Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products Explained

"Eco-friendly", "natural", "plant-based" and "non-toxic" are everywhere on cleaning bottles. Some of these terms have real meaning, others are pure marketing. Here is a plain-English guide to what actually matters when you choose a greener product.

What "eco-friendly" really means

On its own, "eco-friendly" is not a regulated term. It is a self-claim. To know if a product is genuinely better for the environment, look for one of these third-party certifications on the label:

• EU Ecolabel (the flower symbol) — strict rules on biodegradability and packaging.
• Cradle to Cradle — covers ingredients, water use and circularity.
• Leaping Bunny — verified cruelty-free, no animal testing.

Ingredients worth seeking out

• Plant-based surfactants like coco-glucoside or decyl glucoside
• Citric acid (a natural descaler, brilliant for Derby's hard water)
• Sodium bicarbonate (gentle abrasive)
• Essential oils for fragrance instead of synthetic perfume

Ingredients worth avoiding

• Sodium hypochlorite (bleach) in everyday sprays
• Strong ammonia in window cleaners
• Microplastics in scrub products (rare now, but still around)
• Synthetic fragrance if anyone in the home has asthma or sensitivities

Three home-made cleaners that genuinely work

• All-purpose spray: 1 part white vinegar to 4 parts water plus a few drops of lemon essential oil.
• Limescale remover: Soak a cloth in undiluted white vinegar, wrap around the tap for 30 minutes, scrub gently with an old toothbrush.
• Oven scrub: Bicarbonate of soda mixed to a paste with water, left for several hours, then wiped off.

What we use

We use eco-friendly cleaning products as standard on every job in Derby. They work just as well as the harsh stuff for almost everything, are safer around children and pets, and rinse cleanly without leaving heavy residues. For tougher jobs like serious oven baked-on grease, we sometimes use stronger products and ventilate the room properly.

Want a clean using gentle products? See our regular cleaning or deep cleaning services. Eco-friendly products are included as standard.