Natural Alternatives for Household Products
green living, homemaking, natural living on a budget Add commentsI have been on the search for more frugal natural alternatives for general household products that work effectively without the high costs of some of the natural ones in the health stores (i.e. Seventh Generation, Bio-Kleen). There are more companies out there making an effort! Here are a few alternative homemade & store-bought products that are free from harmful chemicals, or possible cancer causing toxins (to the best of my knowledge) and better for the environment.
Laundry Detergent
1. Homemade Laundry Detergent. I have been debating back and forth on the cost/time comparison of making my own vs. store-bought. This is the best recipe I have seen for laundry detergent. Now this will save you money IF you normally buy Tide brand or other brands (average of $28.99 for 96 loads). But for time spent…I figured out I would only save a little more than $8 per batch (considering I would perfer a more natural soap ingredient).
2. Ecos Laundry Detergent
It works for all my household laundry, including diapers. I buy a large container that washes 105 loads at Costco for $13.69 (which is $0.13 per load). It lasts around 3 months at our place with 4-5 loads of laundry per week. I can extend it further by using less detergent and adding baking soda or borax to give it an extra boost! It is high-efficiency and works for top and front load washers. It is biodegradable, very concentrated (so you use far less per load!), phosphate and chemical free, plant-based ingredients, and sensitive for all skins. I have seen this at Trader Joe’s and Fred Meyers. Great alternative to Tide and Seventh Generation (which averages $0.43 per load), and very natural!
Dish Soap
1. Dawn Dish soap is available in large quantities at Costco as well. I purchased this container for $6.
Uses include:
- It can easily be diluted in a spray bottle for washing dishes and hands at your kitchen sink (I use half soap and half water with great results!)
- Use to remove clothing or carpet stains - a little dab will do you!
- basic cleaning of counters, etc.
- cleaning cars
- repelling ants
- make your own ice packs by putting it in a Ziploc and storing in the freezer
- bubble solution for the kids
It is biodegradable, and contains no phosphates.
Check out more ideas for its use here.
2. Dr. Bronner’s
Dr. Bronner’s also works well, but doesn’t cut grease very effectively and is more expensive. I love Bronner’s more as a natural soap to fill up the hand soap dispensers in the bathrooms and tub. I would imagine that Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds would be a good alternative too, but once again more expensive than Dawn.
Household Cleaning
1. Make your own! Baking soda and vinegar are two wonderful alternatives to the expensive natural cleaners on the market. I use them all the time!
2. Simple Green - If you are not all into making your own, but want a more natural product, check out Simple Green. This can be purchased as well in concentrated form and diluted for an all-purpose cleaner. The bottle pictured will make 7 gallons of general cleaner and cost $4-5 dollars (also at Costco!). It is non-toxic and biodegradable. Can be used for all varieties of cleaning from light to heavy depending on how much you dilute it. Also works as a laundry booster. I have seen this product everywhere.
These three products simplify my life a whole lot!
It works for me!
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- Housecleaning on a Budget- Part 2
- Natural Bleach Alternatives
Thanks for the great ideas. We have a Trader Joe’s nearby so I use a lot of their cleaning products, but I’m finding it easier and cheaper to stick with vinegar and baking soda for a lot of things.
I have been making my own laundry soap for my family of 8 for a few months now. It usually takes less than 30 minutes of hands on time to make. I have saved lots of money and feel that it keeps our clothes very clean. The best information that I have found is at this website:
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm
While your there you might want to look around, she has wonderful ideas and information.
Simple Green is great!
Thanks for sharing your research….I love stuff like this.
Robin@heartofwisdom
http://www.heartofwisdom.com/heartathome/
I found your blog a week or two ago. I like ECOS from Costco too. That’s nice it is working on your diapers … it didn’t seem to work for our diapers (DS got a rash). Maybe I’ll try it again once we’ve worked out some of the learning curve with cloth diapers.
I’m enjoying your posts on frugal and natural stuff!
Great tips! A few weeks ago I Googled diaper detergent and found a recipe that involved Baking Soda and Simple Green. So that’s what I use now for our diapers. It works pretty well.
Thanks for the great tips!I`ve been making my own laundry soaps and cleaners since about September.It does save alot of money,and it`s healthier too!I will be adding your blog to my list!I`m trying to learn more about heath and nutrition.Your blog has been very helpful!Have a blessed day!
I LOVE that Ecos too! I didn’t know that about Dawn and I was buying Seventh Generation - so thanks! I can now use up all my stockpile of Dawn without feeling bad!
I didn’t know Dawn was phosphate free… I will totally start using that instead of my current dishwashing soap. Thanks for the tip!
Thanks for all of this! Just today I was researching Basic H, and I was appalled to learn just how toxic most popular cleaners are! I am definitely looking into a more natural cleaners.
Thanks!
Dawn dish soap was then only thing we used to wash our daughter’s bottles when she was a little baby. (We didn’t have a dishwasher.)
For washing diapers, I use Country Save detergent. It doesn’t have any softeners or brighteners in it.) I get it from Azure Standard.
We love Dr. Bronner’s too. When my DH was fire fighting, he found it was wonderful for showering & hair washing all summer! (Plus it is concentrated, so he only had to pack a small bottle.)
I use Bi-o-kleen All-purpose Cleaner for kitchen & bath surfaces, as well as stain removal on diapers and laundry.
Blessings,
Michele
http://www.frugalgranola.blogspot.com
Thanks so much! I am (very) slowly working on converting over and it is so helpful to get practical help from other moms. I headed to the store today to buy ECOS and discovered it contains soy. My son is allergic to soy (food) so I am assuming I should not use in his laundry. I’ll have to try one of the homemade ones I guess, the others I spotted at the store were so much more expensive.
Also, do you use an automatic dishwasher? I am looking for something to use there and I don’t think the recipe I am trying now works very well.
I tried a homemade dishwasher solution without much success. I have found that 1 Tbls of detergent (any kind, I actually use Costco brand right now) with a Tbls each of borax and baking soda does the trick! More natural and stretches the detergent. The only other natural brands I have seen are bio-kleen and seventh generation. Still working on this one!
I know this is an older post, but I thought this might help someone out there…. I have had such an incredible time learning and making my own laundry soap, cleaners, etc. I ran across the greatest thing for me and a dear friend loved this so much she has been asking me for more cleaning tips….. We started using straight club soda (which we buy generic for 0.58 a liter at Wal-Mart) for windows, mirrors, vehicle windows and chrome, and all sorts of chrome and glass places… let me say it was incredible…. As I was journeying down this road I found alot of my all purpose cleaners with vinegar and such was leaving a residue on my black appliances, needless to say I read about club soda and tried it and I fell in love with club soda …. almost as close to using peroxide that I spray all counters and bathroom with. By the way, in case you didn’t know… all the peroxide bottles I have bought (which here Sam’s sells it cheapest) accept the spray nozzles from standard spray bottles you buy… which was great as peroxide needs to stay in the dark bottle… I am having a blast, I hope to see more ideas here on great cleaning tips and ideas from others.
Blessings