Mommy Greenest Approved

Mommy Greenest Approved: Branch Basics Natural Cleaner

January 5, 2015 /

natural cleaners on kitchen counterWhat do you do when your reality implodes? You change the world. That’s what then 20-year-old Allison Evans set out to do after realizing that the debilitating health problems she was experiencing were the result of exposures to toxic chemicals. The company she later co-founded, Branch Basics, manufactures an amazingly effective soap that you dilute to different consistencies to tackle every cleaning job in your house—from laundry and dishes to windows and floors. Created with a proprietary blend of plant enzymes, this stuff is safe enough to (accidentally) drink—but serious enough to eliminate tough dirt and stains. Amazing!

Branch Basics natural cleaner is safe enough to (accidentally) drink, but strong enough to degrease an oven. Get 20% off and enter to win a FREE Starter Kit! After traveling the country seeking out medical specialists who couldn’t explain the pain and loss of motor skills that she was experiencing, Allison asked for advice from her aunt, Marilee Nelson, who had learned the benefits of creating a clean environment while recovering from a chronic kidney disorder and caring for her chemically sensitive son. When she eliminated toxic chemicals and embraced natural cleaners, Allison recovered quickly.

Engaging her college roommate, Kelly Love, in her quest for more information, Allison discovered that what most Americans were using to clean their homes was actually making the air inside dirty enough to make them sick—like she had been.

The three joined forces to create Branch Basics Natural Cleaner, which is strong enough to degrease an oven, yet safe enough to wash a baby.

three women in a field, two photo collage, black and white, natural cleaners branch basics founders

Branch Basics Natural Cleaner’s blend of fatty acids, coconut oil, organic alcohol (which evaporates during manufacturing) and the aforementioned plant enzymes breaks up oil molecules into soluble, biodegradable components. Created without fragrance, gluten, soy, corn, nuts, tree nuts or dairy—and in a factory that avoids these elements, as well—the brand is safe for people with serious allergies and compromised immune systems.

I recently learned that even vinegar—my personal natural cleaner go-to—can release acetic acid into the air that can be dangerous for those with asthma or bronchitis. (Who knew? That’s why we dilute, people.) Not to mention the 17,000 potentially toxic chemicals that are allowed for use in cleaning products, less than a third of which have been tested for safety and none of which have been tested for how they interact with each other.

Because Branch Basics Natural Cleaner is comprised of all pharmaceutical- and food-grade ingredients listed on the FDA’s GRAS (“Generally Recognized as Safe”) list, it requires no “keep out of reach of children” warning labels. It’s not harmful if you accidentally drink, inhale or absorb it—unlike many other “non-toxic” cleaners, which can contain synthetic preservatives and fragrances.

As it contains no alcohol or pesticides, Branch Basic Natural Cleaner can’t be categorized as an antibacterial or sanitizing agent by the EPA or the FDA. It’s just plain soap which, as you may recall from our discussion of triclosan, is the best way to eliminate germs, according to the CDC.

But the best thing about Branch Basics Natural Cleaner? It’s fool-proof simple, and incredibly cost-effective. A 32-ounce bottle of concentrate costs $27.50, or about $0.11 per ounce—versus $0.20 per ounce, the average cost of “green” cleaners on the market. The small starter kit ($31.48) adds a pre-filled travel bottle (great for direct application on stains) and a 32-ounce refillable spray bottle. The spray bottle features clearly marked lines for dilution—1:5 is best for the bathroom, for example, while 1:1 can clean your oven; add a teaspoon to a load of laundry, etc.—with a space on the label where you can mark the dilution level and what the solution should be used for. (You can also use your own bottles, of course.)

Branch Basics Natural Cleaner is life-changing. For Allison Evans, obviously—and now for me, as well.

Want to try? Now through 2.13.15, get 20% off on any Branch Basics Natural Cleaner purchase with “MG20” at check out. Or enter to win one of FOUR Small Starter Kits we’re giving away!

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This post was sponsored by Branch Basics Natural Cleaner and meets the standards I’ve established to endorse a brand as “Mommy Greenest Approved.” Click here for more about Editorial Standards.

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