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Archive for the ‘Ecover Products’ Category

Ecover Responds To Questions Regarding Its Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Date: 2012.02.01 | Category: Ecover Products | Response: 0

OK, so maybe cleaning the toilet isn’t our favorite job…we know that no one likes to do it. But why not make the task easier with a product that really works!? Our Toilet Bowl Cleaner is great at removing scale and calcium soaps, its convenient spout makes it easy to use, and its great scent keeps the experience fresh!

Ecover is always happy to answer questions, and here are two about our Toilet Bowl Cleaner.

Why didn’t it remove a pink ring/stain around toilet bowl?

The stain is probably bacterial in origin. Sometimes stains can develop that aren’t scale-based and not readily removed by the cleaner and they often occur at the waterline; with constant contact with both water and air and a fairly fixed location, it’s less susceptible to cleaning (as the product gets diluted the moment it hits the water in the bowl). We would recommend applying the Toilet Bowl Cleaner and letting it rest for an hour or two, then scrubbing it vigorously with a toilet brush.

How come the cleanser “etched” the tile?

The citric acid in our toilet cleaner bonds with other ions to make them soluble. Ceramics are commonly colored by adding certain metals to the clay; so it’s possible that the citric acid has leeched them out of the tile. But product would need to have been in prolonged contact with the tile (not just hours, but days or even weeks) and the tile would have to be of a poor quality. Also, if the tile was conventionally painted, the citric acid may have leeched metallic pigment out of the paint—unlikely, as metal-based paints are becoming rare. The toilet cleaner does not contain any sort of bleaching system, so something (grime, pigment or paint) would have had to have been actively removed from the tile.

More questions about our products? Don’t hesitate to contact us. We love talking about cleaning and helping our customers get the best results!
Ecover’s Liquid Laundry Wash Giving the Words Clean Clothes a Whole New Meaning

Date: 2012.01.25 | Category: Ecover Products | Response: 0

No matter what kind of dirt or stain winds up on your clothes, it’s no match for Ecover’s Liquid Laundry Wash. Whether you’re washing a big load or small, colors or whites; our powerful cleaning action, plant-based and mineral ingredients, make Ecover Laundry Liquid ideal. Your clothes will come out so fresh and so clean, you’ll wonder why you didn’t make the switch sooner!

It’s because we utilize pioneering ingredients which give the words “clean clothes” a whole new look! Our Liquid Laundry Wash does the dirty work by removing the tough stains, but it’s safe and gentle on your family’s skin because of those natural, plant-based and mineral ingredients. It tackles stains and keeps colors bright – without the unnecessary optical brighteners or phosphates, glycerin or borax. So you get an affordable product that doesn’t harm your family’s wellness!

For optimal results, be sure to wash at a temperature of 140 (F) or lower. Of course Ecover’s Liquid Wash is completely biodegradable, minimizing negative effects on aquatic life! Our low-sudsing, High Efficiency (HE) formulation has always been suitable for HE machines and isalso totally biodegradable which means It is compatible with top and front loading machines.

And our Liquid Wash has a light, fresh scent that is heavenly! With so many laundry products on the market with harsh chemicals and synthetic fragrances, it’s great to know that there’s a better and safer option out there that leaves your precious clothes looking and smelling great. Ecover’s Liquid Wash provides peace of mind knowing that its pleasant aroma is natural.

So whether you use a front-loader or you prefer to wash by hand, you can trust that our powerful Liquid Laundry Wash. We’re confident its power and pleasant scent will leave you hooked!
Selected Ecover Products Tested And Approved For Sensitive Skin!

Date: 2012.01.18 | Category: Ecover Products | Response: 0

The cleaning aisle is a minefield of potential irritants when you have sensitive skin. So many laundry and dishwashing products contain chemical fragrances and dyes that us sensitive types need to avoid! Ecover knows many of you trust our plant and mineral based products to be gentle on you and your family. But hey, there’s no need to just take our word for it – we put a whole range of Ecover products to the test – and an external team of dermatologists found them suitable for sensitive skin!

