Green Works Cleaning Products Review

You may remember that a while back I alerted you to a Green Works Product trial. I signed up, and sure enough, I received a package with three Green Works Products inside. They’ve asked me to share my opinion of any one of the products with them, but, I decided to go one better and test drive all three of them for YOU, Green and Thrifty Mama. I think they were expecting people to match them up versus traditional cleaners (they are made by Clorox, after all) but I personally have been using Method cleaners for years, so my opinion of how well they clean is compared to those products. I’m what they call “sensitive,” meaning that what’s in your average cleaner makes me sicker than a dog. I can’t even really go down the detergent aisle at the store, and it’s all perfume/dye/chemical free for me, all the time, unless I want a horrendous headache.

First up, General Purpose Cleaner.

The Challenge: The High Chair

My 9 month old is very independent. If you have one of these, you know that what you are looking at means that, while some food undoubtedly ended up INSIDE the baby, you sure can’t tell by the high chair when all is said and done.

The Results:
I can’t say this cleaner doesn’t work. The high chair is clean, including the straps, which we all know are notoriously hard to keep in good trim. But, other than that, it’s a good thing I’m not being paid for this opinion because I doubt they’d give a nickel for it.

First of all, the bottle leaks. Which means I got the stuff all over my hands. That might seem like it’s not a product feature, but, to me, it is. If they skimp on the bottle and I end up wasting cleaner by getting it all over me, that’s a problem. Also, it roughened my nails and the skin on my hands, and set off a flare up of the hand eczema so many of us moms battle all winter long. It took days to calm down the redness and the itching.  Since I know it’ll be a while before my next manicure (HAH!) that is not what we call a “plus.”

Secondly, the smell. It smells like a traditional cleaner. If that’s your “thing,” you might like it. I don’t. And my four year old came into the kitchen with his nose wrinkled up and said, “Mommy, I smell something…” in the tone you might use to mean someone had obviously stepped in You-Know-What. Unlike most products, it did not actually leave me with a splitting headache when I was done. So there’s that.

Last, the cleaner left a sticky residue not only all over my hands, thanks to the leaky bottle, but also all over the floor and anywhere hit by the over-spray. Yuck.

What I’d use this for: Convincing my husband that a regular visit for a mani/pedi is a necessary expense, gluing small children to the floor, and discouraging my four year old from touching my stuff.

Next up: Toilet Bowl Cleaner

The challenge: I will NOT gross you out with a picture. Let’s just say… “The Little Boy’s Room.”

The Results: Again with the smell. The smell of this thing made my eyes water. I’m not being descriptive, they actually watered. It did what I consider a so-so job of cleaning the bowls of both of our toilets, and the fact that I now don’t want to go near them should mean they stay clean, right? (I say again… HAH!) Again, it didn’t actually make me sick, I just don’t care for the experience of the product at all.

What I’d use this for: Repelling invaders. A blind attacker is a dead attacker!

Finally: Cleaning Wipes

I was most excited about this item. My husband LOVES wipes of any description, and these are compostable. Personally, I have always thought they were a waste of money, so I’m going to be a tough sell.

The Challenge: Post Party Cleanup

The Results: First of all, I had a lot of trouble getting the roll started. So I wasted a bunch of the wipes right off the bat. Since I already think buying wipes is a waste of money, wasting part of the roll before I even try them out is no way to win me over.

I tried these on the counter top. I’m not impressed. They didn’t get any of the tough spots, and they left my countertop (laminate) looking dull. They were good at finger marks on woodwork and switch plates.

What I’d use this for: Wasting space in my pantry, wiping down restaurant or food court tables before feeding my kids, or keeping my husband happy.

Conclusion: None of these products are for me. I’ll be passing them on to another family. If you’re a “sensitive” like me, give these a pass. Also, dye-free families should note that two of the three products are dyed green, and the label only says “yellow and blue colorant,” without listing a source. So if that’s a concern for you, again, I suggest you give these a pass.