Latest news with #LauraHarnett
North Wales Live
09-07-2025
- Business
- North Wales Live
I tried Dragons' Den-backed cleaning products that are on sale for Amazon Prime Day and they prove one thing
When it comes to tidying up the kitchen and doing the washing up, I've never really given much thought to the products I use. As long as they get the job done efficiently and quickly, I'm not too fussed about their appearance or what they're made from. However, in a world that's increasingly seeking greener alternatives in all aspects of our daily lives - from driving electric cars, buying second-hand goods on sites like Vinted and Facebook Marketplace, to installing LED lights in our homes - cleaning products are no exception. This is where eco-friendly cleaning product company Seep comes in. The products promise to be "easy to use, easy on the planet" and "easy on the eyes". Currently, various Seep items on Amazon have had their prices reduced amid the Prime Day deal. But customers may have spotted these unique products from the recent series of Dragons Den. In the fourth episode of the 22nd series of BBC's Dragons Den, 47 year old Laura Harnett, originally from Swansea but now living in London, managed to secure a £50k business deal with her eco-friendly cleaning products. The founder of Seep, which stands for 'sustainable everyday essential product', successfully persuaded Deborah Meaden and guest judge Trinny Woodall to make her first and only investment in the recent series. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here. Following the impressive deal, we caught up with Laura to learn more about the product. The mum-of-two explained that she had always been an "eco-conscious" individual, but during the lockdown in 2020, she became frustrated with the lack of eco-friendly sustainable alternatives to plastic in the cleaning aisle. Plastic sponges and microfiber cloths are known to release microplastics during use and eventually end up in landfill. This prompted Laura to take action, but her decision to start her own business also had a deeply personal aspect. Laura battled breast cancer in her late 30s. After her recovery, she developed an obsession with plastic products. She explained: "With breast cancer in women, incidents are going up - it's genetics, but it is also things we are coming into contact with in our environment, with plastics and toxins being the main things. "I hated them, I hated these products and I found there were no alternatives. "In really niche eco-friendly shops, all I could find were coconut scourers, but they didn't work very well. So that was the impetus to start." Breast Cancer UK has reported that while studies have not yet established a link between microplastics and breast cancer risk, the charity believes "such a link is feasible". The charity explains that microplastics often contain mixtures of EDCs (endocrine disrupting chemicals), which mimic oestrogen and can interfere with hormone function. It is noted that consuming microplastics can cause inflammation and irritation, potentially leading to DNA damage and cancer. In light of the environmental and potential health implications linked to our cleaning products, I opted to purchase and try out the Seep products for myself. These items are available on Seep's website, Tesco, Lakeland, Ocado and Amazon. Eco Sponge Scourer Upon first opening the packaging of the scourer, I was greeted by its soft white colour which was pleasing to the eye and comfortable to hold. The scourer was a perfect rectangle, with one side being soft and the other slightly more abrasive, crafted from loofah, ensuring it could tackle any stubborn stains on surfaces. The packaging indicated that it could be utilised in either the kitchen or bathroom, so I opted to test it out in the kitchen as we were due for a new scourer. Over the following days, I found that this scourer performed just as well as my previous stainless steel one. Whether it was a saucepan stained with leftover pasta sauce, a wok used for stir fry, or even the dreaded remnants of Weetabix clinging to a bowl, it seemed there was nothing this scourer couldn't handle. As someone who tends to scrub quite vigorously when washing up, I particularly appreciated how gentle this scourer felt on my pans and woks, yet it cleaned just as effectively as a stainless steel scourer, without the worry of scratching your dishes. After nearly a fortnight, the scourer maintained its shape and effectiveness, provided I rinsed it after use and allowed it to dry between uses. On Amazon, shoppers can purchase a pack of 12 of these scourers for £20 down from, as well as a pack of four now 10% off with the price dropping from £9.50 to £8.55, which you can find here. Was £9.50 down to £7.60 for a pack of three on Amazon Much like the scourer, the cloth felt incredibly soft and seemed to be made from robust material. The turquoise colour was appealing, and its thickness and texture made it versatile enough for any situation, whether that was gathering up bread crumbs or mopping up spilt milk on worktops and tables. The cloth paired excellently with my Method Daily Kitchen Cleaner, which is also promoted as green and eco-friendly. After roughly two weeks, this product maintained its shape far better than the conventional dish cloths I've used previously, which typically appear dull