In a recent survey, the area in our homes that most people said produces the most plastic waste is the kitchen. Specifically, people struggled with plastic free cleaning products.

So here is our list of the best environmentally friendly cleaning products with some homemade cleaning tips too!

Plastic free dish washing

This is a daily task that gets through a lot of plastic. 

Whether you have a dishwasher, wash up by hand or a bit of both! There's plastic everywhere. From the synthetic sponges to the washing up liquid bottles. 

Let's try and cut down on all that plastic waste.

Sponges & brushes

It may not be something you've thought about before but did you know most kitchen sponges are made from synthetic materials that will take hundreds of years to breakdown and can breakdown into harmful micro-plastics.

They normally come packaged in non-recyclable plastic too. It's the same story with plastic dishwashing brushes.

Thankfully, there are solutions out there.

The none sponge is a handy little cleaning tool with no plastic in the packaging or the product.

While the none sponge doesn't soak up water as much as a normal sponge would, it's great for washing up with a soft cotton and a harsher bamboo providing both delicate and hard washing abilities.

We also stock the nifty rainbow sponges, which are fully compostable at the end of their life. Not to mention that they're machine washable, and come in a pack of six - so one for every occasion! 

If a brush is the tool for your washing up tasks, don't sweat. This wooden dish washing brush is the perfect alternative to plastic. 

Instead of throwing your used plastic brush into landfill, when the head needs changing, simply swap it for a replacement brush head.

As it's 100% natural, it's fully biodegradable so you don't have to worry about it polluting the environment for years to come!

Plastic free cleaning pods

This isn't just for cleaning the kitchen, these are plastic free household cleaning solutions. 

OceanSaver cleaning pods are a fantastic solution to plastic bottles. Instead of buying another spray bottle when you run out, you can now keep the old ones and just add more cleaning liquid.

The pods are fully biodegradable and plastic-free. At only £1.50 per pod, they are competitively priced and great for the planet. Just think of all those saved plastic bottles!

They're available in an antibacterial cleaner, kitchen degreaser, bathroom descaler and multipurpose. 

Watch how to use OceanSaver cleaning pods.

Plastic free cleaning wipes

So we've got the cleaning pods, now we need the wipes. These plastic free reusable cloths are the perfect solution. Who said zero waste cleaning couldn't be stylish.

Available in a pattern that would look good in any kitchen, they're soft on the cotton side, scrubby on the bamboo side and fully machine washable!

Three to a pack means you can have one for the kitchen, one for the bathroom and one spare! They're perfect in any situation from baby wipes to general household cleaning.

Needless to say they're plastic free and a great alternative to the j-cloth.

Handy homemade ingredients

As well as switching to sustainable, plastic free alternatives for cleaning, using ingredients you already have is a great way to cut down on waste and harmful toxins.

Window cleaning

White vinegar diluted in water works a treat.

Windows and mirrors come up streak-free and shiny with this homemade cleaner.

Admittedly, we gave our parents a slightly odd look when they recommended it but we can confirm it works, and doesn't smell as bad as you'd think!

General kitchen cleaning

Lemon and bi-carb do wonders in the kitchen. Stains on your chopping boards? Lemon will sort that. Coffee and tea marks in mugs? Bi-carb will fix that one.

Check out earth911 for loads more handy tips with using these ingredients around the home.

 

So there you have it. All the best eco-friendly cleaning products to make your cleaning routine plastic free!

Let us know in the comments if you use any homemade cleaning solutions or have some plastic free products we haven't mentioned!