It’s that time of year we give our homes a good spring clean. Unfortunately, cleaning tends to equate to plastic waste, be that in the form of synthetic sponges, cleaning wipes, or bottles of bleach. This doesn’t have to be the case! Read on for plastic-free cleaning tips for each room of your house.
Kitchen
Washing up
Instead of purchasing new bottles of washing up liquid, have you considered refilling the same bottle? It may not be possible during lockdown, but it’s worth checking if a local shop offers washing up liquid refills for the future.
Or, you could switch your washing up liquid for a washing up bar. We swear by Planet Detox’s Dish Wash Bar. Pair it with a plastic-free kitchen sponge to finish off your new routine! Try a sponge made from coir (found in coconuts) when you need something a little scrubbier.
Shop: Planet Detox’s Dish Wash Bar
Shop: Plastic-free kitchen sponge
Shop: EcoCoconut’s Dish Brush
Surfaces
Break down grease and grime on kitchen surfaces with Mangle & Wringer’s Kitchen Cleanser. It’s our favourite way to clean the kitchen. It has a slightly gritty texture, which effectively lifts food residue from places like the hob. Plus, the cleanser is 100% natural and scented with rosemary and eucalyptus — not only does it smell lovely, it is far better for your lungs.
Shop: Mangle & Wringer’s Kitchen Cleanser (over 10% off)
Instead of reaching for kitchen roll to mop up spills, how about using old tea towels? You could cut them into quarters to create reusable kitchen towels. Or, treat yourself to a pack of Tabitha Eve’s Reusable Surface Wipes.
Shop: Tabitha Eve’s Reusable Surface Wipes
Read more: Zero-waste kitchen tips
Kettle
Prepare to be amazed. Not only does this method remove limescale, it leaves the inside of your kettle sparklingly clean.
Method:
- Mix 30ml of lemon juice (approximately half a lemon) with 500ml of water.
- Pour the mixture into your kettle and leave for an hour, then boil.
- Pour the mixture out to reveal a good-as-new kettle!
Give the inside of your kettle a brush to remove stubborn bits of scale if needed.
Read more: 9 DIY cleaning hacks
Bathroom
Loo
Sprinkle a cup of baking soda, a quarter cup of white vinegar, and 10 drops of tea tree oil into your toilet bowl, let it sit overnight, and then scrub and flush in the morning. White vinegar is a natural disinfectant and deodoriser, baking soda is an abrasive scouring agent, and tea tree oil possesses antibacterial properties.
Alternatively, you can buy plastic-free toilet cleaners, which look like bath bombs for your loo! Try a pack in this month’s Shorebox.
Subscribe: Try plastic-free toilet cleaners in this month’s Shorebox
Limescale
We’re not suggesting that you buy lemons just for cleaning, but if you’ve got one spare, rub it directly onto limescale and scrub with a compostable cloth or old toothbrush. See our before and after results below! You can also use lemon juice to polish chrome finishings.
For those times when you haven’t got a lemon to hand, try Ocean Saver’s Pomegranate Bathroom Descaler. It comes in the form of a small pod, which you dissolve in water in a reused spray bottle to create your own cleaning spray.
Shop: Ocean Saver’s Pomegranate Bathroom Descaler
Surfaces
If you’re looking to give your bathroom a quick wipe down, Ocean Saver’s Lavender Multi Purpose Spray is great for sprucing up bathrooms, or any surface around your house.
Shop: Ocean Saver’s Lavender Multi Purpose Spray
Laundry room
Soap nuts are dried fruit shells that contain a natural detergent called “saponin”. This detergent is released in warm water, which makes soap nuts an excellent zero-waste laundry detergent!
Simply place several soap nuts into a muslin bag, throw it in with your laundry, and wash as normal. You can reuse the same bag of shells up to four times, so the cost per wash is a bargain! Best of all, you can compost them at home when they’re finished.
Soap nuts don’t leave a scent, so you can add a few drops of essential oil to the muslin bag to gently scent your clothes.
Shop here: Sample pack or full-size pack of soap nuts
Around the house
Glass
No longer waste money on expensive glass cleaners — this simple homemade recipe is extremely effective! Mix one part white vinegar with four parts water in a reused spray bottle. Spray onto glass and buff with an old towel for sparkling, streak-free results!
Drains
White vinegar and baking soda can pretty much do it all — including unblock your drains.
Method:
- Pour a kettle-full of boiling water down the drain.
- Pour 1 cup of baking soda down the drain and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Pour 1 cup of white vinegar down the drain and let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Pour a kettle-full of boiling water down the drain.
Oh hello! Just a quick note to say, we’re an eco-friendly subscription box helping our subscribers reduce plastic waste step-by-step. If that sounds exciting, enjoy 10% off your first box today with the code FIRSTBOX. That’s all for now, cheerio.
