NOW CLOSED: Talk to Tesco Naturally Powered about environmentally friendly cleaning products - you could win a £100 Tesco voucher

[AnnMumsnet]

You may have seen in store (or on Mumsnet, thanks to the 1000 odd testers who put two of the products to the test) that Tesco have recently launched a new range of cleaning products, Naturally Powered and they would like to know your opinions on buying environmentally friendly cleaning products.

So, if you buy environmentally friendly cleaning products, why is this? Are all the cleaning products you use environmentally friendly or only certain ones? If so what type of cleaning don't you use environmentally friendly cleaning products for and why? Do you find that they are effective in cleaning your house? Think about both laundry and cleaning products.

If you don't buy environmentally friendly cleaning products, why is this? Is there anything that could persuade you to buy environmentally friendly cleaning products? Is this something you think about when doing your shopping?

Are there any cleaning activities where you don't use cleaning products at all, but choose to use 100% natural ingredients? What would be your top tips for using natural products to clean your house?

All those who add their comments to this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will receive £100 Tesco voucher.

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw.
MNHQ

[JammySplodger]

I'd also like to add that I'll use Cillit Bang on the odd occasion - anything that's good enough for cleaning up old nuclear power stations ...

[whattodoo]

I don't buy environmentally friendly cleaning products, mainly because past experiences have been less than successful, ie the product doesn't clean as well as the 'super power, muscle, zapper' type stuff.

If I were given a free sample, or read wowzer reviews saying how great and effective the products are, and if they were competitively priced, then i would give them a go.

I don't tend to think about this when shopping - I just go for the brands I know and trust (particularly if they are special offer).

I do use vinegar, lemon juice and bicarb for some cleaning jobs - windows, descaling, odour removal for example.

[StellaMarie]

I don't tend to use commercial products to clean as I object to spending money when natural, cheaper products will do, however, I use bleach to clean the loos (I like the smell and think it'll kill everything off)!
I use eco-balls in the dryer or put it out on the line whenever possible. I tried the soapnuts but they brought my husband out in a rash so reverted to non-bio, but I only put in half of what they say.
I use a damp cloth to dust with and beeswax with lemon or lavender oil to polish. Bicarb, soda crystals, vinegar & lemon juice are used also for cleaning and I cut up old t-shirts to use as cloths.

[iwantavuvezela]

So, if you buy environmentally friendly cleaning products, why is this? Are all the cleaning products you use environmentally friendly or only certain ones? If so what type of cleaning don't you use environmentally friendly cleaning products for and why? Do you find that they are effective in cleaning your house? Think about both laundry and cleaning products.

I use alot of those eco clothes which i find cleans windows etc with out using any products, just water and a bit of elbow grease! I have bought the clothes to use on stainless steel as well. So i dont use any window cleaning products just water. I think i will move to a steam mop soon, so that i can use just water for cleaning floors. At the moment i pop some floor cleaner in the bucket. For cleaning toilets and showers i use products that are probably not as eco friendly, but then i am not using these products daily and do not over use them. (This includes bleach; cillit bang for bathroom and kitchen) I think if i cleaned daily, then i would use just the eco products as i wouldnt need to clean as much, but as i dont do it daily i often need something with a bit more voom!
I use ecover washing up liquid and i have used there stain remover for washing clothes ... but hardly use this .....
I have used those washing balls when my daughter was a baby. I should remember to use them again for our towels etc. School clothes etc need a bit of washing powder to (try) and get them to some sort of clean state!

[NiniLegsInTheAir]

Ashamed to say I buy whatever is on offer and I know works (either through experience or recommendation from someone I know). Cost is a big factor and when I have compared eco-friendly to not, most of the time the price difference is too big. I really should pay more attention to buying eco-friendly products.

[hk78]

I use a mixture of the two.

The environmentally-friendly products do smell nice but...they just don't do as good a job and I haven't got time (or inclination) to put in the elbow grease etc. Also, they are too expensive for me.

So I use cheap bleach mainly, and bog-standard washing powder etc.

However, I also use 'traditional' methods, for example bicarb, white vinegar etc. I don't know if these are environmentally-friendly or not, tbh.

[zinaida]

I use bicarb and vinegar like a lot of other posters, and any cleaning products I buy ( washing up liquid, surface cleaner etc) I get the cheapest possible.

