Reviews by Saffia Farr and Jess Hazel
1. Toilet Cleaner, Bio-D
I found this to be an excellent product. It cleaned the toilet effectively, helping to remove more stubborn dirt and leaving it shining! The citrus oil gives it a gentle scent that is not overpowering but helps with a sense of freshness. This toilet cleaner is hypoallergenic and free from petrochemicals, phosphates, preservatives, enzymes and synthetic perfumes. The container is BPA-free and 100% recyclable, and the price is impressive! SF
£2.45 for 750ml
2. Toilet Brush and Holder Set, ecoLiving
This plastic-free toilet brush comes with a vintage-style metal holder. It’s handmade in Europe from FSC-certified beech wood, and the bristles are union fibre – a mixture of tampico (from the agave plant) and palmyra (from the base of the leaf stalks of a species of fan palm). I found the handle comfortable to hold and it’s roughly 38cm long, which meant I wasn’t stooping too much. The width (about 9.5cm) was a good fit for the toilet. Some bristles did come off, but as they are 100% biodegradable, it is less of a concern if they end up in the ocean. I tapped the excess water off the brush after use and, because the holder is wide, it dried well. Definitely much more attractive in so many ways than plastic! SF
£8.75
3. Organic Cotton Beeswax Food Wraps
These are a breathable alternative to single-use plastic food wrap. There are three sizes, to fit different dishes, and they come in various designs. If you use warm hands to press the wrap around a dish, it moulds to fit. You can hand wash the wraps in cold water, but I tend to just wipe them down, and they are lasting well. They are made from GOTS-certified organic cotton and beeswax, and they are compostable when no longer usable. They are designed to last for a year or more and you can ‘recharge’ them by ironing them between two sheets of greaseproof paper. I find them excellent and versatile. SF
£14 for three wraps – 33x33cm, 26x26cm, 18x18cm
4. Bamboo Plasters, PATCH
These are the first organic bamboo plasters available in the UK. They are made from 100% organic bamboo fibre with the added natural goodness of coconut oil in the gauze, and they use hypoallergenic pressure-sensitive adhesive to gently adhere to the skin without causing reactions. I found they worked just as well as plastic plasters and were soft and therefore more pliable. They are a useful size and the cute panda print is designed to comfort children when distressed. They come in an appealing round box made from recycled cardboard, and the individual wrappers that keep the plasters sterile are made from rice paper and biodegradable paper, so there is no plastic at all. Suitable for vegans. SF
£6.95 for 25
5. Stain Remover, BunchaFarmers
This all-natural stain-remover stick is made with biodegradable ingredients of saponified oils of coconut, canola and other vegetable oil, Litsea cubeba and lemon essential oils, and borax to soften the water and aid the cleaning process. There are no artificial colours or perfumes, but just the fresh, clean scent of natural lemon, which is not overpowering, and the deodorising power of Litsea. I found the small rectangular shape easy to hold and I only needed a little to make a lather that removed food stains from clothes. It’s recommended for use on cloth pads, carpets, car seats and the cuffs of jackets that can’t be washed. There’s also a tip to cut or scrape off a little of the bar and throw it in with your regular wash to ‘energise’ your laundry load, but I’ve not tried this yet! SF
£4.75
6. Bamboo Towel Stack
I love these towels – they are made from a high-pile luxury bamboo fibre and are beautifully soft. I think that with care they’ll last a long time. Bamboo is naturally antibacterial, which helps keep the towels smelling fresh, and it’s also very absorbent. I find these towels perform better than cotton ones I’ve owned, particularly after a couple of washes. I really like the simple, beach-inspired, minimalist design too! The stack includes a hand towel (50x90cm) and a bath towel (125x70cm). JH
£21
7. OceanSaver Cleaning Pods
This is a very clever and cost-effective idea to help us reuse plastic packaging. It’s a box of five tiny packets of concentrated liquid for different cleaning needs. You add one to warm water in a bottle you’ve rinsed out, and the package dissolves to create a cleaning product. The instructions double up as stickers for the bottles. I tried the lemon-scented kitchen cleaner and found it to be great for both the sink and the worktops. It removed tea stains from the sink and it left the surfaces smear-free and with a pleasing shine. The pods come in a recyclable cardboard box with sections so that you can remove individual pouches if you don’t need to use them all at once. There are warning symbols on the packaging that could cause concern, but OceanSaver have addressed queries about this on their Facebook page, saying that due to the small amount of preservative, they have to put these warnings on the packaging to comply with EU regulations. They have also confirmed that the sachets are fully biodegradable in water and only leave raw elements. SF
£7 for a pack of 5
8. Reusable Paper Towels, Bambaw
These large, reusable wipes are made from 100% organic bamboo and are very thick and absorbent. They come in a roll and you tear each one off for use. They are much more robust than single-use paper towels and can be used over and over again to clean up spills and wipe surfaces. I just rinsed them each time and added them to my regular wash. The cloth did shrink a bit but it was much softer after washing. The challenge is to find a space where they can easily be stored once used, but it’s worth the effort for the lack of waste. Because they are soft, they can also be used on the skin and for nappy changes. They arrive in recyclable paper packaging and at the end of life they can be composted. SF
£10 for a roll of 20
9. Food Huggers
This colourful, stackable set of adaptable food-safe silicone covers is an innovative way to keep items of food fresh. The covers come in different sizes that are practical for use on tins, jars and fruit such as lemon and grapefruit. There is even a little one for bananas! A separate set is available for avocados. We love their versatility and how convenient they are to use and store. They really do help avoid waste, as so often in the past we have left half a lemon to shrivel up in the fridge – but not any more! They are free from BPA and phthalates and are suitable for use in dishwashers, freezers and microwaves. They are packed in 100% recycled card. SF
€15.95 for a set of 5
First published in Issue 59 (Early Spring 2019) of JUNO:
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