The following products were tested and passed with flying colors:
In conducting the tests, specially trained dermatologists recruited 22 men and women with sensitive skin, who then used Ecover products in their everyday lives for three weeks while washing dishes and doing laundry. During this testing, dermatologists closely oversaw the participant’s reactions, thoroughly monitoring their skin for any development of abnormalities. The men and women were also asked to score the products on several criteria, such as skin irritation, redness, and itching. All the Ecover tested products were found to be “gentle to the skin.” Yesss!

We are proud of these results of course, and we want everyone to be confident with our products and their skin sensitivity. So we took a look at the many confusing logos pertaining to sensitivity currently on the market, and decided to develop one that had a clear and direct message – simply: dermatologists found our products suitable for sensitive skin, nothing less. So look for the new “Dermatologically Tested For Sensitive Skin” logo on the Ecover website. Rest assured that Ecover will always be tough on dirt, but always kind to your skin … naturally!
Ecover Fabric Softener Helps Laundry Day Loads Smell Sweeter

Date: 2012.01.13 | Category: Ecover Products | Response: 0

When it comes to laundry, we all want clean, luxuriously soft and static-free clothes – and a flower-fresh fragrance that won’t overpower. Ecover is all that and more, making laundry day less of a chore in your busy week. The surfactants in our Sunny Day and Morning Fresh fabric softeners have been chosen carefully for their ecological qualities; they get the job done by actually making the textile softer, which reduces drying time – and even makes your clothes easier to iron! They’re suitable for septic tanks, are never tested on animals and have been tested and noted to be safe for sensitive skin .

Many conventional brands in contrast rely on chemicals derived from animal fat that are highly toxic to aquatic life. You don’t need that! All of Ecover’s products have a minimal impact on aquatic life and of course are quickly biodegradable.

To ensure you get the same great results with every load, our technical specialists at Ecover remind you that because Ecover’s fabric softeners contain only carefully chosen plant-based and mineral ingredients, you should not store it at extreme hot or cold temperatures.

And the quality of Ecover’s Fabric Softeners extends to our PlantPlastic packaging as well! Our 100%PlantPlastic packaging is 100% renewable, reusable and recyclable. And it’s made from sugarcane! It’s ecology and innovation meeting science, and laundry day never smelled so sweet!
Building A Sustainable Future Through Conscious Consumption by 2011 30 under 30 Winner Dana Frasz

Date: 2011.12.16 | Category: Ecover Products | Response: 0

Dana Frasz is the winner of our 2011 30 under 30 contest and the founder of Food Shift which seeks to create a new model for food recovery that benefits the community and the environment by collecting unwanted good quality food from local food establishments and delivering it to local food assistance centers that feed low income and food insecure populations. Dana was asked by Ecover to provide thoughts on sustainability and our future so below she gives us tips we can live by:

“Humanity would need five Earths to produce the resources needed if everyone lived as extravagantly as Americans. This is the staggering reality and a clear indication that we absolutely need to consume less in order to create a more sustainable future. Our insatiable appetite for more “stuff” has created a culture rooted in acquisition, consumption and waste, often without any regard to the consequences to the natural world or future generations. Changing this dreamand shifting to a more enlightened world view that recognizes our interconnectedness is essential to creating a more just and sustainable world.

Each day there are hundreds of opportunities each of us can take to move in the direction of a more socially and environmentally conscious life. We can walk, bike or bus instead of driving, bring a reusable mug to the coffee shop, use a reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water, bring reusable bags shopping, shop local, etc. These small actions are really important. While most people think nothing of using and then quickly throwing “away” paper and plastic disposable items, “away” does not exist, and unfortunately most products are attached to a long ugly history of social and environmental injustice. We must recognize how our daily actions are impacting the world around us and begin to create lifestyles that are more respectful of the earth and one another.