and have torn edges by this stage. On Amazon, a pack of three cloths comes with a turquoise, navy and natural colours, all now discounted to £7.60, which you can find here. Eco Rubber Gloves Was £10 for a pack of three but now £7.50 on Amazon The gloves, crafted from sustainable fair trade rubber, were also pleasingly coloured. They were soft and kind to the hands, lacking the potent distinctive odour often associated with other rubber gloves. I opted for the medium size, and while they fit me comfortably, they could easily accommodate someone with larger hands. These gloves are also available in small and large sizes. I found gripping objects quite straightforward with these gloves - possibly even easier than with other gloves, making kitchen cleaning tasks simpler. The gloves are now 25% off on Amazon, which has reduced their price from £10 to £7.50 for a pack of three, which you can find out more here. Amazon Prime Sign Up The verdict The idea that eco-friendly products are fragile and only available from specialist sustainable shops is a thing of the past. These Seep products do the job - they're just as effective as plastic-based cleaning products, if not more so at times. Plus, they look good and feel great to use. I'm considering replacing my usual products with these, particularly the gloves and cloth. While these items might be slightly pricier than their counterparts, you're paying for superior quality products that seem to last longer and are kinder to our environment. In my view, it's a cost worth bearing. Alternatively, you could opt for the ecoME Cellulose Kitchen Washing Up Sponges, currently reduced to £10.44 from £10.99 on Amazon for a pack of eight. You can also purchase the SUPERSCANDI Made in Sweden Dish Cloths Eco-Friendly Paper, now £8.49 down from £9.99 for a pack of six, also on Amazon. Or, you could go for the Greenminds FSC Certified Households Cleaning Gloves in medium size, priced at £5.35, again from Amazon.
Wales Online
09-07-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
I tried Dragons' Den-backed cleaning products that are on sale for Amazon Prime Day and they prove one thing
I tried Dragons' Den-backed cleaning products that are on sale for Amazon Prime Day and they prove one thing Laura Harnett secured a £50k business deal with her eco-friendly cleaning products in Dragons Den and I decided to put them to the test to see if they are actually any good Seep offers products such as an eco sponge scourer, eco all-purpose bamboo cloths and eco rubber gloves (Image: WalesOnline ) When it comes to tidying up the kitchen and doing the washing up, I've never really given much thought to the products I use. As long as they get the job done efficiently and quickly, I'm not too fussed about their appearance or what they're made from. However, in a world that's increasingly seeking greener alternatives in all aspects of our daily lives - from driving electric cars, buying second-hand goods on sites like Vinted and Facebook Marketplace, to installing LED lights in our homes - cleaning products are no exception. This is where eco-friendly cleaning product company Seep comes in. The products promise to be "easy to use, easy on the planet" and "easy on the eyes". READ MORE: The 'comfortable' garden sofa set buyers 'absolutely love' now reduced by £80 for Amazon Prime Day LATEST: Ten minute cleaning hack keeps wooden floors dust-free for a month Currently, various Seep items on Amazon have had their prices reduced amid the Prime Day deal. But customers may have spotted these unique products from the recent series of Dragons Den. In the fourth episode of the 22nd series of BBC's Dragons Den, 47 year old Laura Harnett, originally from Swansea but now living in London, managed to secure a £50k business deal with her eco-friendly cleaning products. 47-year-old Laura Harnett, who is the founder of Seep, managed to convince guest judge Trinny Woodall to make her first and only investment during Dragons' Den fourth episode of the 22nd series (Image: Seep ) The founder of Seep, which stands for 'sustainable everyday essential product', successfully persuaded Deborah Meaden and guest judge Trinny Woodall to make her first and only investment in the recent series. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . Following the impressive deal, we caught up with Laura to learn more about the product. The mum-of-two explained that she had always been an "eco-conscious" individual, but during the lockdown in 2020, she became frustrated with the lack of eco-friendly sustainable alternatives to plastic in the cleaning aisle. Plastic sponges and microfiber cloths are known to release microplastics during use and eventually end up in landfill. This prompted Laura to take action, but her decision to start her own business also had a deeply personal aspect. Laura battled breast cancer in her late 30s. After her recovery, she developed an obsession with plastic products. She explained: "With breast cancer in women, incidents are going up - it's genetics, but it is also things we are coming into contact with in our environment, with plastics and toxins being the main things. "I hated them, I hated these products and I found there were no alternatives. "In really niche eco-friendly shops, all I could find were coconut scourers, but they didn't work very well. So that was the