The Best All Natural Household Cleaner

We all want a cleaner home. But just what does “clean” mean? A lot of household cleaners will remove stains well enough, only to leave behind an invisible trail of toxic chemicals or a synthetic smell that can irritate your pets and children.

Luckily, the trend toward eco-friendly products has spurred a lot of innovation in the area of household cleansers. Even popular name brands have retooled their products to be more environmentally friendly or produced offshoot lines of cleaners that appeal to that demographic.

So what makes a cleaning product “all-natural”? The first thing to know is that you can’t count on the name alone, or on a brightly-colored declaration on the bottle. Any product can call itself natural because the term has no legal meaning. Likewise for the advertising buzzwords “green,” “eco-friendly,” “non-toxic” and many others.

If you’re short on time, the best thing you can do is look for certifications. There are a number of organizations that require manufacturers to go through rigorous testing to earn their stamp of approval, and the Environmental Protection Agency is one of the biggest. Their “Safer Choice” seal was implemented in 2015 (revised from the obsolete DfE Standard for Safer Products), and it certifies that every ingredient in the product has been reviewed by EPA scientists. That means that even trace substances like dyes and fragrances do not pose a significant risk to human health or the environment.

There’s also the Green Seal certification, which is awarded by an independent monitoring organization. If you’re especially worried about the effects of your cleaning routine on pets, you might look for the Leaping Bunny certification awarded by a coalition of animal advocacy organizations. The EWG (Environmental Working Group) is another good resource for background on harmful or questionable products.

If you really want to be sure about what’s in your cleaner, though, an informed look at the ingredient list on the back will tell the tale. But hunting for harmful chemicals and VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) isn’t as easy as picking out anything with a long chemical name. Most of the chemicals might be perfectly fine for the environment and your health, but there are some red flags to look out for.

Triclosan is one antibacterial agent to watch out for, as it can actually promote the growth of more resistant bacteria. It’s been banned by the EPA, but you may still find it in older products. Quarternary Ammonium Compounds can cause the same problems and are also found in many antibacterials.

Sulfates like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) can irritate sensitive skin and be harmful to the environment long term. If you’re especially health-conscious, watch out for 2-Butoxyethanol and any phthalates. If your scented cleaning product doesn’t specifically say that it omits these substances, there’s a good chance they are in the catchall group of chemicals referred to as “fragrances.”

But enough about ingredients. What about performance? Word of mouth is usually the best way to cut through a product’s bold claims of cleaning power. Just make sure you’re using the right cleaner for the surface. Glass cleaners won’t work as well on wood, and vice versa — and all-purpose cleaners, while effective, might not be the best thing for either one. Get a good look at the approved surfaces on the bottle, and plan your cleaning routine accordingly.

• Are you cleaning upholstery? Even the smoothest vinyl material might react badly to the wrong chemical. Make sure your furniture is safe for general cleaning products by checking it for a “W” or “W/S” designation on the tag. That means it should be compatible with most water-based products.
• Want to make those countertops really shine? Instead of a plain rag or paper towel, invest in a good microfiber towel. They’re great at picking up any stray dirt or residue left behind by your cleaning solution.
• Are you looking to specifically protect your household surfaces from COVID-19 and other viruses? There’s no need to get any complicated antibacterial cleansers. Isopropyl alcohol or hydrogen peroxide will do the job, provided the surface is compatible with those chemicals. Even plain soap and water will do the job with a little elbow grease.