10 Sustainable Cleaning Products That Will Leave Your Home Smelling Fresh

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Eco-friendly cleaning products are designed to tackle dirt without exposing your family to potentially harmful chemicals. Unlike stinky vinegar concoctions or pantry stuffs that compromise on cleanliness, modern formulas combine plant-powered ingredients with light scents that make it easy to keep every room in the house sparkling. Whether you want to wipe down the counters after dinner, freshen up giant piles of laundry, or tackle tough stains, using sustainable cleaners like Method All-Purpose Cleaner, Tru Earth Laundry Detergent Sheets, and Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds can transform your chore routine and leave your home smelling fresher than ever.

Choosing sustainable cleaners doesn't mean sacrificing performance, but it's important to think about what's inside and outside the bottle. Instead of the vague claims often seen on greenwashed cleaning products like "environmentally friendly," you should carefully review ingredients, looking for those that are biodegradable and plant-based. Unscented products are often just as good at getting your home clean, but if you prefer a light scent, choose natural ones made with natural herb or floral essences. And don't forget that sustainable cleaning also means opting for refillable bottles, plastic-free packaging, and concentrated products that keep waste to a minimum. Small changes can make a huge impact, and tossing out a bunch of brand new harsh chemicals isn't the best way to start a more eco-friendly cleaning routine. Instead, as you run out of your usual favorites, replace them with a lineup of sustainable cleaning products that work hard, smell great, and support a healthier home.

When you need to cut through grease or grime on your countertops with just a few squirts, it's hard to beat the cleaning performance and portable convenience of Method All-Purpose Cleaner. Available in several scents, French Lavender stands out thanks to its fragrant blending with bergamot, purple sage, and chamomile that leave any space smelling floral instead of funky. The spray bottle is made from 100% recycled plastic, and you can feel good about using a product that's cruelty-free on any non-porous surface in your home. 

Powered by plant-based ingredients and scented with fir needle and spruce oils (unlike some other popular foresty-smelling products that can cause serious respiratory issues), Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds is an excellent choice for deep cleaning. Ultra-concentrated and bottled in 100% post-consumer recycled plastic, it cuts through grease no matter where you've got it. Dishes? Floors? Laundry? The biodegradable formula can tackle almost any cleaning task while keeping the air in your house as fragrant as a walk in the woods.

Depending on how you're doing the dishes, you may be wasting gallons of water per year. Consider swapping your hand washing routine for Dropps UltraWash Dishwasher Pods. Compatible with all dishwasher models, the 81% USDA Certified bio-based formula relies on oxygen-powered technology to get even stuck-on spaghetti sauce and your crustiest cups sparkling. Septic-safe and made without any dyes, for a fresh smell with no harmful side effects, opt for the Lemon Citrus scent which is certified through the EPA Safer Choice pollution prevention program.

If you're skeptical about sustainable cleaning products because you're worried they don't have enough germ-killing power, Seventh Generation Disinfecting Multi-Surface Cleaner is going to wow you. The powerhouse product is formulated with thymol, a thyme oil derivative that kills 99.9% of household germs while remaining a USDA Certified Biobased Product that's safe enough to use in kitchens, bathrooms, and even around your pets. The lemongrass citrus scent is bright and refreshing, beating stinky bleach or obnoxious ammonia by a mile while being just as effective at cleaning any non-porous surface, from countertops to changing tables.

Have you tried laundry detergent sheets yet? If you're excited about incorporating sustainable products into your cleaning routine, Tru Earth Laundry Detergent Sheets are a great way to get started. Available in a range of vegan-friendly and paraben-free scents like linen and lavender, each strip packs plenty of stain-fighting power while removing the stress of bulky jugs and messy measuring cups. Along with making your towels, blankets, and other laundry smell heavenly, Tru Earth's lightweight and plastic-free packaging will also save you a ton of room on your laundry room shelves.

Powdered products like Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Multi-Surface Scrub might seem a little retro, but the 98% naturally derived non-scratch ingredients bring a little old-school wisdom into modern cleaning routines. You'll simply sprinkle some of the chlorine- and phosphate-free powder on your grimiest surfaces, like bathroom tile, stainless steel appliances, or gnarly pots and pans. Then, it's a matter of scrubbing before you rinse the biodegradable product right down the sink, leaving nothing behind except for a sparkling surface and lasting lemon verbena scent.

Sometimes a toilet simply stinks. Blueland's Toilet Bowl Cleaner Tablets make freshening up super simple thanks to 100% bio-based fizz that leaves your family's favorite room smelling clean no matter what. Available in Lemon Cedar or Peppermint Eucalyptus scents, the plant- and mineral-based tablets are totally septic safe even though they're effective on limescale, mineral deposits, and rust. And, unlike liquid toilet bowl cleaners that come in giant plastic containers taking up valuable space under your vanity, these tablets come in zero-waste paper packaging. Another EPA Safer Choice product, Blueland's toilet bowl tablets are also vegan-friendly, cruelty-free, and climate neutral.

Attitude Window & Mirror Cleaner might just be the fairest one of them all. 100% vegan-friendly and cruelty-free, the spray cleaner is formulated from clean ingredients that meet strict health and safety standards, instead of harsh ammonia or other potentially hazardous chemicals. Leaving only a citrus scent and streak-free shine behind, it easily removes dirt, smudges, and fingerprints from windows, mirrors, shower glass doors, and car windows. Packaged in a recyclable bottle, this sustainable cleaning product isn't just safer for your home — it's better for the planet.

Air fresheners are one of the oldest tricks in the book, but many of us are leaving traditional options on the shelves as the risks of synthetic fragrances become more well known. Fresh Wave Odor Removing Gel offers a safer alternative. Using a blend of natural pine, lime, cedarwood, anise, and clove oils, the gel absorbs stinky smells instead of masking them, neutralizing odors for up to 60 days. Free from phthalates, parabens, dyes, and sulfates, the discrete little jars are also safe for use around children and pets while keeping your home smelling fresh.

It's hard to get clean when your bathroom is filthy, but soap scum buildup and hard water stains can be tricky especially when it comes to sustainable cleaning products. Better Life Tub & Tile Cleaner is a standout for families with children and pets. Its plant-based formula relies on biodegradable ingredients derived from corn and coconut oil, while its scent comes from refreshing tea tree and eucalyptus oils. Free from harsh chemicals like bleach and ammonia, it's an eco-friendly choice that combines gentle cleaning with powerful performance.