Making the switch to eco cleaning

[mrsoutnumbered]

I'm trying to make a switch to a more eco friendly lifestyle and one of things I'm doing is replacing my cleaning products with more eco friendly ones as they run out.

I'm wondering a couple of things:

-What can I use to clean my kitchen sink? What will shift the tea stains that build up?

-what can I use to wipe the toilets clean? At the moment I use those flushable bathroom wipes, which I then put in the bin rather than flushing. I have 3 toilets on 3 floors so don't want to be lugging stuff up and down the stairs!

I make cleaning sprays. The one I use to wipe worktops etc is 50/50 water and vinegar with some essential oil (lemon or peppermint).

For the hob, sink etc, I mix equal amounts of hot vinegar and washing up liquid (cheap stuff in 5l containers), again with some essential oil. I spray in on and leave while I load the dishwasher and then wipe clean.

I have a Victorian ceramic sink that does stain easily. Every now and agin, I spray it with the vinegar/washing up liquid spray and then sprinkle over cheap cooking salt. Leave and then quick scrub.

For toilets, I use a vinegar/water mix - probably 3:1 - with a few drops of Zoflora. I spray and wipe with a cloth quite frequently. It makes a 'proper clean' with hot soapy water quick and easy. I do wash a lot of cloths (mostly cotton or bamboo) a week but just put them in a hot wash with other stuff. I also have some old tea towels that I've cut in half and use as toilet wipes.

Thank you! I have bought a 5l container of vinegar so will give some of these a whirl. So something abrasive like salt should shift the tea stains?

I am reluctant to use zoflora anymore. I do have some but once it's gone I don't want to buy any more.

Yes, I'm using up Zoflora. I've used it for years, but only use a few drops here and there. In another recipe that I saw for toilet cleaning spray, hydrogen peroxide was used. This is something else I try not to use - I keep it for cleaning up after pet accidents.

Yet another recipe advocated using tea tree and eucalyptus oils.

I find that the vinegar and washing up liquid spray cleans the sink well, but if it's been left longer than it should have been, salt and vinegar do remove stains - also rust and more from baking tins.

Astonish products - brilliant (and Leaping Bunny)
The paste will shift most stains on a hard surface but the tub needs to be resealed properly to ensure it doesn't dry out. They've also made it much smaller but still good enough value I reckon.
Toilet descaler tablets
Laundry detergents
Whole manner of cleaners
I like the Lemon Zesty Kitchen spray

And you know the tip about 'pour a an of Coke down the toilet to get rid of limescale' .... we had Coke from a pizza delivery , poured it down the loo.
It stained the limescale brown and didn't shift it .

What's wrong with hydrogen peroxide?

I have been using astonish, the brand cruelty free which is fantastic but are the products ecological?

Just came on to say unless your washing is only very lightly dirty I wouldn't recommend the ecoegg. I got one and was really disappointed, it didn't lift any the dirt off my young DD clothes although I'm sure it would be fine if you had older/no children's washing!

@Freddiesgirl yes I've heard the same feedback on the ecoegg!

I bought some Ecover and it is getting our school polo shirts up lovely and clean - they're always the dirtiest things we have!

I use this on everything - mirrors, sinks, toilets, oven, windows, kitchen surfaces, etc. It also works well as a car screen wash.

It cuts through grease and soap scum and is 100% natural. You dilute it 5x so works out quite economical. You also can select a scent.

www.allnaturalpet.co.uk/cleaners/general-household-cleaner

Bio-D products from Oxfam shops are very good, I started buying them after Ecover were taken over and all their products became highly scented, not in a good way. (I had bought Ecover since the 1980s.)

The pink stuff is brilliant. It’s like Cif but better and comes in a tub.

It’s endorsed by the nature watch foundation, non toxic vegetable oil based. I love it, very satisfying to clean with.

Check out a brand called Bio D. We've just switched over and they're great. The sanitiser spray doesn't smell particularly great, but gives brilliant results. (It smells a bit like Playdoh).

For the bathroom and proper cleaning of the kitchen, I just use Tesco Eco Active washing up liquid.

I tried making my own using water/lemon/vinegar/essential oils, but it was great but I simply don't have the time to be faffing around with it. When my kids are older, I hope to go back it.

Only things are still do are soaking whites in lemons to get them white again, and oil is a fanatic way to get things super shiny.

Bicarbonate of soda works on tea stains. Use cloths and wash them instead of using wipes. I use dishcloths that are no longer fit for washing up.

I tried making my own using water/lemon/vinegar/essential oils, but it was great but I simply don't have the time to be faffing around with it. When my kids are older, I hope to go back it.

I've made a lot of cleaning stuff including washing powder, and some of it takes a few minutes rather than one or two, but the vinegar sprays are a doddle.

If you buy a 5l container of vinegar, you can use in a few spray bottles (I keep some in the bathroom and some in the kitchen. Then decant some into an empty bottle to use neat (I've got a 1l bottle that I keep next to the washing machine to use instead of fabric conditioner.

What's left in the 5l container can be diluted ready to refill the spray bottles - I add a few drops of essential oil and shake.

Thank you all!

I shall investigate all your suggestions.

I have heard good things about pink stuff, so great news that it's eco. I'll see if I can find it nearby.

Eco-Eggs are ok for jumpers that need a very light/low temp wash and you don't want to be rinsing out soap.
I put the EcoEgg in a zipped net bag, if they open up mid cycle the machine is full of the pesky little beads .

I've been adding soda crsytals to my detergent drawer. You then don't need as much powder and it works wonders on whites.

A paste made out of bicarbonate of soda and water is great on stubborn stains and grout.

I've also ditched fabric conditioner, it's made zero difference to my washing and my machine is less clogged up.

Where can you get the pink stuff from? Most supermarkets? I’ve never seen it before.

@squiz81 yes I've switched to Ecover softener, it's not anywhere near as heavy but my clothes still feel lovely and soft. The only thing I'm missing is the scent. I understand that you only get that lasting scent from chemicals and I think I'll probably just get used to it!

Bio-D is one of my favourites. They score very highly with ethical consumer and it cleans brilliantly. We got a 5ltr bottle of their surface sanitiser keep topping up a spray bottle with it, it works a treat!

www.biggreensmile.com/products/bio-d-all-purpose-sanitiser-5l/bdmsp5l.aspx?productid=bdmsp5l

Does Ecover now do non scented stuff again?
The washing liquid and fab con I bought after the revamp were vile. Hence moving to Bio D, won't change back now.

I make my own multi purpose cleaner with liquid castille soap (buy in bulk on amazon) water, lemon and orange essential oils (both antibacterial) It's great in the kitchen and bathroom...just don't use on the floor as its a bugger to rinse off and makes for a very slippy floor!!

Use baking soda for scrubbing jobs; bath, sinks, toilets (kills odours too)

Vinegar for windows/mirrors

Hydrogen peroxide is perfectly fine to use!! It breaks down into harmless water and oxygen! Magic for stains on whites and soaking mops/cloths to kill germs