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11 natural cleaning brands that are as effective as traditional brands, but don't use harsh, harmful chemicals
11 natural cleaning brands that are as effective as traditional brands, but don't use harsh, harmful chemicals
Connie Chen,Connie ChenMar 16, 2019, 02:00 IST
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From skin care to food, we're cleaning up the products our bodies interact with.
Household cleaners are another category of an everyday product filled with harsh and harmful ingredients.
There are plenty of safer alternatives that are equally effective and affordable as traditional brands. They use plant-based and biodegradable ingredients, don't test on animals, and come in sustainable packaging.
On my list of satisfying and cathartic things to do on a weekend, a deep house cleaning session has to be near the top. But that they often end with itchy, watery eyes or irritated skin dampens the excitement of having sparkly clean countertops, appliances, and floors.
Just like with skin care and food, we're starting to take a closer look at the ingredient labels of the products we use in everyday life. Traditional cleaning products from big-name brands usually contain harsh, harmful chemicals that get the job done, but sacrifice our health in the process.
These natural cleaning companies, however, prove that you can use safer ingredients and still clean your house effectively. They throw out chemicals and synthetic fragrances in favor of plant-based and biodegradable ingredients that are better for both your body and the earth. With socially and environmentally conscious missions guiding their products, they also give back to those in need and use sustainable packaging. None of them test on animals, either.
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All in all, they're simply the better choice if you want to clean your house with a clean conscience, and most cost only a little more if not the same as traditional brands.
For effective cleaning without the chemicals, shop these 11 natural cleaning brands.
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This certified B Corp is on a mission to make every part of your home more "clean" by making safer and sustainable laundry, dishwashing, cleaning, feminine-care, and paper products. Its cleaning solutions, like the $2.99 USDA Certified Biobased Toilet Bowl Cleaner and $2.99 All Purpose Cleaner, are all really affordable, so you don't have much of an excuse not to go plant-based.
Green Works
Shop Green Works cleaning products here: Amazon, Target
Shoppers love the All-Purpose Multi-Surface Cleaning Spray and Cleaning Wipes from this company that also makes eco-friendly cutlery. The cleaning spray is a versatile all-in-one solution to tackle various types of dirty surfaces around the home, while the cleaning wipes are biodegradable and compostable. Green Works was founded in 2008 by a Clorox scientist who was inspired by her environmental biologist daughter to create a powerful, naturally derived cleaner.
Jessica Alba's The Honest Company is a favorite among parents because of its special emphasis on caring for babies in safe, natural ways. In addition to baby and beauty products (try its fragrance-free Baby Wipes or relaxing Bubble Bath), you can shop powerful cleaners made from gentle ingredients, including essential oils instead of synthetic fragrances. You won't need to be nervous using these household cleaners around your baby.
From Carpet Cleaner to 5-Pack Home Cleaning Sets, every one of the natural cleaning products from this brand is a top-rated hit (its most popular item on Amazon is actually the Bath and Shower Gel). Puracy's 4x concentrated formulas, developed by a chemist from MIT, reduce plastic, water, and energy waste by more than 75%. For every sale, it donates natural and organic products to families and children in need.
Rather than sell you cleaning products that are half water, Branch Basics gives you the multi-purpose concentrated cleaner and the empty, reusable, and refillable bottles to "make" your own safe and natural cleaners at home. Depending on the type of surface you intend to clean, you add a different amount of water and concentrate, so you waste less money and resources buying one-use plastic bottles.
The brand behind these brightly colored cleaners is known for its refreshing fragrances like Peony, Lilac, and Mint. Unlike harsh, traditional cleaners, Mrs. Meyer's smells like you just brought a floral garden indoors. It also makes hand soap, laundry detergent, and even air freshener.
For more than 50 years, parent company Earth Friendly Products has been making affordable and environmentally safe cleaning solutions like this Shower Cleaner and this Drain Maintainer. At the same time it's helping you treat your body and the environment better, it's also doing its part: Its facilities run on 100% renewable energy, and are carbon neutral, water neutral, and Zero Waste Platinum-certified.
After developing contact dermatitis from using chemical cleaners, the cofounder began making her own recipes and teamed up with a friend (who completed her PhD in ecology and understood the links among the environment, chemicals, and chronic illnesses) to start Truce. Truce's All-Purpose Cleaner contains just five simple ingredients: water, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, organic castile soap, and essential oils.
For a "Better Life" free of warning labels and harmful chemicals, shop this Shark Tank-approved company. Its products are so safe that you can spray them in your mouth — which is exactly what its cofounder did during his pitch in front of the judges. They're free from dyes, alcohol, synthetic fragrances, sulfates, and petroleum-based cleaning agents. Scents like Tea Tree & Eucalyptus will make you attracted to Tub and Tile Cleaners in a way you've never been before.
Method is another B Corp that you've probably seen in stores and is one of the fastest-growing private companies in the US. It makes all types of natural cleaners, including ones for hard floors, granite, and hardwood. Method is Cradle to Cradle-certified, meaning it meets high standards for ingredient safety and environmental health, as well as packaging safety and environmental health.
Caldrea makes home and cleaning products that match the sophistication of your home. Its Countertop Surface Cleaner, featuring a Rosewater Driftwood scent reminscent of the beach, uses a special vegetable protein extract to remove odors. Thanks to its luxurious fragrances, your house won't only be sparkling clean, but it'll also smell amazing.
