Top 16 Eco Home Products
We have so much power to reduce our plastic waste in our home. And every little swap makes a difference. Here are my top 16 must-have products to eco-fy your home and make it way, way better. Eco Chic Style. Here we go…
Hand Soap Bars
Get one for all the adults cohabitating in your residence. I suggest looking for artisanal hand soaps at local farmers markets in your favorite scents (I love lemon and lavender). If you’re not really the local market-type, go for Dr. Bronner’s All-One Hemp Pure-Castile Bar Soap from Amazon. It comes in lovely scents, but I prefer their baby unscented version. Click here to buy it on the ‘Zon.
2. Bulk Liquid Hand Soap
I’m not fond of the idea of guests sharing a bar of hand soap. And my daughter doesn’t quite know how to lather one up just yet. For guest and children’s bathrooms, I suggest refilling the pump dispensers with a bulk liquid hand soap. I like this one by Seventh Generation, available here on Amazon.
3. Bulk Dish Soap
While we’re on the topic of bulk soaps, let’s discuss dish soap. As you may have noticed already, I’m partial to Dr. Bronner’s soaps. They make a liquid soap that I buy by the gallon and keep by the kitchen sink to use for washing dishes, cleaning hands, and even squirt 3 pumps in a spray bottle (fill the rest with water) for an all-purpose surface cleaner. It has 18 different uses (the instructions for all 18 are on the container). But I mainly use it as dish soap. I bought a soap pump from Amazon and screwed it onto the lid - buy yours here. (Tip: Keep the original lid to screw back on the empty container when you’re ready to recycle.)
4. Powder Dishwasher Detergent
Did you know that shipping liquids requires a ton more energy because it’s heavier? And a lot of times, this can be avoided. Like, for instance, when it comes to dishwasher detergent. Skip the liquid variations and opt for a less carbon-intense formula- like powder (pods are fine, too). My personal favorite is Seventh Generation’s dishwasher detergent powder that comes in a cardboard box with ZERO plastic. Just use a bit - a little goes a long way.
5. Powder Laundry Detergent
Liquid detergents are essentially the same thing with added water. Skip the needless carbon emissions from shipping something 10x heavier and just go for the powder. It mixes with water anyway when you run the load. Buy this Arm & Hammer bulk laundry powder on Amazon here. And don’t forget to wash full loads with cold water to save water and energy.
6. Laundry Rack
Did you know your dryer uses the most energy in your home by far? It also destroys clothes. If you want to save energy and have your clothes last longer and look better, start to air dry. At the very least, air dry the good stuff and throw the towels and socks in the dryer. Every little change counts! Your clothes will thank you. (Buy this accordion-style foldable laundry rack on Amazon here. I have two!)
7. Reusable Dryer Sheets
Stop using disposable dryer sheets! These ones will last you forever (well, technically 500 loads). Save money, waste and cut your drying time in half. Buy them on Amazon here.
(Another alternative to disposable dryer sheets are wool dryer balls. If you go this route, please make sure they’re made using cruelty-free wool!)
8. Reusable Swiffer Pad
Reduce your waste with reusables whenever you can! These Swiffer replacements can just pop in the wash when you’re done. Never buy another Swiffer wipe again! Buy here.
9. Unpaper Towels
I’m sure you’ve seen these around. They’re a trend that’s worth getting on board with. I don’t bother rolling them up like paper towels - I just throw them in a big vase and keep them on the kitchen counter. Use them as a dish cloth, to wipe up messes, and for anything in the kitchen. You won’t go through nearly as many paper towels. My favorite are the rainbow colors, but the colors and patterns are endless. Pick your poison here.
Recycled Paper Products
Recycled is always going to be best bet when it comes to household paper products (think paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, hand towels, printer paper). Bamboo is a big trend but it’s not as eco-friendly. Bamboo comes all the way from China - a far way to ship, creating a lot of carbon emissions. There’s also been a huge surge in demand for bamboo - requiring huge plots of land to be cleared, which is leading to deforestation. Lastly, bamboo is a type of wood so buying it in paper-form requires it to go through an intense chemical process.
Recycled paper, on the other hand, is generally a less intense process and utilizes a material that already exists and would otherwise go to landfill. Recycled paper, like bamboo, also saves trees, but it does so without the added environmental impact or use of chemicals. Recycled is always better than new! See specific recycled paper recs below…
10. Recycled Paper Towels
Not only are these made of recycled paper, but they come completely plastic-free in a cardboard box. Never buy those overpriced Bounty paper towels again. This one gets the job done and comes in bulk - so you won’t have to worry about buying more for a long time - especially if you’re utilizing your unpaper towels as well! Eco tip - put the paper towels under the kitchen sink so you’ll use the reusable paper towels instead. Out of sight, out of mind! Buy these Tork recycled paper towels on Amazon here.
11. Recycled Toilet Paper
EIGHTY rolls come in one box. EIGHTY! These are soft as can be, made of recycled paper, and come in a cardboard box with zero plastic. Buy this Scott recycled TP on Amazon here.
12. Recycled Tissues
I think you’re getting the hang of it now... Look for tissues made out of recycled paper like these ones by Seventh Generation. Buy a pack of 6 on Amazon here.
13. Recycled Hand Towels
Use these recycled hand towels in guest bathrooms or in place of paper towels, if that’s your style. I love brown paper products - makes it look more eco. Appearances are important! It gets your guests thinking and gives you a little confidence boost throughout your day to know you’re doing your part to better the world by making eco swaps throughout your home. And these hand towels are made with zero chemicals. Buy them on Amazon here.
14. Recycled Printer Paper
Go for this 100% recycled printer paper for all your office paper needs. It’s the same exact thing, just more eco. Buy here.
15. Compostable Trash Bags
Still using plastic trash bags? You can do better. Make this swap stat to compostable trash bags. They break down. There’s no need to leave a trace of every trash bag you’ll ever use in your lifetime in landfills for centuries to come. Use these for your compost and trash alike. They’re surprisingly durable, but you may want to err on the side of caution and double up with heavier or more watery loads. Worth it to save the planet. If you make one eco switch on this list, let this be the one. Buy these BPI certified compostable trash bags by trusted brand UNNI on Amazon here.
16. Compostable Gloves
Use these for preparing food (great for handling raw meat, fish) or any other icky situation (changing diapers, cleaning the toilet). While I opt for a reusable set of gloves for most kitchen work, these are great when you need a disposable pair. I honestly couldn’t live without them. No need for plastic, these work just fine. Buy these BPI certified compostable disposable gloves on Amazon here.
Thank you for reading my post! Please comment with any questions or feedback! I hope you found this helpful in making eco changes in your home! Remember, every little change helps!