8 Non-Toxic House Cleaning Products to Make Your Vegan Home Sparkle

There comes a point in every vegan’s life when they realize that being vegan isn’t just about the food. From fashion to cosmetics, home furnishings to car interiors, animal products find their way into our seemingly innocent everyday goods. Thankfully, as with food, there is a vegan option for everything—including cleaning supplies. These eight cruelty-free cleaners are friendly to the animals and the environment, so channel your inner domestic god or goddess and whistle while you work! 

1. 365 Everyday ValueⓇ
You came for the hot bar, but don’t disregard the homewares aisle. The Whole Foods Market brand of all-purpose cleaners provides a solid selection of non-toxic options so you can get your dinner and errands done in one trip. Keep it simple with the fragrance-free collection or treat yourself to one of the inviting scents—such as Wild Orange or Lemon Zest—made with natural fragrances derived from essential oils. All of these products are free of both animal products and harmful chemicals such as chlorine, phosphates, and phthalates that are commonly found in other cleaners. They’re also biodegradable and safe for septic and grey water systems.

2. BioKleen
The wide array of BioKleen all-purpose and specialty cleaning products is enough to excite any neat freak. Pet carpet stains, laundry odors, caked-on dirty dishes, and floor scuffs are no match for these cleaners and a little elbow grease. The solutions are made with the company’s blend of live enzyme-producing cultures and essential oils, making your home look and smell like you hired a professional cleaner wearing the most attractive perfume. 

3. Dr. Bronner’s
Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner is the essential cruelty-free cleaning product for the minimalist homemaker. This general-purpose cleaner claims to do it all—from loads of laundry to mopping floors. It can even turn into a powerful scouring agent for sinks and bathtubs when mixed with a dash of baking soda. In the case of Dr. Bronner’s, one product is all you need to get the job done. 

4. Ecover
Inspired by nature, Ecover uses fermentation to turn sugars into cleaning agents that dissolve oils and other stains. The products are also all biodegradable and made with renewable plant-based and naturally derived ingredients. Start with the Pine Fresh Toilet Cleaner then explore the company’s laundry and dish soap offerings. 

5. Method
The vibrant colors and delightful fragrances make Method’s cleaners stand out, but it’s the transparent ingredient list and formulation process that have turned us into repeat customers. The full line encompasses the spectrum of all your home cleaning needs—from compostable scented cleaning wipes to serene “waterfall” scented glass cleaner. Bonus: all packaging is made from recycled plastic to minimize the company’s (and your) environmental footprint. 

6. Mrs. Meyers
With garden-inspired scents, Mrs. Meyers takes the chore out of cleaning by providing an aromatherapeutic experience while you wash and scrub. Put on some calming music and zen out while you clean with the relaxing lavender dishwasher packs or energize your scrub with the zesty lemon verbena baking soda cleaner (it’s great for baked-on stove-top stains). The ingredients are derived from renewable plant resources—such as coconut, corn, soy, and olive—whenever possible. Never tested on animals, Mrs. Meyers has a cleaning product for almost every nook and cranny of your home. 

7. Trader Joe’s
We know we can rely on our local Trader Joe’s for vegan food finds, but we’re also fans of its private label household products. From the nontoxic fruit and veggie wash to the lemon-scented dishwasher detergent pods, its products are not only affordable and reliable, but plant-based and biodegradable. The company recently gave its Cedarwood & Sage Multi-Purpose Cleaner (made with real cedarwood and sage oils) an update, and it’s now a regular item on our shopping list along with the 19-cent bananas and Joe-Joe’s Sandwich Cookies. 

8. Breathe
Breathe is the first aerosol cleaning line that has met the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice criteria with 100 percent of its ingredients. The four-pack home cleaning kit is equipped with the Industrial Strength Multi-Purpose Bathroom Cleaner, Stainless Steel Cleaner, Multi-Purpose Everyday Cleaner, and Furniture Polish. The full line is fragrance-free and safe for families and pets, yet powerful enough to make quick work of the most “lived in” of households. Finished with the day’s chores, sit back and take a deep, non-toxic breath. 

 

Stephanie Dreyer (@veegmama) is a plant-based meal planning expert and the founder of StephanieDreyer.com where she helps busy parents bring more ease to their meal prep and mealtimes.