The Best Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products in Medicine Hat (And Why I Switched for Good)

I'll be honest — before I opened Roots Refillery, I was just like most people. I grabbed whatever cleaning products were on sale, tossed the empty bottles in the recycling (hoping for the best), and didn't think much about what was actually in them.

Then I started paying attention to how I felt after cleaning. Headaches that I'd written off as just part of a busy day. Allergies flaring up every time I scrubbed the bathroom. I'd assumed that was just… cleaning. That it was supposed to feel like that.

It's not. And it doesn't have to.

Then I started reading labels. And I couldn't stop.

Synthetic fragrances that are just a catch-all for hundreds of undisclosed chemicals. Preservatives linked to hormone disruption. Packaging that, despite the recycling symbol, almost certainly ends up in a landfill. I wasn't just cleaning my home — I was coating every surface my kids touched with stuff I couldn't pronounce.

That's what led me to open Roots Refillery in November 2021. And four years later, I've tested more eco-friendly cleaning products than I can count. Here's what I actually stock — and why.

What Makes a Cleaning Product Truly Eco-Friendly?

Before we get into the products, let's clear something up. "Natural" and "eco-friendly" get thrown around a lot in marketing, and they don't always mean what you think.

Here's what I actually look for:

• Plant-based, biodegradable ingredients** that break down safely in our waterways
• Transparent, clean fragrance** — whether a product uses essential oils or fragrance, we make sure it's safe and free from the harmful chemicals hiding behind vague "fragrance" labels in conventional cleaners
• Canadian-made — less transportation, more accountability
• Refillable — because the best packaging is the one you already own

If a product checks all four boxes, it earns a spot on my shelves.

Here's what made the cut.

Mint Cleaning — Medicine Hat's Favourite (For Good Reason)

If you've been into Roots Refillery even once, you've probably smelled Mint Cleaning before you even saw it. That fresh hit of peppermint and bergamot? That's their All-Purpose Cleaner, and it's become one of our most-loved products.

Mint Cleaning was founded by two moms in Ucluelet, BC — professional cleaners who got sick from the products they were using every day. They set out to create something that actually worked without making them ill in the process. The result ended up on Dragon's Den, and for good reason.

What I love about Mint is the simplicity. The ingredient list is short, the scent is from real essential oils, and it cleans genuinely well — not "natural product well," just *well*. Their Floor Wash with rosemary, mint, and orange oil is another standout. A little goes a long way, and your whole house smells incredible after mopping.

We're the only place in Medicine Hat to carry Mint Cleaning, and we offer it as a refill — so you bring your bottle, fill it up, and never buy a new one again.

Pure — The Workhorse of the Laundry Room (and Beyond)

If Mint is the product people fall in love with, Pure is the one they can't live without.

Pure is a Canadian-made, non-toxic line that covers your whole home. Their Laundry Detergent is a concentrate that works in cold water, which already puts it ahead of most conventional detergents from an environmental standpoint. But two of our biggest customer favourites are their Multi-Surface Cleaner and Kitchen & Bathroom Cleaner — both are effective, safe, and priced in a way that makes switching from conventional products a no-brainer. It comes in several scents plus fragrance-free, and it's safe for sensitive skin — which matters a lot to families with little ones or anyone dealing with skin sensitivities.

One of my favourite customer reviews summed it up perfectly: they'd been using their previous detergent for years, tried Pure for the first time, and the wash water ran almost black. They'd had no idea how much buildup their old detergent had left behind.

At Roots Refillery, Pure is available as a refill — we sell it by weight, so you buy exactly what you need, nothing more. A 2.5L bottle handles up to 100 loads. Do the math on what you're currently spending on laundry detergent in single-use plastic jugs, and the savings are real.

Guests on Earth — For the Person Who Wants Cleaning to Feel Like a Ritual

I'll admit — when I first started carrying Guests on Earth, I was a little skeptical. Beautiful packaging, premium price point, lots of hype. Would it actually deliver?

Yes. Yes it would.

Guests on Earth is a Toronto-based brand that makes cleaning products you'll genuinely want to leave on your counter. Their All-Purpose Cleaner, Foaming Hand Soap, and Dish Soap come in sleek aluminum vessels with concentrated refills — the model we built Roots Refillery around. The scents are sophisticated without being overpowering, and the formulas are plant-based, non-toxic, and biodegradable.

If you've been trying to get someone in your house interested in making the switch to eco-friendly cleaning products, Guests on Earth is your trojan horse. It looks beautiful, smells incredible, and works. That's a combination that converts skeptics.

We carry Guests on Earth at Roots Refillery — the only place in Medicine Hat you'll find them locally.

Why Refilling Changes Everything

You might be able to find some of these products online or at larger retailers. So why come to us?

Because refilling is the part that actually moves the needle.

When you refill your container at Roots Refillery instead of buying a new bottle, you're not just reducing plastic waste — you're also spending less money over time. Our refill pricing is consistently lower per ml than retail, and you're not paying for packaging you're just going to throw away.

Since opening in 2021, our customers have collectively diverted over 100,000 containers from landfill. That's 100,000 bottles that didn't get made, shipped, used once, and tossed. It adds up fast.

Come See Us in Medicine Hat

If you're ready to swap out your cleaning products for something that actually works — and that you can feel good about using in your home — we'd love to help you figure out where to start.

**We are located at 40 Strachan Court SE, Unit 2A, Medicine Hat.**

Our team will walk you through everything: how the refill process works, which products are right for your home, and how to make the switch without feeling overwhelmed. We also offer local delivery within 15 km of Medicine Hat, and we ship across Canada for most products.

Come in, smell the Mint, try the Guests on Earth hand soap at our testers, and let us show you that eco-friendly cleaning products don't mean sacrificing a clean home. They mean the opposite.

Crystal Owner & Founder, Roots Refillery — Medicine Hat, Alberta