11 best eco-friendly and natural cleaning products that actually work

Cleaning cupboards can so often be crammed with dozens of products for different jobs around the home, and this can result in a lot of waste. This multi-purpose, all-natural wonder from Vermont Soap, however, can clean almost anything, including the car, laundry and even our skin. The liquid soap is made from organic olive, coconut and jojoba oils as well as organic aloe vera, making it environmentally friendly and non-toxic for humans, plants and pets. The bottles are also recyclable and formaldehyde-free.

We added a dash and diluted it with some water in a spray bottle, to clean kitchen and bathroom surfaces; tested it out neat with a load of washing in the machine, and used it to wash dirty dishes. Everything comes up sparkling, and the scent of natural tea tree essential oil and rosemary extract is fresh and vibrant. We think having castile liquid soap in your life is an easy way to reduce the waste your cleaning routine produces, and it gives us extra confidence knowing the product is safe for our families and the environment.

Putting what look like dried-up dates in the washing machine to clean our clothes felt strange, but soap nuts (or soap berries) have long been used for natural cleaning in south Asia. The little brown husks grow on trees of the Sapindus genus and are a source of saponin, which is a natural soap. They are simple to use: just pop the required amount – we used five in a hard-water area – into the zip-up pouch included and place with your laundry in the machine’s drum. Wash on your usual cycle then leave the soap nuts to dry after use (they can be reused four times). Our laundry came out fresh, clean and odour-free.

Using this organic, non-toxic, hypoallergenic and biodegradable product in place of a chemical laundry detergent is not just kind to the planet but also to your purse, as each wash costs mere pence. Our only complaint is the husks came in a plastic bag inside the linen drawstring bag, and we were not sure if that extra packaging was necessary.

Wipes are not typically associated with eco-friendly cleaning but these from Cheeky Panda are not your usual sort. They are made from FSC forest certified bamboo, which uses 65 per cent fewer carbon emissions than using trees, and the cleaning solution is made from simply water, aloe vera and fruit extracts, so, they are kind to your hands when mopping up spills. The wipes can also be put in the compost bin after use, and even the packaging is made from recyclable material. We found the wipes surprisingly strong, and they make cleaning up after sticky little fingers a doddle.

We dread to think how many bottles of spray cleaner we have gone through in our lives. Smol has the answer to this waste problem, though – offering a multi-surface spray with a reusable bottle and a dissolvable tablet that provides the cleaning power when mixed with water.

Keep the bottle for life and buy just the concentrated tablet refills to make more spray. The cleaning performance of the non-toxic spray is excellent, and we liked the fresh scent. We were also impressed with the packaging, because it was 100 per cent recyclable and Forest Stewardship Council approved. You can also get a free trial, to find out if you’re as impressed with this spray as we were.

Tackling stuck-on grime means bringing out the big guns. Traditional cream cleaners can be abrasive and scratch surfaces, but Ecover’s alternative does the job without the damage. We put it to the test on our stainless-steel gas hob and found it tackled even the most burnt-on grease; it was also terrific for cleaning the bathtub. This fully biodegradable cream cleaner is fragrance-free, and there are no harsh chemicals to breathe in or harm aquatic life. It is also not tested on animals, and the packaging is recyclable.

These are technically dishcloths, but we have been using them for all sorts of jobs around the home, not least wiping sideboards with the Smol multi-surface spray and Ecover cream cleaner that are also included in this round-up.

The cloths look fantastic, thanks to the seaside-inspired designs, and they are super absorbent, so they are perfect for mopping up spills. One side is smooth, while the other features textured scrubbing marks, which are brilliant for shifting stuck-on dirt. The best thing about the cloths is they are reusable and easily cleaned with a wash in the dishwasher.

Traditional washing-up liquid can be seriously harmful to the environment, aquatic life and even our skin but Method’s offering is made with plant-based and biodegradable ingredients, to limit the damage to the planet. Our dishes came up squeaky clean with this sudsy formula, and the scent is gorgeously zesty. The recyclable bottle also looks super stylish on the sink. Even better, Method products are cruelty-free, and the company uses biodiesel shipping and offsets the carbon emissions it cannot avoid.

We all need to be more mindful about what we are putting down the toilet (wipes and sanitary products belong in the bin), and that includes the cleaning products we use. This Bio-D product means business when it comes to ridding bathrooms of limescale, but it does so in an environmentally safe way, as it is free from petrochemicals, phosphates and synthetic perfumes. As soon as this thick product hits the inside of the pan, it appears to begin to fizz. We left it a while to get to work on the nasties before flushing and finding a visibly clean toilet.

These cleaning products come with a royal stamp of approval, and if something is good enough for the royals, it is good enough for us. This helpful bundle is a simple way to source the tools for all your cleaning needs. Included in the box are an anti-bac kitchen sanitiser spray, multi-purpose spray, toilet cleaner, washing-up liquid, bathroom cleaner, glass and stainless-steel cleaner spray and even an anti-bacterial hand soap for washing your mitts after the cleaning is done.

We were impressed with the cleaning performance of the products and like that they are made with biodegradable plant-based ingredients and contain no toxins or strong chemicals. Interestingly, Delphis Eco is the first brand in the UK to make its packaging entirely from domestic recycled plastic milk bottles.

The fact that 32 washes worth of laundry detergent are contained inside this tiny flat packet blows our minds. Each eco-strip contains a measured amount of ultra-concentrated eco-friendly product, and they dissolve entirely, even on cold washes. Simply tear off one strip per load and either place it in the detergent drawer or in the drum with your laundry.

We loved the scent of the fresh linen variety and the fact this product is ideal for people with sensitive skin. We also like that the cardboard packaging is super compact, taking up hardly any space in our cupboards, and is compostable – this really is a zero-waste cleaning product.

Stainless steel is notoriously tricky to keep looking sparkling and smear-free but we think we have found the answer to our prayers in this natural cleaner. Inside the chic spray bottle is a planet-friendly ammonia-free formula made with clove, eucalyptus and thyme oils along with chamomile extract, and it left our windows and mirrors crystal clear and stainless steel looking its best.

The spray has a beautiful scent and is safe for use around pets and babies, because it is free from all toxic chemicals and synthetic fragrances. When you have used up the bottle, keep hold of it (we wouldn’t want to throw this stylish item away anyway) and use it again and again with Tincture’s refills, which come in a recyclable glass bottle.