The snow is melting, the birds are chirping, and with the new season approaching it is time to bring some fresh energy into your home. But before you start your marathon of dusting, scrubbing, wiping and organizing, be sure to inventory of all your cleaning products. The truth is that some are less safe than others – particularly those that use toxic materials or that could exposure you to hazardous pollutants. Keep reading to see some of our favorite [truly] natural home care products and get ready to tackle your annual spring cleaning – the safe and healthy way.
The Best Soaps
Dr. Bronner’s
Who doesn’t love a humble beginning? Dr. Bronner’s soap was founded in 1948 by Emanuel Bronner, a third-generation master soap maker of German-Jewish decent. Its history goes back even further to the very first soap factory in Germany, as well as the first liquid castile soap ever made. What stands out about Dr. Bonner’s soap is that it’s labeled as “Pure-Castile” rather than ”Liquid Soap”. This means that the product is vegetable oil-based, ecological and simple – not a complex blend of detergents with higher ecological impact and slower biodegradability
Why we love it: Dr. Bronner’s is a certified B corporation — a business that meets the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. Dr. Bronner’s has also become the largest personal care company certified under the USDA’s National Organic Program. After over 50 years in operation, the company continues to honor its founder’s vision by making socially and environmentally responsible products of the highest quality, and by dedicating its profits to help improve society.
Mrs. Meyer’s
Mrs. Meyer’s offers a series of hand and dish soaps that were created in honor of Mrs. Thelma A. Meyer, an Iowa homemaker and mother of nine. Unlike other household products that use toxic fragrances to make them smell better, these soaps are made from plant-derived products and essential oils to capture the scent and beauty of a Midwestern backyard garden. Learn more about their ingredients here
Why we love it: Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day soaps have garnered a great reputation for their ability to cut through dirt and grime without using harsh, toxic chemicals. Thanks to the plant-based ingredients that they use, you still get the benefit of fresh scents that are more reminiscent of Grandma’s house than disinfectants.
The Best Laundry Detergents
Tru Earth
Tired of lugging around heavy bottles of detergent? Tru Earth Eco-Strips are a simpler, cleaner, and more convenient solution for cleaning laundry. These strips are notably hypoallergenic, eco-friendly, and free of parabens, phosphates, dyes, as well as chlorine bleach.
Why we love it: Tru Earth Laundry Strips are likely to be one of – if not the most – eco-friendly alternative to commercial laundry detergent. Because their packaging only consists of compostable cardboard, they reduce transportation pollution by up to 94%. They can also help prevent over 700 million plastic jugs from getting dumped in landfills.
MyGreenFills
Unlike store-bought laundry products, MyGreenFills does not use artificial fragrances, chemical surfactants, petroleum-based carriers, optical brighteners, or dyes. They do, however, offer 100% hypoallergenic unscented options for those that have a sensitivity to certain essential oils. As part of their mission, MyGreenFills has made the conscious decision to use eco-friendly packaging to help pass on more savings to customers. An added benefit is that their products have prevented over 2,000,000 laundry jugs from winding up in the ocean.
Why we love it: Convenience and efficiency! This non-toxic laundry system allows you to save time, money and space in your laundry closet. Plus, they offer a membership program in which you can choose the ideal bundle size, scent, and shipment frequency to meet your every laundry need!
The Best Multipurpose Cleaners
Branch Basics
If you’re looking to simplify your cleaning efforts, Branch Basics offers a multipurpose concentrate that makes cleaning simple, affordable and sustainable. So, rather than having to stock up on several different types of cleaning products (with harsh chemicals included), simply dilute the concentrate with water and use it throughout your cleaning marathon.
Here’s a quick list of some of the things that you can use the Branch Basics concentrate on:
- Laundry
- hand and body wash
- Kitchen
- Dishes
- Bathrooms
- Floors
- Produce
- and more!
Why we love it: The Branch Basics concentrate is plant and mineral based, biodegradable, and free of harmful preservatives, making it not only a safe product to use but also a sustainable one. The other upside to using just one concentrate is that this can be extremely cost-effective for your wallet over time.
Force of Nature
Have you ever heard of electrolyzed water? This simple yet powerful substance is comprised of two key ingredients:
- Hypochlorous acid – a disinfectant that’s as effective as bleach (and apparently, it’s the same substance your white blood cells produce to fight infection — who knew!)
- Sodium hydroxide – a detergent & grease-cutter without suds
Technically, Force of Nature is a patent-pending appliance, and it creates electrolyzed water from water, salt and vinegar. The result is an all-natural, all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner and disinfectant that works just as well as commercial cleaners but is safer to use.
Why we love it: Well, for one, it’s like a fun experiment that everyone in the family can enjoy – even kids! Force of Nature is also EPA registered and often used in hospitals, ICUs, schools, daycares and more. So, there is resounding proof that this product is safe for use.
The Best Air Freshener
Grow Fragrance
When it comes to traditional air fresheners, health experts are primarily concerned with their wide-spread use of phthalates. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has heeded warning that phthalates can negatively impact testosterone levels in men and reproductive abnormalities in women. They can also cause allergic symptoms and asthma — even in trace amounts. After observing the limited choices of healthy air fresheners on the market, Grow Fragrance created their own — one that is 100% plant based, toxin-free, and that smells amazing.
Why we love it: Grow Fragrance is a certified B corporation, and the company has committed to donating 1% of all sales to 1% for the Planet to help protect land, forests, rivers, oceans, and to encourage sustainable production methods.
The Best Protectant Against Mold
Homebiotic
Did you know that the average American household has more than 2,000 different species of fungus and 7,000 species of bacteria? The good news: not all bacteria is bad for you; the bad news: some bacteria can lead to the growth of mold and mildew in your home.
The key is to create a healthy balance of bacteria in your home – that’s where Homebiotic spray comes in! Homebiotic is a probiotic for your home that restores healthy bacteria and helps prevent the growth of mold and mildew. It also helps eliminate the cause of musty odors, aka that gross “basement smell” (did you remember to move the towels to the dryer?!).
Why we love it: Homebiotic is clear as water and has no detectable smell or added scents. The company has also recently launched a Home Biome Test Kit, which involves a thorough (and super analytical) process that reveals the “biome” of your home and learn how to optimize it for your family’s health.
Save 15% off your order when you use coupon code “daveasprey”. Disclosure: We may on occasion include affiliate links on our website. Please note that if you make a purchase using any of these affiliate links, the Dave Asprey Box may earn a commission. With that said, we have intentionally chosen to promote specific companies and their products because we wholeheartedly believe in their quality and mission.