Original Research · NonToxicFinder
We Analyzed 2,500+ EWG-Rated Cleaning Products: What the Grades Actually Show
Data collected August 2026 · Source: EWG Guide to Healthy Cleaning & EWG published research · NonToxicFinder is not affiliated with EWG.
5 Key Findings (cite-ready)
- 87% of all-purpose cleaners receive a D or F rating from EWG.
- Only 7% of laundry detergents (42 of 630) score an A or B from EWG.
- 53% of cleaning products contain ingredients known to harm lungs, per EWG.
- Only 7% of cleaning products adequately disclose all of their ingredients.
- Price does not predict grade: budget brands score As while premium "natural" brands score Ds.
All statistics sourced from EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning and EWG-published research (ewg.org). NonToxicFinder is not affiliated with EWG.
When you reach for a cleaning product labeled “plant-based,” “natural,” or “green,” how much do those words actually tell you? According to EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning, which rates 2,000–2,500+ household cleaning products A through F based on ingredient hazard scoring and disclosure, the answer is: very little.
We compiled the headline statistics from EWG’s publicly available research to answer five questions health-conscious shoppers actually ask: How bad are the grades? Which categories are worst? Does “natural” mean anything? Do you get a safer product if you pay more? And what is in those products that never appears on the label?
Finding 1: D and F Are the Default Grades in the Cleaning Aisle
Across major household cleaning categories, the EWG Guide to Healthy Cleaning shows that poor grades are the norm. By category:
| Category | A or B | D or F | Dataset |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-Purpose Cleaners | ~13% | 87% | EWG Guide to Healthy Cleaning |
| Air Fresheners | ~4% | ~60% | ~268 products. EWG Guide to Healthy Cleaning |
| Laundry Detergents | 7% | Large majority | 630 products. EWG Guide to Healthy Cleaning |
Air fresheners stand out as a particularly stark case. Of approximately 268 products in the EWG database, roughly 161 (~60%) received a D grade. Only 11 products received an A. A shopper browsing the air freshener aisle is statistically far more likely to pick up a D-rated product than a well-rated one.
Laundry detergents present a deceptive surface: there are 630 products in the EWG database, but only 42 of them (7%) scored an A or B. The sheer size of the category means the handful of well-rated products can be hard to find without a guide.
Finding 2: 93% of Products Do Not Fully Disclose Their Ingredients
Unlike food products, cleaning products sold in the United States have no federal legal requirement to list every ingredient on the label. EWG found that only 7% of cleaning products adequately disclosed their full ingredient lists.
The “fragrance” loophole is central to this problem. Fragrance formulas are classified as trade secrets, so manufacturers can label an entire chemical blend with a single word: fragrance. According to EWG, the average fragrance-containing product contains 14 chemicals that never appear on its label.
EWG’s rating system penalizes both hazardous ingredients AND poor disclosure, which is why disclosure factors into the A–F grade alongside ingredient toxicity.
Finding 3: More Than Half of All Products Contain Lung-Harming Ingredients
EWG’s ingredient hazard analysis of its cleaning product database found:
- 53% of cleaning products contain ingredients identified as known lung irritants.
- 22% contain chemicals documented to cause asthma in previously healthy individuals.
EWG’s “Hall of Shame” highlighted extreme examples. Comet Disinfectant Powder was found to emit 146 chemicals, including formaldehyde, benzene, chloroform, and toluene. None were disclosed on the label.
Source: EWG Guide to Healthy Cleaning press release, EWG Hall of Shame report (covered by Common Dreams and CBS News), and EWG-published research (ewg.org). These are EWG’s findings, reported here with attribution. NonToxicFinder makes no independent health claims.
Finding 4: “Natural” and “Green” Labels Are Legally Meaningless
There are no federal regulations in the United States requiring manufacturers to substantiate “natural,” “plant-based,” “green,” or “eco-friendly” claims on cleaning product labels. Any brand can put these words on a bottle without meeting a defined standard.
EWG’s analysis repeatedly found products bearing these marketing claims that still received poor grades. EWG evaluates what is actually in the product, not what the label says about it. Marketing language describes what a brand wants to signal. EWG grades describe what is actually in the formula.
This gap between label narrative and actual formulation is what matters most to everyday shoppers. The shortcuts that look like safety signals often are not.
