Our Product Review - Bleach Alternatives

Brand Name: Simply Clean
Product Name: Oxygen Bleach Powder
Cost: $6.99 for 600g/33.5 fl.oz.
Where did we get it? Where have we seen it?: Natural Health food Stores, large grocery store with a natural food and products section.
Tester: Patti
Rating (out of 5): 4.5
Comments:This cleaning powder was given the master test. Picture this - teenage son gives wet and stinky hockey jerseys and underclothes that have been worn for 5 consecutive games over 1 weekend for laundering. Smart mom says "ah ha … I have the perfect experiment for this product that claims to be a "superior cleaner deodorizer". I then mixed 4 teaspoons with natural laundry detergent and warm water. Result - all smells absent. I was impressed.
How does it work? It's the oxygen bleach process - where water activates with ingredients to create oxygen and the ability to act on organic stains. I will keep this around for the long hockey season and will try it in other laundry and cleaning situations. I also liked that this Canadian made product is transparent about its ingredients (a plus in my mind) and it does note on label that product is corrosive and to handle with care.

Ingredients: sodium percarbonate, sodium carbonate (washing soda), sodium metasillicate (from salt and limestone).

Brand Name: The Soap Works
Product Name: Safe Bleach - an environmentally friendly safe laundry product.
Cost: $7.59 for 600 grams
Where did we get it? Where have we seen it?: Natural Health food Stores
Tester: Patti
Rating (out of 5): 4.0
Comments: This product is also made in Canada and uses minerals that decompose immediatley when mixed to water, oxygen and soda ash. I used it as a boost to white loads along with natural laundry detergents, the whites don't seem too much whiter (what really is a white white anyway?), the clothes did have a fresh smell - as in no scent -either bad or to smelly. The label said it was good for 35-40 loads but I used 3 teaspoons per wash and can't see how it will last that long. I would use this again, as I know what the ingredients and it was effective.

Ingredients: sodium carbonate (washing soda), hydrogen peroxide

Brand Name: Nature Clean
Product Name: All Natural Liquid Bleach - for Whites and colours
Cost: $2.50 (on sale) for 1 litre / 33.5 fl.oz.
Where did we get it? Where have we seen it?: The Collective Conscience, Planet Botanix, Natural Health food Stores, large grocery store with a natural food and products section
Tester: Patti
Rating (out of 5): 4.0
Comments: Nature Clean is a Canadian manufacturer of natural cleaning products. I use many of their products and the Liquid bleach is no different. It's liquid bleach that is created from hydrogen peroxide and it releases oxygen, performing both a bleaching and disinfecting process, and converts itself into simple water once the process is complete. It is simpler to use than the powder, as it does not have to be dissolved in warm water. A handy product that can be used with cold water washes and to pre-soak.

Ingredients: WATER, HYDROGEN PEROXIDE (6% ACTIVE)

Brand Name: Oxi Clean
Product Name: Multi-Purpose Stain Remover
Cost: App $10.00 for 1.5 litre / 24oz.
Where did we get it? Where have we seen it?: Large grocery store with a natural food and products section.
Tester: Patti
Rating (out of 5): 3.0
Comments:This product is touted as a multi-cleaner - useful for laundry stains and other household cleaning tasks. I only used it in the laundry room and it worked well. It is a concentrated powder that you add to warm water. I used it with my whites in place of bleach and found it helped remove smells but did not notice my whites any whiter. This natural oxygen bleach is based on a mineral-based formula that uses sodium percarbonate and sodium carbonate. When activated with water, they form oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, and soda ash which can act on most "organic" (non-greasy) stains.
As with most cleaning products, the label is not required to list full ingredients - it does however say a lot about what is NOT in the powder: "chlorine-free, colours-safe, laundry bleach, no petroleum, phosphates, dyes or perfumes. The label also tells you it is harmful if swallowed and that it is a skin and eye irritant. I would prefer full disclosure on label as to what is in product an will seek a brand that does this up-front.

Ingredients: From Oxi Clean website: "… the chief ingredient being a solidified form of hydrogen peroxide. Another essential part of the formula is the surfactants, or detergents."