Dishwashing

Use a wooden dish brush with natural bristles instead of a plastic sponge, a plant-based dish soap bar instead of liquid in a plastic bottle, and rinse with cold rather than hot water for lightly soiled dishes. This combination eliminates the ongoing plastic waste of conventional dishwashing.

Yes. Dishwasher detergent sheets perform comparably to conventional dishwasher tablets for everyday loads. They dissolve completely in the dishwasher, leave no residue, are packaged in compostable cardboard, and eliminate the plastic packaging of conventional tablets and pods.

A full, efficient dishwasher load typically uses less water than hand washing the same number of dishes. However, the comparison depends on the dishwasher model, how full it is, and how efficiently you hand wash. For a household of one or two people not generating full loads, careful hand washing with cold water can use less overall.

Wooden dish brushes with natural fibre bristles (sisal, Tampico, coconut coir) are the most effective plastic sponge replacement. Nawrap cellulose cloths handle wiping and light scrubbing. Coconut fibre scrubbers tackle tough baked-on residue. All are plastic-free and compostable at end of life.

The key is thorough drying between uses. After washing, shake out excess water, and store the brush bristles-down or on its side so air circulates around the head. Do not store bristles-down in standing water or in a closed container. Some brushes benefit from an occasional rinse with diluted white vinegar to prevent mould and bacterial build-up.