22 eco-friendly cleaning brands you should know about

Deprecated: mb_convert_encoding(): Handling HTML entities via mbstring is deprecated; use htmlspecialchars, htmlentities, or mb_encode_numericentity/mb_decode_numericentity instead in /home2/ezswapsco/public_html/wp-content/themes/pipdig-etoile/inc/functions/inc/functions/pinterest_hover.php on line 36
Reading Time: 16 minutes

Some of the worst culprits for single-use plastics can be found in home cleaning products. If you’re trying to live a more eco-friendly and sustainable life, take a look at your scrubs and sprays, as you may be surprised at just how many of them are environmentally unfriendly. 

In recent years there has been a push by consumers who want products that are more sustainable alternatives to mainstream brands found in most supermarkets. 

Most of the traditional products are full of harmful chemicals and toxins, whilst eco-friendly brands focus on using plant-based ingredients that are better for our health and the environment. 

Another problem many of the new brands are trying to solve is that cleaning products tend to be 90% water, and so transporting these products around the country (and sometimes around the world) also adds to CO2 emissions. 

The likes of white vinegar, lemons and bicarbonate of soda, can often solve most cleaning problems, but if you, like me, haven’t got time to formulate your own solution, the brands listed below should help, and in a more sustainable and eco-friendly way.

This post will focus on home cleaning, laundry and dishwasher products. I will mention if the brand also offers personal care products like hand and body wash, but we’ll cover them in more detail in another post.

1. Homethings

Category: home cleaning

In May 2020, Homethings launched a Kickstarter campaign offering refillable household eco-cleaning products. Although their goal was £8,000, they raised £40,251 in just 32 days.

As of January 2021, they offer three household cleaning sprays called Allthings, Baththings and Shinythings, for, you guessed it, all-purpose, bathroom, and glass and mirror cleaning. Each contains zero toxic ingredients and no hidden nasties.

Their “Keep it Clean” kit has three glass bottles and one tablet of each of the three sprays. You fill the bottles with lukewarm tap water and add in one of the non-toxic, effervescent tablets. Once the tablets have dissolved you’re ready to go. 

The trigger for the glass bottles (made in China) is made of plastic (polypropylene). The sleeve is made of silicone, and the cleaning tabs are formulated and made in the UK. They are certified vegan and cruelty free.

Once you’re running low, you can either buy one-off refills or you can subscribe. The tablets will arrive through the post. They say the sachets that the tablets arrive in are home compostable, but if you don’t have a home compost they should go in the regular rubbish and not the recycling bins.

I did find it odd that there is nothing about the founders on their website. Usually eco-friendly brands have an “About us” page with the story behind the brand. There are a few pictures of the founders in their early Instagram posts and I found them on LinkedIn, but I really do wonder why they haven’t got a page about them on the website.

I haven’t tried Homethings yet, but will let you know once I do.

2. Clean Living

Category: home cleaning

Clean Living was set up in August 2018 in the UK. The founders, Gill and Helen decided to create a company that would help others to clean with a conscience.

They currently sell eight products:

• biological odour and spot remover
• biological multi-purpose cleaner
• biological bin odour eliminator
• glass cleaner
• kitchen cleaner and degreaser
• bathroom cleaner
• limescale remover
• dry carpet cleaner

They offer aluminium bottles with plastic triggers that are shipped empty with a sachet of concentrate product. The starter packs also include a glass microfiber cloth (which I personally think is unnecessary). The sachet is decanted into the bottle and topped up with tap water. When running low, you can order another sachet and repeat or sign up to be replenished regularly.

The refill sachets are made from foil, which can be recycled by some councils, or you can return the empty sachets to the company for recycling.

Their products are not tested on animals and all are vegan besides the wooden brush that comes with the dry carpet cleaner (as it’s made with animal bristles). However, they can replace that with silicon brushes if you ask them.

I like the idea of the aluminium bottles, even if they aren’t as pretty as the glass ones from Allthings which are made of glass, so more likely to break. Aluminium is also lighter and will have a smaller carbon footprint when shipped.

3. Clothes doctor

Category: laundry

Clothes Doctor was founded in 2017 to help people extend the life of their clothes by repairing, altering, restoring and caring for their wardrobe, the way our parents and grandparents did. In 2019 it launched a clothing care product range.

