Branch Basics vs. Blueland vs. Force of Nature: Which Non-Toxic Cleaner Is Worth It?

If you have spent any time researching non-toxic cleaning products, you have probably landed on the same three names: Branch Basics, Blueland, and Force of Nature. They show up in every "best of" list, every momfluencer cabinet tour, every Reddit thread about ditching conventional cleaners.

Here is the good news: all three are legitimately clean. None of them are greenwashing. None of them are owned by Unilever or SC Johnson or Henkel. They each earned high marks on our dual scoring system.

But they are very different products with very different approaches. One is a concentrate you dilute yourself. One is a tablet you dissolve in a reusable bottle. And one is a countertop appliance that turns salt, water, and vinegar into a hospital-grade disinfectant. The right choice depends entirely on what matters most to you.

The Quick Comparison

Before we go deep on each brand, here is where they land on our scoring:

All three score excellent on ingredients. The real differentiator is independence -- Blueland has taken $35 million in venture capital, which drops its independence score. Branch Basics and Force of Nature are fully founder-owned.

Branch Basics: The One-Concentrate-Does-Everything Approach

What It Is

Branch Basics sells a single plant-based concentrate that you dilute at different ratios to replace every cleaner in your house. One bottle makes your all-purpose spray, bathroom cleaner, streak-free glass cleaner, hand soap, laundry detergent, and foaming wash. You buy the concentrate, they provide the dilution bottles and ratios.

The Starter Kit ($69) includes the concentrate, a foaming wash bottle, an all-purpose spray bottle, a bathroom spray bottle, a streak-free spray bottle, and laundry packets. Once you have the bottles, concentrate refills run about $49 and last most families 2-3 months.

Why We Scored It 10/10 on Ingredients

Branch Basics holds MADE SAFE certification, which is one of the strictest third-party certifications in cleaning products. MADE SAFE screens against over 6,500 known toxic chemicals, including carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, reproductive toxins, and developmental toxins. Every ingredient in the concentrate passes this screening.

The ingredient list is short and readable: plant-derived surfactants, coco glucoside, decyl glucoside, chamomile extract, and a few other botanicals. No synthetic fragrances, no preservatives like methylisothiazolinone, no optical brighteners in the laundry formula.

Why We Scored It 10/10 on Independence

Branch Basics was founded by three women -- Marilee Nelson, Allison Evans, and Kelly Love -- after Marilee's work as an environmental consultant helping chemically sensitive families. The company is self-funded, has never taken venture capital, and the founders still run day-to-day operations. No outside investors pushing for faster growth or ingredient compromises.

Who It Is Best For

• Minimalists. If you want one product that replaces everything under your sink, this is the clearest winner. One concentrate, different dilutions, done.
• Families with sensitivities. The MADE SAFE certification and fragrance-free formula makes it a strong choice for homes with allergies, asthma, or chemical sensitivities.
• People who want to reduce plastic. One concentrate bottle replaces 5-6 spray bottles of conventional cleaner. Refills ship in a single bottle.

Drawbacks

• It is not a disinfectant. Branch Basics is a cleaner, not a disinfectant. It removes dirt, grime, and most bacteria through surfactant action, but it is not EPA-registered to kill specific pathogens. If you need to disinfect (after raw chicken, stomach flu, etc.), you will still need something else.
• The starter kit is $69. That is a real investment upfront, even if the per-use cost drops significantly once you are just buying concentrate refills.
• There is a learning curve. Figuring out dilution ratios, remembering which bottle is which, and adjusting to a fragrance-free cleaning experience takes a week or two.

Blueland: The Tablet-and-Bottle Plastic Reduction Play

What It Is

Blueland sells cleaning tablets that you drop into a reusable bottle and fill with water. The tablets dissolve and create an all-purpose cleaner, bathroom cleaner, glass cleaner, or hand soap. They also sell dishwasher tablets, laundry tablets, and toilet cleaner tablets. The Clean Essentials kit starts at $29 and includes three reusable spray bottles and three tablet sets.

Individual tablet refills run about $2-3 per tablet (each makes one full bottle of cleaner), making it one of the cheapest non-toxic cleaning options per use. Starter sets for specific products range from $16 to $20.

Why We Scored It 9/10 on Ingredients

Blueland's formulas are genuinely clean. They are free from VOCs, parabens, phthalates, ammonia, and synthetic dyes. The products are certified by EPA Safer Choice, meaning every ingredient has been independently verified to be safer for human health and the environment.

