Doing your part to support the environment and make eco-conscious decisions can feel daunting when there are countless products and tools on the market that claim to be better for the earth. But even small changes can have a big impact on not just the world, but on you and your family, too. Swapping the products you use daily with “green” alternatives is a great way to start.
While many cleaning products and companies purport to be better for the environment or free of harsh chemicals, the truth is that there are few regulations around terms like “natural” and “eco-friendly.” Don’t fall prey to greenwashing tactics, which occur when companies overstate the sustainable impact of their products in an attempt to market them more effectively. Look for labels that indicate a product adheres to established, dependable environmental and safety standards, like the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice label. Companies must apply for the designation and are only included if the ingredients of the product and its packaging meet standards. While there may be other safe and environmentally friendly products without the label, it makes sifting through thousands of cleaning products much easier.
To make your home’s cleaning arsenal a little better for you and the environment, make these smart swaps and employ some common-sense cleaning strategies.
Choose from a plethora of cleaning sprays
Clorox Free & Clear Multi-Surface Cleaner, $5, Home Depot
Eco-friendly all purpose sprays are abundant and there are countless brands to choose from, some touting all-natural, essential oil blends and others that use a single solution in varied concentrations depending on the task (bathroom to floors). This multi-surface cleaner from Clorox receives glowing reviews as one of the most effective all-purpose cleaners — and it’s considered a Safer Choice by the EPA. Formulated with plant- and mineral-based ingredients and without dyes, bleach or ammonia, this is a simple, straightforward option for everyday tasks. Another EPA-certified pick is Amazon’s Presto! All-Purpose Cleaner. It uses lemon essential oils for a light aroma and is safe on hardwood floors, tile, stainless steel and more surfaces.
Trade paper towels for reusable cloths
Utopia Cotton Bar Mops, pack of 12, $20, Amazon
Single-use paper towels create tons of waste in homes and there’s an easy, common-sense swap: reusable cloths. While you may want to keep paper towels on hand for the dirtiest of cleaning tasks, inexpensive cleaning cloths can be swapped in for many cleaning tasks like wiping down countertops, cleaning the bathroom, dusting or even wiping a dog’s paws. Bar mops do the job well — they’re thicker and more absorbent than traditional kitchen towels and they’re easy to wash. Keep those decorative, pretty kitchen towels for tasks like drying already-clean dishes (so they wear out less quickly).
Pick better hand soap
Blueland Hand Soap Starter Set, $8, Blueland
Buying a new (plastic) bottle of hand soap every few weeks can be wasteful, but you still need to wash your hands. The environmentally conscious company Blueland makes EPA Safer Choice–certified hand soap tablets that dissolve in water. The starter kit comes with a 9-ounce glass “forever bottle” and three tablets (each tablet makes a bottle of soap), plus a metal tin to store additional tablets so you’re always stocked up. Not only does the company’s packaging and refillable strategy reduce waste, but the products are made with earth-conscious ingredients, too.
Alternatively, skip the plastic altogether and go back to the old standby: bar soap. Though not on the EPA’s list yet, Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Bar Soap is verified by the Environmental Working Group as meeting the strictest standards for health and safety. To be considered EWG Verified, products are rated on factors calculated from nearly 60 integrated toxicity, regulatory and study availability databases.
Opt for sponges that you can compost
EcoCoconut Scrub Pads, $5, EcoCoconut
Kitchen sponges are breeding grounds for bacteria and should be replaced often — but that can get wasteful. Choose a biodegradable kitchen sponge instead. These sponges from EcoCoconut are made from natural materials and can be tossed in your backyard compost bin when they wear out. Another great option is the ScrubDaddy EcoMesh Scrubber, a compostable alternative to the much-loved ScrubDaddy product.
Swap for a greener dish soap
Seventh Generation Free & Clear Fresh Liquid Dishwashing Soap, $4, Walmart
Many of Seventh Generation’s cleaning products receive the Safer Choice designation, this one included. It’s a fragrance-free dish soap that has additional environmentally conscious features, like certification by the USDA as a biobased product (meaning it’s derived from natural materials). At $4, it’s an easy sustainable swap for your kitchen.
And when the stack of dishes is a bit too tall to tackle by hand, worry not — thanks to modern advancements in appliances and stricter efficiency mandates from the Department of Energy, washing a full load in the dishwasher actually uses less water than washing that many dishes by hand. For dishwasher pod picks, read on.
Reduce dishwasher tablet waste
Dishwasher Starter Set, $20, Blueland
While there’s some disagreement about the effect of plastic-encapsulated dishwasher and laundry detergent pods and whether they contribute to microplastic issues, you can find alternatives if you want to avoid the polyvinyl alcohol film that’s often used in these products. Blueland’s dishwasher tablets are free of polyvinyl alcohol and the product is Safer Choice–certified, too. However, it should be noted that products that do use the film still get the EPA’s Safer Choice designation, like Seventh Generation’s Free & Clear Natural Dishwasher Detergent Packs.
Treat laundry stains effectively
Emergency Stain Rescue or Miss Mouth’s Messy Eater Stain Treater, both $18 for two bottles, The Hate Stains Co.
A food stain on your favorite top might make you want to break out the big-gun treatments, but you don’t need overly harsh chemicals to treat stains. Both of these products from The Hate Stains Co. treat stains effectively and are Safer Choice–certified. The products can be used on the go or as a treatment before you toss them in the laundry. Simply remove excess stain material (scrape off solids or soak up liquids), wet the fabric with water, spray the stain remover, and then rinse and wash as usual. Repeat if necessary.
Find a gentler laundry detergent
Hypoallergenic Baby Laundry Detergent, $17, The Honest Company
Like hand soaps and all-purpose cleaners, there are plenty of sustainable, environmentally friendly laundry detergents to choose from. This extra-gentle detergent from The Honest Company is free of fragrance, which can be easier on those with sensitive skin. Plus, it has multiple designations from sustainable and safety-minded organizations: it’s a Safer Choice pick and USDA-certified as biobased.
Air dry your clothes
Amazon Basics Foldable Laundry Rack, $24, Amazon
Dryers use up loads of energy and tumble drying your clothing can cause it to wear out more quickly (creating more waste). Try air drying your clothes on a foldable drying rack. You’ll save on energy costs and support the environment at the same time — and your clothes will thank you, too. Why not make the stifling North Texas heat work for you? Put that laundry rack outside for a few hours and see how much more quickly your clothes will dry. You could even install a clothesline in the backyard for bedding and larger loads.
Forgo dryer sheets and use eco-friendly dryer balls instead
Wool Dryer Balls, $10, Amazon
Disposable dryer sheets may reduce static and add scent to your laundry, but they can be incredibly wasteful. Wool dryer balls are a great alternative that can speed up drying time by helping to circulate air throughout the load of laundry. If you’re keen on adding a scent to your freshly-laundered towels, a few drops of essential oils on the wool dryer balls will do the trick. Just be careful that any scent you add does not have an alcohol base, as this is a fire hazard.
Additional tips to save resources and reduce waste
When it comes to incorporating sustainable practices into your home, remember that less is more. You don’t need loads of new products or tools to clean your house. Here are a few more easy “green” ideas:
- Make cleaner, greener swaps when you run out of existing products.
- Take care of your cleaning tools (sponges, reusable mop heads, buckets, etc.) so that they last longer.
- Use the recommended amount of product as stated on the packaging (most people use too much detergent and dish soap than they need to get the job done).
- Use stained or worn-out towels as rags for messier tasks, so you can get more life out of them.
- Learn how to clean and care for the things that you own so that they’ll last longer and need to be replaced less frequently.
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