Ironically, the cleaning products we use to scrub away dirt, grime, and germs often introduce harmful chemicals into our homes. These chemicals can cause minor irritations, allergic reactions, or, with long-term exposure, contribute to chronic conditions or even cancer. Beyond our homes, these products often end up polluting waterways, causing harm to aquatic life damaging the environment.

Packaging is another major concern, especially plastic. For example, 700 million laundry detergent jugs end up in U.S. landfills each year. Less than 10% of all plastic is recycled each year, and choosing products with more readily recyclable or biodegradable packaging is one small but impactful step toward reducing waste.

This guide will help you choose non-toxic, eco-friendly cleaning products, highlighting what chemicals to avoid, certifications to look for, and other helpful tips. Already know what you’re looking for? Jump to product recommendations.

How do I choose eco-friendly cleaning products?

You’ve probably noticed cleaning product labels with promising words like “environmentally friendly,” “natural,” or “green.” How do you know if these claims are actually true?

Identifying genuinely eco-friendly cleaning products can be challenging due to the widespread practice of greenwashing. This occurs when companies use vague or generic eco-friendly buzzwords in their marketing to create the illusion of sustainability. Often, these claims are misleading or even false, lacking any real data to substantiate them.

Product eco-certifications are helpful to see past the greenwashing, since companies must comply with a strict set of criteria in order to qualify.

Eco-friendly cleaning products certifications to look for

Cleaning products that have earned third-party eco-certifications have undergone rigorous testing and met standards regarding chemical safety. The presence of symbols denoting these certifications on product packaging is a great indication that the cleaner in question is safe to use. Here are the most common certifications to look for when choosing green cleaning products.

Learn more about sustainability certifications on eco-friendly products.

Toxic chemicals in cleaning products

Cleaning products can create indoor air pollution by releasing chemicals commonly referred to as VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into the air. VOCs vaporize at room temperature and can persist in the air long after the initial introduction. Indoors, these chemicals are concentrated up to ten times more than outdoors. Outside, they react with nitrogen oxides to form ozone, contributing to air pollution and smog.

Since most of us spend about 90% of our time indoors, frequent exposure to VOCs can become a problem. The presence of VOCs can lead to or exacerbate a variety of health problems, particularly for people with underlying lung-related conditions such as asthma or COPD. Immediate exposure can create symptoms such as:

• Throat or respiratory tract irritation
• Difficulty breathing
• Headaches, dizziness, or fatigue
• Visual disorders and memory impairment
• Nose discomfort or bleeding
• Allergic skin reaction
• Nausea & vomiting

The long-term effects of VOC exposure might lead any one of these symptoms becoming a chronic ailment. Additionally, more severe illnesses may result, including damage to the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system, and even cancer.

Water-polluting chemicals in cleaning products

Cleaning products often contain chemicals that can contribute to water pollution when they are washed down drains, eventually reaching rivers, lakes, and oceans. Some of these chemicals can be harmful to aquatic life and ecosystems, in addition to human health. Besides impacting air quality, many of the previously listed VOCs also contribute to water pollution. More chemicals that are particularly damaging to water quality and aquatic organisms are listed below.

Common Water-Polluting Chemicals	Products Commonly Found in	Health & Environmental Effects
Phosphates	Laundry and dishwasher detergents	Algae blooms in bodies of water, including the ocean. Algae blooms deplete oxygen in the water, harming aquatic life and also harmful to humans.
Parabens	Preservative in water-based cleaners	Endocrine disruptors, can lead to reproductive harm. Have shown ecotoxicity and impacts to growth and development of aquatic organisms
Ammonia	Glass cleaners	Can irritate and burn the skin, mouth, throat, lungs, and eyes; lung damage and death at high levels. Toxic to aquatic animals.
Chlorine	Bleach; also can result when bleach is mixed with other cleaners	Nose, throat, and eye irritation. Very reactive with other chemicals, creating harmful, even carcinogenic compounds. Harmful to aquatic animals.
Triclosan	Antibacterial hand soaps, hand sanitizer, dishwashing detergents	Disruption of endocrine system, increase in antibiotic resistant bacteria. Toxic to aquatic life.
Phthalates	Fragrance	Endocrine disruptor. Forms strong attachments to soil and sediment, so very slow to biodegrade. Harmful to fish and other wildlife.
Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs)	Laundry detergent, surfactant.	Highly toxic to aquatic life. Endocrine disruptor.
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (Quats)	Disinfectants & antibacterial cleaners, fabric softeners	Used to kill microorganisms & could lead to antibiotic resistance; in aquatic life leads to endocrine disruption, immune dysfunction, and reproductive toxicity
Sodium Lauryl Sulfates (SLS)	Cleaning & beauty products	Can irritate eyes, skin, and lungs. Toxic to aquatic life and accumulates over time.

PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances)

• Where Found: Valued for their stain-repellent and waterproofing properties, PFAS can be found in a wide variety of cleaning products, most notably glass and hard surface cleaners; fabric, upholstery, and carpet cleaners and treatments; waxes and polishes; dishwashing rinse aids; and aerosol propellant-based cleaners and air fresheners.
• Why Avoid: PFAS, aka “forever chemicals,” persist in the body and environment indefinitely. Chemicals have been associated with a wide variety of health effects, from endocrine dysfunction, immune suppression, and cancer, among others.
• Common Names: PFAS are a large group of chemicals; identify ingredients containing “fluoro” or “perfluoro”, such as PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene), Perfluoroalkyl compounds, Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Perfluorodecalin, Fluoropolymer.

