Sharing my honest Branch Basics review and the pros and cons of using these non-toxic household cleaners that are safe for family and pets. You can also grab a Branch Basics discount code from me!
If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know I’m all about getting rid of as much toxins as possible in our personal care items and cleaners. Harmful chemicals in the products that we use everyday negatively our health and environment, and it’s not something I’m willing to compromise especially with my past hormonal health issues.
I’ve become even more vigilant about screening ingredients in everything we use after becoming a mom recently. With the quarantine, we are staying at home a lot more now, and my baby pretty much licks everything in sight (even the floor – sigh). Anything she can hold goes directly in her mouth.
When I started switching to safer products for our family, I started looking at toxin free household cleaners that my husband wouldn’t think is too “crunchy granola” for him to use. He didn’t love the homemade solutions that I would make, but he’s been loving the Branch Basics products!
What is Branch Basics? How Does it Work?
After a ton of research on various brands of greener and toxin free cleaners, I discovered Branch Basics from a fellow blogger friend and I just loved the company’s concept and mission.
Branch Basics makes plant- and mineral-based household cleaners that are safe, natural, and effective. They really care about the health of the consumers. Some other things I learned about the company that really drew me in are:
- Their concentrate is hypoallergenic, non-GMO, and fragrance-free. My husband cannot deal with any kind of scents (even essential oils) and I’m sensitive to synthetic fragrances as well. This makes sense because “fragrance” ingredient in skin care and cleaning products require no disclosure or testing and can contains hundreds of thousands of chemicals.
- No harmful preservatives, stabilizers, brighteners, chelators, or surfactants. That means no parabens, phthalates, alcohols, ethoxylates, SLS, or any other ingredients known to disrupt our hormonal health. I love that their products can be used by chemically sensitive individuals and and even those with compromised immune systems.
- Free of common allergens like gluten, tree nuts, and peanuts. So important for those with allergies and sensitivities! Even if you are avoiding these in your diet, you can still be exposed through your cleaners and the products you use.
- Not tested on animals. This is always important to me and I always like to check this with any product I use. I do love that the products are safe enough for me to use on my dogs. I use the All-Purpose Spray to wipe their paws after they get muddy on their walks.
The cleaners are concentrate-based. This means that you can make 5 different cleaning products with just the concentrate, each with different water-to-concentrate ratios.
It really doesn’t take a lot of concentrate to make each product so 1 bottle of concentrate lasts a long time. The Branch Basics starter kit comes with all 5 product bottles, each with measure lines to mark how much to fill each with water and the concentrate.
The ingredients in the Branch Basics Concentrate are safe and clean, and I love that each one is explained in parentheses:
Purified Water, Coco Glucoside (Sugar-Based Cleanser), Organic Chamomilla Recutita (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Decyl Glucoside (Sugar-Based Cleanser), Sodium Citrate (Food-Grade Emulsifier), Lauryl Glucoside (Sugar-Based Cleanser), Sodium Bicarbonate (Food-Grade Baking Soda), Sodium Phytate (Plant-Based Antioxidant)
Branch Basics Oxygen Boost
A product that’s not part of the concentrate but is a must-have for me is the Branch Basics Oxygen Boost. Think of it as a safer form of bleach with just 2 ingredients–sodium percarbonate & sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda)–and it’s amazing and powerful for removing stains and brightening clothes or surfaces.
I always add it to the washer along with the Branch Basics laundry detergent and our clothes come out clean and scent-free. It’s also great for getting rid of tough stains on grouts, white sink, clothes, and anything else that needs a bit more work to clean!
Does Branch Basics Work?
This is something I wonder anytime when trying natural and safe products. I’ve tried other toxin free cleaners which didn’t cut it for me in terms of effectiveness. However, I was so excited to find that Branch Basics cleaners are not only safe, they actually work really well! Products do not have to be harsh and smell strong for them to be effective, and these cleaners are proof of that.
