I am very excited to share with you a new brand line of cleaning products that are very environmentally friendly and probably one of the very few that you can feel safe using around your family. Greener Choice is a line of home cleaning products that was born out of a small company in Ontario, Canada – Oxi Brite Inc.
The mission and vision of the two founders was to provide truly environmentally friendly products, that were truly safe for use by people and also that came at an affordable price
All Greener Choice products are phosphate free, biodegradable, non-toxic, not tested on animals, safe for septic systems, contain no dyes or artificial fragrances and come in bottles that contain 100% post-consumer content.
I have so far had the chance to try the toilet bowl cleaner, the glass cleaner, the bathroom cleaner and their microfiber glass cloth.
The company also offers: laundry detergent, fabric softener, dish-washing liquid, dishwasher detergent gel, multi-surface cleaner, daily shower cleaner and an all-purpose cleaner. Hence, a very diverse line is available to suit everyone’s needs.
What I was most impressed with, where Greener Choice is concerned, was the labeling. Each of the cleaners offers a label that mimics, what we are used to seeing on food packages in terms of details about the product. It is nice to know that there is a company who is open to sharing all the necessary information with their consumers, and does not leave them guessing in terms of what really is in the bottles and how toxic it could be.
The full list of ingredients is clearly written out, including human health information, which I have not yet seen on any other green company’s products, as well as detailed packaging information. This is part of the new Eco Logo program, which includes 3rd party certification of environmentally-preferable products and protects consumers against green-washing. There is a label included in terms of first aid, as this product is still in the alkaline range and hence unfit for any kind of human consumption.
In terms of the products, all worked just as well in terms of cleaning, as any other commercial cleaner and had similar instructions for use. Most of the products come infused with a scent derived from essential oils of lemon, juniper and peppermint. As much as I am against all scents, for the first time I have to say the scent was actual very natural smelling and not grossly overwhelming. It was very pleasant in fact too. However, I still have a preference for scent-free items.
I was most impressed with the toilet bowl cleaner. In the sad old days of “Toilet Duck”, I remember having to hold my breath and run out of the room, as the smell was beyond strong and hideous. In fact after that I simply started washing the toilet with baking soda, because I did not want to waste money on another toxic toilet bowl cleaner. With this one, the scent is very gentle, the liquid is thick and clear and cleans great!
The glass cleaner was excellent and left no streaks and my favorite part was that it was fragrance free. It also worked great with the microfiber cloth, although the cloth can also be easily used with just water. The cloth is very durable and machine washable for many uses.
The bathroom cleaner was good too. I have been using it to clean the sinks, bathtubs and even tiles successfully. Although that blend of lemon, juniper and peppermint is nice, I did find the scent of this one a little too strong, and so would simply prefer a fragrance free option.
In conclusion, if you are not a fan of baking soda and vinegar and would like to have easy to use, conventional cleaning products, then I highly recommend these. Although, they are available online to international customers, I especially recommend them for our Canadian readers, as it is always nice to support the local companies, while getting an excellent product.
Ingredients:
Glass Cleaner:
- Water
- Coconut-based cleaning agent (non-ionic surfactant)
- Corn-based Ethanol
- Skin Irritancy = low
- VOC level = 2.9% (low)
- Carcinogens (IARC) = None
- Toxicity = 13,810 mg/kg
Bathroom Cleaner:
- Water
- Coconut-based cleaning agent (non-ionic surfactant)
- Citric Acid
- Coconut-based Acid
- Corn-based Ethanol
- Essential Oils
- Skin Irritancy = low
- VOC level = 1.0% (low)
- Carcinogens (IARC) = None
- Toxicity = 13,960 mg/kg
Toilet Bowl Cleaner:
- Water
- Coconut-based cleaning agent (non-ionic surfactant)
- Citric Acid
- Xantham Gum
- Sodium Citrate
- Essential Oils
- Skin Irritancy = low
- VOC level = 0%
- Carcinogens (IARC) = None
- Toxicity = 13,645 mg/kg
Packaging
All the bottles come from 100% recycled material and fully recyclable. What makes their packaging even more attractive is that the labels on the bottles are not attached to the bottle with adhesives, which makes both the bottles and the labels easy to separate at the recycling plant and recycle each. The bottles are made of HDPE #2 plastic.
