Do green laundry powders scrub up?

[This article first appeared in the Oct-Nov 2015 issue of Green Ideas magazine]

It seems to me that every time I browse the cleaning products section in the supermarket, a new green-tinged label has been launched. Eco this, natural that – is it all a (laundry) load of rubbish, or do these product claims stack up? And can we expect them to really work?

Delving into the ‘natural’ laundry/cleaning products debate got me in a spin cycle pretty quick. It turns out that natural ingredients can cause just as much – and sometimes more – environmental harm than synthetic chemicals. So what’s a shopper to do?

For starters it helps to know what’s worth worrying about. We reckon the main issues to look out for are:

Phosphates – these improve cleaning, but harm aquatic life once they reach streams, rivers and the sea.

Oil – all soaps and detergents start life as some kind of oil, either from the petrochemical industry, or vegetable oil. Unsustainable palm oil is the one to watch out for.

Packaging – as always minimal packaging, using recycled and / or recyclable materials, is the ideal.

Skin irritants – some cleaning agents and perfumes can irritate skin. Less is generally best.

Rather than spending hours researching the supply chains of the brand you buy, though, it can be simpler to rely on accreditation from a trusted third party certifier such as ECNZ.

As for performance, that’s best tested on some dirty laundry – so we put seven laundry powders/liquids through their paces.

Here are the results.

How we tested:

Tests were performed in a modern Bosch front-loader washing machine. The items washed were bed sheets and clothes; rags stained with mascara, ink, food and lipstick were also included. All loads were medium.

Next Generation

Price per wash: 29c

Availability: Stocked in New World, Countdown, Pak’N Save,Fresh Choice, etc.

Certifications: Green Tick Sustainable certified.

Green cred: A New Zealand made product that claims to be phosphate free, palm oil free, use no synthetic dyes or perfumes (uses essential oil for scent), biodegradable, safe for septic tanks, and comes in eco-friendly, recyclable packaging. Full ingredient list provided on their website.

OUR TEST

Ease of use: It comes with a little cardboard scoop inside, which is a good idea for reducing the use of plastic. Only downside is it does mean getting in there with your fingers to pull it out and assemble it, so be warned – you will end up with laundry powder all over your fingers.

Smell: Pleasant lavender smell which disappeared once clothes were dry.

Stain removal: Quite effective; stains were significantly reduced. Second overall for stain removal.

Overall impression: Very mild but pleasant smell, and effective at cleaning. I hadn’t tried this brand before so was pleased to know it’s a good option.

Earthwise

Price per wash: 23c

Availability: Stocked in New World, Countdown, Pak’N Save, Fresh Choice, etc.

Certifications: Environmental Choice New Zealand certified. National Asthma Council Australia and Asthma Foundation NZ “Sensitive Choice”.

Green cred: A New Zealand made product that claims to be phosphate, nitrate, chlorine, and ammonia free, GE free, contain biodegradable surfactants, and come in recyclable packaging. Full ingredient list provided on their website.

OUR TEST

Ease of use: It was easy to use – and I see it also comes in a liquid version, which would be handy.

Smell: I chose the fragrance-free version. Clothes smelled clean but scent-free. They do have a range of frangances for those who prefer floral aromas.

Stain removal: Performed the third best in terms of cleanliness. Was quite pleased with the results.

Overall impression: Got the job done. Reasonably priced, and they have a very wide product selection.

Persil

Price per wash: 30c

Availablity: Stocked in all mainstream supermarkets.

Certifications: None.

Green cred: A New Zealand made product that claims to be dermatologically tested, phosphate free, with no dyes or perfumes. No ingredient list available on their website.

OUR TEST

Ease of use: Handy packaging with a convenient (plastic) scoop.

Smell: No detectable smell.

Stain removal: This one was the most effective in terms of cleaning. It didn’t get dried-in stains out completely (which I wouldn’t expect, without soaking) but it reduced them significantly – so it would be good for minor stains and grime build-up.

Overall impression: Certainly effective at cleaning, but holds no green certifications.

