Wondering what the best plant based cleaner is to avoid all the toxic chemicals in so many household cleaners? I found the best multi surface cleaner with all natural, plant based ingredients that ACTUALLY WORKS. I’ll break it all down for you.
There are so many cleaning products on the market today. Hugh and Grace just came out with a multi-surface cleaner that works wonders, is sold in a concentrate bottle with refillable glass spray bottles and smells amazing. With ingredients like lemongrass and orange blossom flower water, that helps with stress reduction, I actually want to clean.
My house is left smelling fresh and looking clean.
Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them, and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.
Why should you care about plant-based cleaners?
There are health benefits to using all natural products in lieu of conventional cleaning products as well as environmental impacts to take into consideration.
Health benefits of using a plant based cleaner
The Environmental Working Group has a Guide to Healthy Cleaning, consisting of over 2,500 cleaning products. Almost half of the products they analyzed received an F rating, meaning the products contain toxic ingredients that pose the most threat to your health. Many of these chemicals are known to cause endocrine and developmental harm, posing a significant threat to both human health and the environment.
Over 75% of the 822 All Purpose cleaners tested contained a D or F rating, including ingredients like glutaral and allyl heptanoate, which are considered toxic even if only inhaled, and may cause skin irritation. There’s nothing worse than having to suit up before cleaning.
Environmental benefits of using plant based natural cleaners
Non-toxic plant based cleaners are biodegradable and environmentally friendly, minimizing their impact on waterways and ecosystems. Many of the harsh chemicals found in cleaning products don’t get fully broken down by wastewater treatment plants, and are only partially removed, posing a toxic risk to aquatic life.
We want our home to include as little toxins as possible. Especially since we don’t open windows as much as we should. There’s never been a better time to find clean, non-toxic household products.
As a bonus, I found I’m more inclined to put my kids to work when the products are plant-based and safe.
Why is Hugh and Grace’s Multi-Purpose Cleaner the best plant based cleaner?
This cleaner is a non-toxic, plant based, environmentally friendly, cruelty free cleaner that smells fresh without being overpowering and cleans really well. In fact, the lab where this was cleaner was formulated loved it so much, they use it as their cleaner in their lab now.
Here are some key benefits of Hugh and Grace’s Multi-Purpose Cleaner
- Contains gentle and effective surfactants to effortlessly break down grime and dirt.
- Features coconut-derived cleansing agents that are residue-free make for a and biodegradable formula, reducing environmental impact.
- Effectively cleans and deodorizes with the power of flower and fruit-based ingredients (no “fragrance” listed as an ingredient).
- Eliminates germs and odors, leaving your surroundings fresh and clean.
- Packaged in glass bottles for use with a reusable spray bottle, reducing plastic waste.
I usually keep a mixed bottle on my kitchen counter and use it to wipe everything down at the end of the day,
What is in Hugh and Grace’s plant based cleaner?
The concentrate includes plant-based ingredients like essential oils, cucumber (actually great for cleaning) and natural ingredients derived from coconut and sugar cane.
There are no harmful chemicals or synthetic fragrances. And since the kit comes with reusable glass bottles, it eliminates the single-use plastic bottles and is better for the environment.
Here is the full list of ingredients:
Water, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Water, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Orange Blossom) Flower Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine (derived from coconut oil), Pentylene Glycol (natural- derived from sugar cane), Sodium Methyl 2-Sulfolaurate, Sodium Leveulinate, Potassium Sorbate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Cymbopogon Flexousus Oil (from lemongrass), Citric Acid
What can I clean with this plant based multi surface cleaner?
Officially, Hugh and Grace states the Multi Surface cleaner is designed for almost all hard surfaces, but there’s no way to know if your surface has been pre treated with something, so you want to do a patch test before using.
This graphic shows areas this cleaner is designed for and has been proven effective on.
Here are some places I have used it with great results:
- My stainless steel sink and appliances.
- As a floor cleaner, but I use it for my hardwood floors a little differently (info coming soon!).
- Granite countertops.
- The hand made wooden dining table.
- To clean pencil off the walls and furniture.
- To clean markings from toys off white walls.
- To clean Sharpie off my gray couch – this was a long shot but the Deep Clean mixture actually worked. My couch is gray and I think that helped, but I was shocked it worked.
