10 Best Natural Household Cleaners & Disinfectants (Updated April 2020)

Home hygiene and the household cleaners you use tell a lot about how safe you and your loved ones are against disease-causing germs. With the COVID-19 pandemic continuously affecting thousands across the globe, frequent cleaning and disinfection aren’t only advised but are a MUST.

Check out our top 10 picks for natural cleaning and disinfecting solutions!

These products will zap dirt and germs off your counters, furniture, and other high-touch areas of your home—all these without exposing you and your loved ones to harsh and potentially harmful chemicals. 

Natural Household Cleaners & Disinfectants

Many companies advertise products as “natural” cleaners and disinfectants. But if you check their ingredients, you’ll find that they use synthetic surfactants, like sodium laureth sulfate (SLS), that contradict their “natural” claim. 

Thus, to make sure that a product is as natural as it’s advertised to be, make sure that you double-check its label and ingredients. 

You’ll find our top 10 picks for natural household cleaners and disinfectants below. These products not only have good ingredients, but they’ve also received lots of good reviews from people who’ve tried them. 

To make it easier for you to see what the products are made of, we’ve included the ingredients in each entry.

Quick Rundown: Top 10 Household Cleaners & Disinfectants

1

Celadon Road Citrus All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate cleans any surface and leaves a pleasing essential oil aroma. Made with organic ingredients, this cleaner is eco-friendly and safe for your whole family.

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2

Pure Selects Multipurpose Cleaner Concentrate is made with a powerful, plant-based formula that effectively cleans surfaces without harming your skin. Comes with a free spray bottle.

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3

Puracy All-Purpose Multi-Surface Spray is great for cleaning any solid surface, including countertops, furniture, electronics, and toys. Made with doctor-approved formula. Safe for kids and pets

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4

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Multi-Surface Concentrate (Basil) offers aromatherapeutic benefits alongside cleaning benefits. Made with basil, it leaves surfaces looking clean and smelling fresh.

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5

Citra Solv Cleaner & Degreaser Concentrate has a super concentrated formula that effectively cuts through tough stains, grease, and grime. Made with valencia orange and cleansing essential oils.

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6

Method Squirt + Mop Hardwood Floor Cleaner offers a no-rinse cleaning solution for hardwood floors. No need to wait for a special occasion! This cleaner will keep your floor looking polished and smelling like almonds.

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7

ECOS Furniture Polish & Cleaner is the best plant-based solution for your treasured wooden furniture. Formulated with citrus and olive oil, it leaves wood surfaces dirt-free and enhances their natural beauty.

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8

Earthview Glass Cleaner turns dull glass surfaces into shiny, squeaky clean home gems. Its formula is plant-based and fragrance-free--perfect for people with scent and chemical sensitivities.

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9

Puracy Natural Dish Soap is a tough-on-grease, gentle-on-skin dishwashing liquid made by medical professionals. Derived from plant-based ingredients. No harsh chemicals.

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10

PierrePablo Odor and Stain Eliminator is a vet-approved must-have for furmoms and furdads. It uses bio-enzymatic technology to remove stains and stink from surfaces, including hard floors, bedding, and furniture.

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Celadon Road Citrus All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate

A multi-purpose cleaner is one of the best purchases you can make for your home. It’s an all-around cleaner, and it’s great for busy people who seek efficiency in everything they do, including cleaning. 

While most household cleaners and disinfectants are typically made for specific purposes; for example, dish detergents for washing dishes, window cleaners for cleaning glass surfaces, and so on, this product is made for various cleaning needs.

Celadon Road Citrus All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate

This cleaner cleans any surface and leaves a pleasing essential oil aroma. Made with organic ingredients, this cleaner is eco-friendly and safe for your whole family.

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Celadon Road Citrus All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate can effectively clean countertops, metal surfaces, laminate, furniture, car steering wheels and dashboards, hardwood floors, toys, walls, and many other surfaces.

This cleaner is a real money-saver. For an affordable price, this product gives you a cleaning product that helps disinfect a wide variety of surfaces without the need for harsh chemicals. Not only that, but it also leaves a fragrant and refreshing citrusy scent.

