Greener cleaners go mainstream

In January, the Clorox Company launched Green Works (shown), a line of what it claims are “natural” cleaners. Days later, SC Johnson announced that a new Greenlist label would appear on its familiar blue Windex glass cleaner. Both products are now being rolled out into retailers nationwide. You know the green bandwagon is getting crowded when two behemoths of the household-cleaning industry climb aboard.

No sooner had the companies launched the products than some in the green blogosphere began questioning the safety of the ingredients used in these cleaners and whether they really are just more examples of greenwashing. So we decided to take a closer look.

Clorox Green Works
Clorox says that its Green Works products, which include all-purpose, bathroom, dilutable, glass-and-surface, and toilet-bowl cleaners, are at least 99 percent “natural.” But without a nationally accepted standard definition for that term, the company is using its own. Natural cleaners, Clorox says, are defined as having ingredients that come from primarily plant and mineral materials and contain less than 1 percent petrochemicals. But keep in mind, natural doesn’t necessarily mean nontoxic or nonirritating.

Unlike with many other cleaners, including some from Clorox, you will find a complete list of ingredients on Green Works packaging. That’s significant, since full disclosure is not required by federal law. At the same time, since it can be difficult to judge the potential harmful effects of ingredients you might be unfamiliar with, if you’re concerned about your health and safety, check for warning labels; they are required when a product contains ingredients that are known to cause harm to humans. Four out of five Green Works products carry “caution” labels, which indicate relatively less hazard than “danger” or “poison” labels would.

Four Green Works products carry the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Design for the Environment, or DfE, label (shown). The presence of the label means that the EPA evaluated the ingredients for health and environmental impacts. But it doesn’t signify that the ingredients are harmless; rather the label indicates that they are considered to be the least harmful in their chemical class. Also, since ingredients are judged individually, there is not one clear standard that all products with a DfE label must meet. Consumer Reports is in the process of evaluating the DfE label.

In April, a Sierra Club label will also appear on all the Green Works products. The label will indicate that the products have been reviewed by the club and are environmentally preferable to conventional products. However, the label is not free from conflict-of-interest, as the Sierra Club will receive financial support from Clorox as part of this partnership.

SC Johnson Greenlist
SC Johnson’s Windex Original blue glass cleaner is the first product to carry the company’s Greenlist label. However, the manufacturer claims it has been reformulating several of its products in accordance with the Greenlist process since 2001. Since the company defined the process, it decides what’s green. Basically, with Greenlist, ingredients are ranked on a more-to-less impact scale from 0 to 3. That information is then used to improve the “environmental and health profile” of products by reformulating them with ingredients considered by the company to be less harmful.

For the Windex, SC Johnson says it replaced a 0-rated solvent with a more environmentally responsible material and reduced the levels of volatile organic compounds in the cleaner. VOCs, chemicals found in many household products, can cause dizziness, headaches, and other acute symptoms.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to find a complete list of ingredients on Greenlist products since the company is not required by federal law to disclose all the ingredients used. Without this information, it’s impossible for us to tell whether the green or any other claims are true.

SC Johnson also carries cleaning products with the DfE label, indicating they have gone through the government’s screening process for health and environmental impacts. Those products include Shout Trigger laundry stain remover and Citrus Action, Scrubbing Bubbles Soap Scum Remover with Orange Action, Shower Shine Daily Shower Cleaner, and Fantastik Oxy Power multipurpose cleaner.

In the end, the best way to find eco-friendly cleaners—from Clorox, SC Johnson, or any other manufacturer—is to look for products with labels that have been independently verified as green in the Eco-labels Center on GreenerChoices.org. Also read our report on greener cleaners and use the cleaner recipes there at home.—Kristi Wiedemann, Science and Policy Analyst, GreenerChoices.org

Essential information: For information on Earth Day and greener living, visit our Earth Day Guide.  

Comments

[Stephanie Digby]

Thank you, clear and informative. I often work with people who are chemically sensitive and believe in the "all natural" label. I try to explain to people that all natural includes hydrogen cyanide, aflatoxins, and other goodies. Maybe this will get their attention.

comments:
If the bathroom cleansers are green, they are not very "green" insofar as making people sick. If things are green they really should be fragrance free since the fragrances can contain environmentally unsound compounds and many (increasingly so) are sensitive to fragrance.

How about something on the "greenness" (and problems) with "air fresheners"?

[Paulette Daugherty]

As a bird owner, it is critical for me to know what is in a cleaner before I can consider it safe to use. Aerosols & fragrances are very harmful. Based on your informative article, I would not use these products in my home.

I mainly use a vinegar water blend in a spray bottle and my vapor steam cleaner. I like the idea of making my own cleaners as your article suggests.

Thank you for always looking out for my best interests, health and safety.

[Rick O'Keefe]

Green aside, just how well do they compare to other products?