It’s really hard to tell you which cleaner I use the most. I probably grab the All-Purpose Cleaner for everyday cleaning use, from countertops, cabinets, floors, and just with anything practical that needs cleaning. The Streak-Free Cleaner and the Bathroom Cleaner are used weekly on cleaning days and I have zero complaints about both. I also love the laundry detergent and it works beautifully to clean and remove odor, especially when used with the Oxygen Boost.
The one product that I don’t use is the hand wash. I’m not a fan of foaming hand washes and prefer Beautycounter’s hand wash. I find that it’s more nourishing and pleasant feeling. However, I know many people who love the Branch Basics hand wash so this might just be a personal preference.
How Long Does Branch Basics Concentrate Last?
One bottle of Branch Basics concentrate is 33 oz (a little over 4 cups) and you only need a small amount to make each cleaner. How long it will last will depend on how often you clean. I personally have to replenish the concentrate around every 3 months. I would say around 2-4 months with consistent use.
Is Branch Basics Worth the Cost?
Here’s the cost breakdown of Branch Basics:
- Concentrate: $49
- Oxygen Boost: $10
- Starter Kit (concentrate + 5 empty cleaner bottles): $59
- Starter Kit + Oxygen Boost: $69
- Trial Kit: $5
After you purchase a starter kit, you can just replenish the concentrate and Oxygen Boost as they run out, and reuse the cleaner bottles. If you want to reduce plastic, Branch Basics now has glass spray bottles as well, which I’m thinking about investing in!
For me, YES. It’s definitely worth the cost, especially when you know you are getting safe and toxin-free cleaners that are powerful and effective. The cost is actually comparable to other nontoxic cleaners on the market and may actually be cheaper. I love that it saves me the hassle of researching each ingredient for every product from different brands:
Pros & Cons of Branch Basics
| Pros | Cons |
| Safe and toxin free without harmful preservatives, fragrances, and chemicals | For tough stains, you do need to wait for the solution to sit and soak before cleaning to be effective |
| One of the most cost-effective natural solutions on the market | I’m personally not a fan of the foaming hand wash. I know others who love it though! |
| Convenient – one concentrate bottle makes 5 different cleaning products! | Not suitable for unfinished manufactured wood–could break down and pull out the formaldehyde or isocyanate from the resins into the air |
| Environmentally friendly packaging that’s reusable and free from BPA, PET, PETE, and phthalates – even better if you use glass bottles! | |
| Doesn’t feel “crunchy granola” and even my husband uses it happily. |
The cons list is shorter, because it was hard for me to think of any other limitations for Branch Basics. I feel safe using it around my baby and family, and all the products just work so well! As a busy mom, I just really appreciate that I don’t have to make my own cleaning products anymore or have to do any deeper research on if my cleaning products are safe or not.
Branch Basics Discount Code
If you are interested in trying out Branch Basics for yourself, you can get 15% off all starter kits with my code: JEAN
I highly recommend the starter kit with Oxygen Boost, because it’s such an awesome, powerful product for cleaning!
If you enjoyed my Branch Basics review, also check out…
- Spring Cleaning: 16 Natural DIY Household Cleaners
- Homemade Liquid Dish Soap
- My Favorite Non-Toxic Mattress
- Non Toxic Baby Products For The Nursery and Registry
- How to Make Beeswax Candles + Why I Don’t Buy Scented Candles
- Safe and Toxin-Free Cookware Guide
Sounds wonderful!!
When I ordered the starter set, I was skeptical…it sounded too good to be true! After receiving it and setting up all my bottles, I tested the All-Purpose on my kitchen tile grout.
The results surprised me, in a good way! I’ll be a repeat customer:)
For those who might be hesitant to buy starter kit because of the price tag, You can buy the laundry kit + trial kit to cut down on the number of bottles. The main product is the concentrated cleaner which you mix with water at different degrees to make different cleaners. I highly recommend buying the oxy powder booster. If you don’t want to buy the powder you can buy washing soda from a store. You can reuse your clean empty spray bottles if you want to reduce plastic waste. Initially I was disappointed because the cleaner didn’t have that slimy feeling of dawn but after I used it for few months I found myself impressed.