As busy moms, we need eco friendly cleaning products that actually work. Here are the sustainable cleaning products I use at home that actually work!
Home is where the heart is…it’s also where the mess is. When it comes to cleaning, there are often not enough hours in the day or helping hands to help keep up with the mess. From laundry to dishes, it is easy to feel overwhelmed with the amount of cleaning we have to do.
I hope you enjoy this post all about sustainable cleaning products to make your home smell incredible, without the toxins!
Benefits of having a clean home
Many of the traditional cleaning products we grew up with have been classified as toxic and not safe to use. Growing up, Saturday mornings were cleaning days! Bring out the gloves, mop, rags, cleaning products, and cleaning caddy. I always knew the products we were using were “strong”, but I never equated them to be toxic and bad for you.
However, the more I learned about eco-conscious living, the more I understood the importance of choosing eco-friendly products that are both sustainable and more healthy for our bodies.
How do cleaning products affect the environment?
When you use a cleaning product you are releasing it into the environment. When using toxic cleaning products, this means toxins are being released into the environment.
Here are some of the negative ways toxic cleaning products affect the environment
- Released into the air once they are sprayed
- Can irritate skin and disrupt hormones/cause health hazards
- Released into our waterways once they go down the drain
- Some cleaning products release VOC’s or Volatile Organic Compounds
More Info on VOC’s
Without getting too technical about VOC’s, here are a few things to know:
- VOC’s contribute to the formation of smog
- VOC’s can be found in cleaning products like Windex, Pledge, oven cleaners, air freshners, paint, and bleach. See more here.
- Short term impacts of VOC’s include headace, nasuea, dizziness, and worsening asthema symptoms. See more here.
How to identify toxic products
Choosing more sustainable cleaning products does not have to be overly expensive or inconvenient. Later in this blog post, I list some of the sustainable cleaning products that are both DIY and storebought.
Two of the biggest barriers to choosing more eco-friendly cleaning products include brand familiarity and research.
Brand familiarity with traditional cleaning products
It is difficult, even for me, to let go of some of the brands I’ve been using for decades. I grew up with these cleaning products and associate them with “getting the job done”.
According to Small Business, here are some of the reasons people continue to buy brand names:
- Confidence in experience
- Social acceptance
- Customer loyalty
- Personal/professional image
- Brand loyalty
Are any of these true for you? For me, it is often confidence in the experience and brand loyalty. However, in order to choose more sustainable cleaning products for the health of our family, we have to release ourselves from simply purchasing based on familiarity and purchasing based on well-being.
This is where research comes in.
Research
The best tool for researching green cleaning products is from the Environmental Working Group. This group has created a healthy living app search tool to reduce harmful chemicals found in homes through items like cleaning products. The easiest way to use it is through the app. Search EWG in your app store. Once downloaded, type in any skincare, haircare, or cleaning product you would like to learn more about. The app provides a score on these products based on product ingredients from published scientific studies and the level of concern of toxin exposure with those ingredients.
This tool does an incredible job at identifying the chemicals and contaminants our household cleaning products may be producing. EWG tool also helps to identify greenwashing.
Greenwashing
Greenwashing is a marketing and PR technique that makes an item seem healthier, more sustainable, and environmentally friendly. This is usually done through the use of colors like green and brown and terms like “real” or “natural”. Often the company uses these marketing tactics to attract people who are looking for greener products. Unless you research more about the company and the product you purchase, it is easy to get greenwashed into thinking you are buying sustainable cleaning products.
Examples of greenwashed products researched using EWG app:
Simple Green Concentrated All-Purpose Cleaner
Green Works (naturally derived) Dishwashing Liquid, Tangerine
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Multi-Surface Everyday Cleaner
Sustainable Cleaning Products for the Bathroom
Meloria Cleaning Products Home Cleaning Scrub
Meloira Cleaning Scrub: Meloria has quickly become one of my favorite sustainable cleaning products. Meloria is not only a B Corporation, their products are MADE SAFE certified. I quickly fell in love with Meloria after learning more about the company and researching the packaging.
