I'm a little bit of an eco-warrior on the sly. I use environmentally friendly washing detergent and conditioner, washing-up liquid and dishwasher tablets. And before anyone points out the dishwasher elephant in the room, they use less water than washing by hand. I refuse to use the tumble dryer except in case of dire emergencies, everything gets dried on the line or airers.
When I was asked by Ecoforce if I would like to review some of their household cleaning products, I was more than happy to accept. I was sent a variety of sponges, brushes, dusters and clothes to trial.
One of my favourite items out of the above is the Dishmatic. It's a washing-up brush with a scrubbing brush on the end. It's refillable with washing-up liquid and comes with replaceable sponge attachments. But the best bit about the whole thing is that it is made from at least 90% recycled products, as are all the items in the range. My other favourites are the recycled pegs and basket, again made from 93% recycled plastic and has no metal parts to rust or to stain clothes. They have a clever plastic hinge in them which grips the clothes tightly against even the nastiest winds at the moment.
EcoForce is available in Oxfan, Homebase, B&Q and online directly.
Competition:
However, one lucky reader of TheBoyandMe can win £50 worth of cleaning products courtesy of EcoForce. Simply fill in the Rafflecopter form below to be in with a chance of winning.
As well as your comments, we use white vinegar in a spray bottle for cleaning & disinfecting.
I do sometimes use the dryer, with dryer balls to cut down the time required. We also have an energy efficient dehumidifier in the utility room – actually quicker than the dryer too.
Overall, we're more careful about the products we choose to use as we're more conscious of what's going back into the environment. We are also trading elbow grease over using too much electricity. The dryer and dishwasher are used rarely 🙂
We have started using nature to discourage bugs in the garden, marigolds to get rid of blackfly, egg shells instead of slug pellets, we are also growing a lot more fruit and veg ourselves, apple trees, raspberry canes, and all the usuals, less packaging (obv) less travel.
Showers are now timed and we also switched to a water meter. We have also switched to gas and electric meters as our direct debits (monthly) had gone sky high (didn't owe anything though). The amount we now put on has HALVED, and gas is now building up, i think seeing the cash draining has made us much more mindful. xx
I try to use natural products in all my cleaning – white vinegar, lemon etc and try to avoid the tumble dryer whenever possible. It's a little thing, but I'm also looking into a rechargeable vacuum cleaner (it's only a little house) to avoid using electricity every time I want a clean carpet!
I have used a couple of these products and must say they are FAB! Would love to win some more and try the whole range 🙂
Who said you can't get excited about cleaning!!!
Not sure what I do other than use dryer balls in the tumble dryer to cut drying time.
Water plants with the washing up water.
I am a recycling queen and will reuse anything that I can. I also always reuse left overs
ive started using an ecoegg to do my washing instead of washing powder 🙂
I recycle, use water butt and make my own fertiliser and bone meal for the plants in the garden.
I am cleaning my windows with clear water and polish them using old newspapers – makes them really shiny…
We use white vinegar for a lot of cleaning jobs
also we very rarely use the tumble dire, but hang the washing out whenever possible
Never wasting any cleaning products and making everything last.
I sometimes use natural products such as lemon juice and white vinegar.
Great comp
@clairelouise82
Just try to use a wet cloth 1st to clean instead of spraying everything with chemicals. Use that long forgotten, 100% environmental friendly chemical called elbow grease.
When washing up by hand I fill the sink up with soapy water rather than wash under a running tap.
ummmmm…..only cleaning up when it get really messy. does that count? i think it does lol. hey, the hoover uses LOADS of electricity. i grow veg and have a rain butt & put the washing up water on the potatoes. i use method cleaners they are great and smell lovely too.
I recycle in and outside the house. Inside I'm always 'filtering' containers and find myself thinking about substances I'm using. Bicarb of soda has suddenly become very useful around the house!
Outside we have an allotment and so many things are reused on the plot to cut cost and waste, its quite easy with a little imagination.
I use an eco egg for my washing!
i dont buy any chemicals except white vinigar and lemon good for stains
I use cola for tough stains on cooking pans, leave it soak for an hour and the fizz brings the stain right out.
I use Ecover washing-up liquid. Would like to try Ecoforce! I use vinegar a lot to clean and get rid of limescale – its more effective too! I use a low temperature and short cycle for washing and don't own a tumble dryer! x
We use a dishmatic, recycled toilet paper, Eco friendly bin bags and we recycle EVERYTHING! 🙂 Such a great giveaway with a fabulous message to spread 🙂
I use fresh lemon juice to clean my shower head, its the best thing ever! Just pop it in a bag, ok a plastic bag, but a bowl of something big & deep enough will do, squueze the lemon & pour into the shower head, cover of seal & forget for the afternoon, when you go back & rinse all the goop the blocks the shower has come loose & you can rinse it away, I usually give it a bit of a scrub before the first rince with a nail brush incase their is any stubborn bits. This I have found works better than anything on the market & you are only using lemon juice which is brill!
