• Avoid:

• chlorine or ammonia, listed as active ingredients

• formaldehyde, terpenes, phenols, chlorine, organic mercurials, balsams, aluminium complexes, chlorine, organic mercurials, balsams, and aluminium complexes. These are known to have carcinogenic effects.

• detergents containing alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs) - do not degrade completely and are known hormone disruptors.

• detergents containing phosphates - cause algal blooms in water ways

• Look for:

• biodegradable to AS4351, or better still, an international standard

• plant-based ingredients, instead of petroleum-based

• concentrated form

• specific ingredient information (such as solvent-free no petroleum-based ingredients solvent-free, no petroleum-based ingredients) rather than unregulated greenwash claims (such as natural and eco-friendly)

• Give floor cleaners a miss and just use hot water. See Choice's 2020 Shonky Award for floor cleaners Choice

• See Choice's 2020 review of floor cleaners Choice