From bathroom to kitchen: 13 easy hacks you didn't realise were more sustainable.

Many of us are conscious of a need to cut down household waste and reduce your use of single-use products. We’d all like to live a little more sustainably, but I mean, who has the time? 

As it turns out – you actually. 

From something as simple as choosing the bleach-free multipurpose cleaner at the grocery store, to making your cleaning solutions from scratch, most sustainable alternatives can be found already chilling in your pantry, just waiting to be put to work.

The good news is that there are many simple, cheap, and readily available replacements for almost everything you need to keep your home happy and healthy.

Of course, as with anything new, it can feel downright overwhelming to completely overhaul your home care. So, don’t. Just start small and see how it feels. You don’t have to start a bee colony so you can use the wax to wrap up your sanga – but you might want to order some beeswax wraps online to give them a whirl.

And, rather than adding one more thing to your to-do list, these tips and tricks might even end up saving you time (and money) in the long run. As one of my dear friends and a domestic goddess mum-of-two puts it, "Just bring it back to basics, baby."

Make the switch to Australian made products. 

I found bleach-free products just as effective as their bleach counterparts and I still use them today. My new go-to is the White King 4-in-1 Multipurpose Cleaner which can be used everywhere from the kitchen to the bathroom.

It’s also made in regional Victoria, which means it's not being shipped across the globe before ending up in your home (think of the emissions). The bottle is also made from 100 per cent recycled plastic and stands up to the best of them, effectively killing off 99.99 per cent of bacteria. By making some simple switches, you can make a world of difference to the overall health of your home.

Image: Supplied.

Sign up for a local fruit and veg box delivery.

We recently traded in grocery store produce for a once-a-week local produce box delivered straight to our door, sourced from local farms including only in-season fruit and veg. They let you choose which fruit and veg you want, so you won’t end up with a bunch of radishes you have no idea what to do with. The one in my area delivers twice a week and their produce lasts longer than a lot of pre-frozen grocery store fruit and veg. 

Swap single-use paper towels for your old gym shirt.

Before you chuck out that tattered old rag you throw on to pound the treadmill, make it work just as hard as you do at the gym, and chop it up into handy cleaning rags. 

100 per cent cotton makes for the best clean, but any old thing will do. These are fab for cleaning kitchen counters, wiping down appliances and tap ware. And, if you’re missing paper towels, use old newspaper to wipe down your windows for a zero-residue finish. 

When life gives you lemons, put them to work.

From ovens, to microwaves, coffee table water rings, to shower screens, the humble lemon is a sustainable cleaner’s BFF. There are so many ways this exceptional citrus can change your life, so let’s look at just a few:

• Cut one in half, dip it in coarse salt, and use it to scrub your shower screen clean of stains. 

• Add a tablespoon of lemon juice before you put on your dishwasher to help with degreasing.

• Place lemon juice and water in a baking tray in the oven on high for 30 minutes, then wipe it down once it has cooled.

• Leave half a lemon sitting in your fridge to soak up odours.

• Run your dishwasher when empty with one lemon (halved) stuck into the top rack to cut through old food build-up and restore function.  

• Lemon cuts through soap scum, so rub half a lemon all over your bathroom surfaces and let it sit for 10 minutes before gently wiping clean.

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When it comes to white vinegar and baking soda the limit does not exist.

Just like the trusty lemon, there are two more common kitchen staples that will blow your mind with their versatility – white vinegar and baking soda. Here are a few of their many combined talents: 

• Soak your t-shirt rags in white vinegar, then place them over or around your tap ware, shower, nozzle, or drain and let it soak for a couple of hours to remove built up grime. 

• Spray white vinegar onto windows to use in place of window cleaner.

• Pop sliced lemon in a wide ceramic bowl filled with white vinegar into the microwave and set it on high for 5 minutes, then wipe it down with a rage. The splattered pasta sauce and greasy take away stains are history.

Some final tips and tricks: 

• Put tea tree oil in water with fresh flowers to make them last longer.

• When making dinner, cook double so you have two nights sorted – the extra quantities will always be cheaper than buying a whole new set of ingredients for a new recipe.

• Switch to biodegradable toilet paper.

• Reduce meat consumption.

• Wash clothes on the cold setting instead of hot to save energy on each wash. 

• Try beeswax wraps in place of cling wrap. 

• Switch to glass storage containers – they’ll last longer than plastic, and won’t give your leftovers that plastic aftertaste.

Shop the White King 4 in 1 Multipurpose Cleaner, a household-friendly formula for everyday surfaces. Available exclusively at your local Woolworths.

Feature Image: Supplied.