Meloria Cleaning Scrub is a grainy powder shipped in zero waste packaging. The scrub comes in a paper tube with an aluminum tin. This packaging can be reused or recycled easily. The texture of the grainy powder is perfect for tough surfaces making it the best bath non toxic bath cleaner.
Related Post: The Best Non Toxic Bathtub Cleaner To Clean Your Bathroom Quickly
Blueland Bathroom Cleaner
Blueland Bathroom Cleaner: I love Blueland for so many reasons. You’ll see that this list is full of Blueland Products. These products are best for gentle cleaning. They’re refillable and have a great rating on the EWG app.
The first time I heard of Blueland was from Shark Tank! The main mission of Blueland is to help reduce the amount of single-use plastic with convenient and effective cleaning products.
Purchase the bathroom cleaner tablets and your Forever bottle. Once you’ve used up the bathroom cleaner, you simply refill the bottle with a new cleaning tablet. The products have plant-based ingredients and no harsh chemicals. The scent is light and refreshing, made with Eucalyptus Mint.
Seventh Generation Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner
Seventh Generation Bathroom Cleaner: While the Seventh Generation Bathroom Cleaner is in a plastic bottle, it offers less toxic, disinfecting bathroom cleaners with naturally derived ingredients.
Let’s be honest, the bathroom is a disgusting place. We use the bathroom to wash away and expel dirt, germs, bacteria, and viruses from our bodies. This disinfecting bathroom cleaner removes 99.9% of common household germs and pathogens!
The scent of this spray is lemongrass citrus. The smell is fresh and clean, making your bathroom not only look clean, but smell clean without all the toxic chemicals.
Sustainable Cleaning Products for the Kitchen
Grove Collaborative Ultimate Dish Soap
Grove Collaborative Dishwashing Soap: refillable and powerful this dish soap is a dream! I’ve been using this dish soap for about 3 years now. Originally I could only receive the dish soap from Grove Collaborative, now they sell it in Target! This makes it easy and convenient for me to grab my refill.
The soap comes in an aluminum bottle and is meant to be poured into a refillable dish dispenser. Aluminum packaging is amazing because it is indefinitely recyclable! My favorite scent is Lemon and Eucalyptus. It smells bright and fresh and leaves no residue.
Blueland Dishwashing Soap
Blueland Dishwashing Soap: This is a new try for me! I was skeptical at first because it starts as a powder and I didn’t want it to leave a residue on the dishes, but it doesn’t! This dish detergent gets the job done and helps cut down on waste. The powder comes in paper packaging which you add to your silicone shaker bottle.
You shake the powder on your dish rag, add water and once you squeeze the dish rag together, it turns into a soapy foam! It only takes a small sprinkle to see the magic. This product is fragrance-free.
Seventh Generation Dishwashing Powder
Seventh Generation Dishwashing Powder: I’ve used this washing powder for several years now. I love that it gets my dishes clean without harsh chemicals or residue. Not only does it work, but it also comes in zero-waste packaging. After use the box can be tossed into the recycling bin. For ease of use, I pour my box into another container and add a scoop because it is easier to pour into my dishwasher that way.
This detergent is not only inexpensive, but it is also easy to at Target.
Blueland Dishwasher Tablets
Blueland Dishwasher Tablets: I tried these once last year and did not like them at first because they left a residue on my dishes. Someone suggested that I try to break the tablet in half and that worked!
In my new home, the dishwasher here perhaps uses more water and a full table works perfectly fine! So my suggestion for this product is to see what works best for you. Like other Blueland products, this product is made with plant-based ingredients and comes in refillable packaging.
Sustainable Cleaning Product for Floor
Grove Collaborative Floor Concentrate
Grove Collaborative Floor Concentrate: this is my favorite floor cleaner. This floor cleaner comes in glass which I love. Glass is another material that is indefinitely recyclable and can be used over and over again.