Eco Planet

Price per wash: 23c

Availability: Stocked in New World, Countdown and Pak’N Save.

Certifications: Enviro-mark Gold certified. Green Tick Sustainable certified.

Green cred: A New Zealand made product that claims to be phosphate free, use biodegradable surfectants, septic tank safe and have a 100 per cent recyclable bottle. Vague list of ingredients provided on their website.

OUR TEST

Ease of use: Handy that the measuring cup is in the lid. Makes it really easy and mess-free. It also comes in a powder version for those who prefer that.

Smell: Very light, fresh smell. Smelled ‘clean’.

Stain removal: Ranked fifth in terms of cleaning power.

Overall impression: One of the cheapest but not as effective at getting out stains as the others. I was interested to note in my research that Eco Planet was founded and owned by the same person behind Next Generation, Barry Robertson.

Earthchoice

Price per wash: 6c (front loader) or 16c (top loader).

Availability: Sub-brand of Nature’s Choice; stocked in a number of Countdown supermarkets and some smaller independent stores.

Certifications: CCF Accredited (Cruelty Free).

Green cred: An Australian made product that claims to have low sodium content (safe for greywater use), be phosphate, bleach and optical brightener free, biodegradable, uses 100 recycled PET plastic packaging. No ingredient list available on their website.

OUR TEST

Ease of use: It didn’t come with a measuring cup, but it looks like they’re due to release new packaging which includes a measuring cup in the lid.

Smell: This one had quite a strong smell compared to the other products. I liked that about it, because it smelled so ‘fresh’. However if you don’t like scented laundry, this one wouldn’t be for you.

Stain removal: This one was unfortunately the least effective in terms of getting stains out. It made very little difference to stains.

Overall impression: This one made my clothes softer, which was nice. It’s also definitely one of the cheapest of the bunch. I would recommend it for anyone on a budget for use on relatively unsoiled clothes.

Ecostore

Price per wash: 44c

Availability: Stocked in most supermarkets and in many smaller health/organic stores; they also have an online store.

Certifications: Environmental Choice New Zealand certified. Enviromark Diamond and CarboNZero certified production factory.

Green cred: A New Zealand-made product that claims to contain no synthetic perfumes, optical brighteners, laundry enzymes, phosphates, be suitable for septic tanks, and comes in recyclable packaging (which is also partly made from recycled materials). Full list of ingredients available on their website. They’re also currently trialling closed-loop recycling – two portable recycling stations are moving around sites in Northland, Auckland and Bay of Plenty to collect used ecostore bottles and directly recycle these to create new bottles or laundry scoops.

OUR TEST

Ease of use: It had a handy measuring scoop (made from 100 per cent recycled plastic).

Smell: Lemon (from essential oil) – light and barely noticeable. Smelled clean.

Stain removal: Fourth in terms of cleaning power.

Overall impression: In addition to their many green credentials their website has lots of testimonials saying it’s good for asthma and skin sensitivities. Seems to be a very proactive brand, but not the cheapest or most effective.

Clark Washing soda Crystals

Price per wash: Depends on how much you use. Product was 1kg and I bought for $4.49. Instructions say to use 1 tablespoon for a mild wash, half a cup for a medium wash, or 1 cup for a strong wash.

Availability: They don’t list stockists on their website, but I purchased from an Auckland New World.

Certifications: None.

Green cred: A New Zealand made product that claims to have no enzymes, bleach, or phosphates, and be allergy friendly. No ingredient list available on their website.

OUR TEST

Ease of use: Comes in a plastic container. No scoop.

Smell: No detectable smell.

Stain removal: Reasonable level of stain removal but didn’t remove them completely. On par with Eco Planet.

Overall impression: The soda crystals have to be dissolved in water before you add them. The instructions are a little confusing – I think it would take some trial and error to get the right amount and method. Bonus points for versatility: apparently the crystals are also useful for cleaning the kitchen (especially for removing grease), in bathrooms, on floors, cleaning BBQs, wooden floors and decking, engine degreasing and more.