The more we learn about how many everyday products we use in our house are created, the more impetus we have to make sure those products are eco-friendly. Replacing your harsher kitchen essentials with environmentally sound options pays off in multiple ways; not only are you lowering your ecological impact, but you’re also doing something for yourself and those in your household. Eco-friendly products are more likely to be formulated without harsh ingredients that can cause irritation, asthma flare-ups, and even cancer.

If you’re wondering where to start on your eco-friendly replacement effort, these kitchen essentials will make a big dent in making your household greener.

Dish Soap 

This might not be the first kitchen essential that comes to mind when you’re looking to avoid environmentally damaging ingredients. Still, dish soap is something we use more than almost any other kitchen essential. Puracy is an excellent brand that prioritizes an ecologically minded formula by using natural ingredients like Himalayan salt and coconut-based cleaning agents. It’s also never tested on animals. What’s not to love?

Surface Wipes

A caveat for this item; surface wipes are inherently not the greatest environmentally minded item because they’re single-use items and thus create unnecessary waste. But for many people, they are an essential item, so we’ll give you an eco-friendly alternative in the meantime. Seventh Generation is a company that’s been committed to eco-friendly and people-friendly product ingredients since pretty much forever, and their surface wipes live up to that reputation.

Counter Cleaner 

If you’re wondering how to ditch the surface wipes habit in favor of environmental-friendliness, it’s as simple as getting back to basics. Eco-friendly counter cleaner and a reusable towel is your best option for reducing waste and lightening the impact products have on us and the environment. Besides making your own zero-waste counter cleaner (which is surprisingly easy), this formula from Attitude lets you clean and get that fresh scent you love while leaving no impact on the environment.

Dishwashing Detergent 

Yep, even your dishwashing soap can contain environmentally harmful ingredients. Luckily there’s an easy and relatively inexpensive replacement by Better Life that’s free of all the harsh ingredients like artificial fragrance and coloring but still gets the job done well with plant-based ingredients.