Consumers can be more mindful of their purchases in order to align their money with their values. Good Guide and the Free2Work app are helpful tools for conscious-consumption. We can support local farmers through CSAs, invest in Slow Money, switch to the Better World Club and Better World Books, and move our money from big banks to smaller banks or credit unions that support local business. We have enormous power to shift the direction of our future by choosing to put our money toward the things that make our communities healthier, stronger and more sustainable.

What can you not consume today? How can you channel your money towards a more just and sustainable future?”

Dana Frasz
2011 30 under 30 winner
Founder, Food Shift
Introducing Ecover’s New Automatic Dishwasher Powder Zero

Date: 2011.10.14 | Category: Ecover Products | Response: 0

Ecover is proud to introduce a great new product – Automatic Dishwasher Powder Zero! You guessed it, this powerful dishwashing powder, like our new Laundry Powder Zero, comes packed with the performance you need and it’s free of the unnecessary fuss – no fragrance, phosphates or coloring agents! When you open that dishwasher door after a cleaning cycle, the dishes had better be sparkling clean and free of chemical residue. This dynamo in a box cleans and degreases, is biodegradable, is suitable for septic tanks and it’s not tested on animals. Just as you expect from Ecover!

The beauty of having a dishwasher is that it does all the work! All you need is the right dishwashing powder, and those chemical-laden dishwashing powders that harm the environment often don’t get those dishes clean. Ecover’s Automatic Dishwasher Powder and Automatic Dishwasher Tablets have always done a fantastic job, and without destructive phosphates or chemicals. What they do have, though, is a light, plant-based scent.

But hey, we realize that even that’s not for everyone, so if you prefer your dishwasher powder completely fragrance-free, try our Automatic Dishwasher Powder Zero. Look for the zero on the package, and enjoy the confidence of clean without the fuss!
Ecover Admires Julia Louis-Dreyfus, A Funny Lady Who’s Serious About The Environment

Date: 2011.09.07 | Category: Ecover Products, Green Media | Response: 0

Julia Louis-Dreyfus gives a thumbs-down to the “plastic bag monster” at an environmental event.

We loved watching Elaine dance on Seinfeld and Christine deal with getting older on The New Adventures of Old Christine, but our favorite role for Julia Louis-Dreyfus is that of a dedicated environmentalist!

According to Grist, Julia is keeping busy with many environmental organizations including Heal the Bay, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Trust for Public Land for years. Meanwhile, her husband Brad Hall “is helping lead the effort at the Environmental Media Association to get energy-guzzling Hollywood studios to reform their wasteful operations.”

Now before you think the green power couple is just jumping on the environmental bandwagon, they were environmentally inclined way back in their college days at Northwestern University. And today, they live in an energy efficient home that includes: “a retractable roof, which stimulates airflow and negates the need for air conditioning; day lighting to reduce the need for electric lights; and solar heating that’s put back into the grid when the house isn’t in use. The couple also had their contractor salvage all the pre-renovation wood.”

Julia says, “for me, these lifestyle decisions are a way of having control and feeling less guilty. I walk around feeling a sort of existential guilt all the time; for me this house is a way of feeling less guilty about the universe!”

Ecover thinks it’s impressive that two Hollywood role models are taking their home and sustainability seriously. We can only hope that inside their green house, the comedic couple is laughing happily as they clean the dishes and wash the laundry with their Ecover products!

Image by Derek Goes, via Flickr.com
Ecover Chlorine-Free Liquid Bleach – Cleaning Power Without That Punch

Date: 2011.09.02 | Category: Ecover Products | Response: 0

Chlorine bleach was once synonymous with clean, but today’s savvy consumers know it’s a harsh way to deal with dirt and stains. At Ecover, we’re passionate about providing healthier, eco-friendly cleaning alternatives that really work! That’s why we’re spreading the word about Ecover unscented Liquid Bleach, which packs all the power of chlorine bleach without that excessive punch. It’s chlorine-free, color safe, suitable for septic tanks and, like all Ecover products, not tested on animals.

