Finding ways to be clean and green can be frustrating! Just wander down any cleaning supply aisle, the shelves are packed with plastic bottles, plastic jugs, and plastic containers — there is so much plastic! For so long finding plastic-free, zero-waste cleaning products was like trying to find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Luckily, times are changing and companies like Cleancult are creating zero-waste cleaning products that really work!
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Why Ditch Plastic Cleaning Products
Why should we care about all this plastic waste? According to the peer-reviewed journal, Science Advances, only 9% of the plastic that is produced is recycled — that is insane! Just because we put it in the recycling bin doesn’t mean it’s going to be recycled. That means billions of tons of plastic ends up in the landfill for a very long time. On average it takes around 400 years for plastic to break down!
Since it doesn’t break down quickly, it should be no surprise that its effects on the environment are far-reaching. Oftentimes the plastic ends right back in the local environment and waterways causing death and destruction to millions of animals and marine life. It also negatively impacts the health of humans — it ends up in the water we drink and even the air we breathe in areas where plastic is incinerated.
So, it’s safe to say that if there are better, more sustainable cleaning options let’s try and use them when possible!
Cleancult’s Plastic-Free, Zero-Waste Cleaning Products
Cleancult has a great selection of subscription-based cleaning products for your home and your body and the best part is they are all plastic-free — hooray! All their products are cruelty-free and made with plant-based ingredients that are safe for the environment and you. Their packaging is all 100% recyclable, either through your local recycling centers or you can join their free recycle back program! They have also partnered with carbonfund.org to ensure they are shipping their products in a more sustainable and carbon-neutral manner.
Their product lineup includes hand soap, hand sanitizer, laundry detergent, cleaning sprays, dish soap, dishwasher tabs, bar soap, and reusable containers for the products. Just about everything you need, right?! I tried almost everything, and here is what I think about their products.
Hand Soap
Price: $9.99 for 32 Fl Oz or 25.19 for 3 via Amazon
Right off the bat I really liked this! The scents are fragrant — the only scent I didn’t try was blue sage, but lavender, grapefruit basil, and sweet honeysuckle all get a thumbs up. The soap didn’t dry out my hands, and cleaned well, even after being out in the garden. I didn’t feel like I really needed to load up on soap to get the job done.
Laundry Detergent
Price: $12.49 for one bottle 64 HE loads or 31.49 for three bottle via Amazon
I am terrible at measuring laundry detergent. It never lasts as long as the label says it will, and I always feel like I need extra to really get stinky things clean. Cleancult suggests buying their refillable containers for all their products, including the laundry detergent which comes with a handy measuring cup. I didn’t do that (at first!) and regretted it. I did my best to eyeball an ounce and I am pleased with how much I got out of it!
I used way less detergent than I normally do with other natural brands. Also, the juniper and sandalwood, and sweet honeysuckle scents are great! I honestly thought there is no way this is going to clean our stinky gym clothes, but it did!
The price is very comparable to other natural brands — approximately $12+.
Dishwasher tabs
Price: $18.49 for 32 tablets or $16.19 via Amazon
I really put these up to a good cleaning fight. I consistently overfill our dishwasher and rarely rinse things well so the first time I used these I thought, I am going to pay for that. But they really did a good job! Now, I will say if you have been using Cascade or something similar you may have a different expectation. There were water spots and a couple of things that needed to be rewashed but compared to other natural brands I didn’t notice a difference in cleaning.
Liquid Dish Soap
Price: $12.49 32 Fl Oz or $30.59 for three bottles via Amazon
What I liked the most about this was that I didn’t need as much — a little went a long way! The cleaning action was good, including stuck-on food and grease. Scents are the same as the hand soaps with the addition of lemongrass. You can purchase a refillable bottle for the soap, or just pour it out of the box. If it sits for a long time in the box, the box will break down a little.
The only drawback is the price. I did compare it to other natural brands and depending on where you buy it ounce to ounce the price can be similar. Also, this has lasted me longer than other dish soaps, which is a bonus!
Cleaning Spray
Price: $12.49 32 Fl Oz or $30.59 for three bottles via Amazon
This is a good all-purpose cleaning spray, not a disinfectant. Cleancult says you can use it on just about any surface — countertops, walls, highchairs, etc. I used it on our countertop which is quartz and painted cabinets. It cleaned both surfaces well — removing smudges, cooking messes, etc. It did leave some streaking on the counter, but I think most of the cleaners, aside from glass cleaners, leave streaks so it wasn’t a big deal to me. It didn’t damage any of the surfaces, which can be a concern with certain products.
I tried the orange zest scent; it also comes in a few other scents. I will say the orange was probably my least favorite of the scents but it’s not terrible. I think if I repurchased it, I would get the sweet honeysuckle.
Bar Soap
Price: $5.99 per bar
An all-purpose bar soap for bathing, hand washing, whatever you need — perfect for travel! All seven scents are enhanced with essential oils and made with coconut oil making for a nice moisturizing and sudsy cleaning experience. My biggest frustration with bar soap is when it is packed in plastic or dries out your skin. Thankfully, Cleancult’s bar soap does neither! I didn’t feel like I needed to be soaked in lotion after using it and like all their products, the soap is plastic-free and packaged in recyclable materials.
So, Will I Continue Using Cleancult’s Products?
Overall, I really like their products and plan to continue using most of them. If money grew on trees, I would use all of them. I do need to be mindful of expenses so I will probably pick and choose and also you can save a little more money by adding them to your Amazon monthly subscription.
According to Cleancult, you can save 44 lbs. of plastic per year by switching to their plastic-free, zero-waste cleaning products — every little bit helps, right? Where else can I ditch plastic?!
Other Plastic-Free, Zero-Waste Cleaning Products
Blueland – a variety of cleaning products
Dropps – laundry & dishwasher detergent
TruEarth – laundry detergent
Grove Collaborative – natural home and personal care products, with plastic-free options.
HoldOn – these compostable trash and kitchen bags are terrific, and should definitely be added to your cleaning arsenal.
Also, check out my lineup of sustainable, zero-waste deodorants, toothpaste, and more!
