There’s never been a better time to give your cleaning products an environmentally friendly makeover. The amount of choice now available in fully natural, eco-friendly cleaners is really something – they’ll leave you with a clean house and a clean conscience.
Gone are the days when ‘natural cleaning’ meant filling up the shelves with lemon, vinegar and bicarb (although these certainly still have their place!).
There’s now an abundance of eco-minded companies providing products that harness the powerful and natural properties of plant-based materials to deliver the quality of cleanliness that we've come to expect from our traditional, but toxic, non-eco cleaners.
To help you find the best swaps, we’ve tested the eco-alternatives to some essential cleaning products and selected the ones that are sure to please. It turns out that making the change is really satisfying and incredibly easy.
As well as these products being kind on nature, they’re gentle on the bank account too – especially if you buy in bulk. The reduction in shipping and packaging lowers the overall unit cost and environmental impact. To help you step into the money-saving world of bulk buying, we’ve also recommended a couple of reusable glass bottles.
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11 Easy Swap Eco-Cleaners
Ecozone Tough Limescale Remover 500ml
Ecozone's limescale remover will cut through stubborn limescale and accumulated soap scum without damaging the environment. The secret ingredients that make this cleaner work so well aren't all that secret – it's a concoction of water, citric acid, alcohol and formic acid (which is naturally occurring). It's vegan, cruelty-free and the bottle can be recycled.
Bio-D All Purpose Sanitiser 500ml (Four Pack)
Using a blend of non-toxic, natural and plant-derived ingredients, this versatile spray is hard on dirt and will kill 99.9% of bacteria. It's so strong that one or two sprays can do the trick, making it very efficient when compared with its non-eco competition. It's cruelty-free and Vegan Society certified.
Bio-D Geranium Sanitising Hand Wash 5L
Bio-D's hand wash is a grease-destroying, grime-removing, geranium scented miracle. Thanks to the raw and natural ingredients, this product is hypoallergenic, gentle on skin, and contains no petrochemicals, phosphates, preservatives, enzymes or synthetic perfumes. Don't worry, we aren't recommending that you plonk a 5L container next to your sink – use it to top up reusable pump bottles!
Ecozone 3-in-1 Toilet Cleaner 750ml
Bleach is a tough cleaning product to replace – it's really bad for the environment, but it's also really efficient at its job. Thankfully, Ecozone has found a way to combine plant derivatives, including gums and citric acid, to create a thick, limescale removing, non-toxic cleaner that is cruelty-free, Vegan Society approved and leaves your loo smelling like the ocean breeze.
Faith In Nature Super Concentrated Laundry Liquid 5L
Using plant-based and sustainable ingredients, Faith In Nature has produced a laundry cleaner that's tough on stains but gentle on skin. It's non-toxic, paraben, phosphate and bleach free, and will clean even at lower temperatures. 5L of this super concentrated liquid will last for 150 washes and is suitable for wools, fine fabrics, reusable nappies and colours.
Bio-D Fabric Conditioner 5L
The sustainable and naturally derived materials used to put together this fabric softener are really quite brilliant. It's hypoallergenic, thanks to its lack of petrochemicals, phosphates, preservatives, enzymes and synthetic perfumes. Typically, 5L of Bio-D fabric conditioner will last for 110 washes.
Ecozone All Purpose Floor Cleaner 500ml
Ecozone's all-purpose floor cleaner removes sticky residue, accumulated grime and all other floor-bound dirt without any trouble. It's non-toxic, so it's kind on pets and crawling little ones, quick drying, streak and smear free and leaves your room with a lovely, subtle pomegranate scent. Suitable for use on hard floors, laminate, polished floors, ceramic tiles, stone, slate and vinyl.
Attitude Bathroom Cleaner 800ml
Cutting through soap scum and stubborn grime with ease, Attitude's all-natural cleaner will get your tiles, shower curtains, countertops, mirrors, glass and toilet bowls sparkling clean. As an added bonus, the spray is carcinogenic free, CO2 neutral, cruelty-free and vegan.
Ecozone Anti-Bacterial Multi-Surface Wipes
Even though we should all be using reusable cloths and an eco-spray whenever possible, we can't deny that there are some messes that require a disposable wipe. Ecozone's multi-surface wipes are infused with all of the positive and naturally derived ingredients you need to kill 99.9% of bacteria, but on a 100% biodegradable wipe – throw these into your composter whenever possible!
Bio-D Dishwasher Powder 720g
The dishwasher is more efficient (environmentally and financially) than hand-washing, so an eco-friendly dishwasher powder is an excellent way to earn some extra green points. Bio-D's concentrated powder is made from plant-based material and is Vegan Society certified and cruelty-free. Using powder is a really easy way to cut down on the plastic waste that comes with individually wrapped tablets, and 720g will last for around 72 cycles. Bio-D also offers a brilliant rinse-aid, too – click here to take a look.
Wilko Eco Cleaning Bundle
This kit is a really good and cost-effective way of getting into is environmentally kind cleaning. The set includes Wilko's own eco-brand washing-up liquid, toilet cleaner, multi surface cleaner, dishwasher tablets, sensitive fabric conditioner and skin kind non-bio laundry liquid. All of the products are derived from plants, friendly to aquatic life, vegan and cruelty-free. The bottles are both recycled and recyclable.
Amber Glass Spray Bottles (Three Pack)
Reduce your plastic consumption by investing in these multi-purpose spray bottles. Thanks to the amber staining, the product inside is protected from UV damage, meaning that your cleaners stay active for longer.
Eco Glass Mason Soap Dispenser
If you're looking to bulk buy your hand soap and washing up liquid, these mason jar dispensers are a lovely option. The lip and the pump are both made from stainless steel. It's never been easier or more stylish to start refilling instead of recycling!
Using The Good Shopping Guide, we’ve made sure that our recommended products are ethical, as well as eco-friendly. All of the manufactures we’ve promoted have demonstrated an active and highly ethical practice towards the environment, sustainability, and worker and animal welfare.
If you're looking to keep up on the latest ethical news and products, be sure to look at Ethical Consumer’s website – they're dedicated to bringing you all of the information and inspiration you need to join thousands of others in revolutionising the way you shop, save and live.
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