Walgreens has recently launched Ology, a line of healthy home products. I was quite intrigued with this product line, since you normally wouldn’t associate a large-chain drugstore with “green” products. The Ology brand features a line of baby and personal care products, household cleaners and even home products such as CFL bulbs and “tree-less” office paper.
I had the opportunity to try the Ology All Purpose Cleaner and Glossy Streak-Free Finish Glass Cleaner. First up, the All Purpose Cleaner: My 8-year old daughter was excited to help me clean after seeing the pink spray nozzle. She inherited my migraines and I do my best not to expose her to chemicals. But after reading the 5 ingredients, I felt comfortable to supervise as she assisted in wiping down the counters. The scent was wonderful — my daughter said, “it smells like Miss Pam’s house.” Our dear friend, Pam, grows and harvests lavender and citrus for projects and home use—the all-purpose cleaner had that same “natural” scent. So how well did it clean? It did it’s job just as well as any other multi-purpose cleaner on the market. But the best part is that I’m not exposing my family to harmful chemicals.
The Glossy Streak-Free Glass Cleaner also had a few ingredients, one of which was acetic acid (aka vinegar). Growing up, my mother would make us clean all the windows in the house with her tried-and-true mixture of vinegar, water, and lemon. Just like my “mom’s mix” from when I was a kid, the Ology glass cleaner did a stand-up job making our mirrors sparkle. Considering that the glass cleaner had vinegar (known to dissolve limescale), I decided to to really put it to the test on our shower doors. As I mentioned, I get migraines. I LOATHE cleaning our shower doors because the build-up of soap scum and hard water meant that I’d have to use some kind of chemical to get it off. It must be a sight to watch me as I close myself in the shower, scrub down the doors while holding my breath then poke my head out to get a whiff of fresh air every few seconds. This is the main reason why I don’t clean the doors… and they look like frosted glass with all the build-up from months of not touching them (don’t judge… I told you I hate cleaning them).
Enter Ology and their Glossy Streak-Free Glass Cleaner…I sprayed the doors and allowed the cleaner to sit for a few minutes. I was happy that I was able to stand in our shower (with closed doors) and scrub off the scum and lime easily. YES… Easily. The glass cleaner is definitely a winner. It distinctly smells like vinegar but it dissipates pretty quickly so all you’re left with is a shower door that you can see through.
I’m a stickler for industrial design and packaging and I appreciate when companies are considerate of how everyday people will handle their product. I was appreciative of the design of the Ology spray bottles. Not only were they nice to look at, the spray nozzle is comfortable to hold—which makes a difference when you’re power-cleaning. The bottles are also made from 100% post-consumer materials — another thumbs up for Ology.
I hope more large chain stores follow Walgreens’ lead and offer more chemical-free products that work.
Photos courtesy of Walgreens.
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Melissa Hiatt is a business owner and work-at-home mom from San Diego, Calif. She is married and has two girls. Melissa is the owner of the craft, food and lifestyle blog, Making it Sweet.
wow–I’m surprised that Walgreen’s has a line of green products–that’s nice to hear.
Asianmommy recently posted..Chinese New Year at Garfield Park Conservatory
I like multi-purpose cleaners that don’t contain any harsh chemicals as well.