There are many benefits of using eco-friendly cleaning products for your home or office, including a safer, less toxic environment and less environmental waste. Traditional cleaning products often have harmful chemicals that include carcinogens and irritants that can cause lasting damage to your health. The good news is there are so many green cleaning products to choose from, including home remedies such as baking soda, as well as certified environmentally friendly cleaning products.

If you don’t have the time or will to clean, or if you need a deep clean and professional help, you can hire a green cleaning company to do a professional job. If you need a green cleaning service in Portland, we offer eco-friendly cleaning of homes and commercial spaces in the Portland, Oregon, area. You can book our green cleaning services, get your price and schedule a cleaning online. We also offer eco-friendly carpet cleaning services.

Even if you hire regular cleaners, you will need some light cleaning at times, as spills, dust, dirt, and grease happens. Knowing what eco-friendly products to choose will help you keep your home or workspace safe and clean. Here is a guide to the best eco-friendly cleaning products, organized by home remedies and green products that meet certain environmental criteria.

Green Cleaning Home Remedies

There are certain products you may have lying around your home that you can use for green cleaning. These household items offer eco-friendly cleaning without harsh toxins and chemicals. And you can use them in a variety of ways, from cleaning kitchen grease and soap scum to deodorizing the trash. The list of home remedies includes:

• Baking soda is one of the most versatile natural cleaners. You can add some water to baking soda to make a cleaning paste and use it to scrub floors, kitchen surfaces, and bathroom surfaces. For a more powerful cleaning agent, mix baking soda and vinegar to clean kitchen grease, toilets, and bathroom surfaces. Baking soda is also an excellent natural deodorizer that absorbs odors and you can put a box of baking soda in your fridge, freezer, laundry room, or by your trash to neutralize odors.
• Vinegar is a great multi-purpose cleaner. You can mix a solution that is equal parts of water and vinegar and put it in a spray bottle. Use this solution as a multi-purpose cleaner for your kitchen, bathroom, appliances, sinks, stoves, and counters. Although vinegar smells strong when you are using it, it neutralizes odors and will have no scent when it dries.
• Lemons are another natural cleaning agent. You can use lemon juice to shine, polish, and lighten surfaces. Add lemon juice to baking soda or vinegar for a multi-purpose green cleaner and use it to dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits.

You can use these common household items to make your own eco-friendly cleaning products. When you clean with vinegar or lemon juice, it’s best to try some on a small area first to make sure that no surfaces are discolored by the natural cleaners.

Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

There are also many ready-made eco-friendly cleaning products on the market. With all of the green cleaning claims, it can be hard to decipher what is really eco-friendly and legitimate. However, there are certain labels you can look for that will help you determine the best eco-friendly cleaners that meet high environmental standards for safety.

Environmental Standards for Green Cleaning Products

The Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice program helps designate environmentally safe products. The eco-friendly products with the Safer Choice seal have been tested and approved for their safety for humans and the environment. The Safer Choice label lets you know that the product meets the EPA’s requirements for a safer environment. To qualify for the label, a product must pass rigorous testing of each ingredient by EPA scientists and meet safety criteria including carcinogenicity, reproductive/developmental toxicity, toxicity to aquatic life, and persistence in the environment. In addition to their product ingredients, products with the Safer Choice label have safer packaging that does minimal harm to the environment.

Another label that is especially helpful to look for to find eco-friendly cleaning products is the EPA’s Design for the Environment (DfE) label on antimicrobial products such as disinfectants and sanitizers. These products must meet strict safety standards for ingredients, performance, packaging, human health, and environmental safety. Cleaning products that feature the DfE label are safer and less toxic than most cleaning products on the market.

Eco-Friendly Cleaning Brands

When you are shopping for green cleaning products, look for the Safer Choice label or the DfE label so you know the products are proven to be safe for human health and the environment. Here are some brands that have eco-friendly cleaning products with the EPA’s seal of approval:

• Earth Force Ltd Kleenall
• LYNX Green Clean
• The Force 003 Green Neutral Cleaner
• Focus MP 11 Multi-Purpose Cleaner
• Amazon Basics All-Purpose Lavender Cleaner
• Amazon Basics All-Purpose Lemon Cleaner
• Clean ‘N Green Neutral Cleaner

You can search the Environmental Protection Agency’s database of DfE-certified disinfectants and designated Safer Choice products to find a host of other eco-friendly cleaning products that meet safety standards. If you have a green cleaning product you use, you can look it up in the databases to see if it’s certified.

Green Cleaning Services

Sometimes life gets too hectic or you don’t have the time or desire to keep up with cleaning. Or you may need the pros to come in for a deep cleaning or carpet shampooing. If you need to hire a professional cleaning company, there are eco-friendly options. Our green cleaning service in Portland offers a variety of eco-friendly cleaning services, including home cleaning, office and commercial space cleaning, and carpet cleaning. If you’re in the Portland, Oregon, area, you can book our green cleaning services online and schedule your professional cleaning. Our experienced green cleaning professionals have the best tools and products to give your space a thorough cleaning so you can enjoy a clean, safe, eco-friendly environment.