impetus to start." Breast Cancer UK has reported that while studies have not yet established a link between microplastics and breast cancer risk, the charity believes "such a link is feasible". The charity explains that microplastics often contain mixtures of EDCs (endocrine disrupting chemicals), which mimic oestrogen and can interfere with hormone function. It is noted that consuming microplastics can cause inflammation and irritation, potentially leading to DNA damage and cancer. In light of the environmental and potential health implications linked to our cleaning products, I opted to purchase and try out the Seep products for myself. These items are available on Seep's website, Tesco, Lakeland, Ocado and Amazon. Was £9.50 but now £8.55 for a pack of four on Amazon Seep's eco sponge scourer (Image: WalesOnline ) Upon first opening the packaging of the scourer, I was greeted by its soft white colour which was pleasing to the eye and comfortable to hold. The scourer was a perfect rectangle, with one side being soft and the other slightly more abrasive, crafted from loofah, ensuring it could tackle any stubborn stains on surfaces. The packaging indicated that it could be utilised in either the kitchen or bathroom, so I opted to test it out in the kitchen as we were due for a new scourer. Over the following days, I found that this scourer performed just as well as my previous stainless steel one. Whether it was a saucepan stained with leftover pasta sauce, a wok used for stir fry, or even the dreaded remnants of Weetabix clinging to a bowl, it seemed there was nothing this scourer couldn't handle. As someone who tends to scrub quite vigorously when washing up, I particularly appreciated how gentle this scourer felt on my pans and woks, yet it cleaned just as effectively as a stainless steel scourer, without the worry of scratching your dishes. After nearly a fortnight, the scourer maintained its shape and effectiveness, provided I rinsed it after use and allowed it to dry between uses. On Amazon, shoppers can purchase a pack of 12 of these scourers for £20 down from, as well as a pack of four now 10% off with the price dropping from £9.50 to £8.55, which you can find here. Was £9.50 down to £7.60 for a pack of three on Amazon Seep's eco all-purpose bamboo cloth (Image: WalesOnline ) Much like the scourer, the cloth felt incredibly soft and seemed to be made from robust material. The turquoise colour was appealing, and its thickness and texture made it versatile enough for any situation, whether that was gathering up bread crumbs or mopping up spilt milk on worktops and tables. The cloth paired excellently with my Method Daily Kitchen Cleaner, which is also promoted as green and eco-friendly. After roughly two weeks, this product maintained its shape far better than the conventional dish cloths I've used previously, which typically appear dull and have torn edges by this stage. On Amazon, a pack of three cloths comes with a turquoise, navy and natural colours, all now discounted to £7.60, which you can find here. Was £10 for a pack of three but now £7.50 on Amazon Seep's eco rubber gloves (Image: WalesOnline ) The gloves, crafted from sustainable fair trade rubber, were also pleasingly coloured. They were soft and kind to the hands, lacking the potent distinctive odour often associated with other rubber gloves. I opted for the medium size, and while they fit me comfortably, they could easily accommodate someone with larger hands. These gloves are also available in small and large sizes. I found gripping objects quite straightforward with these gloves - possibly even easier than with other gloves, making kitchen cleaning tasks simpler. The gloves are now 25% off on Amazon, which has reduced their price from £10 to £7.50 for a pack of three, which you can find out more here. Free Amazon Prime membership £8.99 Free Amazon Get Prime here Product Description Fancy free takeaway delivery? Access to Deliveroo Plus is one of a host of advantages of Amazon Prime membership, including exclusive Prime Day discounts and perks on Hello Fresh, music, books and Prime Video. Usually £8.99 a month, you can now get a 30-day free trial to get access to the latest deals. The verdict The idea that eco-friendly products are fragile and only available from specialist sustainable shops is a thing of the past. These Seep products do the job - they're just as effective as plastic-based cleaning products, if not more so at times. Plus, they look good and feel great to use. I'm considering replacing my usual products with these, particularly the gloves and cloth. Seep products are available on their website, Tesco, Lakeland, Ocado and Amazon (Image: WalesOnline ) While these items might be slightly pricier than their counterparts, you're paying for superior quality products that seem to last longer and are kinder to our environment. In my view, it's a cost worth bearing. Alternatively, you could opt for the ecoME Cellulose Kitchen Washing Up Sponges, currently reduced to £10.44 from £10.99 on Amazon for a pack of eight. You can also purchase the SUPERSCANDI Made in Sweden Dish Cloths Eco-Friendly Paper, now £8.49 down from £9.99 for a pack of six, also on Amazon. Article continues below Or, you could go for the Greenminds FSC Certified Households Cleaning Gloves in medium size, priced at £5.35, again from Amazon.
