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Safer Cleaning Products Cheat Sheet

Last updated on August 5th, 2022 at 11:27 am

Don’t let the big flashy ads and colorful bottles of cleaning products fool you! They are usually loaded with toxic chemicals. Luckily, safe cleaning products can be as effective as those toxic chemical cleaner brands.

The air inside our own homes is polluted. Thanks to building materials, furniture and yes, cleaning products. But there are simple ways to limit the number of pollutants inside our homes. Changing to a natural cleaner is a simple way to start ridding your home of pollutants.

The Safer Household Cleaners Cheat Sheet offers the convenience of safer store-bought cleaners that steer clear of toxic chemicals and fumes.

Reasons For Choosing Cleaning Products That Are Safe.

Your home is your sanctuary. It is your safe space. Cleaning it with well-designed safer, non-toxic cleaners is essential for overall well-being.

Your body is your shrine. Keep those harmful chemicals away from you and your family’s largest organ. Your skin! Not to mention keeping chemical fumes out of your lungs. Your family won’t be inhaling horrible things like formaldehyde. Why would anyone want to clean with something that toxic?

How to Choose Safe Cleaning Products.

Because safe cleaning products don’t contain nasty chemicals, they are safe to use around your babies, kids, and pets and don’t harm the environment.

Creative eco-conscious companies are developing clever cleaning products that can kill germs. As effectively as the big commercial brands!

The key is knowing what ingredients to avoid. Listed below. As well as what natural ingredients work at keeping our homes clean. Think vinegar and baking soda, things you most likely already own.

Several brands that are safer and eco-friendly still contain preservatives. These are usually included for shelf life and to inhibit the growth of bacteria in the product. In a perfect world, there would be preservatives in cleaners.

If you are into DIY (do it yourself), I’ve got a slew of easy household cleaner recipes. Scroll to the bottom of this post to check those out. Hint, they are safe and fun for even kids to help make!

List of Bad Ingredients in Household Cleaners:

SafeMama’s curated list of safer cleaners below does not contain any of the following “bad” ingredients:

 

safer cleaning products cheat sheet

List of Safe Cleaning Products

Without further ado:

1. Force of Nature – Top Pick for Safest Non-toxic cleaner

My chin dropped when I first learned about the whole concept behind this non-toxic cleaner. I was blown away. It was one of those rare times when I hit the buy now button without having to think the whole thing through for an hour. In general, can be a bit indecisive.

The process is simple even though it may look a little “new age”.

It only consists of 4 ingredients!

SafeMama Top Pick!
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2. Better Life All-Purpose Cleaner

I’ve been a fan and an ambassador of Better Life since its birth years ago. They put a lot of care and science into making the safest pre-made cleaning supplies around. Now it’s available in stores around the country.

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3. ECOS® All-Purpose Cleaner

This brand I have tested myself and while I liked the performance of the products and they are definitely less toxic. There were a few ingredients I had some questions about though. A lot more “natural surfactants” and “natural preservatives” than you typically see but perhaps they have a good reason. They do have a wide variety of items and include laundry soaps and baby nursery supplies as well.

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4. Earth Mama All-Purpose Castile Body Soap

One of my favorite brands and no, they aren’t a cleaning supply company but they do have Castille soap that can be great for making nursery-safe cleaners and baby wipes.

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5. Eco-Me All Purpose Cleaner – 32 oz – Herbal Mint

This line is based on one of the best things to clean with, vinegar. Vinegar, water, and plant oils are featured in these safe cleansers. No sulfates, no harsh chemicals, scents, or preservatives. A top choice.

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6. Ecover Zero Dish Soap

This one makes a list, most notably the dish detergents and soaps but a few products I’m still “jury is still out” on.

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7. Dr. Bronner’s – Pure-Castile Liquid Soap

Maker of Castille soap and bar soaps, these can be used for a multitude of DIY products or used on their own.

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8. Seventh Generation All Purpose Cleaner, Biodegradable Formula

A commercial brand available just about everywhere. A few items contain SLS and a few other questionable ingredients that are really hard to spell. But if I had to choose this over Tilex or Clorox I would.

9. The Honest Company  Conscious Cleaning Multi-Surface

I have a want to love it / want to hate it relationship with Honest Company due to some of their ingredient shenanigans at the inception of the company. I think overall they have ironed out some of the kinks and now offer this line in retail stores. Overall a better choice than the commercial stuff. They are free of the big bad wolf stuff (ammonia, SLS, SLES, fragrances, glycol, dyes, phosphates, 1,4-dioxane, chlorine, bleach, DEA, formaldehyde, triclosan – not too shabby). There are appearances of phenoxyethanol and a few other nit-picky things but again, I’d choose this over Mr. Clean if I had my choice.

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Make Your Own Safe Cleaning Products!

Make an abundance of safe cleaning products for next to nothing:

What you’ll need:

Tub Scrub Recipe:

Mix 1 cup baking soda with 5 drops of essential oil and 4 tbsp lemon in a glass dish. Should be the consistency of paste. Use to scrub out the tub or toilet stains or tough bathroom grime.

Counter Cleaner Recipe:

Mix 2 cups water with 10 drops tea tree oil in a spray bottle.  Shake to mix.  Use on counters, appliances, tables, and other non-porous surfaces.

Unclog Sinks and Drains Recipe:

Pour 1 cup of baking soda and then 1 cup of vinegar into the offending drain and let fizzle. Run hot water down after it to loosen and rinse away clogs.