11 minute read
The Guide to Green Cleaning
Greener Glamping Guide
By Martha Fosberry (The Moon & I)
From budget friendly to boutique – whatever your preference, we have created a roundup of the top ten products we recommend for taking steps towards helping to grow a greener business. Even small changes have a big impact. From plastic-free products that cut down on day to day waste, to eco refills that ensure not only running out is a thing of the past, but single use plastic is too. While the market is becoming more populated with mainstream greener cleaning products, we have taken the opportunity to shed light on the smaller more family-run eco entrepreneurs who are setting the scene for more sustainable living. Time to big up the little man and lean into the Green Clean revolution!
The line between convenience shopping and conscious shopping can be a thin one. We seem to have less time and more to do than ever as hospitality business owners. When we began The Moon and I five years ago, it occurred to me that running a business that largely relied on the abundance of nature, without consciously considering her in the products we used to run our business was certainly something to think about.
Quite soon after opening, we decided to make a green pledge both at home and for the business; we would only use products that caused no harm to us, our guests, animals or the earth. I do not claim to be an eco expert but wanted to share some of the fantastic products we have discovered as part of our personal green pledge, it has honestly never been easier (and more fun!) to make these small but essential changes in the way we work with our environment.
While some may argue grabbing a £1 bottle of antibacterial hand wash from the supermarket is cheaper and more convenient – the ripples of these consumer decisions will be felt environmentally. How we work in collaboration with the big boss Mother Nature herself is paramount. Let’s face it, without her most of the people reading this would be out of business, let’s start showing the boss some respect!
COLT & WILLOW
Pure Eco Elegance, Colt and Willow is a beautiful family run brand dreamt up by husband and wife team Tony and Annie Mcwilliam. Expect stunning natural fragrance and toxin-free cleaning that packs a punch. Each bottle is lovingly presented in reusable amber glass spray bottles, with fully recyclable 1ltr refills available. Our hot favourite is the exquisite Rosemary, Lemon and Juniper Berry Bathroom Cleaner 470ml £12 (£8 1 ltr refill bottle). And their playful Fig & Cassis ‘Potty spray’ £8.50, a must for any shared bathroom facility! Head over to their website for direct orders and take a peek at their helpful blog ‘The Knowledge Base’ packed full of advice for getting the best out of their products and much more. Online at: www.coltandwillow.com
Colt & Willow
WHO GIVES A CRAP TOILET PAPER
Who knew running out of toilet paper could be so much fun!? WGAC not only boasts the most colourful and fun packaging of any toilet paper out there, it also smashes the eco credentials out of the park AND donates 50% of all of their profits to charity. Their two main ranges of TP consist of individually wrapped, 100% recycled paper rolls that are double the size of a standard toilet roll, and their more luxurious 100% bamboo range (premium wrapping and softer texture, also double in length). Available in boxes of 24 or 48 rolls posted to your door for free. Prices range from £24 per box to £40. Switching to this playful plastic free brand could not be simpler with rolling subscriptions service also available - so getting caught short could be a thing of the past, available from www.whogivesacrap.org
Who Gives a Crap Toilet Paper
IRON & VELVET
Another plastic-free protagonist. Now, they may be small but these nifty little pouches of cruelty free cleaner are mighty! We loved using their ‘Starter Kit’ range of five cleaners (including Bathroom & Kitchen Surface Cleaner, Oven, Glass and Floor cleaners) available online for £10 with free delivery. You simply label a reusable bottle with the stickers provided, drop a dissolvable pouch into lukewarm water and shake, then voila! Once the pouch has dissolved fully releasing the concentrated cleaner inside, you are good to get scrubbing. Handy monthly subscriptions also available. See their full range online at: www.ironandvelvet.co.uk
Iron & Velvet
BIO D
The refill rulers of the green cleaning crowd. Here at Moon & I HQ, we have been using the big boss Bio D for over two years. Their handy 5 litre* refills help reduce single use plastic and mean you are never far away from a top up on change over days. Natural, plant based, vegan and cruelty free and all created in the UK. Bottles across their ranges are made from 100% recycled plastic and the full range is recyclable including their larger 5litre and 20litre refill bottle. They are also the only green cleaning company whose products meet the standards for commercial food preparation. For Glamp site consumables, we recommend their concentrated toilet cleaner (individual 750ml bottle £2.56, 5litre refill £12.25, 20litre £47.48) really affective cleaning with a fresh neutral scent. Delicately scented Geranium and Grapefruit scented sanitizing hand wash (small pump bottle £4.30, 5litre refil £20.85). Our everyday champion from their range is their knock-out lavender washing up liquid (individual 750ml bottle £3.35, 5litre refill £13.45). All products available from website with free UK delivery on orders over £50: www.biod.co.uk
*To enable more effective decanting from 5litre refills we recommend purchasing a 5litre pump lid, available from Bio D website for £4.20.
Bio D
TINCTURE LONDON
Sleek, sexy and sustainable. Tincture London’s wide range of premium cleaning products are 100% natural and non-toxic made using essential oils and plant-based ingredients. The brainchild of Angelika Davenport, a mother of four seeking a life less toxic. Tincture’s eco accolades are numerous and impressive. To name a few, they are not only cruelty-free but ocean-safe, vegan, with fully biodegradable and sustainably sourced ingredients throughout their luxurious range. Investment in their extensive range start from £4.99 and moves up to £34.94 for their six-set starter kit range. For greater reassurance during this unusual time for the hospitality industry, they also offer Antibacterial starter kits (£39.93 set of eight products). These kits include their divine Cedarwood & Thyme antibacterial hand sanitizer spray (£4.99), in a handy pocket size bottle (Refills available) which provides excellent protection while feeling gentle on skin and smells like nothing short of a stroll in the forest! They also have a fab blog, EVOKE available to read on their website packed full practical plastic free advice, eco living lifestyle and mindfulness magic. Full range available to view online: www.tincturelondon.com
*For anyone offering retreats at their facility, Tincture also sell a fresh and effective Yoga Mat Cleaner that is the most effective cleaner I have ever personally used to keep my yoga mat smelling fresh and clean after getting my Ashtanga on. ( £1.99 for a handy 50ml spray bottle.)
