Ways to make your home cleaner and greener

Here we take a look at ways in which you can clean your home, be kind to the planet, and get rid of those nasty chemicals

We all want to clean safely and sustainably around the home, in ways that are not only eff ective but that will also have minimal impact on the environment. Whether it’s by buying the most eco-friendly cleaning products, or using clever, homespun eco-friendly cleaning techniques. If you have children, health conditions or even sensitive pets in the house, then this can also be a strong driver to make your home cleaner and greener.

Here we spoke to three experts in the fi eld of greener cleaning, for their top tips.

Helen Bee, founder of the multiaward-winning, planet friendly and refi llable cleaning brand, Clean Living, says: “Skip chemical scents. Air fresheners might smell pleasant, but they’re incredibly harmful to both the environment and to us. Particularly if you su er from asthma! There are lots of alternative ways to freshen up the air in your home; add some air purifying plants, dot scented pouches of lavender around, or di use essential oils instead.”

Von Sy, founder of plant-based cleaning brand Nimble, agrees: “One thing to be wary of is fragrances. Although they make the cleaning up chore more pleasant with the smell of fl owers, citrus, and lavender, fragrances are made with a complex range of chemicals. And don’t be deceived by clever branding – just because a bottle has an ‘eco’ look and feel, make sure you read the label for the detailed ingredients.”

All of us should take the time to purchase more thoughtfully

And it’s these ingredients, from the chemicals in the products to the plastic packaging containing them, that cause even greater harm to the environment. Managing director of Ecovibe, a dedicated ecofriendly products retailer, Stacey Skidmore, says: “Minimise plastic where you can, this can be through using refi llable glass spray bottles in place of the traditional single-use plastic bottles, or even using soluble cleaning sachets, which dissolve in water. Also, avoid toxic chemicals where you can. A common myth is the stronger the chemical, the more e ective the product will be. However, natural ingredients, such as essential oils and plant extracts work just as well alongside certain antibacterial agents.”

Von Sy adds: “Most of the mainstream cleaning products are over-formulated which means they contain unnecessary levels of chemicals that can be harmful to a young child and the environment. Manufacturers do this so they can make bold marketing claims like they are ‘10 times more powerful’, so with this in mind one thing you can do is dilute the regular cleaning products you use – they are just as e ective but reduce the amount of chemicals you are using.”

So, whatever practical steps you take to cleaning greener, there’s one that will make a huge diff erence overall, and that lies in your consumer purchasing power In the spotlight EMBACO

Do you work with a UK brand, contract fi ller, private label or wholesaler requiring foodsafe packaging? Switch to EMBACO’s recycled bottles and jars. They are all made in Europe using renewable energy sources. Enquire now at embaco.com

– all of us should take the time to purchase more thoughtfully.

Helen Bee says: “A more sustainable lifestyle starts by making considered purchases. Before you purchase any product, ask yourself if you really need it. Or whether you can buy a more planet-friendly alternative. There are incredible brands out there o ering eco-friendly alternatives. Just read labels carefully to ensure products really are as good as they claim to be.”

by Barnaby Dracup

Purify your tap water the traditional way – forever plastic free

Handmade amphorae are not only beautifully proportioned and fi nished, but transform the quality, aroma, and taste of tap water

In the UK 38.5 million plastic bottles are used every day just over half make it to recycling, while more than 16 million are put into landfi ll, burnt or leak into the environment and oceans each day.1

Consumers are aware that tap water is free of bacteria and generally signifi cantly lower in microplastics than bottled water2. However, tap water can contain chloride, heavy metals, pesticide, and fertiliser residues. Many people are also put off by its aroma and taste.

Improving tap water has involved plastic water fi lter jugs with their over-engineered plastic replaceable fi lters, or expensive high-tech home installations. Is there a better solution? Yes.

Tap water can be transformed using low-tech, ancient methods such as those practiced by the Greeks and Romans using clay amphorae. The World Health Organization has established that clay vessels provide the best way to reduce chloride levels in water and to keep water bacteria free. For over a decade, Natural Spa Supplies have been manufacturing clay amphorae. Laboratory tests have shown that these amphorae reduce chloride levels, ammonia, and heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury. There are no replacement cartridges or fi lters – from time to time, the amphorae just need a scrub on the outside and a sun bath.

Perfectly proportioned, inside and out, the amphorae have eggshaped interiors with the point near the base, allowing convection currents to circulate the water in columns, spirals, and curves.

In nature, trickles and cascades of stream water spin, spiral and bow, all the while purifying the water. Added to this, the clay wall of the amphora, slightly permeable, acts like ‘skin’, sweating out toxins, leaving the freshest, purest, most delicious tasting water within. cycle: Each amphora can produce three batches of purifi ed water every day. They are available in diff erent sizes depending on your needs.