Last Updated on November 30, 2023

I get questions about natural cleaning products all the time. I know that not everyone is into the idea of DIYing everything, so I wanted to round up a few of the best all natural and eco friendly cleaning products on the market.

Eco friendly and organic cleaning products are on the rise as households become more aware of the harmful ingredients used in traditional cleaning products. The all natural cleaning products on this list are effective, will keep your home hygienic and clean, and best of all, don’t harm the environment! These eco friendly cleaners are also good for your own health without endocrine disruptors or harsh ingredients.

This post is sponsored. All thoughts and opinions are my own; for more information please see my disclosure policy.

natural cleaning products

You can order many of these organic cleaning products online, but you can also find a lot of them at your local grocery store.

But before we even get into the brands, I want to identify what makes eco friendly cleaning products truly eco friendly. Terms like “eco” and “natural” aren’t regulated by the government. So how can you be sure that you’re getting a product that’s good for your health and the health of the planet?

Skimlinks Test

eco friendly cleaning

In the US, cleaning companies don’t have to disclose the ingredients in their products. This is a HUGE issue, especially seeing that many conventional cleaning products can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs, the building blocks of smog), which can trigger asthma and allergy symptoms.

And, if a green cleaning product is equally effective as a conventional cleaning product (which they totally are!), why would you want to clean your home with products containing harsh chemicals with labels like ‘Warning!’ or ‘Toxic Chemicals!’ anyways?

For me, eco friendly cleaners are non-toxic, derived from natural and organic ingredients, and most importantly, biodegradable so they don’t negatively impact the environment.

Biodegradability is really important when it comes to cleaning products because many of our products get into our waterways (think dish soap and laundry detergent), and I want to make sure that my products are going to break down quickly and not hang around forever.

Some of the links below are affiliate links! For more information, please see my disclosure policy.

gzw approved eco friendly cleaners

1. dropps:

• biodegradable? Yes
• packaging? Very minimal packaging. Dropps are delivered to your door in a cardboard box. The product itself is wrapped in a water soluble film made of polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH). When the film dissolves in your washer and enters the water stream, micro-organisms (including bacteria, yeasts, and fungi) that commonly exist in water treatment plants are capable of breaking down polyvinyl alcohol to water and carbon dioxide. 
• eco friendly initiatives? Dropps won the 2017 EPA Safer Choice Partner of the Year award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• natural, organic, and/or plant-derived ingredients? Yes
• known for? Dishwashing and laundry detergent

They’re very transparent — they have 3rd party testing on their website. Dropps is completely carbon neutral. Plus, they’re manufactured in the U.S. and never tested on animals.

All Going Zero Waste readers can get 25% off their first purchase with the code ‘GOINGZW‘ until 12/31.

2. frosch:

• biodegradable? Yes
• packaging? All of their products are packaged in 100% recycled PET
• eco-friendly initiatives? Frosch has an entire tab on their website dedicated to their sustainable missions, from closing the loop with their packaging to supporting education through sponsoring the International Ocean Film Tour which has screened films like Plastic Ocean.
• natural, organic, and/or plant-derived ingredients? Yes
• known for? Their original and most versatile product — Frosch Neutral Cleaner

Frosch is EU Ecolabel Certified. That’s a big deal! The EU Ecolabel is a label of environmental excellence awarded to products and services meeting high environmental standards throughout their life cycle.

All of their products are vegan and never tested on animals. Their formulas are dermatologically tested and phosphate-, borate-, formaldehyde-, NTA-, EDTA-, and halogen organic compound-free.

You can get 10% off the Neutral Cleaner with the code ‘GOINGZEROWASTE’ until 8/31.

