Even before our son was born, I was interested in a more natural lifestyle. At the time my efforts were restricted to clean eating and researching modern diets and the havoc they cause in our bodies.
Once our son was born my focus shifted to trying out more natural home products. I wanted to reduce the number of chemicals our son is exposed to in the home.
Here is a list of some of the natural and eco-friendly cleaning products available in India. I use these natural cleaning products in our home regularly to keep things clean without the added chemical burden.
10 Natural And Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap
Dr. Bronner’s is a liquid castile soap designed as an all-purpose soap. One can use it for everything from cleaning floors, countertops, and dishes, as a bathing soap and even to brush your teeth and shave.
What is Castile soap?
Castile soap is a versatile vegetable-based soap, free of synthetic ingredients. It is a natural, biodegradable and eco-friendly soap that can be used by all ages and for all purposes.
Castile soap was traditionally made using olive oil. But these days you find castile soap made of hemp oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil too. The soap gets its name from the Castile region of Spain.
All you need to do is dilute the concentrate depending on the type of cleaning.
I found this article helpful in understanding the different dilutions you can use with Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap.
One 946 ml bottle lasts a really long time in our home. That’s money saved and no harm caused to the environment.
Vedi Herbals
The Vedi Herbals Castile Soap has organic olive oil as a base along with a blend of organic castor, coconut, and hempseed oil. The soap is 100% vegan and natural.
It’s free from parabens, alcohol, detergents, and petroleum-based derivatives, making it a good choice not just for your skin but also for the planet.
Vedi makes natural bathing liquid and castile soap bars.
Here is a look at the entire range
Rustic Art
Rustic art is a small Indian brand that makes organic and natural personal and home care products. Their laundry detergent “Little Laundry” is quite popular among cloth diapering moms in India. In our home, we have switched from using regular detergent to Rustic Art laundry detergent. The detergent is mild and does not cause wear and tear of clothes even after many washes. According to me, Rustic Art makes the best natural laundry detergent powder in India.
Rustic Art products are made using solar power, in a water-efficient manner. They even treat their own effluents 100% which goes to show the brand believes in sustainable manufacturing. Another great initiative run by Rustic Art is that the brand generates employment for rural women through stitching, packaging and many other ways. Most of the staff comprises of women who are trained by the company.
You can check the Rustic Art range here
Herbal Strategi
Herbal Strategi is a new entrant in the natural and eco-friendly cleaning products space. The company makes a wide range of affordable natural home cleaning products. Everything from floor cleaners to mosquito repellants.
The brand promises that all their products undergo rigorous testing by CSIR – IIM Jammu. Is ISO certified, 100% vegan and cruelty-free.
Here is the entire product range
Mitti Se
I have been a loyal Mitti Se customer for a long time now. You can check my review of the Mitti Se natural floor cleaner on this blog. Mitti Se manufactures, safe, organic, vegan and cruelty-free cleaners and detergents.
The floor cleaner and detergent both are very effective. I find their floor cleaner to be one of the best natural floor cleaner available in India.
Mitti Se uses clean minimal ingredients in each product reducing the by-products released on use. Even the packaging on most Mitti se products is biodegradable.
Here is a look at the product range
Soap Nuts
Soap nuts are the traditional soap that many Indian families used for a variety of cleaning purposes.
I have used soap nuts (reetha) as laundry soap and unlike my first assumption about using soap nuts, they were very easy to use. All you need to do is place 4-5 soap nuts in a small muslin bag. Tie it up and add this muslin bag to the washer. Let the machine run its regular cycle. When the soap nuts come in contact with the water they release saponin (soap). The same set of soap nuts can be used for up to 10 washes and once degraded they are compostable. Soap nut liquid is also used for washing dishes, and cleaning surfaces. A 100% natural cleaning product that’s safe and eco-friendly.
Kolan
Kolan makes bamboo wipes and cleaners for the house. Their cleaning wipes are made of biodegradable fibers and natural oils. They aim to provide high-quality cleaning products to their customers and at the same time protect the environment.
Their range includes Bath wipes, baby wipes and pet wipes alongside all surface cleaning sprays and bathroom, toilet and floor cleaners.
You can take a look at their entire range here
Mountain Herbs
Mountain herbs is a small home-based business from Bangalore, India. The brand makes handmade soaps and natural cleaning products for the home. Their soaps are gentle on the skin and free from chemical and animal products.
Here is their product range
Puracy
Based out of Texas, USA, Puracy makes safe and natural home cleaning products.
Puracy worked with a team of Ph.D. chemists to create a line of proprietary plant and natural mineral-based home and personal products with botanical fragrances that did not have an asterisk at the end. All Puracy products are designed to last longer, use less packaging and are made from the purest natural ingredients available. They do not leave residue behind, and they are safe to use around children, and pets because they are non-toxic.
Here is the product range
The Honest Company
Famous for its biodegradable baby diapers and baby wipes, the Honest Company also has a range of natural cleaning products for the home. The Honest Co products not only use the best ingredients but they are also very effective. Some of my personal favorite cleaning products from the range are the Multi-Surface Cleaner and the Baby dish soap.
Here is a look at their cleaning range
With so many organic, natural and budget-friendly cleaning products in the market, it is easy to make the switch to more eco-friendly and non-toxic home care products.
Do try some of these eco-friendly cleaning products and comment below if you have recommendations of your own.
Ophirawhat dishwashong soap would you recommend?
Hi, I have not yet found a natural dishwashing bar I like..Have tried a few bars and natural dishwashing powders, but they were not effective on tough to clean utensils. Also some of the brands had a very strong fragrance. I like using Puracy liquid dishwashing soap and another one from Sacred Earth. Currently, though I use Dr. Bronners Castile soap. I dilute and use it. About 2-3 tablespoons per liter bottle. And for other tough utensils, I use regular Vim bar.
This is obviously one great post. Thanks for the valuable information and insights you have so provided here. I find it very interesting and well thought out and put together.