Price (as of this posting)
- $3.99 CAD per bottle of cleaner from GreenCricket.ca
- $4.99 CAD per microfiber cloth from GreenCricket.ca
Availability
- For Canadian residents, find a store near you by clicking here
- For both US and Canadian customers, online from GreenCricket.ca
- Many more stores to come!
The Good
- Safe ingredients for the environment
- Fragrance-free option
- Pleasant Odor
- Excellent cleaning capabilities
- Easy to use
- Biodegradable
- Non-toxic
- Not tested on animals
- Safe for septic systems
- Excellent labeling
- Third Party Certified
- Fair Price
The Bad
- Some sensitive people may still find the scent irritating, and hence should only go for a fragrance-free option
9 OUT OF 10
About the author:Evita Ochel, B.Sc., B.Ed., CHN - is a certified holistic nutritionist, biologist, educator, writer, researcher and speaker in the areas of health, science and holistic wellness. She is a nutritional science expert and her teaching and writing focus on natural, wholesome, plant-based and organic nutrition to achieve optimal health and longevity. Learn more about Evita Ochel or Follow Evita Ochel on Twitter.
8 Comments to “Review: Greener Choice Home Cleaning Products”
Dear Evita,
After reading the article on Greener Choice products and the ones on Clorox’s Green Works, and then comparing the ingredients you listed for both, how is Greener Choice really any different in actual ingredients and safety? It seems to me they both have the same ingredients, though we have no idea in what combination or concentrations as this is proprietary to both companies.
I do agree that the Clorox one that I bought, over a year ago now, and am still using up, the All-Purpose concentrate, smells unpleasant to me, but then I don’t use it that often; my housekeeper likes to use it and she’s here only every other week. I prefer to use baking soda or a vinegar and alcohol solution I mix at home, with no added fragrance. I also made up my own glass cleaner using filtered water, vinegar, ammonia and alcohol, but the housekeeper didn’t like it and bought some WIndex to use in it’s place. I don’t like Windex and I don’t like the ammonia at all in my own mixture either. I will mix the next batch without ammonia, even though it was only 1 or 2 oz in the entire gallon. It is just too strong an odor for me and I know it is also toxic.
Now, I’m thinking of mixing up a cleaner using tea tree oil to us as a disinfectant cleaner. Most of the time, I just use dish soap and water to clean up greasy messes around the kitchen. But, I know this is not a disinfectant. I need to find something that is because I got sick from raw chicken juice that wasn’t cleaned up properly in my kitchen a few years ago. I have a compromised immune system; so, I have to be very careful of bacterial infections. If I get sick with one, I can’t always fight off the resulting infections without allopathic medication (usually some strong antibiotics). Such was the case for me when I got sick from the raw chicken juice coming into contact with raw food that I ate.
One of my kids had been preparing chicken to cook for dinner one night and had spilled the raw chicken juice on the counter next to the sink. She wiped it up with only a paper towel. She neglected to tell me she’d spilled it and where. I then prepared some carrots we were going to eat raw for dinner too, by scrubbing them with our designated vegetable scrubber and water (this is how I always do it), and then laid the carrots on the counter right where the raw chicken juice had been.
A couple of days later I was noticed I was sick with intestinal issues and diarrhea. I didn’t know how bad the illness was though, until about 2 weeks later, when I realized I had lost 10 pounds! I realized I just wasn’t kicking this intestinal thing, and decided I needed to see my doctor because she knows my health history.
After the initial exam, we talked and she became alarmed about my sudden weight-loss. She required a stool sample to send to the lab. When the results came back a few days later, she called and asked me to write down everything about my last few weeks, in detail and come back in later that day. The answers I had to write out were from these questions:
When did I first notice the health problems and weight-loss?
Where had I been (good thing I have a good memory)?
Did I eat out somewhere, and if so, where?
What had I eaten out and at home?
How was everything prepared at home?
Etc., etc.. She wanted to make sure this wasn’t some outbreak from a restaurant or grocery store, she said.
