Reasons to Choose Biodegradable Cleaning Brands
Switching to biodegradable cleaning brands is one of the simplest ways to cut down on plastic, avoid harsh chemicals, and reduce microplastics in your home and the planet. Biodegradable cleaners break down safely and don’t stick around in water, soil, or the food chain.
Be careful here, as many ‘green cleaning’ brands are not so (the two main ‘eco brands’ in supermarkets (Ecover and Method) are both owned by huge animal-testing giants, the latter using artificial fragrance, which does not biodegrade once rinsed down drains).
For true eco cleaning brands, you’re going to have to either visit good health stores or farm shops, or order online (many zero waste shops now offer refill stations for the brands below).
Use these cleaners with plastic-free cloths and sponges (avoid microfibre cloths as these leach microplastics into the sea when laundered). If you can’t find plastic-free mops, use cloths.
Choose Unscented products for pregnancy/nursing, allergies and if cleaning around babies or pets. Citrus oils are toxic to pets (paws on countertops or floors). We’ve listed Unscented options below.
Never pour essential oils down drains/loos (can harm aquatic life).
Never mix vinegar or lemon juice with any bleach, causes toxic gas.
You can recycle empty bottles of chemicals with kerbside recycling. For half-full bottles, dispose of at toxic waste refuse sites.
Miniml (made with Yorkshire water!)
Miniml is a range of eco cleaning products. Everything is made with natural ingredients (and naturally scented) and sold in refillable containers. Made in Yorkshire with local water!
You can either find a local store to refill, or send back items empty (using QR codes) to get the containers washed and sent back to you with new product. You also get discounts when subscribing online.
- Clementine Oven/Hob Cleaner is ideal to dissolve grease and burnt-on grime, to leave your oven and hob sparkling clean. Just spray on, let it sit for 5 minutes, then wipe with a clean sponge or cloth, repeat if necessary.
- Mint Window/Glass Cleaner wipes away fingerprints, dust and marks, to leave glass streak-free and sparkling. Just spray on and wipe in a circular motion.
- Spearmint Peppermint Toilet Cleaner is a nontoxic gel cleaner with citric acid. Pour around the top of the bowl and allow to run down the sides. Leave for at least 5 to 10 minutes, before flushing to rinse clean. Use a plastic-free sponge to remove tough stains (we don’t recommend toilet brushes as even the silicone ones contain microplastics). Also safe to use on urinals and bidets.
- Anti-Bac Bathroom Cleaner (cucumber mint, lavender or pink grapefruit) conforms is just left for a few minutes, then wiped off.
- Blood Orange Multi-Surface Cleaner is powerful to lift dirt, grime and grease. To use, just spray directly onto the surface and wipe clean. Also good for doo r handles and handrails. Or in the office. Contains citrus, don’t use near pets.
- Nutty Almond Floor Cleaner is safe for washable floors, tiles and painted wood. Just add 1 to 2 capfuls per 5 litres of warm water in a bucket. For stubborn stains, use undiluted and wash with a soft wet cloth.
Nonscents (fragrance-free)
Greenscents Nonscents is a fragrance-free organic cleaning brand (no palm oil). Sold in glass bottles, just send them back for washing and refilling. There’s a multi-surface spray, glass cleaner and loo cleaner, plus a castile soap that can be used for most cleaning jobs, when diluted.
Spruce (concentrated eco-cleaners)
Spruce offers starter kits. You just dilute the concentrates with water to clean all surfaces. Unlike some similar brands, this one avoids artificial fragrance oils.
Bio-D (sold in many shops)
Bio-D cleaners are vegan and sold in recycled plastic refillable bottles (including huge drums with taps, ideal for commercial use or people with big families). It’s best to use their fragrance-free versions, as some of the scented versions contain artificial fragrance. There are over 700 refill points across the UK.
Wholesalers can order online and receive free marketing materials, and also offer refill stations, so buyers can return to refill their products. Just imagine if all shops, restaurants, schools, offices and commercial cleaning companies switched to this brand.
Purdy & Figg: Powerful Eco Cleaning
Purdy & Figg is sold in refillable bottles, made with organic ingredients and scented with real essential oils. The brand was founded by two friends (a nurse and soap-maker) who teamed up with a chemist to develop a brand to rival the big names.
Counter Clean replaces dozens of products, with a natural versatile formula to leave a flawless finish on every surface, including stone, wood, glass and steel. Choose from natural scents:
- Ginger Citrus
- Green Pear
- Lavender Chamomile
To use, pour the 20ml bottle of cleaning concentrate into your Bottle for Life, and slowly fill to the top (just below the neck) with tap water. Shake to mix, then it’s ready.
A 300ml bottle of County Clean (including the 20ml concentrate) contains around 230 sprays. A typical household goes through a 300ml bottle in two to four weeks.
Bathroom Bliss is suitable for glass, mirrors, porcelain and chrome, with a powerful formula to tackle limescale, hard water deposits and soap scrum, for a streak-free finish. Again, do a patch test if required.
We don’t recommend using the Oh! de Loo bottle of deodorising drops, as these are placed direct into the toilet bowl. And environmentalists say that it’s best to always dilute essential oils, to avoid harm to aquatic life. The toilet water may dilute it, but it’s not really needed.
Kit & Kin (eco cleaners in refill pouches)
Kit + Kin offers eco cleaning products scented with real essential oils, in refillable pouches. The range was co-founded by Emma Bunton (Baby Spice!) The range includes:
- All purpose orange cleaner (just spray and wipe off with a clean damp cloth)
- Citrus multi-surface cleaner
- Grapefruit glass & mirror cleaner
- Citrus bathroom cleaner
- Pine & Cedarwood toilet cleaner
- Limescale remover
MadeKind (Eco Cleaners in Glass Bottles)
MadeKind offers a multi-surface cleaner (lavender, rosemary, peppermint) hat’s safe to use on most surfaces (not unsealed), along with a floor cleaner (don’t use water on wood surfaces). Along with a bathroom cleaner.
The cleaner is sold in a 500ml amber glass bottle, which you then just buy refills (scented with lavender, rosemary and peppermint oils).
ElmKind (eco cleaners in Metal Bottles)
ElmKind offers organic cleaning products in aluminium bottles that are then refilled, when empty. The range includes:
- Lavender All-purpose Cleaner
- Sweet Orange Bathroom Cleaner
- Peppermint Toilet Cleaner
- Lemongrass Floor Cleaner
- Lavender Rosemary Floor Cleaner
Despite the site listing, these items contain essential oils so are NOT pet-friendly. Instead choose unscented brands (like Bio-D or NonScents (listed above).
Planet Detox
Planet Detox is a small Devon company which offers a small range of household cleaners in metal tins or paper/cardboard packaging, made from natural clays, minerals, plant-based soap and essential oils. The range includes Wonder Tin (a household cleaner to clean countertops, taps, sinks, showers, tiles and toilets, one tin should last around 12 months).
The Kitchen Cleaning Bar will remove dirt, grease, stains and burnt-on-crusts from kitchen areas, using lemon and thyme oils to destroy E-coli and salmonella bacteria, with fine-grace pumice stone as a natural abrasive. Safe for counter tops, chopping boards, tiles, ceramic hobs, metal and ovens.
