The Red, White, and Green

Whenever a company sends me a new green product to test out, I instinctively want to like whatever that product is. It’s like a casting director auditioning actors: I don’t want you to suck; I want you to come in and blow me away with that special something so that my job is easy.

So when the folks at Activeion Cleaning Solutions were kind enough to send me a brand-new Ionator HOM to try, I really wanted this to be the miraculous breakthrough in chemical-free cleaning that the company avowed it to be. After all, who wouldn’t want a device that ionizes tap water to become a mean, green, degreasing machine, allowing you to sparklingly clean every surface of your home, not to mention kill 99.9 percent of harmful bacteria and the H1N1 virus? So I used it to clean my apartment not once, but twice — waiting a whole week in between cleanings (and for my place to get dirty again) so that I could give the thorough review this kind of cutting-edge technology deserved.

So after all this, how did the Ionator do? Well, let’s just say it had a less than stellar performance. Here’s the lowdown:

Along with the Ionator, I used two other “cleaning” solutions to act as comparisons: my favorite store-bought green cleaner, and a spray bottle that I filled with regular tap water. While the Ionator did an adequate job cleaning surfaces like my kitchen table (lacquer), my bedroom nightstands (wood), and the bathroom sink (tile), here’s the rub: In every instance, the results were identical to that of the spray bottle filled with plain tap water.

What’s more, neither the Ionator nor the control bottle were as effective as the green cleaner at these simple tasks, and mysteriously left behind a trail of lint from my cloth rags with every wipe (something the green cleaner doesn’t do). And when it came to tougher tasks, the Ionator didn’t stand a chance: Mirrors were left a foggy, streaky mess; soap scum didn’t budge from the tile in the shower; and my glass nightstand lamps still felt dirty to the touch once the water had dried.

Of course, third-party lab testing shows that the Ionator, in fact, is a highly effective sanitizer, but you would never know it from the sight of your home after you’ve cleaned with it. I’m sorry to say, but if you want a cheap, chemical-free, highly effective cleaning solution — not to mention one that doesn’t require electricity and isn’t made of questionably recyclable materials — pass on the Ionator and its $169 price tag, and invest in a box of baking soda, a bottle of white vinegar, and some lemons.

–Jennifer Grayson

Do this now: Baking soda and vinegar to DIY for your taste? Look for cleaners that are free of ammonia, chlorine, triclosan, petroleum, phosphates, and artificial fragrances.

Related posts:
Product review: Arm & Hammer Essentials
Just add water

Like this post? Subscribe to The Red, White, and Green RSS feed