Have you ever tried shopping for new green cleaning products? It’s one of the most overwhelming, frustrating experiences, in my opinion. I always go to into it with a positive attitude, ready to find the PERFECT solution that’s reasonable in cost and has only the best ingredients. But by the end I’m so confused, and irritated with companies claiming to be either natural, green or healthy that aren’t.
One of the things that I’ve adopted in our home is the use of a multipurpose cleaner. I’ve talked a lot about pairing down my routines and products to simplify, and using a multipurpose cleaner is one of the ways I’ve done that really effectively.
In my own hunt for a new and better green cleaning product, I have run into my own plethora of problems. One of the things I knew I didn’t want in a green cleaning product was one that I could only buy through a multilevel marketing company.
If you’ve been around my site for a while, you know that I fell in love with Thieves Cleaner and to be honest, I still love it. I just decided the best route for me and my family was to use a product I could easily buy at a store or order online without being a member. I didn’t like the pressure I felt in order to spend a certain amount every month.
The next step was to find a new, green cleaning product. This started a search for products that entailed a lot of research and cross-checking ingredients I couldn’t pronounce. What I found through some of my research is that no tall green cleaning products are created equal. While some that I found used mostly plant based ingredients, others were actually certified organic and not entirely safe at all.
I decided to stick with using a concentrated cleaner for my green cleaning product at home. I love the versatility and the use of less plastic at home.
I also thought you may find some of these products interesting as well — I mean aren’t we all looking for ways to clean our house in a less toxic way?
MORE THAN JUST THE BASIC INGREDIENTS
I wanted to note that not all these products are comparing apples to apples. Some of them include immune boosting essential oils, some of them come in glass containers rather than plastic and some of them are used in applications that range wider than just an everyday cleaner.
So depending on what you’re looking for, you can see that not all of these products are one in the same.
Tohi by Rocky Mountain is the most similar to the Thieves I had been using, and I love that it contains essential oils that support a healthy immune system. I also love that it can be used as more than just a concentrated cleaner. It’s definitely my top pick to replace Thieves.
Branch basics is another great option if you want your cleaner to do more than just clean a hard surface. They have options to use their green cleaning concentrate as a hand wash, laundry detergent and bathroom cleaner. I personally would just get my own glass cleaning bottles to use with their concentrated cleaner, but that’s just me.
Now let’s take a look at the most common and popular concentrated green cleaning products you can use in your own home.
CONCENTRATED GREEN CLEANING PRODUCTS
Cost per ounce: $0.21
Concerning Ingredients:
- Lauramine Oxide (irritation to eyes and skin and possible carcinogen when combined with 1,4 Dioxane)
- Alcohol Ethoxylate (Plant-Based Cleaner) (irritation to eyes and skin and possible carcinogen when combined with 1,4 Dioxane)
- Methylisothiazolinone (preservative and can trigger eczema and skin irritation)
- Benzisothiazol (irritant and classified as harmful to non-reproductive organs
Think Dirty Score: Not Rated
Cost per ounce: $0.99
Concerning Ingredients:
- Laureth-7 (irritation to eyes and skin and possible carcinogen when combined with 1,4 Dioxane)
Think Dirty Score: Not Rated
Branch Basics
Cost per ounce: $0.12
Concerning Ingredients:
- None
Think Dirty Score: 0
Cost per ounce: $0.23
Concerning Ingredients:
- Laureth-7 (irritation to eyes and skin and possible carcinogen when combined with 1,4 Dioxane)
Think Dirty Score: Not Rated
Cost per ounce: $0.94
Concerning Ingredients:
- Alcohol Ethoxylate (Plant-Based Cleaner) (irritation to eyes and skin and possible carcinogen when combined with 1,4 Dioxane)
Think Dirty Score: 4
Cost per ounce: $0.25
Concerning Ingredients:
- Synthetic Fragrance (possible carcinogen, allergic reactions, endocrine disruption)
- PEG-5 Cocoate (irritation to eyes and skin and possible carcinogen when combined with 1,4 Dioxane)
- Methylisothiazolinone (preservative and can trigger eczema and skin irritation)
Think Dirty Score: 8
Cost per ounce: $0.52
Concerning Ingredients:
- Methylisothiazolinone (preservative and can trigger eczema and skin irritation)
Think Dirty Score: 4
Simple Green All Purpose Cleaner
Cost per ounce: $0.18
Concerning Ingredients:
- Synthetic Fragrance (possible carcinogen, allergic reactions, endocrine disruption)
Think Dirty Score: 8
Make Your Own Green Cleaning Products Concentrate
- 1 tsp liquid castile soap
- ¼ cup washing soda
- 1 cup white vinegar
- ¼ cup rubbing alcohol
- 4 drops tea tree oil
- 8 drops lemon essential oil
Heat vinegar to warm or boiling and mix all ingredients together. Store in a glass container and use 1 part concentrate to 4 parts water in a spray bottle.
ACCESSORIES FOR CLEANING
