These 7 All-Natural Cleaning Supplies Under $25 Can Tackle Every Mess
The smell of Pine-Sol and the glimmering neon blue of Windex are nostalgic for many of us. As someone who was basically born with a vacuum cleaner in hand, I had an early penchant for spending my Saturday mornings wiping down my mirrors with sparkling glass cleaner and watching the satisfying spray of Pledge turn my dresser a bubbly white before sweeping all the dirt away with one lemony stroke.
But those products, although effective, aren’t exactly environmentally friendly. By making a few changes, I’m embracing a more sustainable lifestyle that still produces that satisfyingly squeaky clean. As part of this switch, I spoke to Lauren Wroblewski, a senior scientist at Seventh Generation.
“Conventional products typically contain non-biodegradable ingredients,” she says. “Once the products wash down the drain and enter our waterways, they leave behind tiny amounts of material that can’t be broken down by earth’s natural processes.” Plus, many products come from petroleum-based sources, which rely on fossil fuels. All-natural products typically minimize the reliance on petroleum-based sources.
You also have to watch for VOCs, which can be found in cleaning products, paints, and more. Wroblewski says, “VOCs are indoor air pollutants and can cause long-term health effects like asthma and chronic headaches.” She notes that even though an individual product may contain trace amounts of VOCs, the compounding of multiple products throughout the day increases your risk of exposure.
Ryan Lupberger, founder of Cleancult, agrees. He says that it’s not just what’s in your cleaning products, but what remains after you’re done. “Cleaning products represent some of the biggest waste items in your household,” he says. “A family of four throws out 44 pounds of plastic per year, just from cleaning products alone.” Companies like Cleancult and Grove Collaborative are creating innovative ways to use low-waste refill systems and biodegradable cleaning formulas to keep plastics out of landfills.
Not sure where to start on your journey towards all-natural cleaning supplies? These seven options can cover everything from washing dishes and doing laundry, to wiping up spills and achieving the streak-free glass of cleaning commercial dreams.