?
0:20:16 > 0:20:18Rather you than me.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20No, that smells really good, really nice!
0:20:20 > 0:20:22And the long-lasting one as well.
0:20:22 > 0:20:23That smells great.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25You're smelling good, still.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27Fine.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30Good, no, you both smell great, can't smell anything.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32So it's still working.
0:20:32 > 0:20:33Next, the vapour meter test.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37This device measures the moisture that's evaporated from their skin.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39On their forearms they measure about 10,
0:20:39 > 0:20:41but let's see how their armpits are doing.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43Starting with Sean's 24-hour product.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45You have to wait 10 seconds.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47There we go...178.
0:20:47 > 0:20:48Eesh!
0:20:48 > 0:20:51So that's quite sweaty already.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55So let's try the 72-hour product to see how that's faring.
0:20:55 > 0:20:56Ready?
0:20:57 > 0:21:03163, so you are sweating under there, I'm afraid to say.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Next, Adam's 24-hour deodorant.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09Right, that's 211.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11That's a very high value.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14And what about the 72-hour deodorant?
0:21:15 > 0:21:21And it's 143, so it's high, but it could be higher, I think.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26At the end of the first day... it seems the longer-lasting products
0:21:26 > 0:21:29are working slightly better than the 24-hour product.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31But let's see how the antiperspirants are doing
0:21:31 > 0:21:34towards the end of the second day.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36Once again, all products are performing well on the smell front,
0:21:36 > 0:21:39even the 24-hour ones.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41You know, you smell fine actually,
0:21:41 > 0:21:45it's not too bad. Yeah, I thought it would be worse.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48But according to Dr Laura's moisture test, after two days
0:21:48 > 0:21:51the 24-hour deodorant is actually outdoing the 72-hour ones.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53Which is quite surprising, really.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57You'd expect them to be outperforming at under two days.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01Day three. The final day of the test.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04Will the deodorants which promise 72-hour protection
0:22:04 > 0:22:06still be going strong?
0:22:06 > 0:22:08So what we'll try first is the right side
0:22:08 > 0:22:10which is the 24-hour product.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14Now it's been nearly three days so it shouldn't still be working.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17So do you want to have a quick sniff and see how you smell?
0:22:17 > 0:22:18Yeah, will do...
0:22:20 > 0:22:23- Yeah, that's definitely ripe! - You can smell it? Right.
0:22:23 > 0:22:24OK, and what about your left side?
0:22:24 > 0:22:27That's the long-lasting antiperspirant. How does that smell?
0:22:29 > 0:22:31Not too bad, actually.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33So there is a difference between the two that you can smell.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35How about you? Let's try your right side.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37- Smells.- You can smell it?
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Yeah, I can smell it.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43- And your left side, the long-lasting?- Smells as well.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46So after three days the boys are starting to smell,
0:22:46 > 0:22:49at least under the armpit with the 24-hour protection.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51But we're about to make matters worse.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55How will they perform in what we're calling the ultra sweat test?
0:22:55 > 0:22:57Dr Laura weighs these four cotton pads
0:22:57 > 0:22:59and then tapes them under their armpits.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02They'll each do ten minutes of exercise.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04She then weighs the pads after they've finished.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07The more sweat, the less the antiperspirants are still working.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10First up, Sean, who's wearing the Triple Dry.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12You were sweating more on the side
0:23:12 > 0:23:14which was the long-lasting antiperspirant.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18But for Adam it's the opposite result.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20The 72-hour Right Guard was in fact stopping him
0:23:20 > 0:23:22sweating more than the 24-hour one.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25But overall, for both boys, there wasn't much in it.
0:23:25 > 0:23:26According to our one-off test,
0:23:26 > 0:23:31the 24-hour deodorants performed almost as well as the 72-hour ones.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33Triple Dry have told us their products undergo rigorous
0:23:33 > 0:23:37consumer and scientific testing that meet all relevant regulations
0:23:37 > 0:23:39and they are confident in their performance claims.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42Right Guard say they can't comment on the results of testing
0:23:42 > 0:23:44that does not meet industry standards.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46As for Sean and Adam, I think they would both agree.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48If you're a fitness instructor,
0:23:48 > 0:23:50whatever antiperspirant you're wearing,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53better not leave it three days before showering, hey, lads?
0:23:56 > 0:23:58Back now to second-hand tyres.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02Earlier we saw how Trading Standards Officers in the Midlands
0:24:02 > 0:24:06have been cracking down on garages selling illegal tyres
0:24:06 > 0:24:07and removing them from sale.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11It's time to find out just how hazardous they can be.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Potential dangers you find with part-worn tyres
0:24:14 > 0:24:16are if they don't comply with the legislation,
0:24:16 > 0:24:20Tyres can just explode, come straight off, cause fatalities.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24Brian and his colleagues have so far inspected three garages
0:24:24 > 0:24:26and found all of them selling problem tyres.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29That is an absolute potential killer,
0:24:29 > 0:24:31and the side wall has collapsed.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35So we've got cracking towards the edge of the tread,
0:24:35 > 0:24:37which is potentially catastrophic.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41If that went on the road the tyre would leak,
0:24:41 > 0:24:44and the nail would cause a blowout.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47They're now on their way to the last inspection of the day.