Scottish Sun
01-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Shoppers are saving on their laundry costs after a store cuts the price of a cleaning essential from £4 to just 45p
All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue. WASH THIS Shoppers are saving on their laundry costs after a store cuts the price of a cleaning essential from £4 to just 45p Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WITH the costs soaring, many cash-strapped households are on the lookout for bargains to keep their expenses low. Luckily, thrifty Brits have now saving on their laundry costs after a major supermarket slashed the price of a cleaning essential just 45p. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 A major supermarket has slashed the price of a laundry must-have to a mere 45p Credit: Getty 2 The scented elixir retails for a whopping £4 elsewhere Credit: Facebook/ExtremeCouponingAndBargainsUK Informing fellow shoppers about the epic deal, one anonymous person took to Facebook after snapping up the viral Comfort Scent Booster Elixir for the bargain price. Elsewhere, such as Waitrose, the laundry must-have will set you back an eye-watering £4 - so you really are making huge savings. Perfect for both hot and cold cycles, the elixir leaves no residue - and it comes in a range of fabulous scents. Morrison customers can snap up this purse-friendly product in Summer Bouquet and First Blooms, and the elixir promises to offer ''10x more fragrance'' to keep your clothes smelling fantastic. With a deal that's too good to sleep on, the anonymous shopper got their hands on a whopping four boxes of the bargain - each containing eight bottles, or 32 in total. Showing off their monster haul on the popular Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group, the customer said: ''Thanks to all who posted, got my 45p bargain from Morrisons.'' The post, uploaded less than a day ago, has already racked up a whopping 253 likes and 150 comments. But while the shopper may have saved a fortune, not everyone was as happy about them ''clearing the shelves''. Many flocked to comments to slam the shopper, with one writing: ''Looks like you got more than a 45p bargain. Do people really go and buy this many items? ''I can see why you would be anonymous.'' Savvy woman shares how she creates more drying space inside with £2.99 Home Bargains buy & it even works outside too Someone else agreed, writing: ''I'm all for times are hard but to put a post up saying bargain when the shelves have been cleared baffles me as its not in every store its only worth putting on if there is some left for others.'' A third chimed in: ''No wonder nothing left for me today when I went in Morrisons to get some.'' A bargain hunter added: ''Surprised not said 2 per customer.'' The impact of using plastic cleaning products Laura Harnett, founder of eco cleaning brand, Seep, said: 'Many people have switched to eco friendly cleaning sprays and detergents but aren't aware that cleaning tools (such as green and yellow sponges and microfibre cloths) are made of plastic and release microplastics every time they are used. "Microplastic is a huge concern as they are released into our water every time a plastic sponge or cloth is used to wash up or is rinsed out. 'A yellow and green plastic sponge lasts approximately one month and when you see the green part go bobbly that's all of the microplastic coming out of it." 600 million plastic household items end up in landfill every year 13 million tonnes of plastic lead into our oceans each year 1.1 million marine animals die each year as they swallow, get strangled or are suffocated by plastic Luckily for the customer, not everyone was coming after them. One hit back at all those slamming the shopper and wrote: ''I absolutely love when i see people in the comments complaining about how many she bought. ''I'm sorry but the price of fabric softeners (a good one) nowadays. ''If I would have seen that deal in my local shop I would have done exactly the same thing. Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club
The Irish Sun
01-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Irish Sun
Shoppers are saving on their laundry costs after a store cuts the price of a cleaning essential from £4 to just 45p
WITH the costs soaring, many cash-strapped households are on the lookout for bargains to keep their expenses low. Luckily, thrifty Brits have now saving on their laundry costs after a major supermarket slashed the price of a cleaning essential just 45p. Advertisement 2 A major supermarket has slashed the price of a laundry must-have to a mere 45p Credit: Getty 2 The scented elixir retails for a whopping £4 elsewhere Credit: Facebook/ExtremeCouponingAndBargainsUK Informing fellow shoppers about the Elsewhere, such as Waitrose, the laundry must-have will set you back an eye-watering £4 - so you really are Perfect for both hot and cold cycles, the elixir leaves no residue - and it comes in a range of fabulous scents. Morrison customers can snap up this purse-friendly product in Summer Bouquet and First Blooms, and the elixir promises to offer ''10x more fragrance'' to keep your clothes smelling fantastic. Advertisement read more on cleaning With a deal that's too good to sleep on, the anonymous shopper got their hands on a whopping four boxes of the bargain - each containing eight bottles, or 32 in total. Showing off their monster haul on the popular