[Irate]

I use branded eco products for the following:
washing and conditioning clothes
dishwashing liquid
dishwasher tablets
floor cleaner

I use soda crystals for general surface and bathroom cleaning.
I use vinegar for glass cleaning
I use a non eco friendly brand of toilet cleaner for the actual bowl as I find the eco branded one smelt foul and didnt get rid of hard water stains.

I find these products do a good enough job in comparison to non-eco brands and in some cases such as vinegar and soda crystals a better job.

I never use anything marked anti-bacterial as I think this is the devils work!

[Irate]

oh yes I forgot I dust wood with a soft cloth and a few drops of lavendar oil to freshen up rooms.

[ruffletheanimal]

I of course like the idea
i do need things to work
and i am partly dictated to on what products to buy by my dh who does a lot of the cleaning and i aint arguing in case that means i have to do it instead :slack:
cost is important too; eco products are usually more expensive, and yet you can use much much cheaper things instead of them according to yer average eco warrior (vinegar for windows, bicarb, olive oil, lemon juice, that sort of thing) how does that make sense eh?
so if you want my dosh, mr corporation, appeal to my lazy side while not treating me like a fule and make simple, enviro friendly options just easier and more convenient to use than home made stuff. vinegar in a spray bottle for e.g. - people really are that lazy while also preferring a natural option.

ime anyway

[fanoftheinvisibleman]

I'm afraid my decisions are dictated by my purse. I tend to buy whatever is cheapest. I won't switch to eco products unless they are the same price. When you have to budget then a conscience can be expensive.

I do use vinegar to descale and find bicarb useful for various things such as cleaning grouting.

[Shriek]

I wouldn't consider Tesco for eco!.. the thought makes me laugh! as I consider their commercially aggressive approach in our locality, (ploughing through our ancient woodlands, and riding rough-shod over planning regulations) to be a sufficient statement from them about anything 'eco'. Sadly all our local independents are now closing down, and Tesco express appears everywhere despite local protest and fines.

I do veer away from using any anti-bacterial stuff to avoid killing all the friendly bacteria and inhaling the fumes from it... none of us dead yet from all the awful bacteria they say we must kill [telly ad's] -ecoli/salmonello/etc.. scarey, yes, but real?..

I use a descaler for the loo, the same as vinegar (hard water area too).

Can never over-rate vinegar .. just brilliant for loads of stuff.

In think £1 in every £8 is quite sufficient amount for the buying public to be putting into the coffers of these profit hungry lot. So I try to buy 'ethically' as well, and support independents where atall possible, as the large stores already control the farmers driving down any hope of profits they ever had... and on...

I use soap and water. for everything in the kitchen pretty much, and all natural products... have a gleaming bathroom from washing with soap and water followed by a wipe with a hot chamois (soaked in dilute vinegar). I hope the raw ingredients never disappear from the shelves, they are far cheaper and better, not more (maybe the product made and branded to be eco friendly are tho), and there is no warning on a vinegar bottle about potentially hazardous chemicals inside that mustn't be inhaled! [unlike other chemical warfare designed for keeping clean] I imagine if Tesco are interested it must be because a lot more people are reverting to time honoured cheaper ways of keeping the home clean and safe, and considering the planet more where economically possible.

People are getting a lot more savvy about the benefits of keeping the cleaning simple and not spraying everything within an inch of its life! Same thing happened with over-prescription of anti-biotics. ... and anyone kow yet why soo many children and adults are now suffering with terrible eczzema's and life-threatening asthmas... aren't we amongst the highest rates in the world for it now, did I hear?

[Shriek]

BTW... there's nothing to beat getting the real hard burnt on layers off the bottom of the pan than a generous sprinkling of soda boiled up with just water .. shiney pan! like new.. no elbow grease, or any other grease!

[Astaril]

We used to shop at Tesco and we used their old eco cleaning products and they were really nice! Very similar to Ecover, even looked similar, I seem to remember the smell of the surface cleaner was lovely. However we decided to boycott tesco as a supermarket after the whole chicken out campaign. They just came across as immoral uncompromising and uncaring. They have really gone after the Asda market and dropped standards and quality in the store and their morals with went with them.

It is good to see Tesco are still making Eco products and I applaud that, its really good they don't test on animals too. I just hope they start improving their standards in other areas.

