Like many moms I'm concerned about all the cleaning products I use. I started using a bio-friendly Boulder laundry detergent that I found at Cost-co. It worked well and was affordable. Then I had heard about Shaklee's Get Clean products on Oprah. So when I found out that a good friend was a Shaklee agent I asked her about the products. (I was especially interested in their dishwashing detergent.) She told me that their Get Clean Starter Kit (the one Oprah gave away) was on sale and membership was free if I signed up. (This was in December 2007.) So I forked over $100 determined to try out the products.
I was impressed with Shaklee's eco-friendly packaging, the natural ingredients, and how well the products worked. (It got oils stains out of our carpet that I couldn't remove with traditional carpet cleaner.) But I still didn't like the cost - spending nearly $8 for a container of disinfecting wipes is ridiculous.
So, when I read Barbara Ellis's review of Clorox's Green Works in the Denver Post, I was intrigued. Can Clorox's new Green Works product line be good for the environment and work, too? With prices in the $3 range, they're much more affordable than Shaklee.
Green Works vs. Shaklee
Thanks to the folks at Clorox sending me a couple of free samples, I decided to do a side by side comparison of Clorox and Shaklee products. I used Shaklee's Basic H2 (which can be used both as a window cleaner or a degreaser depending on how much water you add to it) and Green Works's Natural Glass & Surface Cleaner and their Natural All-Purpose Cleaner.
Both products worked the same on glass and mirrors. On heavy duty jobs - the inside of my nasty microwave - Green Works did a slightly better job. However, I preferred the Green Works products for a couple of reasons. I like their bottles better - they more evenly spray the product. Also, I loved the smell of Green Works. I'm a big user of scented candles, so I liked that they added a citrus scent to their line. Shaklee's Basic H2 products aren't scented, so if you're sensitive or allergic to heavy scents, you'd probably prefer Shaklee.
Bottom Line
I like how eco-friendly Shaklee is and I'll continue to use their excellent products even if the Sierra Club endorses Green Works. Why? Because Clorox isn't as earth friendly as Shaklee - for example, Green Works comes in non-biodegradable plastic bottles. Oops.
However, I'll probably supplement my Shaklee cleaners with Green Works products because Clorox is moving in the right direction and I want to encourage that. They're much more affordable, and Shaklee doesn't make a toilet bowl cleaner. Green Works does and mama's got some nasty potties to deal with.
Check out the Green Works website and decide for yourself.
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