Closer Look at Celadon Road Concentrate

Looking at the ingredients below, you’ll find that each one is derived from plants. The product is also biodegradable and non-toxic. Plus, it has not been tested on animals.

Pure Selects Multipurpose Cleaner Concentrate

Pure Selects Multipurpose Cleaner Concentrate

This cleaner is made with a powerful, plant-based formula that effectively cleans surfaces without harming your skin. Comes with a free spray bottle.

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If you’re allergic to a lot of substances, it can be difficult to select cleaning products or cleaning supplies that are safe for you to use. Fortunately, there are many hypoallergenic cleaners on the market, like the Pure Selects Multipurpose Cleaner Concentrate. 

This product contains plant-based ingredients that aren’t only great for cleaning but are also gentle for your skin. What’s more, because this product is a concentrate, a single bottle goes a long way and can last you for a long time. 

Pure Selects is a company known for its cleaning products that are free of a wide range of chemicals and ingredients recognized to be harmful in one way or another. Examples of these chemicals you should watch out for are phosphates, SLS, parabens, triclosan, nonylphenols, chlorine, and more.

Closer Look at Pure Selects Concentrate

Puracy All Purpose Multi-Surface Spray

Puracy All-Purpose Multi-Surface Spray

This product is great for cleaning any solid surface, including countertops, furniture, electronics, and toys. Made with doctor-approved formula. Safe for kids and pets.

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Puracy is one of the leading brands that manufacture natural cleaning supplies with no harmful chemicals. The Puracy website practices transparency in publishing the ingredients they use, and this helps many buyers understand what they’re putting in their carts when they buy a Puracy product.

The Puracy All Purpose Multi-Surface Spray is a highly effective and versatile spray that can help you disinfect a wide variety of surfaces. You can use this all over your home, and you won’t have to sit there with that harsh, unpleasant smell that other household cleaners typically have.

Additionally, this spray promises streak-free cleaning. If you’re in a hurry, or you have a lot of cleaning to do, you don’t have to worry about leaving streaks on surfaces after wiping them down. Clean metal, wood, plastic, glass, ceramic, and natural stone surfaces with just one product!

Closer Look at Puracy All Purpose Multi-Surface Spray

This product is made with hypoallergenic, non-toxic, all-natural ingredients. It is also cruelty-free and has not been tested on animals.

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Multi-Surface Concentrate (Basil)

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Multi-Surface Concentrate (Basil)

This product offers aromatherapeutic benefits alongside cleaning benefits. Made with basil, it leaves surfaces looking clean and smelling fresh.

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While the Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Multi-Surface Concentrate (Basil) is designed to work on many types of surfaces, it works best for non-porous surfaces. These include glass, metal, plastic, and varnished wood surfaces, which can be found in many places in your home. Thus, this cleaner is great for doors, windows, hardwood floors, tables, and more.

Because it’s a concentrate, you can dilute this product in an appropriate amount of water and it will still be super effective. A single bottle can last for a long time, and you won’t have to purchase different cleaners for different types of surfaces.

Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Concentrate is available in various scents, including lemon and lavender. However, the basil scent is our top favorite mainly because it can leave your home smelling cool, fresh, and clean like an organic garden. It's also a nice and refreshing change from the typical citrusy or flowery scent that most cleaners have.

Closer Look at Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Multi-Surface Concentrate

While this product is rich with naturally occurring and plant-based ingredients, one of its ingredients is methylisothiazolinone. This is a synthetic antimicrobial and preservative agent, and it can trigger allergies in some people. 

If you’re allergic or sensitive to synthetic ingredients, then it might be best to forego this cleaner and pick a different one from our list.

Citra Solv Natural Cleaner & Degreaser Concentrate

Citra Solv Cleaner & Degreaser Concentrate

This product has a super concentrated formula that effectively cuts through tough stains, grease, and grime. Made with valencia orange and cleansing essential oils.

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If you enjoy the fresh and citrusy scent of many cleaning products, this one is for you. The Citra Solv Natural Cleaner and Degreaser Concentrate is made of all-natural orange essential oils that have cleansing properties as well as a pleasant, fresh scent. 

It’s great for clearing up grime and grease from surfaces, like countertops and stovetops.

