Get milk delivered and always buy refills: 20 simple ways to cut down on plastic (and save money)

Refills can make a huge dent in your household’s plastic use. Photograph: wera Rodsawang/Getty Images

We all want to use less plastic, but it’s not always easy. So we asked you – readers of the Filter, along with friends, family and colleagues – how you cut down on plastic in your lives.

From making your own sparkling water to ditching teabags, here are all the ways you’re helping save the planet, one unnecessary piece of clingfilm at a time.

***

Laundry capsules and washing-up liquid through the post

Smol laundry capsules

_{From £6 for 24 capsules at Smol}

Smol refillable washing-up liquid

_{£8.50 for a three-month supply at Smol}

I love my Smol refillable washing liquid. It gets delivered in zero-plastic packaging and works out cheaper than going to the supermarket as you don’t have to pay extra for postage. The grapefruit fragrance smells much nicer than the big brands, too. Trish

We switched to Smol products, which contain zero plastic. We buy dishwasher tablets, washing machine capsules, fabric conditioner, wiping-up sponges, kitchen surface spray and foaming hand wash, all delivered in cardboard boxes at no extra cost. We’ve saved a lot of single-use plastic by doing this. Recommended! Chris Kimber

***

Carbonator

Aarke carbonator

_{£199.99 at Lakeland
£196 at Currys}

We have been looking to cut our soda/flavoured drinks consumption, due to all the sugar and stuff in them. We moved over to drinking sparkling water last year and saw our single-use plastic bottle usage rise. Argh! So, for Christmas, we bought an Aarke carbonator. No more single-use plastic. The machine looks gorgeous on the worktop, it’s easy to use, I like its eco credentials (its gas cylinders use 100% renewable CO2, a byproduct from agricultural and chemical production) and we now never run out of sparkling water. Very happy! Patricia O’Connor

***

Metal water bottle

Chilly’s insulated drinks bottle, 500ml

_{£24 at John Lewis
£24 at Chilly’s}

A few years ago, I became obsessed with the idea that drinking more water would improve my skin. Switching from constantly buying plastic bottles to carrying my Chilly’s reusable one saved me money and cut down on waste. I like to think my skin looks better, too! Ella Jinadu

***

Reusable face cloths

Re:gn bamboo organic face cloths

_{£12.99 for 12 at Regn}

Yoofoss bamboo wash cloths

_{£10.39 for 10 at Amazon}

I switched from single-use face cloths to reusable ones to cut down on my plastic use and save money. I also feel they’re kinder on my skin. Emily

***

Loose-leaf tea

APS Asia teapot

_{£27.58 at Nisbets}

La Cafetière cast iron teapot

_{£42 at John Lewis}

Loose leaf tea

_{From £3.50 at Bird & Blend Tea Co}

I love loose-leaf tea and not only because it means I can avoid the plastic materials used in the manufacture of many teabags and those released during brewing. There are more options, it tastes a lot better than teabag tea, and using my teapot to brew several cups feels like more of a ritual than chucking a bag in a mug. Emily

***

Period pants

Modibodi basic brazilian

_{£13.99 each at Modibodi}

M&S period bikini knickers

_{£16 for three pairs at M&S}

The period pant revolution started in my friendship group a few years ago. Tired with single-use tampons and uncomfortable sanitary towels, one by one we made the switch. You don’t normally get to wear your fancy pants on your period, but my black Modibodi briefs might actually be the most flattering pair of pants I own. If you’re still on the fence, M&S do a great multipack that’s much more affordable. Ella Jinadu

***

Eco washing-up

Stainless steel washing-up bowl 31cm

_{£23.99 at Robert Dyas
£27.49 at B&Q}

Seep all-purpose bamboo cloths

_{£2.86 each at Robert Dyas
£8.95 for three at Bower Collective}

Wooden dish brush with replaceable head

_{£5.99 at Bower Collective
£6.50 at Wild & Stone}

My washing-up bowl is now stainless steel; I buy bamboo dish cloths and use wooden brushes to wash up. I use aluminium-free bicarbonate of soda and distilled vinegar to wash up and clean the house, and fresh lemon juice and bicarb for the floors. Helen Mann

***

Shampoo bars and refill jars

Kitsch rice water shampoo bar

_{£11.25 at Kitsch}

I wash my hair with soap shampoos from Kitsch. Partly because the one I use is sulphate-free, and partly because you can use it to the very end, unlike a bottle. And when you fly, it’s one less liquid to squeeze through security.