3. earthhero:

• biodegradable? Yes
• packaging? All of their products are packaged mostly plastic-free shipping with paper tape, plus recycled and reused cardboard boxes
• eco-friendly initiatives? EarthHero is a certified B Corporation, 100% carbon neutral, and they’re members of 1% for the planet, donating portions from every purchase to environmental organizations!
• natural, organic, and/or plant-derived ingredients? Yes
• known for? EarthHero is the one-stop shop for everything sustainable. They’ve got a HUGE selection of cleaning products for anywhere in your home including all sorts of eco friendly cleaning tools like dishcloths, scrubber brushes, unpaper towels, etc.

One of my favorite things on the EarthHero website is how transparent they are.

Under each cleaning product — like this castile dish soap — they’ve called out a lot of the important information like paraben free, phthalate free, sulfate free, leaping bunny certified, and more.

You can get 10% off your order with the code ‘GOZERO‘!

4. pur home:

• biodegradable? Yes
• packaging? Their packaging is a mix of plastic, glass, and paper, but they’re going to be adding more refill options.
• eco-friendly initiatives? Pur uses essential oils for a natural fragrance, and everything is paraben-, sulfate-, dye- and dioxane-free. Pur Home never tests on animals. Safe for humans and safe for Planet!
• natural, organic, and/or plant-derived ingredients? Yes
• known for? PurHome has a little bit of everything. I’m most intrigued by their scouring powder and their organic castile soap which is made without palm oil!

PurHome is woman owned business! The CEO, Angela, is also the formulator and product developer of their natural cleaning products which are made in the U.S. They’re also cruelty free and leaping bunny certified!

RELATED: The Ultimate Guide to Zero Waste Cleaning

5. clean cult:

• biodegradable? Yes
• packaging? Cleancult uses a refillable model to reduce single-use plastics. Their refills come in a carton like a milk or juice carton which might be tricky to recycle depending on where you live.
• eco-friendly initiatives? Their products are naturally fragranced with essential oils, they’re incredibly transparent with their ingredients, and they ship carbon-neutral in partnership with carbonfund.org.
• natural, organic, and/or plant-derived ingredients? Yes
• known for? When I think about cleancult, I think about their ingredients (like using coconuts) and their refill model. They have a wide range of products from refillable hand soap to all-purpose cleaner.

Cleancult was one of the first zero waste options to offer refillable bottles. All of their products are cruelty-free, and they’re leaping bunny certified.

6. blueland:

• biodegradable? Yes
• packaging? Blueland uses a refillable model where you add the water at home.
• eco-friendly initiatives? The number one ingredient in a lot of our cleaning products is water, which can be pretty heavy and create more emissions. Their signature tablets are a great way to reduce the overall footprint of your cleaning products!
• natural, organic, and/or plant-derived ingredients? Yes
• known for? Blueland is known for its signature cleaning essentials trio.

Blueland is a woman owned business! Their products are also vegan and leaping bunny-certified and cruelty-free. They also have certifications for USDA Biobased Preferred and EPA Safer Choice.

RELATED: DIY Tub Scrub

7. veles:

• biodegradable? Yes
• packaging? Their packaging is glass, and they sell refills in glass bottles.
• eco-friendly initiatives? Veles’ water and active ingredients come from food waste, meaning each bottle saves four pounds of greenhouse gas emissions and two cups of water.
• natural, organic, and/or plant-derived ingredients? Yes
• known for? Their all purpose cleaning spray which comes with a refillable spray bottle.

Veles‘ main goal is to be resource negative. Resource negative is a term they coined to describe products that avoid the use of raw material. Instead, they opt for renewable or waste materials.

The water and active ingredients that make up the base of the product are 100% derived from food waste. They are also cruelty-free.

8. grove collaborative:

• biodegradable? Yes
• packaging? They have all sorts of different packaging options, including some refillable options.
• eco-friendly initiatives? Grove Collaborative is a certified B Corp, they’ve partnered with Seedling to plant 1 million trees by 2022, and their facilities and shipments are carbon neutral.
• natural, organic, and/or plant-derived ingredients? Yes
• known for? Grove Collaborative is a marketplace, so they have many different types of cleaners and cleaning supplies available on their website from a dish soap block with a scrubby to refillable all-purpose cleaners.

