Saving the planet ...without costing the earth

These eco-friendly tips are not only good for the environment but will save you money too

THERE has never been a better time to say no to waste, save money and enjoy the good things in life on a budget. So whether you want to upcycle a piece of furniture, repurpose an old T-shirt or do some eco gardening, be inspired by our planet-friendly tips.

HOUSE PROUD

● Restore your favourite teacup or other crockery to its former glory by rubbing salt into tea or coffee stains with a sponge.

● Don’t let melted wax mess up your carpet. Use an ice cube to harden the wax, then scrape up as much as you can with a credit card. Place paper towels over the wax, then a tea towel. Turn your iron on to a low heat setting and press over the tea towel. Repeat until all the wax has melted into the paper towel.

● Rub a banana skin on tarnished silver and buff off again for a brilliant shine.

WARDROBE REFRESH

● Restore old leather shoes by rubbing with a slice of raw potato or a drop of vegetable oil. Polish them with a cloth until they gleam.

● Don’t throw away a garment because the zip is stuck – rub the metal teeth with a pencil lead and you should be able to ease it open.

● Faded colours? Try rinsing your clothes in water with vinegar.This helps to get rid of the dulling effect of washing powder residue that can build up.

KITCHEN FIXES

● Prevent cheese from going mouldy by storing it with a few lumps of sugar in an airtight container.

● Add a pinch of salt to a pint of milk to help it stay fresher for longer.

● Soak burnt-on stains in enamel pans in salted water overnight, then boil the liquid the following day and watch the stains disappear.

GREAT GARDENING

● Cut up old tights into strips to make plant ties – the soft, flexible nature of the fabric will protect new shoots as they grow.

● An old potato peeler does an excellent job of digging out weeds from the lawn.

● Collect fallen leaves when they are wet and store in bin bags for two years. The result is a nutritious leaf mulch that can be used to cover your plants.

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

● Rejuvenate dried paint brushes with a soak in hot vinegar.Then comb the bristles with a fork and keep in shape with an elastic band until dry.

● Put masking tape on full power in the microwave for about a minute to give it a new lease of life. The tape should become warm but be careful it doesn’t overheat.

● Use leftover wallpaper as linings for drawers or as wrapping paper.

● Extracted by DEBBI MARCO from Eco Thrifty by Alexa Kaye (£12.99, Summersdale). To order call the Express Bookshop on 01872 562 310 or order online at expressbookshop.co.uk