LIST: Plant-based, natural cleaners that are good for your home—and the environment
As we celebrate World Environment Day today, June 5, it’s time to rethink our daily routines and what we can do for the environment. This movement began in 1974 to encourage awareness and action for the protection of the environment.
Though people do have a more protective attitude toward our seas today, there’s a lot more we can do. As an amateur underwater photographer, I feel so lucky that we are only an hour’s flight away or a few hours’ drive from our waters teeming with marine life. But we still see too much trash on our beaches, read of turtles with their fins caught in nets underwater. While we can’t always participate in cleaning up our beaches and seas, we can do so many things for the environment at home.
One of them is using natural or plant-based home products.
Notice how when you clean the house with cleaners without wearing gloves, you get cracked skin? It’s time to switch to natural cleaners, which are soft on your hands so you avoid skin irritation and infections. You’re also reducing other health risks like inhaling toxic fumes.
How do they help the environment? They’re non-toxic, you’re not releasing chemicals in the water and air, lessening pollution. They are also often made with sustainable packaging.
There are many choices today for such cleaners, detergents, room and linen sprays, and other products to help you maintain a clean home.
Here are some:
Wonderhome Naturals
I love their liquid detergent! Wonderhome Naturals’ products are formulated with plant-based probiotics and clean without damaging your health or the environment. Their scents are of fruit and plants, their packaging is made from a combination of upcycled ocean plastic and biodegradable wheat.
Messy Bessy
One thing I always make sure I have a stock of is Messy Bessy’s desk/workspace cleaner. It works well on painted wood, varnished wood, glass and all surfaces. It lifts stains as you clean and it smells fresh. The range goes from cleaners to personal care products. The brand started as a social enterprise in 2007 and to this day benefits at-risk young adults ages 18 to 30.
Natural Essentials
If you love yoga, then that means your mat needs regular cleaning. Natural Essentials PH’s yoga mat spray comes in several blends: Cleansing, Calming and Energizing. They also have a non-toxic mosquito-repellant and cockroach sprays that are a great alternative to the heavy chemicals we get from brands in the supermarket.
Full Circle
Full Circle describes their products as “kind on people and the planet, but tough on grease and dirt.” Worth a try? You bet. Their dishwashing liquid is made of naturally derived cleaning agents—no dyes, no fragrances, no phosphates that clog up waterways. Their all-purpose cleaner is blended with dirt busters extracted from vegetable oil, and does not release toxic fumes in the air.
Nature to Nurture
Nature to Nurture uses plant-based ingredients, “giving our earth the warm hug it deserves.” Their laundry stain remover and booster contains pineapple enzyme and active oxygen; their laundry powder is residue-free and naturally softens laundry, available in fragrance-free and floral variants.
Ecostore Philippines
Ecostore’s products are plant and mineral-based. Apart from their dish liquid, eucalyptus laundry liquid, citrus bathroom cleaner, they also have a selection of baby shampoo, body wash and moisturizer. One more thing we love: they’re packaged in 100% recyclable bottles made from recycled and sugar plastic, so the products kind to the environment.
Human Nature
Not only is this dishwashing powder from Human Nature natural and vegan, but it's a great way to save on money (and use less plastic), too! A 25g box of this can make up to 500ml of soap.
Unilever
Most products available in the market are not exactly environment-friendly, but one big company is making the switch by transforming their homecare products into something more sustainable. Now, Unilever Homecare brands such as Surf, Breeze, Comfort, and Domex contain plant-based formulation and biodegradable ingredients, plus their sachets and pouches use up to 11% less plastic, and bottles are made using 100% recycled plastic. Plus, from June 10-12, they will be holding a Linis Pilipinas sale on Shopee, where a portion of the proceeds will be used to plant a hectare of trees.