Washes at 40 degrees and below can be a breeding ground for bacteria, but one way to clean your washing machine monthly, without much effort, is to run a hot cycle with no clothes or detergent in the machine. How much are washing machine cleaners? Live more sustainably - get our free Sustainability newsletter to make changes for you and the planet Once a fringe ethical phenomenon, more and more shops and companies are now offering refills. And it’s not just health food shops, alternative supermarkets and zero waste stores. Refill only brands

The Essex House Dolly has researched many products in her time, and there's one that stands out as her firm favourite. Those whose entire product range was certified as cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny were Astonish, ATTITUDE, Bio-D, ecoleaf, Ecozone, Fill Refill, Sodasan and Greenscents. In October 2015, the UK Government banned the testing of ‘finished’ household products on animals and introduced a ‘qualified ban’ on testing the ingredients on animals. But it’ll make little difference to animal welfare. This is because no animals have been used for testing ‘finished’ household products in the UK since 2010. It’s usually the ingredients not the ‘finished’ products that are tested on animals. Greenscents was certified as palm oil free by the International Palm Oil Free Certification Trademark POFCAP. Shift a build-up of trapped grease and debris from your kitchen sink, bathroom basin, bath, or shower waste pipes by pouring a mug of crystals down the plughole. Flush through with hot water. 2. SMELLY WASHING MACHINEDoes it contain toxics?The long and complex ingredients lists of householdproducts often include toxic chemicals. These are bad for the environment as well as health. The best companies will have clear policies against the use of toxic chemicals such as triclosan, parabens or phthalates. Supermarket shelves are full of rows and rows of different cleaners for different household jobs, all seemingly with different formulations specially devised for the job, but in reality, most cleaners contain the same basic ingredients.

Depending on the level of staining or dirt on your stainless steel pots and pans, there are various methods that will work to get your cookware clean again. Two of the best are vinegar and baking soda. For treating discolouration, vinegar works wonders either as a spray-on and wipe-clean solution, or when added to boiling water containing your pan. Baking soda is great for removing burnt-on stains and can be applied as a paste mixed with water or, for tougher stains, added to a pan of boiling water containing your pan. These methods are mentioned in more details in the article above. This guide covers all-purpose, kitchen, bathroom, oven, carpet and floor cleaners, disinfectant and bleach brands. There is a separate guide to Toilet Cleaners. Scrape plates Make sure you remove food residue from your plates, bowls and utensils before you put them in the sink. White Vinegar: Simply made from the fermentation of ethanol, vinegar is a mild acid that cuts through grease and disinfects by killing many types of bacteria. We also offer retail jars of sweets and boxes of bars of chocolate including all the Great British chocolates found in the UK, Cadbury and Nestle.

How much are washing machine cleaners?

We've done all the hard work for you in this round-up of the best washing machine cleaners available by consulting a cleaning expert with years of experience, The Essex House Dolly. How to clean your washing machine, according to an expert Several others ( Bio-D, Fill Refill, Miniml, SESI, Sodasan, and Splosh) scored our best rating for stating that all of their palm ingredients, including derivatives, were certified by the RSPO. Now for the drum. Once a week, Nicola will pour two cups of distilled white wine vinegar and one cup of baking soda directly into the drum before giving it a good scrub.

The next morning, lift off soda mixture and grime; rinse surfaces well (gloves are recommended as washing soda may irritate skin). SESI, Fill Refill and Miniml have wide networks of refill stations, and Fill Refill and Miniml sell directly to consumers too. Splosh send concentrated refill pouches (which you can return to them for recycling) in the post. All of these companies were awarded a positive Company Ethos mark for their focus on refills. Bulk-buying Ovens: To clean extra-greasy ovens, mix together 1 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup of washing soda, then add enough water to make a paste; apply the paste to oven surfaces and let soak overnight.

You can also look for bulk containers made from recycled plastics such as Bio-D’s 5 litre bottles or other innovative solutions such as Greenscents’ biopolymer bottles made from sugar cane waste. If you notice a smell coming from your washing machine or your 'clean' clothes, that's a sign you should probably give your washing machine a clean. Eco-Max – 1 litre plastic bottles and 4 litre refill containers. Also sells concentrate - 1 litre of floor and surface cleaner makes 90 litres. But how do you use this magical washing machine cleaner? All you need to do is put the washing machine on an empty 60-degree cycle for around half an hour to thoroughly clean it. Is limescale build-up a real issue for you? Calgon is excellent at breaking down limescale residue.

Promisingly, we have found a number of alternative products that offer a completely plastic-free solution to your dishwashing needs. For a real taste of home, browse our Puddings and Desserts section and get tempted by all of the delicious food that you could have delivered to your door. Remember Angel Delight? Nothing could taste more nostalgic than this lovely whipped dessert and we sell so many different flavours! Ambrosia Devon Custard is another family favourite along with Ambrosia Semolina, Ambrosia Creamed Rice, Ambrosia Rice Pudding and Ambrosia Tapioca (remember that from school lunches?!). For that special occasion you will probably do what we do in the UK and go to your higher end supermarket to get that lovely treat to make your day. We recommend the fabulous Marks and Spencer Salted Caramel Sauce to add that special something to your ice cream or their White Chocolate Fudge Sauce - a real favourite of our grandchildren! Waitrose too can offer you those sweet treats - try their Seriously Chocolatey Dipping Sauce which is simply heavenly!Great tea PG tips, Tetly. Yorkshire and supermarket brands from Marks and Spencer, Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsbury. The final step is running the hottest cycle your machine can muster, and giving the outside of your machine a good wipe. A recent Which? report (May 2021) stated that large bottles of household cleaning products used 47% less plastic and needed less space to be transported. Borax substitute: The EU has reclassified the ‘Borate’ group of chemicals that borax belongs to, so it is no longer available as a cleaning and laundry product. Dri-Pak now make borax substitute which is a mineral compound, with the perfect pH for cleaning, and is gentler than Soda Crystals yet stronger than Bicarbonate of Soda.