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These eco-friendly cleaning products helped me cut down on plastic waste

They may be better for the planet but we wanted to know how these plastic-free products fared in a busy home

Zoe Griffin
Thursday 01 February 2024 17:40 GMT
Swapping your cleaning products for more eco-friendly options could be easier than you think
Swapping your cleaning products for more eco-friendly options could be easier than you think (The Independent/iStock)

While it’s easy to swap single-use plastic bags for eco-friendly canvas totes when we do our shopping and opt for products that come in recyclable packaging, our homes can still contain a lot of plastic.

When we use a sponge to wipe down the table after breakfast, or we line our bins with a fresh rubbish bag, we’re adding to the huge amount of plastic that will end up in landfill sites. But there are alternatives available that are kinder to our planet, and Seep is one small business doing things a little differently.

Founded by Laura Harnett, Seep stands for ‘sustainable everyday essential products’ and offers a range of eco-friendly, plastic-free cleaning solutions. This includes compostable bin bags, bamboo multi-purpose cleaning cloths, reusable kitchen sponge scourers and eco rubber gloves. Even better, the products are stocked at Lakeland and Amazon as well as on Seep’s website, and it’s easy to get them delivered to your door, too.

All Seep products have gone through rigorous quality assessments to make sure they perform just as well as (if not better than) the average plastic sponge. However, I also put them to the test to see how well these eco-friendly cleaning products performed in my busy home environment.

How we tested Seep eco-friendly cleaning products

Seep’s rubber gloves protect our hands and the planet
Seep’s rubber gloves protect our hands and the planet (Zoe Griffin)

I tried a few different Seep products over the course of a month to see how well they lasted after repeated use. My household consists of four young children under the age of eight, who all eat different meals to my husband and I, so we do a lot of washing up – it’s relentless.

We’re also constantly cleaning surfaces due to toast crumbs, sticky fingers and pasta sauce spillages, so we usually get through a lot of cleaning cloths and kitchen roll. We swapped our usual supermarket own-brand cleaning cloths for Seep’s alternatives and also donned the Seep eco rubber gloves when we washed up.

Seep eco rubber gloves

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  • Quantity: Three pairs of gloves
  • Why we love it
    • Feel great
    • Feature soft cotton flock lining

I suffer from eczema, so a good pair of rubber gloves is an essential piece of cleaning kit for me, as exposure to hot water and cleaning products dries out my skin. Having experimented with different gloves at various price points, I’m not averse to paying more for gloves if they protect my hands, keep them at a comfortable temperature, and have a nice texture.

At £4 per pair if you buy a pack of three (£12, Amazon.co.uk), these gloves are fairly affordable and feel lovely. Sometimes, the texture and smell of a rubber glove can cause me to cringe but these are super flexible and easy to put on. They have a soft cotton flock lining, which felt smooth next to the sensitive skin on my hands. I tried the medium size, but they also come in small and large.

What impressed me most with these gloves was the grip. Some rubber gloves are so thick, you can’t feel what you’re washing up, which may cause you to drop things. However, with this Seep pair, I had full hand and finger control. Plus, as the texture was so nice, it motivated me to use them more often.

I’ve also noticed the skin on my hands is a lot less red than usual. Eczema flare-ups depend on a variety of factors, but I do feel like these gloves have worked well at protecting my skin.

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Seep 30l biodegradable bin bags

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  • Quantity: 75 bags
  • Why we love it
    • Biodegradable
  • Take note
    • Ripped when filled to capacity during testing

Bin liners might not be the most exciting item in your shopping basket, but they are essential. These bags from Seep felt reassuringly thick, however, as I overfilled one during initial testing, the bag ripped as I tried to lift it out of the bin. With a 30l capacity, the bags are capable of taking a lot of rubbish, so I assumed I could fill it to the top and it would hold up. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

As long as I only filled up my bin to three quarters, these bags fared up very well. Admittedly, this means I got through them faster than typical black bin bags, but as the Seep bags are biodegradable, I’d rather do this than contribute further to the problem of plastic build-up in landfill sites.

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Seep eco sponge scourers

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  • Quantity: Pack of four sponges
  • Why we love it
    • Effective at tackling tough messes

On one side of this Seep sponge is a more abrasive surface (equivalent to the scouring side on standard yellow-and-green sponges) made from pure loofah plants. The other side is made from wood pulp cellulose sponge, for gentle scrubbing on smooth surfaces.

As I wear rubber gloves, I couldn’t feel the texture of the sponge while washing up but I could see it was effective at tackling tough messes. We’re talking baked beans dried onto the bottom of a saucepan, Weetabix that had taken on the consistency of cement, and the remnants of a smoothie my husband had left in the Nutribullet cup.

Even better, the sponge is machine washable, so you can keep it fresh for longer. I can’t imagine going back to a yellow-and-green sponge ever again.

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Seep reusable bamboo cloth

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  • Quantity: Pack of three cloths
  • Why we love it
    • Durable
    • Machine washable

I usually buy a packet of cloths that costs around £1.99 for 10, so I hoped Seep’s alternative would be strong and long-lasting, to justify the fact it costs much more.

The first thing I noted was the lovely thick material, and I found this really helped with the cleaning process. For example, when I was clearing up spilled milk, this cloth was able to absorb all of the excess moisture.

Seep’s cloths are also made from bamboo and are really durable. I used one for three days in a row, washed it at 30C, then started using it again. I’d probably only get a maxium of 48 hours’ use from my regular cleaning cloths before they ripped and I’d have to throw them away.

Overall, I think the durability, along with the fact I know I’m making a better choice for the environment, justifies paying more than £3 per cloth.

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The verdict: Seep eco-friendly cleaning products

I have to admit, I wasn’t sure how well Seep’s products would work, as eco-friendly cleaning products aren’t always that effective at tackling dirt and spills, nor are they known for their durability. Aside from the bin bag breakage, which was completely my fault, I was blown away by how well the Seep items helped clean dishes and surfaces.

I’m especially keen on the eco gloves, which are thinner than your average pair of Marigolds, so there’s less likelihood of dropping plates or glasses. They also kept my eczema-prone hands protected from cleaning solutions and washing up liquids. I’ll definitely be buying these gloves again.

Want more recommendations? Read our review of the best eco-friendly cleaning products

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