10 Best Natural & Eco Friendly Cleaning Brands
Are you looking for the best sustainable cleaning products that use natural (plant-based) ingredients? Here are 10 small U.K. brands to help you ditch those toxic cleaners.
Are you looking to replace the cleaning products in your home with eco friendly brands?
Unless you’re a chemist, it can be hard to know which brands use natural, non-toxic ingredients and which are greenwashing.
Several years ago, when I was on a tight budget, I found it easier to make homemade cleaners.
But then, I got pregnant and didn’t always have the time or energy.
When my child was born prematurely with underdeveloped lungs, using natural cleaning products (that were also effective) became a priority.
When I say “natural,” I mean ingredients derived from plants. Many conventional cleaners rely on petrochemicals from fossil fuels because they are cheap.
I prefer to avoid these because I don’t want the climate crisis to destroy my children’s future.
Since then, I have spent years contacting brands, collecting ingredient lists (many of which are not hidden or removed), and researching chemicals using studies.
I want proof that an ingredient is safe if my children will be exposed to it.
The result is this list, which I will share with you today, of the most sustainable, eco-friendly cleaning brands in the U.K.
Coming up
What makes a cleaning product eco-friendly?
Which eco cleaner is the best?
Why you should only buy cruelty-free cleaning brands
Cleaning brands to avoid
Sustainable cleaning on a budget
Ten best sustainable and eco-friendly cleaning products in the UK
No products or brands in this post are sponsored and no products have been gifted. There are some affiliate links to sustainable small businesses where you can purchase products (although none to Amazon due to their unethical practices). These come at no extra cost to you and simply supports the running costs of this website.
What makes a cleaning product eco-friendly?
An eco-friendly cleaning product does not harm the environment throughout its entire lifecycle.
It needs to be responsibly manufactured (preferably with renewable energy) and use plant-based sustainable ingredients that do not pollute air, water, or soil.
An eco-conscious brand will have thought up a way to ensure the packaging is sustainable, too.
Instead of being made from plastic and tossed into landfill, it will be refilled, or reused.
Which eco-cleaner is the best?
Here are my top ten natural eco cleaners of 2024:
Look for the leaping bunny logo to be sure a product is cruelty-free
Why you should only buy cruelty-free cleaning products
If you care about having sustainable cleaning products in your home, I’m certain you also want cruelty-free products, too.
You might be surprised to learn, that the ingredients used in cleaning products are still tested on animals in the UK and EU.
Currently in Europe, animals can still be used in cruel and painful experiments to develop new cleaning products. This is to comply with outdated safety laws.
It involves forcing rabbits, mice, guinea pigs, fish and rats to swallow, inhale or have chemicals rubbed on their skin and eyes when testing new ingredients.
Because they’re developing new products and ingredients all the time, most commercial brands are not cruelty-free.
You can look for the official leaping bunny logo (Cruelty-Free International) to ensure that the product you are buying does not use animal testing.
However, be warned - some brands put fake rabbit logos on the packaging when they don’t actually have the certification.
My list of sustainable cleaning products will state whether each brand is certified cruelty-free.
Some companies haven’t got certification yet because they are still very small companies and it’s not cheap to get accredited. However, they all confirmed they don’t test on animals, manufacture locally, and don’t sell in China.
cleaning brands to avoid
Some people may have the view that we should buy eco-friendly cleaning products from big corporations to encourage them to change their ways.
I understand the reasoning, but I don’t agree.
Firstly, having one eco-friendly range shows the company is only in it for the money, not because they want to make products that are safe for people and the environment.
Large corporations are responsible for polluting the ocean with plastic and toxic chemicals. They are also a big reason the plastic and fossil fuel industry are still going strong.
When you buy from a polluting brand, you are financially supporting them over a sustainable brand.
Brands I recommend you avoid because they have a devastating environmental impact are:
Procter & Gamble - Fairy, Ariel, Lenor, Bold, Febreze, Flash, Viakal, Daz
Reckitt Benckiser - Cillit Bang, Dettol, Vanish, Harpic, Finish
Unilever - Cif, Domestos, Comfort, Persil, Surf
All Supermarket own brands
Eco friendly cleaning on a budget
I totally understand that on a low income, you may not be able to afford to support the most ethical cleaning brands, and you should never be ashamed or feel guilty about that.
As with all sustainable swaps, you should use up what you already have and choose eco-friendly alternatives only once you’re close to running out.
There are brands on my list that are a lot cheaper than others for various reasons.
I wanted to bring all the best brands into one place to shorten the time you have to do research while helping you make an informed choice.
The cheapest way to clean your home is to make your own homemade cleaners. I have shared some tips for this in my beginner’s guide to green cleaning.