I had not eaten out at all in the last few weeks. So, that narrowed it down to home prepared foods. Eventually, I got back to the night of the chicken dish and the raw carrots. She said to question my daughter about the chicken prep. That was when I found out about the raw chicken juice spillage on the counter next to the sink and how she had cleaned it up, before I had laid the scrubbed carrots on the counter. When I got back to my doctor with all the answers, she said that was most likely the culprit as the organism they saw in the tool sample was one found in raw and undercooked chicken. I knew the chicken hadn’t been undercooked, so it had to have been the raw juice on the counter that didn’t get cleaned up properly.
So, my dilemma is this… how to disinfect my kitchen counters without toxic chemicals?
I’m not a fan of ethanol made of anything, and I would really like everything I clean with to be as natural and organic as possible, meaning made from organically grown things and produced ethically and environmentally. However, I don’t know of anything commercially sold that is made this way; so, that’s probably asking too much. So, unless I grow everything and manufacture everything myself, which isn’t going to happen anytime soon, I have to rely on what’s easily available. So, I need help to find out what’s safe and effective.
Would a water and vinegar concoction be enough to disinfect counters and other hard surfaces?
If yes, in what concentration?
Would adding tea tree oil to this be wise?
Maybe I should use hydrogen peroxide?
Would a UV light-wand kill dangerous pathogens, or is this just bunk?
If the UV light-wand does work, how long would I need to expose surfaces to it?
Any other ideas?
Perhaps whatever you come up with would make another good article to post here.
Thank you for your advice, in advance.
Sincerely,
Jill Edison
Hi Jill,
Thank you so much for sharing so openly in our community here. Your comment touches upon so many important areas about household cleaners and health.
First off, since I wrote this article I have learned and researched even more about green cleaners, and while I would not use Clorox Green Works ever, I agree with you that Greener Choice is not a perfect solution either. Your comment here reminded me that it is indeed time for a new and updated post on natural home cleaners. Most of the natural cleaners out there today are so similar and I find Clorox Green Works even worse, because in my mind there is no way a company that continues to make highly toxic products for our health and environment is going to care enough or make pure enough their so called “green” product. It is more than anything based on trying to get into the “green” market. When it comes to Greener Choice, what stood out for me about that company is having had the chance to visit the plant and talk to one of the founders/creators of the products. Some of the key differences that he shared with me, and how sustainable, non-toxic they try to be, definitely seemed to hold some merit. Ultimately unless any of us are there during the creation process in the lab and have a chance to examine all ingredients, all concentrations, etc ourselves, we never really know. So my first lesson since then, minimize even more ALL products. What else is different about the two, is while Clorox is a major corporation, Greener Choice is Ontario (which for me is local based) and a small company that at least for now, seems to be serious about making a non-toxic product, which is certified by 3rd party agencies for being true to what it is claiming. I cannot say the same about Clorox products.
So when it comes to food preparation, yes this is a big deal. My kitchen is animal-product free, so I normally wipe countertops with water, sometimes using a natural brand of dish soap (7th Generation unscented or the Greener Choice) and that is it. I used to wash the odd time with baking soda, but after I learned about the Universal Stone, I find I love working with that much more. But again for countertops, water with some soap is still my number one choice. I leave the Universal Stone for bathroom sinks, countertops, shower, bathtub, and anything else that needs that kind of cleaning.
For yourself, I would highly recommend essential oils. So when you mention tea tree, yes that is a good idea. I don’t have too much experience yet with concentrations and best ones to use, but almost all (if not all) pure essential oils are anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, etc… I still personally would trust the soap-water combo even with animal products, but I know after an experience like you had, it is hard to feel that sense of security. Soap and water is enough to clean off bacteria…. the problem becomes when you have areas not cleaned immediately or properly, or areas overlooked, etc…
Have you heard of Thieves? I have not tried it myself or looked into it yet with detail, but it has come recommended by many naturally-oriented people to me over the years. Here is their web site: http://www.secretofthieves.com
From all natural options of your own make, definitely water, vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil (and other essential oils) in various concentrations. I would not use ammonia… no need for it. Small dilution of vinegar with water, or lemon juice is more than enough to wipe windows or mirrors.
I wouldn’t invest into the UV light, as I think you will end up spending more money than actually get proper benefit from it. It would take lots of benefits to do proper research on which ones are high quality and even work, without causing other problems, etc.
