Laundry Detergent
These are all the cruelty free laundry detergents with plastic free packaging, and eco-friendly ingredients.
Don't see your favorite brand? Message me so I can add it to the list!
*PVOH is oil based, and does not biodegrate, rather dissolves. It's a better alternative, but not perfect. Read more here.
Organic Soil
"Grime that originates from stuff that was - at some point - alive or part of something alive."
For our household, that's hairballs, dirt tracked in, occasional mold...
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Alkaline cleaners:
Baking soda
Liquid Castile soap
Borax
Washing Soda
Lye
In-organic
"Grime that originates from stuff that was never alive."
Hard water stains, rust...
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Acidic cleaners:
Ascorbic acid
Black coffee
Citric acid
Cream of tartar
Distilled vinegar- cheap & effective!
Lemon juice (rub those juiced rinds on your tub & tile)
DIY
Skip all those bottles that claim to be better than the rest.
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Best part, most are safe for use around kids and pets.
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The Hands-On Home has tons of recipes, using all the ingredients to the left.
I just found a gallon jug of vinegar at Grocery Outlet for $2.49.
Un-paper towels
I stopped buying paper towels in 2015
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My mom had a sewing business, Bobbins to Britches. Her garage is one giant fabric stash. One time she found a giant garbage bag of terry cloth from an old project. The terry cloth was too thin to make robes or towels, so I surged 2 layers into paper towel size squares.
They got super stained, so I tie-dyed them with leftover dye.
Old bath towels, hand towels, or robes (from Savers) work great too.
Dryer Sheets
I stopped buying dryer sheets in 2017.
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I bought dryer balls, and haven't bought dryer sheets since. I don't notice any more static than usual, and you don't have to worry about perfumes or other ingredients in dryer sheets.
Vacuum
I bought a bagless in 2013 and it's still working.​
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Do not get rid of your current vacuum!
If and when you are in the market for a new one, consider a bagless vacuum.
Toilet Brush
We got a plastic handled (probably nylon bristled) toilet brush in 2012 when Steve moved into the apartment.
Trash is for Tossers featured wooden handled brushes with natural bristles. I resisted tossing my plastic one, just to get the pretty natural one.
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A year later, I realized that we'd had our toilet brush for 6 years, and it actually looked kind of gross (I did soak it in cleaner between scrubs sometimes). I just bought this one on Amazon for $14. I'll tie a loop through the hole, and hang it in the shower, for weekly grout and tub scrubs too.
DIY Goo Gone
I can't live without Goo Gone. Call me OCD, but I can't have price stickers or labels on things, or the sticky mess left behind when I try to take them off.
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Try this recipe from Simple is Pretty:
1/3 cup baking soda
1/3 cup coconut oil
optional essential oil
Melt oil & mix together.