At the time of writing, they produce 10 clothing care products:

• basil and mandarin leaf eco liquid detergent
• basil & mandarin leaf eco fabric conditioner
• signature eco washing detergent
• eco wash for cashmere and wool
• eco wash for silk and delicates
• eco wash for sportswear
• tough love stain removal
• eco wash for baby
• sandalwood leather balm
• natural sea sponge: set of three

The products are plastic free (they come in aluminium bottles), plant-derived, vegan and cruelty-free. I will definitely try their cashmere, wool, silk and delicates as well as the ‘tough love’ stain removal products as soon as I finish the ones I have in my cupboard (which I bought from the supermarket and are in plastic containers).

I’m especially excited to try the stain remover as I would love to be able to move away from certain types that come in a bright pink plastic container!

I also like the idea of their leather kit, with a leather baml in a little aluminium tin and a mini natural sea sponge to apply it.

4. Smol

Category: laundry, dishwasher and home cleaning

Smol was launched in May 2018. They have expanded their product line since I last wrote about them. 

They produce eco-friendly laundry detergents (bio and non bio) and cleaning products which can be delivered to your home. I use their laundry capsules and dishwasher tablets on a regular basis. They come in a cardboard box that fits through the letterbox and is made from recyclable FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) approved materials.

They now also sell a fabric conditioner and are pre-selling a set of three surface sprays: multi-surface, bathroom, glass and mirror, which I’m guessing will be available soon.

The fabric conditioner comes in two pre-filled, recycled plastic containers, which you can then refill or return.

It looks like the surface sprays come as three small tablets that you place in the plastic refillable containers and you just add warm water. There isn’t a lot of extra information, but my guess is that the plastic is also recyclable. It’s a similar concept to Homethings, with the difference being that these are made of plastic rather than glass.

All their products are manufactured in the EU, cruelty-free and not tested on animals. I look forward to testing the home cleaners and writing a post about them!

5. Splosh

Category: laundry, dishwasher, home and personal cleaning

Splosh are a pioneer brand in the space as they’ve been around since 2012. At the time of writing they offer the following products (some of which come in different fragrances):

• laundry detergents (bio and non-bio)
• fabric conditioner
• stain remover
• laundry powder
• washing up liquid
• dishwasher tablets
• kitchen cleaner
• bathroom cleaner
• toilet bowl cleaner
• hand wash gel
• shower gel

All products are cruelty-free, vegan-friendly and septic tank safe. They do use sustainable palm oil in some of their products and say they are actively trying to replace it with something else.

You can buy from the website (or the app!) and save money by subscribing to the regular refill service. All products come in reusable plastic containers except for the laundry powder and the dishwasher tablets which come in a metal tin.

The refills come in foil pouches which you can keep and send back to them once you’ve collected several. The product in the refills is very concentrated (three or four times more concentrated than comparable supermarket products). When it’s time to refill, first fill-up the empty bottle with water (there is a line to help you), then pour the product in, close the lid and shake the bottle until you can see it becomes thicker. Depending on the product, some of the refill pouches require additional water and contain enough product to refill your 500ml bottle four times or 250ml bottle six times.

The pouches that are returned are used again, or reprocessed and turned into something else when too damaged. So far, they’ve made plastic ice scrapers which say they will be for sale soon. The thing is, you can only recycle plastic a limited number of times, at which point it’s often converted into synthetic clothing.

I started using their products back in 2018. I have used their laundry detergent, stain remover, dishwasher tablets, all their cleaners as well as the hand and body wash. Personally, I prefer the Smol laundry detergent and dishwasher tablets, but their other products were perfectly fine alternatives to what I used to use (Method mostly).

The toilet bowl cleaner wasn’t great with limescale (I live in an area with very hard water), and I wasn’t crazy about the smell of their rosemary and lavender body wash. However, now that there are so many alternatives that involve no (or less) plastic I might switch to one of the other brands mentioned here.

New customers can use this code at checkout for 15% off: L4P4XCUHK2

6. Nimble

Category: laundry, and home cleaning

Nimble was founded in 2014 by a chemist who worked for one the world’s leading consumer products companies. When his first niece was born, he looked into the ingredients in the products used to clean her paraphernalia and was shocked by how harsh those chemicals were. He then decided to make child-friendly cleaning products powered by plant-based ingredients.

There are currently five products in their range:

• baby bottle cleaner
• surface cleaner
• laundry detergent
• fabric softener
• cloth nappy detergent

Their eco-credentials are mostly based around the fact they use natural ingredients, as all their bottles come in plastic containers. I’ve reached out to them to see if the plastic is recyclable.