But while the shopper may have saved a fortune, not everyone was as happy about them '' Advertisement Most read in Fabulous Many flocked to comments to slam the shopper, with one writing: ''Looks like you got more than a 45p bargain. Do people really go and buy this many items? ''I can see why you would be anonymous.'' Savvy woman shares how she creates more drying space inside with £2.99 Home Bargains buy & it even works outside too Someone else agreed, writing: ''I'm all for times are hard but to put a post up saying bargain when the shelves have been cleared baffles me as its not in every store its only worth putting on if there is some left for others.'' A third chimed in: ''No wonder nothing left for me today when I went in Morrisons to get some.'' Advertisement A bargain hunter added: ''Surprised not said 2 per customer.'' The impact of using plastic cleaning products Laura Harnett, founder of eco cleaning brand, "Microplastic is a huge concern as they are released into our water every time a plastic sponge or cloth is used to wash up or is rinsed out. 'A yellow and green plastic sponge lasts approximately one month and when you see the green part go bobbly that's all of the microplastic coming out of it." 600 million plastic household items end up in landfill every year 13 million tonnes of plastic lead into our oceans each year 1.1 million marine animals die each year as they swallow, get strangled or are suffocated by plastic Luckily for the customer, not everyone was coming after them. One hit back at all those slamming the shopper and wrote: ''I absolutely love when i see people in the comments complaining about how many she bought. ''I'm sorry but the price of fabric softeners (a good one) nowadays. Advertisement ''If I would have seen that deal in my local shop I would have done exactly the same thing. Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club
The Sun
01-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Shoppers are saving on their laundry costs after a store cuts the price of a cleaning essential from £4 to just 45p
WITH the costs soaring, many cash-strapped households are on the lookout for bargains to keep their expenses low. Luckily, thrifty Brits have now saving on their laundry costs after a major supermarket slashed the price of a cleaning essential just 45p. 2 2 Informing fellow shoppers about the epic deal, one anonymous person took to Facebook after snapping up the viral Comfort Scent Booster Elixir for the bargain price. Elsewhere, such as Waitrose, the laundry must-have will set you back an eye-watering £4 - so you really are making huge savings. Perfect for both hot and cold cycles, the elixir leaves no residue - and it comes in a range of fabulous scents. Morrison customers can snap up this purse-friendly product in Summer Bouquet and First Blooms, and the elixir promises to offer ''10x more fragrance'' to keep your clothes smelling fantastic. With a deal that's too good to sleep on, the anonymous shopper got their hands on a whopping four boxes of the bargain - each containing eight bottles, or 32 in total. Showing off their monster haul on the popular Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group, the customer said: ''Thanks to all who posted, got my 45p bargain from Morrisons.'' The post, uploaded less than a day ago, has already racked up a whopping 253 likes and 150 comments. But while the shopper may have saved a fortune, not everyone was as happy about them '' clearing the shelves ''. Many flocked to comments to slam the shopper, with one writing: ''Looks like you got more than a 45p bargain. Do people really go and buy this many items? ''I can see why you would be anonymous.'' Savvy woman shares how she creates more drying space inside with £2.99 Home Bargains buy & it even works outside too Someone else agreed, writing: ''I'm all for times are hard but to put a post up saying bargain when the shelves have been cleared baffles me as its not in every store its only worth putting on if there is some left for others.'' A third chimed in: ''No wonder nothing left for me today when I went in Morrisons to get some.'' A bargain hunter added: ''Surprised not said 2 per customer.'' The impact of using plastic cleaning products Laura Harnett, founder of eco cleaning brand, Seep, said: 'Many people have switched to eco friendly cleaning sprays and detergents but aren't aware that cleaning tools (such as green and yellow sponges and microfibre cloths) are made of plastic and release microplastics every time they are used. "Microplastic is a huge concern as they are released into our water every time a plastic sponge or cloth is used to wash up or is rinsed out. 'A yellow and green plastic sponge lasts approximately one month and when you see the green part go bobbly that's all of the microplastic coming out of it." 600 million plastic household items end up in landfill every year 13 million tonnes of plastic lead into our oceans each year 1.1 million marine animals die each year as they swallow, get strangled or are suffocated by plastic Luckily for the customer, not everyone was coming after them. One hit back at all those slamming the shopper and wrote: ''I absolutely love when i see people in the comments complaining about how many she bought. ''I'm sorry but the price of fabric softeners (a good one) nowadays. ''If I would have seen that deal in my local shop I would have done exactly the same thing.
