Mrs. Meyer’s does not smell like this.
I generally don’t like to slam products. I’d rather focus on solutions than problems. But when there’s a general perception that something is eco-friendly or healthy, I want people to know the whole story.
This is a post I’ve been wanting to write for a while, and a friend’s recent query spurred me on to finally do it. Said friend asked me to offer some advice on choosing an eco-friendly house cleaning service. There were a few contenders on the table, including both nationally known and local companies. To me, aside from all of the obvious criteria for choosing a service (reliability, trustworthiness, thoroughness), the biggest question that would set cleaning companies apart is this: which products do they use?
There are a lot of green cleaning products on the market, and even more jumping on board every day. It’s incredibly easy to fall for the claims made by many of them, especially when they’re as enticing as: “biodegradable,” “not tested on animals,” “chlorine free,” or “phosphate free” (since last year, all dish detergents are now phosphate free). And while these are all respectable traits, they don’t say everything you need to know. Here’s what I think you should know. Many companies either choose to ignore or simply cannot claim this of their products: “free of synthetic fragrance.”
I’ve always suspected Mrs. Meyer’s soaps included artificial fragrance because a) the scent on my hands did not go away quickly b) I could taste the scent through my nose, c) the scent made me nauseated. While in the privy of one of my favorite restaurants (lots of local & sustainable NYC restaurants love Mrs. Meyer’s), I decided to peek at the label to confirm my suspicions. Right there, plain as day, was the ingredient I was looking for: Fragrance (Parfum). When I see that ingredient without any footnotes explaining its derivation, I begin to question the validity of the rest of the product claims.
Mrs. Meyer’s says:
“Our fragrance compositions use a combination of natural essential oils and safe synthetic ingredients. This allows for the most pleasing, quality, and intriguing scents – inspired by the garden – that you’ll want to use again and again. This approach provides consistent performance, quality, and safety in every bottle. All fragrances are phthalate-free.”
Why do I care so much about synthetic fragrance?
1. The fragrance/perfume industry is protected by patent or trade secret laws which allow them to hide any and all ingredients in their formulations. I don’t know about you, but I like to know what’s in the stuff I’m washing my hands with or spraying on my kitchen countertop.
2. Fragrance can be made from any combination of petroleum and non-petroleum derived substances, including formaldehyde, benzene, and toluene (I don’t think Mrs. Meyer’s includes any of these).
3. This potentially toxic soup can have any number of untoward effects on human health, including reproductive and endocrine disruption, immune system effects, and neurotoxic effects.
To learn more about the dangers of artificial fragrance, read Get a Whiff of This: Perfumes (fragrances) — the Invisible Chemical Poisons
by Connie Pitts.
I trust my senses first, but when I want a little confirmation for my concerns, I turn to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) cosmetic database. It’s not without its flaws, but I find it helpful when I’m unsure about the safety of particular ingredients. In their assessment, Mrs. Meyer’s products range from 3 to 6 on their 10-point hazard scale (that’s moderately hazardous). The caveat here is that, without knowing the actual composition of the fragrance chemicals the Caldrea company (maker of Mrs. Meyer’s) use, EWG applies the worst-case scenario fragrance to all products.
It’s easy for me to unfairly single out Mrs. Meyer’s (as I did in the title) because she’s got a friendly name and image. But sadly, she’s not the only green game in town that has this vital flaw. Her partners in crime also include Simple Green and Method (whose products also include artificial colors). Just because something is Green Seal certified (ahem, Simple Green) does not mean it is healthy, it just means it is not considered to be detrimental to the ecosystem. I care a heck of a lot about the ecosystem, and the one I care most about is yours.
Here are some others who share my concern:
In this last post from the Smart Mama, she refers to a study where Mrs. Meyer’s was found to contain high levels of 1,4 dioxane, a carcinogenic solvent. Mrs. Meyer’s has since corrected this problem. You can read about it here.
I also know I’m not the only one who can’t stand these synthetic fragrances. A few user reviews:
As I mentioned, I like to use my senses. In our culture of sensory overload, it can be difficult to distinguish harmful from healthful. It’s easy to dismiss the way we feel (our gut or intuition) because there are so many external influences affecting us. The good news is, once we start eliminating these influences, including all of the artificial scents and flavors, the line between what’s toxic and what’s not becomes a bit clearer. Life begins to smell (naturally) sweet again.
