While using green cleaners can be better than using more traditional commercial cleaners, I can not say that I am jumping up and down to buy them and use them. I have to admit that many of these cleaners come in attractive and stylish bottles and contain very pleasant scents.
Despite this, there are several reasons that these cleaners have not convinced me, yet, to purchase and use them on a regular basis. Here is why.
Most of these green cleaners are not available for purchase in bulk. Because of this, these cleaners have an impact on the environment through excess packaging that could be avoided, not to mention the energy costs to ship all of the strange shaped bottles (larger container generally (but not always) provide more product packed in when it comes to shipping). If these products started coming in larger sizes, or offer large refill packs, I would applaud it.
Another reason is that I think that there are better cleaning alternatives that are green. Good old baking soda and vinegar provides a ton of cleaning and even sanitizing. These two products, plus ordinary water, can be used alone or in conjunction to make cleaners for many different surfaces and jobs. As an added benefit, both baking soda and vinegar can be purchased in bulk sizes.
Now, my third reason why I don’t like green cleaners is that they are overpriced. As consumers, we tend to expect anything that is special (or cool) to come with a higher price tag. While a smaller market may require charging a bit more for the product, the cost to purchase these green cleaners is really over the top. I think some manufacturers tend to add an extra premium on the price because “green” is a hot marketing gimmick. Take a look at the product called “Simple Green.” It has been around for a while, has passed the test for green products (except for the new lemon-scented version), and it is priced in line with other commercial cleaners.
Finally, green products are not always green. They may have some green aspect to them, but that doesn’t mean that these products are truly green, so it is important to do your research. A recent comparison at the store showed me that the traditional commercial cleaner used packaging with #2 plastic, easily recycled. A green product used #5 plastic, which most people has to toss out.
You can read more blog posts by Mary Ann Romans here!
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