How do you do things?

loveka

I use a sponge you can wash for washing up its made by e-cloth and seems quite expensive -£4.99 I think- but you can wash it hundreds of times. I use one for cleaning the bathroom too. It even has a scourer on one side! I have just thrown one away which I have used everyday for over 3 years. I also use ecloths for cleaning everything and chuck them in the washing machine. Some of my ecloths are still going strong after over 7 years of use!

RevolvingDoor

I read a tip that I meant to use and it was to decant washing up liquid into a spray bottle so you use a spray each time and use less.

kjmtidea

I use Fairy washing up liquid because it just seems to wash the dishes a lot better and lasts forever as you only need a little, I always buy it when it's on offer. Cloths get chucked in the washing machine and then used for bathroom cleaning.

Porridge - I use half water and half hazlenut milk (i'm lactose intolerant), 1 tablespoon of honey is plenty especially with mashed banana yum!

I wash my whites at 40 and they come out very white (which is a small miracle with 4 boys) I can't use softener as one of my kids have eczema so I put a capful of zoflora in, it makes it smell nice and it kills the germs too.

I'm definitely not the best money saver in the world but I am getting better by making small changes.

quintwins

I must be the only person who doesn't rinse dishes i just leave them to dry.

For your syrup could you decant some value golden syrup into the bottle? that way you still have a squeeze bottle and you can assess properly if anyone noticed the change because they won't know what brand or type of syrup it is?

I make my porridge with whole milk and no water, it's much nicer than water and still a cheap healthy breakfast.

bluebag

quintwins wrote: »

I must be the only person who doesn't rinse dishes i just leave them to dry.

For your syrup could you decant some value golden syrup into the bottle? that way you still have a squeeze bottle and you can assess properly if anyone noticed the change because they won't know what brand or type of syrup it is?

I make my porridge with whole milk and no water, it's much nicer than water and still a cheap healthy breakfast.

No, I don't rinse dishes. Just chuck them in the drainer.
Porridge has to be made with milk, it's the law.

System

Must admit, I go through a bottle of washing up liquid in about a week and I rinse the items ive washed up too but i'm not on a meter and as long as I use cold water I can justify it. I don't use a bowl either which means I use more water but on the plus side I only wash up when I have a sink full.

Porridge is made with milk in my house too but if its a bit too thick after I have cooked it I add a bit of water rather than milk.

Quintwins I don't dry dishes either unless I specifically need a pot or pan. I leave them to dry too. After an hour or two they get put away.

hazzie123

I use Aldi washing up liquid,quick squirt in hot water then wash the cups and glasses.Large plates then small plates,empty water and refill with clean hot water and a squirt of liquid.Bowls then cutlery is washed then any pans. No rinsing just straight on the rack to dry.

herbily

One squirt of Fairy Liquid in the washing up bowl, and that's it, put it away! If the suds run out and the water goes grey, run a fresh bowl of hot water with one more squirt of FL. A bottle lasts me three months. I also have a bowl of water on the side for rinsing - everything gets dunked before being put on the drainer. If you're using that much soap it must be tricky to rinse off?

I can't help with the sponge thing, I use a brush for the dishwashing, and a microfiber cloth for the sink with bleach - the cloths can go in the washing machine, and last for a while - hmmm, starts thinking, when did I last buy one?

I'm a big fan of sultanas soaked in water overnight to plump them up, but that's probably not much cheaper than maple syrup. As others have said, you can get golden syrup in squeezy bottles nowadays.

sparrer

Another Fairy user, I've tried many others but they either don't last, or give me dermatitis, or both. I don't rinse, hate wasting water. If I've been baking I'll swish out the bowl and wash up in that to save water.

Laundry - I buy the largest cheap 'sensitive' own brand box of washing powder and mix it with a bag of soda crystals which not only keeps whites white at 30c, but also keeps the machine from furring up. I've never bought descaling products, think they're a terrible waste of money, my current wm has been running smoothly for 13 years.

Porridge - 1 cup porridge to 3 cups boiled water, add 1/2 teasp cinnamon or mixed spice, 1/2 a cup of sultana's, let simmer for 20 mins (I make mine the night before then mw in the morning). You won't need sugar or syrups as the spice and fruit are more than enough to sweeten, and/or add some stewed apple if liked. You can add a dash of milk once the porridge is in the bowl but I prefer a dollop of Greek yogurt for a really creamy taste.

General cleaning of the house - wooden furniture should only ever be polished 3 or 4 times a year, just give it a good rub with a duster every week. I put Stardrops and hot water in a mop bucket and use a cloth to wash the window sills/switch plates, then skirting boards with the mop before I wash the bathroom/kitchen floors. One duster, one bucket of water, one squirt of Stardrops, one cloth and one floor mop plus the vacuum cleaner takes care of my 3-bed house in a couple of hours, then one room gets a thorough clean each week. Looks good, smells good, and gives me lots of time to spend in my favourite place - the garden .

piecemeal

It's really not vital that the water for washing up is full of suds, even more so if you dilute your w-up liquid with vinegar, which cuts through the grease. Instead of sponges, I crochet circles (could knit little squares) out of acrylic yarn as scrubbies, and they work brilliantly and dry quickly. I read somewhere that the Japanese do this and it has to be acrylic yarn for some screntific reason that went over my head! For bigger scrubbing jobs, I ball up and tie off the mesh bags that come on fruit (the hard plastic sort). Brillo pads are cut in 2 or 3 and are saved for the mega grotty pans, although sprinking them with bicarb and vinegar, or boiling vinegar in them helps a lot.