Stay tuned for part 2 of why I think Mrs. Meyer’s stinks: synthetic fragrance-free solutions!
I am all for all natural cleaning products but I stay far away from all the Meyer’s ones. In the past I have tried various Meyer’s products and one thing always happens -My head starts hurting. I am not allergic to anything really- but I know when I go into a highly perfumed store my head always starts hurting. I have the same reaction to Meyer’s cleaning products. I used to buy them at Whole foods – thinking since they are sold there- they must be totally all natural. Guess I was wrong. I only buy production from a different company now – and they are completely fragrance free ones. Mrs. Meyer’s – please cut out the synthetics- and I will try you again…
linkThanks for your feedback, Alison. I’m sure you’re not alone in suffering from headaches from the scents in products like these.
link[...] (like Mrs. Meyer’s, Method, and Simple Green) because they contain synthetic fragrances. (Find out why.) I promised this time that I’d focus on solutions to this [...]
linkThis bums me out because I really like Mrs. Meyers clean day products and thought I was doing a good thing. Although it’s a step in the right direction it’s only half way there and since it’s a little more expensive to buy I would like to know I am purchasing a completely natural product.
Bummed in Oregon
linkjust got an order from soap.com with 3 mrs. meyers products. The geranium instantly gave me a headache, so I started researching if it is in fact “all natural” wish i would have found this site 2 days ago…or researched before I bought. Now I am searching for alternative products that are all natural for household and skincare. Any experience with Dr. Bonner’s organic products?
linkI’m sorry you had that bad experience with Mrs. Meyer’s.
linkI love Dr. Bronner’s. They are truly natural, not synthetic. They use pure organic essential oils & fair trade ingredients. The real deal.
I also make natural household products & skin care that I sell through Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/raganella
I was holding Mrs Meyer’s all purpose in my hand earlier and thought to myself…’this doesn’t seem right, I’d better go home and check it out before I buy it’. Thanks for you and your blog.
linkI’m glad you trusted your intuition!
linkThanks for this post. I unfortunately placed an order for Mrs. Meyers hand soap before realizing it had fragrance in it. I have been doing research as well as you have since I lost a cat to cancer and wondered what could have caused it (I know not the hand soap, but still I don’t want it either). I have found a company whose products I love..Better Life (http://cleanhappens.com). They don’t use fragrance and their products work well and still have a slight scent to them. I was using Method before and discovered the same thing you did. The smell of these products made me sick. Thanks for the research you did. The additional information is definitely helpful.
linkThanks for the recommendation for Better Life. It looks like they’re doing the right thing. I continue to run across cleaning product makers such as Mrs. Meyer’s & Method that are using artificial fragrance and passing themselves off as a healthy, natural option. As long as these harmful additives go unchecked, it’s important to continue to support the makers who are not using them in the first place. Or simply make our own cleaning solutions, which is fairly simple to do. Thanks for the comment & happy cleaning!
linkI just used the Meyers Bathroom Lemon Verbena & just about died! I am not allergic to anything. I sprayed some in the sink & squirted a little on the floor to do around the base of the toilet. I coughed and hacked so hard, was unable to get my breath. I ended up running out of the room, and now have pain in my chest & my head is killing me, probably from coughing so hard. I thought perhaps there was ammonia in it or something. I don’t know what it is, but I will NEVER use that product again! Out it goes. I think I’ll switch to good ol’ vinegar & water like my momma used to use!
linkOh, this is good. I just went to the Mrs. Meyers website to tell them what I thought of their product & to request a full ingredient list. I got a response that said, OOps, we’ve had a filing error — whatever that is — and gives a link to a coupon. Don’t bother thank you very much!
linkYikes, that’s quite unfortunate! Yes, good old vinegar & water is a good solution for cleaning. Best of luck with your domestic endeavors!
linkEgad!
linkMrs. Meyer’s soaps form a rash on the backs of my hands. I rubbed my eyes once and they broke out too. I went to the eye doctor because they were so swollen. After not using it for many months, then being around it again, I noticed the rash returned only upon use. I usually only have natural and safe products in my home. I usually read labels thoroughly. I somehow had the impression that Mrs. Meyers was safe. I think mostly due tot he location of it in stores. It was definitely a mistake to assume that! Thanks for your post.
linkI was just over at the Mrs. Meyers website and it looks like they are offering “scent-free” products which may solve all these problems!
linkI AM bumming out tho. I hadn’t realized the products had synthetic fragrances. What I have notice is some of their scents I enjoy, other scents I did not like at all, smelled too sweet, or too strong. Lavender seems the closest; I know they use essential oils in that one.
