I should also note that I fully recognize this is something I should be working on personally.

So, when the folks at Branch Basics asked me if I wanted to try their cleaning product all I could think was, “please be half decent.”

Well, it wasn’t. It was awesome.

A person holds a silver bucket filled with Branch Basics cleaning spray bottles, a scrub brush, and a white cloth.

So Branch Basic is this cleanser base that is totally organic, totally biodegradable and full of food grade ingredients. It can clean virtually anything from babies to barbeques.

They sent me a bottle of cleaner along with an empty spray bottle and hand soap dispenser. I took a look at the card and figured out what the ratios should be for each one and filled them up.

Four-step guide: 1. Pick a bottle, 2. Fill with water, 3. Fill with concentrate, 4. Shake to mix.

Then I started cleaning

First I washed my hands. Humph, nice job, but I’ve used concoctions I’ve mixed up in a Pinterest flurry to wash my hands so I figure that doesn’t count. Then I washed my counter. Got the sticky mystery glob up. Check. Then I cleaned the bathroom and it got the tub clean and all the pee off the rim of the toilet (welcome to boys). Check. I used the spray on the mirror even though the ratio for glass what lower (hey, I was standing there so I gave it a shot) so I had to buff off a slight film. Then I noticed the next day that the mirror didn’t fog up when I had a shower. Check! What witchcraft is this?!?!

Woman kneeling on a rug, cleaning a nursery while a baby plays on an activity mat near a yellow toy truck.

I washed my hair with it and it totally worked. Check. I used it in two loads of laundry – one white and one dark – and the clothes came out great. Check. Then finally I used it to clean my sink with a sprinkling of baking soda and it shone like Idris Elba’s smile. Check, check and check!

I’m sold

Now, I didn’t have anything really horrific to clean (which is actually surprising as I live with three males and two cats) so I couldn’t test it on tar, vomit, blood or wine spills so I can’t vouch for those yet. But, man, I was really impressed with how well it works on the stuff I did clean.

Person carrying a woven laundry basket holding Branch Basics Concentrate, Oxygen Boost, and white towels.

Maybe I could make this!

My other thought was, “I wonder if I could make this?” (See Pinterest flurry above.) I was keen on this vinegar and Dawn mixture thing I saw a few times and it worked great except I dislike that lingering smell of vinegar in my house.

I looked at the bottle and while I recognized all the ingredients, these aren’t things you pick up in the grocery store. Plus, it isn’t that expensive and works out to about 11¢ an ounce (the average cleanser is about 20¢ an ounce) so there’s no point in my brewing this up in my basement anyway.

Branch Basics concentrate yield chart: one bottle makes 16 all-purpose, 240 streak-free, 10 bathroom, or 16 foaming bottles.

So what do I think about Branch Basic?

I think this stuff is really smart. They’ve made a magic potion and figured out how to use it in every room in the house. It’s safe around babies, pets and anyone else who would like to avoid carcinogenic chemicals. I give it two very safe and clean thumbs up. If you’d like to check out Branch Basics, you can find them here on their website.

Happy cleaning!

Also check out: How To Clean and Disinfect Board Books

Amy Morrison is the founder of Pregnant Chicken, a no-BS pregnancy and parenting site she started in 2010 after getting fed up with patronizing baby advice. A former ad agency creative director and mom of two boys, she's been serving up honest, funny guidance to parents-to-be ever since.

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