Former Bake Off champion Nancy Birtwhistle said that we have been "brainwashed" that we need to use harsh chemicals to clean our homes. Here is how to take a more environmentally friendly approach

Last modified on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 06.50 EST

This is a dirty washing machine, prompting Nancy Birtwhistle to accept the power of environmental cleaning. "I almost got to the point where I needed a new washing machine because it was a shame," she said. "This is the culture we have formed:'I will replace it.'" Instead, she cleaned thoroughly and switched to homemade detergent. She said that her machine no longer crashes due to chemical overload.

Birtwhistle is a serious retired GP practice manager and nine-year-old grandmother who won the fifth British Baking Competition in 2014, but she is also widely known on social media for her green cleaning skills. Once a fan of bleach and scented products, she now makes everything herself. "We have been brainwashed to think that natural products are inferior to synthetic products. I used sodium bicarbonate in the 1970s, but I stopped using it because I thought some products would do it faster, but they caused so much damage to the environment. She has now written a book "Clean and Green: 101 Tips and Tricks for a Greener Home", which is full of suggestions and clever tips. She said that Green Clean "can be used by everyone. I emphasize making it affordable." Here are some of her tips to help you get started.

Birtwhistle buys her most commonly used ingredients in bulk-this is an initial expenditure, but it saves money in the long run. Her main ingredients include bicarbonate of soda, "because it is used a lot", a large bag of citric acid, a bottle of surgical alcohol, sodium carbonate (called washing soda, which may be irritating to the skin and eyes) and a bag Sodium percarbonate (referred to as "oxygen" or "green" bleach; it is not as toxic as chlorine bleach, but you still have to use it with care, as with all these ingredients, although these ingredients are considered acceptable It is a natural cleaning alternative, but not completely benign. So please keep it out of the reach of children, if necessary, please wear gloves and follow the safety instructions on the packaging). "I bought myself a variety of essential oils because I still like a little perfume in fabric conditioners or my ironing water."

It sounds amazing, but Birtwhistle swears that ivy is used as washing powder (about 60g, chopped into a fine cloth bag, and then placed in a drum). "It made me very excited; my husband thought I was a cookie. Deep in my memory, I knew something about ivy and saponins (a natural foaming detergent), so I googled it. Conk She also has it." Birtwhistle uses ivy "When it is not convenient for me to go out and cut some. I have a lot in the garden." (Although remember that ivy can irritate the skin for some people.) In autumn, she Collect horse chestnuts and boil them to make a creamy laundry detergent.

This is what Birtwhistle uses in her iron, instead of buying expensive distilled "iron water" or using hard tap water, which will scale the iron. She takes one liter from her bucket at a time. "Boil it, and when it gets cold, add two or three drops of lily of the valley essential oil."

The formula of Birtwhistle is 150 ml of water, 60 ml of white vinegar and 40 ml of surgical alcohol, with essential oils added for fragrance. "I use it for almost anything," she said. "It is streak-free and quick-drying. It was originally used as a kitchen cleaner for countertops, stoves, and cabinets to remove greasy marks on shelves, etc. Then I moved it to the bathroom and other places. It is suitable for use in the car. Mirrors, glass. This is great for tiles."

It is well known that the chemicals used in dry cleaners are poisonous. "I used to work in an office, and when I was wearing a suit, I would often send my jacket to the cleaner because the collar was dirty. But you only need a cushion soaked in the spirit of surgery; you can clean it without a dry cleaner."

"First use steam to soften all the burnt debris," Birtwhistle said. Place a large baking pan on the bottom of a warm oven, pour boiling water, close the door, and let it sit for 20 minutes. A paste made with soda and water bicarbonate (if you want to make it stickier, you can add some xanthan gum) and then you can use a pastry brush to paint around. Let it stand for 30 minutes, then remove it with a spatula and fine steel wool.

A terrible job-and Birtwhistle used to use harsh chemicals in a large plastic bag. She said there are two ways. "One is to simply leave them on the lawn overnight. The best result I got was to do it when I first cut the grass and cover the shelf with grass clippings. It creates a damp environment, and then they wipe it the next day. It's clean." One of her social media fans from South Africa gave her this tip. However, if you do not have a garden or grass, please "dip them in the washing soda overnight."

Birtwhistle said that she had “lived for many years” and there were stains in the cast iron casserole. "Then just need a tablespoon of sodium percarbonate and a pot of boiling water to clean it."

Birtwhistle says that yellowing fabrics, such as pillowcases, can be changed. "Put them in lemon juice or citric acid solution [3 tablespoons in 600 ml hot water], add salt, then soak. You need a sunny day. Pin them out-don't rinse or wring them out-the sun will Bleach them."

Birtwhistle said that a fine mist made of white vinegar and surgical alcohol, diluted with water, is a good screen cleaner: it can remove dirty fingerprints and bacteria from the keyboard. She added that vinegar can reduce static adhesion, "so it can prevent dust from accumulating on TVs."

Birtwhistle says that citric acid "dissolves scale and kills bacteria. When you stay away from bleach, you will find all these stains appear, because all you do is bleach them, but the scale is still there. Use citric acid to get rid of It." She made her own toilet cleaner with 200 grams of citric acid and 150 milliliters of water, and emulsified it with sprayed environmentally friendly detergent. "The only downside is that the nozzle needs to be flushed afterwards. Otherwise, it will crystallize there."

The traces on the glass screen come from "a combination of soap scum and limescale. Spray with citric acid and water and it will fall off quickly. Be sure to rinse it off because it is sticky when dry."

Birtwhistle says this will apply to moldy spots on grouts, sealants and refrigerator seals. "Salt and vinegar will kill mold. I put white vinegar in a spray bottle so you can get it into that awkward place. I sprayed it, then dipped my old toothbrush in regular table salt and wiped it off. Finished. Later, if there are any stains, you can use sodium percarbonate spray."

After running in with the rubber parking column ("These things happened"), Birtwhistle lightly smeared some bicarbonate on the markings with a damp cloth, as if it had never happened. It is also suitable for walls, skirting boards and electrical appliances.

Last summer, Birtwhistle had two different sprays to prevent bugs from entering. She made one with nettles (60 grams boiled in 600 ml of water), and the other with rhubarb leaves (500 grams of leaves boiled in 1 liter of water). Both contain lilac bud oil, which is believed to deter insects. "The oxalic acid in rhubarb is a mild poison, so I didn't use it on my vegetables," she said. "I used nettle spray there, and rhubarb spray on non-edible plants." She said that both are effective. "I am very happy."

Nancy Birtwhistle's Clean & Green was published by Pan Macmillan on January 21 (£12.99). To order a copy for £10.39, please visit Guardianbookshop.com. May charge for shipping