- As a glass cleaner – though I like it better on glass using it the same way as on my floor because there’s a little bit of streaking when used as is.
- As a tile cleaner.
- Bathroom cleaner, including as a toilet bowl cleaner.
- To clean peanut butter off my white walls (yes, that happens at my house).
- To clean shoes.
- To clean the gross tracks of the sliding glass door – it worked amazing!
Basically, this is my go to cleaner and I use it for mostly everything. I have also heard it’s great for RVs, which need a gentle cleaner that is septic safe.
How to use the Multi Purpose cleaner
When you buy the Home Care starter kit ($60 for two glass bottles and a bottle of concentrate), you’ll receive two glass bottles with one bottle of concentrate. This concentrate is then used to make a Deep Clean Multi Surface Cleaner and a Multi Surface Cleaner.
One bottle of concentrate will make (with just added water) one bottle of Deep Clean and two bottles of Multi Surface Cleaner.
The concentrate is super easy to mix and you won’t need any measuring cups or spoons. There are markings on the concentrate bottle so you know how much to add.
Just mix one part concentrate (for the Multi Surface Cleaner) or two parts concentrate (for the Deep Cleaner) with 16 oz of water.
The Multi Surface cleaner is designed for most surfaces throughout your house, and the Deep Clean is designed to be used in bathrooms, or anywhere needing a deep clean.
On most surfaces, I spray the Multi Surface cleaner and then wipe with a microfiber cloth. In my kitchen sink, I spray the Deep Clean, then use a scrub brush to clean.
A note about hardwood floors and glass
I know some people have used the Multi Surface cleaner on their hardwood floors with great results. And I have no problems with the cleaner on my wood furniture, but for some reason, it leaves a little residue on my hardwood floor.
But I love the cleaner so much, I made a DIY plant based floor cleaner (info coming soon!) that uses a little white vinegar as well. That’s what I use to clean my floors. It works great for a full clean or to spot clean a mess.
I use the same same plant based floor cleaner to clean glass and it works amazing.
Other eco-friendly cleaning products
Here are some of the best natural cleaning products that do a few other cleaning jobs around the house. Puracy is one of my favorite cleaning brands and they always deliver great products.
Disinfecting cleaner
Using an antibacterial or disinfecting cleaner all the time can lead to resistant strains of bacteria and may cause more harm than good. BUT I have two kids and two dogs. Sometimes you need to disinfect something. So I always keep a bottle of this Seventh Generation cleaner around.
Laundry detergent
Puracy makes a great laundry detergent that’s safe for a HE washing machine. The non-scented Free and Clear one works great and is plant-based without harsh chemicals. I found it after my youngest son kept breaking out in rashes – turned out, it was our previous laundry detergent. We haven’t had any issues since switching. You can also buy laundry soap refills for a more eco friendly packaging.
Hand soap
Puracy also makes a great hand soap. I like the gel hand soap, but they also have a foaming hand soap that works well. The hand soaps also have refill packages.
Dish soap
You guessed it! Puracy is my go to dish soap. I keep a large refill under the sink. I’m trying to get into those bar soaps with a dish brush to reduce packaging waste, but I haven’t found one I love yet. Please comment below if you have one.
The bottom line
Using plant based cleaners can reduce the environmental impact and well as some of the health risks associated with harsh cleaners. The Hugh and Grace Multi Purpose cleaner is also just as effective, if not more effective than other toxic all purpose cleaners.
If that’s not enough, kids can be a good reason to switch to plant based, non-toxic cleaning products. Since kids are more suspectable to the health issues caused by conventional cleaning products, it’s a good idea to use non-toxic products. Plus, it’s easy to hand them a bottle and put them to work.
You can use the Multi Purpose cleaner to clean just about every hard surface in your home without having to run all your fans and open your windows while you go somewhere else for the house to air out.
Take Action
If you want to try the Hugh and Grace Multi Purpose cleaner, you can get 10% off by using the code Jennifer 10.
One bottle of concentrate actually gets you 4 bottles of multi surface cleaner (or 2 deep clean bottles). This somehow feels like a luxury cleaner. I don’t even know what that means to be honest, but with it’s beautiful smell and packaging, I’m somehow going there with it.
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