Ecover versus Dr Evil
We use eco-cleaners in our house. But if i'm honest I've always felt like I was compromising on cleaning power. After almost two years of washing our clothes at 40 degrees I'm afraid I succumbed to the force of heat and am now a happy 60 degrees gal. But I still use the planet friendly washing powders and fabric conditioners. So I'm not all bad. Anyway. The reason I am sharing my less than scintilating cleaning double-life is because not so long ago Ecover approached us asking if we wanted to test their products. Not just get some free ones (we're not that cheap) but to test them out against the conventional market leaders. At last I thought, a way of banishing dirt, grime and lurking worries that: my house mainly looked dirty because I was a very reluctant cleaner, rather than as a result of the products I used.
This evening I cleared the decks. Delayed the glass of 'wind-down' wine, and rolled my sleeves up to facilitate battle between the angels of the cleaning cupboard fluffy Ecover and Dr Evil aka some really fab looking chemical cleaners. And here's what I found:
Using Cillit Bang was a little like watching porn (I imagine) I kept casting furtive glances over my shoulder in case I was caught. We 'take' The Guardian after all. It said it was good for power cleaning and helpfully had a picture of a cooker hob on the front. And Cillit Bang did the trick with a mighty whiff of something or other that gave me a mild headache. But the hob came up beautifully. The Ecover version did exactly the same with a nicer (and presumably kinder to the human body) smell.
Winner: Ecover by a nose.
Smudgy toddler fingers are not the easiest to wipe clean (or indeed avoid when you're wearing your sunday best). But I was convinced this was the battle that Ecover could not win. Having expended the maximum amount of elbow grease on this one I am forced to report that Ecover required a smidge more tester-power than the evil Mr Muscle alternative.
Good does not always triumph over evil: Mr Muscle wins by a 'smudge'.
Now this is my kind of cleaner. No reading the small print just spray and wipe and....walk away, job done. And having tested both these products on most of the surfaces in my home including my husband (Well! He shouldn't sit so blinkin well still). I'm pleased to say that they both came out the same. Which is the same as saying Ecover wins. Because if they do the same job, but one is better for your hands (less aging than chemical cleaning products) better for your children (because god only knows the harm that Cbeebies and multiple packets of Hula Hoops do)...and better for the planet.
Dr Evil bite me: Ecover wins by a halo.
Overall winner - the environment, your family, the skin on your hands. Ecover.
Now that the test is complete (actually there was a floor cleaner to test - but come on, I've still got the rest of season 5 of The Wire on Sky plus!).... I'm filled with an added passion about eco-friendly cleaning products. Thank goodness I was right all along, All that's left is to hire someone else to do it. I hate cleaning.
