I haven't tried them all so I'm hesitant to vote, however I feel that someone should note that not all companies that produce green cleaners have a sustainable bottom line. While Green Works is effective as any normal cleaning product (I've tried it) and is as natural as it claims to be, in general Clorox is only funneling their sustainable initiatives into this one product line rather than integrating them into all of their practices. That may be a lot to ask of a mega-company like Clorox, but I'd rather support a business that emphasizes sustainability in every aspect of their operation.

The only one I've tried is the green works one. It smells really nice, but doesn't cut through grease very well. I'm interested to know the results to this one.

~ Sarah @ http://www.queenofdiy.com

Baking Soda
Vinegar
Hydrogen Peroxide
Salt
Lemons
Dr. Bronner's soap

They work wonderfully and I *know* that they are green.

I just can't say I trust the brand names to be . Especially Clorox.

I've tried some Seventh Generation stuff (the bathroom cleaner and the all-purpose surface cleaner), and they work pretty well. I have to use a little more than I would with a conventional cleaner, but maybe that's the norm with green cleaners?

I'm also very interested to see the results!

I agree with ThisOldFarm - baking soda, vinegar, and castile soap (which can all be purchased in bulk - no excess packaging!) are what we use the most. I use bulk dish and laundry detergents from a company call BioPac, as well -my homemade concotions don't work well long term.

I think it's important to note that there isn't much regulation for labeling products as "natural" or organic" so manufacturers can say whatever they want. Look at the labels - if you can't find an ingredient list or don't understand what is listed don't buy it or use it.

i have been using melaleuca tough and tender. it is my favorite. The downside is that I have to order it through my sister in law and it is shipped.
http://www.melaleuca.com/ProductStore/ProductSubCategory.aspx?id=109

They also have Sol-u-guard botanical disenfectant. it work well but is very strong smelling and makes me cough.
http://www.melaleuca.com/ProductStore/ProductSubCategory.aspx?id=109

I bought one of those high powered steam guns from Shark. It works better than any spray cleaner that I've tried and the only contaminates are those that are already present on our City of Chicago tap water.

Lemieux products in bulk (no packaging since I bring in my own bottles that I have been reusing for years!) except for their dishwashing products that don't cut through grease, I use method or bio-vert for dishwashing.

Begley's Best at http://www.begleysbest.com/ Ed Begley Jr. has been a crusading environmentalist for years. I trust him.

I find that a combination of white vinegar, water, and a tiny bit of dish soap is effective for cleaning most kitchen surfaces.

I use Charlie's liquid soap for everything: spot remover, surface cleaner, toilet cleaner, tub cleaner, you name it. It's very gentle but works very well.

I live in Australia, where I use an Australian brand called Orange Power. They make various specific cleaners (shower, kitchen etc) but I use the all-purpose spray for everything and it's great, it dissolves both grease and soap scum excellently. I buy it in bulk in a 4 litre bottle online, and refill my smaller spray bottle. They also make an orange oil air freshener which is a permanent fixture in my loo - it really does completely get rid of nasty smells. Pity you guys in the US can't get it!

Although brand loyalty aside, I also use white vinegar in a spray bottle with a couple of drops each of tea tree, and lemon oils for a lot of stuff (like when the toilet's particularly dirty).

By the way, ThisOldFarm - I'm not so sure that hydrogen peroxide is terribly 'green'. It might be better than chlorine bleach but apart from that how is it green? My standard for a green cleaner is whether it is grey-water system safe, because if not it means it's probably not safe in larger waterways either.

i too use Charlie's liquid soap for everything- i buy the gallon jar. Its really good.

unless you can see all the ingredients, it's hard to know what's actually green. Mrs. Meyers, Methods, Greenworks etc are greener than traditional cleaners, but certainly aren't as green as the list ThisOldFarm provides.

When I'm too lazy to make my own, I like bio-Kleen products as well as 7th Gen.

oh, and hydrogen peroxide is considered green because it breaks down into water an oxygen in water.

I am a Mrs. Meyers junkie, the basil smells so good. Otherwise the old vinegar, baking soda trick for me!

@RosieGreen: Can't say for sure about the hydrogen peroxide, but one of the people behind Method recommended using it in place of bleach. Maybe there's something to that?

