Starting your eco-friendly cleaning journey can be tricky. Where do you begin? You want to go plastic free, ditch the plastic and use reusable bottles to be fully recyclable! If you’ve already been browsing online you’ve probably seen lots of tools out there that can help you. But there is a lot to choose from, and not a lot you can physically go and see. We understand it’s difficult to want to invest in a product when you’re not sure what to look for. That's why we’ve done all the research for you.
The first step is grabbing some containers to store all your new cleaning solutions in. We’ve looked at plastic bottles, reusing bottles and glass and overall we’re investing in the glass. Plastic bottles seem to be the cheapest but also flimsy - not exactly the secure container we’re hoping for with our cleaning solutions. We found it similar with reusing old cleaning bottles - apart from the fact that you have to clean them so thoroughly to ensure that there isn't a reaction when you add a new product. A risk we’re not keen to continually take. So, we decided to invest in glass, the most durable, versatile and easy to use material.
Our top tip for using refillable cleaning bottles
Once you’re ready to go with your container, it can be tempting to just pour anything into them. The only problem is once that's done, how do you know which is which? So our pro tip is to label them before you pour!
There's nothing more satisfying than filling up your reusable cleaning bottles, but if your aim is to be more eco-friendly in your cleaning, grabbing anything from the shelves is not the way to go about it. You want to make sure that the contents of your containers are just as friendly.
Find the right refill for your reusable cleaning bottles
There are many types of cleaning spray refill out there and it depends on what cleaning products you need, what smells you enjoy and what budget you have as to what will work best for you. Just like the types of cleaning bottles, we've investigated the various refills on offer at supermarkets.
Like we previously mentioned, there's nothing better than actually grabbing a new item in person but when it comes to cleaning refills they're not exactly easy to pick up. Supermarkets, as convenient as they can be are troublesome when it comes to finding products. Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury's we searched them all. Even combining all our supermarket efforts, we couldn't grab enough refills to fill our cleaning bottles.
A lot of supermarkets are providing refills for items such as air freshers and scouring pads, but not the cleaning agent. You might get lucky with some shampoo or a floor cleaner here and there. Nothing substantial helps you stick with the new eco-friendly routine you’re adopting. More importantly the refills are diluted versions of the cleaning solution, costing more money and not lasting as long.
Alternative places to find cleaning refills
If the supermarkets let you down - as they did us when we first started this journey - there is always a solution. Heading to your local zero waste store. It may be slightly further out than the supermarkets, smaller in size and fewer product ranges for snacks, but rest assured it will have all the cleaning ingredients you need. What’s more, you’ll be able to choose between product types, scents and price ranges.
There’s something for everyone at zero waste stores. And because there is limited space in the store, you know that only products of high quality are going to be put on the shelf. It’s one of the reasons Purdy & Figg items are so popular. All the refills are concentrated to save on space. Perfect for in-store as well as on your cleaning shelf at home.
What to do when you’ve found your favourite refills
As soon as you discover what your favourite refills are there’s nothing holding you back. By visiting in-store and reading lots of reviews, there’s no reason to waste lots of money going back and forth with several brands.
Go direct to the company online and top up whatever you need. More often than not you’ll find bundle offers available too as eco-companies are aware that less packaging and postage aligns with their companies eco-friendly ethos.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many refill products in supermarkets, but we’re hoping that as popularity and demand grow, they will be. So don’t forget to keep checking your local Tesco’s cleaning section and if you don’t see change happening, make your voice heard by letting the store know what you need.
It’s time to get rid of plastic packaging and switch to refillable household cleaning products. Our refillable glass spray bottles are the perfect solution to join the eco cleaning revolution.
More about Purdy & Figg
If you liked this article we have many more including how to clean a kitchen floor, kitchen cleaning hacks, bathroom cleaning hacks, how to clean oven with baking soda in our Cleaning Advice Hub.
If you looking for quality natural Eco products such as Refillable Cleaning Spray, Hand Sanitiser Spray, Hand Wash or Hand Cream, head over to our store.
