Spring cleaning, naturally

These are just a small selection of the everyday household items which, even if you don't use them for anything else, are cheap and have a multitude of uses around the house and are eco friendly too.

1. Refreshing your musty drinks bottle or flask- simply wash normally then add a teaspoon of Bicarbonate of Soda, top up with warm water then leave to soak for a while - say at least half a hour. Empty and rinse and your drinks bottle or flask should be lovely and fresh smelling.
2. Sparkly stainless steel- use a moist cloth with a dab of Bicarbonate of Soda on it. Rub gently on cool appliances then polish with a clean, dry cloth to bring back the gleam!
3. Grimy grout- make a paste of two parts Bicarbonate of Soda to one part white vinegar. Use an old toothbrush and scrub the mixture into the grout then rinse off for pretty instant gleaming grout.
4. Getting grease off the floor- if you get a greasy spill on the floor, clean up most with kitchen roll then sprinkle Bicarbonate of Soda on the spill. Give it a while to soak up then mop up as normal. This will get rid of the grease and stop the spreading that normally happens when you try to mop up grease too soon.
5. Smelly bins- wash the bin out with a strong solution, about 4 parts Bicarbonate of Soda to 1 bucket warm water. Leave to soak for a while then empty and rinse. Beautiful bins!
6. Watch this space for more tips and ideas for living a more chemical free natural life...

Vinegar

1. Clean windows with a solution of 2 tablespoons of vinegar to 2 pints (1 litre) warm water and a dash of washing up liquid (hand dish washing detergent).  Put into a clean, empty spray bottle, shake to mix before use.Wash from top to bottom on the inside of windows and from side to side on the outside. This way you will be able to tell on which side any smears are.