December 17, 2008
Product Review*: Natura Cleaner & Cloth
Home Hardware carries a line of cleaning products called “Natura”- they’re cleaning products that contain natural ingredients, though the lack of an ingredients list on this or any cleaner means I don’t know whether it’s “all-natural” or not. That said, at least it doesn’t scream “ANTI-BACTERIAL!!!” at me, and that scores points right away. 🙂 Spray-cleaner, soft cloths, laundry detergent, dish detergent, toilet cleaner… bamboo clothespins if you’re in the market for some.
I’ve only tried two of these products so far: the all-purpose Natura Cleaner and the Natura Cloth.
The cleaner’s been able to handle anything I’ve thrown at it so far**. It’s made with Australian Tea-Tree oil, which I’ve heard is also useful for reducing pimples and boils (the oil, NOT the cleaner!) thanks to its natural antiseptic properties. This cleaner smells AMAZING, too- maybe even amazing enough to convery this gal from her method lavender cleaning spray.
$4.97 for 650 mL
Now, the Natura Cloth- this thing is quite amazing. I bought it to use on dishes, because the other cloths I’ve used always get so friggin’ SMELLY after they’ve been wet a few times, even if I remember to rinse them and hang them up. Cloths and sponges just seem to be breeding grounds for stinky bacteria. The commercials for this one said it wouldn’t stink… and that was, in fact, a speck of truth in advertising. Just as a test, I’ve kept using this one for several weeks without tossing it in the laundry, and it smells like the first time I used it (ie odourless). It’s nice and thick, too, and it has a bit of texture that’s good for scrubbing. Made from 100% natural wood fibre… yet really soft. Huh. Weird.
Please note that if you leave chunks of food stuck to this cloth, the food will start to smell. The cloth has antibacterial properties that keep the wee buggies from breeding in it, but it’s not going to spread that to anything it touches (counters, toilets, bits of crusty spaghetti). Rinse the damned thing, though, and it’s all good.
Natura Cleaning Cloth
$3.97, 40x40cm
VERDICT: I’m definitely going to try some of the other products from this line- most “natural” cleaners are way more expensive than these ones, and I’m happy with the performance so far. Incedentally, I know that vinegar’s a cheaper ‘natural’ cleaning fluid, but I can’t stand the smell it leaves behind. Blegh. Good on fries, though.
*For the record, I’m not getting anything for reviewing products- I’m just telling you about stuff that I paid good money for, letting you know whether I think it was money well-spent. I can tell you I’m more likely to try out natural products, but I’ll be honest about how well they’ve worked for me.
** technically, anything I’ve thrown it at, I guess.
adventures in home economics 