So, you want to do your part and help protect the environment but, naturally, you also want your home, business or working place to be nice and clean. The good news is that those two wishes are not mutually exclusive.

It is possible to achieve a high cleaning standard without pumping gallons and gallons of nasty chemicals into the environment or misusing its natural resources.

Now, you might be asking yourself what constitutes an environmentally friendly cleaning product? Do eco-friendly cleaning products even work? And, what are the best eco-friendly cleaning products out there?

We’ve put together this little guide with a few suggestions to help answer those questions.

Where do I start?

Choosing or trying a new cleaning product can be a daunting prospect. You’ve likely been using the same products for years and they just work, right? The problem is that those products can contain harsh chemicals that are as effective as they are harmful to yourself, your children, your pets, the air you breathe and the environment in general.

It can be hard to understand what to look for when looking at product ingredients and what the information presented means.

On top of that, you have to be wary of greenwashing and unscrupulous brands, using marketing techniques to masquerade their products as ‘green’.

So where do you start?

Four things to look for

Toxic chemicals

Avoid the toxic trio: parabens, triclosan and phthalates. These chemicals can cause serious health conditions, including cancer and hormonal disorders. They’re also extremely harmful to the air, water and pretty much everything they come in contact with.

Palm oil

Unsustainable palm oil production is linked to high levels of deforestation, social crises and human rights violations throughout the globe. The best action is to avoid products which contain palm oil or, at the very least, look for sustainably produced palm oil.

Look for certified ‘organic’, ‘cruelty free’ and ‘vegan’

Certified organic products, by definition, will not contain any artificial chemicals. Basically, no nasties to harm you or the planet.

Certified cruelty free and vegan products will give you the assurance that the products were not tested on animals and do not contain animal ingredients, meaning that you’ll be helping make the planet a better place for all creatures.

Packaging

Look for options that will reduce plastic waste and check for refillable and recycled packaging options.

Our suggestions

Innovative laundry products

In recent years new innovative products have been introduced to the laundry market. Here are a few suggestions of products and companies that are pushing the boundaries and breaking norms.

Traditional, but still eco-friendly laundry detergents

When it comes to laundry detergents there are plenty of options in the market. We’ve selected a few suggestions to get you started.

Dishwashing products

Chlorine is the top chemical which can cause harm either from inhalation when you open the dishwasher or from residues left on the dishes. The suggestions below are all chlorine free.

Household cleaning

Now, more than ever, it’s important to keep a clean home, free from germs and bacteria. But, just as well, it’s important to take care of the planet and the environment. Here are some suggestions to help you with that double task.

All clean

Well, that’s it. We hope this very short guide was helpful and gave you somewhere to start your journey into a cleaner home and a cleaner world.

You can purchase the products above from Bower Collective or Big Green Smile and enjoy some of the offers currently online.