I have also shared some of my favourite recipes and made them printable. You can find these under the freebies section of my blog.
If there is a specific cleaner you’d like me to make, let me know in the comments and I’ll do that next.
The best natural and eco-friendly cleaning brands
The following sustainable cleaning brands are the ones I’ve found to have the best ethics and have been the most transparent about their ingredients.
To make the cut, brands needed to have sustainability policies, palm oil policies, and respond to my questions about ingredients (if they don’t have the information on their websites).
Some of the brands I haven’t included, particularly plastic-free brands and those that create pods or sheets with plastic polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), have been missed out due to their ingredients or their secrecy.
Bio-D
📍Made in the UK
🧼Products: Kitchen, bathroom, + home cleaners, laundry, dishwashing and sanitisers.
About: Bio-D is a small family business which sells an affordable range of eco-friendly cleaning products. Bio-D stands for “biodegradable” as they only use plant-based ingredients.
Product Reviews:
I find Bio-D washing-up liquid, cleaning sprays, and sanitisers very good. Its dishwasher tablets didn’t work effectively in my hard water area. It’s washing powder did not clean my reusable nappies effectively.
How sustainable is Bio-D?
🌱Certified by: Cruelty-Free International, Vegan Society, Allergy UK, Ethical Consumer Best Buy, ISO 14001, B Corp,
🧺Packaging: 100% recycled plastic bottles, paper or cardboard. Reusable HDPE bulk jerry cans. (FYI washing powder looks like paper but is lined with plastic for quality reasons)
♻️ Refillable: You can purchase many of their products in bulk, 5L to 15L, and refill your bottle.
🌴Palm oil: Bio-D products contain RSPO-certified palm oil derivatives
🧪 Chemicals: Free from triclosan, phthalates, petroleum derivatives, GMOs, formaldehyde, chlorine bleach, synthetic fragrances and preservatives. Some products, like hand wash, contain the sulphate SLES (sourced from coconuts) which is ethoxylated to make it gentle on the skin.
🌹Fragrance: Derived from essential oils. Fragrance-free products are available.
Suitable for the workplace:
The following Bio-D products have been tested against a range of bacteria, including E-coli, salmonella and MRSA and can be used in catering environments:
Bio-D Multi Surface Sanitiser, All Purpose Sanitiser, Home & Garden Sanitiser and Sanitising Hand Wash are all BSEN1276-approved
Bower Collective
📍Made: In the U.K.
🧼Products: bathroom, kitchen, laundry and dishwashing
About: Bower Collective is an online refill store that was founded by friends in 2019 to help eliminate single-use plastic waste. Each of its pouches has its own QR code on the back which you can scan to learn more about the product, how many times it's been reused, and how much carbon has been saved.
Product reviews: I haven’t tried this brand yet, however, online reviews are ALL positive with all products being rated highly. The laundry liquid is a 4 out of 5 and the only negative is people saying the scent is too strong or weak or mentioning a thick texture. Even dishwasher tabs have a 4.7 out of 5 so I’ll be giving these a try soon.
How sustainable is Bower Collective?
🌱Certified by: B Corp and Climate Partner Certified. All suppliers meet the Ethical Trade Initiative base code which ensures workers are paid a living wage and treated fairly. Bower cleaning products are vegan and cruelty-free without certification.
🧺Packaging: Reusable bottles are either glass or virgin plastic, pouches use much less plastic than a bottle and are sent back to be reused
♻️ Refillable: You can refill a bottle you already have, or buy one of Bower’s, and refill with its 1-litre pouches. Save 20% by getting them on a flexible subscription
🌴Palm oil: Some products contain RSPO-certified palm oil derivatives
🧪 Chemicals: Free from ammonia, animal-derived ingredients, parabens, formaldehyde, synthetic dyes, phthalates, phosphates, and chlorine bleaches. Some products contain SLES, a sulfate that has been ethoxylated to make it mild.
🌹Fragrance: Derived from essential oils. Fragrance-free products are available.
Discount codes:
Get 10% off with code: LAZY10 or 5% off for existing customers with AFF5
Dri-Pak
📍Made: In the U.K
🧼Products: Cleaning cupboard staples, citric acid, liquid soap, natural cream cleaner.
About: Dri Pak is a family business that supplies affordable traditional cleaning cupboard staples. They are great for all kinds of jobs around the house or can be used for DIY cleaners.
Product review: I’ve been using Dri Paks cleaning staples, like soda crystals, borax substitute, and citric acid for several years and I can’t fault them. I’d recommend moving open products to a sealed container or jar to avoid moisture affecting them. I also like the cream cleaner and the liquid soap is the most budget-friendly around. The only problem is they come in plastic bottles.
