Our cleaning cabinets can contain a laundry list of toxic chemicals and heaps of single-use plastic, meaning keeping our homes clean comes at a cost to the planet.
"Most cleaning products are used fleetingly, then washed away down the plughole,” says Anna Turns, environmental journalist and author of Go Toxic Free. “Many toxic ingredients won’t easily degrade,” and once in the sea, they can “accumulate inside plants and animals” and “harm and disrupt hormone function of wildlife and of us”. The manufacture of these ingredients also has an “environmental cost”, she says. So simply using less of any cleaning product is one of the best things we can do, advises Francesca Ginley, chemicals expert at Marine Conservation Society.
Turns notes common culprits are bleach, chemicals in synthetic fragrances, VOCs (volatile organic compounds causing air pollution) and phosphates. “In my view, when there are safer, healthier alternatives that are as effective, it makes no sense to use toxic ingredients.” Bleach, for example, is “toxic to aquatic life and harmful when we breathe it in during use”, but it’s not necessary, as “we don’t live in a sterile environment”.
Non-toxic and natural ingredients can be just as effective. However, choosing the best cleaning products isn’t always straightforward. For what you need to know about what ‘natural’ actually means, to the greenwashing red flags to look for, you can scroll down to the bottom of this review for some expert insights. But keep reading to find the products that measure up under real-world testing around my home, from floor cleaner to laundry detergent.
Read more: 6 best eco-friendly laundry sheets, tried and tested
Spruce multi-purpose cleaner
Best: eco-friendly cleaning product overall
Why we love it
- Soft floral scent
- Compostable or recyclable packaging
- No streaky residue
Lots of surface cleaners contain chemical-based antibacterial agents and claim to kill “99 per cent of germs”. This isn't necessary for everyday home cleaning, says Spruce, so the brand uses plant-derived cleaning agents instead. Its products don't contain synthetic fragrances, artificial colours, parabens, pesticides, petroleum, phosphates, SLS or triclosan.
The multi-purpose cleaner is great for quick clean-ups and freshening up surfaces. The formulas come dry, in a sachet, which you put into the aluminium bottle and fill with water. This takes just minutes, though it is a little fiddly.
Suitable for most sealed surfaces, including wood, it removed a coffee stain from a wooden table, and it didn’t leave residue or streaks on kitchen counters. It doesn't have a heady chemical smell, but rather a floral scent, thanks to the organic geranium essential oil.
The formula is made with non-toxic ingredients, which the brand tells me means it “avoids ingredients and formats that are widely associated with unnecessary concern, especially for products used frequently in enclosed indoor spaces”.
Plus, the sachet can go in your food waste for composting, and the aluminium is infinitely recyclable, so everything feels well thought through. At £8 for the starter kit, the upfront cost is higher than your typical multipurpose cleaner, but there's a refill subscription which works out at less than £3 per refill.
Buy now £8, Wearespruce.co
Purdy and Figg bathroom bliss
Best: premium cleaning product
Why we love it
- Concentrated formulas
- Zesty scent
- Premium bottles
Take note
- Expensive
- Bottles aren’t labelled
Purdy & Figg’s cleaning products arrive as concentrated formulas to be diluted in water in an included glass bottle with a sprayer head. Made in the UK in small batches, they contain “100 per cent natural ingredients”, which means bio-based surfactants (cleansers) and pure essential oils, the brand told me. No toxic chemicals, including the likes of chlorine bleach, phthalates, phosphates and known EDCs (endocrine disrupting compounds, which impact the body's hormone system), are used.
The bathroom cleaner was particularly good at cutting through orange limescale around the plughole, giving a nice shine and removing water marks from metalwork. It removed the mistiness from tempered glass in the shower, but it struggled with very stubborn watermarks. The lemongrass and lime scent is zesty and refreshing – the lemongrass is also said to be a natural deodoriser, while lime has antibacterial properties.
The set comes with three refills and a soft microfibre cloth. The starter kit is £43, or you can subscribe for £15, which is still expensive. But the lovely scent, considered formulas and high-quality packaging make up for it.
Buy now £43, Purdyandfigg.com
Naked Paper unbleached recycled kitchen roll
Best: kitchen roll
Why we love it
- Low carbon footprint
- Absorbent
Take note
- More expensive than unbleached rolls
- Can tear more easily
Most kitchen rolls are bleached, but Naked Paper skips this step. Bleaching the colour out of kitchen roll isn't necessary for its performance or hygiene, the brand told me – so unbleached seems like a no-brainer. And, in testing, it held up well.
