Our Product Review - Dish and Dishwasher Detergents

Dish Soaps

Brand Name: Nature Clean
Product Name: All Natural Dishwashing Liquid - Mandarin and Grapefruit
Cost: $5.00 for 800ml
Where did we get it? Where have we seen it?: on-line from The Collective Conscience, Natural health food store
Tester: Patti and Tamey
Rating (out of 5): 4.5
Comments: This is my product of choice, as I know what I am getting for a reasonable price with good performance. They bubble well enough for a natural product and the natural essential oils provide a scent that is subtle and pleasant.
Nature Clean is a Canadian manufacturer that started decades ago as a way to solve his wife's skin rashes from the harsh household products she used. Nature Clean lists ALL ingredients on their labels and claim a litany of ingredients they do not use like Ammonia, Benzene, Chlorine, Cocamide DEA, EDTA, Ethyleneglycol, Formaldehyde, Hydrochloric Acid, Mineral Spirits Nonyl-phenols, Optical Brighteners. Petroleum based chemicals, Phosphates, Propylene Glycol, SLS, Synthetic Perfumes and Dyes.

This is the only product that I (Tamey) use, because if there isn't full disclosure then I don't use it.

Brand Name: Method
Product Name: Dish Detergent - French Lavender
Cost: $3.99 for 739 ml / 25 fl.oz.
Where did we get it? Where have we seen it?: Shoppers Drug Mart
Tester: Patti
Rating (out of 5): 3.0
Comments: Method has a reputation for safe and non-toxic products for every surface including the earth presented in modern fresh packaging. The dish soap bottle is quite sleek and unique looking. The soap foams and bubbles and performs wells.

But what's in the bottle? Labels regulations do not require the ingredients to be fully disclosed but "claims" like Non-toxic, naturally deprived, no animal testing can be found. This products does have a "Caution - Irritant" and a notation that it "contains sodium lauryrl ether sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate ... if swallowed call a poison control centre, if in eyes rinse with water for 15 minutes and if skin rinse well with water." The ingredient list found on the website uses such general terms that I do not know what is really in the fragrance, colouring or preservatives.

Method gets an "A" for effort in believing and promoting they are making clean products but a "D" for doubt it - as they don't fully disclose and the soap obviously contains skin irritants.

Brand Name: Attitude Environmental Cleaning Products
Product Name: Dishwashing Liquid
Cost: $4.49 for 500 ml / 16.9 fl.oz.
Where did we get it? Where have we seen it?: Natural health food store
Tester: Patti
Rating (out of 5): 3.5
Comments: Attitude is Made in Canada and makes a full line of household cleaners. Like the US -based Method, I like what they say - that they seek to make a line that is safe for our health and environment that exceeds requirements established by Canadian environmental certification organizations. I love it but ... what are the standards and where is the full and complete list of ingredients? The bottle label lists makes several claims like its natural, non-carcinogenic, ecological, biodegradable, and non-toxic, and that it does NOT contain SLS, parabens colour dyes. But I have no ways to check if these claims are true, other than a general listing on Web site. The container is recyclable.
By the Way, the actual product is okay. I don't expect a lot of bubble action with natural detergents but it was a bit watery in consistency and thus went through it quickly fairly quickly.

Brand Name: Life
Product Name: bio-life Dish Soap - Pear Violet
Cost: $3.49 for 750 ml
Where did we get it? Where have we seen it?: Shopper Drug Mart store brand
Tester: Patti
Rating (out of 5): 2.0
Comments: I wanted to try a mainstream brand - the price point is good and the "Bio-life brand markets itself as a greener product with claims such as plant-derived ingredients, biodegradable and being infused with essential oils. The liquid itself is even coloured "green". The soap is well "soapy" - which I noticed especially after months of using dish soaps that do not contain SLS (which cause the foaming bubbles). The real issue is that I am unable to know exactly what is in this product, as the label regulations do not require the ingredients to be fully disclosed. So, in my quest to know and understand the impact of ingredients in my everyday products and not be "greenwashed", then this product doesn't stand up.

Dishwasher Detergents

Brand Name: Nature Clean
Product Name: Automatic Dishwasher Gel
Cost: $12.00 for 1.8 liters
Where did we get it? Where have we seen it?: on-line from The Collective Conscience, Natural health food store
Tester: Tamey and Patti
Rating (out of 5): 4.0
Comments: This is one of the two products that I (Tamey) always use. This made in Canada generally does the trick for my dishes. It has no scent so for those of you with scent issues this may be the product for you. This is the staple under Patti's kitchen sink. She liks the gel as it is not messy and it gets her dishes clean.

Brand Name: Ecover
Product Name: Dishwasher Tablets
Cost: $8.00 for 25 tablets
Where did we get it? Where have we seen it?: Natural health food store, Super store
Tester: Tamey and Patti
Rating (out of 5): 4.5
Comments: This little tablet does the trick it cleans dishes as well as any mainstream product without the harmful chemicals! For those who like a tablet this one may be for you.