Your home should be a sanctuary. But the products we reach for to keep it clean can quietly work against that goal. Independent testing keeps finding that everyday cleaning products release a surprising number of hazardous chemicals into the very air we breathe at home.

In fact, a peer-reviewed study commissioned by the Environmental Working Group in 2023 found that cleaning products can emit hundreds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), dozens of them classified as hazardous. On average, conventional products emitted about 22 hazardous VOCs, compared with roughly 4 from products marketed as “green.”

Why does that matter? According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, indoor VOC levels typically run two to ten times higher than outdoors. Exposure is linked to eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches and nausea, worsened asthma, and—with certain compounds at higher exposures—damage to the liver, kidneys, and nervous system.

Here's the reassuring part: using one of these products occasionally, with good ventilation, is not the real concern. The issue is the daily layering of multiple chemical-laden products, every time you clean. Think about your bathroom alone—one product for the tub, another for the toilet, one for the mirror, another for the counters. It adds up.

The good news is that greening your home is easier—and usually less expensive—than cleaning with conventional products. One of the simplest ways to begin is to replace your current cleaners with gentler options one at a time, as you run out.

The Ingredients I'd Rather Avoid

Rather than focusing on particular brand names—which change constantly—I pay attention to ingredients. When I turn over a label (or look a product up in a database), these are the ones I steer clear of:

• Synthetic fragrance and plug-in “air fresheners.” The word “fragrance” can legally hide dozens of undisclosed chemicals, including phthalates, which act as endocrine (hormone) disruptors. A 2024 study by the Natural Resources Defense Council tested 14 common air fresheners and detected phthalates in 12 of them—including some labeled “natural” or “unscented.” I'd rather open a window, simmer herbs, or diffuse a pet-safe essential oil (more on pets below).
• Harsh scouring powders and disinfectants. Some contain—or are contaminated with—compounds like formaldehyde, benzene, chloroform, and toluene that don't always appear on the label. A simple mineral-based scouring powder does the job without them.
• “Antibacterial” additives. Triclosan and similar agents were restricted by the FDA in consumer hand soaps in 2016 because they weren't shown to be safer or more effective than plain soap and water, and raised concerns about antibiotic resistance. Plain soap works beautifully. My all time favorite is the goat milk soap from Goat’s Galore. The goats are fed the best possible organic food, and Jim who makes the soap, milks them personally. This soap is particularly good for anyone with sensitive skin. I’ve never found anything like it.
• Solvent-based spot removers and conventional dry cleaning. These often rely on perchloroethylene (“perc”), which the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies as probably carcinogenic to humans—and which the EPA finalized a rule to phase out of dry cleaning entirely in December 2024. Look for a “wet cleaning” service or a perc-free cleaner.
• Ammonia-based glass and all-purpose cleaners. Ammonia is a strong respiratory irritant, especially for anyone with asthma or other lung concerns. And it should never be combined with bleach—the mixture produces a toxic gas. I remember how my mother used to add this to water to clean the windows. It worked. But man—you had to stand back.
• Oven cleaners. These are typically built around lye (sodium hydroxide) and ethanolamine—both caustic. I don't want those near my eyes, lungs, or food. But if you wear gloves and stand back, there are occasions where these are necessary. ( I recently used a lye bath to clean some old cast iron pans—first step in rehabbing them)
• Chemical drain openers. Extremely corrosive and capable of causing serious burns and eye damage. Try boiling water followed by baking soda and vinegar, or an enzyme-based drain cleaner instead.
• Quaternary ammonium disinfectants (“quats”). Found in many disinfecting sprays and wipes, quats have been repeatedly linked to occupational asthma in cleaners and healthcare workers. I reserve strong disinfectants for the times I genuinely need them.

How to Shop for Greener Products

I'm all for making life easy. If buying ready-made green products is simpler for you, buy the highest-quality ones you can afford—and look for a full list of ingredients on the label.

Just remember that “green,” “natural,” and “biodegradable” are not regulated terms, so a label alone doesn't guarantee a product is nontoxic. Look products up in EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning, a free database that grades more than 2,000 household cleaners from A to F based on the safety of their ingredients and how fully they disclose them.

Basic Non-Toxic Ingredients to Keep on Hand

If ready-made green products cost more than you'd like to spend, don't worry. Cleaning like a green goddess can be just as easy—and far less expensive—with a few basic items from the grocery store:

1. White vinegar – has antifungal properties and cuts mineral deposits.
2. Baking soda – eliminates odors and works as a gentle scouring powder.
3. Lemon juice – a non-toxic bleach, grease cutter, and stain remover.
4. Borax (sodium borate) – eliminates odors, lifts dirt, and acts as a disinfectant.
5. Hydrogen peroxide (3%) – a non-toxic bleach, stain remover, and disinfectant.
6. Liquid castile soap – a plant-based all-purpose soap.
7. Club soda – a stain remover and polisher.
8. Corn meal – great for absorbing carpet spills.
9. Olive oil – a natural furniture polish.
10. Essential oils – for scent and antibacterial properties. Always follow safety instructions—they're highly concentrated (and see the pet note below).

