Spring cleaning season is here, and if you're the kind of person who enjoys a good deep clean this blog post is for you. While I do not consider myself a lover of the deep clean, I do get satisfaction from opening up the windows, putting on a playlist, and working through every room of the house.
There's a common idea that going green means giving up cleaning power. And honestly, that hasn't been true for a while. The products below do the same jobs as the brands you already know, just with simpler ingredients and a lighter footprint. Here's how some of our favorites compare to the classics you probably already have under the sink.
Windows and mirrors
Windex has been a household staple forever, and honestly, it works. If you're looking for an upgrade, Restore Naturals Glass Cleaner gets the same streak-free result using alcohol-based plant-derived surfactants, not ammonia or synthetic dye. If you have tinted windows ammonia can degrade the window film over time. Part of sustainability is caring for products longterm, not degrading them with every wash.
The oven
The oven is everyone's least favorite spring cleaning task, and Easy-Off makes it manageable. If you'd prefer something that doesn’t require skin protection, Restore Naturals Oven & Grill Cleaner uses limonene, a solvent from orange rinds, with plant-based surfactants to break down baked-on grease. Same approach: apply, let it dwell, scrub, wipe. Trust me, this stuff works!
Furniture polish
Pledge is a classic for good reason but there is one thing worth knowing: the silicone in conventional furniture polishes can build up on wood over time, eventually leaving a hazy film. Restore Naturals Furniture Polish uses biodegradable polyglycol instead which conditions the wood and leaves a lighter protective finish that doesn't accumulate. Your furniture keeps looking better the more you use it.
The shower
Scrubbing Bubbles is effective and easy to find anywhere. Nellie's Shower & Bath Cleaner takes a simpler approach with just four effective biodegradable ingredients: a coconut-derived surfactant, citric acid, water, and lemongrass. The surfactant handles soap scum, the citric acid tackles mineral deposits, and it's light enough to use as a daily after-shower mist. Less scrubbing over time if you keep up with it.
All-purpose spray
Method, Mrs. Meyer's, and similar brands have already moved the needle toward cleaner formulas, which is great. If you want to go even greener, Meliora's All Purpose Cleaner Tab is a dissolvable tablet containing just five ingredients. Drop one in a spray bottle, add water, done.
For more cleaning range, something that handles both counters and bathroom surfaces, Fillaree Clean Dream uses organic distilled vinegar, washing soda, and coconut soap. A little more going on in the formula, yet still very straightforward.
None of these are dramatic switches. They're just small upgrades that tend to stick once you try them. Come in and we'll help you figure out what makes sense for your space!
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Great article!