For a natural, non-toxic clean home, shop these brands’ sustainable cleaning products for every room of the house.
When it comes to keeping your home polished and dust-free, the last thing you want is for your cleaning products to be dirty. But from the soap you use to scrub dishes to the detergent you use to wash clothes, a number of household cleaners harbor toxic ingredients that may be harmful to your health and the health of the planet.
For a toxic-free and stress-free clean, here’s what to look out for when shopping for natural cleaners — plus, a list of some of the best sustainable cleaning products on the market.
How to clean sustainably
Common household cleaners contain a number of active chemicals, such as ammonia, chlorine, trisodium phosphate, and sodium hypochlorite, or bleach.
According to the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG), since they’re not a food, beverage, or drug — i.e., they’re not meant to be ingested—household cleaners aren’t required to be transparent when listing ingredients on labels.
“In terms of household cleaners, neither ingredients nor products must meet any sort of safety standard, nor is any testing data or notification required before bringing a product to market,” said Rebecca Sutton, PhD, a former senior scientist for the EWG.
In 2012, the EWG launched an online guide of more than 2,000 commonly used cleaning products, giving them a rating of A through F based on the safety and transparency of their ingredients.
Of the cleaners assessed, 53 percent contained ingredients that were known to cause harm to lungs. In addition to respiratory irritation, toxic ingredients found in cleaning products have been linked to a host of health issues, including eye and skin problems as well as reproductive disorders and even cancer. A 2015 study found that alkylphenol ethoxylate, a common cleaning ingredient, was able to disrupt the endocrine system, which is responsible for regulating all of the body’s biological processes.
Brands to shop for sustainable cleaning products
Not all cleaning products are dirty. For a natural, toxic-free clean, shop these sustainable cleaning products.
1. Meliora
Want to shop for a company that’s as transparent about its ingredients as it is committed to sustainability? Look no further than this Chicago-based brand. Its range of cleaning products—dish soap, laundry detergents, cleaning scrubs, and more—are cruelty-free and free from preservatives, fragrances, and dyes.
2. Dr. Bronner’s
The OG of organic, sustainable cleaning products, Dr. Bronner’s all-purpose biodegradable cleaner can tackle laundry, dishes, floors, furniture, and everything in between. The company’s other cleaning products are just as versatile, from its All-One Bar Soap to its liquid soap. Plus, the brand’s soaps are made with fair trade ingredients and packaged in 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.
3. Branch Basics
Meet The Concentrate. An all-purpose cleaner that “replaces all of your cleaning supplies when diluted with water.” In addition to being tough on smears and stains, Branch Basics concentrate, and other cleaning products, are toxin-free. The company even has a helpful guide on its website to help consumers learn more about common toxic ingredients lurking in cleaning supplies. Branch Basics’ other products include glass cleaners, laundry soaps, and dishwasher tablets.
4. Attitude
Boasting non-toxic household products (as well as skin care essentials!), this company is deserving of a spot on your shopping list. According to the brands, its cleaners are “crafted with safe and worry-free ingredients” and are “free of harmful contaminants, cancer-causing chemicals, and endocrine disruptors.” Shop its range of dishwasher tablets, laundry detergent, dish soap, fabric softener, and more.
5. Dropps
This sustainable company’s products offer “power cleaning and zero B.S.”—bad stuff, that is. Through its mission, Dropps tackles issues like animal cruelty, pollution, and plastic waste. Take, for example, the brand’s dishwasher detergent pods. They feature natural enzymes and plant-based ingredients and are contained in compostable packaging. Shop the company’s entire range of house cleaning products below.
6. Puracy
Okay, so this company’s cleaning products aren’t made with 100 percent natural ingredients. But they’re pretty dang close. It features no less than 99.3 percent of the good stuff—and no more than 0.7 percent of synthetic ingredients. And its products’ ingredients list is easy to read. It contains the likes of lime, salt, olive oil, coconut, green tea, sunflower seed, ginseng, and corn. Shop for surface cleaners, dish soaps, stain removers, carpet and upholstery soap, and more.
7. Blueland
Blueland knows a thing or two about sustainable cleaning. It uses recycled and/or compostable packaging. And its plant-based home essentials are designed to be refillable. Since 2019, its products have helped to eliminate more than one billion single-use plastic bottles from entering oceans and landfills.
Looking for more eco-friendly cleaning products to shop? Check out Ethos’ complete guide to the best luxury scented clean laundry detergents.
Related on Ethos:
All products featured on Ethos have been independently selected by our editorial team.
When you buy something through our links, Ethos may earn an affiliate commission.
