This might sound crazy, but I have been so excited to share this post with you guys! Over the holidays, I spent a lot of time organizing, purging and tidying our home. It felt so good to get rid of stuff that’s been lingering for months (sometimes years) and start our year fresh with a clutter-free home.
Another thing I did a whole lot of? Cleaning! Normally, I hate cleaning, and admittedly, the I still hate cleaning the shower, but I recently switched all of our cleaners to safe cleaning products and found that using these and keeping our house clean was actually bringing me immense amounts of joy!
My very organized and tidy mom and sister are probably reading at this wondering what has happened to me, but it’s the truth!
I actually look forward to cleaning the kitchen counters and dining table after we eat because I feel so good about the safe cleaning products I’m using in our home. It makes me feel so calm and at peace knowing I’m using products that are safe for us and actually work.
I’ve been using two brands and I’ve been getting a lot of questions about them both—Thieves vs. Branch Basics. Everyone wants to know which one I like better, and to be honest, I love them both! They both clean very well, so I figured it’d be fun to break them down here for you guys in case you’re interested in making the switch to safe home products, but not sure what’s best for you and your family.
Pros & Cons of Clean Home Products
First though, a quick break down of why it’s worth making the switch to non-toxic cleaning products.
Pros
- good for you and for the earth
- no toxic fumes that can lead to sneezing, coughing, eyes burning and headaches
- made from concentrate so you get more bang for your buck
- versatile—concentrate can be used to make all kinds of things
- plant-based & non-toxic
Cons
- they aren’t as readily available—the 2 brands mentioned here have to be ordered online, but arrive quickly!
- you might have to use a little more elbow grease on tough spots, but overall worth it—plus, think about the extra arm workout you”ll get!
Best Safe Cleaning Products
I’ve tried several brands of safe cleaning products over the years, but these two have far and away been my favorites! You can’t go wrong with either!
Branch Basics
At the beginning of the year, Branch Basics graciously sent me their cleaning starter kit. I wanted to use it for a few weeks before giving you guys my full Branch Basics review, and the verdict is very good! Which is no surprise because I’d heard amazing things about them!
The Starter Kit come with a big bottle of concentrate, oxygen boost laundry powder and 5 refillable bottles—one for all-purpose spray, one for glass, mirrors and windows, one for the shower, one for laundry and one for foaming hand soap.
Get 10% off your Starter Kit with code FOXANDSHE!
What I love about these bottles is that there are lines on the outside that told you exactly where you need to fill the bottles. It made it fool-proof and so quick and easy. I made one of each to start and still have more than half the bottle of concentrate left.
It’s easy to clean with, has no scent, and the glass cleaner is actually streak-free! I absolutely LOVE the Branch Basics laundry products. We’ve been using the Oxygen Boost like crazy because Owen comes home with stains on his clothes just about everyday—#toddlerlife, am I right?! Our clothes are clean, fresh and stains haven’t been an issue at all.
Price
The Starter Kit with Oxygen Boost (I highly recommend) is $69 and the Starter Kit on it’s own is $59. If you have messy kids, I’d opt for the oxygen boost option to help keep clothes stain-free and bright! The concentrate on its own is $49 for a 33oz. bottle.
Discounts
You’re in luck! I have a Branch Basics coupon code for you guys! Use the code FOXANDSHE for 10% off all Starter Kits!
Is it a Good Value?
Pretty incredible in my opinion! If you’re just getting started, I’d opt for the Starter Set with the Oxygen Boost laundry powder. You’ll have everything you need—concentrate and bottles—in one box! And, it will last you several months! We’ve had ours 3 months and I just went through the first bottle of everything and still have a TON of concentrate left!
Scent
I don’t know if this is a determiner for you, but it might be! I found that Branch Basics essentially has no scent at all. No fumes, obviously, but no added scent either! If scent triggers you, this will be the best option.
If you want to add some, you could easily add in a few drops of your favorite essential oils—some citrus would be a nice touch. Having the unscented spray is nice though, especially if you’re using it as fruit and veggie wash!
Any downsides?
Not really. I do wish they had a dish soap though! We go through a lot of that and I would have loved if I could have whipped up some dish soap from the concentrate. You can use the All-Purpose spray to wash dishes though, I just haven’t tried that yet.
Young Living Thieves Cleaner
About a year ago, I bought my Young Living starter kit with a bunch of goodies, and quickly ordered the Thieves cleaner concentrate. Since then it was my go-to for all-purpose cleaner. It’s easy to use and mix up, and the concentrate goes a long way! Personally, I love the smell of Thieves and love our kitchen smells after I use it.
Maybe it’s subconscious, but having the kitchen smell like something after cleaning is somewhat rewarding—I think because traditionally I’m used to that strong cleaning smell, that I get some sort of satisfaction from any scent? Haha, maybe I’m crazy.
You can make everything from all-purpose cleaner, window spray, toilet cleaner and shower spray. I did find that it’s easy to track down “recipes” for different uses, and there’s so much information out there!
Another cool thing about Thieves is that there’s a whole line of Thieves products, things like toothpaste, mints, mouthwash, laundry soap, dish soap, fruit & veggie soak, etc. Being able to get it all in one place is definitely handy.
Price
For a bottle of concentrate, it’s $22.50 for a 14.4oz. (member-price), $29.61 for non-members. To join as a member, you must purchase a starter kit—these range from $35-265 depending on which options you choose (the most popular one is $165 and totally worth it in my opinion).
Discounts
The best way to shop anything at Young Living is to join as a member. You get a 24% discount on everything when you’re a member. When you join, you pick a starter kit, and there’s even a Thieves starter kit! Personally, I have the Premium Starter Kit with the oils and I loved that, but either one would be a great place to start.
Value
Again, I think the value is great. You can make around thirty 32oz. bottles of all-purpose cleaner from one bottle of Thieves concentrate. Compare that to buying a 32oz. bottle of some other spray from the store and multiply it by 30. Clearly, this option is a lot cheaper in the long run!
Scent
Unlike Branch Basics, Thieves smells like Thieves. If you’ve never smelled it before, I always liken it to spiced tea! It’s warming and comforting and a scent I absolutely love. In fact, I diffuse this oil on the regular in our house, especially in the colder months.
Any downsides?
It doesn’t come with bottles, so you’ll have to order some on Amazon (I love these amber ones and I use this label maker for all my DIY labels) or pop into a store to get one. That also means you can get ones to match your style—so maybe that’s not a con for you.
How to Make Thieves Cleaner
To mix your Thieves household cleaner, combine 2 cups of filtered water per capful of concentrate. Gently mix and pour into a spray bottle of choice! It’s that easy!
Thieves Cleaner Recipe:
- 2 cups of filtered water
- 1 capful of Thieves concentrate
Final thoughts
Either way, I think both of these brands are amazing! They clean incredibly well, do not give me headaches and leave me feeling so joyful about our clean home. You can’t go wrong with either. I hope this post helped break these two brands down and helps you pick which one is best for you and your family.
BTW, 6 tips for keeping your home tidy, and 5 safe swaps for your cleaning routine.
Want to remember the best safe cleaning products? Pin this image below.
