Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[CLKD]

I keep meaning to make an appt. to go and see the new operation at Cherwell but I haven't done so yet.  That would give me an idea as to what is possible to separate and which to put in the recycling bin.

[Hurdity]

I'm very pleased with the pack of 5 sachets of concentrated household cleaning liquids I mentioned in my original post.  You put the dissolvable sachet into an empty 750 ml trigger bottle with warm water.
I thought the bathroom cleaner was going to be rubbish because it was thin and didn't seem to cling to the shower doors like the well known brand I usually use. But honestly, my shower doors have never shone like that before.
I'm going to ask the manufacturer if they will consider also shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and hand soap liquid.
Because I'm trying to reduce plastic, I have started reading packaging to see if it says they are recyclable. I have been shocked to find that things I had assumed were recyclable and had been merrily throwing into my green bin, are not recyclable at all. Even things like the plastic wrapping over rolls, teacakes etc. And the blister packs with small cakes in.
It's very difficult to know what should go where.

Ariadne xx

Great step forward...

Better still take your containers to one of the many "zero waste" shops that are springing up do that your household products can be put straight into your own containers. Ditto oats pasta etc - just like the old days 

We have been re-using Chrstmas wrapping paper for years - the children were taught from an early age to open presents carefully so as not to rip the wrapping and on Boxing Day I would cut off the sellotape bits and make new squares of paper for the following year. All the cards get made into labels ( with hole punch and twine. And I even save the homemade labels from year to year since the family are still called by the same names!!!  I won't be buying any more wrapping paper and have already bought/saved brown paper ( or kept the stuff that comes as packaging), and use raffia, and ribbon or twine saved from bouquets of flowers or anything else I've been given - to brighten up the parcels....

  Can you see my halo shining 

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

You and me both  - 'they' talk about re-gifting but our families did it for years.  Mum would mentally make a list of who was given what: this in a family group of over 15 ...... so that she didn't give the present back to the gifter 

We kept paper - some went round this family for over 10 years, particularly the shiny stuff.  It would be commented on and bring back it's own memories  .  Cut carefully and ironed  ........ then the smaller pieces would be used to wrap the presents that Santa would bring, Mum did that until last year, she had wrapped B4 she went into the Home.  She even found some wedding paper from 1975 in which to wrap our 40th present from her to us 

No use by dates then so it didn't matter.  Talc, bath cubes, bath salts all went round until eventually were used by someone  .  We've used cards as labels since about 1966.  Sadly I have more labels than people these days but am loathe to throw them.  Mum made small tapestry cards for gifts, I found some in the loft recently so could be reused or hung on the tree.

What was the question 

It's known as 'make do and mend'  . 

[ariadne]

I keep meaning to make an appt. to go and see the new operation at Cherwell but I haven't done so yet.  That would give me an idea as to what is possible to separate and which to put in the recycling bin.

If you look at the back of the packaging, most manufacturers are including this information.

Ariadne xx

[ariadne]

I've  bought proper dishcloths that can be washed instead of the disposable type but I've discovered that I can wash the better quality disposable ones in the machine. They came out looking like new. The flimsy ones fall apart though.

Funny thing happened in Tesco today. I had put carrots in one of my net bags that I bought from Lakeland, so as not to use the plastic ones. Instead of going to the self service till I went to an actual lady!  When she got to my net bag, she studied it for a while before trying to scan the Lakeland label😂. We had a chuckle when I explained.

Ariadne xx

[CLKD]

We never use the self service, we like to speak to a Human Bean. I have started taking bags which fit into the trolley without problems.  It's the weekend supplements that I get my knickers in a twist over 

[Hurdity]

I didn't even know you could get disposable dishcloths? J cloths are very strong and washable and last me months!

I also bought some face wipes once and now wash these and buy eye-make remover etc and just keep re-using these wipes. The scary thing about these is that they are indestructable and have been through the washing machine for two years and still can be used. The effect of these if used only once - on the environment is shocking. No-one should be using these any more (single use wipes...)!

Hurdity x

[ariadne]

Which eye make up remover do you use Hurdity? I bought some once that was recommended online as a best buy and it was no good. It didn't remove my eye make up. My home made face wipes are lovely on my face but don't remove eye make up easily.

Ariadne xx

[Gangan]

No-one should be using these any more (single use wipes...)!

Hurdity x

What can be done about baby wipes though which are tough too ? My daughter went back to using cotton wool and water for cleaning bottoms for a while with reuseable nappies, napisan etc.  She had to give up as it just doesn't fit in with her lifestyle. Busy working mum with 2 toddlers.
I think it will take some doing to get young mums to go back to cotton wool and water like i used to use. Maybe changing what these wipes are made of is the only answer.