Synthetic fragrances in cleaning products

• Why Avoid: Often a cocktail of chemicals that can not only trigger allergies, irritation, or dermatitis, fragrance information is considered proprietary and ingredients are not required to be fully disclosed. This allows companies to potentially hide any chemical (especially phthalates and parabens) under the umbrella of fragrance, leaving consumers in the dark regarding chemical exposure. Therefore, going fragrance-free is ultimately the safest choice.
• Alternatives: Besides products labeled as “fragrance-free,” seek those using natural essential oils for scent.

Palm oil

Palm oil is commonly used in cleaning products as a surfactant, emulsifier, and foaming agent. While it is not inherently toxic or dangerous, its inclusion in cleaning products—and cosmetics, personal care items, and food—raises important ethical and environmental concerns. The farming practices associated with palm oil production are often devastating to the environment, contributing to deforestation, habitat destruction, and significant carbon emissions. Additionally, these practices frequently involve the exploitation of workers, such as forced labor, child labor, and trafficking. As a result, palm oil has rightfully earned a negative reputation.

These issues have led many people to boycott palm oil altogether, however this is not the answer for three main reasons.

1. Boycotting palm oil could create worse consequences by taking support away from producers that do operate responsibly and ethically. It could also potentially encourage other companies to utilize other oils that actually might have more negative impact on the environment.
2. Palm oil cultivation is exceptionally efficient in land utilization. It yields far more product per hectare of land than any other oil crop, allowing farmers to produce larger quantities of oil from relatively small land areas.
3. Palm oil boasts the lowest production costs compared to other oils and offers unparalleled versatility for applications in both the food and non-food sectors. In fact, one study determined “there are no viable alternatives to oil palm in terms of its yield and delivery of a range of specific oils for human use.”

Sustainably certified palm oil

Palm oil can be produced sustainably and ethically. Look for the RSPO Certified or the Palm Done Right labels to ensure you purchase products made with certified sustainable palm oil. This label verifies that the palm oil was produced in a socially and environmentally responsible way.

Helpful resources

Overwhelmed with all the chemical names? Utilize these helpful resources to find eco-friendly cleaning products.

• Browse EPA Safer Choice products.
• Search the Consumer Product Information Database (CPID), which is supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
• Read this helpful article by Grove explaining the benefits of switching to natural cleaning products and the main ingredients you want to avoid.
• Check out the healthy cleaning guide by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). This is a fantastic resource to learn about different product ingredients. EWG has a safety rating system and they also certify products they deem non-toxic. Download the app for quick access to their database.

• Think Dirty is my favorite app to help me determine whether a product is clean. You can type in an item or scan the barcode of tons of cleaning (and personal care) products and they have a rating system of how ‘dirty’ they are based on the ingredients. Note that any product with added fragrance rates poorly since fragrance is proprietary and the ingredients don’t have to be disclosed; it creates a loophole for companies to hide ingredients.

DIY cleaning recipes

Zero waste cleaning product packaging

Tips for reducing cleaning product packing waste:

1. Use reusable bottles, like these glass spray bottles from Grove. Then purchase refills, concentrates, or cleaning tablets that can be mixed with water. Blueland is a great example; you have the option of buying refills that come in recyclable or biodegradable packaging. If you don’t have access to recycling, you can ship it to them for free and they will recycle it for you.
2. Buy in bulk. Hopefully you have a shop near you that you can take your own containers and fill them with soaps or other cleaning products. Otherwise buy bulk size refills, which minimizes the amount of packaging used. Boulder Clean refills are a good example.
3. Look for plastic-free cleaning products. Finding natural, non-toxic cleaners that also come in sustainable packaging adds another element of difficulty in finding the greenest products. The best packaging choices are glass and metal because they can be recycled infinitely and don’t involved a lot of chemicals in their production. Sustainable materials like bamboo, biodegradable packaging, or recycled paper are also good options. Check company websites for information on their packaging.

If you happen to have new, unused cleaning products that you don’t want or need, donate them to places like the YWCA, IRC, or local homeless or animal shelter. If you have opened products that you won’t use, give them to a friend or post on a Buy Nothing forum.

Recycling cleaning product packaging

The best zero waste cleaning products are packaged in plastic-free, recyclable packaging. Cleaning concentrates are best since they come in smaller packages. Make sure bottles and packaging are empty and dry. Here’s a brief rundown on responsibly disposing of empty product packaging.

