About.com Rating

Manufacturer's Site

The Bottom Line

This eco-friendly, rosemary-mint scented glass and surface cleaner did a great job cleaning my windows and leaving them spotless and shiny. It was also great at cleaning fixtures, mirrors, and other hard surfaces in and around my home. Read on for all the details about its performance, safety, and more.

Pros

• Company transparency: MSDS and ingredients fully disclosed

• Cruelty-Free: Not tested on animals
• Effectiveness: Cleans windows and hard surfaces well
• Environmental Friendliness: Naturally sourced and sustainable ingredients; biodegradable product; friendly packaging
• Price: Competitive price
• Product Certifications: USDA Certified Biobased Product
• Safety: Safe ingredients

Cons

• Scents: Only one scent available
• Sizes: Only one size available

Description

• Type: Window Cleaner
• Cost: $3.99
• Size: 32 fl. oz. (946 ml.)
• Scent: Rosemary Mint
• Ingredients: Water, PEG cocomonium choloride & Laureth-6 (coconut & palm), Potassium gluconate & Cocoglucoside (coconut & corn), Laureth-7 (Palm Kernel), Natural scent blend (rosemary oil, spearmint oil, grapefruit oil, orange oil)

Company Background

The Simple Green Naturals product line is made by Sunshine Makers, Inc., which has been in business for over 30 years making safer alternatives to toxic cleaning products for consumer and industrial markets. Well known for its Simple Green formula, the company has grown substantially and now has satellite offices worldwide.

The company's mission is to be a "socially responsible company" and a "worldwide market leader, providing high quality, environmentally safer cleaning products.”

A percentage of the profits from the sale of Simple Green products goes towards community clean-up projects, the EGBAR Foundation, which was founded by the company owner, and organizations, such as The Sea Lab. More information about its community involvement, sustainability efforts, global partners, product lines, and incentives can be found on the Simple Green website.

Product Effectiveness

I was excited to try this window cleaner from Simple Green's Naturals product line, which distinguishes itself from the regular Simple Green product line in that all the ingredients are naturally sourced and sustainable. The manufacturer notes that in addition to glass surfaces, this cleaner works well on mirrors, chrome, and other reflective surfaces when used on cool surfaces.

I gave it a test-run in the kitchen and found that it worked really well on my windows, microwave, chrome fixtures, and even some small stainless steel appliances without leaving any streaking or spotting. I also enjoyed the invigorating, natural scent made with pure essential oils.

Health & Safety

This non-toxic product with ingredients sourced from plants is free of synthetic fragrances, dyes, and ammonia. It does contain Laureth-7 and Laureth-6, which could potentially be contaminated with toxic impurities, such as 1,4-dioxane, which is an asthmagen, potential skin and eye irritant, suspected carcinogen, and more. However, Simple Green states on its website that it monitors these specific ingredients to be sure they do not carry 1,4-dioxane into its products.

The product label notes to to keep this product out of the reach of children and to avoid eye contact. First-aid measures include drinking water if the product is swallowed and flushing the eyes with plenty of water for 15 minutes (remove contact lenses after 5 minutes) if eye contact occurs. If eye irritation persists beyond 12 hours, it is suggested to contact a physician. Additional safety information can be found on the MSDS, which is available on the Simple Green website.

Environmental Notes

The ingredients in this product are sourced from natural and sustainable resources and are fully biodegradable. The MSDS states: "When used according to label instructions and disposed of according to prevailing laws, ingredients of this product will not cause endocrine disruption, will not bio-accumulate, and will not pollute water tables."

The product packaging is made of recyclable PET plastic, 25% or more of which comes from post-consumer content, and the product label is printed with soy-based inks.

Final Thoughts

This green product did a great job cleaning my windows and more, and I absolutely loved its natural scent. I really liked the fact the manufacturer is so up-front about its ingredients and fragrance. I highly recommend adding it to your green cleaning kit!

Manufacturer's Site

Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.