Why households are switching to eco-friendly cleaning products
The shift away from conventional cleaning products has been building steadily over the last decade. The reasons vary by household.
For some, it is the ingredient list: conventional cleaners often contain synthetic fragrances, harsh surfactants, and chemicals that are difficult to break down in the water system. For others, it is the plastic packaging. Many standard cleaning products come in single-use plastic bottles that are difficult to recycle and add up quickly across a year of regular use.
Then there is the question of skin and respiratory sensitivity. Households with young children, pets, or anyone with allergies or asthma often find that switching to plant-based, fragrance-free alternatives reduces the number of reactions and irritations in the home.
The practical barrier has historically been availability and price. Good eco-friendly household products cost more per unit than their conventional equivalents, and not everyone lives near a specialist health or zero-waste shop. Online delivery has changed both of those things, and membership pricing at The Better Market makes it easier to absorb the cost difference when you are buying across multiple product categories at once.
What to look for when buying eco-friendly household products
Not everything marketed as natural or eco-friendly is actually either. A few things worth checking before you buy:
Biodegradable ingredients. The surfactants (cleaning agents) in eco products should be derived from plant-based sources and should be fully biodegradable. This matters for what goes down your drain and eventually into the water system.
Fragrance transparency. Many conventional cleaning products use synthetic fragrances that are not individually disclosed on the label. Eco alternatives either use no fragrance, natural essential oils, or list every ingredient clearly.
Packaging. Look for products in recyclable, compostable, or refillable packaging. Concentrated formats and refill pouches significantly reduce the amount of plastic you go through over the course of a year.
Certifications. In Ireland and the UK, look for products with certifications from organisations like COSMOS (for organic and natural), Cruelty Free International (no animal testing), or Vegan Society accreditation where relevant.
Eco household products worth stocking
All-purpose cleaners
A good all-purpose cleaner covers most surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom. Eco alternatives typically use plant-derived surfactants and come in either ready-to-use or concentrated formats.
Ocean Saver is one of the more practical options available through The Better Market. The brand uses concentrated refill pods that dissolve in water, which means you reuse the same spray bottle and buy only the concentrated refill. Over a year of regular use, this approach generates significantly less plastic waste than standard alternatives. The products are cruelty-free, vegan, and made without harsh synthetic chemicals.
Laundry products
Laundry is one of the highest-impact categories in terms of both ingredient exposure and packaging waste. Conventional detergents can contain phosphates, optical brighteners, and synthetic fragrances that are not great for sensitive skin or the environment.
Lilly's Eco Clean produces a range of plant-based laundry liquids that are free from phosphates, parabens, and petrochemicals. The brand is made in Ireland, which reduces transport emissions and supports a local producer. Their laundry liquid and fabric conditioner are available at The Better Market at member pricing.
Washing-up liquid and dishwasher products
Washing-up liquid is used daily in most households. Switching to a plant-based alternative is one of the easier swaps to make because the performance difference is minimal for everyday use.
Look for options that are free from synthetic fragrances and come in recyclable packaging. Browse the washing-up and dishwasher range at The Better Market for concentrated formulas that reduce how often you need to buy replacements.
Bathroom and toilet cleaners
Bathroom cleaners are the category where most households are most cautious about switching, because the assumption is that harsh chemicals equal better results. In practice, a good plant-based bathroom cleaner handles limescale, soap residue, and general bathroom grime effectively. The main difference is that they do not leave behind the same chemical smell or residue. See the full bathroom cleaning range here.
Floor and surface care
For floors, diluted multi-surface concentrates work well on most hard floor surfaces and are significantly cheaper per use than ready-to-use sprays. For wood floors, check compatibility with your floor's finish before using anything new.
Refills and concentrates: the smarter way to buy
One of the most practical shifts in eco household products over the last few years is the move towards concentrated formats and refill systems. Rather than buying a full new bottle of cleaning product each time, you buy a small refill pod or concentrate that mixes with water in your existing bottle.
This approach reduces plastic by a significant margin and often reduces cost per use as well, since you are paying for the cleaning agent rather than a bottle that is mostly water.
Ocean Saver's refill system is a good example of this done well. The pods are small, easy to store, and produce a full-size bottle of cleaner when dissolved. If you are buying multiple different product types (kitchen cleaner, bathroom cleaner, glass cleaner), the refill model makes even more sense as a way to keep plastic out of the bin.
How membership pricing applies to household products
Eco-friendly household products tend to sit at a higher retail price than their conventional equivalents. The price difference is real, and it is one of the reasons people switch back to conventional options after trying eco alternatives.
At The Better Market, members pay 20% less than the recommended retail price across the full range, including household cleaning products. On a product category that you replenish regularly throughout the year, that discount has a meaningful cumulative effect.
If you currently spend around €50 a month on household cleaning products (laundry, washing-up, all-purpose cleaner, bathroom products), that is roughly €600 a year. At 20% off member pricing, you would save €150 over the course of the year. The membership costs €60. The household product category alone more than covers it.
Brands available at The Better Market
The Better Market stocks a range of eco-friendly household products from brands including:
- Ocean Saver -- concentrated refill pods for kitchen, bathroom, glass, and multi-surface cleaning
- Lilly's Eco Clean -- Irish-made plant-based laundry and household cleaning range
- Ecover -- widely used plant-based laundry and cleaning products
- Bio-D -- certified vegan and cruelty-free cleaning products in recyclable packaging
All are available to members at 20% off RSPs with free delivery across Ireland.
Making the switch without overhauling everything at once
The easiest approach to switching to eco-friendly household products is not to replace everything at once. Start with the products you use most often and work through the rest over time as your current supplies run out.
A practical first order might cover laundry liquid, an all-purpose cleaner, and washing-up liquid. Those three products cover most of the daily cleaning in a household. Browse the full household cleaning range at The Better Market to find the options that work for you. Once you do, replenishing them through a single membership-based retailer is simpler than sourcing them across multiple places.
Shop eco-friendly household products at The Better Market
The Better Market stocks a curated range of eco-friendly cleaning and household essentials from trusted brands. Members get 20% off RSPs on every order with free delivery across Ireland.
