Five Greener Cleaning Products to Incorporate into Your Home

I thought I would discuss our experience with Green cleaning products—the good and the, “Hey that just did not work.” Thankfully, for our little green hearts, most of the household products we have tried have been viable alternatives to our current environmentally harmful products.

We found the easiest and cheapest way to incorporate new green products was to replace them one by one as our current supply is depleted. You can replace them before you run out, but that can be very costly and you still have the old stuff to get rid of. As we incorporate more products into our lives, we will visit this issue again. For now, enjoy a few of our favorites.

Let’s start with the products that just did not work:

Drain Products
We tried diligently to clear a slow drain with natural products and remedies, we tried them all, and they simply did not work. Eventually our drain became totally clogged and we had to resort to a good old industrial strength drain cleaner (that came in a bag, it was so toxic). After temporarily clearing the drain we did break down and call a plumber to do a thorough pipe sweep so that we would not have to continue to use toxic drain cleaners. I am happy to say since the plumber’s departure the natural remedies are working to keep the drains clear.

Next, let’s talk about products that work as well, or better, than their toxic friends:

Cleaning Products
We have found our new floor cleaning product to work better than our old product. We recently switched all-purpose cleaners but the verdict is still out on the results (stayed tuned).  

Bona—Floor cleaner is simply the best floor cleaner we have ever used. It does the job without leaving a residue and it really does get the dirt up. It is also non-toxic and water- based. It is sold through many stores and on-line through gaiam.  

Earth Friendly Products—Ultra Dishmate dishwashing liquid suds nicely and smells delicious. It’s concentrated, so it lasts for a long time.

Laundry Products
In the laundry department we, again, found the products to actually work better than our old products. I will also say that our clothes, feel cleaner, are brighter and seem to have a nice feel to them. Below are some of the ones we use and love. You can find them all at Henry’s, Whole Foods, and even some at Target and all are online at gaiam.  

Seventh Generation—laundry soap, we like both the Bergamot and the Eucalyptus. We were very skeptical about switching from the product we used for 20 years, but we did. We like it so much I have convinced two of my sisters to give it a try.

Meyer’s Clean Day—Their Dryer Sheets (Lemon Verbena) using essential oils, really make the clothes feel lighter.

Ecover—Their Fabric Softener smells wonderful and it works well. Their laundry stain remover is super cool and has a handy top for scrubbing. Their products are all plant and mineral based.

As a final note, I love Method products and I applaud all that they are doing. However, I will say that not all their products are Green and you need to read the labels to know which ones are … so please read before you buy.