We Tested and Compared the 2 Most Popular Non-Toxic Cleaning Brands for 3 Months—These Are the Products Worth Your Attention
From our beauty routines to our closets, it’s finally starting to feel like everything around us is getting a (long overdue) sustainability refresh. Now we don’t want to say we told you so, but we kind of knew the sustainability wave would inevitably change our cleaning routines, and we’re so glad it did. Household cleaning products from hand and dish soap, to sprays and laundry detergents, are some of the biggest waste drivers around. And a disturbing 91 percent of plastic bottles (yes, even the empty cleaning sprays you toss in the recycling bin) don’t actually get recycled.
So the fact that thousands of new sustainable home care brands have come on the scene to address this issue is a big deal. But of all the sustainable cleaning contenders, there are two that reign supreme: Blueland and Grove Collaborative. Both brands operate under refillable models specially designed to address the world’s waste problem at home. And they both do it really well, I might add. So if you’re looking to make a sustainable switch with your cleaning routine and are unsure who to go with, I tried both brands and did the homework for you. Read on for my full review.
About Grove Co.
Originally launched in 2016 as a sustainable online marketplace, Grove Collaborative also makes eco-friendly home, personal care, and cleaning products through its flagship brand, Grove Co. You can shop Grove Co. on its website where you can set up flexible subscriptions on your favorite products, and you can find the brand’s line of refillable, concentrated cleaning sprays and soaps (what I’ve been testing for this review) at Target.
Grove Co. products—which include everything from foaming hand soaps to multipurpose cleaners and laundry detergent—are all made with organic and plant-based ingredients wherever possible, Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free, and made with minimal plastic (the brand has pledged to be fully plastic-free by 2025). They’re also free of all synthetic fragrances, and proudly made without: ammonia, BHT/BHA, chlorine, parabens, formaldehyde, phthalates, triclosan, and other nasties you don’t want lurking around home surfaces. By steering clear of plastic, and prioritizing plant-based ingredients, Grove Co.’s refillable products aim to reduce waste at home, and help solve the world’s dire pollution problem.
About Blueland
A direct to consumer sustainable home brand that came on the scene back in 2018, Blueland makes everything from cleaning sprays and hand soaps to dish soap, laundry detergent and most recently, personal care. On a mission to help us break up with single-use plastic (Blueland has managed to save over 1 billion single-use plastic bottles from landfills and oceans since 2019), everything in Blueland’s catalog is completely refillable and designed to last. Touting product efficacy, convenience, and affordability as its main guiding principles, Blueland believes keeping an eco-friendly, low-waste home should be easy.
Blueland products are made using responsibly sourced ingredients that are planet (and people) safe, gluten-free, vegan, and Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free. They only use ingredients found on the EPA’s Safer Chemical Ingredients List, and steer clear of anything on the EWG Unacceptable List and Prop 65 Banned Ingredients List. Some Blueland products are fragrance-free, while others contain a blend of natural and synthetic fragrances (leaving out the harmful stuff, of course)—due to the limitations of infusing essential oils into the brand’s refill tablets (which we’ll get into). The brand’s refillable packaging is either fully recyclable, compostable, or both. And because Blueland uses waterless refill tablets, it’s able to offer carbon-neutral shipping (they offset whatever emissions they do create as a carbon-neutral company).
The Refills
Both Blueland and Grove Co. operate by a fully refillable model—but go about it in different ways that may impact your choice. For Grove Co, the refill will largely depend on the product. For example, the brand’s cleaning sprays require a “cleaning concentrate” that needs to be diluted in water to create the cleaning solution. The concentrate comes in a tiny glass bottle and is packaged in FSC®-Certified paper packaging, both of which are fully recyclable. Grove Co.’s Ultimate Dish Soap, on the other hand, is refillable via a 16 oz. recyclable aluminum bottle containing the ready-to-use product, just pour and enjoy.
While there are a few exceptions (like the ready-to-use powdered dish soap) most Blueland refills come in the form of a solid tablet that dissolves in water. Take the brand’s best-selling Foaming Hand Soap for example: you only need to fill your “forever bottle” with warm water, drop in the refill tablet—and once dissolved, your hand soap is ready to use. Unlike the bottled and boxed Grove Co. refills, Blueland’s tablets come in paper pouches. Plus, the compact size of the refills make for space-saving storage (I keep mine in a big jar in my cabinet).