How sustainable is Dri Pak?
🌱Certified by: Cruelty-Free International + Vegan Society Approved
🧺Packaging: Most products come in cardboard but the soda crystals and liquids come in plastic (only 30% recycled).
♻️ Products can be used to create homemade cleaning products and reduce your reliance on plastic bottles or harsh chemicals
🌴Palm oil: Dri Pak is palm oil-free
🧪 Chemicals: Free from triclosan, phthalates, petroleum derivatives, SLS, GMOs, formaldehyde, chlorine bleach, synthetic fragrances and harsh preservatives.
🌹Fragrance: All products are fragrance-free
Eco-Mate
📍Made: In the U.K.
🧼Products: kitchen, bathroom, laundry, dishwashing
About: Eco-mate is a small British start-up from rural Rutland. Its mission is to give you one less plastic bottle to worry about. By making cleaning with fully biodegradable packaging and naturally derived, plant-based ingredients, they are truly ocean-friendly
How sustainable is Eco-Mate?
🌱Certified by: No certifications yet, but Eco-Mate confirm they are vegan and cruelty-free
🧺Packaging: The bottle is made from sugar cane waste and recycled paper pulp and lined with plant latex sap. It has a bamboo cap (100% plastic-free)
♻️ Zero waste - bottles can be composted at the end of their life
🌴Palm oil: No, Eco-Mate is free from palm oil
🧪 Chemicals: Eco-Mate uses plant-based ingredients with no controversial chemicals and no artificial fragrances
🌹Fragrance: Natural fragrance or fragrance-free
Eco-Mate discount code:
LAZY25 for 25% off
Ecoleaf
📍Made: in the U.K.
🧼Products: kitchen, bathroom, home, laundry, dishwashing, recycled toilet paper and kitchen roll
About: Ecoleaf is a sustainable cleaning brand that is owned by Suma, a workers’ cooperative that values equality. It uses recycled packaging and offers bulk buys so you can refill at home.
How sustainable is Ecoleaf?
🌱Certified by: Cruelty-Free International, Vegan Society Approved, Ethical Consumer Best Buy
🧺Packaging: Paper packets, cardboard boxes, recycled plastic bottles, recycled paper, compostable film.
🌴Palm oil: Some Ecoleaf products contain RSPO-certified palm oil derivatives
🧪 Chemicals: Free from triclosan, phthalates, and parabens. Some products contain the preservative benzisothiazolinone which is an allergen and sensitiser. It legally has to be declared on the product page.
🌹Fragrance: According to Suma’s toxics policy, they only use fragrances derived from essential oils.
ecoLiving
📍Made: Most products are made in Sussex, U.K. The dish brushes are made in Germany.
🧼Products: traditional cleaning supplies, like bicarbonate of soda. Accessories, like dish brushes, sponges, and rubber gloves.
About: ecoLiving creates some great zero-waste products that have been designed to stop microplastic pollution from entering our oceans. It sells affordable plastic-free cleaning ingredients and accessories to help you reduce your single-use plastic.
Product reviews: I was pleased somebody finally made plastic-free soda crystals which I use to clean my washing machine or soften water. I also like using ecoLiving dish brushes and sponges. I have found the dish soap doesn’t work great in hard water areas (same with any brand), and the rubber gloves sadly aren’t very durable.
Is ecoLiving sustainable?
🌱Certified by: FSC-certified. ecoLiving says its products are vegan, cruelty-free, and Fairtrade, but I can’t find any certifications.
🧺Packaging: ecoLiving products are made from various materials, like bamboo, wood, cellulose and natural rubber. All products and packaging are plastic-free.
🌴Palm oil: ecoLiving products are free from palm oil and derivatives
🧪 Chemicals: Uses plant-based, biodegradable ingredients, no GMOs or palm oil. No policy on toxic chemicals, however, most cleaning products are objects.
🌹Fragrance: Most products are fragrance-free. Fragrance information (synthetic or natural) for dish bars is unclear but I haven’t asked yet. I have asked them questions before and got honest replies.
Faith in Nature
📍Made: in the U.K.
🧼Products: bulk washing-up liquid, laundry liquid, refill bottles
About: Faith in Nature has been around since 1974, back when natural and cruelty-free weren’t very common. It is widely known for its hair care range, but also has a small range of cleaning products.
Is Faith In Nature sustainable?
🌱Certified by: Cruelty-Free International + Vegan Society Approved
🧺Packaging: 5-litre containers are HDPE plastic but can be returned to Faith in Nature to be reused. 500ml refill bottles are aluminium with a plastic pump.