Also, I completely respect that your immune system is compromised, but our society out there today tries to instil too much fear into us when it comes to microbes too. 95% of bacteria are actually beneficial. We just have to be smart when it comes to the other 5%. This is why you are taking awesome steps by going with the natural options you mentioned and being mindful of trying to go with as natural options as possible.
And so last but not least, I would also just enforce more mindful habits for everyone in the kitchen when working with animal products. Have 2 cutting boards for example, one for meat, other only for veggies, etc… or dealing with meat only in a certain part of the kitchen countertop. Little changes like this can prevent you from needing to look into some major disinfectant. Inform all family members on dangers of cross contamination, etc.. The thing is, that on this same line, animal products from the store, conventionally raised ones, have been found to have more fecal matter and other pathogens than they ever should. So for your health for other reasons, I would advise looking into some organic, local chicken or other meat, which are completely different in quality. Naturally, prevention is always easier than treatment.
I hope that helps a bit in making the choices around natural cleaners a little easier, and I will definitely take your suggestion of making another article about natural cleaning products soon. I will most likely do something for April’s Earth Day again.
Hi Evita,
Like Jill, I am looking for effective, yet natural ways to disinfect my kitchen sink and counters when needed. It can be confusing looking online, as so many organizations conduct their own research and they all publish data that sound good! I also live with family members with compromised immune systems, so I have to be especially careful in choosing methods that have been shown in the lab to be highly effective. I myself have had the experience of “food poisoning”, so it is something I never wish to experience again!
I wonder if you could share your thoughts about using vinegar (either white or apple cider)and hydrogen peroxide as disinfectants. In my search a few years ago, I came across many articles that cited a study conducted at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University by a food scientist named Susan Sumner. When I read the study myself, I found it is actually the master’s degree thesis of a student in the food science program. (Not that this would mean anything with respect to the results.) Also, the research itself was done using various types of fruit juices. I am not sure how this research was then more broadly applied to home cleaning uses, but many natural cleaning product websites I have visited do cite this study. Some of these websites also discuss using the method (one spritz of hydrogen peroxide from one spray bottle followed by a spritz of vinegar from a separate bottle–then a rinse with tap water)as a method of cleaning fruits and vegetables, as well, so that any harmful pathogens are removed before eating.
I have used this method for cleaning my sink and counter tops, but I am less enthusiastic about doing it with my fruits and veggies! (Also, I could find no mention of how long to let the solution sit on the surface before wiping off.) For one thing, it makes making a salad a bit of a long process. However, I would do it if I saw more lab results stating that this was actually effective and necessary.
Our family does not consume much meat at all anymore, however we are hearing more and more about outbreaks of foodborne illness dealing with fruits and vegetables. I wish I could grow all my own food so I would know it was safe, but of course that is not practical for me! This latest outbreak in Germany was scary to hear about…
It makes me so angry that we have to be worried about how food is farmed, handled and shipped before it gets to us. :(
I would love to hear your thoughts, Evita, since I know you do a very thorough job of researching all you put out on your website.
Also, I am confused about tea tree oil, as I hear conflicting things about its effectiveness and practicality (“kill time”)in dealing with many of the foodborne pathogens. (?)
Thanks, Evita!
Ellen
Hi Ellen
Thank you for all of your wonderful questions. You present so many great ideas and facts in your comment.
Indeed you are right in that vinegar and hydrgogen peroxide are good to use, but as to exactly how effective they are is a tougher call. I cannot say that I came across any certain studies to cite exactly how much to use and for how long. Usually with such products and rubbing alcohol as well, are effective in the time it takes to spray it on and wipe it off (letting it sit at least a few seconds, though a couple minutes may be a good idea if high concern is present).
If you are going to use vinegar, both white and apple cider can be used for cleaning, though I would stick with the white. Apple cider vinegar is best for using in salads and meals, while the white vinegar is cheaper and can be more useful for cleaning (not leave any sticky surface).
