Branch Basics: My Favorite Natural Cleaning Products

This is the second post in my Home Cleaning Products series. If you missed the first post about the dangers of petroleum-based chemical cleaners and how they affect your health, read that one first: The Hidden Dangers of Traditional Household Cleaners.

Branch Basics: My Favorite Natural Cleaning Products

Recently, I was talking with a friend about natural cleaning products. She said, “I want to replace all the toxic products in our house and switch to natural cleaners. If you could only use one thing, what would it be?” I’ll tell you what I told her: For over a decade, I’ve tried many different natural cleaners. I even experimented with making my own for a while. Ultimately, Branch Basics is my favorite source of natural cleaning products, period.

In the modern world, it’s impossible to avoid toxins–they’re in our air, food, water, furniture, clothing, cars–you name it. However, there are things we can do to limit our exposure. Switching to natural cleaning products is a great (and easy) place to start.

Let’s discuss who they are, and why I’m such a fan of this women-owned company.

The wool dryer balls are a great add-on to the laundry suite. These balls fluff your clothes and towels well. As a result, we haven’t used a dryer sheet in years.

 

What is Branch Basics?

Branch Basics was founded by three women who all experienced the harmful effects of environmental toxins. When they saw how much their health conditions improved after removing traditional cleaners from their homes, they joined forces to create a line of plant- and mineral-based cleaning products that are safe for people and the environment.

We use the foaming wash in all our bathrooms.

 

Why I Love These Natural Cleaning Products

As if being a human- and environmentally safe natural cleaning product wasn’t enough, here are the top three reasons why I love these products (and why I think you will, too).

THE CLEANERS WORK WELL

From hand soap to glass cleaner, shower scrub to laundry detergent, the Branch Basics concentrate works on everything. We’ve been using it since 2020 with no complaints. They have a list of ratios for mixing different strengths for various applications. This is especially helpful when there’s a tough spot to clean that needs an extra boost.

 

SAVES TIME AND ENERGY

Instead of having to keep tabs on a dozen different bottles of various cleaning solutions throughout the house, there’s only one that matters: The concentrate.

Baths are a regular part of my routine. I keep our gorgeous soaking tub spic and span with the bathroom cleaner.

 

All the various cleaning solutions are made from different ratios of water and the Branch Basics concentrate–that’s it. Best of all, the ratios are conveniently marked on each bottle; no measuring or math is required. Just fill the bottle to the water line, add the concentrate to the soap line, shake, and you’re done. I am positively giddy every time I think of how much time and energy I’ve saved now that I don’t have to go to Target as often.

 

HELPFUL RESOURCE

The Branch Basics team does an incredible job of educating people about the dangers of conventional cleaning products. They offer dozens of helpful resources on their website, including extensive cleaning tips and tricks for life’s worst messes. Their knowledge and expertise go far beyond natural cleaners.

 

How the Branch Basics Model Works

When you switch to Branch Basics for your natural cleaning products, there is an initial investment, however, it’s well worth it and affordable long-term.

The Premium Starter Kit, plus wool dryer balls.

 

1. Choose the starter kit that works best for your needs. I chose the Premium Starter Kit which includes bottles for hand soap, glass cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, bathroom cleaner, and laundry detergent (shown above). It also comes with Oxygen Boost powder for the laundry, which effectively removes stains and brightens whites without the need for toxic bleach. While you can upgrade to glass bottles, we chose plastic bottles initially to be more affordable. Several years later, they still perform well.
2. Add water to the water line (marked on each bottle).
3. Add the concentrate to the soap line on each bottle. Top it off with more water (except for the hand soap).
4. Shake, and you’re ready to clean.

Signing up for a subscription will save you 10%, and you can change the date or delay shipment at any time. For reference, our household of two adults goes through one bottle of concentrate every 4-6 months. We do about 8-10 loads of laundry/week. [If you want to give Branch Basics a try, use my partner link for $10 off.]

The amount and frequency of soap you’ll need depends on the size of your household, the amount of laundry you do weekly and the frequency of cleaning.

I have a borderline allergy to sodium lauryl sulfate–a nasty anionic surfactant found in everything from hand soap to shampoo and even toothpaste! The travel-size foaming wash saves my hands anytime I travel.

 

Environmental Benefits of Natural Cleaning Products

The Branch Basics product line is certified Made Safe, EWG-Verified, and cruelty-free. They are free from synthetic chemicals, preservatives, and fragrances, and 100% biodegradable. What does this mean for your family?

There is a whole host of macro- and micro-environmental benefits to using plant- and mineral-based natural cleaners.

 

MICRO-LEVEL BENEFITS: YOUR HOME

By opting for natural cleaning products, you minimize your family’s exposure to harmful chemicals, lowering the toxic burden on your household. All in all, the air in your home will be cleaner due to the lack of off-gassing, and you won’t have to worry about contact exposure.

The glass foaming wash bottle is an attractive upgrade for the powder room sink.

 

MACRO-LEVEL BENEFITS: GLOBAL

Reducing your carbon footprint can be achieved by minimizing the production and disposal of plastic bottles. Regrettably, a significant portion of recyclable materials end up in landfills due to contamination. When soiled or non-recyclable items are mixed with recyclables, the entire batch is often diverted to landfills, contaminating our wildlife, waterways, air, and soil.

Additionally, the main ingredient in most cleaning products is water. Water is heavy, and shipping it uses more fuel, further polluting our atmosphere.

 

Why I Love These Natural Cleaning Products

There are many reasons to ditch toxic cleaners and choose natural cleaners instead. Traditional cleaning products are formulated with petroleum-based chemicals, including solvents, surfactants, phosphates, artificial fragrances, dyes, colorants and preservatives. These harmful chemicals pose significant health and environmental risks, making natural alternatives a prudent choice.

Run-of-the-mill cleaning products can cause a range of health problems, including endocrine disruption, respiratory issues, skin and eye irritation, liver damage, neurological problems, and cancer. Women, children and pets are especially susceptible to health risks when exposed to harmful chemicals. Additionally, many of these toxins stick around in our bodies, slowly poisoning us, so our toxicity levels increase over time with more exposure.

In addition to contaminating the immediate environment, these products also seep into the broader ecosystem, polluting our air, waterways, soils, and food supply. While there is no way to avoid them altogether, switching to natural cleaning products is the first step toward a healthier home and body.

 

Further Reading

If you enjoyed this post, check out my blog about how to make your own kitchen sink/cutting board cleaner for pennies. You may also enjoy Kitchen Organization Ideas for Healthier Cooking.

Make sure to go back and read The Hidden Dangers of Traditional Household Cleaners if you haven’t already.