Green Works

My husband had a manic cleaning jag last week due to my, umm, sporadic housecleaning style. While I was taking a much-needed shower, he had Jasper in the front carrier and somehow managed to get bleach stains on the cuffs of the baby's shirt. Right next to the hands that are always in his mouth. I was annoyed, to say the least, and he got a lecture on making sure he doesn't use strong, possibly toxic chemicals while carrying the baby. Duh.

I'll admit I am not the best housekeeper out there. Dust bunnies, cat hair and the debris from my long-lasting post-partum hair loss are often visible in the corners of our house. I do make a point of keeping the sinks, counters and bathrooms clean, though. Dust I can handle, but germs not so much. Unfortunately, the smell of bleach makes me nauseous.




Serendipitously, Clorox has recently introduced a new eco-friendly line called Green Works. All of these cleaning products feature ingredients that are are sustainable, non-allergenic and biodegradable. Brand name notwithstanding, these contain no bleach. I got to try two products from the new line, the Natural All Purpose Cleaner and the Natural Glass and Surface Cleaner.



The Green Works Natural All Purpose Cleaner was a pleasure to use. The residual scent is slightly lemony, with a coconutty twinge. Pleasant but not overpoweringly perfumey. And as gentle as it seems, it cut through grease spatter on my cooktop and limescale around my faucets.



The Green Works Natural Glass and Surface Cleaner features the same scent but also leaves a high gloss shine on glass and polished surfaces. This was a wonder in our bathroom, where we have a huge vanity mirror and also a glassed-in shower. It also worked well on our granite counters.

Both cleaners were as effective as their traditional peers, but it's nice to know that they are made up of plant-based ingredients instead of harsh chemicals. Green Works products are not tested on animals and are packaged in bottles that can be recycled. Most of the products are multi-taskers that can be used on a variety of surfaces. They are widely available and they are very reasonably priced– the whole line retails for between $2.99 to $3.39, which makes them stiff competition for other eco-friendly cleaning brands.