Eco clean your home

How to use it

• Pour a small amount of olive oil on to a soft dust cloth and use it to polish up wooden furniture.
• Oil can also be used to loosen dirt and grime on sticky surfaces or to remove stickers from glass or plastic surfaces. Apply a little olive oil to the entire label, leave for a short while to allow the oil to penetrate the sticker, then gently scrub off using an abrasive sponge or wire wool.

Tea-tree oil - this oil, with disinfectant and antiseptic properties, is known for its use in treatment of dandruff. Available at health food shops, it spruces up your home too.

How to use it

• Add a few drops of tea tree oil to water and spray onto mouldy bathroom surfaces or areas prone to mildew. The oil's fungicidal properties kill mould spores.
• Add a drop of tea tree oil to a cup of water and use as spray to revive musty smelling rugs/sofas. Just a drop of tea tree oil is plenty - any more and you may end up staining the fabric.

Choosing eco-friendly brands
If you haven't got time to make homemade natural cleaners, then try to stick to phosphate-free brands whose ingredients are designed to have the minimum impact on aquatic life and the environment. The following established eco brands use plant-derived ingredients and are free from known chemical nasties.

Bio D: www.biodegradable.biz
Faith in Nature: www.faithproducts.comfor stockist information
Ecover: www.ecover.com, available at leading supermarkets and online
Fresh and Green: Endorsed by Anthony Worrall Thomson and supported by the World Wildlife Fund, available from Waitrose

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