The best non-toxic cleaning brands

Brand	Clean Ingredients	Cruelty-Free/Vegan	Packaging	Certified B Corp	Other Certifications
Boulder Clean	EPA Safer Choice	Leaping Bunny	Offer bulk refills and tablets; use recycled materials in packaging; committed to no single-use plastic by 2025	Y	1% for the Planet
Blueland	EPA Safer Choice, Cradle to Cradle, MADE SAFE, EWG verified	Leaping Bunny; USDA Biopreferred	Plastic-free	Y	Climate Neutral certified
Cleancult	No phlalates, parabens, SLES, SLS, phosphates, dyes	Leaping Bunny	100% recyclable packaging, carton refills made with FSC-certified paper; aluminum bottles	N	Certified Plastic Neutral
Dr. Bronner’s	USDA Organic, Non-GMO, NSF	Leaping Bunny; Certified Vegan	Use 100% PCR plastic; now offer refill cartons that contain 82% less plastic	Y	Fair for Life, Certified Kosher
Ecos	EPA Safer Choice Partner of the year 7 times; RSPO palm oil; no dyes	Leaping Bunny; 100% Vegan	Recyclable plastic	N	climate positive and water neutral
Grove Collaborative	Products are free from their ‘No Way Ingredients‘ list, which includes chemicals like parabens, phthalates.	Leaping Bunny; some vegan	Currently plastic neutral with plans to be plastic-free by 2025	Y	Certified carbon neutral
Meliora	MADE SAFE	Leaping Bunny	Plastic-free	Y	Women owned, 1% for the Planet
Method	RSPO Palm oil	Leaping Bunny; 100% vegan	Clear plastic bottles made from recovered ocean plastic; FSC paper	Y
Puracy	uses natural ingredients which are listed on their website; palm oil free	Leaping Bunny & PETA certified; 100% vegan	Plastic bottles or refill pouches; some offered in their newer Clean Can packaging that has been out of stock for months	N	supports diversity and stands with the Black community
Seventh Generation	EPA Safer Choice (Partner of the Year 2021); increasing RSPO palm sourcing	Leaping Bunny	In 2022, 75% of plastic packaging was PCR, 1% biobased, and only 24% virgin plastic.	Y

The best eco-friendly cleaning tool brands

• Full Circle – Certified B Corp, carbon neutral, most products are made from renewable materials or recycled plastic, plastic-free packaging
  • Also available on Amazon, Grove, and EarthHero
• Zefiro – small company based out of Chicago, many plastic-free options, 1% for the Planet
  • Also available on EarthHero
• Redecker – family-owned German company with products made from natural materials
  • Also available on EarthHero / Amazon

The best places to buy green cleaning brands online

Besides buying cleaning products directly from the companies themselves, you can shop a variety of brands at each of these online retailers.

• Grove Collaborative – Certified B Corp, carbon neutral, plastic-free shipping. Their brand and all products they carry are free from the No Way Ingredients list. At no cost, you have the option to send their product packaging back to them for recycling. I have been a customer for years and have been very happy with their products. Their customer service is probably the best I’ve ever encountered.
• EarthHero – Certified B Corp, Climate Neutral certified, 1% for the Planet member. Plastic-free shipping. The company prioritizes sourcing products made from organically-grown materials and ingredients and any synthetic materials must be made from at least 70% recycled materials. They seek companies to work with that have sustainable and ethical business practices and look for brands that are female-owned, BIPOC-owned, and LGBTQIA+ owned. I like that under each product they list not only sourcing & ingredient information, but end of life care as well.

I have started adding scores for products: Think Dirty (TD) rates products from zero to ten; those that score three or less contain the safest ingredients. The EWG rates ingredients 1-10 and uses a letter grading system for products. Again, remember that products with added fragrance tend to rate poorly because of non-disclosed, proprietary recipes.

Non-toxic air freshener

Go Green: Avoid aerosol air fresheners

Aerosol air fresheners emit VOCs into the air that can be harmful for both you and the environment.

Learn more about VOCs and indoor air quality here.

Plastic-free air fresheners

• My choice of natural air freshener is Grove’s room spray concentrates, fragranced with essential oils and plant extracts, and free of any aerosolized chemicals. The concentrates are packaged in small glass bottles with aluminum caps. You simply mix the concentrate with water in a spray bottle and you’re good to go. TD – 4
• Upcircle Home Mist with Lemongrass and Upcycled Grapefruit Water, packaged in a glass bottle. Certified B corp, vegan, cruelty-free.
• Fresh Wave Odor Removing Air Spray uses plant-based ingredients and is free of synthetic fragrances and VOCs, including phthalates. It is an EPA Safer Choice product and comes in an aluminum spray can but does not contain harmful propellants. TD – 3, EWG – D
  • Also available at Amazon
• Grab Green Room & Fabric Freshener – made without phthalates, formaldehyde or dyes, but fragrance is a blend of natural and synthetic ingredients; packaged in aluminum bottle. TD – 3, EWG – B
• This Enviroscent diffuser is made from mango wood, the fragrance sticks are made from recyclable paper (no liquid involved), and it comes in plastic-free packaging. I recently bought one for my bathroom, and I like the sturdiness and appearance of the diffuser, and the scent is very nice. However, it faded within a couple weeks, and for that I don’t recommend this product.

Non-toxic plug in air freshener

I have been using the Pura air fresheners for the past year or so and I’ve been happy with them. The schedule is easy to program with their app, and they have a huge variety of delicious scents. Their products are cruelty-free and are made without acetaldehyde, diclorobenzene, ethylhexanol, formaldehyde, GMOs, methyl pyrrolidone, parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol, styrene, or animal testing.