I often use homemade cleaning products using tips and advice from the internet. It's amazing what you can clean with vinegar or lemon juice 🙂
I use environmentally friendly cleaning products. Recycle everything we can and just generally try not to waste water and energy.
I probably dont apart from not using my tumble dryer ( it fills a gap under my cupboard but thats about its only use) we wash up once a day not 3 times…dont know if that is laziness or planet friendly
I try to use only eco friendly cleaners, with a toddler that has the silliest ideas, I dont want him to touch or even lick any harsh chemical residues. I'm also waiting for my EcoEgg (for washing) to be delivered, so excited how thats going to turn out 🙂
I try to use natural products for cleaning like white vinegar, lemon juice and bicarbonate of soda. Also cut down on using the spin dryer.
we bought a steamer so we didn't have to use cleaning products on all the floors
Not much I'm afraid but I do recycle as much as I can!
Not so much a conscious eco friendly choice, as a happy knock-on effect of my allergies. We don't use aerosols, at all. I get crazy asthma-like symptoms from aerosols, so we boycott them. Great for my environment AND the planet too though xx
We recycle all our household waste and I have never had a tumble drier.
I use an EcoEgg to do my washing, it's brilliant!
I use the washing up water to water my plants and use lemon juice where I'm able for a really shiny finish. I rarely use my tumble dryer now either.
I never use a dryer and always make sure the washing machine is full and used on the lowest temperature.
even in winter out goes my washing, always conserve water and never pull the chain at night
i use old worn out clothes for dusters and cleaning cloths ,newspaper for cleaning windows and reuse non reusable hoover bags :0)
I recycle also I using baking powder for cleaning the over and vinegar for the windows
I take the dishes into the shower with me.
Thank you for the giveaway! I got rid of my dryer and now use the washing line or drying racks to dry washing. I also got rid of my dishwasher, I also use a few home made alternative cleaning solutions such as white vinegar, lemon juice and bicarbonate of soda – which all work just as well as the bought brands!
If I have a shampoo/bubble bath/shower gel I no longer use, I dispense it into a handwash container and no one is any the wiser. I also use cheap baby wipes for cleaning dirty surfaces and buff up with a dry cloth. Face pack? Runny brown honey on your face whilst laying in a warm bath, just don't let it drip into your eyes – tastes nice though – lol!
I buy/use as many eco products as i can.
I hang clothes on a line and use eco cleaning products
I use old stained baby clothes as cleaning cloths and I sewed the bottom of an old baby t-shirt up and using an old baby coat hanger made a peg bag. I always try and donate out grown clothes to charity shop and use the ones that are not suitable for rags.
No tumble drying, quick wash for things that aren't dirty but just need freshening up and sweeping the floors rather than vacuum to save electricity (no coal-fired power stations).
Use old clothes as dusters.
I use natural products like vinegar and bicarb. Vinegar works amazing for all kinds of things, especially as a limescale remover!
Separate all my tins from my plastic! I also use a clothes line and use my dish water to feed my plants!
i try and use hot water and steam to clean things rather than special liquids.
I use eco cleaning products instead of harsh chemicals and I also use microfibre cloths now instead of kitchen towel to clean surfaces with. I dry my clothes on an airer instead of using the tumble drier and I only run the washing machine on an eco wash setting.
Descale around bath/sink taps with vinegar. A tbsp vinegar to a mixing bowl of water, rinse out a cloth in it. Wrap cloth around tap if really caked up with limescale. Leave to soak. Then, rub around all taps and basinl. Rinse.
I always use vinegar and newspapers to clean my windows:)
I use a variety of 'e-cloths' which are made from special fibres. There are good ones for general cleaning, glass cloths and polishing cloths. You need a lot less cleaning solution often just water is enough and they can be washed time and again. Very environmentally friendly.
I use eco cloths to clean my windows.
I use baking soda cleaning around the kitchen
I don't use tumble dryer, for cleaning I use vinegar or other eco products.
I recycle as much as possible
I pour left over hot water from the kettle into the sink for washing up and I buy environmentally friendly cleaning products wherever they are an option. I also would never dream of owning a tumble drier as I think, if you are organised, you can manage OK without one.
We recycle everything & our council is great for taking nearly everything you can think of. I us the washing up water to water my plants.
Cleaning? – um, vinegar for descaling, no products with antibiotics added, just hot water & basic cleaners. Don't own a tumbledrier.
We don't use cleaners, we use microfibre cloths instead.
I use bicarbonate of soda for freshening carpets, soda crystals for cleaning drains and oven shelves (Better than any chemical product), white vinegar for glass and lemon for chopping boards
My husband sweeps the floors with a broom instead of using a electrical hoover and I dust using no aerosol spray polish. Just a slightly damp cloth with lemon oil on it.
