Cleaning products
How to Choose a Cleaning Product Without Guesswork
A quick way to compare household cleaners using EPA Safer Choice and the directions on each product label.
Materials
- The label on a cleaner you already own
- A short list of the surfaces you plan to clean
- EPA's Safer Choice product information
- A place to write down product directions
Steps
- Name the surface and cleaning task before shopping; a product that suits one surface may not suit another.
- Read the product label for its intended use, surface compatibility, and safety directions.
- Use EPA's Safer Choice information to look for products whose ingredients meet the program's criteria.
- Compare the label directions of products you are considering instead of assuming one cleaner works for every task.
- Keep the chosen product in its original labeled container and follow its directions when using and storing it.
Safety and boundaries
- Never mix bleach with ammonia, acids, vinegar, alcohol, or other cleaners.
- Follow the authoritative source and every product or equipment label and direction.
- Stop and use a qualified professional or the appropriate authority for hazardous materials, mold, asbestos, biohazards, or conditions outside routine household cleaning.
Sources
Safer Choice | US EPA
Safer Choice helps consumers, businesses, and purchasers find products that perform and contain ingredients that are safer for human health and the environment. Safer Choice is an EPA Pollution Prevention (P2) program , which incl
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