The cleaners (all-purpose, glass, floor and bathroom) are made from natural surfactants (hello, coconut!) and sugar-based acids. They are completely non-toxic, and so I can feel that much more comfortable cleaning around (and cleaning up after) our daughter and our dog.
The iQ line has reuseable spray bottles and REFill (Reduced Environmental Footprint) cartridges of the cleaning solution. This means WAY less plastic waste, less cost (all you need is a REFill cartridge when your cleaner runs out, not a whole new bottle), and less of a carbon footprint as shipping tiny cartridges rather than big bottles means less trucks on the road. You add the water yourself, then the cartridge, screw on the spray nozzle and they mix together to make the cleaners. Here is the 'before' (with water added to the fill lines on the bottles):
and the 'during' (it's a little tricky to see, but check out the cool swirly effect of the cartridges releasing!):
Less shipping and packaging costs also add up to savings that are passed on to consumers. Yay!
Plus... they're fun. Yes, cleaners can be fun! Popping the cartridges in and watching the coloured cleaner diffuse through the water is pretty cool. I'm a sucker for pretty, I admit it! You can take a gander at how they work in this video:
The glass cleaner was put to the test on our console table (a glass-topped dust collector) and our mirrored closets in the foyer (a target for dog nose prints, fingerprints and dust). No streaks!
The bathroom cleaner worked well and I liked the fruity scent.
The all-purpose cleaner took care of the kitchen. This one has my favourite scent - refreshing and light. It cleaned the countertops without leaving residue, and even worked on the stainless steel appliances with no streaks!
Overall - love the products, love the performance, love the way they smell and love that they've got a refreshingly eco-friendly approach to cleaning.
Now for the giveaway! iQ has very generously offered one of my readers the same three products I tried, plus a year's supply of REFill cartridges (ARV $50!).
Also this is my first Rafflecopter giveaway so be patient if there are any bugs! (note - it starts at 12:01am EST August 5th!) Good luck all!
This is cool, I like the same thing as you from a cleaner. The fragrance is always important as well. Some things I just won't buy due to the smell.
ReplyDeleteI question whether green cleaners actually clean as well and the non green cleaners
ReplyDeletebluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com
I question the safety of cleaners (whether they are conventional or green) when it comes to using it in places my children or dog could touch, lick or smell...I always am looking for something that is safe...
ReplyDeleteI question a couple things:
ReplyDelete- I wonder who so many green cleeners still come in conventional plastic bottles; and
- I wonder if they are really as 'green' as they make them out to be
arctic_teacher AT yahoo DOT ca
Some ingredients you still do not always recognize and wonder if they are still safe to use.
ReplyDeletesilverneon2000 at yahoo dot com
I think using green products are the way to go!
ReplyDeletei question how bad the cleaning and fragrance chemicals they contain are for myslef and my family to be around
ReplyDeletepenguinjo99 at gmail dot com
I wonder if any cleaning products are really any better than baking soda, vinegar and water.
ReplyDeleteI question the safety and how much better they are for the environment when they are in plastic bottles.
ReplyDeletebukaeyes@aol.com
I wonder how effective these ecofriendly alternatives are compared to the others in the marketplace.
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea of green cleaning - I had never really thought of it before hearing of IQ! I question how 'green' so called other green companies actually are!
ReplyDeletesbabij2 at shaw dot ca