2026 Cleaning Trends: What’s Next in Eco-Friendly Cleaning

Here’s to being fully present in your space this year. | By Caitlin Hofmeister

2026 is shaping up to be the year many of us honor our analog roots and commit to staying offline more, but that doesn’t just mean shutting our phones in drawers and twiddling our thumbs (ah, remember twiddling?). Instead, it means being fully present in our physical spaces and discerning about what we pay attention to. 

Going analog means being fully present in our homes, too. 

So to kick off the new year, here are seven ways to care for and enjoy your physical spaces. 

1. Let the light in! 

In the northern hemisphere, the light is returning day by day, so let it into your home with clean windows! Just dissolve a Glass Cleaning Tablet in a pint of warm water (ideally a glass spray bottle) and have at it! I like to spray my windows in rainbow arcs, starting at the top, then using a soft old t-shirt or microfiber cloth to wipe away the spray and built-up grime. 

2. Commit to wiping down the counters 

I don’t mind letting my space get a little messy, but making sure I have clean, clear counters is the fastest way to calm my busy mind. So I take care of my space and my brain when I wipe down my counters with Swedish Dish Cloths and All Purpose Cleaning Tablets. I do the same for the bathroom with a different Swedish dish cloth and a bottle of the bathroom cleaner. 

3. Take care of your things for the long haul 

I love clothes. I love bright patterns and brilliant solids. Most of all I love clothes that feel good. So when I find a comfy top I want to wear all the time, or a white t-shirt that is thick and soft, then I want to keep those clothes as nice as I can for as long as I can. And having a few beloved favorites instead of a closet jammed with things I only kind of like, makes my home feel bigger and my wardrobe feel special. So I love the Soap Stick Laundry Stain Remover and Oxygen Brightener Bleach Alternative for taking great care of my clothes. And they’re particularly useful now that I have kiddos who love clothes and playing in the dirt as much as I do. 

4. Let your clothes smell like you, not the other way around 

I love to buy thrifted clothes when I can, but if they’ve been laundered with scented dryer sheets, I have to pass. The residue those leave on our clothes stay on them for what seems like forever, and I can’t handle the smell. Plus, they just feel gross after a while. But Alpaca Dryer Balls accomplish the same thing, without the synthetic film of fragrance and they make laundry more fun! Plus, they also seem to last forever, so a single three-pack will save you a ton when you replace single use dryer sheets or fabric softener. 

5. Decide for yourself how much detergent you need

This is petty, but I hate laundry pods. Don’t tell me how much detergent I need! I’ll decide that for myself, thank you very much. The Ecogeek Laundry Powder Detergent is powerful and washes away clean. And because it’s a powder and not a pod, I can adjust how much I use depending on how big my load of laundry is. 

6. Allow yourself nice things – that need to be hand-washed 

Most of my dishes can go in the dishwasher, but I have a few beloved pieces that I always wash by hand. Because of that, I used to avoid using my favorite dishes because I’d have to hand-wash them. There’s nothing luxurious or comforting about washing a handmade coffee mug with bright blue dish soap and a plastic scrub brush. But the lemongrass scent of the Solid Dish Soap and the feel of the wooden Ecogeek Scrub Brush in my hand make washing my favorite dishes feel like a delicious ritual. (Pro tip: if you’re new to using the solid dish soap, make sure to also get the EcoGeek Soap Saver)

7. Put your home to bed each night 

Speaking of ritual, I try to run my dishwasher every night. I work from home and have a family, so we easily use enough dishes to make this happen. The wooshing sound of the dishes being cleaned with Dishwasher Powder is a calm background noise as we all settle into storytime and then sleep. I think of tidying the kitchen and filling the dishwasher as part of putting the house to bed. Then in the morning, I pop the dishwasher open and pull out what we need for coffee and breakfast and start waking the house back up