I like the Method products -- work very well. But honestly, some of that stuff is kind of expensive, especially considering vinegar, baking soda, lemons, etc. are cost-efficient and do about the same job. I use them to do most of my cleaning (baking soda works great for washing sinks and tubs!), and then usually unscented or gentle products (like Woolite) for laundry. Vinegar's a good, all-natural fabric softener.

Also something no one's mentioned yet: Borax!

I consider all of the products listed to be part of the "greenwashing" movement. The only way to insure that you are really using a "green" product is to make it yourself.

This is another vote for the baking soda and vinegar concoction. Lemons and essential oils, such as tea tree, are also great to mix into your homemade solution because of the antimicrobial properties.

TKO orange, in various strengths. undiluted it will remove any kind of horrible sticky mess, and it smells like oranges. for other things, there's pink solution, some sort of algae-based cleaning gel, and it once got half a bottle of red wine from my beige rental carpet. can't beat that!

http://www.tkoorange.com/

https://pinksolution.ca/

I don't think Method products work well at all. I've tried 7th Generation dishwasher detergent, and it left my dishes pretty dirty. Ecover is better. I tried a Trader Joe's brand "green" all-purpose cleaner, and while I loved the smell, it did not cut grease and grime at all. My favorite brand of "green" cleaners is Sun and Earth. I think it is Pennsylvania-based and only available in the Mid-Atlantic. It is very citrusy. The dishwashing liquid and liquid soap clean like nobody's business. The laundry detergent is good too. The spray cleaner, for some reason, makes me cough uncontrollably.

Vinegar, coarse salt, baking soda, lemons. For laundry, I use Ecover laundry soap.

I like Mrs. Meyers products. They actually do a great job cleaning - the scrubbing powder is a miraculous cleaning product. I love that now they are making fragrance free products.

The people that are anti all premade products - what do you put in your dishwasher? (I am really asking).

The Mrs. Meyers dishwashing detergent is so superior to method/seventh generation. I use it with straight white vinegar as the rinse agent.

I would also mention all free and clear laundry soap - it is phosphate free, come in superconcentrate small bottles that are recyclable, and has no dyes or fragrance - as a person with allergies it is the best laundry soap I have found.

The Ecover stain remover is the best green laundry stain product I have found.

Meyers products smell great. I especially like "Clean Day".

I meant to say Geranium scent from Clean Day

I only use either Trader Joes green spray- great for butcher block and a toilet or I love love Shackley products- they last forever since they are concentrated and won't hurt a kid should they decide to drink it. They have all sorts of products but the scrubby tub stuff works wonders on ovens and bathtubs.

I use the Trader Joe's natural stuff ("Cleanliness is next to godliness" or something) for everything - dishwasher, laundry, and spray. It does the job for me. Otherwise I use vinegar and water.

@ joydreamz- for dishwashing machine, i use white vinegar as a rinse agent, and a homemade mixture of washing soap.

3 tablespoon castile soap
2 cups warm water
2 tablespoon vegetable glycerin
2 tablespoon white vinegar
10 drops lemon essential oil
5 drops tea tree essential oil

Mix thoroughly in a clean jar for storage and use 1 tbs per wash.

There's one I buy - I don't know if it's available outside of Canada or not, but it's called Attitude. I've only really used the laundry soap, but it's terrific - cleans up beautifully, rinses cleanly, and almost no scent to speak of, which I really like, as my co-worker has powerful scent allergies.

I love Eco Clean. range of household cleaning products from Denmark-they smell amazing and work really really well-non toxic and contain no petrochemicals-great because I have a 6 year son.

Plastic, plastic, and more plastic.
***
re: Catherine_g: I agree.

Our local natural foods store offers liquid suds in bulk. You can bring in your own container.

***
Vinegar works well, comes in a glass bottle.

Also-buy detergent in a cardboard box [borax, Seventh Gen, Ecover]--Peak oil is almost here, and we need to wean ourselves off of plastic.
***
Sometimes, just super hot water and a little elbow grease works--I guess that is the notion behind the steamer. I just wash my counters with scalding water. And I try to have cleaner habits so everything doesn't need de-greasing.