When/if I do have children I may give some of the Nimble products a try.

7. Seventh Generation

Category: laundry, dishwasher and home cleaning

Seventh Generation was founded in the US in the late 1980s but only reached the UK in 2018, two years after Unilever bought it for $700m. In the US, they offer a wide range of products, but in the UK so far they only sell the following:

• laundry detergent
• washing up liquid
• dishwasher tablets
• all-purpose spray cleaner
• toilet cleaner
• bathroom cleaner

Seventh Generation says its products are made whilst considering the impact of their existence on the next seven generations. They strive to use ingredients derived from plants rather than petrol whenever possible.

All their products come in recycled and recyclable plastic, beside the dishwasher tablets that come in a cardboard box, and one of the detergents which arrives in a cardboard shell made from 100% recycled fibres.

All the products contain no animal ingredients and are cruelty-free. They do use sustainably-farmed palm oil.

I haven’t bought any Seventh Generation product in the UK, but I did use them when I briefly lived in the US in 2006 and I recall them being good. I wouldn’t consider buying them here in the UK as there are so many plastic-free options available.

8. Ecozone

Category: laundry, dishwasher, home cleaning, and more

Ecozone was founded in 1997 to create cleaning products containing plant-based and natural ingredients.

They now offer a range of around 100 products, from laundry detergents and fabric softeners, including eco balls and soap nuts, to household cleaning and dishwasher tablets.

Their products are vegan, cruelty-free, and most come in plastic containers, some of which are recyclable.

I noticed on their website that they sell biodegradable bin liners, and in the materials section, it says they are made from Polyethylene with D2W. There is a lot of controversy on whether this really is a biodegradable material or not. The EU has banned it. I would avoid them for now, personally.

I have bought some of their products before, such as the dishwasher rinse aid, but since I found out that you can replace rinse aid with vinegar I don’t think I will be going back to it.

9. Ecoegg

Category: laundry

Founded in 2008, Ecoegg’s main product is the laundry egg, which is a complete replacement for laundry detergent and fabric conditioner but works without the use of harmful chemicals. It contains mineral pellets that lift away dirt without fading colours or leaving chemical residue on clothing.

As well as the laundry egg, they also sell dryer eggs (which are meant to dry your clothes faster whilst in the tumble dryer) and ecoegg detox tablets for the washing machine, which can deep clean the device.

Some people swear by it, but it didn’t seem to work very well for me, possibly because I live in a hard water area.

10. Bio-D

Category: laundry, dishwasher, home and personal cleaning

Bio-D was founded in 1989. The founder used to clean and maintain commercial ships. It was tough work using industrial cleaning products and heavy-duty safety equipment, including a respirator, had to be used.  He was shocked to discover that many of the ingredients in the industrial products he used professionally could also be found in everyday household cleaners. It prompted him to look for naturally-derived alternatives that would clean safely and effectively without harming people or the environment.

Bio-D uses natural, plant-based ingredients that are cruelty-free, vegan and ethically sourced. A few of their products come in paper or cardboard, their bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic and they make everything in their Hull factory.

11. Koh

Category: home cleaning

Koh was started in 2016 in Australia by an individual who, like many of the other founders mentioned here, wanted to simplify the cleaning process for his whole family and make it safe.

Like most brands on this list, Koh doesn’t use harsh chemicals and is a simple, eco-friendly cleaning product. It’s also vegan and cruelty-free.

They currently offer:

• universal surface cleaner
• dishwasher tablets
• surfaces sanitiser
• hand sanitiser
• a range of microfibre cloths and other cleaning equipment

The spray bottle is made from strong, long-lasting recyclable HDPE plastic and the refills seem to come in what look like cardboard boxes probably lined with something waterproof.

They suggest using microfiber cloths to help you clean, which isn’t great as they release microplastics, but it may also work with plain cotton rags. I haven’t tried Koh yet, but I like the idea of having one cleaner for everything!

12. Spruce

Category: home cleaning

Spruce launched in 2020 by a woman in London and currently offers two cleaning sprays; multipurpose and bathroom. Their goal is to put an end to single-use plastics and toxic chemicals from everyday products and make it convenient for you to adopt the low-waste cleaning option.

The cleaning products are made with non-toxic ingredients and are free from artificial colours, fragrances, palm oil, parabens, pesticides, petroleum, phosphates, SLS and triclosan.

