I’ve always been a reusable soap dispenser girly, but my issue is that most soap refills come in big plastic containers — which feels like it defeats the whole purpose of using refillable dispensers. I did some digging around online to see if I could find more recyclable soap refills, and I found Grove Collaborative(opens in a new tab).
Grove Co. is an online storefront that houses its own eco-friendly cleaning products along with well-known favorites like Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day and Method. What really drew me to Grove was its hand soap and dish soap refills that come in aluminum bottles. Aluminum is essentially infinitely recyclable(opens in a new tab), so I felt much better about buying these soap refills than plastic ones from Amazon or Target. Currently, Grove is plastic-neutral, and by 2025 the company aims to be 100 percent plastic-free(opens in a new tab).
The actual soap itself is made with 97 percent plant-based ingredients and uses natural fragrances. My favorite is the lavender and thyme scent. While I was drawn in by the soap, I stayed for the other eco-friendly cleaning products. Some that I keep in rotation are walnut sponges(opens in a new tab), recycled plastic trash bags(opens in a new tab), and bamboo paper towels(opens in a new tab). Plus, Grove has super cute reusable glass spray bottles and soap dispensers.
Do you need the Grove Co. VIP subscription?
You don’t have to be a subscriber to purchase Grove products, but you do get some decent perks if you do subscribe, including free shipping on orders over $29, full-sized gifts added to orders, and exclusive VIP sales. Regular shipping is $4.99 for VIP orders under $29 and non-subscriber orders under $49.
The subscription costs $19.99 per year, so it’s on the very cheap end of subscription services. It’s worth it if you plan to place four or more orders per year.
Before you make your first purchase, Grove will add suggested products to your cart for you, which you can obviously remove or swap for others. After you make a purchase, Grove will automatically set your products to renew on a monthly/semi-monthly basis, which is either annoying or helpful depending on who you are. I found it a bit annoying because I live alone in a small studio apartment and a monthly refill was too frequent for me. Luckily, you can go in and change the frequency or if you want the products to be recurring or not.
One thing I really appreciate about the Grove Co. subscription is that I can skip orders whenever I want and only reorder products when needed. They'll send you emails to remind you when your next order is about to ship, so you don't forget to cancel if you need. I honestly don’t feel the pressure of the subscription. Possibly the best part about ordering from Grove is that you get a cute little personalized note written on your box. I get to order eco-friendly products and feel like I’m supporting a company that cares about its customers.
Is Grove Co. a realistic eco-friendly swap?
I do have to admit that I canceled my Grove Collaborative subscription. The Target a block away from my apartment stocks Grove products, and for the types of products I regularly purchase from Grove, it seemed more sustainable to just walk down the street and buy them from Target than to have them shipped and delivered to my apartment. Though, the products are a little cheaper on Grove’s website. And I do miss my hand-written notes.
Aside from that, honestly, I found myself missing the power of bleach for my kitchen and bathroom. Grove cleaners come as concentrates that you mix with water and I just didn't feel like they were getting the job done on some of the surfaces in my apartment. I was interested in Grove for its sustainable packaging more than its natural ingredients. So, I switched back to buying the occasional Clorox product in addition to my Grove cleaning products.
If you’re like me and want to smell chemicals to feel like your home is getting a good clean, a Grove subscription might not necessarily be worth it, but the products are definitely still worth checking out. I feel so much better about stocking my apartment even if I’m just buying recyclable soap refills and recycled trash bags. And if you’re into eco-friendly cleaning swaps and like natural ingredients in your products, a Grove Co. VIP subscription(opens in a new tab) is a no-brainer.
