About two months ago I came across a promo on a Youtube Vlog offering a free trial membership to Grove Collaborative with an introductory box of products for new members. If you haven't heard of Grove Collaborative, it is an online based subscription company that offers personalized monthly deliveries of eco-friendly products from environmentally conscious companies. The company is also a certified B-Corporation. B-Corporations (B-Corps) are for-profit companies certified by the nonprofit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. (Some other popular B-Corporations include Patagonia, Seventh Generation, and Ben & Jerry's.)

Despite the coming and going of "all natural" phases throughout the years I usually remained more of a Lysol and bleach gal when it came to cleaning the house (what with it always full of animals and their dirty, dirty paws), but with the little one having more chores around the home on the weekend I was getting concerned with the chemicals he was using to help me clean. Growing up my mother always smothered everything in Spic 'n Span, Pledge, and Scrubbing Bubbles (to name a few), and, despite the havoc it did to my respiratory system, that and only that was what was considered "clean." Chemicals = Clean. It was the 80's/90's and whatever Proctor and Gamble said was the golden rule, especially when you had a parent with OCD.

The few times I DID try to use more natural based cleaning products I was completely dissatisfied with my efforts. Vinegar and water just didn't seem to cut the grease and left my counters and doors smelling like the pickles I made on Sundays. The laundry detergents I made were moderately successful, but never did the trick of the big red bottles of Tide when it came to stains. As a result, my trips to BJ's Wholesale usually ended up with half a cart full of Lysol, Mr. Clean, Clorox wipes, and giant bottles of detergent for the two loads of laundry that magically appears daily (despite there being only two full-sized humans and a pint sized one in the house). Nonetheless, I saw the opportunity to try something FREE and took the plunge.



The offer included a free 60-day trial membership to Grove Collaborative with about $20 worth of products when you spend $20. There is always some sort of "catch" when it comes to subscriptions, but because the prices of the cleaners and other personal products are so reasonable, I was able to secure quite a few items to make the $20 goal. The VIP membership seems to run anywhere from $40 to $80 annually (depending upon whether you are using a coupon code or joining during a special), but with it you receive free shipping and products throughout the year. By my estimate, the first order I place most likely would have cost between $15 - $20 to ship by it's weight, so the free shipping in itself covers your membership in the first few orders.



My mother-in-law swears by Mrs. Myers so I was excited to give the products a try. The always make everything feel so clean and the scents are natural and relaxing. In addition to the Mrs. Myers selections sent, I selected some wood cleaner by Method for my cabinets and tables that was safe since those are the things I tend to have E wipe off the most for his chores. Plus, things like Pledge is more of a polish and not intended to be a daily cleaner, thus leaving a waxy residue on everything that is unsightly and can permeated into other things.


So far, out of my first box I have gone through and entire bottle of the Mrs. Myers Dish Soap and almost a full bottle of the Multi Surface Cleaner and place a second order for each. The dish liquid performs just as well as Dawn on my greasy pots and pans and still gets the food stuck on dishes I find all over the house off without any trouble. There is also less of a streak on my plates and glasses than before. The multi purpose spray is wonderful as well and the scent is much more pleasant than the lemony scent of the Lysol I have been using. I use it daily on all of my counters and sinks but still keep some Clorox wipes handy for particular occasions. Since I am still finishing up products I have already purchased for the house because I simply will not waste them, I still have to try my other cleaners from my first subscription box (bathroom cleaners in particular).

Your subscription service with Grove Collaborative creates a monthly supply which, unless you remove the items from your cart, will bill and ship automatically. With this, you simply edit your settings to ship the products you go through the most monthly, bi-monthly, or remove them all together. The service is convenient because everyone out there has hit their local store more than once a month and completely forgot that they were out of dish liquid or laundry soap or hand sanitizer. Last week, for instance, I saw that I was running low on laundry detergent and quickly added it to my cart on the website to be delivered with my re-supply later that week. It worked out perfectly. For me, it is also convenient because I usually only drive once per week and end up running small errands for things as the such during my lunch break and trying to shove them into my backpack or gym bag and balance it on my bike from shop, to work, to gym, and finally home at the end of the day.

The website also offers a price match guarantee, but after pricing the products at three shops near me, Whole Foods, Walmart, and Target, they still offer a lower price on the items I am interested in by about $.50 to $2.00 per item, although the subscription price for some would balance out that savings. For instance, if you choose to only shop a few times a year for a few products at a time, the subscription service may not be cost effective for you. But, if you are like me and have a busy lifestyle that often causes you to be a bit forgetful at times, the customized service works wonderfully - but only if you are mindful of your needs and habits. In my case, it is not only a conscious decision to remove unnecessary chemicals from my home and replace them with effective natural-based ingredients I don't have to worry about my son being around, but it is also a way to keep my budget and household needs organized and delivered to my door when I need them.

If you are interested in trying something from Grove Collaborative you can use THIS REFERRAL CODE for $10 off you first purchase.