SUGGESTIONS:

CASTILE SOAP

Originally made from olive oil and named after the Castile region of Spain, this single natural, environmentally friendly liquid cleanser can cover most of your cleaning needs - from shampoo to dishes and counter tops! Although there are a number of Castile soap producers, we started with Dr. Bronner’s bar and liquid soaps as they are available in most grocery and general retail stores. See references below for other options which may be produced by more local merchants.

SIMPLE QUICK: Depending on what you are cleaning will depend how much water you dilute the soap with. Start with using it straight in the shower where a couple drops will take care of shampoo and body wash needs. Although we encourage using bar soap over liquid soap where possible to reduce plastic packaging, liquid Castile soap provides a good alternative for guests who may not want to share bars. As Castile soap usually comes in more bulky sized bottles, filling a reusable dispenser will make it easier. You can reuse a prior soap dispenser as we do, or if you need to buy one then we recommend a finer spout as a little Castile soap goes a long way!

SLIGHTLY MORE INVOLVED: If you are not ready to convert to bar soaps in your bathrooms and kitchen, then liquid Castile soap is a good alternative for hand washing, hand washing dishware, cleaning kitchen and table surfaces and floors. As this requires diluting the soap with varying amounts of water, we usually use dedicated refillable dispenser and spray bottles and/or label the bottles with a simple strip of masking tape. Follow the instructions provided in references below.

ALL IN: Replace all cleaning needs where possible with Castile soap - Although we haven’t tried all the uses, we are gradually working through the various suggestions. Follow the instructions provided in references below.

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LEMON

Lemon has long been used for cleaning due to its acidity, whether used directly or in combination with salt, baking soda, or as an additive to other cleaning agents. Although we still largely defer to purchased soaps and detergents, we use leftover lemon for cleaning when available (i.e. if preparing salad dressing or a dish requiring lemon, we’ll set aside the squeezed half or leftover slices to clean lightly used cutting board or counter surfaces, or to give our faucet and taps a quick polish.

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VINEGAR

Similar to Castile soap, vinegar is an environmentally friendly cleaning agent with multiple purposes (aside from cooking)! We use white distilled vinegar to clean showers, faucets and counter tops, as well as add a splash of it into our laundry, and use it to remove limescale from our hot water kettle.

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TABLETS & PODS

Whether you are using conventional or eco-friendly cleaning solutions, opting for the tablet or pod forms of the products will help reduce weight and packaging as these have significantly lower liquid content. Some examples:

  • Laundry detergent: Seventh Generation, Method, Mrs. Meyer’s, Public Goods, Grove Laundry Detergent Sheets (plastic-free packaging)

  • Toilet bowl cleaner: Seventh Generation, Mama Suds (Clorox and Scrubbing Bubbles brands also offer tablet cleaners, although they generally contain bleach and other armful chemical ingredients)

  • Toothpaste: We use Denttabs (aka Unpaste) toothpaste tablets which come in biodegradable packaging; there are a number of other brands as well, although those are mostly packaged in glass containers (still better than plastic!). It takes a little bit getting used to using toothpaste in tablet form; one of the main drawbacks is that it doesn’t feel you are getting the paste evenly across your teeth. If tablet toothpaste is not ideal for you, another option is Tom’s of Maine which uses natural ingredients and a recyclable tube (#2 plastic).

DISINFECTANTS

Although general cleaning using soaps or other alternatives suggested above is effective in lowering the risk of germ exposure, more powerful cleaning agents are recommended for cleaning high-touch surfaces and high-traffic areas especially during cold and flu season. For these targeted areas, we have started using hydrogen peroxide in areas where guests will be gathering and after they leave. See below guidance from the CDC on disinfecting and cleaning public spaces.

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