5 Green Cleaning Recipes

All-Purpose Cleaner

• 2 cups white distilled vinegar
• 2 cups water
• Essential oil (optional)

Use on hard surfaces such as countertops and kitchen floors—but not on natural stone (see safety notes).

Glass Cleaner

• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 quart water

Mix in a spray bottle. Spray on glass and wipe with a lint-free cloth. Add more vinegar for a stronger solution.

Soft Scrub

• 2 cups baking soda
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup liquid castile soap
• 4 teaspoons vegetable glycerin (preservative)
• 5 drops antibacterial essential oil (optional)

Mix and store in a sealed glass jar (shelf life about 2 years). Use on counters, stoves, bathtubs, and sinks.

Laundry Soap

• 1 cup soap flakes
• 1 cup washing soda (1/4–1/2 cup for soft water)
• 1 cup baking soda (1/2 cup for soft water)
• 1–2 tbsp oxygen bleach (optional, for extra whitening)
• Mix and store in a glass container. Use one tablespoon per load (two for heavily soiled laundry), in warm or cold water. Safe for HE machines. Tip: white vinegar in the rinse cycle makes a great fabric softener and deodorizer; hydrogen peroxide works as a whitener in place of bleach. Another point. You can also add  2-4tbsp of borax added to ½ cup of warm water  before adding the clothes. This can even take the place of soap. 

Furniture Polish

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
• 20 drops lemon essential oil (or 2 teaspoons lemon juice)

Shake well. Dip a clean, dry cloth into the polish and rub wood in the direction of the grain. If you use lemon juice instead of oil, store in the refrigerator. (Avoid on unsealed or natural stone surfaces.)

A Few Safety Notes Worth Knowing

• Never mix cleaners. Bleach combined with ammonia—or with vinegar—creates toxic gases. Use one product at a time and rinse surfaces between them.
• Vinegar cleans, but it doesn't disinfect. Vinegar is wonderful for everyday grime and mineral buildup, but it is not an EPA-registered disinfectant and won't reliably kill germs like norovirus. When you truly need to disinfect—say, during illness—use a registered disinfectant as directed, or 3% hydrogen peroxide.
• Skip acids on natural stone. Vinegar and lemon juice will etch marble, granite, travertine, and other natural stone, leaving dull spots that can't be buffed out. On stone, use plain water or a pH-neutral stone cleaner.
• Essential oils and pets. Many essential oils—including tea tree, citrus, pine, peppermint, cinnamon, eucalyptus, wintergreen, and ylang ylang—are toxic to cats and dogs, and cats are especially vulnerable because they can't metabolize certain compounds. Diffuse only in ventilated rooms your pet can freely leave, keep oils off their fur and out of reach, and check with your veterinarian first.

Other Easy, Chemical-Free Swaps

1. Sprinkle a toilet brush with baking soda to scrub the bowl clean. To disinfect occasionally, use borax; wipe the outside with vinegar.
2. Wipe away mold and mildew with straight vinegar.
3. For a fresh scent, add a few drops of essential oil to a cotton ball and tuck it in a room (lavender for bedrooms, citrus elsewhere)—keeping it well out of reach of children and pets.

5 Healthy Reasons to Keep Baking Soda on Hand

Beyond the recipes above, baking soda has many practical uses and can be a healthy way to save money on cleaning and personal-care products. Here are a few favorites:

1. Use it as a roach killer. Mix with a little sugar to attract roaches and place it where you've seen them; when ingested, it dehydrates them—no sprayed toxins in your home. You can also sprinkle baking soda into carpets to help with fleas: let it sit up to 12 hours, then vacuum thoroughly.
2. Deodorize everything. If it smells, baking soda will likely absorb it—shoes, the sink disposal, the refrigerator, laundry, even a front-load washer prone to mildew odor. A little warm water turns it into a gentle paste you can use as an underarm deodorant.
3. Calm skin irritation. That same paste can soothe minor burns and sunburn, insect bites and stings, small cuts and scrapes, poison ivy, and diaper rash.
4. Soothe an upset stomach. Baking soda is alkaline. A little stirred into a glass of warm water can ease minor indigestion and heartburn related to stomach-acid imbalance, and many people use it to help with inflammation and the discomfort of arthritis and gout.
5. Simplify your bathroom routine. Baking soda can clean your shower, toilet, and sinks; double as a whitening toothpaste; ease canker sores; work as a dry shampoo or gentle facial exfoliant; and, added to a bath with Epsom salts, make a soothing soak for sore muscles.

Store baking soda in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. Once a box is opened, keeping it in a sealed bag preserves freshness, and keeping it away from spices prevents it from absorbing odors. To test whether it's still fresh, add a couple of drops of vinegar to a spoonful—if it bubbles, it's good to go.