Non-toxic all-purpose cleaner

These eco-friendly all-purpose cleaners can be used to clean most surfaces, but check brand-specific information first, and always test on a small, inconspicuous area.

Finding a good all-purpose cleaner you like can eliminate the need for purchasing multiple cleaners for all your different surfaces, decreasing waste and saving you money and space under the sink. Some experts say you really don’t need a different cleaner for each type of surface.

Go Green: Plastic-free all-purpose cleaners

All-purpose cleaner tablets

All-purpose cleaner tablets are the best zero waste option as they come in minimal packaging; the following tablets all come in compostable packaging. Tablets are simply added to water in a spray bottle.

• Blueland Multi-Surface Cleaner – tablet wrappers/pouches are home compostable
  • Also available at Amazon
• Boulder Clean All-Purpose Cleaner – packaged in material compostable in industrial facilities
  • Also available at EarthHero / Amazon
• Meliora All-Purpose Cleaner – packaged in home compostable/recyclable paperboard box printed with vegetable-based inks

All-purpose powder

• Bon Ami Powder Cleanser – This cleaner has been around since 1886 and uses simple, non-toxic ingredients. Its packaging is produced from 65% post-consumer material and is fully recyclable.
  • Also available at Grove / Amazon
• Meliora Gentle Home Cleaning Scrub – Simple ingredients come either unscented or with peppermint and tea tree oils added. Packaged in uncoated paper can with steel end and cap; paper is home compostable/recyclable, steel can be recycled (separate parts)
  • Also available at EarthHero / Grove / Amazon

All-purpose liquid concentrate

• Dr. Bronner’s Castile Liquid Soap. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this all-star cleaner. They are finally offering refills in FSC-certified paper cartons, although they still do contain a plastic liner, and you may not find them at retailers yet. I think this brand deserves to be mentioned, as this company has more eco-certifications than any other I have come across. This castile soap is EWG verified and can be diluted to clean just about anything.
  • Also available at Grove / Target / Amazon / EarthHero / Walmart
• Branch Basics – The Concentrate – Like Dr. Bronner’s, this versatile concentrate can be used to clean nearly any surface, as well as dishes and the laundry. The concentrate is sold in a recyclable plastic bottle, but considering the clean ingredients and how many bottles of cleaner it makes, it may be worth the trade off. Made Safe, EWG A rating, Leaping Bunny.
• Grove Multi-Purpose Cleaner Concentrate – Packaged in a small glass bottle.
  • Also available at Target
• Puracy Surface Cleaner Concentrate is packaged in plastic, but they have just come out with a ‘Clean Can’ system that utilizes aluminum cans to package their cleaners and refills. I’m excited by this new development since I really like their products, and I’m not alone as this concentrate has 13.6k positive reviews on Amazon. Unfortunately, the Clean Can system has been out of stock more months. TD – 3 / EWG – A
  • Also available on Amazon (only the concentrate packaged in plastic; cans haven’t made it yet) / Target
• Etee All-Purpose Cleaner Concentrate – packaged in compostable beeswax
• Ethique Multi-Purpose Kitchen Spray Concentrate – solid bar packaged in paperboard (currently unavailable)

Non-toxic bathroom cleaner

Go Green: Plastic-free bathroom cleaners

• Blueland Bathroom Cleaner tablets
  • Also available at Amazon
• Boulder Clean Bathroom Cleaner tablets
  • Also available at EarthHero / Amazon
• Seventh Generation Bathroom Cleaner Powder – this fragrance-free option comes in a tin
  • Also available at Grove / Amazon
• Bon Ami Powder Cleanser
  • Also available at Grove / Amazon
• Ethique Multi-Purpose Bathroom Spray Concentrate (currently unavailable)

Natural carpet stain remover

In addition to the products listed here, most laundry stain removers should also be able to double as carpet cleaners.

• Grove Carpet & Upholstery Stain Remover – 93% biobased formula, cruelty free
• Pure Sense Stain & Odor Treatment – triclosan-free, paraben-free, and Leaping Bunny–certified
• Puracy Natural Carpet Spot Remover – 99.51% natural, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, vegan, cruelty-free
• Puracy Carpet & Upholstery Shampoo – this is a 4x concentrate, 99.36% natural, no sulfates, phosphates, animal by-products, chlorine, bleach, dyes, petrochemicals, caustics, synthetic fragrances, or optical brighteners.
  • Also available on Amazon

Pet stain remover

• Puracy Pet Stain & Odor Remover – 99.52% natural with 5 plant-based enzymes
  • Also available at Amazon
• Ecos Pet Stain & Odor Remover
• Rocco & Roxie Stain & Odor Eliminator – this Utah-based company product has over 110K positive reviews on Amazon. I’ve used it and it works magically. It has been certified safe for all carpets, earning the Seal of Approval by the trusted Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI). The only thing I’m not a fan of is that their ingredients listed are super vague, and when I emailed asking for specifics, they declined, saying that it was proprietary information.
  • Also available at Amazon / Target

The AKC recommends two recipes for DIY pet stain remover:

• 2 Cups vinegar, 2 Cups lukewarm water, 4 Tbsp baking soda
• ½ Cup of hydrogen peroxide + ½ Cup of dish soap

Plastic-free carpet cleaners

I haven’t found any plastic-free pet stain removers, so try out these plastic-free all-purpose cleaners that list carpet under their usage instructions.

