Cleaning Supplies Comparison- By Guest Blogger Elizabeth Kyle
It can be overwhelming to find effective non-toxic cleaning products. I hope this will help take some of the guess work out for you. Currently, I have reviewed four cleaning companies: Branch Basics, Force of Nature, Supernatural and ECOS. (I am working on a future blog reviewing others) Below, I will break down each brand more thoroughly and why I recommend each one. Also, here’s a link to Natasha’s own Cleaning Solution Recipe!
Starting off first with Branch Basics, the women who founded this company used their own personal testimonies to develop non-toxic cleaning products, because “everyone cleans.” The largest starter kit for Branch Basics is $69, the reusable glass bottles are an additional $40. When you are ready to refill, the concentrate is $49, and the oxygen boost for your laundry is $10. The concentrate goes much further than the other companies I’m reviewing. Half of the concentrate fills one bottle for all the products that come with the starter kit. I love how simple the product is, how every surface only requires one concentrate just at different dilutions. One disadvantage of the product is the smell. To me, the product smells like a regular castile soap. However, if you have sensitivity to fragrance, including essential oils, this is the product for you. I am disappointed the glass bottles are not included in the starter kit, however, they are high quality and worth the investment. I will certainly, at minimum, continue my laundry regimen with Branch Basics.
I also looked at Force of Nature. The founders knew that families were in need of a cleaning products safer for families; using technology to create their non-toxic solution. The science behind Force of Nature’s efficacy is quite fascinating. The solution in their capsules (salt and vinegar) mixes with water and a jolt of electricity to create electrolyzed water. It’s as simple as those three ingredients, salt, vineger and water. The starter kit is $70, and comes with 5 capsules; enough product to make 5 bottles of cleaner. When it is time for a refill, the $20 refill kit provides 25 additional capsules. It is a very cost-effective way to clean; even cheaper than vinegar. Force of Nature is Environmental Working Group (EWG) verified and EPA registered for hospital and ICU use. This is a non-toxic product that is as effective as bleach but can also simply be used as a deodorizer. I have never found a non-toxic product that cleans so effectively. That being said, it’s solely an all-purpose cleaner, there is not a laundry detergent or hand/dish soap product in their product line. Force of Nature ranks higher in my list than other natural cleaning products because it has no fragrance, dyes, or preservatives. Although the bottles are reusable, I do wish Force of Nature used glass bottles. One caveat of the product is the efficacy only lasts for two weeks; the hypochlorous acid, their secret sauce, dissipates within the product over that time period. To me this is a good and bad thing. It encourages me to clean more often so I do not waste the product. However, this may be impractical for folks who require their products to have a longer shelf life. Force of Nature does have a slight scent similar to diluted bleach and some people may be sensitive to that smell.
Supernatural cleaning products certainly separate themselves from other non-toxic cleaning products. They smell amazing, which was a goal from their creator when creating these products. The founder uses essential oils combined with sustainably sourced products with a low carbon footprint and removes all the nasty stuff from traditional cleaning products. The starter set is $75 and the refill concentrates are an additional $40. The stainless-steel cleaner is sold separately for $25. One of my favorite aspects about these products is the company uses a specific blend for each type of surface. Instead of one concentration, there are separate solutions for wood, stainless steel, granite, tile, and glass. These products are effective, they smell amazing and the spray bottles are high quality. The products are also priced comparable to the other companies I am reviewing. My only complaint is that I feel you do need a little extra elbow grease with the Supernatural line.
The last company I will be reviewing is ECOS. This family owned company has been around for 50 years. The founder began creating these plant-based products after seeing first-hand the harsh effects from traditional cleaning products. ECOS is widely available in local grocery stores; meaning similar to traditional cleaning products you are rebuying bottles over and over again. You have to be careful when buying these products and refer to the EWG website to research their EWG rating and the ingredients, as several of the products do not have a favorable EWG rating. Out of the products I have tried from ECOS, I highly recommend their dish soap and their Oxobrite Multi-Purpose Stain Remover.
I hope this guide was useful in helping you decide between the big selection of non-toxic options that are in the marketplace. Knowing there are effective, safe and sustainable products for your family is life changing. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below.
Elizabeth Kyle is a mom of three with a B.S. Public Health, and originally from South Florida. She is currently following her husband wherever the military needs them. She is passionate about forming connections by sharing her personal experiences. She loves to write and aspires to author a book one day. Her passions include non-toxic living, healthy eating, the outdoors, fitness, homeschool, and parenting. She has been on this journey for about six years and it is ever evolving as she further educates herself and connects with like minded people.