Sun & Earth Cleaners: My Opinion (Part 1)

A reader named Joe recommended Sun & Earth cleaners in the comments of my Environmental Friendly Cleaners Suck post. I went to the Sun & Earth web site and took advantage of the free sample offer. You have to create an account and pay $5.00 shipping to get the free sample but I wasn’t dissuaded. I wanted to try those cleaners and they are not listed as available in my area. I submitted my order and expected them to arrive sometime the following week. They arrived two days later just in time for my yearly monthly weekly cleaning.

I unpacked the package and looked over the 4oz. samples of cleaner. They looked the same as any other cleaner minus the day glow dyes. They listed the scent as Citrus. I sniffed each one. Here’s a summary

How They Smell

• Glass Cleaner: Peach Daiquiri [Note: Doesn’t taste like a peach daiquiri]
• Surface Cleaner: Tangerine
• Laundry Detergent: Slight orange
• Fabric Softener: Mrs. Jenkins Laundry room (good memory from childhood)
• Dish Soap: Orange mixed with very light cooking oil undertone

I was excited to try them out. I grabbed the glass cleaner and the surface cleaner and headed to the kids’ bathroom. The soap scum was waiting. The toothpaste was spattered on the mirror. I even spotted a slight ketchup smear on the light switch. It was time to test the cleaners.

Soap Scum Removal

The air was filled with maniacal laughter as I pointed the surface cleaner at the soap scum. I started to spray around the walls of the tub. As I worked my way back to where I started I gasped. The soap scum was dissolving and dripping down into the bottom of the tub. I gingerly touched the goop with my finger. It didn’t burn. I checked to make sure the porcelain wasn’t dissolving. This cleaner wasn’t messing around. I hardly had to wipe the tub at all and the soap scum was gone and the porcelain was intact. I sprayed the tub with warm water and it sparkled. I was satisfied. Next up, the sink.
 

Surfaces, Mirrors, and Faucet

Nothing as dramatic as the soap scum removal happened here. It did a good job and everything looked and smelled clean. I smiled as I grabbed the glass cleaner and a micro-fiber cloth. The mirror was next and after the soap scum success I was optimistic. Unfortunately I was disappointed. It didn’t clean any better than the method window wash and was worse than regular Windex. I read the back of the bottle and it said it did well on chrome. I tried it on the sink faucet and it redeemed itself slightly. My faucet was shiny and I was pleased. But there was still ketchup on the light switch and I noticed a weird stain on the wall.

Walls

The ketchup came off with a quick spray of surface cleaner and I decided to scrub the wall. It was a mistake. I sprayed the surface cleaner directly on my wall and the paint got gooey. At first I thought it was taking off a layer of accumulated goo. Then I looked at my cloth and realized it was turning the same color as my wall. I backed slowly away from the wall and it quickly dried with no obvious damage. The surface cleaner is way too powerful for the cheap paint you get at Home Depot. I wouldn’t recommend using it full strength on painted surfaces. A small spray on a damp cloth worked fine.
 

Summary

Overall, I would recommend the surface cleaner for soap scum and cleaning a sink or toilet. It does an excellent job. I’ll be ordering some from the web site with my $5.00 off your next order coupon they sent me with the free samples. The only suggestion I would have is to change the scent. The orange smell is good in the kitchen and living spaces but when mixed with bathroom smells I didn’t like it as much. A nice eucalyptus or mint smell would work better. Of course, I can always add a few drops of my favorite essential oil to the bottle. I’m just being picky.

The glass cleaner isn’t any better or worse than other environmentally friendly glass cleaners I have tried. I will probably buy whatever is easy to find and the least expensive.

Next up. Laundry detergent and fabric softener. I have two dogs. They will provide all necessary ingredients for a good test.