It’s only been recent that I have been able to find “natural” cleaning products in the local supermarket aisles. I don’t have to go to the “Green Market” to find them anymore. What’s even better, the prices have come down too. Even Clorox makes its own line of “Green Works” now. The big guns are catching up. Finally, they noticed what we want.
This is a list of products I’ve been using for years just in case you are wondering, (or not…) I think they are healthier for my family and the environment. If you have your own suggestions, please leave me a comment.
Dishwashing Liquid and Detergent – Mrs. Meyer’s, Ecover, Seventh Generation.
I didn’t care for extra suds or much advertised “super duper grease cutting and cleaning power.” I mean, what are we talking about here, Exxon Valdez cleanup in Alaska? We are talking about dishes with foods that we just ate from. If the grease on the plate is that bad to clean, we shouldn’t be eating that kind of food anyway. I think this extra grease cutting ability in dishwashing detergent or liquid is over rated. We should eat less grease and more fruit and vegetables, in which case, we can do without these scary sounding detergents. So there – my two cents on eating healthy. But having said, any detergents we use should be gentle and safe enough for our body but be able to clean dishes well, grease or no grease. 
These products will clean any greasy plate or pan with just a little bit of it in the dishpan. The ingredients are plant based, 100% biodegradable, safe for river and marine life, no animal testing, safe for septic tanks, and no chemicals. Oh, on a side note…I never used to use a dishpan to do the dishes. But recently, I found out that washing dishes in a pot that’s soaking in soap, works just as well as washing them individually and it saves water too.
Vegetable/Fruit Wash – Environne 
There are other brands too but I am using this one at the moment. Organic or no organic, I always wash my veggies and fruits. You just never know where they’ve been or how they were stored. (i.e. organic fruits are still stored in plastic containers.) The squeaky sound you hear after washing fruit and vegetable with the washing liquid is very refreshing. These vegetable and fruit washes are made from plant oils and fruits extracts and will clean any residue or chemicals left on fruits or vegetables from growing or storing them.
Laundry Detergent – Seventh Generation, Eco, Mrs. Meyer’s
This is a biggie. If you are like me and do upwards of 5 loads of laundry a week, you’ll appreciate this statistics. Did you know that if every household in the U.S. replaced just one bottle of 50 oz. 2X concentrate petroleum based laundry liquid with these natural plant derived concentrate product, we could save 233,000 barrels of oil? That’s enough to heat 13,400 U.S. homes for a year!* Well, I didn’t change laundry detergent just for that reason but because my kids have very sensitive skin and my hubby is very sensitive to smells. I found any of these products to be the most hypoallergenic and less irritating. All of these products are plant derived cleaning agents that are phosphate-free, formaldehyde- free, petrochemical-free and has neutral pH. That means they are totally biodegradable and totally safe for the waterways, saving marine life. Eco brand has soy based fabric softener too and N.O.P. certified organic essential oils for fragrance. But if you want fragrance-free, Seventh Generation and Eco brands have fragrance free lines as well. What’s even better is that these detergents are made for cold water so you don’t have to wash your laundry in warm water…saving more energy.
Toothpaste – Tom’s of Maine 
What’ not to like? This company is so transparent with the ingredients they use that you can find anything on their website. If you have a question, you can contact them and they will respond. What a concept! But the variety of products they offer is what I like the most. There are so many different type of toothpaste to choose from. Of course, I choose the ones without fluoride but they also have SLS free toothpaste too. And none of their products are animal tested. Their mouth wash takes getting used to though. Bleh~
Shampoo – Jason
I’m mixed on this one. I go to Wholefoods and buy whatever is on sale because I can’t tell the difference between shampoos. As long as it’s natural as it can be, I’ll buy it on sale. I do watch the chemicals they use and what the first four ingredients it has. If I can’t pronounce it or can’t recognize it, I move on to the next one. But so far, Jason has been good for the family.
Body Wash/ Soap, lotion – I splurge on this one and head over to the Mall for my favorite skin care products. I love Origins products. Their products feel luxurious without feeling guilty. It also makes me feel good that I don’t have to worry about whether it’s safe for me to use or not. I don’t have to read the ingredients on the bottles. All their products undergo rigorous safety and efficacy evaluation and testing. The never use Phthalates, Petroleum, Paraffin, dyes, mineral oil, PABA, and animal ingredients (except cruelty-free honey and beeswax.) In fact, Origins initiated a voluntary reformulation program NOT to use Parabens, Propylene Glycol and DEA. They use no synthetic fragrances, and colors in certain line of products. I love their Ginger line. It smells yummy.
Counter Tops/Sinks/Bathtub – Vinegar and Baking Soda. There are no better cleaning agents than this duo. See my previous blog on this.
BTW…this is not an endorsement for any of these products in any shape or form. This is just my personal list. I don’t make a penny for listing them on my blog. But if I made a dime every time I talk about them…I’d be a millionaire by now.
If you ever want to know what a chemical in your product does to your body, check this website. It’s an eye opener.
