Obsessive Cleaning Disorder LLC focuses on thoroughness and quality of a clean, plus care for your space and personal items rather than prioritizing speed. For standard home cleanings, we use eco-friendly products and only default to bleach or ammonia when cleaning public spaces, AirBNBs, or when specifically requested, so it’s important that we use the highest quality products on the market to compensate for the lack of harsh chemicals. Below are several companies operating in the space of sustainability, which have earned my stamp of approval for effectiveness!
1. Blueland
Blueland products work by dissolving their tablets in water inside a one-time "forever bottle", which then turn into their respective cleaners (bathroom cleaner, multi-surface cleaner, and window cleaner)! The sustainability factors from this design are the ability to ship a lot more product at a time, given that these are concentrates rather than bulky containers of water mixed with cleaner, reducing transit and therefore pollution in addition to the company’s production methods which they claim to be non-polluting and chemically safe. The company pays attention to detail too, shipping their products in non-plastic and compostable materials and avoiding known allergens. Furthermore, the products are leaping bunny certified as cruelty-free!
As for effectiveness, I’ve had no problems with the multi-surface or bathroom cleaners – the window cleaner tends to be streaky (I’ve been advised from the company to dilute the formula with extra water; I don’t know if that helped but it’s never seemed quite right), and I’ve leaned away from this item for that reason. Additionally, their “forever” bottles tend to be touchy with nozzles that sometimes break or stick, which doesn’t help with the sustainability factor having to re-purchase these often. Outside of cleaning products, I use their hand soaps and other hygiene products in my own home; I’ve never had any issues with these! I highly recommend Blueland products in any home, and I use them extensively in my own as well as in my cleaning business.
2. Public Goods
This New York City-based company is membership based, so I recommend paying a life-time membership once to take full advantage of the cost-effectiveness of their eco-friendly items! The company sells many products from food items to household products, and uses plastics that are biodegradable or which biodegrade much faster than traditional products. These cleaners are gentle but you’ll still see a little foaming action from the bathroom cleaner – the glass cleaner is top-notch, whereas other windows cleaners (including from Blueland products mentioned in this article) can leave streaks or are difficult to measure out when mixing with water. I’ve been purchasing Public Goods products for many years, and I don’t plan to stop anytime soon. I recommend Public Goods to anyone interested in more sustainable high-quality household products from kitchen to bathroom, to décor and office supplies!
3. Classics: Vinegar and Baking Soda
Finally, let’s address those mugs and dishware stained with coffee or tea – try a simple soak in vinegar! This works for cleaning stains from inside your dishwasher, faucets, and can be used on most anything; just be careful with certain hand-painted paints as some paint or designs can be dissolved off as well, but any “finished” product that doesn’t have touchy decorative notes to it will be perfectly safe. Baking soda is another great option for making a sink sparkle – just sprinkle baking soda all over the sink, let it sit (some people will mix it with either water, vinegar, or dish soap and turn it into a paste) for at least half an hour or as long as you can – and voila! Rinse off the baking soda and your sink will be sparkling like its brand-new. This can work for the inside of an oven door, or pretty much anything that tends to get stained with greasy or set-in foods or body soil, like a bathroom faucets or other hardware. There is little doubt whether baking soda or vinegar are safe, natural, and gentle enough (yet very effective) to use anywhere in your home (or in your cleaning business!)
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