Nancy Birtwhistle Advocates for DIY Green Cleaning Solutions
The Great British Bake Off winner Nancy Birtwhistle is on a mission to transform how Britons clean their homes. Instead of relying on expensive, single-use products, she promotes making your own eco-friendly solutions from everyday household ingredients.
From Bake Off to Green Living Pioneer
Since winning the fifth series of The Great British Bake Off in 2014, Birtwhistle has shifted her focus from baking to sustainable living. The 71-year-old grandmother of ten began her green journey over a decade ago after watching Sir David Attenborough's documentaries on plastic pollution in oceans.
"I think it was the Attenborough programmes that first raised my awareness," Birtwhistle explains. "When you saw the plight of aquatic life affected by discarded plastic, I thought this was horrendous."
The Tangible Benefits of Going Green
Birtwhistle emphasizes that the advantages of homemade cleaning products extend beyond environmental concerns. "The cost savings of going green are tangible," she states. "Once you've made the switch and you see how good it is, and that you're doing your bit for the planet, but fundamentally how much money you're saving, you'll never look back."
She has developed numerous recipes for products including:
- Multi-purpose Pure Magic cleaner
- Laundry detergent
- Dishwasher detergent
- Stain removers
- Furniture polish
- Dental retainer stain remover
Simple Principles for Sustainable Switching
When Birtwhistle began her eco-friendly transformation, she established three key criteria for any changes she would recommend to others:
- Simplicity: "If it gets too complicated, people aren't going to do it."
- Cost-effectiveness: "They have to cost the same or less than I'm already spending on supermarket-own brands."
- Effectiveness: "It has to work, otherwise people aren't doing it."
She describes the satisfaction of walking through supermarket cleaning aisles with an empty trolley: "There's not a better feeling than walking down the cleaning aisle in the supermarket with an empty trolley, because you don't need any of it."
Essential Ingredients for Homemade Cleaners
Birtwhistle's recipes typically use simple, affordable ingredients that most households already possess or can easily obtain:
- Eco-friendly washing-up liquid (unperfumed without citrus scents)
- Distilled white vinegar
- Citric acid
- Green bleach (sodium percarbonate)
- Bicarbonate of soda
- Washing soda (sodium carbonate)
"A few staple natural ingredients are absolutely all I ever need," she confirms.
Health Considerations and Lifestyle Changes
Beyond environmental and financial benefits, Birtwhistle highlights health concerns associated with conventional cleaning products. "There have been studies done all over now to show that breathing in synthetic chemicals, whether we're cleaning or using sprays or deodorants or whatever it is, they're not great for health," she warns.
She encourages people to critically examine the products they buy: "When I look at reverse labels and what's contained in food, cleaning products, cosmetics, you name it, I want to try and steer away from ingredients I don't understand."
Practical Advice for Beginners
For those new to homemade cleaning solutions, Birtwhistle recommends starting simply. "Start slowly, with one item, and then let it grow from there," she advises. "When something runs out, whether it be a polish or your toilet cleaner or bathroom cleaner, think 'Right, I'm going to make this one myself from now on.'"
She suggests beginning with her all-purpose spray recipe:
- 60ml white vinegar
- 150ml water
- 40ml surgical spirit or cheap vodka
- 10 drops of essential oil (optional)
"That will clean the bathroom, paintwork, glass, mirrors – it's got lots of uses," Birtwhistle explains. "You can even spray on stains on your laundry before you pop them in the washing machine. So you've got a simple product that will replace probably four or five things."
A Decade of Development and Personal Pride
Birtwhistle has spent approximately ten years perfecting her cleaning recipes through trial and error. "The dishwasher detergent, for example, took me nearly 10 years to get right," she reveals. "I'm immensely proud. I think it's become my life's work."
She emphasizes that all her cleaning recipes are original creations: "With the cleaning recipes like Pure Magic, Pure Magic Gel, Cream Cleaner, Basic Magic, they're all out of my own head."
Balancing Cleanliness with Realistic Living
Despite her dedication to cleaning, Birtwhistle maintains a balanced perspective. "I like a clean house, but I refuse to be a slave to it," she states. She criticizes unrealistic social media portrayals of immaculate homes: "A clean home has to be lived in – you can't make everybody's life a misery."
New Book and Ongoing Mission
Birtwhistle's latest book, Clean Magic: Essential New Tricks for a Sparkling Green Home, published by One Boat and priced at £15.99, contains her complete collection of cleaning solution recipes. The hardback edition becomes available on February 19, 2026.
She concludes with a powerful message: "The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it. I can, in my little house, do something to help every single day."
