4 Eco-Friendly, Zero-Waste Cleaning Products
Do you try to use “natural” cleaners for your home, and have you tried any eco-friendly, zero-waste products? The recent NPR investigation into plastic (“How Big Oil Misled The Public Into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled” — more good news for 2020!) made me feel even worse about my household's plastic consumption than usual, so I've been looking for earth-friendly alternatives. How about you, readers? What types of household cleaners do you use, and do you try to cut down on your plastic use? What do you think are the best eco-friendly and non-plastic cleaning products?
Today we've rounded up four companies who make zero-waste, environmentally-friendly cleaners and personal care products that are the next level up from the typical grocery-store “green” cleaners in plastic bottles — and I'm definitely going to give one of these a try.
A couple of years ago, we recommended green cleaning products that actually work, but today we're focusing more on companies that go above and beyond by trying to get to zero waste. We've also talked about how to deep clean your house and the best systems for keeping a clean house.
Psst: some of our favorite books on cleaning:
4 of The Best Eco-Friendly and Non-Plastic Cleaning Products
These are some of the best eco-friendly and zero-waste products we've found — what are your favorites?
Force of Nature
Force of Nature is a countertop electrical appliance that changes the chemical composition of salt, water, and vinegar into electrolyzed water, which contains hypochlorous acid and sodium hydroxide (aka lye or caustic soda). The company says this formula is as effective as bleach and works as well as products like Formula 409, Windex, Scrubbing Bubbles, Febreze, and Resolve.
The starter kit, which is $59.50 after a subscriber coupon, includes the Electrolyzer, reusable spray bottle, and five recyclable activator capsules that contain salt, water, and vinegar, each of which makes enough cleaner and deodorizer to last two weeks. To create the cleaning solution, you place a capsule into the Electrolyzer and add tap water. (Note that the bottle is made of plastic but is BPA- and BPS-free.)
For more details, check out the company's extensive FAQ.
Blueland
Blueland offers several products: Cleaning + Soap Tablets, which you drop into a “Forever Bottle” of water; Powder Dish Soap, which you shake onto a wet sponge or directly on dirty dishes; Laundry + Dishwasher Tablets, which you drop in your dishwasher or washing machine; and more. The tablet wrappers are compostable and biodegradable. The reusable containers available include a glass hand soap bottle, acrylic spray bottle, silicone dish soap shaker, steel dishwasher tablet tin, and steel laundry tablet tin.
You can browse the starter sets ($16+), kits ($29+), refills ($6+), and more here. Once you have the containers, you only need to buy refill packs as needed, and you can choose the Subscribe & Save option to save 10%.
For more details, check out the company's extensive FAQ.
Cleancult
Cleancult makes an all-purpose cleaner, liquid dish soap, dishwasher tablets, liquid laundry detergent, bar soap, and liquid hand soap. The cleaners are made from “coconuts and other biodegradable elements,” while the reusable bottles are made of shatter-resistant, dishwasher-safe glass, and the refills are packaged in recyclable, paper-based containers. Note that you can recycle the refill packages yourself or use the company's free mail-back recycling program.
The main ingredient in Cleancult's products is saponified coconut oil, but the website notes that the cleaners don't actually smell like coconut. Some of the products do have a scent (from natural ingredients), while the laundry detergent tablets and wool dryer balls do not. You can browse the bundles ($29.99+), refills ($4.99+), refillable bottles ($14.99 each), and more here.
For more details, check out the company's extensive FAQ.
No Tox Life
No Tox Life uses plant-derived ingredients to make their zero-waste offerings — and they offer some interesting products that you can't get from the companies above. They focus more on personal care than household cleaners, and more on single products (some in bulk) than cleaning starter sets and kits (and they're a bit more on the crunchy side).
The company, owned by a mother-daughter team, sells home and kitchen cleaners and cleaning tools, facial care, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, body and hand soap, toothpaste tablets, vegan makeup, and more. No Tox Life's plastic-free cleaning items include their Dish Block dish soap ($8.98 for 6 oz.; lasts “a LONG time”), a bamboo and plant fiber pot scrubber ($6.98), and 100% biodegradable and compostable Eco-Sponges ($3.98 for 3, on sale).
