Welcome to Eco Eve’s column, where you’ll find a treasure trove of practical tips and innovative ideas for living more sustainably. Eco Eve is dedicated to helping you adopt environmentally friendly practices, from green cleaning solutions to everyday habits that reduce your carbon footprint. Join us on this journey to make a positive impact on our planet, one small step at a time.
Keep Vegetables Fresher
Line the vegetable crisper with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture that leaches from vegetables. This also makes cleaning the fridge easier.
For wilted veggies, sprinkle them with cool water, wrap them in a teatowel, and refrigerate them for an hour or more.
Keep lettuce fresh (with outer leaves on until ready to use) by wrapping it in a paper bag instead of the supermarket’s soft plastic. The paper absorbs the moisture while plastic creates it. If you do use a plastic container for your lettuce, line it with a paper towel.
You can rejuvenate soggy lettuce by adding lemon juice to a bowl of cold water. Soak lettuce for an hour in the fridge.
Storing Garlic
Store peeled garlic cloves in a bottle of cold-pressed virgin olive oil to prevent them from drying out. When all the garlic has been used, the leftover oil makes a tasty base for salad dressings.
Pep Up Your Plants
Cooled, leftover brewed tea works wonders as a fertiliser for ferns.
DIY Glass Cleaner
Save money by making your own window cleaner.
For streak-free glass, add the following mix to a bucket of warm water:
- ½ cup ammonia
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of cornflour
Tip: Easily see which side of the window has any smudges by using horizontal strokes for cleaning inside and vertical strokes for outside.
Eco Eve’s Tips for DIY Kitchen and Bathroom Cleaners
As bathrooms are humid and steamy, they attract mould and mildew. Why pay for branded cleaners when products around the home are cheaper, less harmful to the environment and work just as well?
DIY Powder Cleanser for Showers, Sinks and Tiles
Bicarb-soda works beautifully as a powder cleanser in the kitchen and bathroom. Sprinkle it on a wet sponge and wipe over. Rinse with water. As a bonus, the bicarb will freshen drains as well. Add a few drops of essential oil (e.g. lemon, ylang ylang or lavender) for a sweet scent.
Tip: A large car sponge can save time and energy when cleaning shower walls and screens.
Stubborn Stains on Taps and Showers
Using a sponge, wipe shower glass over with white vinegar, then rub over with a damp sponge sprinkled with bicarb-soda. Rinse well. Squeegee the glass for a streak-free screen.
Stubborn stains from hard water or scale deposits around taps are challenging to shift.
Instead of reaching for chemical cleaners:
- Mix bicarb-soda and vinegar into a fizzy paste and brush on with an old nail or toothbrush.
- Leave for 30 minutes, then rub over gently and rinse.
- Add a little shampoo, shower gel or dishwashing detergent if you like.
Mouldy Shower Curtains
If your shower curtain isn’t machine-washable, soak it regularly in warm water in a bath or sink with five tablespoons of bicarb-soda. Slosh the curtain around, then hang outside to dry. Lay or hang flat to dry to prevent mould from recurring in the folds.
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