The Red, White, and Green

I first mentioned this product in a February post that discussed the effect of higher oil prices on packaging trends. For many companies, reformulating products or changing the packaging to create a smaller and/or lighter load has resulted in lower shipping costs — and, subsequently, lower CO2 emissions. 

Arm & Hammer Essentials, a new line of plant-based cleaning products with no ammonia or phosphates, achieves this lighter load by taking the water out of its product. Shoppers purchase an empty, reusable 32-fl.-oz. spray bottle that’s sold with an attached 1.2-fl.-oz. bottle of liquid concentrate, to be mixed with tap water at home. Refills are purchased separately.

My initial reaction was that this was a brave and bold step for a mainstream company, albeit one that’s hawked an environmentally friendly household product — baking soda — for more than 150 years. But it was a shock to see an empty bottle on the shelf of my local Target, and I wondered how the average “bigger is better” consumer would react. 

When I ran out of my regular green cleaning spray and went back to Target to give the Arm & Hammer product a try nearly a month later, I was surprised to see only two bottles left on the shelf. And no wonder: It was the week that unemployment figures were released, and California had hit the double digits. No doubt penny pinchers rejoiced at sight of the Arm & Hammer spray  ($2.74) — 10 cents cheaper than Clorox Green Works’ ($2.84) and 25 cents cheaper than Method’s ($2.99), with refills that make each subsequent bottle of A&H only $1.89.

After seeing how cheap the refills are, I wanted to just buy the refills and use an empty spray bottle I had at home. However, there’s a disclaimer on the bottle and the refills that says you can only use the concentrate cartridge with the corresponding A&H container. I’m sure your kitchen won’t explode if you use a generic spray bottle, but I figured since I was reviewing the product, I probably should follow the directions. And it is pretty nifty how the refill cartridge just screws right into the top of the bottle to release the concentrate. The sprayer on the bottle, too, is excellent: It delivers a fine mist of product, unlike the dribbly sprayer I had at home. 

Only the Cleaner & Degreaser was available (A&H also makes different versions for multi-surface and glass), but it’s proven to be a very effective all-around cleaner, especially in the kitchen. It cuts right through grease on the stovetop, and easily wiped away the coffee residue on the hot plate of my coffee maker. It also polishes my tile countertops to a nice shine. It seems more powerful than other green cleaners I’ve used, but perhaps that’s because it also contains “other biodegradable cleaners” (according to the website), although I haven’t yet been able to determine which ones.

The only thing I’m not crazy about is the smell, which is actually quite mild (you have to really lean toward what you just sprayed to get a whiff, and it dissipates soon after spraying), but more in the category of traditional (chemical) cleaner smell than the “I am green” lavender-and-eucalyptus scent I’ve grown fond of. The A&H website says “no harsh chemical fumes,” though, so maybe this is just the scent of the natural cleaners in its product. 

Seeing that everyone is looking for ways to cut costs these days — consumers and companies alike — I expect other refill products to hit the market soon. Great news for our bottom line and the earth’s.

–Jennifer Grayson

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