To refill, you simply empty refill contents into the refillable bottle, fill with tap water slowly, to avoid excess foaming, and get cleaning within minutes.

The bottles are made from aluminium with a plastic spray nozzle. Refills are packed in 100% plastic-free home and industrial compostable paper which you can cut up and compost at home, but should not be recycled with paper or plastic.

Like Homethings and Smol, and Splosh to an extent, I really like that you can just use tap water rather than buying products in liquid form which have a heavier carbon footprint when transported.

Both products are vegan, cruelty-free and made in Britain.

13. Bower Collective

Category: laundry and home cleaning

Bower Collective was founded in 2019 with a mission to make sustainable living simple and accessible for everyone. They used to sell only eco-friendly brands (some of which are mentioned above), and recently launched their own range of refillable products:

• washing up liquid
• hand wash 
• bathroom cleaner
• multipurpose cleaner
• toilet cleaner
• floor cleaner
• glass and mirror cleaner
• laundry detergent
• fabric conditioner

Their reusable bottles and dispensers come in PET plastic (which is recyclable) or glass with a silicone sleeve. They also have a toilet bowl cleaner dispenser made out of HDPE which is both resilient and also widely recycled.

The refill pouches are made from a highly durable multi-laminate plastic. Once you collect four or more you can return them, where the company will wash and refill or recycle. I assume that, like Splosh, they will at some point be turned into some other plastic item.

14. Method

Category: laundry, home and personal cleaning

Method was launched in 2001 in California by two friends. The ingredients they use are assessed by a research firm to ensure their safety for people and the environment. The company began selling in the UK in 2005.

Currently, in the UK they offer the following products:

• all-purpose cleaner
• floor cleaner
• bathroom cleaner
• shower cleaner
• kitchen cleaner
• glass and surface cleaner
• multi-surface cleaner
• granite cleaner
• stainless steel cleaner
• wood polish
• laundry detergent
• fabric conditioner
• washing up liquid
• hand wash
• body wash

Most (but not all!) of their bottles are made from 100% recycled and recyclable plastic; the laundry bottles are made from 50% recycled plastic. Some products have a sleeve which is not currently recyclable and WRAP advises that they are removed from the bottle before recycling and placed in the waste bin.

I used to use Method products a lot, and I thought they cleaned very well. I now use alternative products mentioned above to avoid as much plastic as I can.

15. Neat

Category: home cleaning

Neat was founded in 2020. As a brand new British company, they currently offer one multi-surface cleaning product in three different fragrances: grapefruit, seagrass and no fragrance.

The refillable bottle is made of aluminium, with a silicone base and a plastic spray nozzle. The refills come in small glass bottles with an aluminum cap.

Their products are stated as cruelty-free and vegan, and they are working to get the actual certifications.

16. Ocean Saver

Category: home cleaning

Ocean Saver is a UK company that started selling in 2020. The company ethos is of a deep love for the sea, and the products were developed to fight single-use plastic and help preserve the oceans and sea life.

Like Homethings, Neat, and Spruce, there isn’t much about the founders on their site. Their product offering is currently as follows:

• kitchen cleaner
• glass cleaner
• all-purpose floor cleaner
• bathroom descaler
• multi-purpose cleaner
• wood cleaner

Their cleaning detergents are biodegradable, plant-based and vegan. They sell a standard-looking reusable plastic bottle for £2, which is surprising as it looks no different to that used by most brands in supermarkets. The other refillable bottles mentioned from other bands above are pretty/unique, so I can see why people would want to buy the empty bottle, but in this case….why would anyone buy the empty plastic bottle?

The refills are in liquid pouches called EcoDrops. You fill the bottle with water then drop it in, screw the top on and shake, then leave to stand until the drop is fully dissolved. The package also contains a plastic-free sticker which is meant for the plastic bottle – then again, if you’re refilling the bottle again and again with the same product you’ll end up with quite a number of stickers…

17. Ecover

Category: laundry, dishwasher, home and personal cleaning

Ecover was founded in Belgium in 1979 and started selling in the UK in 1991. Their bottles and caps are made of plastic, and since 2018 they’ve been introducing recycled plastic to both. Their goal was to have every products made of recycled plastic by 2020, but it doesn’t look like they’re there just yet. Some of their bottles are made of a mix of plant plastic and recycled plastic. However, bioplastics aren’t that great for the environment either, so hopefully, they will be looking for other solutions for their packaging.