As I mentioned to Jill above, another option for cleaning is the Universal Stone. This is not necessarily for deodorizing needs, but general cleaning. It works really well and has an excellent reputation for being completely non-toxic. When it comes to essential oils or something like Tea Tree oil, I have not done much research on its exact effectiveness, but it is anti-microbial. However I have heard excellent things about the Thieves line of cleaning products. I have not had the need or desire to try them myself. You can read more about them here: http://www.thieves-secret.com/cleaner.htm
When it comes to washing fruits or veggies, I have to be honest and say that I don’t really buy into any extraordinary measures to wash them, nor do I think we need to. I have looked far and wide into the deeper issues of what is going on behind closed doors of our medical, health, economical and political system. What I learned could be paralyzing for some, and indeed make us angry or altogether hopeless and depressed. However, because I truly believe and live in my own life in the power of our personal life creation, and look beyond the often largely perpetrated propaganda pushed on us, I feel more hopeful and empowered than ever. The news headlines are meant to propel us into fear and paralyze us. What happened in Germany was for the most part a very isolated case, which is being investigated as a deliberate attack.
Now because I know you are also open to things of the spiritual, energetic and metaphysical, I am going to veer off course a little ;) I would greatly recommend to use these areas here as much as possible too. My first question to people who are open to these areas, are what do we really know about disinfecting? What I mean is that this idea is a heavily market driven idea. Yes, cleanliness is important and we know that the more cleaner, modern habits have allowed us to lead healthier lives, however the way disinfection of anything and everything is advertised is driven by the companies that make the products to disinfect. Clorox wipes for example instil lots of fear into parents with their commercials that if kids’ toys and play areas are not disinfected they can catch lots of various bugs. No. Kids catch lots of bugs because their immune systems are paralyzed by the amounts of sugar they eat, not because some dangerous chemical compound was not wiping their toys. What I am trying to get at Ellen, is that I totally respect our physical ideas about cleaning and stuff, but this is the time in our humanity to ask questions—question why we do, say or how we think about everything. Whose ideas are we using to guide or dictate our life habits? Where are we learning these things from? What do we really know about them for sure?
Nothing can harm us or touch us, unless there is a weakness in some area, or some level of attraction. If we act out of fear in any area, we are more prone to attracting the very thing, we are trying to avoid. Yes, it is important to respect the laws of the physical, and thus nourish our body with the most natural, whole, nutrient dense food. It is also important to take precaution and again exercise conscious awareness every step of the way, but not allow ourselves to get dragged into the physical illusions that many governing bodies try to suck us into. I know we can also turn around compromised immune systems, because everything in our body renews itself every 2 years roughly…. we just have to give it the right support on every level—food, thought, action.
It is the same companies that try to get us to buy their strong chemicals, that began to instil the idea that soap and water is not enough, while soap is excellent at cleaning our hands, body and various surfaces. Here is one article study that just studied soap against water or no washing (no chemical agent testing) that showed how effective soap is in removing pathogenic bacteria. http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/8/1/97/pdf
In the end, cleaning up any areas that may have become contaminated in the kitchen (like after any animal product preparation) is key, changing sponges, cloths frequently, proper hand washing, and simply being diligent and conscious will go a long way.
I hope this helps a little or in some way Ellen though these might not be the answers you were looking for…. I have to be honest and say that I just don’t give cleaning the same attention today, that I did years ago, simply because of the other energetic things I know about our bodies, life and the propaganda and information biases or viruses of the mind that we are fed to get a particular outcome out of us. Looking beyond all that, is very freeing….and again it is not about being ignorant, irresponsible or naive, it is about being consciously aware of the greater picture of all of this ;)
I personally think cleaning is important for the kitchen but one should not be obsessed over the cleanliness aspect in terms of using toxic chemicals – the body is designed to fight of unneeded bacteria – and its healthy to let the body to fight it off itself – but of course keeping a reasonable level of cleanliness is also required for the family etc.
the bathroom cleaner was just good?! i compared that to vim power cream and it kicked major ass! all those ugly water stains that the latter wasn’t able to get rid off – poof! gone! after just one use!
i can only hope the other oxi brite products will be just as amazing, i will surely try them out!
Hi Edward
Thank you for your comment and additional feedback about the product. It is great to hear your positive experience with it and I know others will appreciate the input in helping them make a choice that is right for them when it comes to these cleaners.
Evita,
Thank you for posting the comments and emailing them on to me.