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

[Lydia]

Continue to search without success on your website for reviews on professional garment steamers (floor models: type used in high-end clothing boutiques, for example.) They often run about $149.00 or so in store like Bloomingdale's. Some makers are JIFFY, and SMARTEK, for example. Would really appreciate some research, please.

Thank you! (I along with your other readers ,do not need updates on new cars.)

[Justino]

Times are bad. Can't spend all that money at the cleaners anymore. Hook me up with a review on the best garment steamer out there. What's holding you up CR?

[Bill]

I've been waiting for a long time for CR to test steam cleaners. I need to buy one and would much rather have some CR info before I do. Please consider testing them soon.

[Pam]

Another request for a review of clothing steamers.

[Dee]

I'm surprised CR has nothing on steam cleaners for floors. I am looking for info so that I may use something much more earth friendly than my Swiffer. It works, but the chemical is strong, has a strong odor, and is expensive. Then there is a matter of the disposable pads I must use with this system. I am looking for a green way to clean my linoleum, tile, and sealed hardwood floors. Thanks.

[JoAnne]

I see many other CR subscribers have been asking about steam cleaners. I have had two, they worked very well at cleaning, but both were short lived. Please CR consider reviewing the steamers! Every day in the news we hear about more germs, we need better info.

[Brad]

Here. Try this site and info for hand held steamer reviews.
I found some really good info on there. Since I am in the market for a good one as well.
Darn puking cats LOL
Good Luck
Brad
http://www.consumersearch.com/steam-cleaners/review

[Janet]

I agree.....I want to buy clothes steamer and I want to buy a floor steamer....where are the reviews....Review relevant items that are pocket friendly if you get right item and very pocket unfriendly if you spend $100 or more on something that doesn't work and seller won't take it back, etc....

[Sharon]

Please please please do the review of steam cleaners. These range in price from $100 to several thousand. It is very difficult to know what to purchase. But they are a very nontoxic option for cleaning--nontoxic to the floors, the people living in the house, and the environment.

If you do the review, please cover non-big box store brands such as Reliable and Vapor Clean. Thank you.

[lynne]

Yes I'm very interested as ALL THESE OTHER people are in CR reviewing a steam mop. -- I'm shocked they haven't thus far, as they are quite popular now especially considering the movement toward going green, & with less expensive versions being available now at Walmart & Target.
I especially agree w/ the one post that all CR seems interested in reviewing are cars, when there pages & pages of post here crying out for them to review these handy & helpful mops.
I'm ready to buy one a.s.a.p. & will have to go it alone I suppose to try & figure out which one to purchase. Neddless to say, I'm disappointed & dismayed.

[Mike]

What the hell is the problem CR????
When are you FINALLY going to review a few steam cleaners?
Would the individual responsible for reviewing these posts please take it upon themselves to accept some responsibility and see to it that our requests are taken seriously!
There is really no excuse for this. Maybe if we all switched to Consumer Digest, someone would finally pay some attention to these posts.

[Angie G]

Request report on Ladybug Steam Cleaner Please

[Bill B.]

As a 30+ year subscriber, I am agreeing with most of the above comments regarding your testing of the various steamer products that consumers are being inundated with. The commercials make them all look pretty good. We need to know if this is the latest “snake oil” rip-off, or very viable and useful products. That's what we depend on you for. I don't recall Consumer Reports ever being so derelict in reporting on new products. I join with these other posters in asking that you "put on some speed" in letting us know the low down on these new products. We thank you in advance!

[antoinette]

I found the most amazing eco floor cleaners recently

[Elizabeth Iris]

I thought CR was going to review steam cleaners in the June '09 issue?... C'mon CR, there's obviously *a lot* of interest from your readers on these products... Please at least give us an update on the publication date.

[JY Maillat]

It looks like requests for a review of steam cleaners (handheld and floor) are going back more than a year. Like others on this blog I'm amazed that nothing has been done yet. I thought CR was generally favoring greener products, why not these?

[Kathleen]

YES,....STEAM CLEANER INFO PLEASE!!! I'M IMPATIENTLY WAITING!!!

[Kaz]

Maybe my request will tip the scale from "should we?" to "we should!". There are lots of products that fall in the spectrum of steam cleaners: for hard surfaces, carpeting, clothing. It's time we subscribers were able to make some informed decisions about these types of purchases. Please consider running trials and letting us know when we might look forward to seeing the results of your work. Thanks.

[lookin for a steam cleaner]

I need a steam cleaner now thanks for not helping out CR. It isn't that difficult is it? Ya buy about 10 of them and test them.

[Dan A]

I know more cameras are probably sold that steam cleaners, but please try for more balance. There are dozens of reports on cameras, which change weekly, but I could find nothing on steam cleaners which get more attention on TV sales than cameras.Please give more help to consumers and less to the camera industry.

[Sharon]

I also would like to see a report on garment steamers for home use.

[Teresa]

I am looking for information on vapor cleaners that will clean all items, floors, tile, fabric, windows etc. I need info on, "Vapor Clean TR5 PRO."

Thank you.

[Dawn]

Yes, I am also looking for Consumer Reports to have information on household steamers like the Shark Steamer Portable and HAAN Steamer. This is crazy that you pay for Consumer Reports and you can't find out any information about STEAMERS! I thought Consumer Reports was supposed to have all this information at your fingertips........ I think Consumer Reports should really get on the ball and get a move on..... VERY DISAPPOINTED....

[MarvinEdwards]

Add my name to the list of people looking for something on steam floor cleaners.

[Kelly]

Add my name to the considerable list of folks pleading for a floor steam cleaner review.

[Mark]

I agree, would like to see a review of garment steamers.

[Michael]

My wife has been interested in buying a steam cleaner for our floors after seeing several commercials about them. I said I wanted to check consumer reports first, and I can't find anything on them Do they really clean as good as they say? Can you steam clean hardwood floors without damaging them? Like many others, I'd appreciate some reports for us consumers. Thanks.

[Sue]

CS, why can't you review some items, like cameras and GPS units half as often and start reviewing some things many of need info on like garmet and floor steamers, electric toothbrushes andn carpet shampooers. You used to put out a book that carried reviews for items for the previous 5 years. Now you review a number of items every year or multiple times a year, some even "continuously" and other items you ignore. People need to use thier money wisely now more than ever, and have less of it to throw away on products that don't work. Can't you show a little more balance in what you test? I know it must be much easier to keep testing the same items repeatedly. The tests and staff already exist and are set up to do them. But that is not what we NEED you to do, we need you to review more DIFFERNT KINDS of items.

Sue

[Heather]

Why is consumer reports not responsive to the many, many requests to review steam cleaners/mops? Another request....