Review: The Green Cleaning Power of Simple Green

It’s strong enough in undiluted form to make your eyes water, but it’s as gentle as a feather on the environment. It’s Simple Green, an industrial-strength all-purpose cleaner that has managed to snag the Green Seal certification, a coveted “green stamp” for health, safety, and environmental impact considered highly meaningful by Consumer Reports.

There are gentler cleaners in the marketplace, but few can boast of a widely-respected certification as a green cleaning product. It is non-toxic, fully biodegradable, and contains no bleach.

I have used Simple Green many times. It comes in concentrated form (which is why it’s so powerful on the senses), so you’re supposed to dilute it with water to make it gentler (though if you’re a glutton for punishment the concentrated form works all too well for your toughest cleaning jobs). Dilution can be up to 1 ounce per cup of water for heavy applications, and up to four cups of water for lighter ones.

A few years back I had to paint my condo. The paint previously used was a cheap brand, and it had bled an odd sticky, oily substance that was difficult to remove. The gunk had to be wiped off before I could do the new paint job. I diluted Simple Green with some water in a bucket, but left it pretty strong. I soaked a big sponge in the solution and attacked the walls. That oily stuff came right off and made the walls right for the primer and paint coatings that followed. I’ve been hooked on the product ever since.

Simple Green is totally versatile. I’ve used it to clean everything from the toughest grease to the most delicate materials. It tackles dirt, oil, pet stains, adhesives, floor wax, carpets, painted surfaces, stainless steel and literally just about everything else–making it an excellent all-purpose cleaner and eliminating the need for having many different special purpose cleaning products. Clothes come out even cleaner by adding 1/4 cup in addition to your detergent. The kitchen and bathroom sparkle as soap scum and dirty counters easily get wiped clean.

If you’re looking for something strong enough to tackle any cleaning job, that is certifiably eco friendly, and that saves you money besides (the concentrated stuff lasts much longer than regular cleaners), then you can hardly do better for a green cleaning product than Simple Green. Try it out!

(Available in the regular 24 ounce spray bottle as well as a one-gallon version that lasts a very long time if diluted.)

Update: Simple Green has a new line of products available, Simple Green Naturals, that also have Green Seal certification and work great out of the bottle without dilution. So whether you’re looking for industrial strength pure cleaning power or a more convenient solution for grime, Simple Green has something eco friendly for you!