The brand offers sheets made with FSC-certified recycled cardboard and sheets made with bamboo. The latter is billed as stronger, though when testing, they seemed similarly absorbent and strong. But the recycled cardboard one has a lower carbon footprint. The paper isn't heavy-duty nor flimsy – firm enough for mopping up day-to-day spills. And, it’s equally absorbent as standard rolls.
There are 100 sheets in a roll, which is pretty standard. It is more expensive than most – if you buy one pack of six without a subscription, it would cost around £2.30 per roll – but the environmental angle could be strong enough justification.
Buy now £13.99, Nakedpaper.com
Strip wash laundry detergent
Best: laundry sheets
Why we love it
- Good value for money
- Compact
Take note
- Scent is very subtle
Topping our review of the best laundry sheets, Strip Wash offers a great alternative to regular laundry detergent. By concentrating the detergent into biodegradable, lightweight strips, it’s far less energy-intensive to transport than water-based or powder detergents, and they dissolve in the wash.
In testing, I was impressed to see that soy sauce and berry stains had been completely removed from a light pink fabric. I tested the “cotton fresh” scented option, but the scent wasn’t noticeable on my washed laundry. There’s an unscented option too, if you’d prefer that.
The sheets are compact and easy to store, ideal if your cupboard space is limited. As they contain no microplastics and the packaging is cardboard, they're a completely plastic-free option. Even better, they offer excellent value for money. The box has enough strips to last you up to 48 washes, as there are 24 strips in a box that you can halve for smaller washes. In that instance, the strips come partially cut into halves to neatly rip apart, which is handy.
Buy now £6.99, Stripwash.co.uk
Delphis Eco kitchen cleaner and degreaser
Best: kitchen degreaser
Why we love it
- Versatile
- Cuts through grease
- No smell
- EU Ecolabel accreditation
Take note
- Not as powerful as a dedicated hob cleaner
A powerful, professional-strength cleaning product, Delphis Eco’s kitchen cleaner and degreaser harnesses plant-based ingredients to cut through grease and grime. It's a great all-rounder that can be used on kitchen surfaces, appliances, floors and walls, so if you regularly fry with oil, this is going to come in handy. You can use it on pans and trays, too – in testing, it effortlessly removes burnt-on food and grease from a frying pan.
Put to the test on countertops, I was impressed with how well it removed grease. It didn’t remove smears from a glass induction hob quite as effectively as my dedicated hob cleaner does. That said, it's got daily hob wipe downs covered. I liked that it doesn’t have a smell, and it comes at a reasonable price point, too.
The brand says the formula is free from phosphates, phosphonates, fragrances and dyes, and that it is low VOCs (these are volatile organic compounds, which evaporate at room temperature and can be harmful to health). Also notable is that the brand has an EU Ecolabel accreditation, which means it has passed certain environmental impact criteria. Certification like this is a clear and reliable sign that a brand is taking measures to be more environmentally friendly.
Buy now £4.5, Amazon.co.uk
BioD pine and cedarwood bathroom cleaner spray
Best: bathroom cleaner
Why we love it
- Made in the UK
- Recycled plastic bottle
Take note
- Scent is subtle
If you're looking for the best eco-friendly bathroom cleaner, BioD’s bathroom cleaner spray performs very well. It removed orange limescale around the bath, and white limescale and water marks from the shower and tap.
Naturally scented with pine and cedarwood essential oils, which give the product its naturally anti-bacterial properties, the cleaner has a very pleasant but subtle smell.
It's also nice to know that the product is made in the UK using solar energy, that it’s certified vegan and cruelty-free, and that the bottle is made of recycled plastic. The price point is good, too.
Buy now £3.38, Biod.co.uk
Seep bamboo dish brush
Best: washing up brush
Why we love it
- Removes food effectively
- Comfortable to use
- Biodegradable
Take note
- Needs to be taken care of
- Lasts for around six months
You may remember Seep from the BBC's Dragons’ Den, when the plastic-free cleaning brand walked away with investment. And, having put a range of the brand's cleaning tools to the test, I'm also on board.
The bamboo dish brush is comfortable to hold, and the biodegradable plant bristles (made from cactus fibres) dealt with everything from dried-on porridge to burnt-on egg whites. While you scrub away, you can be happy in the knowledge that the fibres aren’t scratching your dishes, although it’s worth bearing in mind the brand doesn't say whether it's suitable for non-stick pans.
It is, however, more expensive than plastic brushes, you also need to take more care of it than a plastic one (rinse after use and keep it dry between uses), and the bristles will only last for six months. The brand says you can remove the bristles and put them in your food bin.
