ASK AN ECO EXPERT

SO YOU SWAPPED CAKES FOR CLEANING?

No, I still do plenty of baking, but now I whip up recipes for eco-friendly cleaning products, too. I’ve always made my own to save money. Now, I do it to be sustainable.

AND YOU’VE BEEN SPREADING THE WORD?

I started sharing what I was making on social media, along with tips on reducing waste. People loved it, so I put it all in a book.

FAVOURITE GREEN CLEANING ‘RECIPE’?

I used to be a bleach addict. Now, I make my own ‘Pure Magic’ instead [see recipe, right]. You can use it to whiten clothes and clean loos. I’ll never use bleach again.

DON’T CLEANERS NEED CHEMICALS?

We’ve been brainwashed into thinking that, but natural is better. Synthetic chemicals make rooms smell nice, but doesn’t mean they’re clean. Now I don’t use them, my house feels genuinely clean rather than clean smelling. Of course, if you want a scent, you can add lemon or tea tree essential oils to homemade products.

SOUNDS TIME-CONSUMING…

Learning the recipes might take a bit of time, but you’ll be surprised how quickly they become part of your routine. Start with one or two products, then slowly build up.

EVER TRADED TIPS WITH MARY BERRY?

No, we were all quite messy in the Bake Off tent (I even spilled melted chocolate into the electrics!). But I did share gardening tips with her. She was interested in my homegrown micro herbs…

DO YOU GROW CLEANING ‘INGREDIENTS’?

At the moment I’m growing luffa gourds, which make fantastic scourers. Shop-bought sponges tend to be made from plastic but these can be cleaned in the dishwasher and will last all year.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU GROW?

I’m almost self-sufficient in soft fruit and vegetables, having turned my lawn into beds. This month, I’ll have leeks, kale, rhubarb and wild garlic. I’m self-sufficient in eggs, too, thanks to my rescue ex-battery hens. As a baker, I use a lot of eggs but if I have leftover yolks – say, from making a meringue – I freeze them, sprinkling sugar or salt on top so they don’t go rubbery.

ANY OTHER WASTE-SAVING TIPS?

Try to buy in bulk and make the most of your freezer! I buy a big block of cheese and cut it into 100g pieces, keeping one in the fridge and freezing the others. And when I have a glut of veg, I’ll make batches of things like tomato sauce. I’ve had to get a second freezer to fit it all in, mind.

YOU MAKE IT SOUND SO EASY!

I don’t want anyone to feel that making these changes is too big a job. I’m a few years down the line now, but I started small – by cutting out single-use cleaning wipes and plastic in baking. Slowly, I built up to where I am today – and you can, too.

GREEN LIVING MADE EASY is out now (Pan Macmillan, £14.99).