Truly Amazing Eco Non-Toxic Cleaning Products
Did you know that baking soda and vinegar can do most of the cleaning jobs around the house? If you are not a fan of vinegar’s smell or just do not want to mess with baking soda, keep reading. I am going to introduce you to the best cleaning products I have used so far – products produced by Meliora. It is a small business that makes truly environmentally friendly and non-toxic cleaning products that work. When I tried Meliora cleaning products for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised. Indeed, I was happy to come across yet another confirmation that we do not need potentially harmful chemicals to clean our homes. So, read on to find out why I consider Meliora products the safest cleaning products.
The harms of conventional cleaning products
Before we proceed, let me share some facts with you. There is something fundamentally important I want you to know when it comes to cleaning products.
Environmental pollution
First, by using conventional house cleaners we participate in environmental pollution.
Indeed, most cleaning products come in plastic bottles that we discard into a landfill or that end up in the ocean. Thus, some researchers suggest that by 2050 there could be more plastic than fish in the oceans by weight (source).
Please refuse single-use plastic products. If you want to know more about the dangers of plastic, check out my post Plastic Plates: This Post is For You.
The disclosure of ingredients
Second, Federal law does not require that manufacturers disclose the ingredients they use. If they do, it is on a voluntary basis.
The good news is that in 2017, the state of California enacted a law called Cleaning Product Right to Know Act of 2017 (SB-258) that requires the disclosure of ingredients. While some companies have complied with it, most companies continue their old practices.
On top of that, U.S. manufacturers can use new chemicals in products without having to prove that the chemicals are safe for humans or the environment. Hence, every year new chemicals are introduced into the stream of commerce without having been rigorously tested first. In case you wonder why cancer rates are skyrocketing, I have a good guess.
So, the need for non-toxic cleaning products is obvious. Before we talk about the safest cleaning products, there is another harm of conventional cleaners to discuss.
The danger to health
Unfortunately, the way things work in the United States is not conducive to our health. Thus, the last several decades have witnessed the introduction of many new synthetic surfactants.
For example, in 2012, the State of California added one of these surfactants – Cocamide DEA – to its Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer. In addition, this study of 787 participants in Massachusetts concluded that the regular use of household cleaning products doubles the risk of breast cancer.
Most cleaning products are dangerous to our health. Generally, you can tell that by the warning statements on the labels. Just look at your cleaning products and you will see “Danger,” “Poison,” “Warning,” and “Caution” on them. In fact, some cleaning products cause immediate harms such as skin or respiratory irritation, watery eyes, chemical burns or even death.
The only way to really protect ourselves is to go back to our roots and use products made from the best ingredients. And Meliora fits the bill.
Meliora non-toxic cleaning products ingredients
To begin with, the founder of Meliora Cleaning Products Kate Jakubas worked as an environmental scientist for many years. Therefore, she had first-hand knowledge about the dire state of our environment. As a result, she became determined to make a difference, and I applaud her for that.
Now she makes non-toxic products with washing soda, baking soda, organic essential oils, and vegetable soap. The latter is made from organic coconut and olive oils – ingredients we can pronounce and understand. In other words, there is nothing harmful or dubious about them.
Soap as one of the safest cleaning products
If you are not familiar with how soap is made and how soap is different from a synthetic cleaning agent (aka surfactant), let me explain.
In order to make soap, you must create a reaction between an oil or animal fat with an alkali agent. Typically, you can take either potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide as an alkali agent. As a result of the reaction, you get soap and glycerin. Potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide do not remain in the final product.
Actually, this is how they made soap for centuries before the recent proliferation of synthetic surfactants. People used soap for washing hands, bodies, hair, houses, and anything else that needed washing.
Meliora non-toxic cleaning products packaging
The environmental friendliness of Meliora cleaning products comes from the safety not only of its ingredients but also of the packaging.
Indeed, I am wowed at Meliora’s concepts. Specifically, their all-purpose cleaner comes in a glass spray bottle, which is already a great start. However, the revolutionary idea is that there is nothing but a little amount of powder on the bottom of the spray bottle. With no water inside, it is significantly lighter and easier to ship, because less fuel is used to transport lighter freight. All you need to do is add water at home upon receiving the bottle, which is easy to do.
Furthermore, the laundry detergent comes in containers made of recyclable cardboard and stainless steel. You will need to separate them for recycling purposes, though. Moreover, the laundry detergent refills come in recyclable and compostable paper bags. And, you do not get a plastic scoop unless you ask for it. Brilliant!
Meliora safest cleaning products performance
Laundry detergent
Meliora’s scented laundry powder has a very subtle fragrance, which is great for sensitive noses. The powder works better than a lot of other healthy laundry detergents I have tried. Thus, my laundry comes out clean and fresh.
Stain remover
Without a doubt, I received my box with Meliora non-toxic cleaning products very timely. In fact, I had an immediate opportunity to try Meliora’s safe stain remover. At a restaurant, some salad dressing ended up on my white pants and stained them. When I came home, I used the stain remover and the stain disappeared right away! Please see the pictures.
All-purpose cleaner
This healthy cleaner works well on my stainless-steel stove, sinks, granite countertops, and bathroom mirrors.
