Do eco-cleaning products really work?
Emily Peck rolls up her sleeves and puts green cleaning products to the test
Have you ever stopped to think about what’s in the products you use to clean your home? Warning signs on labels may read: do not inhale, avoid contact with skin or causes severe burns, yet we continue to use them every day.
The residue in cleaning products that goes down the plughole can pollute our water systems and harm aquatic life. All in all, these chemical-based products aren’t always good for our wellbeing or the environment – even if they do make our bathtubs sparkle a treat. There are also ethical issues, such as animal testing, so if this concerns you read the companies’ policies carefully and make up your own mind.
What to avoid
When opting for cleaning chemicals, take a moment to read the label and look out for harsh chemicals, such as:
- chlorine bleach (to clean stains)
- ammonia (used in products such as window cleaners to make them sparkle)
- phosphates and phosphoric acid (often used in toilet cleaners and limescale removers)
Homemade alternatives
There are natural remedies that can be used as an alternative and many people swear by the following:
- white vinegar - gently cuts through grease
- lemon - act as a natural anti-bacterial
- bicarbonate of soda – works as a deodoriser
But just how eco-friendly are these products really and do they actually work? Here’s a rundown of just a few of the options available.
The eco-friendly cleaning guide
Method
Range: Includes ‘non-toxic’ all-purpose sprays and biodegradable or flushable wipes. Specialist cleaners available for surfaces such as granite, wood, stainless steel and leather.
Eco credentials: Free from harmful solvents, ammonia and bleach, this non-toxic and biodegradable range uses natural plant and mineral derived ingredients. The bottles are reuseable. Not tested on animals.
Price: £3 for an 828ml all-purpose spray.
Efficiency: Prettily packaged and nicely fragranced with scents such as lavender, pink grapefruit and cucumber. The products work well on grease and grime, and produce a ‘satisfying’ foam - especially the washing up liquid.
Website: www.methodproducts.co.uk
Ecover
Range: Ample selection of laundry, household cleaners and washing up products made from plant-based ingredients.
Eco credentials: A pioneer in ‘green cleaning products’, Ecover produced phosphate-free washing powder long before it was seen as a harmful ingredient. Perfumed with plant-based ingredients, it’s biodegradable and the packaging is recyclable and made from recycled materials. Refill bottles available. Not tested on animals and suitable for septic tanks.
Price: £1.29 for 750ml toilet cleaner, from Sainsbury’s.
Efficiency: Pleasant smelling but these solutions seem rather mild. The ‘decalcifying and freshening’ toilet cleaner is surprisingly effective, but you may have to use a bit of elbow grease to get rid of any limescale marks around your bathroom. The washing up liquid is a little on the thin side, too, but is effective enough.
Website: www.ecover.com/gb/en/
Sainsbury's
Range: The Cleanhome range features a washing up liquid, fabric conditioner, toilet cleaner, liquid wash, washing powder and dishwasher tablets that ‘avoid unnecessary chemicals’.
Eco credentials: Uses plant-based biodegradable ingredients, but contains chemicals – 5 per cent to 15 per cent oxygen based bleaching agents and 5 per cent non-ionic surfactants, phosphonates and polycarboxylates in its dishwasher tablets, for example, and under 5 per cent anionic surfactants in its toilet cleaner. Packaging is recyclable or made from recyclable materials. Not tested on animals. Price: From 85p for washing up liquid.
Efficiency: Works well and smells pleasant. The dishwasher tablets are particularly effective, leaving your load sparkling.
Website: www.sainsburys.com
Natural and clean
Range: Selection of stain removers specifically for upholstery and carpet.
Eco credentials: The range contains no toxic chemicals or volatile organic compounds, which are harmful to you and the environment. It uses a dry, highly absorbent natural biodegradable cleaning compound. Packaging is kept to a minimum, but not all of it is recyclable. Not tested on animals.
Price: £14.95 for a Try Me box.
Efficiency: Microsponges, - ‘sponge-like granules that absorb dirt when agitated into the carpet fibre’ - play a large role in cleaning the carpet fibre. Although you might not get the carpet looking as good as new, you’ll get very close.
Website: Natural and clean
Tesco
Range: The ‘Naturally’ range includes an ample range of cleaners, including a washing up liquid, multi-surface spray, bathroom cleaner and various laundry products.
Eco credentials: Ingredients from plant extracts such as coconut, maize and sugar, and does not use synthetic colour. It’s free from phosphates, chlorine bleaches, enzymes or animal derived products. Recyclable packaging. Not tested on animals.
Price: 98p for 750ml toilet cleaner.
Efficiency: Competitively priced products that work just as well as your ordinary cleaners. An added bonus is that the multi-surface spray doesn’t leave a heavy residue like some sprays. However, the range could probably do without an unnecessary ironing water solution.
Website: www.tesco.com
Natural House
Range: Bestsellers in the range include the Surface Spa, Dish Spa and Bathroom Spa cleaners.
Eco credentials: Claims to trade ethically and is registered with the Vegan Society, and carries the Soil Association Organic Standard stamp. As many ingredients as possible come from organic plants and no GM materials are included. Recyclable packaging and not tested on animals.
Price: £5.35 for the Salad Spa spray.
Efficiency: Effective range – the Salad spa, which helps remove dirt from organic products and surface chemicals from non-organics is a particularly interesting product.
Website: www.natural-house.co.uk
Kilrock Products
Range: aquo refillable trigger head cleaning spray.
Eco credentials: With the view that 98 per cent of cleaning products are made up of water, this product works well at reducing water consumption and packaging. You fill the bottles with water and they can be used up to 20 times and then recycled. The solution is chemical based, but the formulation uses EU approved biodegradable surfactants and is phosphate free.
Price: £3.29 for a bottle pack, £2.29 for a refill.
Efficiency: Reusing the bottle is definitely a good idea, but the product isn't the greenest on the market.
Website: ecoclevercleaning
Next week, Emily looks at microfibre cloths and gadgets…
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