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The best, greenest bathroom & kitchen cleaners for you, your family and your environment
How do you find the best bathroom and kitchen cleaners?
The ones which will make cleaning easy rather than a chore. Products that cut through grease, bathroom mold, shower sludge and limescale. Plus kill off potentially nasty germs?
Most people opt for harsh bathroom and kitchen cleaners. Which seems a natural choice. Strong chemicals get the job done. Or do they?
Natural, earth-friendly, vegan and environmentally safe bathroom and kitchen cleaners – they’re too gentle to clean off gunk like shower sludge – or are they?
It’s our mission at Safe Household Cleaning to challenge these 2 beliefs. We spend thousands of hours doing research, in-person testing and critical reviewing of household cleaning formulas made by manufacturers who care about what they’re making and aren’t scared to reveal what’s inside the box. Environment and human safe bathroom and kitchen cleansers really can rival and in some cases (be sure to read our section on Top of the Better Life Tile and Tub Cleaner) out-perform harsh chemical cleaners.
We’ve spent hundreds of hours reviewing the cleaning power of bathroom and kitchen cleaners, and have our resident chemists analyze and assess the formulations and have listed the top 10 on the market today. And in addition to that, we’ll also explore how these cleaners work, what to look for and what to avoid.
What’s in this article:
The Winner – Better Life Tub and Tile Cleaner
Better Life Tile and Tub Cleaner is currently the best Bathroom or Kitchen cleaner on the market today. It’s so gentle, it uses surfactants you’ll find in your shower gel, shampoo and face wash! Top of the Better Life Tile and Tub Cleaner’s ingredient list you will find an active called decyl glucoside. A cleaning active/surfactant which is one of the few ingredients in our world which can bind together oil and water.
Note; any stain you will ever come across will only ever be oil dissolvable or water dissolvable. This is why surfactants are magic cleaners. Usually, only oil can dissolve oil and only water can dissolve water. Surfactants can dissolve both, mix them together and wash them away.
Decyl glucoside is one of the most sensitive to skin… and your hard surfaces… and your wellbeing. If using a harsh bathroom and kitchen cleaner has ever left you feeling short of breath and pretty icky from the fumes – you will not look back after trying Better Life Tile and Tub Cleaner. And this is because Better Life Tile and Tub Cleaner is not a solvent cleaner. Instead, it uses surfactants to clean. The only volatiles included in Better Life Tile and Tub Cleaner are essential oils – giving a mild and pleasant scent.
And to the MOST important part. How does Better Life Tile and Tub Cleaner perform? Can it cut through limescale, grease and shower sludge? We were blown away. In use, we barely needed to scrub. And because we’re science-minded here at Safe Household Cleaning – we did a comparison test vs. a traditional ‘harsh chemical’ bathroom and kitchen cleaner. It needed significantly more elbow grease.
Better Life Tile and Tub Cleaner also includes a natural anti-microbial – tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is a fantastic anti-microbial active ingredient because it exhibits broad-spectrum activity meaning it kills a wide range of different types of bugs. Studies show tea tree oil can be effective in concentrations as low as 0.25%.
Extras to love; non-toxic, biodegradable, kind to waterways and marine life, made in the USA with solar energy, safe around kids, pets and the planet, free form alcohol, dyes, chlorine, bleach and synthetic fragrances.
Better Life Tile and Tub Cleaner |
If we were to choose only one bathroom or kitchen cleaner to try, we'd make it this one. Outstanding. |
Joint Runner Up – Bentley Organic Shower Cleaner
Our joint-second favorite Bathroom and Shower Cleaner on the market today is Bentley Organic Shower Cleaner.
From shower tray grime to toothpaste stains all the way through to greasy makeup stains. Bentley Organic Shower Cleaner gets the job done as effectively as any harsh chemical cleaner. And this from a company that prioritizes the environment when innovating new products.
So how does the formula work? This one is centric on alcohol – a solvent that will cut through staining like a hot knife through butter.
If you’re looking for an effective, natural bathroom and kitchen cleaner with powerful anti-bacterial activity Bentley Organic Shower Cleaner is the one for you. Alcohol is one of THE most effective natural anti-bacterial agents in existence. At concentrations from 40-100%, within 10 seconds it will kill off well known and nasty bugs like e.coli and salmonella. And from concentrations between 60-95%, it will do the same to Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.
Just like Top of the Better Life Tile and Tub Cleaner, Bentley Organic Shower Cleaner also uses decyl glucoside. By using a mixture of cleaning actives i.e. a solvent and a surfactant – Bentley Organic Shower Cleaner is able to have multi-powers when it comes to dissolving any kind of kitchen or bathroom stain.
