The Rundown:
What: Clean + Green Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner
Price: Reg $9.99 at www.odorandstainremover.com
Product Ingredients:
Cane sugar derivatives, proprietary botanical extracts and hydrated cellulose (cleaning agents), purified water and nitrogen propellant.
Manufacturing Location: USA
What Makes It Green:
Avoids the use of unnecessary compounds, including fragrances, linked to respiratory irritation and other health concerns, and contains cosmetic grade ingredients which the company claims is safe for people, pets and the planet. The product also has a number of sustainable features including a recyclable can, design for waterless clean up and uses a nitrogen aerosol propellant, a healthier alternative to common propellants like butane and carbon dioxide.
PROS:
- Spray and walk away. No need for scrubbing or rinsing, just spray thoroughly and let Clean + Green do the rest. To my surprise, it was just that simple.
- It’s affordable. At under $10.00, it’s not just easy on your back, it’s easy on your wallet too.
- It’s Fragrance-free. Fragrances and ‘masking agents’ often contain phalates, some of which have been labeled as probable carcinogens by the EPA and the Department of Health and Human Services. Clean + Green’s fragrance-free design helps ensure odors aren’t being masked and doesnt’ contain any unnecessary fragrances which may compromise your family’s health .
- Cosmetic grade, non-toxic ingredients (see below for C&G’s definition of non-toxic).
- Free of carcinogens identified under Proposition 65. Proposition 65 identifies ‘Chemicals Known to the State of California to Cause Cancer or Reproductive Toxicity’.
- It’s CO2-free. Free of carbon dioxide (CO2) with its use of nitrogen as its propellant.
- Contains no Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). According to Clean Air Counts, VOC’s pollute indoor air quality and may cause respiratory and eye irritation. Using products free of VOC’s helps to keep your home more than clean-it keeps it healthy too. Kudos Clean + Green!
- Provides some product ingredient verification. Clean + Green provides product Material Safety Data Sheets with a request to the manufacturer. This information can help validate manufacturer claims and helps establish transparency-something more Americans are demanding with increasing concerns about the ingredients used in common household products.
- Safe to use around pets and people. Because its formula is labeled as non-toxic, non-corrosive, non-flammable and non-carcinogenic, you can rest assured it’s safer to use around the family than many of its conventional counterparts (but keep out of reach of kids, of course).
- Waterless cleanup. The spray and walk-away design reduces cleaning-related water consumption. Every little bit counts!
- Comes in a recyclable can. Need I say more?
- Made in the USA.
CONS:
- Lack of full ingredient disclosure. Like many other cleaning products, Clean + Green does not fully disclose its ingredient list, claiming a proprietary blend/process. This makes it difficult to fully evaluate the environmental and health impacts of this product.
- Commits the 5th Sin of Greenwashing (The Sin of Irrelevance). Clean + Green makes the claim that its product is free of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) despite the fact that, according to the National Aerosol Association, no aerosols containing CFC’s have been made or sold in the US since 1978 (with the exception of some medical devices). This is not an uncommon claim among cleaning products but is misleading nonetheless.
- May require heavy use. In order for the product to work effectively, it may require substantial use of the product for each spot treated area.
Now a little Q & A with Clean + Green…
YGR – How does Clean & Green define ‘All natural’?
C&G: Clean+Green identifies its products as “all natural” because the active ingredients are derived from biodegradable plant extracts, and it uses a natural propellant (nitrogen). The ingredients include cane sugar derivatives, proprietary blend of plant extracts, hydrated cellulose (cleaning agents) and purified water delivered by the natural carrier, nitrogen. No fragrances, perfumes, masking agents or inhibitors are used in the product.YGR: How does Clean & Green define ‘non-toxic’?
C&G: Clean+Green defines non-toxic as ingredients at not harmful, toxic, flammable, corrosive or carcinogenic.YGR: Is the product certified biodegradable?
C&G: Clean+Green exceeds the EPA test for biodegradation [Editor’s Note: the product does not appear to be certified by any third party].
Become your own Cleaning Product Advocate!
Before buying anything because of good-looking label or green claim, do a little research first. Check out the links below to learn more about eco-labeling and some common terminology.
What does Biodegradable mean?
What does Nontoxic mean?
The Rundown:
What: Clean + Green Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner
Price: Reg $9.99 at
Product Ingredients:
Cane sugar derivatives, proprietary botanical extracts and hydrated cellulose (cleaning agents), purified water and nitrogen propellant.
Manufacturing Location: USA
What Makes It Green:
Avoids the use of unnecessary compounds linked to respiratory irritation and other health concerns, such as fragrances and contains cosmetic grade ingredients which the company claims is safe for people, pets and the planet. The product also has a number of sustainable features including a recyclable can, design for waterless clean up and uses a nitrogen aerosol propellant, a healthier alternative to common propellants in some aerosols.
PROS:
- Works well and leaves no strong odors
- Spray and walk away…no need for scrubbing or rinsing!
- Fragrance free
- Cosmetic grade, non-toxic ingredients
- Free of carcinogens identified under Proposition 65 (Chemicals Known to the State to Cause Cancer or Reproductive Toxicity).
- Free of carbon dioxide (CO2) with its use of nitrogen as its propellant.
- Provides Material Safety Data Sheets with a request to the manufacturer.
- Safe to use around pets and people (but keep out of reach of kids, of course)
- Contains no masking agents
- Waterless cleanup
- Comes in a recyclable can
- Contains no Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
- Made in the USA
CONS:
- Lack of ingredient disclosure makes it difficult to fully evaluate the environmental and health impacts of this product.
- Commits the 5th Sin of Greenwashing; The Sin of Irrelevance. This product makes the claim that its product is free of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) despite the fact that, according to the National Aerosol Association, no aerosols containing CFC’s have been made or sold in the US since 1978 (with the exception of some medical devices).
- May require substantial use of the product for each spot treated area.
Now a little Q & A with Clean + Green…
YGR - How does Clean & Green define ‘All natural’?
C&G: Clean+Green identifies its products as “all natural” because the active ingredients are derived from biodegradable plant extracts, and it uses a natural propellant (nitrogen). The ingredients include cane sugar derivatives, proprietary blend of plant extracts, hydrated cellulose (cleaning agents) and purified water delivered by the natural carrier, nitrogen. No fragrances, perfumes, masking agents or inhibitors are used in the product.
YGR: How does Clean & Green define ‘non-toxic’?
C&G: Clean+Green defines non-toxic as ingredients at not harmful, toxic, flammable, corrosive or carcinogenic.
YGR: Is the product certified biodegradable?
C&G: Clean+Green exceeds the EPA test for biodegradation [Editor’s Note: the product does not appear to be certified by any third party].
Become your own Cleaning Product Advocate!
The 7 Sins of Greenwashing: http://sinsofgreenwashing.org/
Learn about common labels:
Biodegradable
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July 20th, 2010 at 11:59 am