While the entire world is facing challenges brought on by the Coronavirus (COVID-19), disease prevention is on top of everyone’s minds. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), frequent hand washing is one of the most effective ways to prevent illness and the spread of infections and germs to others. Since we all touch our eyes, nose, and mouth more frequently than we realize, and since germs can be transmitted from our hands onto other objects, keeping them clean is very important. In fact, the CDC states that hand washing in the community reduces respiratory illnesses in the general population by 16-21%. 

Along with following CDC recommendations to wash your hands, you should also consider what kind of soap you are using. Using an eco-friendly hand soap is not only good for your health, it’s also good for the environment. 

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Protect Your Health and the Environment

If you’re using just any conventional brand of liquid hand soap, your attempts to keep yourself and your family healthy could very well wreak havoc on mother nature. This is because like many personal care products, conventional hand soap often contains potentially harmful ingredients, such as Parabens, Propylene Glycol, or Diethanolamine (DEA). These ingredients can have environmental implications when they make their way into our waterway systems. Not to mention the amount of plastic waste that’s generated by one-time use liquid hand soaps.

Although not all conventional liquid hand soaps contain these ingredients, most contain one or more. Some things you can do to ensure you’re using a safe, natural, eco-friendly hand soap is to choose products from companies that leverage all-natural ingredients and opt for soaps that come in refillable or recycled containers—or even better, you can make your own home-made liquid hand soap.

Eco-Friendly Soaps to Use

There are lots of great products in the marketplace, but below are some of our favorite eco-friendly hand soap options available for purchase.

  • Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Hand Soap
      • Dr. Bronner’s is an exceptional company that’s committed to environmental protection, ethical sourcing, and fair trade practice. This plant-based and biodegradable hand soap is also certified organic, vegan, and packaged in 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. 
      • You can get this soap online or at most organic grocery stores.
  • Puracy 100% Sulfate-Free, Natural Liquid Hand Soap
      • This is one of the best-rated eco-friendly soaps available – it’s safe, non-toxic, 100% free of harsh chemicals, vegan, and biodegradable. All of Puracy’s products (including this soap) are rated highly by the Environmental Working Group and feature completely non-toxic, safe, and plant-based ingredients that are easier on your hands and have a lower environmental impact.
      • You can buy this soap directly online or through Amazon or iHerb.
  • Soapply Refill Hand Wash
      • This eco-friendly hand soap has a clean ingredient list, and proceeds from every purchase go toward water sanitation programs in Africa. Soapply also just started offering a refill option that comes in a recycled glass bottle.
      • You can purchase this soap online.
  • Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Liquid Hand Soap
      • Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day is one of the most popular liquid, eco-freindly hand soaps on the market. The company sells regular pump bottles as well as larger, eco-friendly refill pouches and jugs.
      • This product is available for purchase either online, on Amazon, or at most popular retailers.

Make Your Own Eco-Friendly Soap

Making your own home-made liquid hand soap using natural ingredients is also a great option for keeping your family healthy, while minimizing your environmental impact. We found a great and easy recipe for making your own eco-friendly hand soap that comes with a helpful video on Livesimply. There are lots of ways to make your own hand soap but this is just to give you an idea of how easy (and fun!) making your own eco-friendly soap can be.

What You’ll Need

  • 5-10 drops lavender essential oil (optional)
  • 1/2 cup distilled water
  • 1 TB vitamin E oil (optional)
  • 1/2 cup castile soap liquid
  • 1 TB sweet almond oil or olive oil or jojoba oil (optional)
  • 15 drops tea tree essential oil (optional)
  •  Mason jar or recycled soap dispenser

Steps

  • Add water first (to prevent bubbles) 
  • Add the liquid castile soap
  • Add the oils
  • Shake the ingredients together
  • Squirt a small amount on your hands as needed, rinsing with water

Healthy for You, Healthy for the Envrionment

Taking the proper steps to prevent getting or transmitting an illness like COVID-19 is extremely important, and washing your hands is a big part of that process. So whether you’re purchasing an eco-friendly liquid hand soap or making your own (using natural ingredients), you can rest assured that you’re keeping both your family and the environment healthy.

At Spring Power & Gas, we are always looking to help our customers live better and more sustainable lives. Click here to learn more about our products and how we strive to create a greater planet for all of us.