I am still looking for ways to continue reducing my waste, especially with bathroom products. Have you noticed how much plastic is in your bathroom? Body wash, shampoo & conditioner, face wash, loofahs, cleaning products, hairspray, lotion, razors, toothbrushes & toothpaste, dental floss… It is overwhelming. 

In one of my latest posts on Instagram, I talked about how it is important to use what we currently have and think of ways to repurpose before purchasing sustainable options. Majority of the items in my bathroom are not ready to be thrown away yet, so I am trying to use them for as long as I can. This also gives me time to start researching more sustainable options for each of the items that either contain or are stored in plastic. 

While researching, I came across “refill” stores. The products these stores offer can vary but most include household products like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, etc in bulk. The idea is that you bring in your old container and refill them as a zero waste option. 

I started looking into whether there was one in the state of Ohio. This would solve a lot of my sustainability concerns about bathroom products and help me work toward a more sustainable lifestyle. After researching, there is only 1 zero waste store that opened in 2019 called Empty Bin Zero Waste located in Canton, Ohio. I will definitely need to check it out after stores and businesses start opening back up again after this pandemic.

In the meantime, I also wanted to research some online options and see what type of services are available for residents of Ohio. I found an article by Martha Stewart The Best Refillable Cleaning Products for Your Eco-Friendly Home of the top most popular environmentally friendly  household product refill sites and decided to start there. Below is a consolidated list, an overview of the company, whether it ships to Ohio, and if there was a shipping rate (mostly to see if it was outrageous).

Blueland

Blueland is focused on sustainable cleaning products but sells their cleaning solutions in tablet forms that you add to water. They sell cleaning kits comprised of 4 glass “forever” bottles, 3 cleaning tablets (multi-surface, glass, and bathroom), and 1 foaming soap tablet. The kit starts at $39 and is only $6 for refills on the tablets once you’re out. All products are non toxic, chemical free, and safe for pets and children.

Ships to Ohio – YES

Shipping rate – FREE (after $35)

Personal Opinion – This was my favorite option. I liked how the solution came in dissolvable tablets and not catridges you needed to recycle.

Truman’s

Truman’s is actually an Ohio-based company with a bunch of different cleaning kits available. There’s more variety compared to Blueland and they offer dishsoap, toilet bowl cleaner, and laundry soap. 100% sustainable packaging. $22 for a cleaning product kit (4 glass bottles and 1 refill cartridge of each).

Ships to Ohio – Yes

Shipping rate – $5

Personal Opinion – They are cheaper initially cheaper than Blueland but their concentrated solution is packaged in cartridges and not dissolvable tablets like Blueland. They are recyclable, but it is not always a guarantee that they will not end up in landfills (if there are no buyers for the processed, recycled material).

Branch Basics

Branch Basics creates products that are human safe, plant & mineral based, free of harmful preservatives, biodegradable, not tested on animals, and non-gmo. Their products are similar where they offer the concentrated solution and empty bottles to mix with your own water. Only 1 bottle of concentration is needed for the different types of cleaners (window, bathroom, multi-surface, etc). Starter kits start at $59. It’s an additional $49 for the concentration but looks like that should last you for a while. There are also other products available on their site, as well.

Ships to Ohio – Yes

Shipping Rate – FREE (after $39)

Personal Opinon – I feel that this is a little pricier than the other options. I am also concerned that it is one concentrate for all surfaces.. Not sure if would work for all types.

JAWS

Just Add Water System (JAWS) is similar to Truman’s where you reuse the bottles and the concentrated cleaning solution is in the catridges. They also offer their brand of microfiber towels good for cleaning all surfaces. A starter kit is $27 and comes with 4 bottles and 2 refill catridges each. It is $5.99 for 2 refill pods each or $59 for 24 refill pods. 

Ships to Ohio – Yes

Shipping Rate – FREE (after $29)

Personal Opinion – They claim their ingredients are non toxic but they did not seem as environmentally friendly as the other brands. Again, same concern as with Truman’s where the concentrate is in pods and not dissolvable tablets like Blueland. These do seem like the cheaper option compared to the other 4. 

Hopefully, you found this review of refill stores and services available for Ohio helpful! I will definitely be making a trip to Empty Bin Zero Waste in Canton, Ohio in the near future. As far as my favorite online service for household cleaners, I think my preference is Blueland. I liked the design, packaging, and zero waste dissolvable tablets. Let me know on my Instagram (@touchtreeus) if you try any of these sites for visit the store.