The next time you are catching up on laundry, packing school lunch, or cleaning up a spill, remember the earth deserves to be just as clean as your home. Our editors have compiled a list of 10 eco-friendly home care items to swap your usual products with. From trash bags to reusable paper towels to cleaners and detergents, you are bound to find something you need on this list!
1. Drawstring Kitchen Bags | Natural Value
Source: Amazon
When shopping for everyday home care products, trash bags are an essential. Oscea editors recommend these PVC free trash bags by Natural Value. PVC contains harmful chemical additives, one of those being phthalates. The U.S. environmental protection agency explains in a 2021 letter to an administrator, that there is evidence linking phthalate exposure to health and behavioral problems in humans and animals. On top of being PVC free, these tall kitchen trash bags are BPA free and packaged in recycled material.
2. Compostable Zip Snack Bags | Cleanomic
Source: Amazon
These Compostable Zip Snack Bags, made by Cleanomic, are a quintessential product– whether you’re making your kids lunches or needing a quick solution for your liquids when traveling. They also come in quart and gallon sizes as well.To ensure the safety of you and your family, the bags are BPA-free, bisphenol chemical family free, PVC-free, phthalate-free and made with PLA, PBAT, cornstarch and plant-based, food-grade materials. While typical plastic takes over 1,000 years to decompose, these snack bags are compostable and will biodegrade within 180 days!
3. USDA Certified Organic 100 oz. Laundry Detergent | GO by greenshield organic
Source: Amazon
Naturally, clothes need to be washed, but next time you throw in a load of laundry, consider using this GO Laundry Detergent. Free of synthetic fragrance, GMOs, harsh chemicals, and dyes, this detergent will ensure clothes as clean as the laundry detergent. As the first USDA certified laundry detergent, you can put your trust in GO’s transparency about their ingredients. In typical laundry detergent, it isn't uncommon for the enzymes to originate in Genetically Modified Organisms, GO features organic, plant based ingredients this liquid detergent is a fit for a newborn baby and the entire family.
4. Wool Dryer Balls | Molly's Suds
Source: Amazon
When it is time to switch your load of laundry, our editors recommend Molly’s Suds Wool Dryer Balls. Not only are these made with zero chlorine bleaching, toxins, or fragrances, but they conserve energy. These 100% sheep’s wool dryer balls can reduce drying time by 18 minutes for every hour. This means lower utility bills and most importantly, less pollutants being released into the air.
5. All Natural Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets | Molly's Suds
Source: Amazon
If you would still rather use individual dryer sheets, we recommend Molly’s Suds All Natural Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets. The plant-based dryer sheets are free of waxes, dyes, harsh chemicals, and any and all animal derivatives. Typical dryer sheets may contain harsh fragrance and chemicals that can be absorbed into your skin and bloodstream. Common pollutants made with the use of dryer sheets can include formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. The EPA states that “Formaldehyde can cause irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, and throat.” They even suggest that high levels of exposure can lead to cancer.
6. Powder Cleanser for Kitchens & Bathrooms | Bon Ami
Source: Amazon
Bon Ami has produced this amazing cleaning product, highly recommended by Oscea, that contains zero chlorine or perfumes. It is all-purpose meaning it can be used on all surfaces from granite to tile to stainless steel to cookware and even toilets. This is our editor’s go-to swap for Ajax or other kitchen & bathroom powder cleaners and has become a trusted household product for many. Without the use of chlorine, you can be sure no damage is being done to your health or your home's surfaces.
7. Cellulose Sponges | Natural Value
Source: Amazon
Another essential household item, sponges, are typically harmful to the environment. Many can contain synthetic fibers that cause pollution and after all is said and done, will fill up landfills. Natural Value cellulose sponges are different in the way that they are made from plant-derived materials. And once your sponge has seen its fair share of dirty dishes, it can be recycled or thrown into your compost bin!
8. All Purpose Cleaner | Eco Me
Source: Amazon
Eco-Me’s All Purpose Cleaner is a non-toxic alternative to most all purpose cleaners. Chemicals that can be found in your essential household cleaners include ammonia, trisodium phosphate, and ethylene glycol monobutyl acetate, according to Cleveland Clinic. EWG points out the concerning health risk of chemicals like ethylene glycol monobutyl acetate as it can cause moderate damage to organs, high damage to fertility and can cause reproductive toxicity, and can be harmful when inhaled. Lucky for you, products like Eco-Me’s exist and are free of those harmful chemicals and in this case, made simply with water, vinegar, and plant-derived solubilizer.
9. Dishwasher Detergent Pods | Dropps
Source: Amazon
Dropps Dishwasher Detergent Pods ability to save water by eliminating the need for pre-wash and its use of clean ingredients and materials, is what makes it an essential when loading the dishwasher. Mindfully formulated with no chlorine, synthetic fragrances, dyes, phosphates, and phthalates, these detergent pods are packaged nicely in recyclable and compostable boxes– ready to clean dishes, with no residue leftover.
10. Reusable Paper Towels | Eco Lifestyle
Source: Amazon
Eco Lifestyle’s Reusable Paper Towels are an exceptional alternative to the typical paper towels that are discarded after one use. One roll of these bamboo biodegradable paper towels with 20 sheets can last you up to 6 months and allows you to get between 80-100 uses out of each sheet. With no added synthetic materials, these lint-free bamboo paper towels are made of 100% organic and biodegradable bamboo. Throw them in the dishwasher or washing machine to keep clean in between use. These are the the most sustainable way to ensure a clean, eco-friendly household.
11. Disinfecting Spray | Force of Nature
Clean any mess that comes your way – grease, grime, sticky messes, soap scum, odors and germs. You get a sparkling, sanitized clean with no harmful residues left behind. Our mighty little Capsules are EPA registered, kill 99.9% of germs, mold, and mildew and are on the EPA’s List N, the disinfectants approved for use against SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, and List Q, the disinfectants approved for use against the monkeypox virus. Just as great? They make it super easy to eliminate single-use plastic bottles. Each capsule makes one 12 ounce bottle of all-in-one cleaner, deodorizer & disinfectant, saving you up to 80% per ounce vs typical cleaning products.
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