Grove Collaborative is also 100% plastic neutral, which means for every ounce of plastic you receive from Grove, they’ll divert the same amount of plastic from the ocean through their partners at Plastic Bank with a goal of being plastic-free by 2025.

RELATED: DIY homemade febreze

9. seventh generation:

• biodegradable? Yes
• packaging? They have a mix of recycled paper and recycled plastic.
• eco-friendly initiatives? They’re a certified B Corp, Rainforest Alliance Certified, FSC Certified, USDA Certified Bio Based Product, and more. They also have a whole tab on their website dedicated to Climate Justice where you can read all about their eco-friendly projects and policies.
• natural, organic, and/or plant-derived ingredients? Yes
• known for? When I hear the name Seventh Generation, I typically think about laundry detergent, but they have a whole range of products.

I’ve always been impressed by Seventh Generation’s social commitments and transparency with their ingredients.

Seventh Generation products do not contain any animal ingredients or byproducts, but they are not vegan certified. They do not test on animals and are Leaping Bunny certified.

10. common good:

• biodegradable? Yes
• packaging? They offer both glass and plastic packaging, depending on the product. They also offer refills and have refill stations so you can BYOC.
• eco-friendly initiatives? Common Good products are made with gentle, plant-based ingredients and scented with 100% pure essential oil. Their mission is to reduce plastic packaging by offering beautiful, refillable bottles.
• natural, organic, and/or plant-derived ingredients? Yes
• known for? They’re known for their laundry detergent, but they have several other products like all-purpose cleaners and hand sanitizer!

Common Good is cruelty free and Leaping Bunny certified.

They don’t use any animal-derived raw material for their liquid products. Their lactic acid is derived from plant sugars and all corn-derived ingredients, come from non-GMO sources. 

RELATED: 2 Zero Waste All Purpose Cleaners

11. ecos:

• biodegradable? Yes
• packaging? Their packaging is plastic
• eco-friendly initiatives? ECOS is the first company in the world to have achieved the “trifecta” of sustainable manufacturing: carbon neutral, water neutral, and TRUE Platinum Zero Waste certified (highest level, >95% waste diversion in all four of our US facilities).
• natural, organic, and/or plant-derived ingredients? Yes
• known for? Their dish soap.

I really couldn’t find much information about ECOS packaging, but their manufacturing and commitment to sustainability and clean ingredients earned them a spot on this list!

ECOS is Leaping Bunny certified, US EPA Safer Choice, and grey water and septic safe. Their facility runs on 100% renewable energy.

12. ecover:

• biodegradable? Yes
• packaging? They use Plantplastic® packaging. Plantplastic is made from sustainably harvested sugar cane that’s Bonsucro certified. This ensures the sugar is grown on existing croplands to protect biodiversity, using as little water as possible and incorporating fair labor practices.
• eco-friendly initiatives? Ecover began in 1979. They created the world’s very first phosphate-free laundry detergent! Their factory in Chicago was the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum-certified plant in the industry. They’re also a certified B Corp.
• natural, organic, and/or plant-derived ingredients? Yes
• known for? Ecover is known for its original laundry detergent, but they have a wide range of products from dishwasher powder (sold in a cardboard box) and stain removers.

All of Ecover’s products are Leaping Bunny certified. I also like that they have a full ingredient glossary on their website for complete transparency on the ingredients that they use.  

RELATED: DIY Homemade All-Natural Bleach

13. jr watkins:

• biodegradable? Yes
• packaging? Their packaging is plastic, but they do have refill options.
• eco-friendly initiatives? They avoid using harmful ingredients in their formulas, like parabens, dyes, phthalates, and formaldehyde.
• natural, organic, and/or plant-derived ingredients? Yes
• known for? JR Watkins is actually known for beauty products. They just started to get into the cleaning space with dish soap and an all purpose spray.

