My Blueland Review: Are These Cleaning Products Effective? Safe? Eco-Friendly?

Blueland has been making waves for years now, with their great branding, celebrity investors, and promises to help you eliminate single-use plastic from your cleaning routine.

But some folks have accused Blueland of greenwashing, saying they’re not really as “clean” or “eco-friendly” as they claim.

I’ve been asked about Blueland a lot. You may have noticed that I’ve even recommended some of their products in my guides.

And now I’m finally getting around to giving you the full breakdown of what I think of the brand as a whole.

I’m going to tell you what I think after using Blueland’s products for over a year. I’ll give you the pros and cons in terms of effectiveness, ingredient safety, sustainability, and more.

This article is not sponsored, nor were the products gifted. This article does contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase.

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Is Blueland Non-Toxic?

Blueland boasts “Consciously Clean Ingredients,” and in some ways, that’s true. Blueland says all of their products are free from:

• Parabens
• Phthalates
• Ammonia
• Chlorine bleach
• VOCs

That’s certainly a good thing, considering that these chemicals can all be toxic in one way or another.

But… There are also some other ingredients in Blueland’s products that aren’t so great.

Potentially Problematic Ingredients in Blueland’s Products

👎 Undisclosed Fragrance

One of my biggest problems with Blueland products is the fact that they contain undisclosed “fragrance.”

The “fragrance loophole” is perhaps one of the most frustrating things about shopping for non-toxic personal care and cleaning products. Because of this law, manufacturers are allowed to include over 3,500 different chemicals in their scented products without actually disclosing them to consumers.

Many of those 3,500+ ingredients are perfectly safe, while others are endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, and allergens.

I believe customers deserve to know what’s in the products they buy.

Blueland’s scented products contain “fragrance,” which means you won’t really know what’s in them.

Blueland does say all of their products are phthalate-free (which is one of the most problematic ingredients that can be included under the fragrance umbrella), so that’s a good thing at least.

They also say they are free from CA Prop 65 banned ingredients and “many known allergens”, which is something… But if you have specific allergies, this is going to be a problem because there’s no way of knowing whether anything you’re allergic to is in their products.

In addition to undisclosed fragrance, Blueland also uses a couple of other ingredients that are listed as “trade secrets”, such as lauryl / myristyl glucoside.

Again, this lack of transparency is a yellow flag, and I think consumers deserve better.

For this reason, I can only recommend Blueland’s unscented products for now.

👎 Dyes

Some of their products contain synthetic dyes, which are petroleum-derived ingredients. Some artificial dyes are more problematic than others, but the main thing in this context is that they’re so unnecessary. Why does my bathroom cleaner need to be pink?! It doesn’t.

🤔 Sulfates

Some of Blueland’s products do use sodium lauryl sulfate, or SLS.

This is a surfactant that basically helps break up dirt and grime. SLS is not toxic, but it can be a skin irritant for some. So, if you have sensitive skin, eczema, or allergies, you may want to watch out for it.

It’s worth noting that at this time, the Blueland products that go directly on your skin (hand soap, body wash, and facial cleanser) do NOT contain SLS.

Quick Note! As many cleaning and personal care brands do, it seems that Blueland has changed (and improved) their formulations over the years. I will try to keep this article updated, but you may also want to check their website for updated ingredient lists.

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Is Blueland Actually Eco-Friendly?

Alright, now that you know about the pros and cons of Blueland from an ingredient safety standpoint, let’s talk about their sustainability initiatives.

Blueland’s whole mission is to “make it easy to be eco with innovative products in reusable packaging that are convenient, effective and affordable.”

Their main way of doing that is by getting rid of single-use plastic bottles. With their refill systems, you buy the bottle once and then just refill with the cleaning tablets after that.

These tablets not only cut down on plastic, but also on the cost and carbon footprint of shipping. Think about how much more energy, space, and money it takes to ship a liquid-filled bottle versus a tiny tablet.

👍 No PVA

One of Blueland’s strong suits is that they offer laundry and dishwasher tablets (which people love) but without the PVA.

You see, most detergent pods and sheets are made with PVA, which is a type of plastic. As those sheets or pods “dissolve” in the laundry machine or dishwasher, tiny nanoplastics are washed down the drain and into our waterways.

It’s not entirely clear if these nanoplastics actually biodegrade in real-world conditions, which means all of those supposedly “eco-friendly” laundry sheets may actually be contributing to micro/nanoplastic pollution.

Not good.

Blueland is one of the only brands that offers truly plastic-free “pods” (or tablets).

You can read more about the PVA issue here.

🫤 “Compostable” Tablet Wrappers… But Only Kinda

This is one of the more disappointing things about Blueland. They say their tablet wrappers are compostable, but if you actually email them for more info, you’ll find out they’re only industrial compostable.

In other words: you can’t just stick them in your home compost and expect them to decompose.

And who is really going to spend the time and money shipping their little wrappers to an industrial compost facility?

