When washing a sink of dirty dishes, are you guilty of squirting in a huge amount of washing up liquid? Let’s face it, most us us don’t really think that there is an optimum amount of the soapy stuff for effective cleaning. And who isn’t guilty of the more the better approach.
So most dish washers will be surprised to learn just how small an amount you actually need to clean a basin of dishes and that using more than is needed can lead to a soapy residue being left on your dishes and more rinsing.
According to the experts at Good Housekeeping, the recommended dose varies between brands, but you shouldn’t need more than 5ml (1.5 teaspoons or a couple of squirts) of non-concentrated formula per five litres of water.
And if you’re tackling heavily stained pots and pans, simply let them soak in your solution for a few minutes before scrubbing. There’s no need for another squirt of the liquid. And don’t make the mistake of adding more washing up liquid as soon as the suds disappear, as there should still be plenty of formula left in your water.
Some handy tricks to make the most of your teaspoon of washing up liquid include include washing your dishes from least to most dirty and only replacing the water if it turns brown.
Earlier this week, cleaning manufacturer Ecover issued a warning to encourage households to make a change when using washing up liquid in the hope of reducing the impact the bottles have on our seas.
British households dispose millions of plastic bottles of washing up liquid every year and only half are recycled. Each year, 12.7M tonnes of plastic bottles end up in the sea. This has a huge impact on marine life. Just 7% of the bottles used in UK homes made it to recycling, pushing Ecover to urge customers to ditch bottles and buy refills.
Ecover said: “In 2016, less than half of all plastic bottles were collected for recycling and only 7% of those were turned into new bottles.
“The resulting impact on waterways and marine life is, to put it bluntly, horrifying – with an estimated 12.7 million tonnes ending up in oceans each year.
“Why melt a bottle to make a bottle, when you’ve already got a bottle? Does seem kinda crazy when you say it out loud. But where to start with that reusable plastic bottle?
“Be it washing-up liquid, laundry detergent or loo cleaner, you can refill it at one of over 700 Ecover refill stations. Find them at your local health food store, zero waste shop or some bigger supermarkets.”
Those who still want to buy Fairy liquid also have an eco-option available too.
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