• Meliora All-Purpose Cleaner
• Dr. Bronner’s Castile Liquid Soap (make sure you get their new plastic-free carton)

Degreaser

• Grab Green Power Degreaser – naturally-derived, made without Phosphates, Phthalates, Ammonia, Solvents or Dyes; cruelty-free
  • Amazon
• Method Heavy Duty Degreaser – plant-based
  • Target / Amazon / Grove

Try a natural degreaser with vinegar and water, baking soda, or even oil, as suggested by Allrecipes.

Non-toxic disinfectant

Go Green: Skip the wipes

• Boulder Clean Disinfectant Cleaner
  • Free from Quaternary Amines (Quats),parabens, phthalates, phosphates, bleach, triclosan, known or suspected endocrine disruptors, dyes, or synthetic fragrance; CA Prop 65 compliant
  • Leaping Bunny certified
  • Available at Amazon
• Seventh Generation Disinfecting Multi-surface Cleaner – does contain SLS
  • Target / Amazon / Grove
• Method Antibacterial All-purpose Cleaner – note I used this on a marble counterop and it left a residue
  • Grove / Target / Amazon

Plastic-free disinfectants

There aren’t many options for plastic-free disinfectants. All I have been able to find is the Seventh Generation Disinfectant Spray, packaged in a aerosolized metal can. Also available at Grove / Amazon.

Best disinfectant wipes

Save disinfectant wipes for when you’re out and about or traveling.

• Boulder Clean Disinfecting Wipes
  • Kills 99.9% of bacteria
  • Free of bleach, triclosan, paragons, phosphates and phthalates
  • California Prop 65 Compliant, EPA Safer Choice
  • Leaping Bunny certified
  • Wipes are not biodegradable
  • Available at Amazon

Disinfectant wipe disposal

Wipes are not recyclable or compostable; throw in trash. Recycle plastic packaging with plastic film.

Natural drain cleaner

Before resorting to chemical drain cleaners, try mechanical removal of clogs and slow drains with a product like the Green Goblin Drain Snake. I’ve had a lot of success clearing hair from slow drains with this.

• Drainbo Natural Drain Cleaner – USDA certified biobased product
• CLR – EPA Safer Choice
• Earthworm Drain Cleaner – I saw this product at Whole Foods and thought it looked promising. But alas, although it advertises a natural enzymatic process for drain cleaning, it receives a ‘D’ grade from EWG.

Natural floor cleaner

• Aunt Fannie’s Vinegar Floor Cleaner Concentrate – EWG A-rated
  • Grove / Amazon

Natural hardwood cleaner

• Aunt Fannie’s Hardwood Floor Cleaner – EWG A-rated
  • Grove / Amazon
• Method Squirt + Mop Wood Floor Cleaner
  • Grove /Target / Amazon

Plastic-free floor cleaners

• Grove Floor Cleaning Concentrate – packaged in glass bottle
  • Also available at Target
• Etee Floor Cleaner Concentrate – packaged in compostable beeswax
• Dr. Bronner’s Castile Liquid Soap – Get the refill carton. Website says it is suitable for wood, stone, and laminate. Learn more about mopping with Dr. Bronner’s/Sal Suds.
  • Also available at Grove / Target / Amazon / EarthHero / Walmart

Glass cleaner

Go Green: Plastic-free glass cleaners

Natural leather cleaner

• Try this DIY option that calls for vinegar + water for cleaning, and conditioning with coconut oil.
• Dr. Bronner’s Castile Liquid Soap (refill carton). They recommend dilution 1 qt water to 1/4 c soap.
• Branch Basics – The Concentrate – test on small area per company website
• Pure Sense Leather Conditioner & Cleaner –  paraben-free, triclosan-free, naturally fragranced, and Leaping Bunny–certified.
• For a leather conditioner, try Beehive Naturals, made with beeswax and natural oils, packaged in a tin.

I haven’t found any plastic-free leather cleaner options.

Non-toxic oven cleaner

Remember, oven cleaners are notorious for containing VOCs, so take special care to choose a product free of these chemicals. Use the degreasers listed above for this purpose.

• Grab Green Power Degreaser
  • Amazon
• Method Heavy Duty Degreaser
  • Target / Amazon / Grove

Stainless steel cleaner

• Method Stainless Steel Cleaner + Polish
  • Amazon / Target / Grove
• Therapy Clean Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish – USDA certified biobased, cruelty-free
  • Target / Amazon

All-purpose cleaners that list stainless steel under their uses include:

• Dr. Bronners Castile Liquid Soap
• Grove Multi-Purpose Cleaner Concentrate
• Branch Basics – The Concentrate

Stone cleaner

• Seventh Generation Granite & Stone Cleaner
  • Amazon
• Method Daily Granite Cleaner
  • Grove / Amazon / Target

Plastic-free stone cleaners

Again, we’re relying on the plastic-free all-purpose cleaners here, since I haven’t found options for labeled stone cleaners that are plastic-free.

