Ok I admit it - when it comes to washing up liquid you do get what you pay for. I have tried a few of the economy brands and, at first, I thought how good they were but, when they were faced with a bowl full of greasy pots they couldn't cope.

I think I'll be sticking to Fairy Liquid from now on - it does what it is supposed to do and doesn't let me down when I need it most.

Having said that I do wait until it on offer before I buy it - you didn't think I was going to pay full price did you? Perish the thought! The last offer that I took advantage of was any two 740ml bottles for £2.50 as opposed to £1.80 each.

One of the ones that I chose that day was the Lavender one as I absolutely love the smell of lavender and anything that makes washing up a more pleasant experience gets my vote!

The washing up liquid comes in a clear plastic bottle so the beautiful purple liquid inside is clearly visible - that way it is easy to see how much you have left. The top of the bottle is a bright red plastic flip up lid which also screws off so that you can add a bit of water at the end so that you can use up the last but of washing up liquid.

There is a circular label on the front which has the word FAIRY in large red capital letters together with the name of the fragrance - in this case Lavender - and the traditional walking baby logo. It also has the words 'Behind you all the way' around the edge of the label.

Proctor and Gamble are the company that make Fairy Liquid amongst lots of other products and their address can be found at the bottom of the label on the back of the bottle just in case you need to contact them for any reason.

There is also a list of ingredients and a warning advising you not to use the product if you have broken skin. I have to say that this has never caused me any problems as I almost always have a few cuts and scratches on my fingers from gardening and wood chopping.

As the bottle is plastic it is recycleable once it is empty which is also important to me and to the environment.

Using the washing up liquid is not difficult - you just have to flip open the red top, upend the plastic bottle and squeeze it so that a small amount of the washing up liquid goes into the washing up bowl with some hot water and your dirty dishes. I say 'a small amount' because you won't need to use as much Fairy Liquid as you would if you were using a cheap washing up liquid so, in this sense, it is economical.

When the hot water runs into the bowl the liquid disperses immediately and it produces a lot of lovely thick lather and, unless the washing up is really dirty, this will last to the end of the washing up process. If your washing up is very greasy you may need to use a bit more liquid to stop the water going greasy towards the end of the process.

The smell of the lavender is really lovely and fills the whole kitchen. As I say I really love the smell of lavender so this one is ideal for me to use.

The majority of the washing up is easy and the china and glasses all come out sparkling. If there is anything with dried or burnt food on it I just leave it soaking in the Fairy Liquid and after a while it all just washes off easily!

My hands do tend to feel a bit dry after doing the washing up but I find that whichever brand of liquid I use. A squirt of hand cream which I keep on the kitchen window sill soon has my hands feeling soft and comfortable again.

In conclusion I would definitely recommend Fairy Washing Up Liquid every time and, if like me you love the smell of lavender, this one will be the one for you!