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Cleaning is my meditation. I love blasting music, throwing on my rubber gloves, and making my home sparkle. And having the right tools makes the process that much more enjoyable. Over the past year and a half, I’ve leaned on Grove Collaborative to source all of my cleaning supplies, and it’s made the experience even more satisfying. Plus, because the site has a plethora of sustainable plastic-free options, I’ve been able to cut down on a substantial amount of waste.
Experts in This Article
Stu Landesberg is the co-founder and CEO of Grove Collaborative.
Grove Co. is an online shop that anyone can use to source sustainable home essentials without having to do the research and vetting (all of that is done for you). Use it whenever you want and pay for shipping, or get an annual VIP membership that’s $20 for free shipping. Grove Co. is home to its own in-house brand, but carries tons of eco-friendly brands like Method, Mrs. Meyers, and Seventh Generation. I use the site to get cleaning staples like dishwasher pods, hand soap, and toilet paper, but it can help keep your home stocked with everything from baby diapers and wipes to shampoo bars. The through-line is sustainability.
“The focus is today, and will always be, on sustainability,” says Stu Landesberg, co-founder and CEO of Grove Co. “It has to be a part of everything that we do and it can’t be an ‘and.’ It has to just be a core part of the DNA. Just like we would never launch a product that didn’t work, we can never launch a product that’s not sustainable. The world is at a point where that’s just an irresponsible thing to do.”
Packaging aside, Grove Co. also allows me to shop an endless supply of efficacious plant-based cleaning solutions. I’m not gonna lie and say that these are all I use. I always keep one bottle of a bleach-based spray on hand to use when I feel like something needs a deeper clean. But for the most part, these plant-based cleaners get the job done beautifully.
“The quality of natural products is growing across every category,” says Landesberg. “It used to be the case that natural laundry detergent didn’t work—that’s no longer the case. Now, there are a lot of efficacious natural laundry detergents out. It used to be the case that it was hard to find natural products that you really were excited to have around your home. For a long time, what was accessible to you was really determined by what was at your local store. And so, now that we can reach consumers directly, consumers can have a ton more control over what they buy.”
Refillable solutions
My favorite part about shopping through Grove Co. is using its refillable solutions. For hand soap and dish soap, I use cute ceramic dispensers that I got from Home Goods and fill them with Grove Co. soap that comes in fully aluminum containers. I also use Grove Co.’s all-purpose ($17), tub-and-tile ($17), and glass-cleaning sprays ($15). To do this, I got glass bottles from Grove Co. and refill them with tiny corresponding concentrates ($7) that come in glass bottles with aluminum lids. To use, I just fill the spray bottle with water, leaving enough room for the concentrate, and then add in the concentrate. I’ve tried lots of different refillable cleaning sprays and the ones from Grove Co. are my absolute favorite.
Grove Co. Multi-Purpose Cleaner Concentrate + Reusable Cleaning Glass Spray Bottle — $17.00
Grove Co. Tub & Tile Cleaner Concentrate + Reusable Cleaning Glass Spray Bottle — $17.00
Grove Co. Glass Cleaner Concentrate Set — $15.00
Because the refills are 100 percent plastic-free, I can put them in my recycling bin and know that they’ll actually get recycled, unlike plastic products which are notoriously under-recycled. “You use the aluminum bottle, you put it in the recycling, it becomes a soda can, everyone is happy,” says Landesberg. “That’s the way it’s supposed to work. The problem with plastic is it doesn’t actually work and people don’t know that.” Of all the plastic that has ever been produced in the world, 2017 research shows that only 9 percent has been recycled.
Aside from being sustainable, refillable solutions mean my cleaning supplies are so chic. I love that I don’t have an ugly plastic bottle of dish soap on my counter. Plus, the available scents are super luxe. Right now, my tub-and-tile spray smells like a blend of orange and rosemary, while my dish soap is scented with lemon and eucalyptus. These make my home smell fresh and clean in a way that traditional cleaning supplies could never.
Sustainable single-use options
Grove Co. made my routine so much more sustainable because I have access to items I never knew existed. For example, I’ve fallen head-over-heels in love with the brand’s Walnut Scouring Pads ($5). Yes, that’s a big feeling to have about a sponge, but I stand by my statement. These pads are super thin, meaning they don’t hold on to water and feel more hygienic than traditional sponges. Plus, they’re made from sustainably farmed USA-grown walnut shells and recycled fibers. You sadly can’t use them if you have a nut allergy. But if you don’t, they’re a dream.
Grove Co. Walnut Scouring Pads — $5.00
I also love shopping from Grove’s selection of other eco-friendly brands that I can’t get at my neighborhood grocery store. I love using Seventh Generation’s Bathroom Tissue ($12), which is made from 100 percent recycled paper, and the brand’s Easy Dose Ultra Concentrated Laundry Detergent ($14), which uses 60 percent less plastic and 50 percent less water than traditional detergents. I’m also a huge fan of Method’s All-Purpose Cleaning Wipes ($7), which are compostable.
Seventh Generation Bath Tissue — $12.00
Seventh Generation Easy Dose Ultra Concentrated Laundry Detergent — $14.00
Method All-Purpose Compostable Cleaning Wipes — $7.00
The ease of shopping with Grove Co.
Getting these items delivered is the only way I’d have access to them in my neighborhood. Plus, I love that I don’t have to think about getting these items when I’m out and about. I can add items to my cart as soon as I realize I’m out, or even fully automize the experience by subscribing for certain items to arrive automatically in my monthly shipments.
Many of the brands I’ve come to rely on I can’t easily get where I live. Grove Co. has fully broadened my options and also made the process of shopping for home essentials much easier.
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