I know this might be a bit of a strange confession, but I love the cleaning products aisle at Target! I love counter sprays, hand soap, laundry detergent – all of it! It might have something to do with my love of scents. I love fragrances and also keep a ridiculously clean and orderly house. Yes, my husband and I definitely do our part to uphold the stereotype of super-tidy gays.

As an ethical vegan though, I’ve had to do my research over the years to make sure that the cleaning products I’m buying align with my values. First, I want to make sure the products don’t contain animal ingredients. Second, that they weren’t tested on animals. I also like to buy products that are naturally derived. Think of when you spray glass cleaner or counter spray – do you really want to be breathing in toxic chemicals while you clean? No, you don’t.

Now, there are a lot of companies these days that sell cruelty-free natural products, but there’s one that I’m actually obsessed with and I need to share. I’m talking about Mrs. Meyer’s.

I don’t know when exactly I first became aware of Mrs. Meyer’s products, but they are a staple in our home. I buy their hand soap, counter spray, dryer sheets, you name it. Aside from the fact that these products work amazingly, Lady Meyer did not skimp on the fragrance. Every product in this line smells INCREDIBLE! If you’ve ever bought this stuff, you know what I’m talking about. The company also has singularly incredible ethics (more about that later).

First, let’s talk about the scents.

I do have my favorites. For me, the lemon verbena, basil, radish, and apple are the best scents in the line. They also make a watermelon scent that is out of this world – but it’s only available as a foaming hand soap. Did I mention the company does seasonal scents too?! The apple cider they make for fall is probably my favorite in the whole line. It smells like apple pie but extremely clean, not a cloying sweet scent like you sometimes get in other product lines. When this scent becomes available I buy like a dozen at a time. Then there’s the peppermint scent they make for the holidays! I hoard them too. (I told you I have a problem).

I use pretty much all the products in the line – they even make shower gel and, yes, I’ve tried it and it’s great! Seriously, you can’t go wrong. Special shout-out to the dryer sheets in the line, not only because they make your laundry smell FABULOUS, but because most dryer sheets contain tallow. For those who don’t know, tallow is made from rendered animal fat. So if you’re using the most commonly available dryer sheets, chances are you’re spreading dead animal fat all over your clothes. Ew.

Aside from the products being vegan and cruelty-free, Mrs. Meyer’s also has some other great corporate initiatives: 1. All their product packaging is recyclable and uses at least 25 percent post-consumer plastic for bottles. 2. All their products are free of ammonia, chlorine, glycol solvents, parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, artificial colorants, phosphates, and petroleum distillates. 3. The company has a full list of every ingredient in their products on their website. It tells you what the ingredient is, how it was derived, and what it does. They also have a program going on right now that for every bottle of hand soap sold, they commit to planting one endangered plant such as the Purple Coneflower. I mean… just when you thought you could not love them more.

Mrs. Meyer’s is widely available. I pick their stuff up at Target or Whole Foods. But if you can’t find their stuff near you, they have an online store that offers free shipping on orders over $30. Also, they’re on Amazon. If you haven’t tried this line, I can’t recommend enough!