Keep your home smelling fresh in the best way possible – the eco-friendly way. With eco-friendly natural cleaning products being more readily available (finally), finding ones to incorporate into your cleaning routine is now easier than ever.
These products are made from natural ingredients, encased in eco-friendly packaging, or even better, handmade with common household ingredients. With the demand for eco-friendly and sustainable cleaning products soaring, we see housekeeping coming full circle – begging us to dig out housekeeping books and recipes of yesteryear.
Tips for environmentally friendly cleaning in your home
- Vinegar is your best friend- use it with old newspaper to get a crystal-clear finish on mirrors and glass surfaces
- Add old citrus peels to vinegar, baking soda and water for a natural cleaner for bench tops that are safe for your family and eschew harsh chemicals. NB: Avoid using lemon and vinegar on marble benchtops, however, as the natural acids will corrode the stone, leaving permanent marks
- Olive or coconut oil and lemon on an old cloth for polishing wooden furniture is a great natural option and easily accessible from the pantry
- A few drops of essential oils in the toilet give it a fresh aroma – try orange or eucalyptus
Five ways a lemon can cut through your cleaning jobs
- Clean a cutting board by cutting a lemon in half, squeeze the juice onto the board, rub it in with the lemon half, then allow it to sit for 20 minutes. Wipe clean.
- Brighten clothes by adding stained items to a pot of water with a few lemon slices and allow to boil for three to five minutes.
- Clean stained food containers by squeezing lemon juice onto stained plastic, rub with the cut side of the lemon, let dry, and then rinse off.
- Refresh your bathtub with a paste made from baking soda, cream of tartar and a little lemon juice. Wipe paste all over the bathtub and allow it to sit for 30 minutes. Rinse clean with water and a soft cloth.
- Clean brass and copper with the cut edge of half a lemon dipped into salt and rubbed onto the surface.
The best eco-friendly cleaning products
01
Ocea Clean cleaning kit
$44.80 (usually $56), Ocea Clean
Best for: A chemical-free overhaul of your cleaning kit
This plant-based kit has everything you need to convert to a chemical-free cleaning routine. The kit includes all-purpose and bathroom cleaning concentrate tablets, reusable glass spray bottles and 2 eco-friendly cleaning cloths.
Key features:
- Plastic-free packaging
- Zero waste
- Reusable spray bottles
02
Eco starter bundle
$71.80 (usually $79.80), Vivus Green
Best for: A simple, sustainable way to wash clothing
Say goodbye to messy washing detergents and save the planet at the same time. Lightweight and portable – perfect for holidays and travelling – and backed by science, these washing sheets offer a measured dose of washing for your dishwasher and washing machine. Free from dyes, chlorine and phosphates, they’re made from natural ingredients to protect your whole family.
Key features:
- Pack contains 1 x dishwashing sheets + 1 x laundry sheets
- Both yield 120 washes
- Plant-based, eco-conscious
- Free from phosphates, dyes and chlorine bleach
03
Surface and spray mop starter kit
$107.10 (usually $142.80), Koh
Best for: Top to bottom eco cleaning
Effortlessly clean your home with this easy starter kit from Koh. Featuring the brand’s popular Universal Cleaner that won Canstar Blue’s #1 multi-purpose cleaner in 2022 and 2023, it’s safe to say it’s a crowd favourite. Plus, it’s eco-certified to the GECA cleaning standard and recommended by the National Asthma Council Australia’s Sensitive Choice program.
Key features:
- Pack contains 1 x universal cleaner 2L, 1 x spray mop, 5 x mop pads, 1 x atomiser spray, 4 x universal cloths
- Trigger spray mop with onboard scraping tool
- Ergonomic reusable spray bottle
- Super thick, durable cleaning cloths with non-scratch ‘scrubby corner’
04
Urthly Organics toilet bomb carton of 12
$25.95, biome
Best for: A new loo
Free from SLS, parabens, fluoride, titanium dioxide, fragrance and petrochemicals. This eco-friendly toilet cleaner is simple and effective – simply drop one toilet bomb into the bowl, let it fizz and dissolve, and clean with a toilet brush.
Key features:
- Pack contains 12 x 450g toilet bombs
- Simple and effective
- Biodegradable packaging
- Ingredients: sodium bicarbonate, citric acid, essential oils
05
Ecostore laundry bundle
$44.99, Amazon
Best for: A new loo
Founded in New Zealand in 1993, Eco Store has everything from body wash to surface cleaners that are made for sustainable homes. This laundry bundle features two bottles of laundry liquid, a bottle of fabric softener and a laundry soaker and stain remover to make laundry day a breeze.
Key features:
- Bundle contains citrus softener, 2 x eucalyptus liquid, ultra-sensitive soaker
- Plant and mineral based ingredients
- Phosphate free
- Pleasant, natural fragrance
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