As part of living a more sustainable life, I try to reduce the amount of waste our home produces. This isn’t an easy task, so I focus on one room at a time.
I have already put together a list of the top 5 zero-waste swaps for the bathroom to help others to start. And more generally, I put together a guide with 5 zero-waste living ideas that are less focussed on specific products, but on lifestyle changes around the home.
Now, I’m focussing on the kitchen, where often the most waste is produced. But it doesn’t have to be like that.
And to provide a place to start, here are the 9 best zero-waste kitchen products for UK households.
How My Rankings Work
In order to make it on my list, an alternative product has to meet three criteria: eliminate waste, work as well or better than the original product, and is either cheaper or costs a similar amount.
The more waste and more money a product saves, the higher it ranks.
These two go hand-in-hand, because if you can save a lot of waste, it means you have to spend less money to replace the item, so you will also save money.
And let’s face it, if you spend less while also reducing the amount of waste you produce, this is the icing on the cake.
With all this in mind, let’s get down to it…
9 Best Zero-Waste Kitchen Products
Because we want to reduce waste as much as possible, we will heavily focus on replacing single-use and disposable items. But also look at ways to reduce waste from packaging.
So any of these eco-friendly products will allow you to cut the amount of waste you produce in your kitchen, and with that live a more sustainable life.
#1: Reusable Cleaning Cloths
Many of us use kitchen roll to clean our kitchens, wipe worktops and clean away spills. But this creates a lot of waste, because you only use the sheets once than bin them.
Others use cleaning wipes instead, which are even worse, because they are normally made of plastic. Some even use both.
To stop this waste of material and money, switch to reusable cleaning cloths made from natural fibres. I made my own by knitting them with organic cotton wool. But if you aren’t handy in that department, my top recommendation are these bamboo cloths from re:gn.
Because they are made from bamboo, they are more durable as cotton, yet just as absorbent.
You get seven cloths in the pack, which will easily be enough for all you kitchen cleaning needs. And the best about them: you can pop them in the washing machine and use them again, and again, and again…
You can even use them to clean windows, mirrors, and dust, so they aren’t just useful in the kitchen.
The reason they made it to the top of our list is because the amount of waste you can cut by buying them is huge and that will also save you a lot of money.
#2: Silicone Stretch Lids
Another single-use plastic item that is used in many UK kitchens is cling film. It’s handy for keeping food fresh, but it also creates a lot of plastic waste.
I have changed to silicone lids years ago and don’t buy cling film any more. I have a 12-piece set, with 6 different sizes, which allow me to cover any food storage container.
I even use it for fruits and vegetables, such as pineapple, squash, or cucumber halves to keep them from drying out in the fridge until I use them.
After use, I pop them in the dishwasher and then reuse them again. The amount of waste and money I have saved since switching from cling film to silicone lids is huge.
Read my full silicon stretch lids review to find out more.
#3: Silicone Baking Sheets
If like me, you bake a lot, then you probably also use a lot of baking paper. I bake mostly bread, so baking paper is a must. And because this type of paper has a silicone coating to make it non-stick, it can’t be recycled.
So a while ago, I ditched parchment paper and bought an EcoLiving silicone baking sheet from &keep. It’s non-stick, like the paper version, but it can be cleaned and reused again and again.
I have to say, I love my silicone baking sheet, as it has saved so much waste and money. And it works great for baking. The bread doesn’t stick and it’s very easy to clean with a sponge and washing-up liquid.
It’s not just for baking that it’s useful either, you can use a reusable baking sheet for chips or roasting veg too. Just make sure you check what the maximum temperature is the sheet can withstand.
I have heard that you can put these silicone baking sheets in the dishwasher too, which is great, but personally I prefer to hand wash them.
Either way, this is a great zero-waste swap for your kitchen.
#4: Compostable Cleaning Sponges
So far, we were looking at single-use items that are commonly used a lot. Now let’s look at cleaning sponges, which while not single-use are still disposable.
They are made of plastic, release microplastics, and can’t be recycled. As a result, they are responsible for huge amounts of waste, even if you use them for two or three weeks at a time.
A year ago or so, I switched to using compostable sponges, which are plastic-free, can be washed and reused, and once done with put on our compost heap in the garden.
I have tried a few, but my favourite is the Seep Sponge Scourer. The sponge part is made of cellulose, made from wood pulp, and the scourer is made from loofah, a plant.
The loofah scourer is tough enough to get rid of dirt or dried on food on dishes, but at the same time non-scratch, so can be used on non-stick pans and more delicate surfaces.
It lasts about three months, and can be washed in the dishwasher or washing machine to refresh it and keep it clean and hygienic.
Read my full Seep Sponge Scourer review to learn more.
