Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

What to do when you've got a sink full of pans, bowls, dishes, spoons, and such after creating an amazing vegan feast? I use a vegan, earth friendly soap to clean it up! Earth Friendly Products' Ultra Dishmate is concentrated, so you don't have to use a lot, and it lasts a long time. I like it because it smells so good, it's effective, and it's soft on my hands, which is good because I usually wait until my sink is full and there's a lot to wash.

I just found Natural Value kitchen sponges for about a dollar. They are made with 50% post-consumer recycled materials and really look and act like any other non-recycled sponge.

For laundry, I like Seventh Generation products. Their "Delicate Care" detergent works just as well as Woolite, but it's so much better for the environment!This laundry detergent powder is very light, yet as effective as any other detergent I've ever tried. As I was seraching for pictures of their products, I found this interesting tidbit: Sounds good to me!

For the bathroom, I like Mrs. Meyer's Surface Scrub because it works so well and it smells SO good (I've only tried geranium, but I know there's also basil and lemon verbena scents). I've also tried the geranium toilet bowl cleaner, which works really well. Seventh Generation Emerald Cypress and Fir Toilet Bowl Cleaner also works well. There are a bunch of economical and eco-friendly cleaning products out there that are not only better for the environment, but better for your health!

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps

I love Dr. Bronner's soaps! They leave my skin feeling really soft, they're super effective, and they're made from vegan and organic ingredients like coconut, hemp, jojoba, and olive oils. Even the packaging is made from 100% post-consumer waste! I usually find Dr. Bronner's products at health food stores, and they last forever since they're really concentrated. I've tried peppermint, almond, and unscented/baby/mild. They also make tea tree, lavender, citrus, eucalytpus, and rose scented, all made with essential oils. If that's not enough, they're also fair trade! I just used my almond Dr. Bronner's soap to take out a stain from a shirt, and it worked beautifully.

Eco-Friendly All Purpose Cleaner

I have been using Parsley Plus All Purpose Surface Cleaner to clean almost everything in my home for years. It's totally vegan, and it actually smells good in a clean, non-toxic sort of way! The most important thing is, it works really well. I use it to clean my stove and countertops, and I can be a pretty messy cook. You can find it for about $5 in stores, or you can order a case of 12 from Amazon.com (see link at right of this page) for a little over $3.00 a bottle. That will last you a long time!