Ecover Liquid Bleach is also super-versatile. Sure, you can brighten laundry by adding ¼ cup with detergent, just as you would with chlorine bleach. But try adding ½ cup to a gallon of water, to get the ideal sanitizing solution without the noxious fumes you’d get with a comparable chlorine bleach mixture. It’s great for the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, tub, tile and shower, and even the toilet (rubber gloves are recommended to avoid skin irritation, and remember to never, never mix bleach with other cleaners).

So how does Ecover Liquid Bleach do all these jobs without chlorine? It’s a fair question, since chlorine is a powerful oxidizing agent that kills germs. Our bleach relies instead on the oxidizing power of hydrogen peroxide – an old standby your mom may have used to treat cuts and scrapes. Turns out Mom knew what she was doing! Hydrogen peroxide is registered with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as an antimicrobial pesticide. That means it kills germs, too, but breaks down rapidly into oxygen and water and won’t harm the environment.

Keep in mind that chlorine bleach lurks in a variety of conventional cleaning products under different names: hypochlorite and sodium hypochlorite. As an Ecover customer, you can rest easy knowing that we never use chlorine or other harsh agents in any of our products. Now that’s truly powerful!
Look for Ecover’s New Laundry Powder Zero!

Date: 2011.08.19 | Category: Ecover Products | Response: 0

Introducing Ecover’s new and improved laundry powder – Laundry Powder Zero! Don’t worry, this super-powder still has all the mineral-based cleaning power of its predecessor, but we’ve added some additional benefits that we know you’ll really appreciate, especially if you have allergies or sensitive skin. No need for those concentrated cleaning powders with those dyes, fragrances or phosphates that can be oh-so-irritating!

And that’s not all: unlike the original powder, Laundry Powder Zero is suitable for High Efficiency (HE) machines! Plus, it’s more effective in cold wash settings, which helps you save energy and money. Additionally, the new concentrated formula is packed into a smaller, lighter box that allows you to do more loads than before — 26 vs. 19. Now that’s what we call high efficiency! Of course, Laundry Powder Zero is biodegradable, suitable for septic tanks and not tested on animals. It’s Ecover after all.

This updated product comes with updated modern packaging to match…so look for Ecover Laundry Powder Zero soon, and let Ecover streamline laundry day with fuss-free high performance!
Enter Ecover’s August Sweepstakes To Win Fresh Laundry Essentials!

Date: 2011.08.17 | Category: Ecover Products | Response: 0

Our August sweepstakes starts today – and runs until August 22nd! Enter for your chance to win Ecover’s five laundry essentials for clothes that smell fresh as a summer breeze, not worrisome chemicals!

With the high August temp’s, try line-drying your clothes too, to keep that summer-fresh scent. Old-fashioned? Sure, but it’s a tried-and-true way to harness the power of nature, conserve energy and save money! And remember, all of our plant-based products are suitable for septic tanks, never tested on animals and are biodegradable.

To enter, simply “like” us on Facebook, then click on the sweepstakes tab to the left under our profile picture and follow the instructions. And remember it ends at midnight on August 22^nd, and the winner will be picked at random on August 23^rd!

Here’s what one lucky winner will receive (total value: $30):

51-oz Liquid Laundry Wash – Powerful cleaning action with gentle plant-based and mineral ingredients make this liquid ideal for the whole family.
6.8-oz Stain Remover — Grass, grease, mud and blood are no object for our power-packed stain remover. And you’ll love the handy built-in brush to get the cleaning action started!
32-oz Fabric Softener Sunny Day – Let the crisp, summery scent freshen your laundry.
32-oz Delicate Wash – The Woolmark-approved formulation leaves your delicates with a subtle lavender scent.
14-0z Non-Chlorine Bleach Powder – A little dynamo that keeps whites bright and removes stains without harmful chlorine or phosphates.

Good luck!