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Green Choices

Green Works

Published by

Peggy Rowland

February 28, 2008

So, I tried out Green Works natural all-purpose cleaner, made by Clorox.

Here’s what I like:

Mostly Natural ingredients (99 percent). Directly from the label:

coconut-based cleaning agent, corn-based ethanol, essential lemon oil, filtered water and biodegradable preservative. Contains no phosphorus. Contains no bleach.

It’s safe on multiple surfaces.

The container is highly recyclable, a number 1.

It smells good and cleans well. Actually, it does smell natural.

It is mainstream. In some parts of the country, those specialty natural cleaners sold in natural food markets are not available. Lots of people just shop at Wal-Mart, partly because there aren’t many other choices where they live. Clorox is bringing a green product to everyone, and it’s affordable.

It’s approved by the Sierra Club. This is the first time they’ve approved a household cleaner. Yeah, they are getting some sales-based cash for this from Clorox, but they still think this is a good product.

Here’s what I don’t like:

It’s not antibacterial. Maybe it doesn’t have to be, but if I’m using it to clean the bathroom or raw meat areas (trying to cook less of that these days), then I want to make sure it’s clean. A solution is to use vinegar for those areas. You can even save an empty bottle to use as a vinegar spray bottle. Vinegar is antibacterial, but some people just don’t like the smell. If this is the case with you, try adding some lemon juice to it.

It still uses resources. That’s packaging and manufacturing. They don’t seem to sell larger refills, but they do offer a natural dilutable cleaner that you add water to. That’s nice. When you contrast this cleaner with vinegar (made from a natural fermentation process with an indefinite shelf life), it’s clear who the green winner is.

Will I buy it again? Maybe. It does smell good, but I also plan on keeping a bottle of vinegar around and limiting my use of manufactured cleaners as much as I can. To read more, check out this SFGate.com article.

Have you tried Green Works? What did you like?

6 responses to “Green Works”

plaidearthworm

February 28, 2008

This post is so timely, because I just bought a bottle of Green Works spray. I like it, but I like my usual cleaner a lot better, Sol-U-Guard Botanical, because it disinfects. Unfortunately, I’m out of that, which I just call my Thyme cleaner, because that’s the main ingredient. That stuff is foodsafe, I can use it to clean out our water cooler (we carry in all our drinking water), and it smells yummy (to me, at least).

As far as I can tell, Green Works isn’t foodsafe (although the ingredients seem okay), and it foams up a bit if there’s water present, like cleaning up a spill on the countertop. It is cheaper than my Thyme stuff, so I may use it for cleaning the rest of the house, and keep my other cleaner just for kitchen use. Clorox is trying, at least, which is good to see. I do use vinegar occasionally, but with cats in the house, I have to have something to knock germs in the head.

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Peggy

February 28, 2008

Hey Plaidearthworm. Thanks for visiting. I understand about the cat issue. I never know if he has been on my counters, so I have to wash them first if food will have direct contact. From what I’ve read about vinegar though, it should do the trick of killing those cat germs.

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Can a company be half green? « Light green stairs

March 16, 2008

[…] a company be half green? Posted March 16, 2008 I’ve been thinking about that Green Works post I did at the end of February. And about the Clorox buying Burt’s Bees […]

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Lynn from Organicmania.com

April 29, 2008

Hey, you’re the only other blogger I’ve found so far who has raised the lack of refill issue, as I did. I would have thought the blogosphere would have been all over them on this issue. It really bothers me that they don’t offer refills. It’s not a sustainable approach. I gave them a break three months ago at launch, but I just went looking for refills again, and I just don’t think they plan to introduce them!

Not sure about the antibacterial issue – I think these agents are over-used and are contributing to the growth of resistant strains of bacteria.

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Peggy

April 29, 2008

Lynn, I’ve been trying to get away from antibacterials since I made this post. Agents used in those products are also causing problems for wildlife like frogs.

I have seen the “natural dilutable” Green Works in the store. I believe you can use this for refills, but it seems to be more intended for bucket cleaning.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Clean Smells Improve Behavior : Blisstree – Family, Health, Home and Lifestyles

October 27, 2009

[…] from Method Homemade Cleaning Supplies (You can pick your own fragrance by adding essential oil.) Green Works by Clorox Aroma Ring from […]

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