Good Housekeeping Reports: How green cleaners stack up in tough tests
You care about the environment, but you also want clean laundry, shiny dishes and a spotless kitchen.
That’s why the Good Housekeeping Research Institute’s home appliances and cleaning products department put 23 green cleaners -- nine laundry detergents, seven hand dishwashing liquids and seven all-purpose cleaners -- through rigorous tests.
Six were winners, and all six get their cleaning power from plant-based ingredients.
Here’s how Good Housekeeping tested the cleaners:
Laundry detergents -- Fifteen common stains (including coffee, ink and blood) were applied to swatches of cotton and polyester, let set for 24 hours, then washed (cotton on hot-wash, polyester on cold-wash). Swatches were compared with the industry standard for stain removal.
Dishwashing liquids -- A spinach-based “standard soil” mix was applied to dinner and salad plates and left for one hour. With a measured amount of soap whisked into a basin filled with 6 quarts of hot water, plates were washed one at a time. Soaps were evaluated on the number of plates washed and how long suds lasted.
All-purpose cleaners -- Testers evenly spread a mixture of grease and dust on appliance enamel, a painted wall and laminate surfaces and allowed it to dry. A measured amount of each cleaner was spritzed from 6 to 8 inches away and wiped a specific number of times. Winners had to meet or beat our soil-removal and grease-cutting requirements.
Serious stain busters
For overall laundry spot removal, the new green detergent Arm & Hammer Essentials 2X Concentrate ($3.49 for 50 ounces) came out on top. It was particularly effective at washing in cold water, with top scores for removing ink, mascara, wine, gravy and grape-juice stains.
Purex Natural Elements ($7 for 100 ounces) worked almost as well -- and at about half the cost per load of the Arm & Hammer product.
Dish-detergent dynamo
Of the seven soaps tested, the Institute’s experts found one standout: Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid ($3.09 for 25 ounces). It zapped dried-on grease and food particles, and cleaned the most plates per use.
All-star and all-purpose
Of the ready-to-use, all-purpose products tested, Sun & Earth All Purpose Spray Cleaner ($3.79 for 22 ounces) cut through the greasy mess best, especially on countertops. Green Works Natural All-Purpose Cleaner from Clorox ($3.32 for 32 ounces) was a very close second, at an even better price per use.
Green tips
While there are no specific criteria that qualify a product as green, most that make the claim are biodegradable as well as phosphate- and chlorine-free. Usually they derive their ingredients from plants like coconut or palm (renewable sources) rather than petrochemicals like crude oil or natural gas (which are not renewable).
But even if a product seems green, read the label -- and keep it away from kids and pets. Other green steps to take:
• Try washable, reusable microfiber cloths in lieu of paper towels.
• Spritz spray cleaner on cloth, not on surfaces. You’ll use less.
• Use the cold setting on your washer when possible.