We use white vinegar for lots of things, including cleaning out the washing machine, descaling the taps and we spritz it on the garden flowers to stop the cats digging them up ;D
Try not to use many products all, use microfiber clothes and use what we have
Recycle everything and only use the dryer when really necessary
Use a lot of white vinegar for cleaning window and used as a softner for my washing
I always recycle everything but also use Ecoforce cleaning products. I particularly love the window cleaner
I have tried to use more natural products, and reuse things eg old lemon for cleaner mixed with bicarb of soda.
we recycle everything 🙂
I recycle, use newspaper and vinegar to clean mirrors, and lemon juice to clean tarnished brass.
I use vinegar to clean the hob
I use natural and green products for pretty much everything I clean. Mainly bicarb and vinegar but do use some eco-friendly washing up liquid.
I recycle everything. Its all rinsed in the used washing up water so no water wastage. I even take paper labels off tin cans and recycle them separately! All recycling that isn't collected we take on foot to the collection bins in the supermarket car park. We also have a composter in the garden which is really good for all our fruit and veg waste.
We collect rain water for gardening. Use as many home cleaning products such as vinegar, lemon juice, baking powder etc wherever possible
I use microfibre cloths for most of my cleaning nowadays – they are far more effective and environmentally friendly.
We try and use natural products whenever we can – its amazing what bicarb and vinegar can do! xoxo
I always try to use natural ingredients to clean with where possible – lemon, white vinegar as a disinfectant and glass cleaner, bicarbonate of soda. I rinse pots in a little cold water too.
I borrow my MIL steam cleaner to clean my oven. It saves using the usual horrible oven cleaners.
I recycle and have a compost heap. Bicarb of soda and white vinegar are used here too xx
I have started using more environmentally friendly cleaning products and only do a wash when there's a full load and at 30 degrees
I use white vinegar to clean windows and glass x
I love the smell of lemon and I always clean my copper bottomed jam pan with lemon juice.
Hi, To be greener I try and skip chemicals and use steam power to clean, or natural products like lemons or vinegar to clean. For EG to clean microwave I put lemon slices or the remains of a squeezed lemon in boiling water in a bowl, bung in microwave and heat for a minute or 2 and then I can just wipe the microwave clean with no products. I use washable microfibre cloths rather than disposables too. Also I recycle.
i always line dry my washing, only using the tumble dryer very occasionally
I like too use vinegar, salts and lemon at any opportunity!
Recycle as much as possible – whether to Women's Aid, Charity shops, Council Recycle or find another use within the house. Cut down on the use of electricity as much as possible.
i use alot of homemade items for my cleaning, like lemon juice, vinegar etc, xx
I only use the tumble dryer when absolutely necessary, never put on the washing machine unless it's full, and try to make products last i.e. only use a small amount and don't throw to the recycling bin if not empty. I also recycle containers when possible.
We try and use natural cleaning products where possible and try to keep on top of cleaning so only a little amount of detergent is required to clean
I started using vinegar for household cleaning..after reading a book on it. Have got to say, they have exceeded my expectations..#
I try to use natural products to clean – like bicarbonate of soda and vinegar – whenever possible.
We are currently using soap nuts as our washing detergent – they are fantastic !! Not only are they extremely cost effective – they are environmentally friendly to boot xxx
feeding my plants with water used in cleaning
We don't use a dishwasher or tumble dryer and make sure we recycle as much as possible
i use natural products . recycle most things and only put heating on when urgent x
I recycle and use rain water a lot for cleaning.
I recycle all i can and try and use less harmful cleaning products
I hang all my washing out to dry outside to save using lots of electric on a tumble dryer. I also wash at low temperatures and if it's a sunny day I barely spin the washing to save more energy, it will dry outside anyway.
Using the dish water to pour over my roses to keep the green fly at bay!
I have been using white vinegar and lemon juice for cleaning with some great results.
We use things out of the cupboards like lemon juice and bicarbonate of soda to clean instead of buying expensive cleaning products. Works out much cheaper and so good for the environment.
I have recently started my own small business doing home services, one of these services is cleaning. I take my own cleaning gear around which is home made items and eco friendly ones. Although my customers say i can use their goods i like to show them what simple things around the house can be used for cleaning, Newspaper and vinegar for windows, flat coke for ovens, bicarb for pots and pans vinegar too, Some of them have converted and the rest i am working on 😉
We use white vinegar for cleaning, and screwed up old newspaper for cleaning our windows. I only use the tumbe dryer if it is raining and the washing cannot wait. We have a compost heap and a water butt, I use the water from this to clean the car as well as watering plants.
I try to use natural substances to clean like vinegar,lemon juice and try not to waste too much water.
I try to use only small amounts of any cleaning products. I also collect the water that runs from the hot tap before it gets hot(!) to water houseplants.
I top up my antibac spray with water when it gets a bit low. I use old clothes as dishcloths.
Trying out homemade cleaning products and not overusing / wasting the store bought products.
We always recycle as much as possible and we have just started our own compost bin.
try not to use too many chemicals and recycle most food, paper etc
i use ecover products when possible so would love to try Ecoforce.