ÖKO-TEST tested a total of 20 chlorine-free bathroom cleaners from various manufacturers. In addition to expensive branded products, the cleaners also include inexpensive private labels from discounters and drugstores. In addition to a practical test in which the products were examined for their effectiveness, the experts also analyzed and evaluated the ingredients. From the point of view of sustainability, the proportion of recycled material in the plastic packaging was also checked.
In the test, none of the products was able to score “very good”. In return, 13 products scored “good”. However, some of them contain formic acid, which ÖKO-TEST evaluates as a deficiency. Formic acid is also found in in-house products from well-known retailers such as dm, Edeka, Lidl, Rewe and Co.
Even well-known brands are disappointing: Meister Proper Fresh Bathroom Cleaner dissolves limescale only “insufficiently” in practical tests, and the lime soap dissolving power is also only “sufficient”.
The 20 products tested also included two cleaners that are sold in powder or tab form with a spray bottle and you have to dilute them yourself with water to make the cleaner at home. While the Everdrop power powder peppermint rosemary bathroom cleaner performed “well” overall despite “sufficient” limescale removal, the Eco2pur bathroom & toilet cleaner lavender fragrance including 4 tabs came last in the test with the overall rating “sufficient”.
You can read the detailed test report for a fee at ÖKO-TEST.