Washington, D.C. – From kitchen, bathroom, glass and all-purpose cleaners to dishwashing detergent, laundry soap and bleach, Environmental Working Group has scoured the chemical ingredients of more than 2,000 different household cleaning products and come up with a list of some of the best – and some you should avoid.
“With spring upon us, it’s that time when millions of Americans are prepping for a major home cleaning,” said EWG’s Director of Research, Renée Sharp. “But lurking in many available and widely used cleaning products are highly toxic chemicals associated with a number of serious health problems. The good news is there are plenty of products that will get the job done without exposing you and your family to these hazardous substances.”
EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning gives people practical solutions to protect themselves and their families from exposures to potentially harmful chemicals. That’s important, because U.S. law allows manufacturers of most cleaning products to use almost any ingredient they wish, including known carcinogens and substances that can harm fetal and infant development. The government does nothing to assess the safety of the vast majority of cleaning products before they’re sold to consumers. The Environmental Protection Agency only regulates cleaners that contain registered pesticides (such as disinfectants with “active ingredients”) whose labels the agency must approve. To fill the gap, EWG’s staff scientists evaluated the ingredients listed on cleaning product labels, websites and worker safety documents based on information available in top government, industry and academic toxicity databases and in the scientific literature on potential health and environmental problems.
“It’s important to keep your home clean, but in doing so you might be using products that contain chemicals that can trigger asthma attacks, allergic reactions, eye and skin irritation or that are known or probable human carcinogens,” said Sharp. “Even more troubling is that the law doesn’t require most types of cleaners even to disclose what chemicals are in them.”
Instead, many companies use vague terms such as “surfactant” or “preservative” to describe their ingredients, leaving consumers in the dark about the specific chemicals they may contain and whether they might pose health hazards. EWG believes that’s not good enough. Consumers have a right to know that information at the point of sale before bringing cleaners into their homes.
From the database it compiled, EWG identified some of the best and worst products in each of four categories – bathroom, dishes, laundry and kitchen/all-purpose – and created handy lists of 10 of the best and 10 to avoid. (Note: These lists are not intended to be exhaustive; they are meant to give consumers a sampling of products that received high or low scores in EWG’s rankings based on what’s known about their ingredients and how much their labels disclose.)
TEN OF THE BEST FOR THE BATHROOM
Green Shield Organic Bathroom Cleaner, Fresh
Earth Friendly Products Shower Kleener
CLR Calcium Lime, Rust Cleaner
Seventh Generation Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Emerald Cypress & Fir
Earth Friendly Products Toilet Kleener, Natural Cedar
Green Shield Organic Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Seventh Generation Natural Tub & Title Cleaner, Emerald Cypress & Fir
Lysol Professional Disinfectant Basin Tub &Tile Cleaner
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Lavender Bathroom Cleaner
Ecover Toilet Bowl Cleaner Pine Fresh
TEN OF THE BEST FOR CLEANING DISHES
Green Shield Organic Squeez Automatic Dishwasher Liquid Detergent, Lemongrass
The Honest Co. Honest Auto Dishwasher Gel, Free & Clear
Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid, Hypo-Allergenic
Seventh Generation Automatic Dishwasher Detergent Concentrated Pacs, Free & Clear
Better Life DISH IT OUT Natural Dish Liquid, Unscented
Seventh Generation Automatic Dishwasher Powder, Free & Clear
Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value Automatic Dishwasher Detergent, Citrus
Earth Friendly Products Wave Automatic Dishwashing Gel Lavender
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Basil Automatic Dish Pack
TEN OF THE BEST FOR THE LAUNDRY
Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda Detergent Booster & Household Cleaner
OxiClean Laundry Baby Stain Soaker
Martha Stewart Clean Laundry Detergent
Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value 2X Concentrated Laundry Detergent, Unscented
Green Shield Organic Laundry Detergent, HE Elite Care, Free & Clear
Seventh Generation Natural Powder Laundry Detergent, White Flower & Bergamot
Planet 2x Ultra Laundry Detergent, For HE & Standard Machines
Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Bleach, Free & Clear
Dr. Bronner’s 18-in-1 Hemp Pure-Castile Soap, Peppermint
Planet Delicate Laundry Wash Hypo Allergenic
TEN OF THE BEST ALL-PURPOSE AND KITCHEN CLEANERS
Green Shield All-Purpose Cleaner Degreaser, Fresh
Whole Foods Market Glass Cleaner, Unscented
Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds Liquid Cleaner
Green Shield Organic Glass Cleaner Fresh
Method All-Purpose Surface Cleaner, Ginger Yuzu
Whole Foods Market Green MISSION Organic All-Purpose Spray & Degreaser, Lemon Zest
Attitude Bathroom Mold Mildew Cleaner
Citra Solv Citra Clear Window Glass Cleaner
TEN TO AVOID
These products all received an “F” grade in EWG’s rankings for one or more of the following reasons: 1) they contain ingredients linked to health effects such as asthma and respiratory problems, skin allergies and irritation, developmental and reproductive toxicity or cancer; 2) they contain ingredients may have harmful environmental effects; or 3) product labeling failed to disclose ingredients that may be toxic.
TEN BATHROOM CLEANERS TO AVOID
LYSOL Action Gel Toilet Bowl Cleaner Country
Clorox Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner with Bleach, Rain Clean
Scrubbing Bubbles Extend A Clean Mega Shower Foamer
Toilet Duck Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner
LYSOL Aerosol Bathroom Cleaner Sunshine Fresh
Clorox Bleach Foamer for the Bathroom
Drano Professional Strength Max Gel Clog Remover
Safeway Bright Green Liquid Drain Opener Professional Strength
TEN DISH WASHING PRODUCTS TO AVOID
Simple Green Naturals Dish Washing Liquid
Ajax Dish Liquid with Bleach Alternative Lime
Clorox Commercial Solutions SOS Pot Pan Detergent
Palmolive Eco + Gel Dishwasher Detergent, Lemon Splash
Ajax Triple Action Dish Liquid Hand Soap, Orange
Cascade Dishwasher Detergent Gel
Dawn Ultra Concentrated Liquid Dishwashing Detergent Hawaiian Pineapple
EASY-OFF Professional Liquid Dish Detergent Concentrate
Cascade Powder Dishwasher Detergent
Palmolive Ultra Oxy Plus Odor Eliminator Dish Liquid
TEN LAUNDRY PRODUCTS TO AVOID
Fab Ultra 2X Liquid Laundry Detergent, Spring Magic
Tide Plus a Touch of Downy Liquid Detergent, Lavender
Ajax 2X Ultra Liquid Laundry Detergent, Original
Ivory Ultra Snow Liquid Laundry Detergent
Cheer BrightCLEAN HE Liquid Laundry Detergent, Free & Gentle
All Small & Mighty Laundry Detergent HE, Fresh Rain
Dynamo Liquid Laundry Detergent
Gain Liquid Detergent, Island Fresh
Tide Liquid Detergent with Febreze Freshness Meadows Rain
Wisk High Efficiency Liquid Laundry Detergent
TEN KITCHEN CLEANING PRODUCTS TO AVOID
EASY-OFF Professional Heavy Duty Cleaner-Degreaser Concentrate
Simple Green Concentrated All-Purpose Cleaner
Walmart Great Value Heavy Duty Oven Cleaner
Lestoil Grease & Stain Heavy Duty Cleaner
Drano Professional Strength Kitchen Crystals Clog Remover
LYSOL Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner Citrus
EASY-OFF Heavy Duty Oven Cleaner Aerosol Spray
Soft Scrub with Bleach Cleanser for Bath and Kitchen, Mountain Breeze