That said… I still think Blueland is leading the way in this area. I know that it’s difficult to find a home compostable wrapper that ALSO keeps the product shelf-stable. I just hope they keep pushing and making improvements with their suppliers until they can get a truly compostable solution.

❓“Forever Bottles”… But Not Really?

Blueland’s plastic spray bottles are not amazing. The tins that the dishwasher and laundry tablets come in are nice, but the spray bottles and body wash/facial cleaner bottles don’t feel super durable.

They advertise them as “forever bottles”, but I highly doubt they will last that long if you use them on a regular basis for years. I personally haven’t had any specific problems with them yet, but I’ve seen several reviews online of folks’ bottles breaking after not that long.

I’m guessing Blueland is trying to keep the costs down by using cheaper bottles, but I think some more durability would be good. And/or maybe they could offer an option for a glass bottle with a silicone sleeve or something like that.

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Blueland’s Third-Party Certifications

Blueland products comes with a lot of ethical and sustainable third-party certifications, including:

EWG Verified

The only products that are currently EWG certified are:

• Fragrance-free hand soap (scented ones are not)
• Dishwasher detergent tablets
• Laundry detergent tablets
• Fragrance-free dish soap

MADE SAFE®

This is one of the strictest certification for ingredient safety. The ONLY Blueland product that is currently MADE SAFE certified is the Facial Cleanser.

The Body Wash “base formula” is also certified, but the fragrances are “currently under review”. This is kind of pointless at the moment, though, because there’s no fragrance-free option for the body wash.

Cradle to Cradle

Most (though not all) of their products have the Platinum Material Health Certificate from Cradle to Cradle. This certification looks at the safety and sustainability of the entire lifecycle of a product.

Leaping Bunny

All of Blueland’s products are certified Cruelty-Free by Leaping Bunny. They also state that all of their products are vegan (although there’s no vegan certification).

B Corp

This certification looks at the company as a whole. It essentially means the company has committed to a triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit and have proved a certain level of transparency in those areas.

Are Blueland’s Products All-Natural and/or Organic?

No. Blueland’s products are made from a mix of “naturally derived” and synthetic ingredients. (But remember: “Natural” does not always mean “good” and synthetic does not always mean “bad”!)

Many of their products are USDA BioPreferred, which means they contain a certain amount (not 100%) of “bio-based” ingredients. This basically means an ingredient comes from a natural or plant-based source. (It does not mean the end ingredient is still considered “natural” by the time it’s processed.)

At this time, none of Blueland’s ingredients are organic.

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My Review of Blueland’s Cleaning Products (Do They Actually Work?)

Alright, now let me tell you about my experience using the products.

1. The Spray Cleaners

Blueland offers three spray bottles:

• Multi-Surface Cleaner
• Bathroom Cleaner
• Glass + Mirror Cleaner

To make your cleaner, all you have to do is fill the bottle with warm water (up to the half-circle symbol), then drop the tablet in, and wait for it to dissolve. It’s easy.

If you buy a Clean Essentials Kit or a Clean Suite Starter Kit, you get all three bottles plus one tablet for each bottle. Or, if you only want one or two of the bottles, you can buy them separately.

My thoughts after using them: The spray cleaners work. I found them to be just as effective as other cleaners (both conventional and non-toxic) at getting the job done.

I definitely used the Multi-Surface Cleaner the most. The Glass Cleaner I honestly haven’t used that much at all. I can’t be bothered with glass/mirror cleaners; I feel like they’re kind of a waste of space. The Multi-Surface Cleaner worked just fine for me on the mirrors and didn’t leave any streaks.

That said, the Glass/Mirror Cleaner is the only one that comes in a fragrance-free option. The Multi-Surface Cleaner only comes in “Fresh Lemon” scent and the Bathroom Cleaner only comes in “Eucalyptus Mint.” The fragrances were mild and didn’t bother me. But I still wouldn’t buy them again due to the undisclosed fragrance issue (explained above).

Blueland’s cleaners do not disinfect, but that’s actually a good thing because we want to be careful not to over-sanitize our homes.

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2. The Laundry Detergent

Blueland actually earned the “best laundry pod” in my non-toxic laundry detergent guide.

That’s because, as I mentioned above, it’s one of the only brands that offers a non-toxic laundry detergent pod that’s PVA-free.

They’re also fragrance-free (and EWG Verified), so you don’t have to worry about the undisclosed fragrance issue here.

The Starter Kit comes with a reusable steel tin, which you can then refill as many times as you want.

I really like the laundry tablets. They’re effective and easy to use. Just make sure you put the pod into the washing machine before you add your clothes in order to make sure it dissolves properly. For large or extra-dirty loads, I’ll put two tablets in.

Some of the tablets do tend to break during shipping, but that doesn’t bother me. When I get to the bottom of my tin, I just throw in the equivalent of a full tablet. (I just eyeball it.)

I think these are good for traveling, too—they’re lightweight and compact. If I’m staying at an Airbnb and think I might want to do some laundry, I’ll pop a few tablets in my suitcase.

