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By Jasmin Malik Chua
Jersey City, NJ, USA | Thu Sep 25 14:31:00 EDT 2008

Buy Green: Cleaning Supplies

Achieve a greener clean by dumping hazardous synthetic-chemical-based cleaning supplies for one of these six cleaning kits. Engineered to transform your home into the nontoxic haven your family deserves, each kit offers a budget-friendly package deal on products far gentler on the environment—not to mention your health. Persistent exposure to the toxic chemicals many common household products contain can wreak havoc with your central nervous system, leading to brain fog, breathing difficulties, and even sudden mood changes. And, because their bodies are still developing, babies and children are particularly vulnerable to low levels of neurotoxins, which have been linked to everything from developmental abnormalities to cancer.

For more tips and sobering statistics, check out How to go Green: Cleaning. To give your entire home a green makeover, our Detox Your Home series is here to help.

Biokleen Cleaning Kit

Why: Tough on dirt, yet gentle on your skin, Biokleen's plant and mineral-based laundry detergent, soy cream cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, and dish soap won't overpower your home with noxious fumes or sully the environment with phosphates, chlorine bleaches, or synthetic dyes and fragrances. Most of Biokleen's products are also super-concentrated, which means less packaging waste for the planet and more for your money.
Nice touch: Big families will appreciate the second bottles of laundry detergent and dish soap included in this set of six.
Where: Green Home
How much: $32
Read More: The Green Clean Review: Biokleen Citrus Laundry Powder

Method Detox Your Home Kit

Why: Method's efficient staff of eight—consisting of all-purpose surface cleaner, glass cleaner, two bottles of hand wash, biodegradable cleaning wipes, dish soap, a microfiber cloth, and a tote bag—promises zero phthalates, parabens, or any other synthetic chemical nastiness that might foul up your definition of clean. Meanwhile, your nose gets a treat with an olfactory smorgasbord of fragrances like pink grapefruit and French lavender.
Nice touch: Method scores extra points for design-savvy labeling and packaging-reducing refills.
Where: HSN.com
How much: $20
Read More: TreeHugger: Method Home Cleaning Products

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Spring Cleaning Kit

Why: This kit from Mrs. Meyer's is packed full of everything you'll need to jump-start that green cleaning streak—and the only emission is a tangy limited-edition rhubarb scent. The well-rounded selection includes window spray, liquid dish soap, all-purpose cleaner, and countertop spray. All Mrs. Meyer's products are biodegradable and phosphate-free, and the company does not test on animals.
Nice touch: The natural essential oils perk up your cleaning routine with a little aromatherapy.
Where: Drugstore.com
How much: $11
Read More: TreeHugger: Product Review: Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day

Optionsforlife Time to Detox Set

Why: Nontoxic, hypoallergenic, and biodegradable, Optionsforlife's quartet of naturally derived cleaners includes a kitchen and bathroom cleaner, a multi-surface cleaner, a tub and tile cleaner, and a glass and window cleaner. As part of its commitment to environmental stewardship, the company has swapped out chlorine bleach for hydrogen peroxide, traditional acids for organic salt solutions, and non-biodegradable alcohol for less-irritating biodegradable solvents. Plus, refills are available as concentrates.
Nice touch: All products are Green Seal certified, which means they're rated for both performance and reduced human/aquatic toxicity and smog-production potential.
Where: Optionsforlife
How much: $14.95
Read More: TreeHugger: OptionsforLife Cleaning "$olutions"

Seventh Generation Free & Clear and Living Home Starter Kits

Why: Get a selection of Seventh Generation's fragrance-free goods with the Free & Clear Starter Kit, which includes glass cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, dish liquid, laundry detergent, and tote bag. Or, go the whole hog with the Living Home Starter Kit's super-sized assortment of six naturally scented cleaners, 100 percent recycled paper towels, and tote bag. Nontoxic, biodegradable, and free of phosphates, chlorine bleaches, and harsh chemical fumes, Seventh Generation's environmentally responsible line of household and personal products have been sought out by green-conscious consumers for nearly 20 years.
Nice touch: The tote bag, encouraging plastic bag-free shopping excursions, is made of 100 percent organic cotton.
Where: Seventh Generation
How much: $40 (Free & Clear); $45 (Living Home)
Read More: TreeHugger: Seventh Generation Household Cleaning Products

Shaklee Get Clean Starter Kit

Why: Shaklee's Get Clean line of 13 nontoxic and hypoallergenic products outperforms 12 national brands—or your money back. The ultra-concentrated formulas, says the manufacturer, contain the cleaning equivalent of 60 bottles of Fantastic Multipurpose cleaner, 32 bottles of Mop & Glo Triple Action Floor Shine Cleaner, and 728 bottles of Windex. What does that mean? Choose the Get Clean Starter Kit over ready-to-use products, and you can save 108 pounds of packaging waste from landfills, as well as 248 pounds of greenhouse gases.
Nice touch: The kit comes with a nifty caddy organizer packed to the brim with empty spray bottles, microfiber cleaning cloths and sponges, and measuring supplies.
Where: Shaklee
How much: $170
Read More: TreeHugger: Shaklee Get Clean Concentrated Cleaners

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