Budget eco recommendations

[Hazelnutlatteplease]

I was looking at switching to ecover dishwasher tabs the other day, only to find that Morrisons value dishwasher tabs already are oxygen bleach instead of chlorine bleach. I'm guessing they aren't as good as ecover but I'm not sure that justifies the difference in cost when you are on a budget.

The change to solid soaps is easily paying for itself, even with more expensive better soaps.

Soda crystals to clean.

Eco eggs for laundry!!!

Any other budget friendly switches people have found?

Reusable kitchen roll. It's fab and cleans well.

Ohh can I ask questions? I was wondering
about reusable kitchen roll!!
Do you pop in in the washing machine after use? We mostly use it for mopping up spillage. DS with SN will reach for kitchen roll over a dishcloth and use way more than he needs!!!, even for the most minor spills (we get a lot). It is a waste of kitchen roll. I've taken to not restocking it then he uses a tea towel which isn't the best but at least I can sling in the washing machine! Is it better than a tea towel? Can you do mucky jobs with it?

Oh, great thread. We are trying to be a bit more eco friendly on a budget. I've been used a tesco eco kitchen roll which is recycled. Haven't looked into reusable kitchen roll. Have to confess I do love kitchen roll!

We don't use kitchen roll - we ran out and I forgot to buy more. We have a couple of dozen dish clothes instead.

I use splosh for most cleaning stuff - I have to admit I haven't read the ingredients, I just like refills.

The ecover dishwasher tablets are rubbish, in my opinion. And they are individually wrapped in plastic!

I have just discovered Smol laundry pods and dishwasher tabs, they're really good and are a pretty reasonable price!

I buy kitchen roll but we don't use it much. I use dishcloths for wiping down surfaces and use cleaning cloths for other jobs. All washable.

Mooncup. It paid for itself within 3 months and no more disposable sanitary towels or tampons going into landfill or blocking up pipes.

My sister bought me some beeswax wraps which are good for using to cover bowls of things like leftover baked beans or for sandwiches. We've had them over a year and they're still good as new! You can't use them for meat though

Oh soooooo many questions!!!

Reusable kitchen roll is a bit of a con really.
Despite my enthusiasm, I had also wondered this. I'd do without but DD complains. It will be a tug of war over which I can tolerate less, the little squares of kitchen roll DS leaves or DD moaning when she'd rather use kitchen roll...

Good to know on the ecover.

Im doing a little happy dance! The ingredients on the smol dishwasher tabs are, almost exactly the same as the Morrisons value tabs too!!! The only difference is limonene in the value tabs which google says is ok.

Mooncups. Are a good point. Neither DD nor I can tolerate tampons so I'm guessing
mooncups would be the same? We tried generic reusable towels from Amazon but they were rubbish. I was reluctant to spend too much on then in case they were all rubbish but I fear if you dont spend hit might as well not bother. Any recommendations for an alternative option or brand that might work?

Everyone seems to love beeswax wraps bar us!! What are we doing wrong? The ones we had stuck to the sandwich and DD rebelled cos she could taste the wax. I also couldn't get them clean. We still use one on parmesan but otherwise they've been a bit of a dud. Due to various SN I generally end up carrying all the lunches on the wheelchair, so anything I use has to be compact and lightweight, boxes are out.

Also I have a 1000ml stainless water bottle with a sports cap, but the sports cap makes a horrible noise when you drink from it. Otherwise I love it, its beautiful. DD would like similar but the noisy drinking it putting her off. Are they all like that?

Also does anyone have a eco friendly round about 1000ml bottle that fits neatly in the fridge? Ideally lid attached somehow or sport bottle style. DS takes medicine in 2 juice bottles I prep in the morning and he helps himself to during the day. When his current plastic bottles die (they are getting very old) I'd like to replace with something more eco friendly. The stainless steel ones are huge!

Reusable silicone lids in lots of sizes was a better solution for us than oilcloth.

I use the period pants from cheeky wipes. Found them more comfy that pads especially over night

Surely reusable kitchen roll is just flannels?

YY to Smol
We use BioD (made in uk) cleaning stuff for everything else, and buy the big bottles and top up a single little bottle.

See if you can get milk (and juice) delivered on glass bottles.

Period pants are great. We have some from Modibodi. Expensive to buy but pay for themselves after a few months.
I use a silicone sheet instead of foil for baking. Also replaces baking parchment for things like biscuits.
I don't like the clanking of metal bottles either. You can get some nice containers and cups in bamboo which have a lovely tactile quality.

Smol and 'budget' do not belong in the same sentence, and there's a lot of greenwash with them. The dishwasher tablets come in several layers of cardboard (it's a bugger to open, design disaster) and there's also the transport overhead due to the postage of small quantities.

Aldi sell dishwasher tablets with oxygen bleach, packed in one layer of cardboard. At less than half the Smol price. Just because the Smol tablets have a soluble plastic wrap, don't be fooled.

We don't use kitchen roll, just tea towels. We have a stash of old, stained ones for mucker jobs. I use loose washing powder and only put a small am5in. Washing is still perfectly clean.

Smol has the same ingredients at Morrisons saver dishwasher tabs.

We did have a milk delivery but the whole milk (which DS needs for medical purposes) was going off pretty much by the end of the day during the summer and delivery was only 3 times a week. It was also about 4 times the cost so I have trouble justifying the cost. Has anyone else had this problem?

Well try out the cheeky pants ad mobodi. Definitely the right time while were stuck at home

Surely reusable kitchen roll is just flannels?
I did wonder.....

I do know what you mean about greenwashing, PP. Where I live I'm fairly limited with shops and I don't drive, so having things delivered works well for me.

I'm thinking about making my own daily shower spray. I live in a hard water area and if I dont use it my shower looks awful. Have considered a squeegee thing but I know DH wont bother to use it. Anyone make anything like that at home?

@Nix2020

I use the period pants from cheeky wipes. Found them more comfy that pads especially over night

One hundred percent agree

If you're after budget period pants, I think Sainsbury's do an own brand line.

I have an organicup that does the job well in combination with reusable liners from Amazon. Can't stand tampons now with their fluffy bits drying out my insides...

Anyway for sandwiches obviously it depends on what you like in them but could you wrap in a tea towel/one of those cloth reusable bags then place in a waterproof bag if necessary?

That's really interesting thank you!

I use an old bread bag for sandwiches.
Sanitary towels - I've had mine for ages. Just googled how to make your own. I might try it!

I use the re-usable kitchen roll and I like it. I do have quite a lot of old cloths as well, but I find that the kitchen roll gives me a decent volume of cloths that are the same size. I just chuck them in the washing machine with everything else as and when I do washing, and I always have plenty to hand. I can get a lot of washes out of each one (I use the bamboo ones) before they start shredding - which they do eventually do.

For milk an insulated milk caddy stops it going off, freezing, or the birds drinking it before you get to it! Our delivery is at 2am and no issues now.

Solid shampoo bar from Yorkshire Soap Company are great and last me long enough to be budget. Havent found a conditioner bar that works yet.

White vinegar/lemon juice for cleaning and descaling easily bought in glass cheaply. Soda crystals and bicarbonate in bulk packs.

I'd like to know about budget electric toothbrush head and toothpaste options.