Note; Bentley Organic Shower Cleaner includes essential oils and fragrance – while the scent is a clean one – it may not be the perfect choice for sufferers of perfume allergies.
Extras to love; vegan friendly, organic – soil association approved, proven to kill 99.9% of germs, biodegradable, safe to use around kids, free from bleach, sulfates and phosphates.
Bentley Organic Shower Cleaner |
A gentle alcohol based cleaner with excellent antimicrobial properties too. |
Joint Runner Up – Biopuro Bathroom Cleaner
We couldn’t split Bentley Organic Shower Cleaner and our other runner up Biopuro Bathroom Cleaner.
With just 7 ingredients it packs a mighty punch to stubborn limescale – and that’s because Biopuro Bathroom Cleaner is predominantly an acid-based cleaner. Its top 2 ingredients are citric acid – naturally found in fruit and lactic acid – naturally found in your skin and your body.
Biopuro Bathroom Cleaner also contains the same surfactant as our previous 2 winners – decyl glucoside. Effective yet gentle and mild. This also means Biopuro Bathroom Cleaner is not just a super effective limescale cleaner but a de-greaser too.
This formula is low foam – which we love – it has the same cleaning power as high foam kitchen and bathroom cleaners – but in this case, you can actually SEE what you’re cleaning. There’s no bleach scent and noticeably less wiping and buffing needed than traditional cleaners.
Extras to love; No bleach scent, plant-based formula, vegan-friendly, organic, eco-friendly, and free from chlorine and sulfates.
Biopuro Bathroom Cleaner |
An acid-based cleaner using cleansing agents found in fruit and lactic acid. |
The 10 Best Bathroom and Kitchen Cleaners
If the top 3 don’t appeal, there’s still plenty of great kitchen and bathroom cleaners on the market today
If you haven’t seen your favorite cleaner listed, check out all our reviews. And if you still don’t find it, don’t hesitate to recommend it to us for review.
ATTITUDE Kitchen Cleaner
ATTITUDE Kitchen Cleaner did the job I wanted it to do - clean the kitchen - and it did it very well. And it does this using ingredients that have been chosen with a great deal of thought and attention.
Very few products receive an A+ from the Environmental Working Group. Those that do often don't perform at such a high level, because A+ products automatically exclude many of the more powerful cleaning ingredients.
If you have a known allergy to one or more of these ingredients, or simply can't stand any scented products, then you will need to look elsewhere. For everyone else, including people who dislike strong scents but are fine with mild scents, this one is a winner!
Absolutely outstanding.
Better Life Tub & Tile Cleaner
Better Life Tub & Tile Spray had an outstanding cleaning performance. The smell is mild and pleasant compared to other bathroom cleaning products. Most of the ingredients are effective and safe for the general public, excluding those with specific allergies. I do want to give this product a solid 5, but the use of essential oils used for fragrances will be of concern for some.
An outstanding product.
Bentley Organic Bathroom and Shower Cleaner
There's a lot to like about Bentley Organics Bath and Shower Cleaner and there's a lot to like about Bentley Organics. The ingredients have largely been chosen with a great deal of care and attention. It's as environmentally friendly a cleaning product as I've seen. And it performs the cleaning duties admirably.
I just wish they'd produce a fragrance-free option. Then it would be my idea of perfection.
Biopuro Bathroom Cleaner
Having sensitive allergy prone skin or dermatitis can make cleaning the bathroom a minefield. Environmentally friendly Biopuro Bathroom Cleaner aims to help make life with sensitive skin simpler. Dermatologically tested, its 7 ingredient formula works well for your bathroom while also aiming to cause zero issue for the skin. If however, you have known allergy or sensitization to fragrance (in particular linalool) then this is not the bathroom cleaner for you.
Method Bathroom Cleaner (Eucalyptus and Mint)
Overall, Method Eucalyptus and Mint Bathroom Cleaner is a winner. It does its job effectively and the ingredients largely check out as being safe. Unless you're sensitive to sulfates or fragrances, I would definitely check this out.
Earth Friendly Products ECOS Shower Cleaner
Earth Friendly Products ECOS Shower Cleaner has good cleaning power, easily removing soap stains. The formula is gentle too, relying on plant-derived compounds including tea tree, aloe vera and lavender oil. There are a couple of ingredients that can cause contact dermatitis - so wear gloves when using this. If you are looking for a more powerful cleaner to remove refractory buildup, however, I would look elsewhere.