• Blueland Multi-Surface Cleaner – site lists ‘sealed stone’ under uses
• Meliora All-Purpose Cleaner – site states it is effective on stone, natural tile, marble, grout
• Boulder Clean All-Purpose Cleaner – per their customer service, they do not recommend on unsealed stone or porous surfaces
• Grove Multi-Purpose Cleaner Concentrate – site states for use on ‘non-porous surfaces…granite and quartz’.
• Dr. Bronners Castile Liquid Soap – specifically mentions quartzite and granite
• Branch Basics – The Concentrate – use list states ok to use on porous, natural stones like travertine, marble, and granite.

Natural toilet bowl cleaner

Go Green: Plastic-free toilet cleaners

Natural wood cleaner

• Method Daily Wood Cleaner—I LOVE this stuff, it cleans wonderfully and it smells soooo good.
  • Grove / Amazon / Target
• Aunt Fannie’s Wood Surface Cleaner
  • Amazon / Grove
• Ecos Furniture Cleaner + Polish
  • Amazon
• Therapy Clean Wood & Cabinet Cleaner and Polish
  • Amazon

Plastic-free wood cleaners

I haven’t been able to find any plastic-free cleaners labeled specifically for wood, but you can go with all-purpose cleaners here who list wood under their uses. Of course use your discretion and test first.

• Blueland Multi-Surface Cleaner – ‘sealed wood’ per their website
• Boulder Clean All-Purpose Cleaner – ok on sealed wood per their customer service
• Meliora All-Purpose Cleaner – wood listed under uses
• Branch Basics – The Concentrate – test on small area per company website

Wax: I’ve used Daddy Van’s all-natural beeswax polish for a long time and I love it. Beehive Naturals is another option.

Go Green: Non-plastic cleaning tools

When possible, seek plastic-free cleaning tools to decrease the amount of non-recyclable sources of microplastics in your home.

Buckets

Go Green: Reuse old buckets

You can reuse any size of bucket or tub. There are probably millions of uses for 5 gallon buckets. Mine mostly are used for storing things like gravel or mulch, and I carry one when I’m working in the yard to collect my weeds. It makes a pretty good compress tool to stuff the green waste bin as full as possible. I don’t think you need to spend money on new ones…I bet if you could find some restaurants with extras they don’t need, or if you know anyone with a saltwater aquarium, they will probably have ton of buckets that their salt came in.

If you need a new bucket, try one made from recycled materials, such as these EcoSolutions 5 gallon buckets.

Even better, go plastic-free with a galvanized steel bucket. Behrens makes many sizes, which are widely available.

• Amazon / Walmart / Home Depot / Target

Recycling buckets

Metal buckets are recyclable; plastic buckets are recyclable depending on type of plastic and local recycling guidelines.

Cleaning cloths

Pretty much any fabric scraps from old clothes, towels, or sheets can serve this purpose. Microfiber is a very useful and popular material to use for cleaning, but unfortunately microfiber is a synthetic material that sheds tiny pieces of plastic into the surrounding environment. Read more about microplastic pollution here. If you buy new cloths, make sure they are made from a natural fiber like 100% organic cotton.

• Full Circle Tidy Dish Cloth Set – 100% organic cotton. Also available at EarthHero / Amazon
• Bambu All-Purpose Dishcloth – Certified organic cotton/hemp blend
• Cloth diapers or burp cloths made from 100% natural cotton can also serve this purpose, such as these Burt’s Bees 100% organic cotton burp cloths or Meliora’s Repurposed Organic Cotton Diaper Rags, which have been sterilized and upcycled.

Eco-friendly duster

Most popular dusters are made from microfiber, which is unfortunately is a synthetic material that can release microplastics. For plastic-free dusting, try one of the following products.

• Marley’s Monsters sells a 100% organic cotton duster on a wooden handle, or one made with 70% bamboo and 30% organic cotton.
• Zero Waste Co. has a similar option with cotton duster on a bamboo handle.
• Redecker makes a goat hair duster with a wooden handle, available on Amazon.

Wool Shop is a family-owned business that sells all kinds of dusters, including lambswool dusters with wood handles, however they have nothing on their website concerning animal welfare. They can also be found in various retailers, including Williams Sonoma.

**I don’t like ostrich feather dusters because I don’t trust that the feathers are gathered humanely and it’s difficult to verify.

Plastic-free floor care

If you’re a Swiffer fan, switch from the disposable cloths to reusable ones such at these 100% cotton Washable Mop Covers sold at the Zero Waste Store. Many other options can be found on Etsy.

Eco-friendly brooms

• O-Cedar Heavty Duty Corn Broom – with a wooden handle and natural straw bristles
• Superio Tampico Broom – available with wood or metal handle with a replaceable wooden head with tampico bristles.
  • Option with horsehair bristles available on Amazon
• Oakart Hand Brooms – Natural bristles and wood handles
• Redecker Horsehair Broom & Stainless Steel Dustpan Set – with beechwood handle. Very pricey.

Dustpans

• Redecker has several options of metal dustpans with beechwood handles
• Behrens Galvanized Steel Dustpan
• Quickie Professional Aluminum Dustpan
• Edward Tools Black Metal Dustpan – powder coated steel

Eco-friendly mops

• Fuller Brush Co. Wet Mop – cotton mop head and steel handle
  • Also available on Amazon
• Quick Loop Mop – this mop head is constructed from steel and oak. You use your own cloth and handle.
  • Also available on Amazon

What to do with old mops and brooms

If your mop or broom has a removable handle, it can be used to replace broken ones on other tools or as garden stakes. A broom with a broken handle can be used stored in the car and used as a snow brush.

