The Best Green Cleaning Products

Photo by JPDaigle
There are a lot of green and eco-friendly cleaning products on the market.   Some work better (much better) than others.

Since I have two small kids who manage to pick things from the floor and shove in  their mouth faster than I can blink, and on occasion, are known to lick the kitchen counter and other surfaces; mainstream cleaning products floating with chemicals are out of the question in our household.

The challenge that I faced using various green cleaning products, is that while most of the green products (see point #6 for elaboration on “most” and not all), contain safe ingredients, they frequently fail to do the job.  After trying many options, I narrowed down to the products that do top notch job and contain safe ingredients.

They are:
1. Counter Top Cleaner – Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Counter Top Spray; I love the lavender scent as it makes my kitchen smell like it is filled with flowers.  (Also available in Lemon Verbena).

2. Auto Dishwasher Detergent - Seventh Generation Auto Dish Pacs are eco-friendly, contains safe ingredients, and leaves glasses sparkling clean.

3. Dish Soap - Ecover Dishwashing Liquid is a great natural soap, which is gentle on hands, effective in cleaning dishes, and smells like fresh lemons.

4. All Purpose Cleaner - Seventh Generation All Purpose Cleaner; this cleaner works amazingly well on various surfaces: from counter tops to bathroom floors.  It removes tile grease as it was foam.

5. Toilet Bowl Cleaner – Ecover Toilet Bowl Cleaner does an excellent job.

6. Laundry Detergent - Ecos Liquid Laundry Detergent Free & Clear is phosphate-free and chlorine-free.  It is made of all natural ingredients including soap bark, chamomile, horsetail plant, lavender and rosemary.  It has a subtle scent of Lily and Magnolia essential oils and tickles my senses with summer aroma.

As an additional bonus it does a bang up job cleaning dirty laundry, same, if not better than conventional detergents.

7. Glass Cleaner – Seventh Generation Glass & Surface Cleaner leaves glass surfaces spotless and doesn’t have the disturbing smell of the conventional glass spray.

8. Stain Remover – Earth Friendly Oxo-Brite stain remover is absolutely amazing!  It is natural, effective and takes off the kind of stains that are have been deemed “non removable” by the most obsessive, stubborn, and ambitious launderers.   It comes in large buckets and is everlasting. In my book, this is the best stain remover product on the market.

Green products shopping tips to keep in mind:
1. Economize - green cleaning products are pricier than mainstream cleaning products.  But there are ways to economize, in similar ways as you can shop organic food on the budget.  For example, Amazon has a wonderful program that allows you to buy in bulk. When you purchase a container with 6 to 8 items and get a lower price. You also get free shipping, no tax in most states.

Another benefit is their “Subscribe and Save Program”. You save 15% on participating products. The discount applies to the  first purchase with subscription.    You can subscribe to re-order at the chosen frequency, which could be as infrequently as once a year (and can be canceled at any time).

I love buy in bulk option, in addition to saving $$, it also saves time that I spend in stores when buying items 1 at a time on a monthly basis.  It is a great option, especially if you have space.

2. Make sure it is actually green - since green became profitable, every company is now jumping on the green bandwagon.  Make sure that in addition to the label stating “green”, the actual ingredients listed are safe.

3. Not all Products Are Made Equally – if you bought a specific green product that was effective, such as say laundry detergent, don’t assume that another green laundry detergent will be just as effective.   Green products are hit or miss.   Different brands use different ingredients or different strengths for the same ingredients for the same product family, which in turn result in different cleanliness.

4.  Avoid Brand Love - this is from the same family as the above point, just because you love a specific product from a certain brand, don’t assume you will love all products from that brand.   I’ve used many effective Seventh Generations products, they are a wonderful eco and health conscious brand.  Nevertheless, they have so many products under their umbrella, that some are bound to be great, while others…well less than average.

5. Use Coupons - similar to organic coupon guide, green manufacturers offer coupons for their products. Check out manufacturer’s website for coupons and specials.

6. Make Your Own – when cost is an issue, there are numerous options to make your own safe and effective cleaning products.

Some of the most common home made cleaners are: baking soda (mix it with Castile soap to create a top notch bathroom cleaner), white whine vinegar (dilute white vinegar with 50% water to make an all-purpose cleaner), and olive oil (use it to shine and buff stainless steel).

All in all, there is such thing as effective green cleaning products, do your research, and shop smart.

Whether you decide to overhaul your entire household and replace it with the safe cleaning products or gradually move into the green direction, even the tiniest steps will contribute to the health of your family and the well-being of our planet.

Tagged as: best green products, eco cleaning products, safe cleaners