The Home Depot offers everything you need for environmentally preferred cleaning, including everyday, all-purpose cleaners and chemicals for more challenging cleaning projects like removing limescale, rust or calcium.

The Home Depot has been on a journey to offer environmentally preferred cleaning products for years. To that end, in 2022, The Home Depot stopped selling residential household cleaning chemical products that contained nine chemicals as outlined in our Chemical Strategy and highlights Safer Choice products.

Safer Choice is an EPA pollution prevention program that helps consumers choose cleaning products with ingredients proven to clean effectively and be safer for human health and the environment. To qualify for the Safer Choice label, a product must meet the EPA’s Safer Choice Standard, which includes stringent human and environmental health criteria, and we designate these approved products under our Eco Actions Responsible Chemistry pillar.

Here, we review some of our favorite Safer Choice-certified cleaners. You may be surprised to find that some of these are already your favorites, too, and you didn’t even know they were environmentally preferred!

For all-purpose cleaning, you already know the name Simple Green. It is Safer Choice-approved and has always been environmentally preferred. More than 50 years ago, its founder started the company after witnessing a fatal chemical accident and decided he could change the industry with an environmentally preferred cleaner that could be used as a concentrate or diluted. Simple Green is popular for its original sassafras scent, and they also now offer a lavender scent.

There’s a reason Bona still dominates the hard flooring cleaning category and has been trusted since 1919. Bona’s products work and also happen to be biodegradable and plant-based, ranging from 92–99% USDA-certified, bio-based content. Bonus: They use bottles made of 30% post-consumer-recycled content. And they now offer a lavender white tea option that is both effective and smells amazing.

CLR is another brand that has been solving tough cleaning problems for more than five decades. Calcium and limescale build up on faucets, toilets, drains, spigots and even humidifiers in areas with high levels of calcium salts, also known as “hard water”. White water stains called limescale will develop, and you may even notice this buildup on glassware, tile and coffee pots. CLR is the ideal nontoxic solution for this problem, and because it is Safer Choice-certified, you can use it on kitchen applications without worrying about harmful chemicals. Its other use is removing rust from many surfaces including brick, porcelain, chrome and even stucco. And CLR’s Brilliant Bath Foaming Cleaner removes stubborn soap scum along with calcium, lime and rust. Bonus: Jelmar, which makes CLR, is woman-owned.

For carpet shampooing, OdoBan Carpet Cleaner is the go-to for carpet cleaning machines or spot cleaning. The 3-in-1 formula produces minimal foam, which limits water required for cleaning, helping carpet dry faster. And it can be used on all types of carpet fiber. For pet-specific stains and odors, try OdoBan’s Pet Oxy Stain Remover, which also works to remove red clay, dirt, grease and red wine. Bonus: It’s made in the U.S.A. Then there’s OdoBan Charcoal bags, a chemical-free way to absorb odors. Simply set them out in the sun to naturally remove the absorbed odors.

Clorox Free & Clear cleaner and Compostable Wipes are formulated without bleach, dyes or fragrances. Wipes are always handy to keep in the car, especially for children, pets, food and sports gear. These Clorox wipes can be trusted to clean without worrying about harsh chemicals or fumes impacting air quality or leaving residue.

JAWS is an emerging cleaner proving effective as a nontoxic option, and it’s especially innovative in its packaging. JAWS stands for “Just Add Water System” and uses small refills that insert into the spray bottle opening, and then you just add water. The system saves 83% of plastic compared to traditional spray cleaners. Try JAWS Shower and Glass cleaners. Bonus: JAWS products do not use alcohol or ammonia, so they are safe to use on televisions, computer screens, tablets and phones.

Finally, ECOS brand cleaners and laundry detergents are hypoallergenic and plant-derived. And because they are concentrated, they reduce plastic usage. ECOS is woman-owned and made in the U.S.A. Bonus: ECOS does not test on animals and has earned Cruelty-Free certification.

Additional cleaning options with less environmental impact are available online and in-store:

• Method home cleaning products are biodegradable and Cruelty-Free International-certified.
• White vinegar diluted in water is a natural and affordable, whole-home cleaning agent that’s perfect for everything from countertops and floors to removing food and coffee stains from pots and pans. But be careful to never combine vinegar with bleach or hydrogen peroxide as this can result in toxic vapors.
• Baking soda is a deodorizer as well as a mild abrasive for cleaning many surfaces including stainless steel.
• Hydrogen peroxide can be safely mixed with baking soda as an alternative to bleach for removing stains from white clothes. Simply mix equal parts peroxide and baking soda, soak the clothes, then rinse and launder.

We are excited to offer a thorough lineup of environmentally preferred cleaners for almost every type of cleaning project. Because of our partnership with the Safer Choice program, we won their Partner of the Year Award in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and we’ll continue to promote this important label in the cleaning category. We believe a home should be a healthy environment, and we remain committed to working with our suppliers to address global environmental concerns in products that impact indoor air quality.

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