Unusable mops and brooms can be composted if made from all natural fibers. The dust you sweep up (and vacuum) is mostly organic material and can be dumped in your green waste bin.

If you’re using up your disposable Swiffer pads before switching to a reusable one, recycle them with Terracycle’s free mail-in program.

Eco-friendly cleaning gloves

Go Green: Latex or nitrile gloves

Most household rubber gloves are not actually made from rubber but from from PVC, or vinyl, which is the most dangerous plastic to our health. These gloves are not recyclable or biodegradable. Instead, choose cleaning gloves that are made from natural rubber latex, which comes from trees and is fully compostable.

• If You Care Household Gloves are sturdy, comfortable, and don’t make my hands sweat. They are made from 100% natural rubber and the company recommends to cut them up into small pieces when composting at the end of their life.
• Full Circle natural latex gloves
  • Also available at EarthHero
• Grove Cleaning Gloves – latex with cotton cuffs

If you have a latex allergy, go with nitrile gloves. While these are still a synthetic material, and therefore not biodegradable, they are non-toxic and a more eco-friendly alternative to vinyl gloves. I had a hard time finding 100% nitrile gloves meant for household cleaning and not single-use. The only option I have found is the HDX Green 11mil Reusable Nitrile Glove at Home Depot.

Paper towels

Best practice is to skip paper towels altogether and use cleaning cloths or rags, Swedish dish cloths, or reusable paper towels. I know there are some messes you want a single-use paper towel for, so click to learn how to choose sustainable paper towels.

Eco-friendly plunger

The inexpensive traditional plunger with a wooden handle and rubber cup is an acceptably sustainable choice. However in my experience, they don’t last as long as others and get pretty gamey fast.

Unfortunately, you’re going to have to fork out $30-40 for the best sustainable plungers.

• The aptly-named Royal Plunge plunger by Full Circle has a handle is made from recycled aluminum and bamboo, and the plunger sits in a ceramic holder with a base that absorbs water.
  • Also available at Amazon
• Grove’s Eco Plunger is essentially the exact same as the Full Circle plunger, but has a removable head that can be replaced as needed.

I debated whether to include OXO Toilet Plunger & Canister since it is made from plastic, but ultimately decided to because it has lasted much longer than the traditional plungers I’ve had in the past, and I really like the holder that contains the water and germs, keeping the plunger cup out of sight. Also available on Amazon.

Cleaning sponges

Go Green: Biodegradable, natural sponge

Most cleaning sponges and scouring pads found in stores are made of plastic. Instead, purchase biodegradable sponges made from 100% plant-based materials such as cellulose, walnut, or coconut coir.

• Bambu LongLife Sponge – There are two side of this sponge: a scrubbing side made from 100% hemp, and a washing side composed of a certified organic cotton/hemp blend, with a natural latex fill. Machine washable.
• The Blueland Scrub Sponge is made from 100% FSC-certified cellulose and loofah. It is also vegan, gluten-free, soy and nut-free.
  • Also available on Amazon.
• Full Circle Plain Jane sponge is made from 100% cellulose, and the packaging is compostable too.
  • Also available on Amazon
• Casabella Kind Loofah Sponge is made from cellulose and loofah, packaged in compostable film.
  • Also available at Whole Foods
• 4Ocean Biodegradable Sponges are thin and flat until you put them under water and watch them expand in a satisfying way. The website says to use on per day to prevent bacteria buildup, but I’ve been using the same one for over a week and it shows no signs of breaking down and I can clean it as I do any other kitchen sponge. I think this pack of 30 is going to last me for a while.

Swedish dishcloths

I have become a big fan of Swedish dishcloths, which are essentially compostable sponge cleaning cloths. They have multiple uses: they can serve as a kitchen sponge, paper towel, and dishrag. They can be laundered in the washing machine or dishwasher. And best of all: they are made with natural cellulose that can be composted when they reach the end of their life. What’s not to love?

My favorites include:

• Grove Swedish Dishcloths
• Swedish Wholesale Store: available on Target, Amazon, Walmart
• Papaya Reusables. Besides having tons of super cute design options, their cloths have a little hole in one corner so they can be hung from a hook, which is also available for purchase.

Sponge reuse ideas

I cringe when I think of repurposing a gamey old sponge, but here are some ideas on what to do with old sponges for the more brave souls. There’s a couple interesting ones worth trying.

Are sponges recyclable?

No, whether made from synthetic or natural materials, sponges are not recyclable.

However, eco-friendly sponges and Swedish dishcloths made with 100% cellulose or other natural fibers are compostable when they are worn out. Discard regular synthetic sponges in the trash.

Natural scrubbers & brushes

Go Green: Biodegradable scrubbers & brushes

For something with a little more scrubbing power, here are some great biodegradable scrubber and brush options.

