If you’re thinking about ditching your harsh cleaners that contain nasty chemicals, step into my home, and see for yourself whether Bon Ami is a worthy alternative. Read on to learn more about my experience making the switch.

Bon Ami is a bleach-, dye-, and fragrance-free alternative to conventional powder cleaners like Ajax and Comet. Bon Ami’s natural, non-toxic formula gently cleans a variety of surfaces without the use of harsh chemicals — which is why Bon Ami earned an “A” rating from the Environmental Working Group, an organization dedicated to protecting the environment and consumers’ health.

With the help of a basic microfiber cloth or sponge, Bon Ami tackles hard-to-clean messes involving dirt, grease, and sticky substances with the help of mild mineral abrasives.

If you’re into green cleaning, you probably already have an arsenal of natural all-purpose cleaners and wipes on hand.

But for tough stains like dried ketchup, burned on grease, baked on food, and other stubborn splatters and spills, powder cleansers pack an exfoliating punch that gets the job done… fast.

The gentle, natural abrasives in Bon Ami effectively clean surfaces while absorbing odors, making cleanup a cinch.

Borax vs. Bon Ami

Borax is a compound made from boron, oxygen, and sodium, and is commonly used for household cleaning and laundry. Although boron is a naturally occurring mineral, it’s not non-toxic, especially in large amounts.

Long ago, I decided to err on the side of caution and use products without borax. But my fellow Grove writer Kristen Bailey tried it out and thinks it’s the bee’s knees.

Baking soda vs. Bon Ami

Baking soda is natural, nontoxic, and effective, and it’s one of the most versatile products out there that can be used for everything from baking bread to cleaning up the kitchen afterwards.

In fact, baking soda is one of the principal ingredients in Bon Ami! The main difference between the two is that you might have to use a bit more elbow grease if you’re using baking soda alone to clean tough messes. The mild exfoliants in Bon Ami makes handling tougher jobs much easier — trust me! I’ve just put it to the test for ya.

Step 1: I generously sprinkled Bon Ami in the pot — no pre-soaking!

Step 2: I got a dish sponge wet with plenty of water and started scrubbing. I didn’t even break a sweat! If you’re dealing with really stubborn stuck-on food, just repeat the above steps until the pot is clean. It won’t take long.

After sprinkling a small amount of Bon Ami onto the stove, I used the business side of a sponge to gently scrub away. Then, I thoroughly rinsed the sponge and used the softer side to remove the pasty residue.

Step 1: For this job, I used a scrub brush. I poured water on the shower door and the brush, then sprinkled Bon Ami directly onto the brush.

Step 2: I scrubbed away, then rinsed thoroughly.

What shouldn’t you use Bon Ami on?

Since Bon Ami is mildly abrasive, don’t use it on things like windows, mirrors, non-stick cookware, or painted, polished, or glossy surfaces as you’ll run the risk of scratching them.

For these more delicate jobs, check out Grove’s wide selection of gentle, nontoxic cleaners and cleaning accessories that are just as effective as the conventional ones for getting things clean — naturally.