Method Clementine Kitchen Surface Cleaner
The cleaning power behind Method Clementine Kitchen Cleaner is top quality. It's easy to apply and easy to clean.
That said, it isn't shy on fragrances. As someone who doesn't suffer from sensitive skin conditions, I'm more than happy using it.
However, for those who do are sensitive to fragrances, it might be one to avoid.
ATTITUDE Bathroom Cleaner (Citrus Zest)
Outstanding cleaning power with biodegradable, disclosed and plant based ingredients. Attitude have done it again. This is a company who believes in their mission and follows through in a meaningful way.
That said, the fragrances are strong in this one. If you're sensitive to fragrances you may want to look elsewhere.
Better Life Kitchen and Bath Scrubber
I highly recommend Better Life's Kitchen and Bath Scrubber, with one major caveat. It contains Methylisothiazolinone (MIT). It's such a shame that this ingredient persists in cleaning products. MIT aside, the formulation is outstanding, the performance is stellar, I'm pleased with the value, and it's a great comfort to know that I'm supporting a company with eco-friendly values aligned with my own. Without MIT this is a 5-star product. Hopefully, we'll see future iterations with this ingredient removed altogether.
Biokleen Bac-Out Bathroom Cleaner
Bac-Out bathroom cleaner largely did the job most conventional cleaners do but with a more transparent, gentler formulation.
The ingredients are a significant improvement on conventional cleaners, especially the unique cleaning quality of live enzyme cultures, but there's still cause for concern with the overuse of fragrances and the inclusion of benzisothiazolinone.
Decent cleaning power. Decent ingredients. However, if you're of a sensitive disposition, you may want to look elsewhere.
Better Life Kitchen and Bath Scrubber
I highly recommend Better Life's Kitchen and Bath Scrubber, with one major caveat. It contains Methylisothiazolinone (MIT). It's such a shame that this ingredient persists in cleaning products. MIT aside, the formulation is outstanding, the performance is stellar, I'm pleased with the value, and it's a great comfort to know that I'm supporting a company with eco-friendly values aligned with my own. Without MIT this is a 5-star product. Hopefully, we'll see future iterations with this ingredient removed altogether.
The Honest Company Bathroom Cleaner
While The Honest Company Bathroom Cleaner promises so much, the cleaning power was mediocre at best. And the sheer quantity of fragrances in there had our reviewer wheezing and sneezing.
How we chose the winners
All our reviewers are experts in product formulation, qualified pharmacists or cleaning experts. We have no direct affiliation to any of the bathroom and kitchen cleaners we are reviewing for you here. Our opinions are based ONLY on scientific testing and investigation. Here at Safe Household Cleaning, we choose to rely on science because science is impartial – its opinion doesn’t sway, science is fact.
Cleaners are only eligible for review by our team when the company that manufactures them is transparent in their ingredient disclosure. While this does limit what we can review, it’s the only way we (as consumers) can tell the exact safety of what we’re using.
We then dedicate several days of research to each formula. Looking at the ingredients, the actives, the effectiveness of the formula, whether claims of natural, plant-based and fragrance-free are valid and more. Unlike most review sites, we then also of course test in our own homes. We assess how well the product cleans, how it smells and also look at the price point.
These may be environmentally friendly products, but that doesn’t mean we want to compromise on a little bit of luxury!
We applied these same principles when choosing our best bathroom and kitchen cleaner. For example, the winner is one of the gentlest products we’ve reviewed. It’s not perfect, but compared with the others it washed slightly better and the surfactant-based cleaning formulation gave it the edge. That’s not to say it’s the best kitchen/bathroom cleaner for you. For example, Bentley Organic is alcohol-based and BioPuro is acid-based. They’re all outstanding cleaners, but our personal preference is a gentle but effective surfactant and we think our cleaning tests back this up.
What to look for in a Bathroom or Kitchen Cleaner?
It’s crucial to understand how bathroom cleaners work, because when you do – you will never again be using the equivalent of a wet-wipe to remove limescale. Product choice is first off based on the ingredients list.
The 3 winning kitchen and bathroom cleaners we’ve shared with you here are a fantastic choice for an array of stubborn stains. And they’re all going to shine in slightly different ways.
- Better Life Tile and Tub Cleaner – a surfactant cleaner partnered with smaller amounts of acid cleaners
- Bentley Organic Shower Cleaner – a solvent cleaner also with smaller amounts of surfactants
- Biopuro Bathroom Cleaner – an acid cleaner – partnered with smaller amounts of surfactants
The first point to note. All of our winning cleaners contain multiple types of cleaning actives i.e. a formula is not just using surfactants to clean with, it’s also using acids. All formulas also do not just use 1 type of surfactant or acid – there are multiples in the formula – this usually means cleaning power is enhanced as different actives are great in slightly different ways, i.e. for slightly different stains from the same family.
