We tried the eco-friendly brand that will clean your home without harming the planet

Get the same results but without the nasty ingredients

Just 10 per cent of plastics in recycling bins even end up being recycled – so what’s next? (The Independent )

While they may keep our homes as fresh as a daisy, household cleaning products are far from squeaky clean when it comes to their impact on the environment.

Those harsh and toxic chemicals that can blast through grease and grime can also end up in rivers and oceans where they could affect aquatic life. And then there’s that little issue of plastic pollution – from nasty microplastics lurking in kitchen sponges to the 468 million cleaning spray bottles that get thrown away in the UK each year.

So naturally, when the chance came along to try Ecovibe’s eco-friendly cleaning products, we jumped.

On a mission to reduce plastic waste, the brand is a real hub for everything from eco skincare to pet products, and it even champions other eco brands.

Pointing out that just 10 per cent of plastics in the recycling bins even end up being recycled (yikes), its cleaning products opt for refillable bottles and soluble cleaning drops, all of which have been made in the UK, shrinking their carbon footprint.

And without any chemical nasties lurking in the formulas, they’re non-toxic, biodegradable, and largely made using natural ingredients. But wait, it gets better – they’re also cruelty-free and suitable for vegans.

But we were interested to see how these products by Ecovibe would fare in action.

How we tested

We used each product as it was intended, whether that was wiping up spills or cracking on with the washing up, and took care to follow the instructions exactly. We tackled stubborn dirt and grime that had built up over time but also, to the dismay of our cohabitants, added extra grease and sticky spills to our surfaces to see if the products were up to the task.

We considered how easy it was to make the swap from our old go-tos and of course, how effective they were. Could they really rival our usual chemical and plastic-laden old faithfuls?

Ecovibe reuseable clear glass bottles: From £3.99, Ecovibe.co.uk

Ecovibe’s refills come as soluble sachets that you pop in a bottle (£3.99, Ecovibe.co.uk) – more on that in a second – and then add water as per the foolproof instructions leaflet. Et voila. On the whole, the process takes no longer than it would to make a cup of tea.

The instructions were pretty foolproof (Lois Borny)

The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed that the spray top and straw inside the bottles (and the toilet cleaner bottle) are still made of plastic, but they’re recyclable and, if you want to go one better you can re-use an old glass or plastic bottle instead.

The silicone bottle boots (£2.99, Ecovibe.co.uk) were brilliant for stopping the bottles from slipping around, especially while cleaning the bath. But again, these aren’t a must if you’re keen to keep new stuff to a minimum.

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Ecovibe floor cleaner refill: £1.99, Ecovibe.co.uk

It left no sticky residue at all on our tiled floor (Lois Borny)

With no harmful chemicals lurking on the ingredients list, this formula is meant to be gentler on the environment – but what would that mean for our mucky floor?

If we’re honest, we’ve never been able to coax a shine from our matte tile floor, but as far as removing dust, stickiness, greasy smears and footprints, this was easily on par with the standard cleaner we normally use. We were also impressed to see that once it had dried there was no sticky residue or streaks leftover, which can happen if the floor hasn’t been rinsed.

The soft and earthy sandalwood scent was a refreshing change from the heady citrus fumes we usually deal with and with one sachet – which comes in at £1.99 – seeing you through 10 cleans, we reckon it offers good bang for your buck.

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Ecovibe antibac kitchen surface cleaner refills: From £1.99, Ecovibe.co.uk

The formula worked wonders on grime in and round the sink (Lois Borny)

A tea spill there, a butter smudge there – we’re constantly reaching for our antibac kitchen surface cleaner, so we were hyped to try a more natural formula.

We found this was brilliant for refreshing the countertops and in and around the sink, and enjoyed the lovely soft coconut and lime scent as opposed to the overpowering, clinical pong of our usual antibac. The formula was also able to cut through grease with ease, as just a quick wipe of the stickiest spills – think tacky soy sauce and cooking oil – left our surfaces spotless.

