SUSTAINABLE HOUSEHOLD STAPLES
The more I learned about keeping trash and plastic out of our waterways and away from wildlife, the sooner I learned I needed to eliminate it from our household as much as possible. One easy place to start was our regular consumables and household products. Here is a complete list of the household products we use in our home. We make every attempt to avoid plastic and reduce our waste as much as possible. The goal is zero waste…we are a work in progress.
CLEANING
Wood Broom with Corn Fiber - Great Broom for our all hardwood floor and tile house. I don’t even use a vacuum.
Vinegar & Water - Vinegar is a highly effective disinfectant. This dynamic duo cleans most things just fine. I like to buy the vinegar in glass to minimize any plastic use and for easy recycling.
Baking Soda - For items that need a little elbow grease this work really well! Buy in cardboard that is easily recycled or can be composted.
Reusable Glass Bottles - I use these for my homemade cleaning solution - the only drawback is the plastic sprayer.
Metal Dust Pan - works like a charm and plastic free.
Paperless Cloth Paper Towels - wonderful cleaning up the many messes.
Wood Toilet Bowl Brush - Green cleaning - no plastic.
Scrub Brushes - Konex makes some great scrub brushes for a variety of purposes.
Beauty routine - nothing unnecessary: facial soap, mask, lip balm.
BATHROOM
Badger Baby Balm - We use this in lieu of Neosporin and Cortisone Creams. It is plastic free in a nice little tin, easy for the kids to use and works like a charm.
Badger Shaving Soap - This is my husband’s shaving soap.
Bamboo Toothbrushes | Panda Bambu - My kids and I prefer the plastic free bamboo toothbrushes over our electric tooth brush. When we are done with them they can be composted.
BALM! Baby Teeth Paste - A wonderful source for natural and plastic free tooth paste for kids (and adults) - two tasty flavors Orange & Mint.
Elate Mascara - A great company with cruelty free ingredients, ethical marketing and sustainable practices. Sustainable products in bamboo!
Davids Premium Natural Toothpaste - Natural tooth paste in a recycled metal tube.
Castile Bar Soap - Dr. Bronners - a great all around soap - many fragrances to try, I love the rose one!
Comb - A nice wood comb works well for us.
COOLA Makeup Setting Spray Organic Sunscreen SPF 30 - Although I am not a big makeup person I like this lightweight sunscreen spray in glass for my face because I have very sensitive skin.
Diva Cup - For the ladies - leave no trace.
Dr. H & Co. Mouth Rinse - It is really hard to find a good natural mouth wash in glass - this one is great just a bit pricey.
Face Mask Osmia - I cannot say enough good things about their products. A great detoxing mask.
Handkerchiefs - These are the best eco-friendly way to replace bath tissue.
Hair Brush - in wood - We have two wooden hair brushes that we purchased from Whole Foods that work for everyone in our home.
Heart Felt Reusable Pads - Great company, quality eco-conscious product.
Lip Balm - Farmstead Apothecary - A Natural lip balm in a plastic free container.
Lip Repair Osmia - In a glass jar and a great antidote for the dry winter days.
Osmia Black Clay Facial Soap - I love this company - a wonderful line of natural, cruelty-free products.
Plaine Products - Non-toxic, vegan, cruelty-free, plastic-free, a refillable shampoo | conditioner | body wash | face wash | lotion - subscription with pre-paid returnable labels and reusable aluminum containers. Not only are the products AMAZING they close the loop. You can select to have the pump or choose the aluminum cap (my choice).
Raw Elements Face + Body Sunscreen 30 SPF - Organic, Vegan, Waterproof, Safe for all Ages, Cruelty Free, Reef Safe - the list goes on!
Schmidt’s Natural Deodorant - Not only is this free of toxic ingredients, it is cruelty-free, vegan, and in a glass jar (the lid and spoon are plastic). They have fragrances for both men and women, I love the rose & vanilla! They can be found at Whole Foods and many natural grocery chains.
Who Gives A Crap - A wonderful environmentally friendly source for 100% recycled toilet paper, paper towels, and tissues. They also donate 50% profits to build toilets for those in need.
Wowe Razor - This double edge safety razor I have been using for years and you can replace the blades without discarding the whole razor.
Kids supplies - simple and plastic free.
