Get Started
Written by Grove Collaborative

Bon Ami Review: 4 Ways to Use this Powder Cleanser

Last Updated: August 19, 2022

Bon Ami is a popular powder cleanser and multipurpose household cleaner. But how well does this natural cleaning product really work?


Grove writer Phoenix Griffin made the switch to Bon Ami Powder Cleanser. Check out her before and after pics to learn all about how it works, along with common ways you can use it to clean your home.

JUMP TO SECTION

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 — because I tried it!

First, what is Bon Ami Cleanser?

Bon Ami is a bleach-, dye-, and fragrance-free, nontoxic alternative to conventional powder cleaners like Ajax and Comet. Bon Ami’s natural 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.


Instead, Bon Ami tackles yucky, mucky messes involving dirt, grease, and sticky substances with mild mineral abrasives — and a basic microfiber cloth or sponge.

Grove Tip

What’s the meaning of bon ami, anyway?


Bon ami is French for good friend — and Bon Ami cleaner definitely lives up to its name!


How do you pronounce Bon Ami?


Wondering how in the heck you even pronounce Bon Ami? Check out this video, and you’ll be saying it like a true Frenchperson in just a few seconds!

Written by Grove Collaborative

Bon Ami Powder Cleanser

This Bon Ami Powder Cleanser is triclosan-free, sulfate-free, paraben-free, chlorine-free, dye-free, and hypoallergenic, so it’s a healthy choice for any household. Plus, it’s made in the USA with responsible, recycled-paper packaging and never tested on animals. This cleaning formula uses trademark feldspar and limestone, as well as other sustainable cleaning agents such as baking soda, to make sure you get your home its cleanest.

JUMP TO SECTION

What is Bon Ami made of?


It may be more helpful to understand what you won’t find in Bon Ami. This gentle cleaner is hypoallergenic and contains simple ingredients like:


  • Soda ash
  • Baking soda
  • Limestone
  • Feldspar

With natural ingredients like these, you can safely use Bon Ami around the kiddos and your pets without any concern.

Grove Tip

Is Bon Ami earth-friendly?


Yes! Bon Ami contains no chlorine, perfumes, dyes, or phosphates, so it’s very eco-friendly. It’s also 100% biodegradable — and the packaging it comes in is made with recycled materials.

So, what is a powder cleanser, anyway?

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. Although boron is a naturally occurring mineral, it’s not nontoxic, especially in large amounts. It’s most commonly used for household cleaning and laundry.


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 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, because I’ve just put it to the test for ya!

4 Bon Ami cleanser uses for cleaning your home

1. Remove gunk inside the sink


As much as I like to think I keep a clean home, there are always those tucked-away places that get neglected, like the right-hand portion of the stainless steel kitchen sink where we keep our dish drainer. Upon removing the drainer, I noticed this nasty gunk — yuck!

Step 1: First, I liberally sprinkled Bon Ami in the sink.

Step 2: Then, for extra deep-cleaning power, I poured some vinegar into the sink — unlike Comet and Ajax, Bon Ami can safely be combined with vinegar for double-duty cleaning!

Step 3: Then I rubbed gently — it didn’t take too much elbow grease to get the gunk gone!

The verdict


The mixture of Bon Ami and vinegar excelled at cleaning and did some deep-cleaning magic that left my sink gunk-free and fresh-smelling with little effort.

2. Remove stuck-on food from last night’s dinner


I’ve had this pot forever. It may just be a pot, but it’s sentimental to me, because my Grandma gave it to me about 2 decades ago. I was curious to see how well Bon Ami would work if I left last night’s dinner in my favorite pot overnight.


Want more helpful hacks for doing the dishes? Check out our guide to washing dishes the easy way! You can also learn more about how to successfully clean non-stick pots and pans without breaking a sweat.

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.

The verdict


And just like that, Grandma’s pot looks brand-new again!

3. Get rid of gloppy grease


There’s nothing worse than trying to clean up a greasy mess on the stove. So imagine my surprise and delight when I sprinkled Bon Ami directly onto my greasy stove, and the powder seemed to just magically absorb it without spreading it anywhere.


Here are some other great ways to naturally clean your glass stovetop — and your oven!

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.

The verdict


Not only did the grease disappear and leave my stove shiny and squeaky-clean, but there were no scratches left behind. Whew!

4. Say au revoir to soap scum


Isn’t it ironic that the same soap you use to clean your body in the shower is the same stuff that leaves a murky, white film on your shower door? I wanted to see for myself how well Bon Ami performed at removing stubborn soap scum.

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.

The verdict


Removing the soap scum from the shower door required a bit more elbow grease than cleaning the sink, the stove, and the stuck-on food. But that could be because I neglected to clean my shower the week before.


If your soap scum woes are particularly bad, you might have to repeat the shower scrubbing steps a couple of times to get the results you want — but you will get the results you want!

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.

Read more from Grove

Become a Grove member

Wondering who Grove is, what types of products we offer, and how to get a free gift set when you sign up? Learn more about flexible monthly shipments, customizing your shipment, and joining millions of happy households — no monthly fees or commitments required.

Learn more
Join thousands of happy customers creating a healthier home. Get started to select your free welcome set!
Claim My Offer