Friendly warning: this product is combustible, and should not come into contact with your eyes. It’s also best to avoid prolonged and repeated contact with your skin. If the product gets into your eyes, nose, or mouth, rinse the area thoroughly with clean and cool water.

To use this concentrate, dilute 3 to 4 teaspoons of it in a spray bottle or a gallon of water prior to cleaning. Because it is a concentrate, a single bottle can go a long way, and you won’t have to buy a new bottle any time soon.

Closer Look at Citra Solv Natural Cleaner & Degreaser

This product is high in limonene, a compound, usually found in citrus fruits, with a vast range of benefits. It works as a solvent and can help you dissolve stubborn stains more easily.

Method Squirt + Mop Hardwood Floor Cleaner

Method Squirt + Mop Hardwood Floor Cleaner

This product offers a no-rinse cleaning solution for hardwood floors. No need to wait for a special occasion! This cleaner will keep your floor looking polished and smelling like almonds.

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Cleaning hardwood floors can be tricky, especially if you wish to keep the wood looking smooth and shiny. Ordinary cleansers strip hardwood floors of their shine, which is why it’s best to use polishing cleaners like the Method Hardwood Floor Cleaner.

Made specifically for hardwood and laminate floors, this cleaner is plant-based and contains no wax. It’s also super easy to use: just squirt a decent amount on the floor, mop, and enjoy its polishing effect and almond fragrance.

Closer Look at Method Floor Cleaner

This product is a mixture of natural and synthetic ingredients--the latter helping with preserving the potency and fragrance of the cleaner for longer.

ECOS Furniture Polish & Cleaner

ECOS Furniture Polish & Cleaner

This product is the best plant-based solution for your treasured wooden furniture. Formulated with citrus and olive oil, it leaves wood surfaces dirt-free and enhances their natural beauty.

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Like the cleaners we’ve looked at so far, the ECOS Furniture Polish and Cleaner is packed with natural plant oils and plant-derived substances. What’s extra special about it is that it is specially formulated for wooden furniture. 

It’s a cleaning and polishing agent in one--it’s harsh against dirt, but it’s gentle and beautifying for wood.

Closer Look at ECOS Furniture Polish & Cleaner

This product contains olive oil--a substance that’s a popular wood-polishing agent. If you have a lot of wood furniture, this product will work well for you.

Additionally, this furniture polish does not contain phosphates, ammonia, chlorine, petroleum, and other undesirable ingredients. However, it does have acrylic polymer. It also contains lye, though it has been dissolved and the product won’t be used on your skin anyway.

Earthview Glass Cleaner

Earthview Glass Cleaner

This bottle of goodness turns dull glass surfaces into shiny, squeaky clean home gems. Its formula is plant-based and fragrance-free—perfect for people with scent and chemical sensitivities.

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Glass surfaces get grimy after a while, and depending on where they are positioned, they can attract different kinds of dirt and contaminants. 

Windows, for example, can get dirtied by debris, specks of mud, dirty water streaks, and more. Cleaning glass surfaces can be difficult, but this Earthview Glass Cleaner is great for streak-free cleaning.

Closer Look at Earthview Glass Cleaner

This spray is effective against germs and grime, and it’s also free of harsh chemicals. It does not have ingredients like methylisothiazolinone or isothiazolinone. Additionally, it is biodegradable and non-toxic, and its bottle is designed to be recyclable.

Puracy Natural Dish Soap (Green Tea & Lime)

Puracy Natural Dish Soap

is a tough-on-grease, gentle-on-skin dishwashing liquid made by medical professionals. Derived from plant-based ingredients. No harsh chemicals.

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Aside from cleaning your floors and furniture surfaces, disinfecting your kitchen and eating utensils is also vital to making sure you don’t ingest harmful germs. Puracy, a company that specializes in home cleaning products with natural ingredients, has the Puracy Natural Dish Soap for you. 

Anything that we use to prepare or eat food is often subject to grease, food debris, saliva, microbes, and more. Thus, any dish detergent you use should be able to effectively get rid of dirt, contaminants, and bacteria. 

This one will be able to get rid of these--without drying out your hands or using harsh chemicals.

Closer Look at Puracy Natural Dish Soap

This cleaner has a highly concentrated formula that Puracy claims is enough for each bottle to clean up to 160 full sinks. The formula was not tested on animals, nor does it contain any animal byproducts.