As far as dishwashers--as an experiment--run the dishwasher with NO soap--the dishes get clean. Maybe not perfectly clean, but they are sterile: (I call it good enough for me, but not "company clean." Keep adding tiny bits of detergent until you find the least amount you need to be satisfied with the results.

For everyday sprays for counters and other surfaces and to clean the oven, fridge I mix own.

Mix hot water and pour into spray bottle with
Tablespoon Borax 20 Mule Team
teaspoon of Dr. Bronner or whatever dish soap
2 tablespoons of vinegar
I add some peppermint or orange essential oil

Borax is great for doing laundry too especially if you have hard water.

I do like method's wood floor cleaner and it smells amazing. I tried seventh generation products in the past thought they were too abrasive.

We try to make our own cleaners if we can. 7th Generation and Mrs. Meyers have both done right by us for laundry and dishwasher.
I know both Greenworks and Method have a reputation as greenwashers and we avoid them.

I've tried a lot of different green products and most of them make me rage over their whimpiness. I hate having to use a ton of product to make something clean. The very best thing I've used is Dr. Bronner's Sal Sud soap. It's not the same thing as his general soap. You only need to use a tiny bit and it cuts through soap scum in the bathroom like nobody's business! It seems bit pricey but a little truly does go a long way. It lasts a long time. It's effortless and has a lovely light forest scent.

Vinegar and water in a spray bottle.

I have been doing professional housecleaning for 12 years now. For a general all-purpose spray cleaner I use a mix of a little Citra-Solv, hydrogen peroxide and water. It leaves a nice smell, kills germs and can be used on most surfaces - leaves a nice shine on granite countertops and is harmless to wood surfaces.

I use Bon Ami, which has always been eco-friendly even before the concept was invented, for scrubbing showers, toilet bowls etc.

Microfiber cloths are great, they count as a "product" because you end up using much less "product". Microfiber just rocks on stainless steel, removes greasy fingerprints like nothing else. Vinegar and water for glass.

Ecover, Bright Green, and 7th Gen are ones I've tried that were good. I hate the smell of regular cleaning products and those three are just as effective.

i love Ecover. smells great and they work! for example, their lime scale remover is the only product i've ever found that can get my bathtub white. when we bought our condo i didn't want to have any toxic chemicals around so i've never tried the toxic stuff with this particular hard water but used to use limeaway and CLR at my old place and they never worked well and smell awful. i also sneeze at the slightest flowery smell and Ecover never bothers me but it's not harsh either. it's better than tilex and clorox anti-mildew products. i had some old bottles of that because i'm too cheap to throw anything away, but they don't work as well as ecover.

baking soda, lemon, etc. don't work for tough stuff like my bathtub. it's ok for kitchen counters - but so is hot water and a little dish soap!

honestly i barely have time to cook and doing more work around the house and shopping for extra ingredients not available at my quick stop trader joe's is not how i want to spend my precious free time. i've got enough stuff to do and if i have to scrub for half an hour with baking soda and smell nasty vinegar or spray a little ecover, let it sit and rinse once every 2 weeks - hmmm ... hard choice there!

@alllebasii- Do you have hard water? I'm going to give this recipe a shot but we have extremely hard water and so far I haven't had much luck with the make-your-own variety of dishwasher detergent.

I also like the other idea of just running it with hot water and nothing else... I'll have to give that a shot, too.

As for product lines, I make my own now but before I started doing that I always liked Method's products. I spent about a year developing my own potions until I found things that worked just as well as the kind you buy in the store. It was a lot of trial and error but well worth it in the end. www.mrsjonessoapbox.etsy.com. One of my main priorities was making things in a way that created less waste because I hate that everything you buy in the store comes in a plastic bottle that just gets trashed (or hopefully recycled) when you're done with it.

My favorite products to use are the ones I make using simple ingredients that are commonly found around the house.

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Shaklee. I've been really happy with it. I know it's not available in stores, so maybe that's why, but I like that it comes super concentrated and I mix it myself. I can reuse the sprayers forever, so there's much less packaging waste. I have never had problems cleaning grease, but I did find it was terrible for windows, so for those I use 7th generation.

I love Mrs. Meyers for the package design and smell, but it is really expensive.

