Cleaning Products That Don’t Contribute To Plastic Pollution

These eco-friendly products for cleaning focus on refillable containers, waste-free packaging, and natural ingredients.

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Our cleaning products’ containers are a type of single-use plastic that contribute to the staggering 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris polluting our oceans. And, that number is growing. We recycle less than 10% of the plastic containers that we do use. So, what’s an eco-conscious consumer to do? One tip to reduce single-use plastic waste is to Invest in reusable, compostable and refillable cleaning brands. These products opt for packaging solutions outside of the use once and trash model to ensure that if and when plastic is used, it’s also reused. Aside from reducing plastic waste, these brands also focus on natural or plant-derived ingredients safe for your family and home. That means no potentially harmful toxins and chemicals.

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Each of the brands on this list meets the standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). They don’t contain substances or ingredients that are toxic to marine or plant life. They are fragrance-free. They are designed to be used in cold water to conserve energy. And, they focus on refillable or recyclable packaging. You can read more about eco-friendly products for cleaning on the EPA website.

Reusable Glass Spray Bottle

If you want to make your cleaners or invest in a reusable spray bottle, this is one eco-friendly option. It’s glass with a silicone sleeve for added protection from drops and slips.

Environmental Impact: This isn’t just a regular glass bottle. It’s made from partially recycled glass formulated to last forever and to be used again and again. As a B Corp, Grove Collaborative is one company that focuses on making a positive environmental and social impact as well as making a profit.

Floor Cleaner

A little goes a long way with these concentrated cleaners that are meant to be added to water to clean your floors. Made with 95% plant-based ingredients you won’t find formaldehydes, parabens or phthalates used in this formula. Plus, the sweet orange scent is 100% natural meaning that synthetic fragrances aren’t used.

Environmental Impact: “Packaged in infinitely recyclable glass and FSC®-certified 100% recycled paper. Our surface cleaners are designed for use with Grove Co. Reusable Cleaning Glass Spray Bottle to help eliminate plastic waste from your home and the landfills.”

Home Cleaning Scrub

This 100% naturally derived cleaner is made from plant-based ingredients like essential oils and baking soda to clean your home. Its biodegradable septic-safe formula effectively cleans bathroom and kitchen surfaces without preservatives, dyes, or palm oil.

Environmental Impact: These formulas are 100% toxic-free, plant-derived, biodegradable-formulas, sulfate & solvent-free, paraben-free, colorant-free, fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, anti-microbial and anti-viral.

Zero Waste Laundry Detergent Strips

There’s nothing like a good subscription for eco friendly products for cleaning your home. Grove Co. is a company that offers just that- natural and zero waste essentials that you can easily subscribe to. If you’re worried about the impact from shipping, know that each item is shipped using recycled materials- mailers, tape, labels, paper and compostable packaging peanuts. So, at least part of your carbon footprint can be minimized.

Environmental Impact: There are 128 million households in America. Assuming that every household does laundry and purchases detergent a minimum of 3x per year, that’s a lot of single-use plastic containers that end up in landfills. These solid strips of laundry detergent are packaged in a simple paper box, so that you can reduce plastic waste while getting your laundry clean.

"Over the last few months I've made a vow to use more solid beauty and cleaning products. Not only do these products use less water and focus on concentrated formulas, but they also allow you avoid the excess plastic bottles that most products are packaged in (which is my main goal). At first glance, these slim strips might seem like they're not going to do much. Personally, I was tempted to toss in 3. But when I actually followed the instructions and used only 1 it packed a surprising punch that got my laundry clean and fresh. Plus, it felt good to skip the mess and annoyance of pouring out a liquid soap. These are quite possibly one of my favorite cleaning products to date." ~ Lindsay Christinee

Solid Dish Soap

Most stain removers these days come in sprays in plastic containers. This bar is compact so it won’t take much space on your counter. It’s also formulated without water, so it’s just potent ingredients that work. Plus it lasts a long time and works just as well as the popular liquid soaps.

Environmental Impact: This product is packaged in 100% recyclable paper.

Zero Waste Dishwashing Bundle

This no-frills brand delivers affordable, natural, and zero-waste products for your kitchen. With subscriptions and refills, even items that use plastic hold promise not to be single-use. This cleaner relies on the power of nature (think rosemary and lemon oil) to clean your kitchen. You’ll never find parabens, phthalates, or formaldehyde hiding in formulas.

Environmental Impact: Cleaners are solid. Packaging is minimal and made from recycled and recyclable materials. Swedish dishcloths are made from cotton. And, Mighty Nest offers subscription services to make cleaning a breeze.

Walnut Scrubber Sponge

Did you know that chemicals like triclosan are added to sponges? It can combine with chlorine in tap water to form the possible carcinogen chloroform. This sponge is made from walnut shells for natural scouring power. It’s long-lasting and won’t rust like conventional scours and it’s quick drying to resist mold.

Environmental Impact: This is a plant-based item that is minimally packaged with a paper band that you can recycle. When you’re finished with the sponge you can compost it.

Refillable Clean Essentials

Swap out your regular cleaners for this kit of eco friendly cleaning products. In the starter kit you’ll receive 4 plastic bottles that you can reuse for your cleaners. And, you’ll have the concentrated formulas mailed to you regularly. Each refill is shipped in compostable paper materials. “Plastic was meant to last forever, but most of it is only used once. Much of it enters our oceans, and that has toxic effects on everyone.”

Environmental Impact: By reusing plastic items like cleaning containers, companies like Blueland can make a big impact. To date their eco-friendly products for cleaning have saved 1 billion single-use plastic bottles from landfills and oceans since 2019.