If cleaning the house is the last thing you want to be doing this summer, consider embracing some of the market’s best all-purpose, green cleaning products with fresh seasonal scents that will make you feel like you’ve brought the outdoors in.
Full of aromatherapeutic benefits, they positively affect your mood, not to mention, motivate you to get some cleaning done no matter how much you’d rather be at the beach! And because they contain non-toxic and environmentally friendly ingredients that help clean a variety of surfaces easily and quickly, you’ll be able to get outside and enjoy the summer weather in no time.
Check out these top, eco-friendly cleaning picks for easy breezy, summer cleaning. And if you’ve tried any other green great brands, let me know by leaving a comment.
This eco-friendly, carbon neutral cleaner is EcoLogo-certified and free of carcinogens and nasty chemicals like 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide. Plus, its mood-lifting citrus zest scent is sure to improve your attitude towards cleaning. Guaranteed!
Created by the well-known actor and environmentalist, Ed Begley, Jr., this non-toxic, plant-based cleaner has an uplifting, subtle scent derived from a potpourri of pure essential oils. It’s a little pricier than other brands, but it does perform extremely well for tackling most cleaning projects in and around the house. Check out my in-depth product review here.
Uplift your spirits with the clary sage-citrus scent of this solvent-free and pH neutral cleaner that easily battles grime anywhere from the bathroom to the kitchen. Its no-rinse, no-residue formula makes cleaning simple. Plus, I love the fact that it serves double duty as a fabric treatment and upholstery cleaner. Because it’s available in a fragrance-free version, too, it’s really great for those who are chemically sensitive or who want to add in essential oils of their own choosing. Available in concentrate and large, industrial sizes, too.
As fresh as garden-snipped parsley, this earth friendly cleaner with plant-based surfactants brings the outdoors in. It easily cleans several surfaces in and outside your home, such as countertops, ovens, grills, and wooden decks, so it’s a must-have for summer entertaining. Plus, it can be used on fabric. Its availability in gallon sizes and concentrate forms is an eco-friendly and money-saving bonus.
As revitalizing as a sunny summer day, Eco-Me’s natural, fresh scented cleaners make cleaning effortless. I especially love the lemon-scented cleaner as it really lifts my spirits. But if that doesn’t float your boat, check out the Herbal-Mint, Citrus Berry, or fragrance-free version. Made with pure, natural ingredients and absolutely nothing non-toxic, it’s definitely green as noted in this product review I did for About.com.
This USDA-certified organic, powerful hypo-allergenic and non-toxic cleaner will help you effectively clean and remove stuck-on debris, grease, and grime from those hard-to-clean surfaces in your kitchen. With its natural ingredients, fresh lemony scent, and certifications, it’s definitely a top eco-cleaner.
Method brings the scent of walking along the beach to you in this limited-edition, dewy-scented, all-purpose cleaner with notes of sage and eucalyptus. If you fall in love with the fragrance, which is part synthetic and part pure essential oils, it’s also available in a biodegradable gel hand wash, pump dish soap, and laundry detergent. However, do take note that it has artificial coloring, which knocks off a few “green points.”
Bring the sunshine indoors with this 100% natural castile-soap based cleaner, which has multiple uses, such as cleaning carpets, woodwork, counter tops, and more. Definitely an earth friendly find. Available in small 8 oz., 16 oz., gallon, and 5-gallon sizes. For more info. on the product, read my About.com product review.
Copyright © Karen Peltier and Well Gal, 2013 – 2015. All rights reserved.
Photos © Karen Peltier and Well Gal, 2013 – 2015.
Note: This post was originally published August 27, 2013 and updated on June 22, 2015.
Great idea to make an all purpose cleaner. I also prefer the natural and non toxic products, but I never thought that can be made just one to maintain everything. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing these products. it is a good thing to use non toxic substances for cleaning in the house because we spend most of our time at home and we do not want to poison ourselves sick. I have not tried any of these, I will try some of them. For the most part I use bicarbonate of soda and vinegar.
Hi Siphosith.
I agree. We spend so much time in our homes that using gentle, nontoxic cleaning products is the way to go! Like you, I tackle a lot of my cleaning needs with baking soda and vinegar as well. Occasionally, I’ll try a green, store-bought cleaner for the convenience and since my kids enjoy using them as well.
Karen
Have you tried these cleaners? Do you have an opinion as to which actually cleans the best?
Growing up we used to use this amazing organic cleaner that was scented with real oranges. It worked great and smelled even better. I have not tried any of these but I’m interested in doing so after this article.
Hi Karen, where I used to live, there was a man who came around to our house selling environmentally friendly cleaning products. It was great – plus he would refill our existing bottles rather than give us new ones all the time.
Sometimes the “green” products don’t clean as well as the others, so it’s good to have this list of yours, to refer to. Thank you.
Hello Julieanne.
Refilling bottles is such a great practice! I really wish more brands offered refills to avoid tossing out the old bottles.
Not all green products are created equal. I’ve tested dozens of brands and I can say that some are better than others. Also, I’ve found eco-friendly products that are just as good as, if not better, than some conventional products on the market. So, it all comes down to which ones you try. 🙂
Karen
Hi Karen, I’ll always try and use products with an aroma that appeals to me, either that or aroma free. It’s the natural products that I actually enjoy using. They motivate me to do the routine cleaning jobs that I’m not keen on. I love citrus and berry scents.
There was a well known product that I was using because of the scent. It wasn’t until I was doing a lot of cleaning, ready for painting the house, that I realized how toxic it was. I got headaches and sore eyes from it. I’m now more careful in what I buy.
Thank you for your recommendations.
Hi Sue.
I’m so glad discontinued the cleaner you were using once you figured out that the product was causing health issues, such as headaches and sore eyes. All too often, may people don’t make the connection and continue using these toxic cleaners.
So, I hope you try one of the eco-friendly and safe cleaners I suggested, or another one that suits your needs, to avoid any ill side effects.
Karen
Karen, it has been sometime since my last visit. Yet, you still have the natural abilities to educate me.
I love natural products and believe if more of us would use them. The harmful products will someday never exist. That is the best end result.
No, I am not a person to sleep outside in a sleeping bag. Done that when a child and not anymore. Remember, I was in the Air Force overseas with NATO. We had vehicles and plans with building well furnished.
Yet, I only new of Amway natural products. Which I believe were the first in the US. I will have to give these a try. The smell you shared is more than enough to sample.
Thanks for keeping us update with real usable information.
Hello William.
You know, I don’t if Amway was necessarily the first company to introduce natural products into the U.S., but it would make an interesting little research study. What I do know now is that there are dozens of excellent green cleaning companies that you can choose from, thank goodness. Better for us as consumers, and of course, for the environment!
By the way, thanks for the nice complement.
Karen
I most definitely will be sharing this with my wife – we are really trying to not use harsh chemicals in and around the house.
Hi Bill.
Thanks for sharing this article with your wife. I hope you find something that works well for cleaning in and around your home.
If for some reason you don’t want a commercial cleaner, good old vinegar and baking soda always works wonders.
Karen