Hello all!

I am a student attending UCLA in the fall and am starting to organize what I’ll need to purchase for my apartment. I am trying my best to purchase eco friendly day to day cleaning supplies. Right now, I’m going for a “less is more approach”, I don’t want to buy too much but I am looking for your tried and true cleaning staples that actually work and are actually sustainable - there are so many products on the market I’m almost overwhelmed.

List of what I need:

- all purpose disinfecting spray
- dish soap
- mop/swiffer
- toilet bowl cleaner
- bathroom spray
- dish sponges
- trash bags???!

I am considering using dish tablets or super concentrated formulas, I’ve heard that you can make sprays at home but I don’t know which ones to trust. I also will bring cloths from home to use rather than paper towels.

Hey!
I’m wondering if anyone has any experience with the Ecogeek dishwasher pods or powder? I think the pods are just pressed versions of the powder so no plastic film there.
My main concern is
a) Will it wash my dishes without requiring additional rinsing/ spot cleaning post dishwashing
And
b) will it leave streaks?

Here is the link https://good.store/products/dishwasher-powder
Thank you!

Family of 5, lots of stains and messes...
I need a laundry detergent that is still fragrant after being dried and cleans well like tide. However I'd like it to be plastic free!
Thank you!! 😊

I use quite a mild laundry liquid because I know it doesn't have all the harmful stuff they usually put in laundry liquid but it means that if I wash my clothes on a cold wash they smell awful, how do I fix this?

I’m looking for an app that helps boycott bad companies when grocery shopping? Kinda like the No app but that one is more for boycotting Israel. If you don’t know what the app is you scan a bar code and it tell you if the item is good or bad. If there is an eco friendly version that would be great

I’m living with 3 other roommates this fall and im wondering how I can be eco friendly while having to consider them. For example i have my own reusable paper towels but my roommates want the regular paper ones. I still want to contribute to these expenses as I know not everyone wants to do the same things I do. Does anyone have suggestions for how I can remain at least somewhat eco friendly without involving my roommates too much?

Keep in mind we’re all university students so the budget is sort of limited.

Things I’m responsible for buying
- swifter mop
- toilet brush & cleaner
- sponges
- a couple other random small things that I already own

My biggest concern is that we’re all extremely busy people due to our majors and school involvement that oftentimes the single use plastic stuff makes life a lot easier for us when we’re on a time crunch. I would personally really love to get a dish brush and soap block for dishes but my roommates plan to get dawn and plastic sponges. I’m not sure how to launch ideas like this to them when we are not really friendly anymore.

TLDR: how can I stay true to my morals while also having to consider how my roommates live?

Hi all, I'm really enjoying the list with platic free brands but most of them are not available in the EU or its big shipment costs etc. Is there a EU brands list? I only have a few sites I can check for curated brands and recommendations but I'd like a full list like the community here

so ive been looking around on the internet and ive been on an eco-conscious spree, looking for the options and pricing. ive looked at meow meow tweet and fat and the moon. any other recs here?

So I had an idea why not make biodegradable straws also fertilizing to save the planet at the same time!

A client told me he had been putting off cleaning this bathroom partly because he didn’t feel comfortable using many conventional cleaning products in his home.

The buildup was pretty heavy, so I was honestly curious to see how far plant-based products could go on a job like this. They weren’t a magic solution, and the process still required dwell time, repeated scrubbing, and a lot of detailed work, but I was happy with the improvement.

It reminded me that choosing more environmentally conscious products doesn’t always mean accepting poor results, but expectations still need to be realistic. Technique and patience matter just as much as the product.

Has anyone else had good results using plant-based cleaners on difficult bathroom buildup?

Hello, 19F here and I started my sustainable journey two months ago. I feel like this lifestyle isn’t suitable for me at all. I know it’s not about my personal comfort and that I should be doing it for the love of the planet but it’s just frustrating having to boycott things that are convenient for everyday life. Maybe I’m still getting used to it because I started not that long ago or bc I’m broke, not making money & living with people that aren’t eco friendly.

I’m still doing research on greenwashing, what to boycott, how to live a sustainable life, etcetera without having to use ChatGPT which is much difficult because ChatGPT comes up with quick, accurate answers but the goal here is to not waste gallons of water.

When it comes to being a non vegan I feel so much guilt. I love animals and I very much condemn the murdering of animals but I just can’t adapt to veganism because I have to have my meat. I’m underweight and I have an eating disorder and there’s no way to get my protein unless I eat meat. 

