Looking for reputable suppliers for DIY cleaning product ingredients

February 4, 2018 6:08 PM

I've dabbled in mixing my own cleaning supplies for a while and so far it has worked out well. Now I'd like to go all-in and ditch the brand name products altogether. Can you recommend any reputable suppliers for "bulk" ingredients?

My emphasis is on reputable. Most of this stuff is available on Amazon at prices comparable to the local grocers or better, but they are far from reputable. I'd like to make the jump from buying a 4lb box of 20-Mule Team borax to a 50lb bag of generic borax at a meaningful discount per-pound, but I need to be able to trust that what I'm getting is chemically the same and not cut with filler.

Here's a short shopping list:
sodium borate (borax)
sodium carbonate (washing soda, soda ash)
sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
sodium percarbonate (oxygen bleach)
acetic acid (vinegar)
citric acid (lemon juice)
sodium chloride (salt, canning salt)
castile soap flakes

Do you know of any reputable suppliers that will sell "bulk' quantities in the 50lb/5gal range? Bonus points if they have locations in Northeast Ohio.

posted by waxboy to Home & Garden (6 answers total)

I used to make all of my own cleaning supplies too, but then I found Force of Nature and decided that I really don’t need the hassle of making my own anymore. (I was doing it due to fragrance/chemical allergies.) FoN is A-MAZ-ING, cleans everything, and smells kinda like a swimming pool (it dissipates quickly). They should hire me, I preach about it so much.

As far as bulk chemicals, it looks like a website called Wholesale Supplies Plus has pretty much everything you’re looking for, but I can’t vouch for them myself (I made small quantities when I was making my own cleaning supplies.)
posted by PorcineWithMe at 6:31 PM on February 4, 2018 [1 favorite]

Mountain Rose Herbs is reputable and they sell some of the things you listed (borax, baking soda, citric acid) in 50lb packages. I don't know how their prices compare to the other places you've looked.
posted by belladonna at 7:03 PM on February 4, 2018 [4 favorites]

Sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate are used in ceramics and will be pure if purchased through a ceramic materials supply company. (I can vouch for Aardvark.)
posted by kitty teeth at 7:22 PM on February 4, 2018

I <3 Mountain Rose Herbs.
posted by sutureselves at 7:24 PM on February 4, 2018 [1 favorite]

I've had good luck with Bulk Apothecary and they have a section for chemicals. They also provide the option for customer pickup in Aurora, OH (but it doesn't look that northern to me on the map). But it might be a place to start though.
posted by Neely O'Hara at 11:50 AM on February 5, 2018

PorcineWithMe beat me to it; was going to recommend Wholesale Supplies Plus. I purchase regularly from them. They are in Independence, Ohio.
posted by LaBellaStella at 6:38 PM on February 5, 2018