These Popular Cleaning Brands Make Products With Fossil Fuels

Did you know that most of your cleaning products, from bathroom cleaners to laundry detergents, rely on petroleum-based ingredients? That’s because these ingredients are great at breaking down dirt and grease, helping you tackle those tough stains effectively.

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While these cleaning products make it easy to keep our homes clean, the petroleum-based ingredients in them are concerning.

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Petrochemical-based ingredients such as parabens, phthalates, and PFAS are derived from fossil fuels, they release high amounts of carbon emissions during their production. Also, they are not usually readily biodegradable, which means they can persist in the environment for a long time. When these products are washed down the drain, they can end up in water bodies, posing a threat to aquatic life and ecosystems.

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A lot of these brands also use uncertified palm oil, which leads to deforestation and habitat loss.

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Our assessment of well-known cleaning brands revealed that while they avoid parabens, phthalates, and uncertified palm oil, they continue to use other petrochemical-based ingredients.

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For example, some brands use polyvinyl alcohol, a petrochemical-based film that lacks strong scientific evidence for biodegradability.

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Popular Cleaning Brands Using Petrochemical-Derived Ingredients

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Here are some of the well-known cleaning brands that use petrochemical-based ingredients:

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Clorox

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Clorox doesn't make any commitments related to its ingredients. The choice of ingredients is a strong determinant of environmental impact. It uses ingredients that pose a significant threat to the climate, including petrochemical-based ingredients and palm oil of an unspecified origin. It carries products that have certifications from the EPA Safer Choice.

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Dawn Dish Soap

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Dawn Dish Soap doesn't make any commitments related to its ingredients. The choice of ingredients is a strong determinant of environmental impact. It uses ingredients that pose a significant threat to the climate, including many petrochemical-based ingredients.

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Mrs. Meyer's

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Mrs. Meyer's has made ingredient commitments to lower its environmental impact, including by avoiding parabens, phthalates, petrochemical-based ingredients, uncertified palm oil, and PFAS. While it has made commitments, it still uses some ingredients that pose a significant threat to the climate, including some petrochemical-based ingredients. Its products incorporate bio-based and/or biodegradable ingredients and upcycled materials. It carries products that have certifications from Leaping Bunny.

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Method Products

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Method Products has made ingredient commitments to lower its environmental impact, including by avoiding parabens, phthalates, and uncertified palm oil. While it has made commitments, it still uses some ingredients that pose a significant threat to the climate, including petrochemical-based ingredients, and a portion of its palm oil is not RSPO-certified. It carries products that have certifications from Leaping Bunny.

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Defunkify

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Defunkify has made ingredient commitments to lower its environmental impact, including by avoiding parabens, uncertified palm oil. While it has made commitments, it still uses some ingredients that pose a significant threat to the climate, including petrochemical-based ingredients. It carries products that have certifications from the EPA Safer Choice.

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Renuv

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Renuv doesn't make any commitments related to its ingredients. The choice of ingredients is a strong determinant of environmental impact. It uses ingredients that pose a significant threat to the climate, including petrochemical-based ingredients.

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Top-Rated Cleaning Products

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Here are some brands we recommend that don't use petrochemical-derived ingredients in their cleaning products:

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