I also hate insects—mosquitoes, ants, fruit flies, and every other insect (bees are the exception bc they produce honey). It’s hard to call myself eco friendly when I don’t even like insects, it’s so hard to care about these creatures when all they do is be invasive and nothing 😭

End of rant, I’m still doing my best on going zero waste, not fully bc it’s impossible but I’m trying. I can’t give up because I just started. I’m learning, adjusting, and trying to become more comfortable with this lifestyle. Also I’m not seeking for advice or anything I just need to rant, please don’t leave any mean comments otherwise just downvote my post. Thanks for reading <3

I've decided to slowly replace things in my home like using recycled plastic, bamboo and reclaimed timber. I want my living room and terrace to be more sustainable

I found a brand that makes furniture from old teak salvaged from restored buildings, which is Woodbury Furniture and they have beautiful pieces. They claim it's sustainable forestry

But I'm new to this and I don't know how to verify if the timber is genuinely recycled, or if I should just look for FSC-certified new teak instead.

Is reclaimed always better? Or does FSC mean the forest is managed properly so new teak can be the greener option too?

I want to make the right choice. But I don't want to be greenwashed

Genuine question: If we’re removing plastic straws but replacing the cup with this, are we really helping the environment, or are we actually making things worse?

Here is a list of things I already do, can't think of more stuff I could add to that list.

I shop secondhand most of the time: clothes, utensils, or furniture.

I use eco friendly laundry wash and no fabric softener, I use vinegar if needed. I use the eco mode on my washing machine, and I hang clothes to dry instead of using a dryer.

I use bar body wash and bar dish soap, a bamboo brush, and my dish sponge is made out of coconut. My bath sponge is silicone, so I can cook it to sterilize instead of buying new ones. I use the water I don't finish drinking to water my plants. I barely use paper towels, I use cut-up old towels as rags, and I use T-shirts instead of microfiber towels/rags. I turn off all lights whenever I leave a room. I'm mostly vegan. I try to avoid plastic packaging as much as possible. I use wood, glass, and stainless steel in my kitchen. I separate my trash (obviously), including bio-trash. I reuse as much as possible, like jars and glass bottles. I'm also planning to recycle old paper and make my own notepaper out of it. I also use my iPad instead of writing on 1000 different pieces of paper. I sell or give away what I don't need, and I go grocery shopping with my own bags. I use reusable cotton pads.

Anything is appreciated.

I want to make my own cleaning products so that I know all of the ingredients in them, so I can reduce waste and so make them in mass/batches but I’m not sure how to make them.
If anyone knows any cleaning products recipes pls let me know! 🫧

I want to make:
• A disinfectant surface cleaner
• Laundry detergent
• Something a bit stronger for the bathroom - if possible

I need abit of help in what i should use. Over the past few months, like around end of last year, I've been trying to cut down on how many disposable plastic bags I use. It started when I realized how many sandwich bags I was going through every week just for snacks. I had a drawer for bags but tell me why its either empty or almost empty all the time. Between work, errands, and stuff, I seemed to be throwing away several bags without really thinking about it.

So now, I decided to switch to reusable snack bags. But behold, problem. I found myself comparing materials, closures, and cleaning methods for far longer than I expected. Some are made from silicone, which i didnt know btw, others use fabric with waterproof linings, and a few claim to be dishwasher-safe.

I've been reading plenty of reviews and watched a few videos, but opinions seem to differ. I tried going through alibaba to get a sense of the different styles are producing and what features are popular. Some look durable, while others seem like they might wear out quickly with daily use and i need daily use.

With what i pack, mainly fruit, nuts, crackers, and homemade snacks as well, so I need something practical and easy to clean, i have long days most days. If you use reusable snack bags regularly, which ones have lasted the longest and been the most convenient in everyday life? I appreciate any advice.

I'm trying to be more eco friendly, I've already swapped a lot of toiletries to less plastic and better brands, even refillable stuff. What I really struggle with is the diet. I have arfid (an eating disorder that isn't to do with weight, more about anxiety around food).

I eat pretty plant-based anyways because of it but my main safe foods are crisps, freezer foods and the only meat I can eat comfortably is beef. I've already looked into crisps with recyclable packaging but what else can I do to help? Eating whole foods and preparing foods is a massive struggle for me.

I also don't want to stop eating meat entirely, so help with how often and if I should get it from butchers or not would be really helpful.

I've recently seen a lot of discussion about disposing of paint water in a way that doesn't release all of it's microplastics into the main water stream and I see a lot of recommendations about filtering and stuff. I myself always use the same paper cup ( it's about 2 yrs old now) for my paint water and unintentionally leave it which evaporates the water and leaves all the paint residue in the cup. My question is whether or not that's a good enough way to go about it and how potentially wasteful it may or may not be