Almost everyone's got a bottle of cheap vinegar lurking at the back of the cupboard somewhere, one that only sees the light of day on those rare (or not so rare) occasion that we treat ourselves to chips...but aceitic acid aspires to much more than being a humble flavouring. It was hard work to limit its uses to only ten, but read on to find out my top uses for vinegar as an abundant and natural household product.
1. Removing stubborn coffee stained cups and pots.
Rubbing your crockery with a dab of neat vinegar will banish those unsightly brown marks.
2. Storing cheese
A weird and wonderful factoid that will make people think you're a domestic god(dess); cheese keeps much longer when wrapped in a vinegar-soaked cloth
Follow the jump for more tips
Related: Top 10 eco-friendly uses for lemons | Top 10 eco-friendly uses for salt
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Most compost bins I've seen are dull-coloured, plasticky affairs, but not this one: the far more genteel 'compost pail' won't cramp your kitchen's contemporary style, and what's more, it has integrated carbon filters inside the lid to keep your kitchen odour free.
Made from high quality stainless steel, the composter will tolerate everything from vegetable cuttings and tea bags to egg shells and other organic scraps. £29.95 at Natural Collection
Related: Hippyshopper guide to composting
Jute isn't just good for making 'greener than thou' shopping bags: it turns out that this hardwearing fabric works a treat on walls, too.
If you're looking for alternative to wallpaper that's tough, tactile and made from sustainable materials, you might want to check out this new range of jute wall coverings from Architectural Textiles. The 'juicy jute' collection would work a treat for colour blocking, giving a cheerful twist to any hip eco home. It'll cost you £25 per metre.
Were you aware that it's National Compost Awareness Week? If not, you're probably a newbie to the art of turning waste into nutritious, squelchy mush for your garden. As a nation we produce around 30 million tonnes of waste each year, and over half of this can be easily recycled. So be part of the solution, and follow these links for advice on how to get started.
• There's a good 10-point guide here to the basics of composting from the National Trust. Did you know, for example, that different plants need different types of compost for optimum growth, and your local garden centre will provide you with any types of compost you can't 'cook' at home.
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If you're planning on spilling out into the garden for food, drinks and general chilling out this weekend but don't yet have the furniture, there are plenty of green and ethically produced products designed specially for outdoor living. Here are some you might want to check out. Follow the jump for our rundown of eco-friendly garden must haves for the summer!
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Obviously, the first reason to be happy about the current seasonal weather conditions is the chance to get out there and enjoy the sunshine in your favourite eco chic summer clothes and shoes, while drinking an ice-cold, organic, biodynamic beer!
But next on your priorities should be how you're going to dry those clothes. Happily, it's about this time of year that we can pull the plug on our tumble dryers and keep them quiet for the next few months. I was shocked to hear that hanging washing out to dry in the garden is considered 'vulgar' by some people, as this really is one of the major benefits of the warmer months.
Related: Our guide to drying clothes the green way
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Tea towels get awfully manky, don't they? I'm going to have to put some of mine out of service shortly, but in the meantime these pretty, printed, fairtrade-certified towels from the Guardian Eco Store have caught my eye; a bargain at £3.50 a pack.
But of course, I am not suggesting you throw your decomissioned tea towel in the bin: old fabrics can be dyed and re-used outside the sanctity of the kitchen, either to clean up bathrooms or other non-food related places, or to be turned into a new creation altogether. There's a fun pattern here for and 'ugly doll' made out of old tea towels.
Almost everyone's got a bottle of cheap vinegar lurking at the back of the cupboard somewhere, one that only sees the light of day on those rare (or not so rare) occasion that we treat ourselves to chips...but aceitic acid aspires to much more than being a humble flavouring. It was hard work to limit its uses to only ten, but read on to find out my top uses for vinegar as an abundant and natural household product.
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