Greener Ways to Wash (and dry) the Dishes

Greenscents Washing Up Liquid is sold in glass bottles that you can send back for washing and refilling (there are also natural scented versions, but the unscented is ideal for pregnancy/nursing and washing baby/pet bowls).

Fruit and Veg Wash is ideal to remove pesticides, bacteria, dirt and wax (did you know that most non-organic apples are covered in shellac insects, to make them shiny?) This gentle formula helps reduce exposure to listeria, E.coli and salmonella.

Perfect for fruits, leafy greens, berries and salad veg (cantaloupe melon is high salmonella risk, so use separate tools and store separately from other foods).

• Use unscented products for pregnancy/nursing, baby and pet bowls. Citrus oils in particular are toxic to pets (even if rinsed and dried, residue could be licked from paws). 
• Replace chlorine bleach with natural oxygen bleach to remove tea/coffee cup stains. never mix any kind of bleach with acid (lemon or cleaning vinegar) as it causes toxic gas.
• Don’t pour plant-based liqueurs down the drain. They should be treated like oil (wrap and bin small amounts or use an oil recycling bin for larger amounts. Or better yet, just drink them up!

You can recycle empty toxic cleaning bottles at kerbside (for bottles with product, dispose of at your council’s hazardous waste department).

Greenscents (organic dishwasher powder in paper bags)

Millions of people these days use dishwashers, and yet most dishwasher powders are full of toxic ingredients, and so-called ‘biodegradable pouches’ usually aren’t, due to containing PLA (a plastic).

Greenscents Dishwasher Powder is an organic alternative sold in a brown paper bag (you can remove and recycle the plastic seal separately. It uses a blend of natural botanicals and probiotics for powerful cleaning. It’s free from palm oil, vegan and not tested on animals.

• Remove food waste from dishes, and stack dishwasher as usual. Then add 1 heaped teaspoon of powder to the soap dispenser, and close the compartment. Run on preferred cycle. One pouch should last 30 washes.
• For hard water areas, fill the rinse aid compartment with cleaning vinegar (no need to add dishwasher salt which has environmental impacts) to prevent limescale build-up.
• Due to the natural formulation, performance may depend on your machine, cycle type or water hardness. Email the company who is happy to help, with any queries on eco settings etc.

Miniml (refillable) Eco Dishwasher Rinse Aid

Miniml Eco Dishwasher Rinse Aid is the ideal swap to keep on hand, to leave your dishes squeaky-clean and streak-free ((including for restaurants and hotels). Made with biodegradable ingredients (including Yorkshire water – even scents are naturally derived), these are vegan-friendly and not tested on animals, and sold in bottles that you can send back to be refilled.

This Rinse Aid is concentrated, so a little goes a long way. At end of use, you can get the bottles refilled at stores that sell them, or use the QR code to send off empty bottles for refilling, and return.

The starter bottle is 500ml, and the refill bottles will last you ages! To use, fill the rinse aid reservoir of your dishwasher, and follow the machine manufacturer’s guidelines. Check the level of rinse aid regularly. Also suitable for cabinet washers and combi ovens.

A set of organic cotton textured dish cloths

These textured cotton dishcloths are super-stylish, sold in a pack of three (cobalt, green, red or citrus). The texture of the stitching, means these are great for all cleaning jobs. Sold with an easy-to-recycle card belly band. Machine-washable (do not tumble dry).

Design in London by a small woman-owned company, 5% of annual profits are donated to a charity that helps refugees and displaced people, during their greatest time of need. Ethically produced in Indian, and shipped to England by sea.

Battle Green’s Swedish Dishcloths (hold 15 times water weight)

Swedish dishcloths were indeed first used in Sweden (over 30 years ago). They basically are quality dish cloths (which can also be used for cleaning). Unlike microfiber cloths, these are free from microplastics so at end of use, you can cut them up and compost, or just bin to naturally break down.

Battle Green Swedish dishcloths are made from cellulose (wood pulp) and cotton. They are in various pretty designs, all highlighting ocean species (whales, sea turtles and gulls) that are mostly affected by plastic pollution. You can wash these in the top rack of your dishwasher.

These reusable Swedish dishcloths from Dundee are sold in packs of 4 (so you don’t end up doing your washing-up with the cloth used for toilets!) Each cloth can hold up to 15 times its weight in liquid.

Dundee is known as the city of ‘jute, jam and journalism’, as its economy was based on jute production, fruit preserves and publishing. It’s also (would you believe this?) the sunniest city in Scotland!

There are only two seasons in Scotland. June and winter. Billy Connelly

A Stainless Steel Washing-up Bowl (lasts for life)

Always scrape food into a caddy or bin to avoid wasting water rinsing off food. And rather than support the oil industry with plastic bowls that go mouldy and slimy, invest in a lifetime of use with a stainless steel washing-up bowl (also in orange).

This has a non-porous surface to wipe off food residue, and is heat-resistant and is easily recycled, at end of life. Stainless steel does not absorb stains or smells. just wash with mild soap, then rinse and wipe dry. Remove water marks with a cleaning vinegar and water mix, then a quick rinse.