I also buy everything refill – we have a great local shop called Cups and Jars (and Refill is a great source of local refill shops) – and store everything in old chickpea jars (we eat a lot) instead of plastic click-clacks. Morwenna Ferrier

***

Glass bottle cleaning products

Purdy & Figg counter cleaner starter kit

_{£15 at Purdy & Figg}

I’ve started using Purdy & Figg cleaning products on subscription. They don’t have any chemical nasties and come in glass bottles so use far less plastic compared with other eco-cleaning products. They’re filled with essential oils, so the house smells amazing. Celia

***

Small pots for leftovers

Elephant Box Seal & Go Trio

_{£27 at Elephant Box
£26 at Buy Me Once}

Having some smaller tubs for storing half an avocado or lemon has drastically cut down the amount of clingfilm I use. Buying a nesting set that can be stored inside each other also means it’s easy to find room for them in my tiny kitchen. Lily Smith

***

Refillable deodorant

Fussy deodorant starter pack

_{From £12 at Fussy}

I’ve switched to Fussy deodorant. It comes in a sturdy holder and the refills can be composted. Natural deodorant also feels much kinder to your skin compared with regular deodorant, so it seems like an easy change. Mary

***

Milk delivery and eco-cleaning

Clean & Green by Nancy Birtwhistle

_{£9.89 at Guardian bookshop
£9.80 at Amazon}

I switched to getting milk delivered in glass bottles, and I make my own cleaning products via good old Nancy Birtwhistle. Lisa Foreman

***

Loo roll subscription

Who Gives a Crap recycled toilet paper

_{From £28 for 24 rolls at Who Gives a Crap}

I love Who Gives a Crap toilet paper. It comes delivered, in plastic-free packaging, which is much more convenient than lugging it back with the weekly shop. The colourful paper each roll comes wrapped in also doubles as wrapping paper, so I always save it. Marcel

***

Coconut fibre dish brush

Coconut fibre dish brush

_{£4.95 at Wild & Stone
£5 at Bower Collective}

My husband and I moved from India to the village where I grew up, in Northamptonshire, and opened a refill shop. At home, my favourite item is a coconut-fibre dish brush to replace those plastic ones. Better, cleaner, doesn’t go manky. Other things? Refilling household cleaning products – those bottles are WAY too good to chuck. We’ve had some being refilled for nearly six years now. Lindsay Singh

***

Homemade yoghurt

I started making my own dairy-free yoghurt a few years ago. I reckon I’ve avoided at least 500 large plastic pots, as well as unnecessary additives. I use pure soy milk (Sojade seems best), a handful of ground-up cashews and a couple of tablespoons of a previous batch as a starter. You can start your first batch with shop-bought live yoghurt. I used to keep it warm for four hours in a padded coat but now use my multi-cooker. Thick, creamy and delicious. Rebecca

***

Beeswax wraps and no-more-minis

Beeswax wraps

_{From £3.59 at Etsy
£12.50 for three at Wild & Stone}

I use beeswax wraps for leftovers, and never buy miniature toiletries or beauty Advent calendars! Alison Payne

***

Reusable freezer bags

Joie reusable freezer bags

_{£9.99 at Lakeland}

Reusable freezer bags! I buy Joie ones – they’re thick and sturdy, and I just rinse them out after, let them dry properly, and then use them again. Michelle Rattigan

***

Secondhand Crocs

I buy secondhand plastic shoes – Crocs, sliders – from Vinted for my daughter, whose feet grow ridiculously fast. They’re almost always in great condition because they’ve probably only been worn a few times by other fast-growing feet. It makes me feel better about adding to the plastic mountain, and saves me a ton of money, too. Hannah Booth

***

Food flask

Thermos stainless food flask

_{£23 at John Lewis
£19.99 at Amazon}

I send my daughter to school with a food flask filled with pasta. We save a lot on clingfilm and sandwich bags. Rob

***

Stove-top coffee maker

Bialetti three-cup espresso maker

_{£35 at John Lewis
£37 at Amazon}

I start each day with a triple espresso wake-up from my Bialetti Moka Express three-cup. Zero plastic required. Iconic design. I’ve had the same pot since 2004 and just replace the seal and filters every five years or so. Louisa Paston

***

Hannah Booth is the editor of the Filter. Thanks to an inherited frugality, a love of vintage, and a desire not to add to the mountains of waste, she has a deep love of charity shops and car boot sales, and is currently developing a not-yet-out-of-control Vinted habit

• This article was amended on 17 March 2025. An editing error led one of the people featured to say that they switched to single-use face cloths from reusable ones, when in fact they changed to reusable from single-use.