As you prepare menus for the upcoming holiday season — how is it November already?! — you’re probably also cleaning. No amount of from-scratch recipes will cancel out the impact of grimy bathrooms or kitchens on your guests. And so we face a cleaning conundrum: what are the best natural cleaners?
It’s unfortunate that the most popular, and incorrectly assumed to be the most effective, cleaning products contain harsh chemicals that are bad for our health. With most cleaning products, it’s dangerous to breathe in the fumes, not to mention the hormone-disrupting chemicals in almost all major cleaners. We strongly recommend using only natural, organic cleaners in your home.
As you transition from chemical cleaning products to natural, organic, ecofriendly cleaning products, be aware of what you’re buying. There aren’t any federal regulations for organic cleaners — in fact, there aren’t even requirements forcing companies to list their ingredients, so many manufacturers slip in harsh chemicals without adding them to the label.
For most dirt and grime, we recommend mixing white vinegar with baking soda and a splash of lemon juice, but If you don’t want to DIY your home cleaners, here are some of the best natural cleaning products we’ve found. (And they won’t break your budget!)
Better Life All-Purpose Cleaner
This cleaner is plant based and just as effective as chemical cleaners.
Bon Ami Powder Cleanser
This scrubbing powder is perfect for jobs that need a tougher clean than baking soda can provide. Bon Ami has been around for years, and its simple list of ingredients will put your mind at ease.
Green Works All Purpose Cleaner Spray
Even though it’s produced by the Clorox company, there aren’t harsh smells or dangerous chemicals in this all-purpose spray.
Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap
This soap is all all-purpose as it gets. You can use it for a body wash, a dish soap, or a floor scrubber. Some people even use it to brush their teeth. Follow dilution directions — you’ll be surprised how long the 40 oz. bottle will last!
Essential Shield Multi-Purpose Concentrated Cleaner
Available at Nature’s Sunshine Products, this cleaner is for a variety of surfaces. This concentrated formula lasts for a long time, and it doesn’t have synthetic fragrances or colors, parabens, or acids. Plus it smells great!
Sunshine Concentrate Cleaner
This is an all-purpose cleaner for dirt, grease, and grime — and it doesn’t contain broates, phosphates, or acids. We use ours in the kitchen, laundry, outdoor equipment, body wash, hand soap, and more. Follow the dilution directions to make it last even longer. Add your own essential oils to choose your scent!
Ecover Zero Dish Soap
This dish soap will remove the grease and grime from your dishes without harming you or the environment. (And Amazon sells a six pack!)
White House Foods Cleaning Vinegar
For clean wooden floors, white vinegar is your best option. Holiday visitors will marvel at your sparkly clean floors, and bare feet won’t absorb chemical residue from a traditional cleaner.
Truce Wood Cleaner
For wood floors that need a little extra TLC, this cleaner includes olive oil to keep the wood moisturized and smooth. Many people also use this for windowsills or furniture.
Ecover Toilet-Bowl Cleaner
We’re turning back to ecover for the top-ranking toilet bowl cleaner. Kill germs, scrub away, and enjoy a clean home without any niggling worries.
Ecos Glass Cleaner
Buy a six-pack of this product from Amazon to clean your windows. There aren’t any VOCs, and you won’t be able to tell the difference between Ecos and Windex.
Do you have any go-to natural cleaners? Please share your thoughts with us!
