4 WAYS TO SAVE £££S ON CLEANING PRODUCTS

Keep your home sparkling with these household staples. They work wonders – and they’re natural!

WASHING SODA CRYSTALS

(not to be confused with caustic

soda). Cost: £1 for 1kg. This is effective at removing grease, blood, ink, grass, red wine, tea and coffee stains. It’s also good at tackling burnt pans (not aluminium), clearing drains and removing mildew. It can be mixed to various strengths with water, so follow pack instructions.

WHITE VINEGAR

Cost: we’re talking distilled white vinegar, which costs as little as 30p for 568ml, so don’t waste the white wine vinegar you use for cooking on cleaning. It’s good for removing limescale on taps and sinks (avoid gold-plated taps or marble) and buffing windows. It also absorbs odours – spray on clothes, leave and wash as normal.

LEMON

Cost: 35p for one lemon, which gives you about 10ml of juice, or buy a bottle of juice at around 39p for 250ml. Rub half a lemon over a chopping board or worktop to remove food stains. Lemon juice can also be used to tackle rust marks on linens, and half a cup added to washing will help boost whites.

BICARBONATE OF SODA

Cost: buy in bulk online from £5 for 1kg. It’s a great deodoriser for carpets, mattresses and soft furnishings – just sprinkle on and vacuum off. A pot left in the fridge soaks up nasty smells. Made into a thick paste with water, it can remove ground-in stains from worktops, sinks, cookers and saucepans.