Beat the hosepipe ban with these hacks and buys from Ikea

All this lovely weather had to have a downside, didn't it? Yes, it's the inevitable hosepipe ban. It's already in place across the North West as of last week, and there's a strong feeling the rest of the country will be next – especially with Caribbean weather forecast for the end of the week.

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But no one wants their gardens becoming a sorry tale of wilting blooms and yellow grass. So why not try these water-saving and conserving ideas to make the best of things until a normal British weather service resumes.

1. Rinse veg and clean small amounts in a washing-up bowl

With water scarce, you need to make sure you ge the most from every last drop. So if you're rinsing veg or even cleaning an odd teaspoon, don't just stick it under a running tap. Instead, make sure there's a washing up down beneath to catch the water. You can then use it out in the garden.

The same goes when you're cooking veg, pasta or rice in a pan of water. Don't throw thrown the drained water down the sink – throw it on the lawn.

And if you have loads of washing up to do, you'll save anywhere between 25 and 60 litres of water if you use a dishwasher.

Buy now: Grundvattnet washing-up bowl, £7, Ikea

2. Don't brush with the tap running – and buy one with a 'cold start'

Are you brushing your teeth or shaving while leaving the tap running? Naughty! According to Ikea, a running tap can slosh more than six litres of water down the drain every minute.

Buy now: Ensen Wash-basin mixer tap with strainer, £40, Ikea

3. Pop a bucket on the shower floor

Nobody likes jumping into an ice-cold shower, even in this heat. But then, no one likes wasting water, either. So while you're waiting for your shower to heat up, pop a bucket below to collect the cold water. Your plants will thank you.

Buy now: Socker bucket, £5, Ikea

4. Spend less time and use less water the shower

'On average, each person in the UK uses around 142 litres of water every day and each individual averages 4.4 showers and 1.3 baths each week,' says Clotilde Passalacqua, IKEA UK and Ireland. 'However, did you know that if everyone in the UK switched to 3-minute showers, we’d save enough water to supply 1 million homes every day?!'

This shower set is energy and water-saving with a flow restrictor device that reduces water consumption

Buy now: Brogrund shower set with thermostatic mixer, £175, Ikea

You could also ask Siri or Google to set a time on your smartphone so you only stay in the shower for a few minutes.