Useful tips from the BBC

THE RADIO 4 programme Sliced Bread investigates the truth behind different products. You may not be interested in the health benefits (or not) of mushroom coffee, but we all have to do washing up regularly, and all of us think that our methodology is the best, whether we use a dishwasher or wash by hand. Sliced Bread looked at the best way to do this in order to clean the dishes with the minimum of water and the least electricity. Key tips are to scrape waste food off the dishes and into the bin, do not pre-rinse before using the dishwasher, use the eco-programme on the dishwasher (it washes for longer at a lower temperature and maximises the use of enzymes), and add the detergent to the bowl after running the water to reduce bubbles when handwashing. In general, using a dishwasher may have lower environmental impact than handwashing.
Listen to the whole programme on www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001xdbx 
On BBC One Morning Live a few weeks ago, Nancy Birtwhistle gave a masterclass on how to clean and refresh garden furniture (removing bird droppings, algae, moss, general dirt) after the winter, using cheap home-made cleaning products from the kitchen cupboard. She covers wooden and plastic furniture and mouldy cushions. Her warning is to wear your oldest clothes, do it in the garden, and leave any polish to soak in before sitting down on your beautifully restored garden furniture. Her programme can be seen on www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/4X4fMMVC6WC2lV9KFwfKF5n/nancy-birtwhistle