Over time I am slowly replacing my usual home cleaning products to ones that are environmentally friendly. There certainly isn’t a shortage of options. The problem is that few of them actually clean as well as their “sinfully-good’ counterparts. So far I have found three that I like and am willing to promote.
The first is the Ecos Fruit and Vegetable Wash. I find this product useful because it is just way to expensive to buy all organic groceries (especially with rising costs). So I pick and choose which items to get from my traditional grocery store. The problem with fruits and vegetables from the large chain grocers is that they have this nasty waxy feel on them. I am also unsure if the pesticides used to keep them shiny and colorful is harmful to my family.
To find this product, you can either purchase directly from Ecos or drive to your local Whole Foods (if you’re lucky enough to have one in the area.)
You can also make your own wash, as was recently featured on Oprah, but this is easier for people trying to ease into new products. Plus the baking soda will fizz on you. For the recipe, click here.
The second product is the Ecos Liquid Laundry Detergent. I just purchased this from Costco yesterday. As I was picking it up, a Costco employee stopped me to say that he had been using it for a year now and absolutely loves it. I have since done two loads of laundry and am a convert.
The detergent is non-scented. This is great for my family since we have a lot of performance clothing (for working out, camping, etc.) that is sensitive to perfumes and softeners. If you like the smell of freshly laundered items, I suggest adding a little Tide or use a dryer sheet. Ecos does have a softener in the detergent so a dryer sheet is not needed. The great thing about the softener is that it is soy-based, and their website claims that the detergent does not harm clothing.
In addition to detergent, I usually add in Clorox 2 for Colors. According to Ecos, I won’t need it anymore since this product preserves colors as well. So far I have been very pleased with this product.
The last product is Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Soap. I was first introduced to this product by my husband who is an avid outdoorsman. This product is great for washing your hands, hair and dishes. You need not worry about harming the environment since this product is organic, biodegradable and veggie-based. In the house though, we only use it as a hand soap. It smells great and your hands feel squeaky clean.
I hope these product suggestions appeal to you and that you will integrate at least one of them into your cleaning regimen. Good Luck and Good Cleaning.
Why not clean with some products you can feel good about (those which are environmentally safe, made from natural cleaning agents, free of toxic chemicals/phosphorus/bleach, and hypo-allergenic)? Kate and I tried Clorox Green Works products and we love them so far ($2.99-$3.39). Choose from All-Purpose Cleaner, Glass & Surface Cleaner, Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Dilutable Cleaner, and Bathroom Cleaner. We also like Seventh Generation products, though I don’t recommend the Automatic Dishwasher Gel. It’s just too gentle and it fails to get your dishes really clean.
Nice review. I didn’t even know Costco was carrying eco detergent. I’m crossing my fingers the one closest to me carries it because that will for sure be on my list!
Thanks for the comments!
Green Thinking – Have the Clorox products been as effective as traditional products? I do like Seventh Generation too, but so far I have only used their paper products. I will try their cleaning products too. It’s always great to get product endorsements for people who have used and loved them.
Kristie – I really hope that your Costco has Ecos. It’s nice that a big chain is carrying green products now!
If you guys are interested in the going green movement you should check out the Pitch newspaper out of Kansas City. They recently had an article about one of the founders in the green building movement. Check it out at The Pitch.
SOAPNUTS are definitely the best environmentally friendly detergent! They are the shell of a fruit grown in India or Nepal, and they have been used for thousands of years there. They contain a high percentage of saponin, which acts like soap when it comes in contact with water. No chemicals, phosphates, dyes, fragrances or fillers. Gentle on the most sensitive skin, yet tough on laundry – even cloth diapers! Check it out!