The reason it is a 9 and not a 10: some products include mild synthetic surfactants and preservatives that, while safe and EPA-approved, are a step below the ultra-minimal ingredient lists you get from Branch Basics or Force of Nature. It is still an excellent score -- we are talking about the difference between "outstanding" and "basically perfect."

Why We Scored It 7/10 on Independence

Here is where Blueland gets complicated. The company was founded in 2019 by Sarah Paiji Yoo after she discovered microplastics in baby formula. It is a genuinely mission-driven company. But Blueland has raised $35 million in venture capital from firms including Justin Timberlake's fund, Comcast Ventures, and others.

To their credit, Blueland appears to be profitable and growing sustainably. Sarah Paiji Yoo still leads the company and has been transparent about maintaining control. They earned B Corp certification, which requires meeting rigorous social and environmental standards.

But $35 million in VC creates expectations. Investors eventually want returns -- either through an IPO, acquisition, or significant dividend payments. We have seen this story play out before: a mission-driven brand takes VC money, grows fast, and eventually sells to a conglomerate that waters down the mission. Blueland has not done this. But the structure makes it possible. That is why the independence score drops to a 7: not for what has happened, but for what the incentive structure allows.

Who It Is Best For

• Budget-conscious switchers. At $2-3 per tablet, Blueland is the cheapest non-toxic option per use once you have the bottles. The starter kits are also the most affordable entry point of these three brands.
• Convenience-first households. Drop a tablet, add water, done. No measuring concentrate ratios, no appliance setup. It is the easiest transition from conventional cleaning.
• Plastic-reduction prioritizers. If your primary motivation for switching is environmental (reducing single-use plastic), Blueland's mission and packaging are built specifically around that.

Drawbacks

• Not a disinfectant. Like Branch Basics, Blueland's all-purpose and bathroom cleaners are cleaners, not EPA-registered disinfectants.
• VC funding creates uncertainty. We do not think Blueland is on a bad path, but $35M in venture capital means the founders do not have full control over the company's future direction. That is a structural risk, not a current problem.
• Individual tablets can feel expensive. While the per-use cost is low, buying $2-3 tablets one at a time can feel pricier than buying a $4 bottle of Fabuloso. The math works out in Blueland's favor, but the psychological pricing is awkward.

Force of Nature: The Science-Backed Disinfectant Maker

What It Is

Force of Nature is not a cleaning product in the traditional sense. It is a small countertop appliance (called an electrolyzer) that turns tap water, salt, and a capsule of vinegar into hypochlorous acid -- the same substance your white blood cells produce to fight infection. The resulting solution is an EPA-registered disinfectant that kills 99.9% of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, including Staph, MRSA, Salmonella, Norovirus, and Influenza A.

The Starter Kit ($80) includes the electrolyzer appliance, a spray bottle, and a pack of activator capsules (salt + vinegar). A 50-pack of refill capsules costs about $30 and makes 50 bottles of cleaner, bringing the per-bottle cost down to about $0.60.

Why We Scored It 10/10 on Ingredients

The ingredients are literally water, salt, and vinegar. Through electrolysis, the appliance converts these into hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and sodium hydroxide -- both of which are on the EPA's Safer Chemical Ingredients List. Hypochlorous acid is the same disinfectant used in wound care, eye drops, and hospital sterilization. It is as non-toxic as a disinfectant can possibly be.

No surfactants. No fragrances. No preservatives. No dyes. The ingredient list could not be shorter, and every component is something your body already produces or encounters in food.

Why We Scored It 10/10 on Independence

Force of Nature was founded by Sandy Posa, who spent 20 years in consumer products before creating the company. It is privately held, founder-run, and has not taken venture capital. Sandy bootstrapped the company and maintains full control over formulation, sourcing, and business decisions. There are no outside investors pushing for rapid scale, acquisition, or ingredient cost-cutting.

Who It Is Best For

• People who actually need to disinfect. This is the only product in this comparison that is an EPA-registered disinfectant. If you have kids in daycare, immunocompromised family members, pets, or you simply want to know your counters are actually disinfected after handling raw meat -- Force of Nature is the clear choice.
• Pet owners. Hypochlorous acid is safe for use around animals. No toxic residue, no harmful fumes. You can spray it directly on pet bedding, litter areas, and food bowls.
• Parents with young children. Same logic as pet owners. It is the only disinfectant on this list that you genuinely do not need to worry about a toddler touching a surface you just sprayed.
• People replacing bleach. If you currently use Clorox or Lysol to disinfect and want a non-toxic alternative that actually works at the same level, Force of Nature is the only product here that fits.

