Mrs. Clean

I pride myself in keeping a pretty clean and organized home.  Clutter and dirt tend to stress me out, especially in my personal spaces such as my home and office.
Although I keep my home pretty clean on a regular basis, I also have "Cleaning Days" every few weeks or so that I do more of a deep cleaning of everything...well, today was one of those days!  While I was cleaning, I thought it might be a good blog post to detail all of the eco-friendly cleaning options there are out there and that I use.
When I first started researching eco-friendly and cleaning products I was horrified at what I was using and immediately did a purge of all of my existing products...I couldn't believe how toxic the main stream products I was using were! (BTW...I did the same purge with my pantry, cosmetics/beauty products & medicine cabinet...but that will come in a later post! :-)
Commercial cleaning products promise to make cleaning easier by fighting tough grease or to kill 99% of germs which all sounds fantastic, but at what cost to your health and the health of the planet?  The Consumer Product Safety Commission reported 150 common household chemicals have been linked to allergens, birth defects, cancer and psychological abnormalities. (gorgeouslygreen.com)  We ingest everything we spray in the air, wipe on our household surfaces, wash our dishes and clothes with, etc....so it is just as important to purchase clean, sustainable, eco-friendly cleaning products as it is the food we eat.
One of the most worrisome ingredients in the popular anti-bacterial products is triclosan.  Visit the following link for a great article on the horrors of triclosan and why to avoid it: Too Many Antibacterials
You may be asking, "So what should I be buying then?".  There are some amazing companies that have helped pioneer the green movement when it comes to cleaning products. 
I have tried and tested many products over the years to find what I like best and I will share all my favorites below.  Remember to always recycle the containers after use.
What are your favorite non-toxic / eco-friendly cleaning products?

GENERAL CLEANING PRODUCTS

When it comes to the general cleaning products, such as all purpose kitchen counter sprays, dish liquids, hand soap and bathroom cleaners I tend to stick with Seventh Generation and Method brand products.  If I see a sale on any of those products from those brands, I usually stock up since they can be pricier than the commercial brands.
www.seventhgeneration.com
http://methodhome.com

AUTOMATIC DISH WASHING DETERGENT

 I tested many different automatic dish washing detergents before I found one that actually worked.  I even reverted to hand washing all my dishes for awhile because I couldn't find a detergent that got the job done up to my standards and I refused to use a commercial brand.  Then I found Ecover brand and I will never try anything else!  I buy the tablets and they really get the job done!

http://www.ecover.com 

GLASS CLEANER

I love, love, love Mrs. Meyers glass cleaner.  In fact, I love Mrs. Meyers cleaning products in general, but they tend to be a little pricier...but I bite the bullet for the glass cleaner because it does such an amazing job...and it smells really good too!  When I see a sale on Mrs. Meyers products or have a coupon I definitely take advantage!
http://www.mrsmeyers.com






LAUNDRY DETERGENT

To be honest, I have tried many different eco-friendly laundry detergents that I really like.  For awhile I was just buying which ever brand was on sale or was the cheapest.  Lately though I have been purchasing Ecos brand laundry detergent from Costco.  You can get a jumbo size bottle from Costco for under $13, and you just can't beat that!
www.ecos.com




DUSTING SPRAY & STAINLESS STEEL SPRAY
 I again go back to Method brand products for dusting and stainless steel.  They offer a great product that gets the job done...I've had no reason to switch it up.
http://methodhome.com






DISINFECTANT WIPES
I try not to use disinfectant wipes too much, but when I do, I purchase Seventh Generation brand.  I use them to wipe down door handles, light switches and television remotes ever so often and after someone in our house was sick.  They are biodegradable and do a great job when it comes to cleaning, but I don't suggest them for everyday use since they can be pricey and create a lot of waste.
www.seventhgeneration.com





SPONGES

For awhile I was using Scotch-Brite Greener Clean sponges, but I always hated buying them since they are owned by a company that produces such toxic products.  Then I found Twist brand sponges and I love them.  They cost the same as the Scotch-Brite sponges, work just as good and I don't have to feel guilty buying them!
http://www.twistclean.com/




FLOOR CLEANER 
Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds works as an amazing floor cleaner.  Just dilute 1 tablespoon in a bucket of hot water and have your way with your floors!  I don't have wood floors, so I probably wouldn't use this on them if you do, just in case.  Dr. Bronner's is a fantastic company with a lot of really great products, not just for the home...check out their website below to see everything they offer.
http://www.drbronner.com





DISINFECTANT SPRAY
Lysol was the hardest thing for me to give up.  I think everyone has that one thing that they feel they couldn't live without when it comes to cleaning...Lysol was my one thing.  One day I finally said no more...I mean I was cleaning with all eco-friendly products and then spraying Lysol...it seemed counter productive and was just plain ridiculous!  I found a great homemade "Germ Busting Spray" recipe in the book Do It Gorgeously by Sophie Uliano and never looked back.
Mix 2 cups 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide with 1 cup of distilled water in an opaque sprayer.
Yeah, that's it...it is really that easy and that cheap!  **I add a few drops of lavender essential oil to give it a nice smell.

DIY CLEANING PRODUCTS
Just recently I have been interested more and more in making my own cleaning products.  I have this wonderful book Do It Gorgeously by Sophie Uliano that really has opened my eyes about making my own organic products.  I credit Sophie Uliano with changing my life.  When I read her first book Gorgeously Green almost 6 years ago I became hooked in regards to researching and living the green life.  I then read her second book The Gorgeously Green Diet and had yet again another life changing moment.  I highly recommend all 3 of her books and will be referencing them frequently in future posts.  You can find all 3 of her books along with amazing tips and ideas here at her website: www.gorgeouslygreen.com