TIPS TO WASTE LESS

Fed up of our throw-away culture? These tips will help give household items a new lease of life... ■ If your cleaning sponge is a bit grubby or pongy, give it a one or two-minute blast in the microwave on a high setting to kill off bacteria. An old toothbrush can be given a second chance as a handy cleaning tool. Give it a rinse in boiling water to kill off any germs and use it in the bathroom to clean hard-toreach areas.

■ Iron not working properly? Get it running like clockwork with a dash of vinegar. Heat it up, unplug and let it cool a little. Then fill the reservoir with onepart white vinegar to one-part water. Leave for an hour, then empty and rinse. This will dissolve any pesky limescale.

■ Relegate old or laddered tights to the cleaning cupboard – they make handy dusters.

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