Yep … I make all my own cleaners with water, baking soda, vinegar, etc. I love it for multiple reasons, not the least of which is that my children can use the cleaners without any worries on my part!

I whole-heartedly agree with femmekke830! If Clorox ( and others) can make a green line, then why not just make all of their products non-toxic? I steer clear of those companies that are just trying to capture market share of the (not so) new green market.

That being said, I make some of my own cleaners (incl. laundry soap) but am a huge fan of Ecover's laundry stain remover and cream scrub. I also have a lot of love for Dr. Bronner's hemp soap.

I tried the Clorox brand but did not really care for the results. I have been using the Meyers especially the dish washing solution because it's unscented. They work well. I never figured out why manufactures add fragrance to dish washing solutions. I purchase the Meyers at Marshall's or TJ Maxx. Great prices.

My favorite green cleaner is Charlie's Soap (www.charliesoap.com). I use it for everything from spot cleaner to laundry...I also have been known to use it for showering when I forgot to go to the store.

I use vinegar but here in Quebec, we put white vinegar on our French fries - when ever I spray it I always get hungry.

I buy a concentrate of citrus oil cleaner at my natural grocery store (yay, PCC) in Seattle. I dilute it with water into plastic spray bottles and use it widely for most all of my cleaning.

I use a brand called Holy Cow and love it.

I use something called wowgreen and it is absolutely awesome! My favorites are the hand dish soap, the floor cleaner and the all-purpose cleaner! Check out their website: https://www.wowgreen.net/86936

method is amazing. not only does it kick ass @ cleaning I can also leave it out and not feel like a hippie poser or tragic spinster trying to capture a 50's era magic.

love method, especially the bathroom cleaners! they smell so good and work too! Tried green works and don't like the smell, or that by purchasing them I'm supporting a environmentally unfriendly company. Green products come from green companies!

I just want to put it out there- how "green" a product is hinges not only on the contents, but also the manufacturing, packaging, and shipping. Ultimately, buying specialty cleaning products, with each coming in it's own plastic package, shipped in cardboard boxes, via tucks, hundreds of kilometers to get to you is not going to be as green as making your own using materials you buy in bulk.

Method

I use Melaleuca products as well. They have been doing the green thing for 20 years, so I think they know what they are doing. And all of their products work better than anything you can find in the stores.

I am a huge fan of method products. They not only smell great, but they clean up great after my messy 2-year old. I also love that they are a green company and not just a marketing ploy to ride the green trend.

method is my choice! Not only because it's an effective cleaner, but it also has such beautiful packaging, and great, innovative products.

I like Zum Clean from Whole Foods! Contains no detergent which I like when washing my little one's clothes!

I use Melaleuca products; they've been doing green since before being green was popular...now everyone is jumping on the "green" band wagon so be cautious don't believe the packaging, check out the ingredients. Personally, I like that the products are delivered to my doorsteep, it keeps me out of the stores. I don't have to expose myself to the other toxic cleaners that are stocked on the shelves. I save on gas, and impulse shopping not to mention Melaleuca's products are a better value than grocery store brands.

As an ex-Floridian, I can never get past the "Melaleuca" name applied to a "green" category... since the Aussie-imported highly invasive Melaleuca tree is all but ruining the Everglades eco-system.

I know it's TOTALLY unrelated. But I can just never get past it.

It's like have a Shelly Winters line of diet foods.

I love me some Method! They have awesome products, clever advertising, and really nice packaging!

I like Seventh Generation for when baking soda and vinegar doesn't cut it. Also, Mrs. Meyers is the best smelling lavender dish soap EVER.

You have to try Simply Green. These Cleaners are truly simple and really work the best. I like that they don't do a lot of advertsiing, so their money goes into product quality! NO Phosphates • NO NTA, EDTA, APEP, NPE • NO Halogenated or volatile organic solvents
http://www.puresource.ca/vervenaturals/simplyclean/index.htm
With 2 kids, 6 cats, and 3 horses, there's always a mess to clean up!

I just bought Mrs Meyers for the first time and am very impressed with how well the products worked however as the day goes on, I find the smell pretty overpowering - to the point that I may have to give it up using it again. : (
I couldn't find any fragrance free (or "scent free" as one , presumably discontinued product was called).