The floor cleaner leaves my floor clean without sticky residue or streaks. There is no parabens, phthalates, phosphates, dyes, ammonia, chlorine bleach, or synthetic fragrance. The smell of this cleaner is created from essential oils and plant-based ingredients. My favorite scents is orange and rosemary. Leaves my home smelling so fresh!
Sustainable Cleaning Products for Everyday Cleaning
Thieves Multisurface Spray
Thieves Multisurface Spray: Thieves Cleaner by Young Living essential oils has a light fresh scent that makes the entire area smell clean. This cleaner uses pure, essential oils and cleans without leaving a residue. This cleaner comes in a large bottle as a concentrate. You mix some of the cleaners with water to create your own solution.
Thieves Cleaner is a sustainable cleaning product because it reduces the amount of plastic you are using. By using your own spray bottle, you don’t have to continuously repurchase individual bottles to clean with. Instead, you get one larger bottle that you use to refill. In addition, this cleaner is a concentrate you mix with water so purchasing one bottle lasts a long time.
Thieves Cleaner is safe to use around pets and children which makes it a perfect eco cleaning product for busy moms.
Blueland Multipurpose Spray
Blueland Multipurpose Spray: I use this spray every single day on everything! From counters to table tops to spot cleaning the wall. I refuse to allow myself to run out of this cleaner – that’s how much I love it.
The cleaner is gentle and safe to use around my children with no harsh chemicals or toxic, headache-inducing smells. It is also effective! It gets rid of dirt and crime and cleans off surface spaces in my home.
Sustainable Cleaning Products for Disinfecting
Seventh Generation Cleaning Wipes: these are great low toxic on-the-go wipes! I love them because they kill 99.9% of household germs. Although I wish these wipes were compostable so they could have another life besides the landfill.
Since I try to avoid using wipes, these last me a long time! The scent is lemongrass citrus, similar to the disinfectant spray. Another great use for these are for quick potty cleanups while potty training little ones.
Seventh Generation Disinfectant Spray
Seventh Generation Disinfectant Spray: my go-to spray after sickness has taken hold of our home. This spray also kills household germs including cold and flu.
My favorite scent is fresh citrus and thyme. I use this spray on door knobs, remotes, blinds pull strings and other high-touch surfaces. This spray can also be used as an odor eliminator.
DIY Sustainable Cleaning Products
Baking Soda: Baking soda is an excellent sustainable cleaning product because it is non-toxic, easy to find, cheap, and packs a mean cleaning punch! Baking soda is a natural disinfectant and helps provide a shine that most of us are looking for when we clean.
The best way I’ve found to use baking soda is to make a paste with it and let it sit. For example, before I give my son a bath I will rinse the tub with water, add some baking soda and let it sit while I brush his teeth. By the time I’m done brushing his teeth, the dirt has loosened and it is easy for me to scrub the tub for his bath.
Other uses and benefits of baking soda (source):
- Fridge deodorizer
- Air freshener
- Laundry freshener
- Removes carpet stains
- Removes pesticides from fruits and veggies
Vinegar: Vinegar and water is my go-to for green cleaning. I use vinegar for so much around the house, I always have some on hand. Vinegar can be used for so much around your house. Vinegar is known to kill some germs. Although it doesn’t kill viruses like COVID-19, it works for viruses like E.Coli and Salmonella (source).
Ways to amplify Vinegar’s cleaning power
- Add lemon juice
- Add hot water
- Mix with baking soda – helps with sink clogs!
Laundry Detergent + Water
If you’re looking for a fresh way to clean foam mats and spot-clean your kids’ playroom rugs, try this eco-friendly cleaning solution! Be sure to use non-toxic laundry detergent for this! Here are my favorites:
Places to Buy More Sustainable Cleaning Products
Here are three pages to purchase the sustainable cleaning products I mentioned above!
I hope you enjoyed this post all about the best sustainable cleaning products!
Are you familiar with what’s in the cleaning products you use? These are some of my favorite sustainable cleaning products for busy moms. Do you have any others?
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