Drawbacks

• $80 upfront cost. The starter kit is the most expensive entry point of these three. The per-use cost drops dramatically after the initial purchase, but that first outlay can feel steep.
• Requires an appliance. You need counter space for the electrolyzer, and you need to run a cycle each time you make a new batch. Each batch takes about 6 minutes. It is not hard, but it is more effort than unwrapping a tablet or pouring concentrate.
• Solution has a shelf life. The hypochlorous acid solution is most effective within 2 weeks of making it. After that, it begins to degrade back to salt water. You need to use it or make new batches regularly.
• Not a great degreaser on its own. HOCl is an outstanding disinfectant but only an average cleaner for grease and grime. For stovetops and ovens, you may still want a dedicated degreaser alongside it.

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The Verdict: It Depends on What You Need

We are not going to pick one winner because these products solve different problems. Here is our honest take:

Choose Branch Basics if you want simplicity. One concentrate, multiple dilutions, everything replaced. It is the most elegant solution for people who want to declutter their cleaning supplies and know that every formula is MADE SAFE certified. Best for minimalists and families with chemical sensitivities.

Choose Blueland if you want the easiest, most affordable entry point into non-toxic cleaning. The tablet system is dead simple, the refill costs are the lowest of the three, and the B Corp certification adds environmental accountability. Just know that the VC backing is worth watching.

Choose Force of Nature if you need a real disinfectant. It is the only product here that replaces bleach and Lysol with an EPA registration to prove it. The upfront cost is the highest, but at $0.60 per bottle it becomes the cheapest option over time. Best for parents, pet owners, and anyone who needs to actually kill pathogens -- not just clean surfaces.

Honestly? A lot of households would benefit from Branch Basics for everyday cleaning + Force of Nature for disinfecting. They complement each other perfectly.

Who to Avoid: "Natural" Cleaners That Aren't Independent

While you are shopping for non-toxic cleaners, you will probably run into these brands. They market themselves as natural, plant-based, or eco-friendly. And their formulas might even be decent. But they are all owned by massive conglomerates -- the same companies that sell conventional chemical cleaners on the next shelf over.

SC Johnson bought Mrs. Meyer's in 2008 and Method in 2012. Unilever acquired Seventh Generation in 2016. In each case, the original founders left or reduced their involvement. The formulas may still be "cleaner" than the parent company's conventional lines, but the profits fund the same corporate structures, and you have no guarantee formulations will not change as cost pressures increase.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can any of these replace Lysol or Clorox?

Only Force of Nature. It is the only product here that holds an EPA registration as a disinfectant, meaning it has been tested and proven to kill specific pathogens (Staph, MRSA, Salmonella, Influenza A, Norovirus, and more). Branch Basics and Blueland are excellent cleaners, but they are not registered disinfectants. If you are wiping down surfaces after raw chicken or during flu season, Force of Nature is the one that actually replaces bleach-based products.

Which one is cheapest long-term?

Force of Nature, surprisingly. After the $80 starter kit, each refill capsule costs about $0.60 and makes a full spray bottle of cleaner/disinfectant. Over a year, a typical household spends around $40-50 on capsules. Blueland comes in second at roughly $2-3 per bottle. Branch Basics runs about $50 every 2-3 months for concentrate refills, so roughly $200-300 per year. All three are cheaper than buying conventional spray bottles individually, but Force of Nature wins on per-use cost by a wide margin.

Are these safe for homes with babies and pets?

Yes, all three. Branch Basics is fragrance-free and MADE SAFE certified -- designed specifically with sensitive populations in mind. Blueland's EPA Safer Choice certification covers safety for children and pets. Force of Nature's hypochlorous acid is used in wound care and veterinary applications. Of the three, Force of Nature is arguably the safest for pet and baby environments because it disinfects without leaving any toxic residue.

What about Blueland's VC funding -- should I be worried?

Not yet, but it is worth watching. Blueland has raised $35 million in venture capital, which means outside investors own a significant portion of the company. The company is reportedly profitable and founder-led, which are good signs. But VC firms typically expect a return within 7-10 years, usually through an acquisition or IPO. We have seen dozens of indie brands get acquired by conglomerates after taking VC money. It is not a certainty, but the structural incentive is there. That is why we score Blueland's independence at 7/10 rather than 10/10 -- it reflects the risk, not the current reality.