As for cleaning I use Method cleaning products now, aww they are so gorgeous! makes cleaning feel luxurious and nice to do, which is really something! Their furniture polish is so lovely on wood, smells like bakewell tart all almondy, makes everything really glossy. I love Lavender surface spray for every day and we have granite surfaces so we use the granite spray for a treat which just smells so lush! I use Ecover Wash up, although we do have dishwasher. and Ecover laundry bleach. I use Method laundry liquid which I have found really effective and cleans really well. Oh and we use Ecover in the loo which is another nice one, Ecover limescale is really really good!!! definitely as good as Viakal or whatever its called, and I use Method peppermint for bathroom everyday. I think thats all of them.

[Tryingtobenice]

Ha, Cola in the loo, definitely one to try. I also succomb to bleach from time to time.

Ecover is great in most things but i agree the non bio washing powder isn't as goodas non eco. The 'simply' range is great - currently pressure testing against baby poo and its gentle tablets are beating fairy freebies from the bounty pack hands down. (btw, bounty is a good sampling opportunity as babies might lead to rethink about poisons in house).

Method shower spray is great and so glad it's enviro ok as used every day.

[Malachite]

I use environmentally friendly laundry detergent and washing up liquid. I buy them from a local coop shop that makes them on site and provides refills. I prefer them as they are more environmentally friendly and also as I have skin allergies and don't react to them. The laundry detergent is very effective but the washing up liquid doesn't get through grease very well so I have a back up for really greasy dishes e.g. roasting trays.

I also buy some not so environmentally sound products e.g. bleach for the toilet and oven cleaner as I've not found an effective replacement for these yet. I do keep trying though.

[PetiteRaleuse]

I don't set out to buy eco-friendly cleaning products as have found them not to work as well as the hard stuff.

I do however use vinegar / bicarb of soda to clean certain things, though I have to admit it's more to save money than the environment.

In an ideal work cleaning products would be cheap, work well and environmentally friendly, but they generally aren't. I also have a vague suspicion about companies cashing in on the environmental movement and overpricing the environmentally friendly stuff to make more money.

[weenwee]

Tesco, here's the thing. If you are going to go green, great! But you have to actually, you know, GO GREEN. Not just make a clear solution and then slap a leaf on it. You're talking to women who actually use real products as cleansers, not a slapdash of chemicals. Don't insult our intelligence by saying your stuff is green, when it clearly isn't. I was one of the testers, here is my review: www.geekfamily.co.uk/tescos-naturally-powered-review/2012/05/07 . Address the obvious issues raised in the review, and you may be on to something.

[weenwee]

Sorry, easier to read link here: Geek Family 2.1

[BlueEyeshadow]

I tend to use eco friendly products when they're available. I like Method but they're £££ so I tend to stock up when they're on offer. I use vinegar sometimes but DH moans that it makes everything smell like a chippy! The only thing I've found that works in the loo though is bleach. I've tried cola, vinegar, bicarb etc but they don't shift the heavy limescale we get round here.

[stealthsquiggle]

All other things being equal, I would prefer to buy more environmentally friendly products, but it's not top of my list. Stuff that works is #1 and things whose smell I can stand (anything with febreze in it, or pine scented, or whatever the blue stuff is supposed to smell of, makes me heave, as do most lavender-scented things (I like lavender, just not the artificial scent)) is #2 (tied with "does it bring me out in a rash/shred my hands), with price #3 and eco credentials #4.

I did test the tesco spray, and it was OK (passed tests #1 and #2) but since I rarely shop in Tesco I have not had cause to look at the price and decide if I would buy it (also, I bought dettox in bulk last time I was in Costco). I don't use bleach because of having a tempramental septic tank, but do use anti-bac sprays on kitchen and bathroom surfaces.

What would persuade me to change? Not sure, really, but if I was really determined to use natural products I wouldn't be sourcing them from Tesco's cleaning aisle, I don't think.

[Charlene1]

I don't look if any products are environmentally friendly - I buy them to do a certain job, but I do prefer pump action sprays to aerosols. I use toothpaste to scrub off limescale in the bathroom, vinegar for glass (on scrunched up newspaper), and antibacterial washing up liquid to scrub the hob!!

[lagoonhaze]

To be honest I want to care more but unless I do it completely natural I cant see how much difference it will make.

[EatingSwansHorror]

Used to use ecover for everything as dh was diagnosed with cancer and we freaked out. Gradually started using regular stuff again, mainly cos nothing ever felt clean with ecover or similar. Especially washing powder. It just can't get things clean as easily or quickly as the other stuff.