Buy now £8, Theseepcompany.com
Bower Collective limescale
Best: limescale remover
Why we love it
- Very effective
- No strong smell
- Works quickly
- Premium glass bottle
- Can return refills for reuse
Take note
- Pricey
Bower Collective’s limescale remover means business. It removed brown-orange limescale from the bath around the plug hole, and white limescale from the showerhead, all with minimal elbow grease. All you need to do is spray it onto limescale and leave it for 15 seconds (you'll want to leave it on longer to remove stubborn limescale). It doesn't have a strong and heady scent like some rivals made with synthetic ingredients, either.
The formula is made in the UK with vegan and naturally-derived ingredients. Plus, the bottles are premium, glass with a convenient rubber bottom, and there's a convenient refill subscription – plus, empty refills can be returned for free, for the brand to reuse.
Buy now £7.69, Bowercollective.com
Miniml anti-bac surface cleaner
Best: anti-bacterial surface cleaner
Why we love it
- Refillable bottle
- Removes grease
- Targeted spray for precision
- Soothing scent
Take note
- Plastic bottle isn’t ideal
For a deep clean without chemical antibacterials, I’d recommend Miniml’s anti-bac surface cleaner. Short of taking a swab of my kitchen surfaces, I can’t report on its antibacterial effect; however, the brand says its formula kills 99.9 per cent of bacteria.
In testing, it removed grease, spills and general messes from the kitchen counter. The spray is a targeted stream rather than a mist, so it’s easy to be precise. Plus, the lavender fragrance, made with natural essential oils, is soothing.
The formula is plant-based and made with mostly natural origin ingredients (nature-derived but may have been altered, possibly chemically), for instance, a vegetable extract that lifts limescale. It’s also sulphate- and paraben-free.
The sprayer bottle is plastic, but there’s a massive 5l container of formula you can use to refill it, which produces less carbon emissions than having new bottles delivered. Some refill shops stock the formula, so you can refill your bottle there. Your empties can be sent back to the brand for free to be reused.
Buy now £3.49, Minimlrefills.co.uk
Bower Collective loo cleaner pine and cedarwood
Best: loo cleaner
Why we love it
- Subtle pleasant scent
- Vegan
- Doesn't contain bleach of chemical acids
Take note
- Transparent liquid is harder to see in the bowl
A lot of toilet cleaners use bleach or chemical acids, but Bower Collective’s non-toxic formula is said to remove 99 per cent of bacteria with naturally-derived ingredients.
The brand advises leaving the formula to work overnight for the best results. This isn't necessary with synthetic formulas, but it's not a problem unless you want super-quick results or need to use the loo at night.
Scented with naturally derived essential oils, the formula has a subtle pine and cedarwood smell, which I much preferred to the heady, bleach smell of my usual toilet cleaner. You could also opt for the yuzu lemon or lavender milk versions instead.
The formula is transparent, so I felt less reassured I’d covered the whole bowl, but I needn't have been concerned. By morning, it had done a good job of removing limescale and stains, although stubborn limescale hadn’t budged. This is often the case when I use my usual Duck cleaner, too, though.
If you don’t already have a bottle, you need to buy the glass refillable bottle, which can be refilled with the brand’s 1l refills. Once empty, you can send these back for free to be refilled and reused.
Buy now £4.09, Bowercollective.com
Ocean Saver pearl 5-in-1 dishwasher tablets
Best: dishwasher tablets
Why we love it
- Cuts thorough grease
- Gleaming results
- Convenient subscription
Take note
- More expensive than some popular brands
- Didn’t remove stubborn tea stains
The plastic wrapping around most dishwasher tablets contributes to microplastic pollution. But Ocean Saver opts for a water-soluble wrapping instead, which is generally considered biodegradable and is designed to break down into water and carbon dioxide in wastewater treatment plants. Unlike some popular dishwasher tablets, these don’t contain phosphonates, which pollute rivers, or polycarboxylates, which don’t biodegrade easily, or certain toxins that are harmful to aquatic life.
Crucially, they were very effective. I used them with my machine in eco mode, and the results were as you’d expect: plates were grease-free and gleaming, cutlery was shining, and even pots and pans with cooked-on food came out spotless. The stubborn tea stains on a well-used mug hadn’t shifted, but, overall, I was very pleased.
Priced at £30 for 50 tablets, these tablets are on the pricey side, but it's a trade-off. Plus, it’s also nice knowing that 1 per cent of the revenue from every pack goes to helping restore marine habitats via the Blue Marine Foundation.
