Thursday, June 05, 2014

simply practical : wash the dishes



winter sun through the kitchen window / beeswax candle, fressia buds, buddha, hand wash and wooden dish brush

I realise that to some a wooden dish brush versus a plastic one is a very trivial matter. But when your small home begs for simplicity you soon realise that its contents need to be both practical and aesthetically pleasing.

If meditative cleaning was ever possible I would achieve it at the kitchen sink (it's also the perfect opportunity to strengthen my core). The window above my sink frames an abundance of towering gum trees and the windowsill holds an ever-changing vignette - candles, fresh flowers, a buddha brought back from Bali. As far as chores go I really don't mind the dishes (I'll take it over bathroom cleaning any day).

When it comes to the practical elements of dishwashing I've done a bit of research and discovered products that fit my criteria of eco-friendly, reusable and practical. When I found out that a single plastic dishwashing brush takes 1000 years to decompose I sought out an alternative.

I've tried a few brands of wooden brushes but my favourite by far is the Redecker range  - it has a little metal hook on the end so you can easily hang it off the sill and it comes with a replaceable head which I change every 5 months or so. I've had the handle for a year and a half and it's still going strong. I also use the pot scrubbing brush and place both in a cup of water, vinegar, bi-carb and lemon juice for a few minutes when they need a good clean. The best way to ensure wooden brushes last (and don't succumb to mould) is to never leave them soaking in a sink of suds and to always dry them in sunshine, if possible.

I've noticed there's quite a range of bamboo and eco dishcloths available in the supermarkets now and whilst I've tried a few brands my favourites at the ones that can be washed and used again and again. These tidy cloths are great if you want a textured cloth and these sponge cloths can be washed over 300 times. If handmade is more your thing I adore these knitted cloths.

"simply practical" - a new series that documents the simple and practical things I use around the home. 


18 COMMENTS

  1. I too don't mind the washing up. I kind of feel that as a SAHM the kitchen is my office. At the end of a long day (that somehow always seems to revolve around food) I get immense satisfaction from cleaning the kitchen ready for breakfast the next day. Recently I've been knitting up some cotton towels to replace the old flannels in the bathroom... I may make a few more for the kitchen too!

    Lovely sill. Linda. x

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  2. um, amazing! i love this series already and i'm about to book mark everything you've linked! thank you so much! i'll be moving in with my manfriend in a few months and starting a new home with him. i look forward to stocking our home with your simple suggestions. <3

    http://www.oolretaw.com/blog

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  3. I much prefer kitchen chores over any other chores in the house. I'm happiest there, in the flow.

    Is Aesop much cheaper there than it is here? That hand wash is $45 on amazon!

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    1. hehe, no Aesop is not cheaper here. I got this hand wash as a gift and have since refilled it with a not-so-luxurious alternative. However, Aesop products are some of my favourites (especially their face cleansers and moisturisers) x

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    2. oh that's clever of you! I have wanted to try some of the line for ages but it's not sold here so I would have to order without smelling it!

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    3. Oh gosh, once you experience it you'll be hooked. Everything Aesop is divine! x

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  4. Thank you, I'll check out the links. Your window sill looks so pretty. It's nice to know I'm not the only one that washes up by hand. xxoo

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  5. 1000 years??? i will be making a change asap. Love this new series!!!!!!!

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  6. I've been knitting my own dishcloths lately. They look great and make fabulous presents plus they keep a while too compared to a chux sponge. Love the Aesop!

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  7. This post makes me actually want to go wash dishes :) Looks like a beautiful setup to make dish-washing a rejuvenating experience.

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  8. Thank you so much for these recommendations! I'm living in Germany right now, and might just have to snatch a few of those kitchen brushes before we go back to the U.S. in July. I am passionate about things in my home being beautiful as well as long lasting and Eco friendly, but it can be so daunting trying to find the right products. I am thrilled about this new series!

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  9. I love your new series! And discovered wood brushes while traveling through NZealand 6 years ago... I brought back one home...

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  10. Great series Jodi - We're wooden dish brushing folk, I find the natural bristles so effective and like you, I love the aesthetic of using something wooden over plastic - not to mention the eco benefits.

    I can vouch for those 'If You Care' Cloths - we have a pack that we've been using and washing for 6 months now and they're still going strong - seriously! I am really impressed with the entire If You Care Range - we now use their muffin cups, baking paper, aluminium foil and paper bags when we need those.

    My other two favourite eco cleaning items are the veggie scrubber (which can also be used as a nail brush - I just have a separate bathroom and kitchen one! ;) http://www.biome.com.au/kitchen-cleaning/6330-full-circle-ring-vegetable-brush-850166002093.html and these coconut pads have revolutionised cleaning the baked enamel cast iron pot - http://www.biome.com.au/kitchen-cleaning/6485-safix-coco-fibre-scrub-pad-8906021190015.html

    I could go on about how awesome the hemp food wraps are http://www.biome.com.au/food-wrap-covers/8440-hemp-reusable-food-wraps-set-of-3-799665875541.html or how amazing the stainless popsicle moulds are http://www.biome.com.au/stainless-steel-homewares/5282-stainless-steel-popsicle-maker-by-onyx-705105583105.html but you may well have those bookmarked for other posts...

    Looking forward to reading along on this new series xxxx

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  11. living in a small home myself, i couldn't agree more about the importance of its contents having the dual purpose of "fashion and function". my aim is to eventually acheive that simplicity {which i belive to be quite elegant, as well!} i enjoy this series and i love your blog - glad to have found it via breanna rose!

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  12. I strongly concur. Beautifully communicated. Love reading your work.

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  13. I love this idea for a series Jodi! I've been working on reducing the amount of disposable things in our home, but for some reason our dish brush never really occurred to me! The Redecker range looks wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing!

    Katie xx

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  14. I had never thought about the wooden brush, practical but look lovely too. I think ill enjoy this new series x

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  15. I crochet my own dish cloths and they are the BEST! I can never buy another cloth again.

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