[Susan]

I was taught that in order for a product to be a disinfectant the labels had to list the ingredients. If the label has words like deodorize or santitize the ingredients do not have to be listed and it is not a disinfectant. This has worked for me.

[Beth]

I was searching for safer cleaners because I had a lingering cough after washing windows which was bothering me. After watching Oprah's show on safer, greener cleaning products I tried Shaklee and am really hapy with it.
The product she recommended the most was called Basic H. I put 2 drops of this in 16 oz. of water and have the best window cleaner ever, with no cough! I don't sell it, and have no stake in the company, just passing on what Oprah passed on.

[Elizabeth]

Although I like the idea of these less toxic products, I am most concerned about whether or not they are effective at killing germs. How about some lab tests- put some of these 'green' disinfectant sprays up against some nasty germs, such as staph, rotovirus, salmonella, and ecoli. Which ones work?

What about the following brands?
* melalueca (they claim that Sol-U-Mel is an effective germ killer that is completely non-toxic... true?)
* Mrs. Meyers
* Caldrea
* Method

Thanks!!

[Carmen]

I wish you would do a research on steam cleaners such as ladybug and others sold out in the market. They are suposed to be the most ecological cleaners out there since the only thing you use is tap water.

[susan]

I too am interested in vapor steam cleaners and was hoping that you had done some research on it. Any information you provide would be very helpful. Thanks

[Megan]

I too came to the site hoping to find some research on steam cleaners (not carpet). I would prefer to use steam vs. chemical products. Like the reviewer above, I make my own cleaning products from vinegar & pure lavendar essential oil (it has natural antimicrobial properties). I don't have to worry about chemicals that could possibly be in any products. I don't trust the products mentioned above. I think the companies are just trying to take advatage of the current popularity of green products. INFO ON STEAM CLEANERS WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATED! Thanks

[greenhungry]

Found this great article about vapor steam cleaners on ePinions: epinions.com/content_4824670340

[Crystal]

I also am looking for information on steam cleaners (not the carpet steam cleaners) but instead a canister vapor/ steam cleaner or handheld steam cleaners. Any info CR can provide would be appreciated.

[Peggy]

I've been using Shaklee products almost since the company first started and I've been very happy with them. I use Basic-H for just about everything. I've tried other products, but nothing compares. I'm not a distributor - I usually buy the products directly from the company or have my sister order them for me (she's a p/t distributor). The company has been around a long time and I consider them to be highly reputable, but the most important things are that the products are environmentally safe, they never bother me or my family, they work well, and they are economical.

[Michelle]

I am looking into purchasing a home steam cleaner. Please do some research and help us consumers out!!!

[Karen]

I'm chemically sensitive and find even most "green" cleaners to be a problem. I'm considering purchasing a vapor steam cleaner, but I've read that the handheld steam cleaners don't last very long, and the canister ones are pricey. Please do some research, at the very least a survey of members who own them. Thanks.

[Melanie]

I found the dilutable cleaner to work very well, but, and this is the reason i won't buy it again, is all the suds. The suds remeind me of the cleaners my mother used to use that required a rinse after the cleaning. Back to ammonia for me.

[Jeffrey Chase]

I am really surprised CR has not performed a full research and rating on steam mops (not carpet steamers) such as Ladybug, Shark, H20, or Bissell??? It is time to get the skinny on these products! Thanks, CR!

[jane]

Steam mops seem the rage. Why no coverage on this product that seems to be of interest to so many?

[Ann]

Please, oh please, oh please, will you kindly test the steam cleaners on the market so we don't even have to deal with these harmful chemical cleaners that pollute the environment? It would be awesome to include the handheld steamers as well as the floor cleaners. Thank you so very much as I am seriously looking for an alternate to all chemically based products!

[cindy Manaois]

I was looking on your site for handheld steam cleaner..No where to be found. I was to say the least very disappointed. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[Beth]

Please do an article on steam cleaners. I am looking at Vapor Clean TR5 and Whitewing but want to know are they really any better than the cheaper cleaners

[Jim Mitchell]

I agree with Jeffrey Chase. Have a look at the High pressure steam cleaners on the market please.

[Della]

I, too, am looking for information on the hand-held steam cleaners. I prefer not to use chemicals, if at all possible. CR.....please!

[Kevin Barteaux]

Please count me in as another subscriber that would like some info on high pressure steam cleaners.

[Richard Varker]

Are you going to report on these portable steam cleaners in the near future?

[Dwight]

Dear CR: I too wish to get buying advice on a carpet/grout steam cleaner. Please help us out with this. I'd rather buy a steam cleaner as opposed to paying several hundred dollars to have our floors professionally cleaned, but I'd like to ensure I'm buying a quality product. Request that CR provide all of us a response...either you are planning to do research or not. Thank you.