I recently did away with my Ecover washing up liquid, washing powder and conditioner.

The company that manufactures the products is based in Belgium, so they may well be eco-friendly and free from chemicals, but they cost the earth an arm and a leg in CO2 emissions when they are transported to the UK.

Instead I am now using Bio-D , which is a UK company with the same philosophies. The company's products don't include harmful toxins in their ingredients, like chlorine bleaches, enzymes or phosphates, allowing you to flush them down the drain with a conscience.

The bonus is that none of them have fragrances. Granted, this does make them smell rather rotten - until you add your own mix of essential oils. So now I can let my mood manipulate my laundry.

My daughter's nappies get a touch of tea tree to make them smell fresh, the sheets are blasted with lavender for a good night's sleep and work clothes are zapped with lemon to fill my husband and me with energy.

To really push the green boat out, I've ordered everything in bulk. This means I have a shed full of 25 litre re-fillable tanks of washing liquid and washing up liquid, ensuring that I use less packaging during the year.

Who would have thought I would ever get so excited about household chores?