They offer:

• dishwasher tablets
• washing up liquid
• rinse aid
• stain remover
• washing powder
• laundry detergents
• fabric softener
• hand wash
• multi-purpose cleaner
• window and glass cleaner
• oven and hob cleaner
• limescale remover
• bathroom cleaner
• all-purpose cleaner
• cream cleaner
• floor soap
• toilet cleaner

Ecover do offer refills for their products, but they don’t offer a subscription service, and you have to go to their refill stations found in many refill shops across the UK.

Their products are certified cruelty-free and although they haven’t applied for the certification they’re also vegan-friendly.

Like Ecozone, I used to buy Ecover rinse aid a few other products every now and then, and I was always happy with the results.

18. Tru Earth

Category: laundry

Tru Earth was founded in April 2019 by three Canadian men.

Unlike all other laundry detergents mentioned here, Tru Earth laundry isn’t actually in liquid form but similar to a sheet of paper. Tru Earth’s packaging uses zero plastic, and its lightweight reduces transportation fuel consumption and carbon emissions. However, it does come from Canada, which is not exactly around the corner to the UK.

The strips are:

• paraben-free
• phosphate-free
• free of added dyes
• free of chlorine bleach
• biodegradable
• hypoallergenic
• vegan

I’ve heard mixed reviews, but I’ve yet to try them!

19. Kinn

Category: laundry, home cleaning

Kinn was launched in April 2017 in the UK by a mother and daughter team hoping to create a range of products that are kind to your body, your home and the environment around you. Their products are vegan, plant-based, palm oil-free and cruelty-free. They offer:

• floor cleaner
• bathroom cleaner
• glass & stainless steel cleaner
• multi-surface cleaner
• washing up liquid
• laundry detergent
• fabric conditioner

The bottles are made from recycled and recyclable plastic, and Kinn are currently working on creating refillable products.

20. Raindrop

Category: home cleaning

Raindrop was set up in the UK in May 2020 and it has just launched its first range of products. There is no information on the founders on their ‘about us’ page.

Similar to Homethings, Raindrop offers a glass bottle (in this case recycled glass) with a silicone sleeve and plastic nozzle. Instead of tablets, like Smol and Homethings, they use liquid sachets which they call “cleaning drops”, similar to Ocean Saver.

The product range currently consists of kitchen, bathroom and multi-surface cleaning sprays. You can buy the products as a one-off purchase or subscribe and have them delivered to your door at a set frequency (every 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 days).

The formula is non-toxic, cruelty-free & vegan friendly.

21. Mangle & Wringer

Category: laundry and home cleaning

Mangle & Wringer was founded by Vanessa Willes in 2012 to create traditional, non-toxic cleaning products that would be gentle and safe, yet powerful enough to be really effective. Their story of how it all started is truly inspiring.

The current product range offers:

• laundry powder
• natural bleach powder
• multi-purpose cleaner
• stain remover soap bar
• bathroom balm
• kitchen paste cleaner
• glass and mirror cleaner
• beeswax polish
• multi-purpose cleaner for granite, marble and stone

The sprayable products come in glass bottles with a plastic spray nozzle, or you can just get the refill bottles in glass bottles with an aluminium cap. Some of the products come in aluminium tins and some in paper packaging. The packaging they use for delivery is 100% plastic-free, recyclable and fully compostable.

22. Iron & Velvet

Category: home cleaning

Iron & Velvet was launched in 2014 with the aim of bringing high quality, luxury cleaning products to market.

Since the end of 2017, they have created products using sustainably sourced, plant-derived ingredients, meaning up to 70% of their products are natural. All their products are made in the West Midlands, are cruelty-free and not tested on animals.

They currently offer seven products:

• bathroom antibacterial surface cleaner
• bathroom multi-surface cleaner
• floor cleaner
• glass and mirror cleaner
• oven cleaner
• kitchen antibacterial surface cleaner
• kitchen multi-surface cleaner

The paper and cardboard packaging their sachets come in are from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified sources and the palm oil derived soap ingredient comes from an RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) certified supplier.

Like Ocean Saver and Raindrop, their products come in small sachets that you add to your bottles, but unlike those other brands, they don’t have their own bottles and suggest you just use the ones you already have.

It’s great to see so many alternatives to toxic and chemical-heavy cleaning products on the market now. I hope this list has convinced you to try out some of these brands in favour of traditional names.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Save the image below to your Pinterest board for easy access!