Bath and body soap
For years now, we have been using bar soap at home to wash hands and shower. So, I consider myself a soap connoisseur. Here are my observations.
First, Meliora bath soap lathers well. Second, it moisturizes well. Above all, it does not get soggy, which is so important. I had my share of soap bars that became gooey after a few uses. Not this one.
Of course, like with any bar soap you should use a soap dish that allows water to drain well. This is the best one I found after turning my house into a soap dish warehouse.
Conclusion about Meliora non-toxic cleaning products
Ever since my son was born, I have grown to feel personally responsible for the state we leave the planet in for our kids. Therefore, I support this small business that is doing its best to keep the planet and its people clean and healthy. Using Meliora truly environmentally friendly cleaning products gives me a lot of joy.
Moreover, it is the only company I have found that has completely eliminated the use of plastic, which is amazing.
You can buy these safest cleaning products directly on the Meliora website and get free shipping with a $40 minimum purchase. They are also available on Amazon.
If you are looking for non-toxic personal care or home products, check out my shop for multiple options. Also, if you are taking steps towards a non-toxic life, feel free to book a consultation with me, and I will help you.
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Hi Irina! Thanks for bringing this brand to everyone’s attention. Quick question — Can you make a post dedicated to granite cleaners? I see that you use Meliora’s all-purpose spray on your granite, and was wondering if you could write about if it’s necessary to have a separate granite cleaner/which brands you recommend. Thank you for being so informative and thorough in all your reviews!
It works well on granite countertop, too. ~Irina
This seems a US brand that I can’t find. I saw a while ago you said you were interested in international products so have you looked at Eco Max? For folks on a budget, it is a really good price on amazon.ca! My husband doesn’t like it on his very very dirty clothes though.
This product contains: Water, Decyl Glucoside, Food Grade Sodium Citrate, Food Grade Potassium Sorbate Preservative, Food Grade Citric Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Cellulose, Food Grade Xanthan Gum.
They also have a version with enzymes I have never tried… Water, Decyl Glucoside, plant-based Propylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Cellulose, Xanthan Gum, Calcium Chloride, Citric Acid, Protease, Amylase, Lipase, Mannanase, Pectinase, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Citrus Sinensis (Orange) Peel Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil and Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Peel Oil.
I wonder if it would work on his concrete and construction site clothing!
Hi, Angela: I agree that it is a good option, not perfect but relatively good. ~Irina
I have been using the All Purpose Cleaner and Laundry stain stick for a couple months. I LOVE them!! So far the stain stick has gotten 90% of the stains out. My husband is in construction and it doesn’t always work on the mystery stains he comes home with. Definitely going to try the laundry powder once my Molly Suds is gone.
Okay, so I was super excited to read your review of Meliora. I have been making my own liquid laundry detergent for about 6 months now because 1) I am trying to cut back on single-use plastics where possible and 2) I want the confidence of knowing exactly what is in a product that I am using for my family. But stain treatment has been a tough one – all are in plastic and there is just so much green washing. I immediately bought the Meliora stain stick and when it arrived, I tried it out on some of the worse set-in stains I have – stains that I’ve already treated and have been through the dryer. And I was beyond thrilled that it actually worked! It was so amazing I almost wished I had taken before/after photos. I also bought their all-purpose cleaner which I have been using in the kitchen and I really like it. Thank you for being Meliora to my attention!
Thank you so much for sharing, Laura! This is so good to know! ~Irina
What a great find, Irina. I am going to check their website AND their products 🙂
Hello Irina,
Do you know by any chance if we can use the Meliora laundry detergent in hard water? I’m very interested in buying the bundle from there website.
Thank you 🙂
Unfortunately, I do not have that information, Jessica. Hard water differs. Our water is on a hard side too. You might want to ask Meliora if they tested their laundry detergent on your water and/or if they can provide you with a sample. ~Irina
Hi Irina.
Thank you for bringing Meliora products to my attention. They sounded fabulous, but I read the safety data sheet for soap bars and now I am scared that they may not be safe because they may not be if left on skin. It doesn’t indicate a period of time when they are safe on the skin. Is the time period known?
My best regards to you.
Hi, Vanessa:
I can assure that there is nothing to be scared of here. I have used bar soap on my son exclusively since he was born. (He is 6 years old now). After years of research, I believe soap is the safest out of all cleansing agents. Because Meliora is honest and transparent, they give more information than you need. 🙂 You can probably get an irritation from soap if you step out of the shower or bath unrinsed, put clothes on, and walk around like that for the rest of the day. No – I do not have information at what point you would be an irritation. 🙂 Here are some articles you might want to read: https://ireadlabelsforyou.com/buy-truly-non-toxic-soap/ and https://ireadlabelsforyou.com/mrs-meyers-clean-day-liquid-hand-soap/ Does it help? Have a wonderful weekend! Irina
Hi, Irina
Do you like the Meliora laundry powder better than Molly’s Suds?
Judy
Hi, Judy: it is nice to hear from you! I have not used Meliora long enough to make a fair comparison. For right now, I like Meliora better. And I definitely love the fact Meliora’s packaging is non-plastic. Try it and let me know which detergent you like better. Have a wonderful day! ~Irina