The Foaming Hand Soaps
Originally $28, now $20
Grove Co.’s Foaming Hand Soap bundle includes a 12-ounce bottle of the soap concentrate, the glass dispenser, and a silicone sleeve (to protect the bottle from clumsy hands like mine). The process is simple: pour the soap to the marked line, and fill the rest with water and voilà—your soap is ready to use. Scented with lavandin, thyme and patchouli oils, the lavender blossom and thyme soap was fresh and natural smelling—exactly what I’d expect from a plant-forward hand soap. What’s more, the plush, cleansing foam came out of the dispenser with ease and the aloe-infused formula left my hands feeling oh-so-clean and hydrated after every wash. This one’s a yes from me.
Made without:
- Parabens
- Phthalates
- Phosphates
- Chlorine bleach
- Dyes
In the Hand Soap Starter Set, Blueland includes its glass ‘Forever Bottle,’ (which has a durable, weighty feel that I love) and 3 refill tablets in the brand’s classic scents (iris agave, perrine lemon, and lavender eucalyptus). Like the Grove Co. soap, this one’s a foaming formula—formulated with naturally derived ingredients that effectively clean hands. While I prefer the look of the tinted glass and the unique scent options, I found the foam in this one wasn’t as soft and hydrating as the Grove. But it gets the job done! So this one will go on living its best life in my kitchen. Plus, I love that the refills start at $3.60—much cheaper than store bought hand soap (and obviously better for the earth).
Made without:
- Parabens
- Phosphates
- Ammonia
- VOCs
- Chlorine bleach
- Phthalates
The Dish Soaps
Originally $20, now $15
The Grove Co. Ultimate Dish Soap touts a biodegradable, grease-cutting formula that left my dishes looking super clean (it even claims to cut through messes that’ve been stuck on for 48 hours!). One of the 16-ounce refill bottles yields one dispenser’s worth of dish soap, and while I appreciate that the aluminum bottle is recyclable, we know that proper recycling is unlikely—so the sustainability math isn’t adding up for me on this one. Another downside, the dispenser tends to get clogged, which can result in soap squirting straight into your eyes if you’re not careful. TL;DR: it works (I finished mine, as pictured), but might not be the most eco-friendly choice.
Made without:
- Triclosan
- Parabens
- Phthalates
- Phosphates
- Dyes
Unlike Grove Co.’s, the Blueland Dish Soap comes in the form of a waterless powder, and includes a silicone shaker, and a 16-ounce paper pouch of soap. Pour it onto a sponge, or directly onto dirty dishes, and the foam lathers up once in contact with water. I was skeptical at first, but was pleasantly surprised to discover that the soap worked wonders. The powdered granules even tackled crusty cookware with ease, functioning like a powerful exfoliating scrub. I even used it to scrub down my glass stovetop! Plus, it’s fragrance-free, so you never have to worry about an overpowering scent.
Made without:
- Parabens
- Phosphates
- Ammonia
- VOCs
- Chlorine bleach
- Phthalates
The Multi-Purpose Sprays
Originally $22, now $16
The Grove Co. Multi-Purpose Cleaner Set comes with the glass bottle, a silicone sleeve (with a slide and snap label that can be repositioned for use with any of the brand’s cleaning sprays), and two glass bottled concentrates. Each concentrate yields 16 ounces worth of multi-purpose cleaner (a full bottle). It also claims to cut grease twice as well as other natural cleaning brands, and judging by the pristine condition it leaves my kitchen counter in after every use—they might be right. True to its promise, the multipurpose formula agreed with nearly every household surface, from my granite countertop and vanity, to my tile floors and laminate furniture. The only downside is that the bottle is smaller compared to Blueland’s.
Made without:
- Parabens
- Phthalates
- Phosphates
- Formaldehyde
- Synthetic dyes
- Ammonia
- Chlorine bleach
Blueland’s 24-ounce plastic bottle of Multi-Surface Cleaner offers 1.5 times more product than the Grove spray, and includes three refill tablets (always in a lemon scent). The bottle’s yellow tint has a sleek, modern look that’s a welcome upgrade from my old single-use cleaners. What’s more, the product inside is actually fantastic, and wipes any trace of grease or grime with minimal effort. Plus, the plant-derived ingredients give me the confidence to use it anywhere and everywhere in my apartment.
Made without:
- Parabens
- Phosphates
- Ammonia
- VOCs
- Chlorine bleach
- Phthalates
The Tub & Tile Cleaners
Originally $23, now $16
Grove Co.’s biodegradable tub and tile cleaner uses 100 percent plant-based ingredients—which sounds fabulous, but I worried I might need more heavy duty, I-should-turn-the-fan-on kind of stuff to address the embarrassing state of my shower tiles. Boy, was I delighted to be wrong. I used a scrubby brush to work the spray into the surface of my bathtub, across the tile, and between the grout, and rinsed it away to find everything clean and soap scum-free. Plus there are a variety of natural scents to choose from, not the astringent kind that overpower your bathroom.
