Why Refillable Cleaning Products Are Better
Refillable cleaning products are a great way to break the cycle of disposable, single-use products. The materials that make up the products we use every day go through lifecycles that include extraction, manufacturing, shipping, use, and disposal. Each time a product is tossed, it needs to be replaced, starting the process all over again.
Unfortunately, many products are designed to be disposable, including laundry detergent jugs, cleaning spray bottles, and hand soap pumps. Single-use plastics are the absolute worst case, but even disposable products made with renewable and recyclable materials have an environmental cost. That’s why reduction and reuse is the most important strategy in waste management.
So, why not start with your cleaning products? You can easily swap those single-use plastic bottles for refillable cleaning products.
What are refillable cleaning products?
Refillable cleaning products are designed to eliminate single-use packaging by combining a reusable container with refills that can be purchased separately. They are a more sustainable alternative to disposable cleaning products, which are often packaged in single-use (and often plastic) bottles.
Many types of cleaning products can be refillable, including laundry detergents, bleach alternatives, all-purpose cleaners, and hand soap. Refillable containers can dispense soap, spray a cleaning solution, or hold powder.
Containers can be refilled by purchasing separate refills, which can be designed with minimal packaging. Some stores sell cleaning products in bulk, allowing you to refill your container directly and only pay for the product.
Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of refillable cleaning products:
Refillable cleaning products reduce packaging waste and plastic pollution
Single-use packaging is wasteful by design. Refillable cleaning products, on the other hand, are made specifically to reduce waste. Refillable spray bottles, soap dispensers, and storage containers can be made with durable, eco-friendly packaging materials like glass, metal, cardboard, and paper. Because the packaging itself is meant to be reused, little to no disposable materials are needed.
Refills have lower shipping weights and smaller sizes
Less packaging means less weight and less bulk. This reduces the energy used for shipping and makes refills easier to bring from the store, carry up and down stairs in your home, and store in your closet.
Buying refills can save you money
Excess packaging is a hassle for shoppers and an additional cost for manufacturers. Cutting down on packaging can help companies save on material costs and pass those savings along to you!
Here are a few comparisons:
Cost savings of laundry detergent refills
- Our Laundry Powder Refills come in a plastic-free paper bag filled with enough detergent to wash 128 loads in a high-efficiency (HE) washing machine. At $14.99, that comes to less than $0.12 per load.
- A jug of Seventh Generation liquid laundry detergent contains enough for 60 loads of laundry in an HE machine. At $12.99, your cost per load is about $0.22. You’re paying almost double to throw away a plastic jug every time you run out.
Cost savings of all-purpose cleaner refills
- Our All-Purpose Home Cleaner Refill Tablets come in a 3-pack. Each tablet makes 16 ounces of cleaning spray, meaning you pay about $1.83 for each bottle or about $0.11 per ounce.
- A 16-ounce bottle of Mrs. Meyer’s all-purpose cleaner costs about $4.89, or $0.30 per ounce. That’s nearly three times the cost for a disposable plastic bottle.
Cost savings of hand soap refills
- Our Foaming Hand Soap Refill Tablets come in a 6-pack. Each tablet makes about 9 ounces of hand soap for a total of 54 ounces. At $10.99, that’s $1.83 per bottle and around $0.20 per ounce.
- A 9-ounce bottle of J.R. Watkins foaming hand soap costs $4.99. That’s $0.55 per ounce, more than twice the cost of buying refills!
Make the switch to refillable cleaning products
Foaming hand soap refill tablets
The next time you run out of hand soap, invest in a reusable foaming hand soap dispenser instead of a single-use plastic bottle. Add a single Foaming Hand Soap Refill Tablet, then fill the bottle with warm water and gently mix. You’ll have a rich, moisturizing hand soap that lasts just as long as liquid soap. Plus you’ll have five more tablets ready to go, saving you from having to run to the store or place another online order. The refills come in a small paperboard box, making them easy to store in your bathroom or kitchen cabinet.
All-purpose cleaner refill tablets
Get started with our All-Purpose Cleaner Kit, which includes a pre-loaded reusable glass bottle and a 3-pack of refill tablets. Simply fill the bottle with warm water and let the tablet dissolve to mix a multi-surface cleaner that’s tough on dirt and gentle on your home. When you run out, you’ve three more tablets waiting for you in a tiny box, taking up a lot less space than three full plastic bottles.
Refillable laundry detergent powder
Our Laundry Powder is available in a reusable laundry detergent container made from sturdy paper and steel. Compared to liquid detergents, our Laundry Powder is about a third of the weight and takes up half the space on a per-load basis*. It holds enough powder for 128 loads in an HE machine, more than most jumbo-size liquid detergent bottles. When you finally do run out, use our laundry detergent refill bags to refill the can, reduce waste, and save money.
We also offer our Oxygen Brightener bleach alternative in the same reusable canister and refill bags.
