Your Kitchen Needs These Green Cleaning Products (and so Does the Earth)

This female-founded company's biodegradable plant- and mineral-based concentrate is so versatile that it can be used in varying strengths to replace hand soap, all-purpose cleaning spray, window cleaner, and laundry detergent.

Adding water at home and reusing bottles cuts the amount of fossil fuels needed to transport the cleaners and minimizes packaging waste. 

The soft fibers of these reusable cleaning cloths are designed to trap grease and dirt, absorb spills, and remove 99 percent of bacteria from surfaces using only water. Just rinse them in hot water, wring them out, and use them to shine up counters, appliances, and more—without chemicals. 

Lots of cleaning products eliminate bacteria with toxic chemicals. But Counter Culture takes a different approach, eschewing synthetic chemicals to clean instead with a blend of beneficial bacteria that's safe for pets, kids, and the environment.

Each dissolving capsule cleans dishes without fragrances, dyes, or chlorine bleach. The package is recyclable, too.

These nontoxic wipes are pet-friendly, kid-friendly, and planet-friendly. Cleaners made from corn and coconut whisk away grease and grime and are safe for most surfaces. The canister, made from 70-percent recycled plastic, is itself recyclable, and the biodegradable wipes can go in the compost bin rather than the trash.

These quick-drying cloths last longer than paper towels, can be washed several times before they break down, and are made of fully biodegradable cellulose. 

A fresh take on the feather duster, this fluffy upgrade has a microfiber head that works like a magnet to collect and trap dust and slips off easily for machine washing. Plus, it's cute! $10 at amazon.com

We're serving up and celebrating the biggest home-cooking trends from the most enthusiastic cooks we know: our community. We crunched the data from 1.2 billion annual Allrecipes.com visits and 2.5 billion annual page views. Then we dug even further, surveying Allrecipes cooks about what's in their carts and fridges, on their stovetops and tables, and on their minds. Eco-Friendly Cleaning is just one of the topics they're most curious about. See more of the "State of Home Cooking" special report.

This article originally appeared in the February/March 2020  issue of Allrecipes Magazine.