PierrePablo Odor and Stain Eliminator

PierrePablo Odor and Stain Eliminator

This product is a vet-approved must-have for furmoms and furdads. It uses bio-enzymatic technology to remove stains and stink from surfaces, including hard floors, bedding, and furniture.

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Are you a furmom or a furdad? If you are, then household cleaning most likely goes beyond the usual for you. You’re likely dealing with stains and odors that people without pets don’t have to deal with.

Our pets can be very well-trained and well-behaved, but they’re bound to have accidents in the house now and then. Sometimes, it can be difficult to get stains and odors out. 

Thankfully, the PierrePablo Natural Pet Odor and Stain Eliminator can get rid of stains and stink with little to no trouble. This cleaner uses good, fast-acting bacteria and enzymes to easily and quickly break down animal urine, feces, vomit, and more.

Closer Look at PierrePablo Odor and Stain Eliminator

This is the only product on this list to include bacteria and enzymes, and it’s definitely a new and interesting approach to get rid of stains. While all the ingredients below are all-natural, you still have to make sure to avoid getting the product in your eyes, nose, and mouth.

What to Look for in Natural Household Cleaners & Disinfectants

Make sure that your cleaning products aren't harmful to you, your family, and the environment.

Is it important to check out the ingredients of your household cleaning products? Definitely! 

After all, there are many ingredients that can be harmful to you and your family, and even to the environment.

A lot of cleaning products have definitely been proven to be effective. However, if they also have the potential to cause irritations and allergic reactions, and can also be harmful to aquatic systems, then it might be time to replace them with gentler and more eco-friendly alternatives.

Ingredients to Watch Out For

A few names come up when you look at the common household disinfectant ingredients that can be harmful to people and the environment. These are typically the ingredients you should watch out for when buying a cleaning product.

However, it’s important to remember that you should also make sure to avoid ingredients that you know can cause allergic reactions in you. For example, while coconut oil and its derivatives are natural ingredients, they can trigger reactions in people who are allergic to coconut.

These are some of the ingredients you should watch out for:

Sulfates (SLS and SLES)

Long-term use can irritate your skin, eyes, and lungs. Additionally, sulfates are typically derived from palm oil, which is often not sustainable. Products with sulfates are also typically tested on animals, since manufacturers need to know how their products will affect people’s eyes, skin, and lungs.

Sulfates are controversial and are often thought to cause cancer. This is because SLES can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which has been found to cause cancer in lab animals. However, researchers have found that low levels of sulfates won’t cause cancer.

Still, the more immediate hazard here is the irritation that sulfates can cause.

Parabens

Many have linked parabens to a variety of health problems, including cancer. However, to be clear, there is no extensive research into the links of parabens to cancer -- at least not yet. Still, you can definitely choose to avoid cleaning products with parabens in them. 

Parabens are used as antimicrobials to prevent spoilage. However, the European Union has banned the use of parabens back in 2012. 

While the FDA still has not banned parabens, you as a consumer can make the conscious choice to avoid these substances by being more discerning of the products you buy.

Phosphates

Phosphates, like parabens and sulfates, are also controversial. They are typically used in detergents and surface cleaning products to soften water and prevent film buildup. However, the use of products that contain phosphates has also been linked to health problems.

Additionally, phosphates can help encourage the buildup of algae. If products with phosphates find their way into natural water bodies, they can contribute to algae buildup, which can negatively impact the amount of oxygen that aquatic animals and plants receive.

Phosphates have been banned in laundry detergents, but can still be found in other cleaning products. Still, these products are monitored by the EPA and FDA.

Other Ingredients to Watch Out For

• Triclosan: an antimicrobial agent that can affect the immune system
• Chlorine: a harsh cleansing agent that can be toxic when ingested
• Nonylphenols: surfactants known to be highly toxic to aquatic life

Find the right household cleaners for your household.

Plant-Based and Mineral-Based Ingredients

If various chemicals are harsh and potentially harmful, are plant-based and mineral-based ingredients better?

First, let’s take a look at the use of the word “chemicals.” 