What to look for in a bathroom cleaner; multiple actives with different modes of cleaning.
Now onto the most useful part. How to choose a bathroom and kitchen cleaner which is perfect for your specific and stubborn stains. The ones which make you use elbow grease yet still persist.
For stubborn limescale stains aka mineral deposits – choose an acid-based cleaner. Acids are fantastic at dissolving away alkaline stains and mineral deposits are alkaline stains. This means the perfect, safe cleaning choice from our roundup of 3 winners is firstly Biopuro Bathroom Cleaner and secondly Better Life Tile and Tub Cleaner.
How to find an acid-based cleanser; look for the words – citric acid or lactic acid high – if they’re first after water – there’s most of that active in the formula.
For greasy stains that just won’t go away – choose a surfactant based cleaner. Surfactants love to gobble up grease and dissolve that grease right away. This is magic because even alcohol which cuts through grease well – requires elbow grease to rub it away. Surfactants are able to do this because they have oil dissolving and water dissolving properties. Imagine an individual surfactant molecule as a human. One hand is only dissolvable in water/only likes water, and the other hand only likes oil. As more humans start to hold hands with oil and water, those oily stains are lifted, dissolved and washed away. This means the perfect cleaning choice from our roundup of 3 winners is Better Life Tile and Tub Cleaner.
How to find a surfactant-based cleanser; look for words like – decyl glucoside, Coco-Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lauryl Betaine, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.
For mold and mildew stains and for when you want tough antimicrobial benefits – choose an alcohol-based cleaner and/or a product containing tea tree oil. Alcohol is a really great cleaning choice for mold and mildew stains – it can effectively dissolve them and because it’s extremely quick to dry – areas that are prone to mold growth will not be further aggravated by slow drying cleaning products. Moisture is your enemy here.
While alcohol is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial, it’s not highly effective against mold/fungus and therefore specifically for mold you may also want to use a product with a proven ant-fungal like tea tree oil. In a study published in the International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health testing showed tea tree oil was a more effective anti-microbial than common multi-purpose industrial disinfectants. This means the perfect and safe cleaning choice from our roundup of 3 winners is either Better Life Tile and Tub Cleaner which contains tea tree oil or Bentley Organic Shower Cleaner which contains high levels of alcohol.
How to find an alcohol-based cleanser; look for the word alcohol denat. high on the ingredients list.
How to find a tea tree oil cleanser; look for the word melaleuca alternafolia leaf oil.
Extra tip; If you often feel ‘icky’ and dizzy after using traditional bathroom cleaners you will want to opt for a bathroom or kitchen cleaner that is predominantly surfactant-based i.e. Better Life Tile and Tub Cleaner – these use the same actives as found in your shower gel.
To find out more about what to look for in a kitchen or bathroom cleaner, check out our detailed guide on what spray cleaners are and how they work.
How to use a bathroom cleanerÂ
Now you have a safe bathroom and kitchen cleaner selected here are 4 fantastic tips for how to clean your surfaces immaculately.
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- If you’re cleaning a mirror – which we’re sure you know from experience can smudge quickly – choose an alcohol-based bathroom cleaner. Alcohol evaporates fast meaning streaks can be easily avoided.
- Leave for a good soak. Just like you allow a conditioner to sit for 5 minutes – let your bathroom and kitchen cleaner soak in. Extended contact time with the surface in question allows the cleaner to ‘get-to-work’. It might not look like much is happening, but the actives are peddling away like ducks legs beneath the surface.
<li”>Make the most of your hard work by wiping down your shower and basins in-between uses. Even better – with a quick spritz of natural bathroom cleaner. Helpfully plant-based, pet, human and child-friendly cleaning products do not require marigolds and do not need any special cleaning preparations. Keep a bottle handy for a quick spray after showering.
- Remember your choice of cleaning instrument matters. If you have the wrong instrument it can be like using a fork to cut a carrot. Use a toothbrush for niggly, indented surfaces like taps, use a squeegee for the shower doors and walls and a microfiber cloth for hard surfaces.
2 Comments
Have you reviewed the Ocean Savers cleaners? Interested in your opinion.
I’m aware of them but haven’t reviewed them because they don’t disclose their ingredients. Great idea all the same, but who knows what’s in them. If they disclosed I’d review.