I don’t know. I think a lot of this depends on one’s sensitivity and also how many OTHER synthetic scents are in the home; everything from shampoo to deodorant, to laundry products, scented candles, everything. So if MrsMyers is working for you and you cut out all the others, moderation MAY be the key here.
That is good news. Thanks for keeping us posted, Lynn!
linkHave you heard of Eco-Me? Eco-Me is a 100% natural cleaning, pet and personal care product line that uses ingredients found right in the kitchen – like vinegar, baking soda and olive oil as well pure plant essential oils for fragrance to create effective, healthy, and safe products for your entire family. PURE ingredients that won’t harm our families and pets, waterways, the environment or our homes. Eco-Me brings a fun and fresh new energy to the cleaning category with its back-to-basics ingredients and modern family branding.
Eco-Me was born out of need and concern. The need to remove dangerous chemicals from our homes and environment and the concern that the toxins emitted from every day products has encouraged the rapid increase of disease in our society. Read about the founder’s moving story as to why she started Eco-Me here: http://www.eco-me.com/pages/ourstory.
linkI recently purchased a few Mrs. Meyers products….everyday cleaning solution and fabric softner. How I missed the “fragrance” ingredient while at the store I have no idea. I looked at the bottle again today because my clothes were smelling unusually good ,as if I had gone back to my Downey days. Low and behold there it was…FRAGRANCE! Uhhhh!!! I’m not very happy about this at all. No more Mrs. Meyers products for me.
linkI thought I was going crazy because everyone around me loves the smell of Meyer’s products, but when I get the tiniest whiff of them, they make me incredibly nauseous. Even days later I could smell it after my partner cleaned the counters – I had to stay out of the kitchen for days! Mrs. Meyer’s products are the worst due to the strength of the smell, but I’ve also caught of whiff of the same nausea-inducing scent in a Method cleaner and in an “organic” bubble bath. I’m really curious to know what the common ingredient is so I can avoid it in the future.
(As a side note, there is a genetic variation in the human genome that makes a small number of people think that cilantro tastes like soap. I wonder if there is a similar issue with one of these fragrances, because the vast majority of people seem to love the smell, but it makes a small minority feel very, very ill.)
linkI do like the direction that “Eco-Me” products are going … baking soda, and white vinegar ingredients… BUT as a consumer why are we paying for these formulations at all? All they are are additional products to buy with an added type of “fragrance” perfume that isn’t even necessary. Do we really need to add “Lemongrass”? Siberian Fir Needle?” or “Dalmatian Sage” to our domestic environment? Seriously? Think about that for a moment. What is the goal?.. Healthy, pure, clean air, water, and the removal of the contaminants, dirt, etc. that we’re trying to clean up. Does anyone else find these titles, for example of these “plant essential oils” silly? Are these just another excuse to buy yet another consumer product to clutter the kitchen cupboards? Don’t get me wrong, eons and eons better than the ‘standard, commercial” cleaning products of old, but do I really need to add cilantro, lavender, or whatever other random scent they come up with? When does adding “Siberian Fir Needle” to the mix become part of the “cleaning” solution? Why? Why on earth do I need to pay for this in yet another plastic, packaged commodity? How about, “Cactus aloe pine?” or “Grape berry aloe”… talk about a Marketing and Branding free for all!
Instead how about, (and I do realize that this would completely contradict the purposes of an entire “green cleaning” products industry): Baking Soda ($1 and change), white vinegar ($ 1 and change) and if we really need to add yet another “smell” on top of all the other “Scented” products out there.. how about simply adding some lemon/citrus peel from the half unused lemon in my fridge. I can use these ingredients to clean “everything” in my home, and then I can leave my nose free to smell what I’d like to smell, like the alluring perfume from a woman, or I get to smell that fragrance from a juicy orange that I’m about to eat, the herbs simmering as I’m making dinner, or the basil plant in the window sill . Why do we have to add all of this what eventually becomes just a barrage of “scents”?
linkI’m sending a copy of this to Whole Foods. I would love them to stock boxes of A&H washing soda and 64 oz size of Dr Bonners and other simple, hard to get staples.
linkP.S. Last comment Brad -that “alluring” perfume has very ugly ingredients.
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