0:24:47 > 0:24:48Will it be four out of four?
0:24:48 > 0:24:50We've got some experts with us
0:24:50 > 0:24:52and we'd like to just have a look at your stock.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54Because we're looking for any defects or problems
0:24:54 > 0:24:57- that you might have missed when you were inspecting them.- OK.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03Sure enough, Brian spots a problem.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07One of the tyres on sale has been badly repaired after a puncture.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10To sell a tyre in that condition is illegal,
0:25:10 > 0:25:14because it doesn't conform to the British standards of repair.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16And none of the tyres on sale
0:25:16 > 0:25:21is labelled with the "part-worn tyre" label that's required by law.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24After a full day's inspection, all four garages visited
0:25:24 > 0:25:28were found to be selling a number of dangerous and illegal tyres.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31The team has reminded them of their duty to comply with the law
0:25:31 > 0:25:35and will be carrying out further spot checks in the future.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38We've examined round about 140 tyres,
0:25:38 > 0:25:41part-worn tyres that is,
0:25:41 > 0:25:45and there's been round about a third to 35%
0:25:45 > 0:25:48that have been structurally defective,
0:25:48 > 0:25:51and these are being fitted every day to people's vehicles.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54So just how dangerous can tyres
0:25:54 > 0:25:57like the ones found on sale in the Midlands be?
0:25:57 > 0:25:58To find out, we've come here,
0:25:58 > 0:26:01to the Motor Industry Research Association - MIRA -
0:26:01 > 0:26:04one of the world's largest independent testing grounds,
0:26:04 > 0:26:08where some defective tyres are going to be put through their paces.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13What we're going to show you today is exactly what could happen
0:26:13 > 0:26:18if you buy a part-worn tyre, so you will see the car handle
0:26:18 > 0:26:20in wet conditions, or not as the case may be,
0:26:20 > 0:26:24you'll see what will happen when one of those part-worn tyres fails.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28The man behind the wheel is Steve.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31The tyres that were seized all show serious damage.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33This could have a serious impact on the safety
0:26:33 > 0:26:35of whoever's driving the car at the time.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Two of them had bead damage, for example,
0:26:38 > 0:26:40and one had penetration damage.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43So any of these tyres could lead to a slow deflation on the car,
0:26:43 > 0:26:46you could be running with a low tyre pressure, or worse still,
0:26:46 > 0:26:49you could have rapid tyre deflation which is a serious safety issue.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52So the first test, Driving a car with low tyre pressure.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56Steve rigs this Ford Focus with four tyres he's lowered
0:26:56 > 0:26:59to around 12 psi below the recommended level.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01And he's ready to take it for a spin.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06So what we've got here is a car that's been simulated to have
0:27:06 > 0:27:09effectively part-worn tyres that have had a slow deflation
0:27:09 > 0:27:12and this is going to show the seriousness of the handling
0:27:12 > 0:27:15that might happen on a wet, slippery track like the one we've got here.
0:27:16 > 0:27:17Here he goes.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26The low tyre pressure has seriously affected Steve's ability
0:27:26 > 0:27:28to control the car.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32You can see the rear left tyre is wobbling on the rim,
0:27:32 > 0:27:34and the car is sliding all over the place.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37But there's worse to come.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40If you're running at low pressure and you make a sharp turn
0:27:40 > 0:27:42then the tyre can actually come off the rim.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44This is a very scary thing that's going to happen here,
0:27:44 > 0:27:46because you're going to lose all control of the vehicle.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48Don't worry, he's done this before.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52The car's going to slide forward, or maybe even spin,
0:27:52 > 0:27:55and what's actually going to be touching the road is the rim
0:27:55 > 0:27:57and not the tyre, and the rim has very little grip
0:27:57 > 0:27:59when it's actually on the road as opposed to the tyre.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01So this is a very serious condition.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10So here he goes. The pressure's low, the car's in a spin.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14And as predicted, the tyre comes off the rim.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20He's an experienced driver,
0:28:20 > 0:28:22he knew it was coming,
0:28:22 > 0:28:25and he was only travelling at 30mph.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29But travelling on a motorway at 70mph,
0:28:29 > 0:28:32the consequences could be devastating.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39If you want more information on the safety of products in your home
0:28:39 > 0:28:44you can go to our website...
0:28:47 > 0:28:48That's all for today.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50Thanks for watching.