Safe Alternatives for Household Products
Make your home a healthier environment for your family and pets. Keep toxic chemicals out of our soil and water by using environmentally friendly products in your home and yard. You can make many green products yourself that are easy to make and will save you money.
Why is it important to use environmentally friendly products?
- There are more than 80,000 chemicals currently used in the United States and most haven’t been adequately tested for their effects on human health (National Resources Defense Council).
- The average US household accumulates as much as 300 pounds of Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) annually.
Purchasing Environmentally Friendly Products
- Read Labels: Avoid products with words like caution, warning, danger, poison, flammable, corrosive, and toxic.
- Go Reusable: Remember to stock your cleaning kit with reusable and washable cleaning supplies such as rags, sponges, and spray bottles instead of disposable products.
- Avoid Misleading Labels: Products that are labeled with words such as "eco," "bio", or "organic" do not mean it is an environmentally friendly product. Look for the word, "non-toxic," and verify the label using legitimate third party certifications.
- Third Party Certifications Recommended by the EPA
- Safer Choice-Certified Products
- The EPA's Safer Choice Standard identifies the requirements products and their ingredients must meet to earn the Safer Choice label. These products perform and contain ingredients that are safer for human health and the environment.
- Save Money and Make Your Own: Make your own cleaning and gardening supplies that are safer and will save you money.
- For example, you can make 20 gallons of environmentally friendly laundry detergent for about $10. To buy this much, you would pay anywhere between $140 for a bargain brand and $360 for a name brand.
- Some common ingredients are:Download our list of Do It Yourself (DIY) Green and Safe Cleaning Recipes.
- White Vinegar
- Baking Soda
- Vegetable Oil Soap
- Non-Chlorine Bleach
Safe and Sustainable Cleaning Tips
Are you looking for ways to make your cleaning regimen more eco-friendly? Download our 8 Tips for Safe & Sustainable Spring Cleaning to help you get started.