For more details, check out their FAQ.
What are the best eco-friendly and non-plastic cleaning products you've tried (or considered trying)? Is zero-waste or non-plastic more important to you? Have you tried to change your plastic consumption habits lately?
Love this topic! Here’s some of what I use. I’ve been trying to phase out plastic as much as possible:
-Dr. Bronner’s bar soap for washing dishes (we use a bristle brush) and washing hands
-Mrs Meyer’s concentrated all-purpose cleaner. Just ¼ cup makes a whole gallon. I realize Mrs Meyer’s brand products are a mixed bag in terms of ingredients, but this uses way less plastic
-Solution of one part vinegar to four parts distilled water for cleaning glass
-Rags made of old flannel sheets
-I’m still looking for my ideal laundry detergent that uses less or no plastic. Any suggestions?
I’ve been using Blueland’s laundry detergent tablets, and they seem to work fine. No plastic and the packaging is compostable.
we just started using dropps laundry detergent pods which i have to say i succumbed to because of instagram advertising, but so far they are great. they come in a paper box and are the kind in a dissolveable pod where you put the whole thing into the machine
It is super easy to make your own laundry detergent. I think it is only 3 ingredients, all of which are available at your grocery store in cardboard boxes. If you have a Buff City Soap near you, they mix scents into their laundry detergent (I think it is actually “soap”) in the store, so you pick your scent, they mix it while you wait, and you take it home in a resealable paper bag. I decant it into a glass jar and measure it with a coffee scoop. I buy it and their soap because I love their scents, but it does a great job on my laundry.
TruEarth laundry strips
Look at Meliora Cleaning Products! Ruthlessly zero-waste and plastic free, made in the US (Chicago), and woman-owned as well (said woman is a friend and former coworker, just FYI) meliorameansbetter.com
Check it out!
I should’ve specified– Meliora makes laundry soap, dish soap, and general household cleaning solution.
This is awesome, thank you!
Fillaree is awesome for hand/body soap, a cleaning spray, dish soap, and laundry soap. They have some great scents or can go scent-free. There’s a zero-waste refill system that works well if you’re not local to them for pickup. I haven’t tried their shampoo or conditioner yet.
i have also gotten super into this topic and other zero-waste stuff during staying at home the last few months! i actually find it pretty fun. things we have done:
– use the notox dish block in this post. i love it, especially with the compostable brushes which suds up really nicely. we put it on a bamboo soap lift thing and i won’t be going back to liquid detergent. look for solid soap not made with palm oil where the extraction process is terrible for the environment
– powder dishwasher detergent instead of the liquid. we have a refill center near us that sells it in bulk so i just bring a jar
– dropps laundry detergent because they dont ship in plastic, its a cardboard box
– solid bar soap instead of liquid hand soap. i like the dr bronners scented ones
– solid shampoo bars. i just have been trying things from earthhero. i do typically have a very low maintenance hair routine though
– replace paper towels with tons of kitchen towels
– use general cleaning spray of vinegar and water
– replace deodorant with native plastic free (in a paper tube) deodorant. i was using native beforehand too
– microfiber catcher thing from earth hero for laundry. i also got a microfiber catching bag to try. apparently many modern clothes drop tiny microfibers which get into all our water supply while being washed
I’ve jumped on the probiotic (good bacteria) cleaning train. I was sick of the chemical cleaners and the companies that greenwash their customers. Companies like Origen Clean know what’s up. They’re using ULV fogging technology to spray healthy probiotics onto contaminated surfaces. Check them out! :) https://www.origenclean.com/
These are such great products! Many people don’t realize how many of their cleaning products are terrible for the environment and unsafe for their home. I’ve been in the process of switching over to non-toxic, zero-waste cleaning products, and I’ve recently started to get my carpet cleaned by a local carpet cleaner that has green-cleaning services. It’s so nice knowing that I’m helping the environment and my home be safer and healthier with these services and products!