Eco cleaning products

[Technical Tony]

Currently waiting for our boat survey, but we are getting things ready in the hope all goes well.

In the interest of trying to do our best and minimise environmental impact, we were wondering if anyone uses environmentally friendly cleaning products for personal, dishes and clothing, and if so, what actually works!

I tried a search but drew a blank, probably because I'm still finding my way around, any links appreciated.

Regards

[Alan de Enfield]

27 minutes ago, Technical Tony said:

Currently waiting for our boat survey, but we are getting things ready in the hope all goes well.

In the interest of trying to do our best and minimise environmental impact, we were wondering if anyone uses environmentally friendly cleaning products for personal, dishes and clothing, and if so, what actually works!

I tried a search but drew a blank, probably because I'm still finding my way around, any links appreciated.

Regards

 

You firstly need to ask yourself if you want to buy products that do what they are supposed to do, or, do you want to buy "Eco products".

[Ronaldo47]

I seem to remember that the original detergents were not bio-degradable, but that type of detergent had been banned, for domestic use at least, by the 1970's. 

[Technical Tony]

That's exactly our point! We don't want to buy something that just doesn't work, and you use more of it. Better to get quality product and use frugally.

But is there an eco friendly brand that does actually work?

[Hudds Lad]

Depends on why you want eco i guess. For example: Ecover stuff is sold as green/eco etc. and has various accreditations as such, but is owned by SC Johnson who test on animals, use petrochemicals and dodge tax.

So for immediate personal impact it's probably ok, but if you're looking for the bigger ethical picture you'll need to dig deeper for something not owned by the big boys.

[Technical Tony]

Thanks Hudds Lad, very good point. Primarily, we want to reduce as much as possible any chemical contaminants going into the cut, but as you say, there is a bigger picture to consider🤔

[Momac]

We use  Ecover laundry and washing up liquids which seem to work well.

In particular the washing up liquid seems to go a long way.

 

We also have a local shop that we use regularly  for refilling our own re-used glass bottles. So the zero packaging aspect is also environmentally attractive. I expect there are similar shops in other locations .

https://newarkecorefill.tillex.co.uk/menu/household-essentials/4

 

 

 

[Technical Tony]

Thanks Momac, useful link.

[haggis]

It is a while since I used any Ecover products but I found they were pretty useless unless you used a large quantity of them . I use "normal" products which only need a very small amount to result in clean grease free dishes. 

[LadyG]

I tend to use less cleaning products, I wipe my dishes etc with paper towel before puting in the wash up bowl, and I often put the waste water on to the verge, this increases  fertility, and helps prevent my waste pipe choking, 

The canals are heavily polluted, so I'm not creating trout stream quality water no matter what I do.

[Technical Tony]

Lady G, when we are caravanning, we also used to tip grey water along hedgerows or around trees, especially in summer, but I do wonder if that could be deemed as fly tipping. Especially with how some authorities like to prosecute the minnows and let the sharks swim away!

 

[Jo_]

Have a look at The Green Company (https://www.thegreencompany.online/) Started by University Students and still based in Dundee. Great products and the laundry sheets/fabric conditioner sheets are so easy to store!! 

[Technical Tony]

1 minute ago, Jo_ said:

Have a look at The Green Company (https://www.thegreencompany.online/) Started by University Students and still based in Dundee. Great products and the laundry sheets/fabric conditioner sheets are so easy to store!! 

Thanks, will do.

[haggis]

39 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I tend to use less cleaning products, I wipe my dishes etc with paper towel before puting in the wash up bowl, and I often put the waste water on to the verge, this increases  fertility, and helps prevent my waste pipe choking, 

The canals are heavily polluted, so I'm not creating trout stream quality water no matter what I do.

I would have thought your "fertility days" were over 🙂 

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, haggis said:

I would have thought your "fertility days" were over 🙂 

 

And she surely doesn't want her "waste pipe choking" - maybe eat more bran !

[Graham Davis]

1 hour ago, Technical Tony said:

Lady G, when we are caravanning, we also used to tip grey water along hedgerows or around trees, especially in summer, but I do wonder if that could be deemed as fly tipping. Especially with how some authorities like to prosecute the minnows and let the sharks swim away!

 

Considering that many sites now actively encourage you to tip your grey water in the verges, hedges or around trees, I very much doubt it.

[Ronaldo47]

Wasn't there something on the radio  a few months ago about a council who was issuing fines to anyone caught urinating against the hedge or fence  next to a layby on a main road, saying it was littering?  A lawyer interviewed on the programme said he didn't see how urinating at a layby where it would sink into the earth could meet the legal definition of litter, and the council would have needed a licence for an enforcement officer to use a surveillance camera in such a situation.

[cheesegas]

2 hours ago, haggis said:

It is a while since I used any Ecover products but I found they were pretty useless unless you used a large quantity of them . I use "normal" products which only need a very small amount to result in clean grease free dishes. 

Not sure about that - maybe they've changed the formula for the better? Bought a 5 litre bottle of Ecover dish detergent last November, I'm not even half way through the stuff and I live aboard and cook pretty frequently.

[Momac]

7 minutes ago, Ronaldo47 said:

Wasn't there something on the radio  a few months ago about a council who was issuing fines to anyone caught urinating against the hedge or fence  next to a layby on a main road, saying it was littering?  A lawyer interviewed on the programme said he didn't see how urinating at a layby where it would sink into the earth could meet the legal definition of litter, and the council would have needed a licence for an enforcement officer to use a surveillance camera in such a situation.

Urinating in public is a public order offence.

[Ronaldo47]

The effectiveness of soaps and detergents very much depends on the hardness of your water. I found this when I was a student in Cardiff where the tap water was much softer (and tasted better) than London water. In Cardiff a bar of soap would easily last all term, not because I didn't wash or shower, but because you almost only had to show the water the soap to get a lather. 

3 minutes ago, Momac said:

Urinating in public is a public order offence.

They were specifically accusing people of littering, not doing anything contrary to public order. The layby in question was in the country.

Edited December 5, 2025 by Ronaldo47

[Onewheeler]

2 hours ago, haggis said:

It is a while since I used any Ecover products but I found they were pretty useless unless you used a large quantity of them . I use "normal" products which only need a very small amount to result in clean grease free dishes. 

I disagree. We use Ecover w-u-l on the boat and at home and a bottle lasts for ages. It degreases well, rarely need hot water.

[LadyG]

2 hours ago, Technical Tony said:

Lady G, when we are caravanning, we also used to tip grey water along hedgerows or around trees, especially in summer, but I do wonder if that could be deemed as fly tipping. Especially with how some authorities like to prosecute the minnows and let the sharks swim away!

 

No, this is too trivial to be considered a nuisance, assuming it's not creating a dump.

[Momac]

3 hours ago, haggis said:

It is a while since I used any Ecover products but I found they were pretty useless unless you used a large quantity of them . I use "normal" products which only need a very small amount to result in clean grease free dishes. 

How long is a while?

 

[MtB]

4 hours ago, Technical Tony said:

But is there an eco friendly brand that does actually work?

 

No.

 

Because if there was, all the major brands would use the same constituents. 

 

Obviously!

 

 

[haggis]

9 minutes ago, Momac said:

How long is a while?

 

0ver 15 years perhaps? Don't know. One of the other owners had left some on our shared boat and I used it . It might have been changed in the meantime 😀