The Eco-Friendly Products We Trust (and the Ones We Don't)
We get asked weekly which 'natural' cleaning products are actually low-tox and which are greenwashed. Here's the short, opinionated list we bring to client homes.
February 14, 2026
The label "natural" isn't regulated. "Eco-friendly" isn't either. "Plant-based" can mean 95% of the formula or 3%. Here's what we actually carry on our cleaning carts, and what we leave at the store.
What we use, by job
All-purpose & kitchen
- Branch Basics concentrate. Plant- and mineral-based, fragrance-free, biodegradable. Dilutes for all-purpose, glass, and bathroom use. Our default for clients with kids, pets, or asthma.
- Attitude all-purpose. Canadian, EWG-verified, certified by EcoLogo. Great citrus-free scent for clients who don't want fragrance-free but want low-tox.
Bathroom & grout
- Bon Ami powder. Hundred-year-old formula, no chlorine, no dyes, no perfumes. Best non-toxic abrasive we've found for tubs and stone-safe.
- Hydrogen peroxide (3%, drugstore). For grout brightening and mildew. Less aggressive than bleach, no fumes, breaks down to water and oxygen.
Floors
- Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner. pH-neutral, GreenGuard certified, won't haze finishes. The one wood-floor specific cleaner we recommend.
- Diluted white vinegar (1:10) with a few drops of Castile soap. For tile and vinyl. Cheap, effective, completely non-toxic.
What we won't bring into your home
- Generic "antibacterial" sprays. Quats (quaternary ammonium compounds) are respiratory irritants and don't add meaningful protection for routine cleaning.
- Aerosol "air fresheners." They're a layer of solvent + fragrance over whatever you actually want gone. We open windows instead.
- Bleach as a general cleaner. We use it sparingly for active mildew. Never for routine cleans.
- Dryer sheets in client laundry. Quats + fragrance again. Wool dryer balls work for static and are reusable for years.
What "fragrance-free" really means at our company
If you book a fragrance-free clean, we also avoid scented personal care products that morning (cologne, scented lotion). Many people who are sensitive to cleaning fragrances are equally sensitive to perfume, and it's not enough to switch only the cart.
How to ask for the eco kit
It's just a checkbox on our quote form, or a sentence on a call: "fragrance-free," "pet-safe," or "asthma-friendly." There's no upcharge, it's just a different cart for that visit.