All matter is, in fact, made of chemicals -- chemicals like water. It’s just that some chemicals are harsher and more harmful than others, and these harmful chemicals are the ones that need to be avoided.

Secondly, just because something is natural or naturally-occurring, it doesn’t automatically mean that it’s good for you. For example, sulfates are derived from palm or coconut oil, which are both plant products. However, this doesn’t mean that sulfates are good or safe to use.

Thus, it’s important to be sharp and discerning when evaluating ingredients, even the natural ones. It’s also worth taking note of your allergies, and whether or not there is an ingredient in a certain product that can trigger them.

In general, if you want natural household disinfectants, look for one with plant-based or mineral-based ingredients. Some may have one or two synthetic ingredients, but as long as those ingredients have not been found to be harmful or harsh, that product is likely safe to use.

Summary

While you can make your own all-natural household disinfectants with essential oils for cleaning, you can also check out the wide variety of cleaning products that are made of plant-based and/or mineral-based ingredients. 

These are great alternatives if you have neither the time nor the ingredients to make your own home cleaners or disinfectants.

While these products are made mostly of natural or naturally occurring ingredients, they’re still worth scrutinizing. After all, there may be ingredients that might trigger allergic reactions in you or a member of your household. 

If you make it a habit to read (and reread) ingredients, you will surely find the best household cleaner and disinfectant you’re looking for.

References

1. https://ingredients.puracy.com/
2. http://www.fao.org/3/a-br565e.pdf
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6073409/
4. https://www.healthline.com/health/oil-cleansing-method
5. https://www.bhg.com.au/clean-with-olive-oil
6. https://cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/cocamidopropylamine-oxide-0
7. https://cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/lauryl-glucoside
8. https://cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/sodium-coco-sulfate
9. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Acetic-acid
10. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/omcl/2018/2068370/
11. https://www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/ethanol/
12. https://www.metrohm.com/en/applications/AN-T-068
13. https://incibeauty.com/en/ingredients/6399-methoxyisopropanol
14. https://cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/sodium-sesquicarbonate
15. https://www.healthline.com/health/methylchloroisothiazolinone
16. https://www.ewg.org/guides/substances/11456-OCTYLISOTHIAZOLINONE/
17. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Sodium-Methyl-2-Sulfolaurate
18. https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredients/705137-POLYSORBATE20/
19. https://www.chemistryworld.com/podcasts/sodium-sulfate/8703.article
20. https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredients/721760-PEG5_COCOATE/
21. http://www.safecosmetics.org/get-the-facts/chemicals-of-concern/methylisothiazolinone/
22. https://www.thespruce.com/benzisothiazolinone-use-in-cleaning-1707018
23. https://www.ewg.org/guides/substances/152739-C1016Pareth1/
24. http://www.ukcpi.org/features/limonene
25. https://cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/citrus-aurantium-dulcis-orange-peel-oil
26. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/acrylic-polymer
27. https://www.healthline.com/health/phenoxyethanol
28. https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/fact-sheet-nonylphenols-and-nonylphenol-ethoxylates#risks
29. https://www.thespruce.com/phosphate-use-in-cleaning-1707026
30. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/should-people-be-concerned-about-parabens-in-beauty-products/
31. https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/sulfates

 

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Fagjun Santos is an avid reader who eventually decided to try her hand at writing her own stuff. After spending her teen years writing what can be considered to be Vogon poetry, she now writes things that aren't a pain to read. Her favorite Aroma Foundry scent is peppermint, with lavender coming in a close second.

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1. Background
2. Natural Household Disinfectants
1. Celadon Road Citrus All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate
2. Pure Selects Multipurpose Cleaner Concentrate
3. Puracy All-Purpose Multi-Surface Spray
4. Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Multi-Surface Concentrate (Basil)
5. Citra Solv Cleaner & Degreaser Concentrate
6. Method Squirt + Mop Hardwood Floor Cleaner
7. ECOS Furniture Polish & Cleaner
8. Earthview Glass Cleaner
9. Puracy Natural Dish Soap
10. PierrePablo Odor and Stain Eliminator
3. What to Look For in Natural Household Cleaners & Disinfectants
1. Ingredients to Watch Out For
2. Plant-Based and Mineral-Based Ingredients
4. Summary
5. References