#5: Cotton Produce Bags
When I bake bread, I slice it and then freeze it, so that we always have bread when we need it. All I need to do is defrost it in the toaster.
I used to use plastic bags to freeze the bread, but as it was impossible to clean them afterwards to reuse them, I decided to buy cotton produce bags instead. They are plastic-free, washable and therefore reusable.
I found these A Slice Of Green recycled cotton bags on &keep, where you can choose different sizes. While I mainly use them for freezing my bread, they are very versatile.
You can store fresh vegetables, like carrots or potatoes in the bag in the fridge. Because cotton is a natural material it’s breathable, which means the veggies will stay fresh for longer.
Since I bought a few of those cotton produce bags I haven’t had to buy any plastic bags, saving on waste and money.
#6: Plastic-Free Dish Brush
Washing dishes can be a task and a half, when even the best cleaning sponge isn’t enough. Dried-on or burnt-on food can be difficult to shift, unless you have the right tool.
Dish brushes are great, but most are made of plastic, which can’t be recycled and end up in landfill. While the handles would last a long time, the bristles don’t, so you have to replace a dish brush regularly.
Like toothbrushes, the bristles of dish brushes can harbour bacteria, so need to be replaced regularly for hygienic reasons.
I decided to stop this waste and bought a plastic-free dish brush that can be composted. The handle is made of wood and the bristles are made from sisal, a plant-based materials.
Once no longer useful, the brush can be thrown in the compost bin. I opted for this small brush, but you can also get ones with a long handle and a replaceable head.
The one I bought from re:gn works on all sorts of dishes and doesn’t scratch them. It’s such a great zero-waste kitchen product.
#7: Washing-Up Soap
Let’s stay with dishwashing. One thing I’m also looking to reduce is the amount of plastic packaging I use. While many of it is recyclable, we know that not all is recycled, according to Greenpeace.
Besides, when it comes to plastic, recycling isn’t the answer. That’s because plastic can only be recycled 2-3 times before it gets to low quality to be reused.
So even if plastic packaging can be recycled, it will end up as waste very soon, so reducing the amount of plastic packing you have in your kitchen will reduce the amount of waste you produce.
One simple way to do this is to swap your normal washing-up liquid for a washing-up soap. I have done it a while ago and wouldn’t go back for anything.
I found the Friendly Soap kitchen bar soap on &keep, where I like to shop for my eco-friendly essentials. It comes in a recyclable or compostable cardboard box, so there is no waste.
It’s very easy to use too. Just wet the soap, rub the sponge on it and you’re ready to go. It works great and it’s astounding how long it lasts. Although I have to say that as it doesn’t foam much, due to lack of unnecessary foaming agents, you might be tempted to use more than you need.
Apart from the zero-waste packaging, the soap is also free from any harmful or nasty synthetic ingredients. Instead it’s made of natural ingredients that won’t harm our planet.
And the best thing, you can use the soap as stain remover on your laundry too. Just wet it, rub it into the stain, and wash as normal.
#8: Refillable Cleaning Products
Like with washing-up liquid, cleaning products commonly come in plastic bottles. So I decided to switch to plastic-free, zero-waste refillable cleaning products from homethings.
They offer a range of different cleaning products that come as concentrated refills. So all you need is a spray bottle, or you can buy theirs, which you keep refilling.
The concentrated refill comes in powder form in a paper sachet, which you can jus pop into the recycling bin or compost. And they don’t use any nasty chemicals that you find in ordinary cleaning products either.
The cleaners work a treat too, so you don’t have to compromise on results.
Read my full homethings cleaning products review to learn more.
#9: Refillable Hand Wash
A bottle of hand wash is an incredible handy product to have in your kitchen. But while the bottles themselves are normally recyclable, the pump dispensers aren’t. Every time I finished a hand wash bottle I created plastic waste.
I didn’t like that at all. So I decided to switch to refillable hand wash, where I keep using the same bottle and dispenser. I decided to buy the hand wash refills from Bower Collective, due to their closed loop refill return system.
Basically, when you buy the refill you get a free return envelope with your order. You refill your bottles, pop the refill pouch in the envelope and once you have 4 or more pouches, you send them back to Bower Collective.
They will then clean and refill the pouches, so there is no waste whatsoever. That is the ideal zero-waste scenario.
And it’s not just the packaging that’s eco-friendly, the hand wash itself is too, as it’s made from naturally-derived ingredients sourced in the UK, so no harsh or toxic chemicals either.
You have the option of several different scents, all of which smell divine and are derived from essential oils, not harmful synthetic fragrances.
So here you go, the 9 best zero-waste kitchen products to reduce waste in your kitchen. All these sustainable kitchen products will help you live a more sustainable life without having to compromise on anything.
In many cases you will even save money, which is always a bonus, right? So give it a go, try them out and turn your kitchen into a zero-waste zone.
