Jennifer is on the Editorial Team at One Green Planet. She earned her Masters Degree... Jennifer is on the Editorial Team at One Green Planet. She earned her Masters Degree in City and Regional Planning from UNC Chapel Hill before moving to Boulder, Colorado in 2006. During the first part of her career, Jennifer worked as a pedestrian and bicycle planner and project manager. As a long-time vegan and competitive distance runner, Jennifer strives to provide a positive example of healthy and sustainable living. Read more about Jennifer Valentine Read More
Conventional cleaning products are among the least regulated consumer goods on the market. Unlike food or cosmetics, household cleaners in the US are not required to disclose their full ingredient lists on labels — a gap that allows brands to hide fragrance compounds, preservatives, and surfactants that the Environmental Working Group has linked to respiratory irritation, endocrine disruption, and aquatic toxicity. The good news: the plant-based cleaning products that have emerged over the last decade genuinely work. These aren’t the ineffective “green” cleaners of the early 2000s that required three times as much scrubbing. These clean. They just do it without the chemicals your lungs, skin, and waterways don’t need. Our own guide to the best natural laundry detergents covers the wash cycle — this one covers everything else.
Seventh Generation has been at this since 1988 — before “plant-based” was a marketing category. Their Free & Clear All-Purpose Cleaner is EPA Safer Choice certified, USDA Certified 95% Biobased, B Corp certified, Leaping Bunny certified, and made with plant-derived surfactants including decyl glucoside and lauramine oxide. Zero synthetic fragrances, zero dyes, zero petroleum-based solvents, zero phosphates. Packaged in a bottle made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic. Works on granite, stainless steel, sealed wood, laminate, glass, and tile without rinsing. The honest limitation: it’s a cleaner, not a disinfectant — if you need to kill bacteria rather than just clean, look for their separate disinfecting line. Around $5–$7 for 23oz. Shop Seventh Generation Free & Clear on Amazon.
The same EPA Safer Choice certified, USDA 95% Biobased formula as the Free & Clear version, with a scent derived entirely from 100% essential oils and botanical ingredients — no synthetic fragrance. Seventh Generation Lemon Chamomile All-Purpose Cleaner is for households that want genuinely clean-smelling results without the compromises most scented natural cleaners make. B Corp certified. Zero dyes, zero chlorine bleach, zero artificial anything. The 4-pack format brings the cost per bottle under $5. For OGP readers who want both performance and scent without synthetic compounds, this is the pick. Around $17–$22 for 4-pack / 23oz each. Shop Seventh Generation Lemon Chamomile on Amazon.
Method’s formula uses decyl glucoside and lauryl glucoside — both corn and coconut derived — in a biodegradable base with no VOCs, no harsh fumes, and no residue on most surfaces including stone and stainless steel. Method Pink Grapefruit is their bestselling variety — a genuinely pleasant citrus scent from natural sources that makes cleaning feel less like a chore without loading your kitchen air with synthetic perfume. Cruelty-free, PETA certified, packaged in 100% recycled plastic. Available in French Lavender and other scents if grapefruit isn’t your preference. The honest limitation: for heavy grease buildup, Method performs better with a 30-second dwell time before wiping — spray and immediately wiping doesn’t give the surfactants time to work. Around $3–$5 for 28oz. Shop Method All-Purpose on Amazon.
Founded by two dads who wanted a genuinely safe cleaner for their kids to be around, Better Life All-Purpose Cleaner Unscented is plant-derived, vegan, cruelty-free, and free from synthetic fragrance, dyes, petroleum, and SLS. EPA Design for the Environment listed. The 32oz bottle is larger than most natural spray cleaners and covers countertops, appliances, glass, upholstery, and more without rinsing required. For households with babies, young children, or anyone with fragrance sensitivity or asthma, this is the most complete zero-fragrance option on this list. Reviewers specifically note it as the only natural cleaner they’ve found that doesn’t trigger respiratory reactions. Available in a 2-pack for better value. Around $8–$11 for 32oz. Shop Better Life Unscented on Amazon.
If there’s one product that renders an entire cabinet of cleaning supplies redundant, it’s Sal Suds. Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds is a concentrated plant-based cleaner made with sodium lauryl sulfate from coconut, lauryl glucoside, and pure Siberian fir and white spruce essential oils — no synthetic dyes, no synthetic fragrance, no harsh pine stump oil, no phthalates. Leaping Bunny certified. EWG Verified. Vegan. Packaged in post-consumer recycled plastic. At a dilution of 1.5 teaspoons per gallon, one 32oz bottle yields roughly 60 gallons of floor cleaner. It does dishes, laundry, floors, counters, and bathroom surfaces. The concentrate format eliminates the need for multiple products and dramatically reduces plastic use. The honest limitation: Sal Suds is not soap — it’s a detergent — and should not be mixed with castile soap, as the acid-base reaction cancels both out. Around $15–$20 for 32oz / ~60 diluted gallons. Shop Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds on Amazon.
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Just wanted comment on a product you do not have called original all purpose cleanser .The only product of its kind on the market today.
You should do your homework a little better. Method gets an F rating by the EWG and some of Seventh Generation\’s products don\’t rate very well either. Just because a company claims to be "non-toxic" doesn\’t mean they really are!