I love that JR Watkins has been creating natural, cruelty free products since 1868. They’re a company well beyond their time.

RELATED: Eco-Friendly Cleaning

14. the laundress:

• biodegradable? Yes
• packaging? Their packaging is mostly plastic, but my favorite stain bar is wrapped in paper.
• eco-friendly initiatives? The Laundress began because 90% of clothing that says “dry-clean only” can be washed at home if you do it properly! Dry cleaning isn’t super great for the environment, so use your washing machine at home instead.
• natural, organic, and/or plant-derived ingredients? Yes
• known for? All things laundry!

The Laundress is a woman owned business. It’s also cruelty-free and formulated in the USA. They have a huge selection of products specifically for delicates, wool, stains, upholstery, plus a great alternative to chlorine bleach that’s free from harmful chemicals.

15. fillaree:

• biodegradable? Yes
• packaging? Their packaging is a mix of glass, aluminum, and plastic, and they have a bunch of refill options both online and in stores across the US.
• eco-friendly initiatives? Fillaree was one of the very first closed-loop and zero waste brands on the market, and their shop is also zero waste. More than 90% of their waste is diverted from landfills.
• natural, organic, and/or plant-derived ingredients? Yes
• known for? Their clean plate dish soap — which is one of my favorite products!

Fillaree is woman owned and never tests their products on animals!

16. nellie’s clean:

• biodegradable? Yes 
• packaging? Comes in a recyclable box. No wrapping on the stick itself to reduce waste. 
• eco-friendly initiatives? All of Nellie’s Clean products are Leaping Bunny Certified, free of synthetic fragrances, and gluten-free. All items are eco-friendly, hypoallergenic, and highly effective, helping to keep the planet as spotless as clothes! 
• natural, organic, and/or plant-derived ingredients? Yes 
• known for? Their WOW stick. 

The WOW stick outperformed other natural and chemical stain removers it tested against. They utilize a planet-friendly formula that actually works. 

To use the WOW stick, just wet the stain, then the stick. Agitate with fingernails or brush to activate, then rinse clean. You can use it as a spot treatment or treat clothing prior to the washing cycle. 

Use the discount code ZERO20 for 20% off, excluding bundles and sale items. 

homemade cleaning products

Before I go, I do just want to shout out that creating your own DIY cleaning products is MUCH easier than it might sound. Check out my easy DIY Tub Cleaner, DIY All Purpose Cleaner, and Homemade Febreze to start.

Here’s my ULTIMATE Guide to Zero Waste Cleaning around the home where I go over how you can finally stop using a paper towel for every spill and the tools I use on a regular basis. Plus, how I craft my own cleaning products for pennies using safe ingredients like baking soda, lemon juice, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and more.

faqs

are organic cleaning products more expensive?

The price for natural cleaning products can seem more expensive if you’re only comparing price tags. However, traditional cleaning products are mostly water. All natural cleaning products are much more concentrated, meaning you use less to achieve the same result, and it may save you money over time.

Additionally, these products cause less wear and tear on your belongings, saving you money in repairs and replacements as well!

are natural cleaning products really better for your health?

Absolutely. According to the American Lung Association, many common household products can irritate the eyes and throat, cause headaches, and even contribute to long term health problems. And that’s to say nothing of corrosive products that can cause skin burns and eye damage.

You’re also at a much lower risk of causing a dangerous chemical reaction when you opt for natural ingredients.

can natural cleaners kill bacteria and viruses?

You can certainly use natural ingredients to disinfect your surfaces. Alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, and some essential oils kill germs as effectively as bleach! I always advise you to do your homework to ensure you’re using the right concentrations and are targeting the right things. Just a cinnamon essential oil won’t keep your family safe from a nasty flu bug or salmonella!

I really hope that you enjoyed this post! Do you have green cleaning brands or a green cleaning service that belongs on the list? Let me know in the comments down below.