In our household this is one of the things that we argue about most, it seems to be never ending there is always some to do, some of it’s quick, some of it’s slow but all of it is annoying.

Washing up and doing the dishes is a thankless task and we hate it so we’re not going to lie, introducing a few new products and making it a big greener hasn’t made it any more enjoyable but it has made it a bit more sustainable.

Eco-friendly washing up liquid

We started by switching our washing up liquid, we’ve tried a couple of options here, we gave Ecover a go, it’s a more eco friendly version of normal washing up liquid that does the job and costs about the same. Other brands are available and are stocked on the same shelf in many big supermarkets, try a couple to find the one that suits you. We thought this cleaned as well as our usual brand.

Refill your washing up liquid

Obviously, we always recycle the bottles, which is simple where we live so that’s a no brainer.

We have also tried the refill option, a quick google found our local refill shop, we took an old bottle. This method is the one for us, no extra packaging and we filled it to the brim with some lovely citrus smelling liquid that left everything clean and shiny, the cost is about the same, maybe a fraction more expensive but knowing we were reusing our bottle sold it for us. You can keep reusing or pop it in the recycling and find a more family friendly container.

Washing up bars

Whilst testing the options we’ve also tried a washing up solid bar, this comes with no packaging, is 100% natural and vegan and last ages. A quick lather on the washing up sponge and you get plenty of bubbles for scrubbing, we really like this option, it definitely appears to be the most sustainable and also stacks up as value for money. Unfortunately for us we couldn’t find one to buy locally so online was the only option, which didn’t suit our needs. Once they are on the high street near us, we’ll certainly give them another go. 

Washing up sponges

We don’t want to be gross but have you ever thought about your washing up sponge? Cleaning up after a roast dinner or scrubbing the porridge pan can leave your sponges full of bacteria after a few uses, some suggest microwaving them to clean them. This isn’t for us though, instead we have sought out some more eco friendly sustainable options to replace the standard plastic scrubbing sponge.

This has been one of our favourite simple switches, easy to do, low cost and has made no difference to the quality of our washing up skills.

Coconut fibres seem to be the go to material for scrubbing brushes, completely compostable and gentle on pans with no scratching. Keep an eye out for the ones labelled Fair Trade or ethically made for extra points. Compostable is a great bonus with the eco-friendly sponges, many of them now have this label and can be added to the compost heap or buried in the garden.

We are still using all our options and it’s been over a month so the shelf life certainly stacks up, we’ve also noticed there doesn’t seem to be a smell like you might get with a regular sponge. 

We’ve given a washable sponge a try too, this one is recyclable not compostable but it can go in the washing machine and comes out looking like new. We’ve washed it 6 times now and it’s not losing it’s structure at all, this has gone on the shopping list as a stocking filler for family at Christmas. 

Top tip: when your sponge does come to the end of its life and becomes only suitable for cleaning the bathroom or scrubbing the floor, cut a corner off or give it an obvious feature so you know it’s time to retire it from kitchen duties.

Dishwasher tablets

If you are one of the dishwasher brigade (we’re not jealous at all) then you can also do your bit and switch to sustainable dishwasher tablets. Smol does a super version that are delivered to your door, a quick calculation will tell you how often they need to deliver and they’ll just turn up without you needing to remember to reorder. They come in a letterbox friendly cardboard box that has special opening instructions so it keeps them child-proof too. Depending on your usual brand, Smol claims to cut your dishwasher tablet bill in half so they are certainly worth giving a try. 

If you want to stick to the highstreet you could give Ecover another go. Cardboard packaging is a bonus here and even though they are individually wrapped this is recyclable in some areas. 

On a test of two partially tricky Sunday roast dinner, very full, poorly stacked loads they both did equally well and made this another simple switch… for the friends that tried them. 

Looking at your washing up kit and making some simple switches is a really solid way to become more sustainable. If you look at all the sponges and cloths you use every year wouldn’t it be wonderful to know you’re not leaving those to sit in landfill long after you’re gone.

Quick washing up switches

• Switch your washing up liquid for an eco-friendly option or washing up bar
• If washing up bars aren’t for you, then find your nearest refill shop and fill up your existing bottle
• Swap your washing up sponges for washable or compostable options
• Choose eco-friendly dishwasher tablets for a more sustainable dishwashing option

Written by Emily F, from the Buy Smarter Buy Greener team