6 Best Refillable All Purpose Cleaners For Minimalists That Declutter Your Life

That cabinet under the sink is prime real estate in a small home, yet for most people, it’s a graveyard of half-empty plastic spray bottles. You have one for glass, another for counters, and a third for "tough grease," all taking up space you simply don’t have. Switching to a refillable all-purpose cleaner isn’t just an eco-friendly choice; it’s a strategic move to reclaim valuable square inches and simplify your entire cleaning routine.

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Why Refillable Cleaners Simplify Small Spaces

The biggest win with refillable cleaners is the radical reduction in stored volume. Instead of stockpiling multiple bulky plastic bottles, you’re storing tiny tablets, small concentrate vials, or lightweight pods. This is the difference between a whole shelf and a small shoebox.

In a tiny house or an RV, this isn’t just a convenience—it’s a necessity. Every item’s weight and size are scrutinized. A gallon of traditional cleaners is 8 pounds of sloshing liquid you have to secure on travel days. A dozen cleaning tablets weigh practically nothing and can be tucked into any drawer, completely eliminating the risk of leaks and spills during transit.

This approach fundamentally changes your supply chain. You’re no longer buying water, plastic, and a little bit of soap. You’re just buying the soap. By keeping one or two "forever bottles" and replenishing them with compact refills, you break the cycle of clutter and waste that traditional cleaning products create.

Blueland Multi-Surface: Tablet-Based Simplicity

Blueland’s system is built on a simple, brilliant idea: a cleaning tablet you drop into a reusable bottle with your own water. This is minimalism at its best. The refills are coin-sized tablets that ship in a small paper envelope, making them the most space-efficient option on this list.

The process couldn’t be easier. You fill the bottle with warm water, drop in the tablet, and wait a few minutes for it to dissolve. There’s no measuring, no pouring, and no messy concentrate. It’s a fantastic system for anyone who wants a zero-effort transition to a refillable system.

The tradeoff is in its power. The multi-surface cleaner is excellent for daily wipe-downs of counters, tables, and smudges on the wall. However, for serious, caked-on grease on a stovetop, you might need something with more punch or a bit of extra elbow grease. Think of it as your daily driver, not your off-road powerhouse.

Branch Basics Concentrate: One Bottle for Everything

Branch Basics takes a different approach by offering one universal concentrate for nearly every cleaning task in your home. You get a single bottle of their plant-based formula and several empty spray bottles labeled for different uses: All-Purpose, Bathroom, Streak-Free, and even Foaming Wash. You simply dilute the concentrate with water according to the ratios on each bottle.

This is the holy grail for the minimalist who wants to consolidate ruthlessly. That one bottle of concentrate replaces your all-purpose spray, glass cleaner, bathroom cleaner, and can even be used for laundry or hand-washing dishes. The space savings are immense, reducing your entire cleaning arsenal down to one primary product and a few spray bottles.

The initial kit can feel like an investment, and it requires a small amount of DIY to mix your solutions. But the long-term value and decluttering power are unmatched. If you’re willing to take 30 seconds to mix a new bottle, Branch Basics offers the most streamlined and versatile system available.

Grove Co. All-Purpose: Sustainable & Accessible

Grove Collaborative is a great entry point into the world of refillable cleaning. Their system is straightforward: you get a durable glass spray bottle and small glass vials of concentrated cleaner. You pour the concentrate into the bottle, add water, and you’re ready to go.

What sets Grove apart is its accessibility and variety. They offer a wide range of scents using essential oils, which is a big plus if you enjoy having a fresh-smelling home. The glass bottles are also well-designed and sturdy, feeling more like a permanent tool than a disposable product.

The concentrate vials are small, but they aren’t as compact as tablets or pods. This makes them slightly less efficient for ultra-small spaces like a van or RV, where every cubic inch counts. Still, it’s a massive improvement over traditional bottles and provides a nice balance between aesthetics, sustainability, and ease of use.

Cleancult All-Purpose: Stylish Glass & Carton Refills

Cleancult puts a heavy emphasis on design, and in a small space where everything is visible, that matters. Their system uses beautiful, shatter-resistant glass bottles with colorful silicone sleeves that look great sitting out on the counter. This turns a utility item into a piece of decor.

The refills come in paper-based milk cartons, which are recyclable and a clear step up from single-use plastic. You simply pour the pre-mixed solution from the carton into your forever bottle. This means no mixing or dissolving is required, offering pure convenience.

The main tradeoff here is storage space for the refills. While the cartons are eco-friendlier than plastic jugs, they still take up significantly more room than tablets or concentrates. Cleancult is the ideal choice for someone who prioritizes aesthetics and convenience over absolute spatial efficiency.

Force of Nature: Electrolyzed Water Disinfectant

Force of Nature is in a category of its own. It’s not a subscription service for soap; it’s a small appliance that uses electricity to convert tap water, salt, and vinegar into a powerful, non-toxic cleaner and disinfectant. The solution is an EPA-registered disinfectant that kills 99.9% of germs, including viruses.

The system is perfect for anyone living in close quarters who is concerned about health and hygiene but wants to avoid harsh chemicals like bleach or ammonia. You create the solution on-demand in small batches, so you always have a fresh supply. The only refills you need to store are tiny capsules of the salt and vinegar solution.

The obvious consideration is the upfront cost of the starter kit and the need for electricity to create the solution. This might be a challenge for off-grid living unless you have a reliable power system. But for the ability to create a hospital-grade disinfectant on your countertop from basic ingredients, it offers unparalleled peace of mind and cleaning power.

Dropps All-Purpose Pods: Easy Pre-Measured Cleaning

Dropps brings the convenience of its popular laundry pods to surface cleaning. The system is incredibly simple: you get a reusable spray bottle and a cardboard box of tiny, dissolvable all-purpose cleaning pods. Just like with tablets, you drop one in the bottle, add water, and let it dissolve.

The pod form factor is fantastic for small-space living. The cardboard box is compact and recyclable, and the pods themselves are mess-free and perfectly pre-measured. There’s no risk of spilling a sticky concentrate in a moving vehicle or fumbling with measurements.

This system is a direct competitor to tablet-based cleaners like Blueland. The choice between them often comes down to personal preference on scents, brand ethos, and subscription options. Dropps provides a reliable, no-fuss cleaning solution that is especially well-suited for life on the go, where simplicity and spill-proof supplies are paramount.

Choosing Your Minimalist Cleaning System

The "best" system depends entirely on your priorities. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, so you have to decide what you’re solving for. Start by asking yourself a few key questions.

First, what is your primary goal? If it’s maximum space-saving and versatility, Branch Basics is the clear winner with its one-concentrate-for-everything model. If your goal is disinfecting without harsh chemicals, Force of Nature is the only real contender. For pure convenience and the smallest possible refills, look to Blueland or Dropps.

Next, consider your tolerance for effort and your budget. Do you mind mixing a solution, or do you want a drop-in-and-go system? Are you willing to pay more upfront for a device like Force of Nature, or do you prefer a low-cost entry point like Grove Co.? Be honest about what you’ll actually stick with.

Finally, think about aesthetics and storage. If your cleaners will be sitting out, the stylish bottles from Cleancult or Grove might be worth it. If you’re in a 70-square-foot van, the tiny tablet refills from Blueland will be far more practical than Cleancult’s cartons. Map your choice to the reality of your space, not an idealized version of it.

Ultimately, moving to a refillable cleaner is a powerful act of simplification. It clears physical clutter from your cabinets and mental clutter from your shopping list, allowing you to focus on what really matters in your compact, well-designed life.