I would say yes, why not? The drop of soap will knock the aphids for six thus killing two birds with one stone!! I always collect my wash.water in a cointainer and spread it all around the garden where it is needed most.

Thank you very much. You have also resolved a disagreement with my friend who said I shouldn't do it. Many thanks

Trouble is we all have our own ideas, but to waste water even with soap in it would be wrong !

I am poised to use my waste water. All butts are empty. When this situation happens, I use eco washing up liquid, but not usually on potted plants.

Water from washing dishes, clothes and ourselves is al perfectly good for the garden. We have friends who had a new house built a few years ago. All their grey water goes into tanks to use on the garden. They don't use eco washing products but I am sure it is better for the soil and the planet if you do. We use eco products all the time.

I've read some advice on this - if there are chemicals in the water from washing up liquid etc, it's not good for plants to use it on them too often, and definitely not on edible crops, apparently. So care needs to be taken to do as MG and Dorjac do - eco-products in water for the garden.

Thumbs up Spritz... incidentally this is a serious way to be green!

Yes - I'm sure. I don't use our washing up water - we have a dishwasher!! Tsk, tsk.

Ooh Spritz... tut tut tut lol

I know. I hang my head in shame. It gives me more time to work in the garden, though! :-)))

There is also the added bonus of happy little surprises growing in the garden after several sloshes of washing up water ...... at the end of the 'drought' in 1976 (when I was nothing of a gardener - too busy with family) I suddenly noticed a few tomato plants growing amongst the rose bushes. Whoopee! Green tomato chutney!

It threw it down last night as I went to bed about 12ish, filled butts to about 1/4 full. Watered the lawn which was beginning to look a bit patchy. I hope it rained a bit more afterwards. Best kind of rain is night rain. Going up and down and around with my stackable plastic watering cans is good exercise, as I can't manage a full watering can or even half. Nariz you go back a long way. I remember using a bike instead of the Mini for home visits then, as it was so hot. No air con then.....phew!

Funny was going to mention '76', Nariz, that's when I started in earnest to collect any waste water, with or without soap and my garden has never complained ! That is when we were told to put a brick in the loo and to 'bath with a friend' to save water, anyone remember that??

Yup... all too well, though where we lived in Aberdeenshire there wasn't a real problem.

Yes - we had a holiday in Devon - and trees were dying! Back in Kent, things were very difficult and some areas had to queue for water from a 'bowser' in the street.

Yes, I remember "bathing with a friend." My young daughters and I had tremendous wet fun! Also, when my twin-tub washing machine had got to the last two rinses I emptied it into their little paddling pool, then had all the children of our street begging to use it - particularly as I had the greenest, softest lawn due to all the water thrown over it when other people didn't think about recycling their water that way. Cost me a bomb in orange juice and biscuits!

I had a twin tub !!! bloomin thing all that hard work especially with the nappies, Nariz. I used to have my grey water pumping out into the childrens paddling pool then in the evening I would use a saucepan and chuck it all round the garden, happy days or were they??? :O}

Yes, happy days of their time - but I'm far happier now!