Bon Ami and Ivory

Sure, you can spend a lot of money on expensive organic, nontoxic, mixed by Buddhist monks in the pristine mountains of Tibet household cleaners and soaps.  But if you’re trying to stay green, clean and under budget, you can find two brands that fit the bill.

Ivory Soap–the classic soap that floats–for more than a century Ivory has scrubbed skin CLEAN with almost no scent (a HUGE selling point for Enviro-Girl).  For less than $5.00 for a 10-pack of bars, Enviro-Girl keeps her family clean.  She likes the retro look of the Ivory Soap bars next to sinks for easy clean up, too.  With the least amount of packaging, bar soaps trump liquid soaps when it comes to being environmentally friendly and Ivory Soap rates a 3 out of 10 on the Skin Deep website–10 being the most toxic and potentially harmful for your health, 0 being no risk at all (for comparison’s sake, Kiss My Face bar soaps get a 3 out of 10, too.  It lathers up well and the light smell reminds Enviro-Girl of her childhood baths.  For price, convenience and quality, Enviro-Girl endorses Ivory Soap.

Likewise, Bon Ami has been nonabrasive and earth-friendly for over 120 years.  The cleanser that “Hasn’t Scratched Yet” contains no perfumes, dyes, chlorine or phosphates.  It’s biodegradable, uses minimal and recyclable packaging and costs less than $2 a can.  Enviro-Girl uses it on sinks, tubs, showers, her fridge, grout, walls and countertops to make them sparkle and shine.  She could also use it on dishes, utensils, boats, garage floors and her stove, although at this time she does not have a boat or a need to use Bon Ami to clean these other things.  For pennies per use, this household cleaner will not pollute the environment or your family.  Plus, she can find it anywhere she shops, making it a convenient purchase.

Going green does not have to cost a lot of green or be terribly inconvenient.  What tried and true brands have you found to be environmentally friendly and reliable?