Non-Toxic Home Cleaning Swaps

Basic DIY Essentials that are affordable, versatile, and powerful:

1.      Baking Soda

o   Scrubs sinks, tubs, and ovens naturally.

o   Absorbs odors in carpets and refrigerators.

2.      White Vinegar (cleaning grade)

o   All-purpose disinfectant, great for windows, mirrors, limescale, and more.

o   Avoid on natural stone like marble or granite.

3.      Castile Soap (e.g., Dr. Bronner’s, Dille & Kamille)

o   Perfect for dish soap, hand soap, floors, and even laundry.

4.      Essential Oils

o   Tea Tree: Antibacterial, antifungal

o   Lemon: Grease-fighting, uplifting scent

o   Lavender or Eucalyptus: Calming and antimicrobial

5.      Hydrogen Peroxide (3%)

o   Natural bleach alternative.

o   Great for mold, toilet bowls, and whitening grout.

Truly Non-Toxic Store-Bought Products

Many "eco" or "green" products are greenwashed — meaning they look healthy but contain harmful preservatives, fragrance, or sulfates.

These brands are generally well-vetted for clean ingredients:

North America:

• Branch Basics – concentrated all-purpose cleaner, non-toxic and refillable.

• Puracy – plant-based formulas, transparent labeling.

• Attitude – EWG-verified, biodegradable, wide range of products.

• Dr. Bronner’s – castile soap for everything from floors to laundry.

• ECOS – available in many U.S. stores, low-tox.

Europe / Netherlands:

• Sonett – biodynamic, biodegradable, transparent ingredients.

• Ecover use caution: some products contain fragrance – check label)

• Bio-D – UK-based, unscented options available.

• Marcel’s Green Soap (NL-based – better but some contain parfum, read carefully)

How to Check If a Product Is Truly Non-Toxic

North America:

• EWG’s Healthy Cleaning Guide: Search product or ingredient rating (A to F)

• Think Dirty App:  Easy-to-use barcode scanner and safety scores

Europe:

• NATRUE & Ecocert Certifications:  Look for their logos for guaranteed green standards.

• CodeCheck App (Germany/NL):  Ingredient scanner for personal care and cleaning products.

What to Avoid (Common Greenwashing Toxins)

❌ Fragrance / parfum (unless it says 100% natural essential oils)

❌ SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate)

❌ Triclosan (very common in hand sanitizers)

❌ Ammonia or bleach

❌ Benzalkonium chloride