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The Truth About "Clean" Products: How to Choose Safer Options
Not all "clean" products are truly safe. Learn how to navigate misleading labels, spot hidden toxins, and trust brands that prioritize your health and safety.
How do you select clean products? Is it based on a trusted brand you've had good experience with? Perhaps it's a natural foods store that only carries natural products. Is it the labeling? Words like "free and clear" or an image of a sandy beach & palm tree? Unfortunately "clean" is highly unregulated. Even products that use the word "clean" can contain toxic ingredients. Check out these examples. These blew my mind!
Ratings shown below are from the EWG database.
Method, one of the first trusted "natural" brands. This wood cleaner is labeled the "Good Daily Clean". Not so "good" for your health, however.
Here is their antibac "bamboo" spray. Does the green color of the bottle & the fact that it has a natural ingredient like bamboo make you think it is clean?
In fairness, they do have a few products that received a B. Of the products EWG has reviewed, B is the highest score for Method.
At the risk of sending you running for the hills, this is meant to just highlight that even trusted brands can have toxic ingredients. And while one product may be just fine, another may not be fine at all.
So instead of running for the hills, run to us. This is the reason we exist! To help you take the guesswork out of reading labels & sorting through what products are OK, what are not OK. Check out our products page & rest assured that every single product has been verified & receives an EWG verification, 1 or 2 for beauty or A or B for household cleaners.
be/well & live/free
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the word 'clean' regulated on product labels?
No — 'clean' has no legal definition in the US. Any brand can use the word on packaging regardless of their ingredient safety profile.
How do I know if a product is actually safe?
Use the EWG (Environmental Working Group) database to check product ratings. Look for products rated A or B for household cleaners, and 1 or 2 for personal care items.
Are popular 'natural' brands like Method or Seventh Generation truly safe?
Not always. Even well-known natural brands can contain toxic ingredients — ratings vary widely even within the same brand's product line. Always check each product individually on EWG.
What does an EWG rating mean?
EWG rates cleaning products A through F based on ingredient safety. An A or B rating means the product is formulated with safer, transparent ingredients. An F means significant hazards to human health or the environment.
Why do products labeled 'free and clear' still contain harmful chemicals?
'Free and clear' typically refers to dyes and perfumes — it does not mean the product is free of all harmful chemicals. Many 'free and clear' products still contain carcinogens, immunotoxins, or reproductive hazards.
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