Possibly the hardest part of switching to greener cleaners is deciding which ones to buy. Once you have a tried-and-true cleaning favorite, it's hard to bother to switch to something new. Luckily, I've done all that annoying research plus trial-and-error stuff for you. In the next couple of weeks I'll be introducing you to all of my favorite green cleaners. There are definitely others out there that work. These are just the ones that I've tried that have worked for me.
My Kitchen Cleaners
Kitchen table and counters
- Vinegar
in a spray bottle
(diluted or not): vinegar naturally disinfects and gets rid of yucky smells
- Seventh Generation all-purpose or disinfecting spray
(occasionally)
- Bon Ami
- I'm sure baking soda would work well too
- I spray with vinegar
if raw meat/eggs were used
Kitchen floor
- Murphy's Oil Soap
- in a spray bottle
Dish soap
- Seventh Generation
- Method
- Bio-Kleen's Citrus Automatic Dish Powder
. Please note that I do not recommend the Free and Clear version
(which I tried, and it was horrible), just the citrus one
Information about My Cleaners
- Seventh Generation is a green company that discloses all ingredients on product labels and on its website. You can buy their cleaners at Target, Whole Foods or Amazon
- Biokleen is a green company that disclose all ingredients on product labels and/or on its website. I buy Biokleen at Whole Foods or online
- Method is also a green company that is rated highly by GoodGuide and others - but they do often have "fragrance" as an ingredient, and I try to avoid products that list fragrance as an ingredient. Method's Go Naked
- I buy Bon Ami
- I buy Murphy's Oil Soap
. It is widely available at grocery and drug stores. Click HERE for info on Murphy's Oil Soap's heath effects/ ingredients.
Want to know what's in your favorite cleaner? Click HERE and enter your cleaner in the "Quick Search" or click on a Category.
The complete Green Cleaning Series:
- 10 Benefits of Green Cleaning
- Kitchen
- Bathroom
- Laundry
- DIY Cleaning Recipes
- How to Identify a Green Cleaner
What are your favorite green cleaners for the kitchen? Feedback and dissenting opinions welcome.
25 Feb 2011. I added a little note above about dishwasher detergent, after my friend and I both had a terrible experience with Biokleen's Free and Clear Automatic Dish Powder. Maybe it just didn't work with our water? Who knows.
Besty I'm so glad you're doing this series on green cleaning supplies! I've been wanting to make some changes in my cleaning supplies, but I feel so overwhelmed looking at all the different options in stores and researching it all online. Too many choices! And I'm too indecisive. I love using your blog as a starting point for recommendations and links to other sites.
ReplyDeleteI know I'm late again (just found your website yesterday--thanks for the comment on mine, BTW), but I really like vinegar. You can use it for so many different things and my husband actually turned me on to it. I had no idea you could use it for window cleaning in place of Windex! Thanks for the links. I fully intend to check into them. I love Comet for my porcelain sink but I'll have to research it...
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU! I discovered Ecover brand dishwasher tablets and love them - no toxic smell and all the dishes come out clean! Do you have a recommendation for a wood-furniture cleaner/polish that I can buy rather than making my own?
ReplyDeleteI don't (since I never polish my furniture), but I'll look into it. I should find one before my MIL visits, or she's sure to buy Pledge and spray it everywhere (as she did on another visit).
DeleteLOL. :-) I tried the Method spray & the scent was so sickening I had to vacate the room and then return the product to the store.
DeleteYes, I tried their Green Tea & Aloe hand sanitizer and the smell was totally overpowering. (EO has a great lemon hand sanitizer scented with essential oils, by the way. I also like Clean Well for sanitizing). I only buy the unscented Method products now. Even if they don't contain phthalates, their scents are just too strong for me.
DeleteJust wanted to say thanks again! I love your site because whenever I run out of one product and am ready to buy the new product "green," I hop over here to see what you use. I'm trying out the dishwasher detergent!
ReplyDelete