I'm a Homes Editor and here are the sustainable cleaning hacks I swear by

I'll be the first to admit I could be way more eco conscious when it comes to cleaning, but when I sat and thought about it, there are already some sustainable hacks I use day-to-day and I thought I'd be kind enough to share…

1. Old toothbrushes for scrubbing grout

Something I inherited from my mum's cleaning routine, if I replace my toothbrush, I keep the old one for cleaning the grout of my bathroom tiles. Just be sure you keep it in a different place or label it so you don't get it confused with the new one!

2. Lemons to soak up fridge smells 

I like having lemons to hand in the kitchen – ideal for drinks, cooking and also cleaning! Whenever I use a few slices, I leave the other half open in the fridge to soak up any smells. I also use it as a scrubber for chopping boards and my sink. 

3. Vinegar to clean windows 

A simple, very cheap, bottle of vinegar has a lot of uses around the home and I like to dab it on a cloth to wipe down the insides of my windows. Another top tip, I follow up with peppermint oil on the windowsills as this helps combat the vinegar scent and is also supposed to keep spiders at bay!

4. Bicarbonate of soda to clean out plugholes

A sprinkle of bicarbonate of soda along with a squirt of vinegar will clear out sink and shower drains – and the fizzing it creates is soooo satisfying. 

5. Lemons to clean your microwave 

I saw this hack on TikTok and thought I'd give it a go. You chop up lemons and pop them in a bowl of water. You then put them in the microwave and turn it on for around two minutes (some people recommend longer but I found this enough on high). The lemony steam will break down the grease and grime inside your microwave and then you can use a cloth to simply wipe it clean. 

6. Baby oil to clean stainless-steel

One of my most satisfying cleans has to be the baby oil and stainless-steel hack – hear me out! Another gem passed down from my mum actually. A few drops of oil on a cotton pad will buff the marks out of your metal perfectly. I use it on my oven, hob and extractor fan hood. 

READ: There IS a correct way to fill the dishwasher according to an expert

7. Bicarbonate of soda to deodorise bins 

I use a little bicarbonate of soda at the bottom of the bin to soak up any smells and, er, juices – eww! It really does work. 

8. Reusable cleaning products

In the past few years, since owning my own home I've got into some reusable cleaning products – I particularly love brands Kit & Kin and Method. The method concentrates are genius as a little goes such a long way when mixed with water!

I've also just been introduced to Ecoegg and it's a game changer - instead of laundry detergent and conditioner the pellets inside the egg clean your clothes and they last for so many washes.