♻️ Faith In Nature only sells cleaning products in bulk sizes to reduce plastic
🌴Palm oil: Products contain palm oil. They claim it is RSPO-certified.
🧪 Chemicals: Free from triclosan, phthalates, BPA petroleum derivatives, GMOs, chlorine bleach, and synthetic fragrances and colours. Personal care products contain the sulphate ALES.
🌹Fragrance: Derived from essential oils.
Fill refill
📍Made: In Northamptonshire, U.K
🧼Products: Home staples, like bicarbonate of soda, bathroom, kitchen, laundry, and general home cleaning
About: Fill Refill is a zero-waste cleaning brand. It is a family business that makes everything themselves in their own family-run factory with real chemists combining biodegradable ingredients. The result is simple but effective cleaning and laundry products that are designed to be refilled.
Product Reviews: I have used Fill laundry products before which I found to be effective.
Is Fill sustainable?
🌱Certified by: Vegan Society, Cruelty-Free International, Allergy UK, Living Wage Employer, B Corp, Ethical Consumer Best Buy
🧺Packaging: Recycled glass bottle with aluminium lid, powder refills come in a plastic tub you can send back to be refused for free, liquid refills come in a box with a liner that can be returned for reuse
♻️ Fill operates a closed-loop refill system.
🌴Palm oil: Fill has put a lot of effort in to avoid using palm oil in its products. When there is no other option it ensures they are RSPO-certified.
🧪 Chemicals: Products are free from parabens, triclosan, formaldehyde and phthalates
🌹Fragrance: Fill use naturally derived fragrances from essential oils
Greenscents
📍Made: West Somerset, U.K.
🧼Products: home cleaning, dishwashing, and laundry liquids
About: Greenscents is a family business making organic cleaning products since 2012. It only uses non-toxic formulas and aims to provide natural protection from bacteria. Greenscents is very transparent about its ingredients and processes.
Product Reviews: Greenscents makes castile soap which I often use around my home. Unfortunately, I found its dishwasher powder left residue on my glasses and dishes. However, people with soft water often recommend it and say better things. Greenscents also has an antibacterial product that contains nothing toxic.
Is Greenscents sustainable?
🌱Certified by: Cruelty-Free International, The Vegan Society, Soil Association, Palm Oil Free certification, Ethical Consumer Best Buy, Naturewatch Foundation
🧺Packaging: Bottles are made from amber glass with aluminium lids. 5 and 20-litre containers are plastic but are reused
♻️ You can buy 5 litres to refill your bottle, and return the containers for free
🌴Palm oil: None
🧪 Chemicals: No sulphates, no ethoxylates, no ethyl alcohol, no synthetic fragrances, no phosphates, no optical brighteners, no GMOs, no petroleum-derived additives, no parabens, no enzymes, no chlorine bleaches, no phthalates, no formaldehyde, no synthetic dyes, no MI or MCI, no Triclosan.
🌹Fragrance: Derived from essential oils. Fragrance-free products are available.
Miniml
📍Made: in Yorkshire, U.K.
🧼Products: Laundry, bathroom, kitchen, white vinegar
About: In 2020, two young university graduates, Emma and Scott, set out to change the way people buy cleaning products. Their goal was to make naturally derived products with refillable packaging to reduce the amount of waste in the cleaning industry.
Product reviews: If you are looking for sulphate-free, Miniml is your friend. I have tried a lot of its products as it’s quite affordable compared to many eco brands. I like its laundry products, bubble bath, and bathroom cleaners. The washing-up liquid is ok, but sometimes leaves some hard water residue around my sink, and the dishwasher powder performed poorly in my hard water. If I add citric acid each time it works ok, though.
How sustainable is Miniml?
🌱Certified by: Cruelty-Free International, Vegan Society, Ethical Consumer Best Buy
🧺Packaging: Refillable dispensers are either glass or recycled plastic. 1-litre pouches are plastic, but use less than a bottle and reused. 5-25 litre containers are plastic but reused.
♻️ Closed loop system - send refill packaging back for free to be reused many times.
🌴Palm oil: Miniml has made an effort to avoid palm oil in cleaning products. It said that in instances where there was no other option (in personal care products), it ensured the palm derivative was RSPO-certified, traceable, and in a tiny quantity.
🧪 Chemicals: Free from sulphates, triclosan, phthalates, GMOs, formaldehyde, chlorine bleach, formaldehyde, NPEs, VOCs, and optical brighteners
🌹Fragrance: Fragrances are of 100% natural origin.
I hope you found this useful. What is your favourite natural, eco-friendly cleaning brand? Are there any brands you’d like me to investigate next?
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