It seems like every brand is trying to appear more green and sustainable these days. For every line of junk food, paper product, or sports utility vehicle, there seems to be a second more environmentally conscious counterpart. That can make navigating the shelves of eco friendly cleaning products all the more complicated.
Below are 5 of the top performers to make saving the environment a little easier.
1. Dr. Bronner’s
The name Dr. Bronner has become a household name for his quirky brand of all-natural products from shower soap to surface cleaners. Dr. Bronner was a German immigrant who oversaw operations of the factory until his death in the late 90s. His children still maintain the company and continue to include Dr. Bronner’s moral philosophy printed on every product.
One of the more recent additions to Dr. Bronner’s family of products is Sal Suds Liquid Cleaner. This is an all-purpose hard surface cleaner with a whole lot of versatility. It is certified as 100% biodegradable and 100% cruelty-free. Mix it with baking soda for scouring tougher spots like a stovetop or a bathtub.
This is a product you could use for cleaning out the kids’ playroom without having to think twice. Its natural and biodegradable status make it perfect for cleaning up a pet cage, fish tank or where your four-legged friends play. Premium fir needle and spruce oil ingredients leave surfaces looking and smelling fresh without any synthetic dyes or film to worry about.
2. Mrs. Meyers
Mrs. Meyers is another line of versatile eco friendly cleaning products with fresh natural scents that fit any style. Mrs. Meyers brand soy candle is one of the more unique products offered by the line. Ingredients are proudly listed on each product.
If you prefer to double-check before you bring just any old product into your home, their website even provides an ingredients glossary to see what’s in every item.
Products are rotated seasonally and widely available at most home product stores big and small. Keep your home clean and festive with Iowa Pine or Orange Clove scented lines of cleaners.
3. Whole Foods Market Brand
Widely available an often priced just below the competition, Whole Foods Market offers a great line of natural cleaning products. Along with their store-branded food products, their eco friendly cleaning products compete not only with price but with the quality you expect from a boutique brand.
One of their top selling products is their line of citrus-scented cleaners. Laundry detergent, spray cleaners, and dish soap includes this scent made from 100% essential oils.
Whole Foods Market holds itself accountable to consumers by using a rigorous measure of standards. They use a third-party “Eco-Scale” system to rate each product comprehensively for its quality of natural ingredients and low environmental impact.
Whole Foods Market’s list of unacceptable ingredients is a must-see for any discerning consumer looking to keep their home free from dangerous chemicals.
4. Bon Ami Cleaning Powder
Very few cleaning powders can boast being hypoallergenic. Bon Ami Cleaning Powder is that exception. In the world of eco friendly cleaning products, very few products can handle tough mildew and stains from your bathtub and be safe enough to keep around kids and pets. Bon Ami is the product to fulfill that niche.
Around since 1886, Bon Ami boasts post-consumer packaging and a charming backstory that pre-dates the current trend of “zero waste”. The company began when its founder combined a natural mineral mining by-product–feldspar–with soap to create a tough cleaner that wouldn’t scratch surfaces.
This is another cleaner that can be found widely available at grocers and department stores big and small. It’s a low-cost solution that’s spent generations what new boutique cleaners can only claim to do.
5. Common Good
Common Good is a family of eco friendly cleaning products cut from a different cloth. Along with making good products safe from harmful chemicals, they are also committed to lowering the waste created by product packaging. They use high-quality post-consumer plastics and glass packaging that they encourage users to refill.
Stations can be found via a handy map on their website. By clicking “refill stations”, you can narrow down your search to see where you can refill your containers at a discounted price.
Using plant-based ingredients and essential oils, their products are simple and effective. Common Good currently makes laundry detergent, hand soap, dish soap and an all-purpose spray. Common Good products are a great way to do good in your home and do good in your community by lowering your neighborhood’s waste footprint.
Bonus: Eco Friendly Cleaning Products In Your Cupboard
In addition to all of the great eco friendly cleaning products out on the market, there are lots of things to pick up at your local convenience store, bodega or supermarket. Some of them might be sitting in your cupboard right now.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is one of the most versatile products for home cleaning. We’ve all seen or used the half-open box of baking soda at the back of our fridge or freezer to soak up odors. But along with its scent-masking powers, it’s also versatile and a 100% natural cleaning agent when mixed into a paste with water. Baking soda paste can be used as a body scrub, a toothpaste substitute or a cleaner for your stovetop or bathtub.
Pro tip: mix a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Spread the paste on the armpit or collar of your shirts to take out stains and odors.
White Vinegar
White vinegar is another versatile cleaner. Mixed with a solution of water, put it in a spray bottle to clean up pet odors. Wipe it on a rag and clean up any areas where you might find rodents or insects. It also cleans up mildew in a jiffy.
Lemon juice
Lemon juice added to a solution of soap and water can add a nice fresh touch to any newly cleaned room. Lemon juice can also help dilute the stickiness from hard surfaces. A lemon and salt solution is also an old trick for shining up discolored metals.
There’s No Shortage of Solutions
Between all of the consumer choices and the old-fashioned home remedies, there is no shortage of eco friendly cleaning products to suit every need and budget. Whether you’re working on cleaning your apartment, refurbishing an old place or a new home building, there’s no need to rely on abrasive or toxic chemical solutions.
Finding eco friendly cleaning solutions is one step of many in making a more eco-conscious home. Whether you’re changing the way you get to and from work or school or making environmentally conscious kitchen decisions, sustainable practices have the effect of feeling good while doing good for the world around you. Every small step counts!
