Essential oils: A few drops of essential oil in your bath are a cheap non-chemical alternative to bubble baths that is chemical free and won’t dry out your skin. As an added bonus, different oils have different properties to match your mood – lavender is calming and relaxing, lemon stimulating and invigorating.

Thyme Bath Bags: A refreshing herbal bath to soothe the skin and relax aching muscles. Place dried thyme in an 8-inch square of cheesecloth, add a little raw oats to soften the water. Tie with string and either hang from the tap as bath runs or let it float in the water.

Steaming: This is the most thorough, deep-cleansing method of cleansing your skin and is beneficial to all skin types. Once a week …

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Canned or plug-in air fresheners are chock full of toxins and chemicals. Here are a few natural alternatives you might want to consider.

• Plants which reduce toxic materials are: Aloe Vera, English ivy, fig trees, chrysanthemum, spider plants, Chinese evergreen, bamboo palm, and lily. Decorate liberally with these plants and they’ll act as a natural air purifier.
• Place 1 tablespoon of natural (not imitation) vanilla extract in a ceramic bowl and place it in a room. If the room is large you may want to use more than one. As the vanilla evaporates, a light, refreshing vanilla scent will waft into the surrounding air. Replace every day.
• If you have a diffuser, you can put a couple of drops of eucalyptus oil in it and freshen the air for hours. If you don’t actually own a diffuser, you can simply use an old saucepan, with a little water in the bottom on low heat. But be careful it does not boil dry.
• As far as freshening your air, white vinegar is a natural deodoriser, especially for pet odours. It absorbs odours instead of covering them up.

• Make the most of opportunities to recycle by cutting up old shirts to make dusters and cleaning cloths so you don’t need to buy synthetic ones.
• Mix one cup of salt, one cup of baking soda and quarter cup of cream of tartar to make an effective natural drain cleaner that won’t harm the environment.
• Do less ironing! If you hang them up to dry as soon as they’re washed, sheets, table cloths and pyjamas don’t need to be pressed.
• Always make sure the filter on your tumble dryer is clean as this will use less energy, and sort fabrics by type when drying. Lighter synthetics will need less time than heavy cottons, saving power. Better still, hang items on the washing line outside.
• Bicarbonate of soda is a great surface cleaner and shifts stubborn odours; simply sprinkle a little on a damp cloth. Vinegar is a natural disinfectant which is brilliant at cutting through greasy residues, and can be combined with lemon juice for a lovely citrus smell. Fragrant essential oils such as lavender and clove are natural antiseptics and good at clearing moulds and fungi in the bathroom. Natural beeswax and olive oil are excellent furniture cleaners. However, if time is tight there are a range of natural cleaning products that can help you beat the dirt.