OK, we know it does.  We continually witness concrete examples of ‘green working”, as evidenced on our site.  This time, however, we’re talking about a new product line from the Clorox Company called “Green Works.”  When we saw this for the first time, and noticed that it is manufactured by Clorox, makers of one of the harshest and most effective anti-microbials in existence (bleach), we were highly skeptical.  As well as being intrigued.A bottle of Green Works “Natural Glass and Surface Cleaner” came home with us for a trial. A review of their website, www.greenworkscleaners.com finds five different Green Works products for home cleaning applications.  Clorox has this to say about their product:“With the aim of creating a practical way to green your home without making trade-offs, each product contains over 99% natural ingredients that are biodegradable. Green Works™ cleaners are not tested on animals and use recyclable packaging.” The product line includes general purpose cleaner, dilutable cleaner, bath cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, and the glass and surface cleaner we have been testing.  The FAQ includes some hard questions, so kudos to Clorox for going head-on.  We suggest you look at the FAQ section, as there really is no hard science to this as of yet.  However, the product does bear the EPA DfE label, which means: “When you see the logo it means that the DfE review team has screened each ingredient in the product for potential human health and environmental effects. Based on currently available information, predictive models and expert judgment they determine that the product contains only those ingredients that pose the least concern among chemicals in their class.” Clorox does admit to the limitations of their products in the “green” context, but suggest that they continue efforts to become more environmentally conscious.  Our bottle of surface cleaner contains a nonionic surfactant which is coconut based, as well as ethanol from corn, a lemon oil-based fragrance, and water.  The other products have a similar composition, with the bath products having a more acidic basis, but using lactic, citric, and glycolic acid components rather than toxic acids.  Does it work?  It does.  There are a lot of products that work well.  To say it is the most terrific surface cleaner in the history of surface cleaners is a bit of an exaggeration.  It doesn’t need to be.  It just needs to do what it is designed to do, hopefully with minimal or no environmental impact. Clorox states that they will continue to improve their eco-footprint.  We are happy to hear this news, as their position in this market will certainly draw consumers to their products and possibly provide “greener” alternatives to household chores. 

Filed under: products on June 29th, 2008