Buy now £24.98, Ocean-saver.com
Eat Dirt non-bio laundry liquid
Best: scented laundry detergent
Why we love it
- Recyclable tin
- Cool look
- Smells great mandarin scent
- Works at low temperatures
Take note
- Some detergent spills surround the lid when pouring
If you're a sucker for a great scent, I'd recommend Eat Dirt's laundry detergent. The mandarin, neroli and amber scent is addictive and potent without being heady.
As for cleaning power, the brand uses the mildest ingredients possible to achieve an effective clean. In testing, the laundry detergent removed a tomato pasta sauce from a light grey fleece, and continued to work well even on a cold wash (20C).
The tin can be a little messy to pour, but it’s a small price for the knowledge you’re cutting down on plastic and about to have some of the best-smelling laundry of your life.
Of course, I can’t neglect to mention the packaging. I love the funky tins, which are fun and design-y in a way I haven’t seen from other laundry products, while the tin can be recycled. And, it’s a nice touch that the tins are shipped in second-hand cardboard boxes.
However, it's worth noting that the fragrance is from a blend of natural citrus oils and nature-identical synthetics, rather than all essential oils.
Buy now £24.75, Eatdirt.world
Fill laundry liquid bio
Best: refillable laundry detergent
Why we love it
- Fabric conditioner is Allergy UK allergy friendly
- Certified vegan and cruelty-free
- Ecocert approved
Take note
- Can be a little messy
Housed in aesthetic bottles, Fill’s laundry detergent is Ecocert-approved, a reliable sign the brand is taking care with the environmental impact of its products.
The formulas are biodegradable and certified vegan and cruelty-free, plus the brand donates one per cent of its profits to good causes through environmental organisation 1% for the Planet. There's also a 5l carton (£33.30, Fillrefill.co) to refill your glass bottle so you can stay stocked up.
I tried the lavender bio laundry detergent, and the unscented fabric conditioner, which removed a variety of messes, including soy sauce, coffee and even smeared berries. It struggled to clean a big tomato pasta sauce stain without pre-treating it, but this is the case with my usual laundry detergent anyway.
The detergent uses a mild plant-based surfactant and contains lavender essential oil, which imparts a very light, floral scent onto laundry. Measuring into the cap is a little messier than pouring into the larger caps of bigger bottles, but you’ll quickly be able to eyeball it.
Buy now £8.5, Fillrefill.co
Greenscents organic washing up liquid
Best: washing up liquid
Why we love it
- Cuts through grease
- Gentle on skin
- Minty scent
Rivalling its chemical counterparts, Greenscents’s organic washing up liquid cut through grease and fried-on food with ease and left glassware smear-free and cutlery shining.
To work up a lather, the toxin-free formula contains dried fruit shells (soap nuts and shikakai pods) that replace harsher cleansers. It doesn’t lather as much as Fairy Liquid, but the cleaning power didn't appear to suffer. Plus, the gentler ingredients (no SLS, SLES, or artificial fragrances) are said to be better for sensitive skin. I don't have sensitive skin, but I did find the suds less drying. It's also nice to know it is certified as vegan and cruelty-free.
The minty scent (from peppermint oil) is refreshing, but it won't be to everyone’s taste, so you may want to check out the citrus, lavender or unscented versions.
It’s a lot more expensive than Fairy Liquid. But, if you're after a gentle yet effective washing-up liquid, I can't recommend this enough.
Buy now £7.5, Greenscents.co.uk
Ecozone soap nuts
Best: all-natural laundry detergent alternative
Why we love it
- Effective cleaning
- Good value for money
Take note
- Plastic bag as well as the cotton bag for the soap nuts
- No scent left on laundry
A truly all-natural laundry detergent, soap nuts have long been used in South Asia and India for their natural cleaning power. They're biodegradable, compostable, and hypoallergenic. They resemble cracked conkers and have a slightly vinegar-like scent that isn’t unpleasant. Pop them into the included cotton bag, and put that in with your laundry.
When tested on everyday laundry loads, including my gym clothes, the results were no different to my regular detergent – even when washing on low temperatures. My washing came out of the machine clean and with a neutral scent – which may take some getting used to, compared to the artificially fresh smell of regular detergents.
Each lot of soap nuts can be used up to four times, and I didn’t notice any drop-off in effectiveness by the fourth wash. This means the full bag will last around 100 washes, making it a brilliant option for value for money, too.