• Zero Waste Store Biodegradable Coconut Kitchen Scourers – Made from waste coconut coir and natural rubber latex
• Free the Ocean Coconut Dish Scour Pads –  coconut coir and natural rubber
• Redecker Copper Scouring Cloth – made with copper threads, 100% recyclable
  • Also available on Amazon
• Redecker makes a scrubber brush made from beechwood and Tampico plant fiber bristles.
  • Available on EarthHero and Amazon
• Bambu All Purpose Brush has a bamboo handle and plant-based tampico bristles
• Zefiro Bamboo Cleaning Brush – bamboo and natural bristles
• The Package Free Copper Scrubber is made from 100% copper and is fully recyclable at the end of its life. (currently unavailable)

Spray Bottles

Purchase reusable glass spray bottles such as Grove’s Refillable Spray Bottle or Everspring’s Glass Reusable Spray Bottle and fill with water, adding desired cleaning concentrates or tablets, or make your own cleaner with the plethora of recipes online. See more details above.

Recycling spray bottles

Cleaning product spray bottles can be tricky to recycle because while the bottle is usually acceptable, the spray head/trigger is not because of the combination of plastic and metal spring mechanism inside. Check for local recycling options. Terracycle has a free mail-in recycling program you can send them to.

Eco-friendly toilet brush

Go Green: Biodegradable toilet brush

• Zefiro’s wooden toilet brush is made with FSC certified beechwood and sisal bristles without any glues. It is vegan and fully compostable.
• The ZeroWasteStore Plastic-Free Toilet brush is composed of compostable, sustainably-sourced beech wood and tampico agave fibers and comes with a beechwood stand.
• The JoyfulHomeSL shop on Etsy sells a handmade toilet brush with a wooden handle and coconut coir bristles that is also completely compostable.

Other options:

• The Grove Toilet Brush with Replaceable Head is made from recycled aluminum and recycled plastic.
• Oxo Good Grips. This one isn’t exactly made from eco-friendly materials, but since the brush heads are replaceable and you keep the handle, it’s a start. It comes with an amazing little holder, so as long as you keep replacing the brush heads as needed, this should keep your toilets clean for a long time.

Eco-friendly trash bags

Go Green: Biodegradable garbage bags vs recycled trash bags

This is one of the classic there-is-not-a-clear-cut-answer-here issues. By now, you know plastic should be avoided as much as possible, and biodegradable or compostable materials are what we should aim for. So it should be a simple win for biodegradable trash bags here, right? If only it were that simple.

Take a moment to consider where your trash is ultimately headed, which is most likely the landfill. Here your refuse gets dumped and buried by layers of more waste. In that environment, your trash quickly loses access to oxygen. In this anaerobic environment, stuff takes forever to break down. Even organic material. If you’ve read anything about food waste, you’ll know that a simple head of lettuce can take up to 25 years to fully decompose in a landfill! Normally this breakdown process creates carbon dioxide, but with the lack of oxygen, methane is created instead, which is much worse at trapping heat in the atmosphere.

Under these conditions, neither type of bag is going to break down readily. I’ve given this too much thought, and if you’re over it and just want me to tell which type of bags to get, I understand. Either choice has pros and cons so take your pick. If you want to know more, read on.

Biodegradable garbage bag details

Instead of being made from fossil fuels like other plastic, bioplastics are made from plant material, such as sugar cane or corn/potato starch. These include PLA (polylactic acid) and PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate).

While bioplastics are technically compostable, most of the time this process must be done in a commercial composting facility that achieves higher temperatures than simple backyard composting (or in a landfill). These types of facilities are rare.

While the idea of bioplastics seems promising, their production is expensive and not a clear cut solution. They do result in less greenhouse gases than conventional plastic, but the tradeoff is increased pollutants from fertilizers and pesticides needed to grow the crops, as well as extensive water and land use. In addition, despite being made with plant material, chemicals are still added during production. A 2020 study found that bioplastics are just as toxic as conventional plastics.

Having said all that, the fact that compostable trash bags will eventually fully break down, unlike plastic, is a big upside. In addition, they don’t contain the harmful chemicals that plastics leach into the soild and groundwater as they break down into smaller pieces.

Recycled trash bags

Although I normally want to say all plastic is bad, some has its place. We have an excess of plastic in the world, and it is notoriously difficult to recycle, so I think giving some of that plastic another life before ending up in the landfill has its value. Especially when compared with trash bags made from new materials. Reusing plastic grocery bags to line trash cans is a great way to repurpose existing bags.

Should you just go bagless?

Although neither type of trash bag is clearly better than the other, I don’t think skipping a bag altogether is a great option either. Some municipalities require bagging. In addition, I think that loose trash is likely to spread outside of the garbage truck, especially on a windy day. What would work, though, is to use other trash to hold your garbage, like say an empty dog food bag.

Are trash bags recyclable?

If composed of #2 HDPE or #4 LDPE plastic, then yes empty trash bags could be recycled with other plastic films. But of course this would entail you dumping your trash out of the bag and into the can, which may be less than desirable as mentioned above. In addition, plastic films need to be clean and dry. So most likely, recycling trash bags is not a feasible option.

And while we’re on the subject, recycling bags in curbside recycling is a big no-no. Do NOT bag your recycling. This is among the biggest errors seen, and may result in your recycling being thrown away. In most cases, bagged recycling cannot be sorted. And plastic bags can cause clogs in facility machinery.