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Ecovibe antibac bathroom surface cleaner refills: From £1.99, Ecovibe.co.uk

Compare left and right, and the results speak for themselves (Lois Borny)

This bathroom antibac is designed for cleaning sinks, tiles and the bath – there’s a separate one for glass and taps – so we put it to work on the build-up of toothpaste, face wash and limescale in oursink, cleaning only the right side to see the before and after. The results? Absolutely gleaming, and a bathroom smelling faintly of sweet and floral ylang ylang essential oils.

Great for shining up the bathroom tiles too, we even managed to remove some of the scum and discolouration from the corner of the bath and around the base of the tap – though it did take a considerable amount of scrubbing.

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Ecovibe toilet cleaner refill: £2.49, Ecovibe.co.uk

There’s no bleach but plenty of oomph (Lois Borny)

The toilet cleaner got off to a slow start, as you need to wait two hours for the formula to thicken up once you’ve combined the water with the sachet. But, unless you’re in some kind of toilet-cleaning emergency, we can’t see how this would be an issue. Straight off the bat, the squeezy bottle is small enough that it won’t take up much room beneath the bathroom sink, or be too much of an eyesore when tucked next to the toilet.

Obviously, there’s no bleach in the formula – which means it’s kinder to us and the planet – but it’s said to have just as much oomph nonetheless. It did seem to deliver the goods – after leaving the solution to work its magic in the bowl for 10 minutes and giving it a good scrub, we were met with a super shiny, limescale-free toilet bowl.

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Ecovibe compostable cellulose sponges, pack of 2: £3.99, Ecovibe.co.uk

Their absorbency was off the chart (Lois Borny)

Plastic-free sponges are one of the easiest eco swaps out there. These ones are made from all-natural plant materials (wood fibres, if you’re wondering), so there are no microplastics and none of the antibacterial nasties that can damage the environment. They are naturally antifungal, though the brand suggests keeping them dry between uses to keep them at their freshest.

On to absorbency and they are truly off the chart – imagine you’re mopping up spills and you realise that you’re actually wiping them away rather than just moving the liquid around on the surface. Brilliant. Their super sponginess makes them great for doing a thorough job of the washing up too, able to mould into all the crevices. As a side note: they are best suited for surface cleaning rather than scrubbing deep-set stains, as you’ll probably want a scourer for that.

True to their name, you can chuck them in the compost bin when you’re done.

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Ecovibe biodegradable bin liners: £8.80, Ecovibe.co.uk

Even when full to bursting, there were no rips (Lois Borny)

We can’t believe it’s taken us this long to consider a plastic-free bin liner for our kitchen waste, given that we’ve been avoiding plastic carrier bags at supermarkets like the plague for years. To replace plastic that takes hundreds of years to biodegrade with natural ingredients that’ll break down in six seemed like a no-brainer – but how would they hold up in use?

Available in either 30l or 50l sizes (we tested the 50l) we thought they looked flimsy on first inspection, but after seeing no rips, even after we had to haul the bag out of the bin with force after it got wedged in there, we stand corrected. The reinforced bottom prevented any bin juice leakage (cue an audible sigh of relief), and while the lack of drawstring to tie the bag shut meant we had to resort to a twist and tie method, this wasn’t a problem. Our one gripe was the price, which is considerably higher than our standard bags, but we reckon the payoff is worth it.

We also tested the 7l bags (£4.99, Ecovibe.co.uk) for the compost bin, which held together well, leaving minimal food juices at the bottom of the bin after a full four days of use. It’s also pretty cool that the brand’s bin liners are made in a zero-waste, wind-generated facility too.

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The verdict: Ecovibe cleaning

Ecovibe is on a mission to make easy, eco-friendly swaps for everyday products, and with its own brand of cleaning products it has done exactly that.

The cleaning refills were simple and speedy enough to set up, and the formulas really do what they say on the tin. Working just as well on dust, grime and general muck as standard products we’ve used in the past – any niggling doubts about the performance of eco-friendly products have been well and truly debunked. And for just £1.99 per refill, depending on your usual products, they’re probably a pretty thrifty alternative once you get going too.

We also loved the everyday household swaps too – just simple, no-brainer alternatives that do their job, and do it well. We’re sold.

Looking to make more small changes with a big impact? Have a look at our round-up of the best reusable make-up remover pads