Buy now £7.69, Amazon.co.uk
Eco mate floor cleaner
Best: floor cleaner
Why we love it
- Less plastic packaging
- Offsets transport emissions
- Donates to ocean charities
Take note
- May need to use less product to avoid streaks
Trailblazing brand Eco Mate was the first in the UK to package cleaning products in paper bottles. The outside is recycled paper pulp, and the liner is natural plant rubber sap, which saves 40g of plastic compared to a plastic bottle, the brand says. There's even a cork stopper instead of a plastic lid, so you'll need a cork screw on hand to open the bottle.
I tested the brand’s floor cleaner. It’s non-toxic, plant-based and biodegradable. Like most floor cleaners, it's concentrated, so it will last a long time. The formula is suitable for vinyl, laminate, stone, ceramic and wood floors – in testing, on kitchen floor tile, it removed dried-on spills, and cut through grease from a glug of oil, leaving no oily residue behind. While I did notice some faint streaks on the floor once it had dried, this was rectified by using slightly less product. You could also rinse with hot water instead.
It's nice to know that Eco-Mate donates 20 per cent of its profits to ocean charities, including Sea Changers, Just One Ocean, and Plastic Oceans, and says it offsets the carbon emissions from its deliveries, too.
Buy now £6, Eco-mate.co.uk
Your questions on natural and eco-friendly cleaning products answered
What is the best eco-friendly cleaning product?
If you’re looking for an everyday surface cleaner, I'd recommend Spruce’s multi-purpose cleaner. The non-toxic formula freshens up surfaces, while the packaging is low-waste, and the product comes in powder form (so it will be lighter and less energy-intensive to transport). While £8 for the starter kit isn't cheap, the refills from therein will be less than £3. For laundry detergent, Strip Wash's laundry detergent sheets are effective, plastic-free, and offer good value for money, with a £6.99 pack lasting up to 48 washes.
I don't see the need to go back to Fairy Liquid after using Greenscents’ organic washing-up liquid, while the grease-busting power of Delphis Eco's kitchen cleaner and degreaser also impressed me.
How we test and select natural and eco-friendly cleaning products
Over the course of several months, I used a host of cleaning products as per the brand’s instructions and assessed their results. These were my testing criteria:
What makes a cleaning product natural or eco-friendly?
Transparency around ingredients is crucial here. In her book, Go Toxic Free, Turns notes for instance that some “kitchen cleaners show the words ‘100 per cent natural’ in huge type, but that might only actually relate to one ingredient”. It’s important to look at the whole picture. Fewer ingredients are usually better, as “fewer ingredients need to be produced”.
“As a simple rule of thumb, I recommend avoiding any cleaning products with a hazard warning on the back – caution, danger, warning about risk to aquatic life or humans through inhalation”, says Turns. “Refill options and concentrated pods help reduce overall environmental impacts of a product”.
A lot of the products tested for this review contain plant-based ingredients, and Turns says they "tend to biodegrade more quickly than synthetic ingredients" (under certain conditions). She also recommends fragrance-free products, as synthetic fragrances “can contain hundreds of different chemical ingredients, but legally brands don’t have to list them”. This doesn’t mean you can’t have a nice-smelling product, though. Essential oils for scent are generally fine, though she notes “some cause allergies, especially in concentrated form”.
It’s worth being wary of misleading marketing, too. ‘Natural’ is not legally protected when it comes to cleaning products, says Ginley. And it can mean a number of things, as Turns tells me the definition is broad, with the spectrum including naturally derived but chemically-processed ingredients as well as raw natural ingredients.
What are the benefits of eco-friendly cleaning products?
Swapping to products with fewer toxic ingredients is better for the plant and for our health. Cleaning sprays create indoor air pollution that “can exacerbate respiratory health conditions such as asthma”, says Turns. Some ingredients in cleaning products can be endocrine disruptors, which “disrupt normal function of hormone systems”, and this can affect fertility, brain development and behaviour. “Minimising the number of chemicals we’re exposed to will minimise the risk of complex health effects in the long term”, but, she says, “if you’re particularly sensitive or allergic, or working with cleaning products for hours a day, I’d find ways to avoid potentially toxic cleaning products as much as possible”.
It’s also worth noting that ‘natural’ isn’t necessarily better for us or the environment. It’s about context. “Some botanicals can cause allergic reactions, and some synthetic preservatives make a product healthier and safer and less likely to spoil”, Turns says. “Anything can be toxic – it depends on the dose, so context is key really.”
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
IndyBest reviews are based on the result of rigorous, real-world testing. All of the cleaning products in this review have been put to the test in a real household, on real messes. Lois Borny is a writer and production journalist who has written about and reviewed the likes of vegan skincare, plastic-free haircare, 1% for the Planet brands to know, and more.
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