Seventh Generation - A new way to clean in the UK

*This is a paid collaboration. Please see my disclosure policy for details

Have you heard of Seventh Generation? Before they got in touch, I certainly hadn't but I must say their press release piqued my interest. Steve and I are members of the Green Party and are fairly conscious of the impact our lives have on the environment. We aren't what you'd call eco-warriors, but we do like to make small changes where we can and teach our children to respect and care for the environment they live in. Seventh Generation is a brand that really mirrors this ethos so when they asked if they could send us some of their products to try, I agreed. On a personal level, I really wanted to learn more. 

A little bit of an introduction first. Seventh Generation are a very established brand in the US (28 years strong) and have recently crossed over the pond to UK soil. Their household cleaning products are all plant based and contain 0% synthetic fragrances or dyes. Seventh Generation appear to really care about our planet and by 2020 their aims include:

1 - All products and packaging wplant-basedt based or made from recycled materials

2 - All materials are certified as sustainable by a credible third party

3 - Zero waste - all products and packaging will be biodegradable or fully recyclable

4 - All energy will be sourced from non-fossil sources and all Seventh Generation customers will wash their clothes in cold water

5 - Be radically transparent - all ingredients and materials and fully disclosed

6 - Create healthy products for healthy homes. Seventh Generation products are not acutely toxic

These goals are pretty cool right? I'd love to see other brands and businesses taking on such a conscious attitude towards our environment. You can read about Seventh Generation's plan for 'Generation Good' and sign up to join their free community of like-minded people here. 

My pre-conceptions of 'eco' cleaning products is that they'd be a bit crap. Surely we need all of those chemicals to do a good job right?

Wrong! I've honestly been really impressed with the cleaning power of Seventh Generation products and have to say the all-purpose cleaner leave my benches sparkling. The cleaning power of Seventh Generation products is definitely impressive and if anything, they're a little better than the normal high street brand I normally use as they don't leave any residue.

One thing you need to get used to when using Seventh Generation is that there's no or minimal scent. I am one of those people who loves to throw a bit of bleach down my loo so it smells 'clean' and I think I've just been conditioned to think that bleach is what clean smells like. But really, a bleach smell is quite potent and most people know that bleach can cause burns and that inhaling bleach fumes can cause damage. Yet we still use it! It took around a week of getting used to but now, I like that my bathroom smells 'clean' rather than of bleach and I've been really impressed with this toilet bowl cleaner. It's a product that I'll definitely pick up again in Tesco (I also love that it has a handy spout attached to the cap which helps you to use less product and get more for your money).

Similarly, when I clean my benches with my normal brand of surface cleaner, I am used to that lingering smell that I associate with 'clean'. In reality, it's synthetic and actually not that nice! Again, it took my a while to get used to Seventh Generation Surface Cleaner having no scent and it's weird that my kitchen just smells clean now rather than of harsh synthetic lemon. I spend a fortune on fancy candles and reed diffusers and it's nice to be able to smell them all of the time now. This cleaner comes in a large bottle and will last for ages too.

I've saved the best until last - Seventh Generation Natural Washing Liquid (and Concentrated Washing Liquid) are the products I've been most impressed with. I loved the natural lavender scent and it was lovely and subtle rather than being over-powering. I love that these products are made with 100% essential oils and botanical extracts and that there are absolutely no synthetic fragrances, dyes and artifical brighteners. We do a lot of washing in our house and I feel a little bit more at peace with the world knowing that our family washing is no longer adding anything synthetic to our eco-system. This product is also not tested on animals and it's ingredients have not been tested on animals either. There's no point in using an eco-friendly product if it doesn't work but I'm happy to report that Seventh Generation Natural Washing Liquid works really well - our clothes are still nice and soft and lovely and clean.

Some Seventh Generation products are competitively priced and others are a little more expensive than what I'd normally pay but I kind of see buying a Seventh Generation product kind of like spending a little more on Organic meat rather than buying the meat that's on offer. We all have the choice to decide where we spend our money on and for me, I don't mind spending a little extra on Seventh Generation products as for me, the small increase in cost is worth it. 

Seventh Generation products are available from Tesco and Amazon. I expect them to pop up in a few other places as their popularity grows in the UK too. Let me know if you've tried or fancy trying them?

Seventh Generation Giveaway

If you'd like to sample Seventh Generation for yourself, I have been provided with a box of goodies to give away. Prize includes:

• 1 x Lavender & Mint Washing Detergent
• 1 x Free & Clear Washing Detergent
• 1 x Washing up liquid
• 1 x toilet bowl cleaner
• 1 x glass and surface cleaner
• 1 x all purpose cleaner

One winner will be selected at random from all valid entries and notified by email. All entry options are optional and you can enter via Twitter daily. Giveaway ends midnight 25/10/17

a Rafflecopter giveaway