Stainless Steel Ice Tray, Popsicle Molds and Straw
KITCHEN
Bar Dish Soap - It was tough to find a dish soap that was not in plastic that worked and after many failed attempts this one worked!!!
Bee’s Wrap - A great replacement to plastic wrap and tin foil.
Compostable Trash Bags - Compostable bags come in all sizes and help reduce the amount of plastic that remains for decades in the landfills.
Countertop Compost Can - The stainless steel is nice to disinfect and keep clean.
Oster Beehive Blender - It was hard finding a blender that was not in plastic and this was a close as I was able to get and I use it everyday and have been very happy with it.
Cast Iron - We use cast iron cook wear and LOVE it! Easy to clean, gleam a little iron in your diet from the cooking, and we are steering clear of the teflon.
Cast Iron Cleaner | Pot Scrubber - This has been a game changer in doing dishes, it works amazing….how is that I never knew about it?
Dish Cloth - These I prefer to use over disposable sponges. Not only do they work better they are washable.
Dish Scrubber - This combined with the dish cloth and cast iron pot scrubber is my dynamic kitchen trio. I should also mention I am the dish washer so everything is done by hand.
Loofah Sponge - For those who like sponges here is an eco-friendly option they are made from a fruit and can be composted.
Mesh Produce Bags - These are awesome for fruits and each time we are shopping with them someone asks us where we got them. Never leave home without them!
Muslin Produce Bags - These produce bags are good for veggies and bulk. Because we buy in bulk and are a family of 4 I find the small ones are never what I need I am always searching for the X-Large size when I am shopping.
Napkins - Reusable - This is a simple item to trade up to in the home. In place of disposable napkins use cloth napkins, they are softer on the face and eco-friendly.
Nesting Stainless Steel Lunch Box Container - works for lunch and in the kitchen.
Pyrex Glass Storage - The glass storage containers with lids work great for leftovers and have replaced all Tupperware, I just wish they did not have plastic lids, plus the plastic lids crack and break over time.
Reusable Snack Bags - Very sturdy!
Stainless Steel Lunch Box Container - have lasted for years.
Stainless Steel Food Containers - These are great for travel, lunch boxes, and for food storage.
Stainless Steel Ice Tray - A wonderful plastic-free alternative.
Stainless Steel Popsicle Molds - Well-made stainless steel lasts forever and ditches the plastic taste.
Stainless Steel Straws - I love stainless steel but there are also glass and bamboo straws too.
The Swag Bags - I read a lot about these before finally investing in them and they are well worth it. They extend the life of your produce making them well worth it!
LAUNDRY
Soap Nuts - after trying many other plastic free options I found that Soap Nuts worked best for our grey water laundry system. It almost seems too simple to work but it does!!!!
Dr. Bronner’s Castile Bar Soap - you can grate this and add it to your wash for an extra boost.
PETS
Yesterday’s News - We have cats and after many years of animal rescue I was committed to finding a responsible cat litter for our kitties. This is made from recycled newspaper and smells great - like the morning newspaper!
SUN & WIND PROTECTION
COOLA Makeup Setting Spray Organic Sunscreen SPF 30 - Although I am not a big makeup person I like this lightweight sunscreen spray in glass for my face because I have very sensitive skin.
Lip Balm - Farmstead Apothecary - A Natural lip balm in a plastic free container.
Lip Repair Osmia - In a glass jar and a great antidote for the dry winter days.
Raw Elements Face + Body Sunscreen 30 SPF - Organic, Vegan, Waterproof, Safe for all Ages, Cruelty Free, Reef Safe - the list goes on!
ARTICLES
Top Tips for Safer Products | Environmental Working Group
SHOPPING SITES & RESOURCES
EWG Skin Deep - Database for personal care products with safety grade scale: accounting ingredients that cause allergies, cancer, and developmental and reproductive toxicity.
EWG Sunscreen Guide - A guide with sunscreen safety ratings.
The Refill Shop - A wonderful option for refillable / bulk bath, body and home supplies.
VIDEOS & CLIPS
The Story of Cosmetics | The Story of Stuff Project
The Story of Microbeads | The Story of Stuff Project
Where Your Plastic Ends Up- The Story of Plastics | The Story of Stuff Project
A plastic free medicine cabinet. Badger carries a nice line of plastic-free products.
For our family of four these are all the products we use in our personal care routine. Pure, clean, and simple.