Preparation
Living more sustainably doesn’t always require overhauling your everyday routine. Even a few tweaks here and there can do the trick. Take washing the dishes, for example. Instead of using a standard soap to clean your pots and pans, turn to eco-friendly iterations to refresh your wares. They are just as effective and better for the planet.
Conventional dish soaps use synthetic surfactants to reduce the surface tension of food and cut grease, notes Mollie Hughes, a sustainable products expert and the CEO of Softly, an online sustainable shopping assistant. These ingredients, which include sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), should be avoided since they can harm aquatic life and water sources, Hughes says. When possible, steer clear of parabens, perfumes, phthalates, and synthetic dyes (which are not biodegradable!), too; these chemicals can cause skin irritation and have been linked with hormonal imbalances and increased cancer risks, shares Hughes.
Eco-friendly dish soaps are a green, better-for-you alternative. Their formulas wash away food with plant-based acids, which cut grease without damaging the environment. “Essential oils, like lemon, eucalyptus, or lavender, are known to increase the cleaning power of soaps—and they also have natural antibacterial properties,” says Hughes. Look for options with sodium-based ingredients, such as sodium chloride (yes, table salt!) and sodium carbonate. “These are great because they soften water and reduce residual buildup that can linger on dishes,” she adds.
According to Hughes, the exception to this rule is sodium hypochlorite—also known as bleach.
It’s important to be able to identify products that are truly eco-friendly—so start by reading the labels closely. Look for the following product certifications that verify environmentally safe practices and ingredients, suggests Hughes.
EWG Verified: The product meets strict guidelines on health, eco-toxicity, or contamination.EcoLogo Certified: The product is biodegradable and has a reduced impact on the environment.Made Safe: The product is made without known toxic chemicals and is free of substances that harm human health or the environment.EPA Safer Choice: The product includes ingredients evaluated by EPA scientists to ensure it meets Safer Choice’s stringent criteria.
Consider packaging when you’re evaluating a dish soap’s sustainability, too. Hughes points to paper or cardboard boxes, since they are typically recyclable or biodegradable. “Recycled plastic is also an option, however, statistics show that most plastics (even if recyclable), don’t get recycled and end up in a landfill,” she adds. “Currently, plastic recycling is very area dependent and difficult for the consumer to navigate.” If you do opt for a plastic bottle, consider finding and using a refill dish soap station whenever possible to extend its life cycle.
Ready to incorporate a sustainable dish soap into your cleaning regimen? We’ve gathered the top options on the market, so you can shop, scrub, and see the difference right now.