Gangan X

[CLKD]

It fitted in with my parents  .  There wasn't any choice!  Nappy buckets which were rinsed in hot water then put through a mangle, liners and Terrys were hung on the line to blow.  No washing machine.  No spinner.  Plenty of sunshine bleached them.

Liners were burned on the fire last thing t night if too messy to wash.

The Water Companies are complaining that those bottom wipes etc. are fouling up the sewage plants. :-(

[ariadne]

Nowadays a lot of people live in flats or rented accommodation without access to outside space for drying clothes and possibly no space for tumble driers either. And a lot more young parents work and have little time for the lengthy Terry nappy process. And if their babies go to minders or nurseries, they are unlikely to be able to cope with Terry nappies.

I think suppliers need to come up with more products that are biodegradable.

I just washed a used face wipe, as Hurdity suggested, on a 60 degree wash to see what would happen. To my surprise, it came out intact and beautifully clean! Now I can reuse these for my home made face wipes instead of kitchen towel 😁

Ariadne xx

[Shadyglade]

Why not just use a flannel??

[Krystal]

After 12 years of living less than a mile from the local farm shop and a another disappointing delivery of fruit and vegetables from the on-line shopping I made a brave decision to visit the farm. I thought this only sold logs and manure but after checking their website this was not the case. I now get all our vegetables and some fruit from the local farm shop. Their prices are about the same as the supermarket but the standard of the fruit and vegetables is far superior.  I can pick my own fruit and vegetables as there is no nasty polystyrene or plastic wrappings. The quality of the eggs is very good and when used for baking gives a good high rise with cakes and meringues and again no packaging as we take the empty boxes with us to refill. On this trip I use my mended recycled bag so far the stitching has not given up. If it does I will mend it again. Visiting the farm shop has reduced the volume of unnecessary packaging which used to end up in the recycling bin.


This week I was shocked to find the Cranberry Juice I drink daily which used to be in a tetra pack has now been put into a plastic bottle
which contains 25% recyclable plastics, why??   

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies.

I agree that re use and/or recycle is the way to go!

I grew up in a flat in London in the days before disposable nappies or washing machines!  My mother had to wash the terry towelling nappies and then put them in a bucket of water and boil them for twenty minutes to disinfect them.  I don't recall me or my brother having any health issues but apparently rates of urine infections in babies plummeted when disposable nappies were introduced so perhaps no everyone was so thorough when washing the fabric ones.

The amount of plastic rubbish that has accumulated in the last fifty years is frightening and, as with climate change, I hope we can solve the problem while there's still time.

Wishing everyone well.

K.

[Hurdity]

Which eye make up remover do you use Hurdity? I bought some once that was recommended online as a best buy and it was no good. It didn't remove my eye make up. My home made face wipes are lovely on my face but don't remove eye make up easily.

Ariadne xx

Hi there ariadne - sorry haven't visited this board for a couple of days! I normally use Boots sensitive unperfumed eye-make-up remover lotion (like baby lotion) - cheap as chips! Rcently got soem Garnier micellar water of something - which is nowhere near as good. The lotion does the job fine. Mind you I only use mascara and eye pencil (under the eye) so not much to remove....

Nowadays a lot of people live in flats or rented accommodation without access to outside space for drying clothes and possibly no space for tumble driers either. And a lot more young parents work and have little time for the lengthy Terry nappy process. And if their babies go to minders or nurseries, they are unlikely to be able to cope with Terry nappies.

I think suppliers need to come up with more products that are biodegradable.

I just washed a used face wipe, as Hurdity suggested, on a 60 degree wash to see what would happen. To my surprise, it came out intact and beautifully clean! Now I can reuse these for my home made face wipes instead of kitchen towel 😁

Ariadne xx

Great stuff - I bought the wipes for when I was away but couldn't bear to throw them away - you only have to buy one pack and you're sorted!

What can be done about baby wipes though which are tough too ? My daughter went back to using cotton wool and water for cleaning bottoms for a while with reuseable nappies, napisan etc.  She had to give up as it just doesn't fit in with her lifestyle. Busy working mum with 2 toddlers.
I think it will take some doing to get young mums to go back to cotton wool and water like i used to use. Maybe changing what these wipes are made of is the only answer.

Gangan X

Yes they already exist - I bought some last year made from biodegradable material. Problem is they are expensive and they didn't have a proper resealable container ( more plastic!) to keep them moist. These need to be made mainstream and the others phased out, just like is happening with everything else.

Hurdity x