Tincture London
Tincture London
GREEN HOSPITALITY COSMETIC CHAMPIONS
The issue of single use plastic in the hospitality industry can sometimes feel like a loosing battle. When we first started out I searched the internet high and low for plastic free complimentary cosmetic alternatives to no avail. We ended up with 1000 plus single use mini plastic bottles of “eco” shampoos and body wash that pained me to put in the spaces. We also felt that the wall mounted refill dispensers although a great solution in part, have some very real hygiene issues if not appropriately maintained. I am pleased to say that the tide has turned! Enter Beauty Kubes & Crystal Cole, like lighthouses in a storm to those weary business owners seeking sustainable quality and change for their guests.
CRYSTAL COLE
Scrumptious solid bars of pure plastic free joy. Crystal Cole’s ranges are all hand made from the owner’s house in Kent. She believes that “luxury eco friendly products shouldn’t cost the Earth”, sounds like my type of gal. The hotel mini’s range includes 20mm x 20mm heart shaped bars available as shampoo, conditioner and body wash. The full range is mildly scented with Spa Zen fragrance. We recommend labelling up some small glass flip top jars and giving guests two of each to use during their stay. With zero plastic waste these truly are a marvel. A jar containing 100 hotel minis range (all three products above) is available to sample for £8.99 or full set of 100 x shampoo, conditioner etc is £39. See full range at www.cystalcole.co.uk
*Crystal Cole have a special offer of 15% off first orders for International Glamping Magazine readers using the code: "glamping" at check out.
Crystal Cole
Crystal Cole Shampoo Bar
BEAUTY KUBES
Perfection, squared. These dice like dynamos come in a handy little biodegradable box of three kubes all 2cm x 2cm and sulphate and silicone free. Box contains one shampoo, body wash and conditioner. They are the perfect waste free toiletry solution for any accommodation provider – An individual sample is £1.75, box of 50 currently on sale for the reduced price of £40 or box of 250 also on sale for £180. full range including later bars and products online at www.beautykubes.co.uk
Beauty Kubes
DIY Eco Tip:
Homemade cloths – It’s no secret that towels and bedding can often be consumable items. Why not breathe new life into your tired towels by cutting them into small squares and reusing them as cleaning cloths!
ASTONISH
Your budget friendly eco cleaning buddy. As a more mainstream brand, Astonish can easily be scooped up as part of the weekly shop but still holds a number of impressive everyday eco credentials. In effort to lower the company’s carbon footprint, all manufacturing takes place in a state-of-the-art purpose-built site near Bradford in West Yorkshire. All Astonish products are Cruelty Free International, Vegetarian and Vegan Society certified, as well as being in recyclable packaging. Their oven and grill cleaner is an outdoor kitchen must have with its gentle but powerful mineral abrasion and 99% of the formulation is made with naturally derived ingredients. A great idea for some much-needed spa treatment for all of your site’s hard working garden furniture, BBQ’s and pots and pans! Available for £4 online at www.astonish.co.uk or a number of high street retailers alongside other products in their range.
Astonish Oven & Grill
FOREST HOG
A fab forest friendly cleaning companion. Forest Hog cleaning products are fresh, practical and wont break the bank. Vegan friendly, cruelty free and made from organic plant based ingredients. Their starter kit ranges include five 500ml bottle of washing up liquid, dirt buster gel, home cleaning spray, fruit & veg rinse and laundry cream for £24.95, or their ultimate starter kit for £44.95 which includes everything above plus toilet cleaner, floor cleaner, hand wash and their wood n hide balm to revitalise thirsty wood and leather surfaces. Forest Hog claim this kit will last for months, so they should prove good investment opportunity indeed. Larger refills also available for those wanting to have a refill station on site or at home. Fully range available the view at: www.foresthog.co.uk
Forest Hog
FILL
Roll up, roll up and fill em up. Fill as the brand suggests is a fab and fun refill business based in Northamptonshire and available across the UK, Ireland and in some parts of Europe in participating independent retail outlets. With an extensive range of refillable products ranging from washing up liquid and laundry powders to hand soaps and all purpose cleaners. All in a closed loop packaging supply chain meaning no unnecessary single use waste! Fill products can be supplied in 500ml screen-printed glass bottles and jars (these are available to purchase empty from any Fill stockists), 10ltr bagin-box, 20ltr post consumer recycled refills and also for larger scale returnable bulk refills of 200, 600 and even 1000ltr. Prices start from £18 for a Fill sample set, a 5ltr washing up liquid refill bag is priced between £27.30 - £29.00, 10ltrs is an investment of £33 – £35.50. The brand makes quite an impression with its iconic black and white design and we feel their brave, bold and conscious business is one to watch: www.fillrefill.co
Are you a larger site with shop or honesty shop? Why not contact Fill about becoming a refill centre? Providing guests with refills on site during their stay.
*Prices may vary at store re-fill stations.
Fill