Blueland also carries dryer balls and an oxi boost laundry powder, although I haven’t tried that yet.

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3. The Toilet Bowl Cleaner

The toilet bowl cleaner is fine… It comes in a large tablet that you drop in the toilet, let dissolve, and then scrub. It only comes in one scent (Lemon Cedar) and there’s no fragrance-free option.

Personally, I just don’t prefer tablets for cleaning the toilet. I like to use a spray so that I can let the cleaner sit up underneath the rim before scrubbing. I just think it makes for a better, easier clean. (I did use the Blueland bathroom spray cleaner for this.)

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4. The Dish Soap

This is unique because it’s a powdered dish soap.

The first time you buy the Blueland dish soap, you get a silicone shaker bottle, which can be “infinitely” refilled with the powder. Then when you’re washing dishes, just shake some of the soap onto a sponge, get it wet, and wash away.

I liked the dish soap, but didn’t love it. That’s mostly because sometimes (depending on how much soap I used and how hard I shook the bottle), I felt like I was inhaling some of the powder as I was washing dishes… which kind of bothered me.

I have noticed some reviewers say that the dish soap doesn’t get “sudsy” enough for them. I would say it generates a “moderate” amount of suds. I personally don’t care because I’ve kind of gotten over the idea that suds are necessary for cleanliness. But I get why some people want more suds.

The dish soap is free from fragrances and dyes, though, so that’s a plus.

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5. The Dishwasher Tablets

Just like with the laundry detergent tablets, Blueland is one of the very few brands that offers dishwasher pods that are PVA-free.

You can get a Dishwasher Starter Set that comes with a cute little tin, which you can then refill with the tablets.

I like the dishwasher tablets! They work, they’re easy to use, and they don’t leave residues on my dishes. I’ll probably be re-buying them.

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6. The Foaming Hand Soap

When you buy a Hand Soap Starter Set, you get a soap dispenser (which comes in several different designs, including Disney or Lilac) and some tablets.

Just like with the other products, you just fill the dispenser with water and drop in a tablet.

The hand soap comes in a LOT of different scents. I get why people like their hand soaps to be scented, but I personally would only recommend the fragrance-free option (because of what I talked about above regarding the fragrance loophole).

There’s not too much to say about the soap. It’s sudsy and works effectively. It’s not super luxurious or anything, but it didn’t dry out my hands either.

I do like the foaming hand soap dispenser, though. It’s (mostly) glass, so it’s durable and just nicer to have next to your sink. It seems to be of a higher quality than the spray bottles.

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7. The Body Wash

The body wash comes in a powder instead of a tablet. You fill the “forever bottle” with water, then pour the powder in, shake it up, and wait for it to “activate.” It turns into a kind of creamy texture.

Here’s a video of me “activating” the body wash (which I made more difficult for myself by doing it one-handed!).

Unfortunately, the Body Wash doesn’t come in a fragrance-free option, so I can’t really recommend it. BUT, I decided to try it out anyway, so that I could give you my thoughts.

I tried the Waterlily Dew scent, and I will say, it does smell good. It wasn’t too overpowering for me (many scented products are). My husband really liked it. (I think he misses being able to use as many scented products!)

The other thing my husband said when I asked him for feedback is that it doesn’t produce a lot of suds. Which is true. This didn’t really bother me because, again, I’ve kind of gotten over the fact that you need suds in order to clean something. But I know a lot of people like them!

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8. The Facial Cleanser

The Facial Cleaner is very similar to the Body Wash in terms of the look, feel, and effectiveness.

The biggest difference is that the Facial Cleanser is fragrance-free, which means I can actually recommend it.

It’s pretty nice; I like it! It’s got a soft texture, so it’s gentle on skin. I would say that it’s more for folks who prefer more “basic”/minimalistic skincare products, because it doesn’t have any ‘fancy’ ingredients or target any specific skin needs.

But it didn’t leave my skin feeling dried out or anything like that!

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So… Will I Be Buying Blueland’s Products Again?

As you can see, there are definitely pros and cons when it comes to Blueland’s cleaning products.

I will probably buy the dishwasher tablets and laundry tablets again. I like that they’re PVA-free, compact, super easy to use, and fragrance-free.

I probably won’t buy any of the other products again, though. That’s mostly due to the lack of fragrance disclosure. If Blueland ever increases their transparency about the scents, then I’d reconsider.

All that said, I still think Blueland is doing some great things to push the industry as a whole toward greater sustainability. They’re making easy-to-use, eco-friendly cleaning products appealing to mainstream consumers with their great branding and marketing. They have probably helped a lot of people cut down on waste!

I just hope they don’t stop innovating and that they continue making improvements.

If you do decide to try Blueland out for yourself, their Clean Suite Starter Kit starts at $79.20. Once you have the bottles and tins, you can sign up for “Subscribe & Save” to get the refills delivered to your house every 3 months. You get a discount by subscribing, and the refills tablets start at $4.50 (for a 2-tablet pack).

I hope this review has helped you decide whether Blueland might be a good fit for you!