This page features some of my favourite products and brands that I have personally used in my household, and that I recommend as part of a lifestyle involving cleaner and healthier product choices.
Multi-purposed cleaners
- Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap. Such a versatile product! If you’re on a tight budget and want to save on both cleaning and body care products, pick Dr. Bronner’s. This castile soap (a plant-based, natural soap) comes in all sorts of natural, gentle, essential-oil based scents (or unscented) and can be used for cleaning the bathroom, kitchen, dishes; as a body wash, hair wash, pet wash, produce wash; stain remover… the list goes on. Depending on what you’re cleaning, the product can be diluted because it is concentrated. Dr. Bronner’s even sells the product in 1 gallon containers, to save you a few dollars.
- Attitude Multipurpose Cleaner. This product is great for both the bathroom and the kitchen. It features a nice synthetic-free fragrance and is listed as Grade A on the EWG scale for eco-friendly and non-toxic products. Plus, you can purchase the bulk 4 litre size to refill the spray bottles for cheaper.
- Nezza Naturals Lemongrass Scrub. The ultimate natural scrub for tough stains, I’ve been using this effective product for years. The scrub is mostly made of baking soda, castile soap and salt, with essential oils (so simple!). Ever so versatile, it gets the job done when it comes to stains, grease, moldy bathroom tiles, odours, kitchen sinks, major oven cleans, porcelain stains, and so forth.
Natural cleaning add-ons
- Bob’s Red Mill Baking Powder. My house holds two bags of baking soda. The regular Arm&Hammer stuff for cleaning my home and to keep my fridge deodorized. I use Bob’s Red Mill for baking and spa days, when I add some to my bath for silky-smooth skin and a bit of a detox. The reason why I use Bob’s Red Mill is because it is certified gluten-free and aluminum-free (they don’t use sodium aluminum phosphate or sodium aluminum sulfate as the acid ingredient in the process of making the baking soda). I feel better using this product as a safe ingredient for both inside and outside my body.
- Allen’s Cleaning Vinegar. Another household essential for all of my cleaning needs: white vinegar. I chose to show you the specific Cleaning Vinegar by Allen’s only because it has less of a pungent smell and it very concentrated (so you can dilute it based on your needs, because it is very powerful). However, any white vinegar will work fine for cleaning, and the vinegar smell evaporates over the course of a couple of hours, normally. There are plenty of natural cleaning recipes online that include vinegar as a simple and effective natural ingredient.
- Food-Grade Hydrogen Peroxide. I use food-grade hydrogen peroxide (3%) to wash my fresh produce and to help treat any minor topical infections, cuts or bruises. It gets used when I clean my kitchen such as my fridge, wooden spoons, cutting boards, pet dishes and so on. I also found it effective against mold along the window frames and the bathroom tiles, without my needing to use bleach (which makes me feel very sick and I just about never ever use). I do not recommend hydrogen peroxide for internal use.
Favourite laundry detergents
- The Unscented Company Laundry Detergent. If you are particularly sensitive to any scents (be they synthetic or from essential oils), have pulmonary conditions such as asthma, or very sensitive skin, I recommend this brand’s products. This detergent is plant-based, hypoallergenic, no residue left on clothes. They also have a 10 litre refill option to save a little more.
- Seventh Generation Laundry Detergent. This detergent is hypoallergenic, free of any synthetic fragrances and dyes, and is made completely of plant-based ingredients. It doesn’t leave any residue on clothes and has a nice scent.
- Aspen Laundry Detergent. Another fantastic plant-based, hypoallergenic, eco-friendly product that is high up on the EWG ratings. It’s a more expensive product but it accounts for many of its certifications and environmental-focused standards in creating their products. They also offer an unscented detergent, in case you’re particularly sensitive or simply don’t want any scent in your laundry.
Canadian brands that I love
Nezza Naturals, a family-owned all natural business from British-Columbia. Home cleaning and body care. If you are in proximity to Victoria, you can purchase up to 4L bulk items and they have an awesome refill program with a 10% discount provided to you. Products use only essential oils to scent, and are hand-made.
Attitude Living, a Canadian brand that offers cleaning products and the option to buy in bulk. This brand is more commercially available in stores (eg. Canadian Tire, grocery stores, many pharmacies, etc).
Bio Vert, a local Quebec company that is vegan and bio-degradable, and holds the EcoLogo certification. This brand is more commercially available in stores (eg. Canadian Tire, grocery stores, many pharmacies, etc), at least on the East coast.
The Unscented Company, another Canadian brand (and B Corp certified!) that sells only unscented, natural cleaning and body care products. They sell bulk sizes, too. So for anyone with asthma or sensitivities to scents (both natural and artificial), this is a great option for you.
Aspen Clean, a family owned company from British-Columbia that holds the best ratings on EWG, at least as far as laundry detergents go. They hold the Eco Cert certification for being environmentally friendly, and are cruelty-free. I’ve mostly seen their products on the West coast, but they are also available online.
What is EWG, you ask? The Environmental Working Group exists to shine a light on products and companies that are either safe or harmful to our health and the environment. They do an excellent job of rating products and ingredients, as well as to explain the use of a given ingredient. Check out their ratings and guidelines website here.
Feel free to share with me your favourite go-to products! Leave a comment below to let us know which ones work best for you and your home. Check out my Spoonie Favourites page for some of my other go-to products of the season.
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