Made without:
- Parabens
- Phthalates
- Phosphates
- Formaldehyde
- Synthetic dyes
- Ammonia
- Chlorine bleach
Just like the Multi-Surface Spray, Blueland’s Bathroom Cleaner doesn’t disappoint. Its plant-based ingredients go to work on soap-scummed tile, and somehow managed to make my decades-old bathtub look brand new. It brings a new level of shine to my bathroom vanity and fixtures too. But the best part is the absence of those dreaded cleaning product fumes that most bathroom cleaners give off, and the subtle lavender eucalyptus scent.
Made without:
- Parabens
- Phosphates
- Ammonia
- VOCs
- Chlorine bleach
- Phthalates
The Glass Cleaners
Originally $23, now $16
Grove Co.’s Glass Cleaner uses 95 percent plant-based ingredients to clean dusty, speckled mirrors and leave zero streaks behind. I’ve tested it on my bathroom mirror, sliding glass door, and hallway mirror, and was thrilled with the polished result every single time. And if you have mirrored furniture or a glass coffee or dining table, Grove says you can use it on those too for a smudge-free finish. Plus, the ammonia-free formula won’t trigger a coughing fit with every use like other glass cleaners are prone to do.
Made without:
- Parabens
- Phthalates
- Phosphates
- Formaldehyde
- Synthetic dyes
- Ammonia
- Chlorine bleach
With over 1,300 5-star reviews, the Glass + Mirror Cleaner is a Blueland customer favorite—and it’s mine too. “Love the Blueland Glass and Mirror product,” wrote one Blueland customer. “Streak-free cleaning. The product works to remove mineral buildup on glass.” And I can 100 percent confirm that it does. The powerful cleaning mist totally eradicates smudged mirrors and glass, all while being fragrance-free—which means I didn’t get the headache-causing stench that conventional cleaners leave behind. That’s a hard yes for me!
Made without:
- Parabens
- Phosphates
- Ammonia
- VOCs
- Chlorine bleach
- Phthalates
The Laundry Detergents
When it comes to laundry detergent, I’m a bit of a maximalist (more soap means everything will be more clean, right?). But these genius laundry detergent sheets have helped train me out of that habit. The biodegradable, dissolvable sheets are ultra-concentrated, compact (and perfect for travel), but most importantly, no mess. Just toss one in your washing machine and let it handle the rest. Lo and behold, my clothes came out of the wash stain and stink-free, with a subtle, lavender scent. Plus, the paper box is plastic-free and 100 percent recyclable.
Made without
Parabens
Phthalates
Phosphates
Dyes
Optical brighteners
Instead of reaching for those plastic wrapped detergent pods, go for Blueland’s dry laundry detergent tablets instead. The kit includes a paper pouch of 60 tablets, and a colorful refillable tin that’ll spark joy every laundry day. The small but mighty tablets deliver a heavy duty clean to stained and stinky clothes without any of the irritating additives. Just drop a tab into your machine (or two for larger loads) and let the tab handle the rest. And because there aren’t any dyes or fragrances, it’s a detergent that even those with sensitive skin can get behind. These washed my loads really well, but as someone who prefers fragrance, I ultimately prefer something that makes my clothes smell fresh out of the wash.
Made without
Parabens
Phosphates
Ammonia
VOCs
Chlorine bleach
Phthalates
The Dishwasher Detergents
Seeing as my husband and I both work from home, our dishwasher works overtime to keep up with the constant messes we’re making in our kitchen. This means we’re very particular about our dishwasher detergent. Grove’s Total Clean Dishwasher Detergent Pods leave our dishes and cutlery sparkling clean, without any spots or crusted-on crumbs from the previous night’s meals. And while I love that they’re 91 percent plant-based, it’s worth noting that the pods are wrapped in polyvinyl alcohol (also known as PVA), that’s water soluble but still technically plastic.
Made without
Parabens
Phthalates
Phosphates
Chlorine bleach
Dyes
Blueland’s Dishwasher Set includes a paper pouch of 60 dishwasher tablets, and a refillable “forever” tin you’ll be tempted to leave on your counter. Blueland’s dry-form dishwasher tablets managed to leave the dirtiest dishes and cutlery sparkling clean, without any wrapping or plastic. Proven to do the job on glassware, porcelain, and silver without leaving any spots, residue, or crumbs behind, these tiny grease-fighting tablets are now a staple in my kitchen. Just try not to rattle the tin around too much because you might break a few of the tablets!
Made without
Parabens
Phosphates
Ammonia
VOCs
Chlorine bleach
Phthalates
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