Finding 5: Paying More Does Not Buy a Better EWG Grade
EWG’s data found no consistent correlation between product price and EWG grade. Premium price points do not predict safer ingredient profiles, and budget products are not automatically worse.
Two specific examples illustrate the inversion:
A budget-tier household staple that received an A grade from EWG.
A premium brand marketed as plant-based. Some products in its lineup received a D from EWG despite the higher price and “natural” positioning.
The practical takeaway for shoppers: premium pricing and eco-friendly language are not reliable shortcuts to a better EWG score. Looking up a product’s actual grade on EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning is the only way to know where a specific product actually stands.
Methodology & Transparency
- Primary data source
- EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning (ewg.org/guides/cleaners/), EWG press releases, EWG Hall of Shame report (sourced via Common Dreams wire, CBS News coverage, and Binghamton Homepage coverage of the original EWG report), and EWG’s published summary statistics.
- Dataset scope
- 2,000–2,500+ household cleaning products rated across categories including all-purpose cleaners, air fresheners, and laundry detergents. EWG assigns grades A–F based on ingredient hazard scoring and disclosure level per its own published methodology (see ewg.org).
- Data collection date
- August 2026. EWG continuously updates its database; individual product grades may change as products are added, reformulated, or re-evaluated.
- Grade definitions
- EWG grades (A–F) reflect EWG’s independent assessment of product ingredients and disclosure completeness. A = low concern, good disclosure. F = high concern or significant undisclosed ingredients. These are EWG’s assessments, not government certifications or safety guarantees.
- Access limitations
- EWG’s full database sub-pages returned 403 errors for several category URLs during collection. All statistics were sourced from EWG press releases, publicly accessible EWG summary data, and news coverage of EWG research. NonToxicFinder did not independently rate any product and does not claim to.
- What we did NOT do
- We did not scrape ewg.org in violation of its terms. We did not estimate, extrapolate, or invent any statistic. Every figure on this page is a number EWG itself published. Where EWG used approximations, we preserved them (e.g., “~60% of air fresheners”).
- Affiliate disclosure
- This page contains no affiliate links. It is a research asset only. NonToxicFinder (Solved Labs LLC) earns commissions on product pages via Amazon Associates and brand programs, not from this analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of cleaning products have poor EWG grades?
According to EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning, the majority of common household cleaning products receive poor grades. For example, 87% of all-purpose cleaners receive a D or F, and only 7% of laundry detergents (42 of 630) score an A or B. Air fresheners are among the worst performers, with approximately 60% receiving D grades. EWG grades reflect the organization's independent hazard methodology. They are not a government certification.
Do more expensive cleaning products score better on EWG?
No. Price is not a reliable indicator of EWG grade. EWG's research found no consistent correlation between price and ingredient safety scores. Budget products like Mr. Clean Multi-Surface Cleaner have received A grades, while premium brands marketed as 'natural' have had D-rated products in their lineups, including some Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day products.
What does 'natural' on a cleaning product label mean?
Very little, legally. There are no federal regulations requiring cleaning product manufacturers to substantiate 'natural,' 'green,' or 'organic' claims. EWG's analysis found that many products carrying these marketing claims still contain ingredients flagged for health concerns, and received poor grades as a result.
What share of cleaning products disclose all their ingredients?
Only 7% of cleaning products adequately disclose all of their ingredients, according to EWG. Fragrance is a major culprit: it is treated as a trade secret, so manufacturers can label an entire chemical blend with a single word, 'fragrance,' concealing everything underneath it. EWG found that the average fragrance-containing product contains 14 undisclosed chemicals not listed on its label.
Which cleaning product categories have the worst EWG grades?
Air fresheners and all-purpose cleaners are among the worst-performing categories in EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning. Approximately 60% of air fresheners received D grades, and 87% of all-purpose cleaners received D or F grades. Laundry detergents also performed poorly overall, with only 7% (42 of 630) scoring A or B.
What is EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning?
EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning is a database maintained by the Environmental Working Group (ewg.org), an independent nonprofit. It rates thousands of household cleaning products A through F based on ingredient hazard assessment and disclosure levels using EWG's own methodology. EWG is not affiliated with NonToxicFinder (Solved Labs LLC).
Do cleaning products harm lung health?
EWG's analysis found that 53% of cleaning products contain ingredients known to harm lungs, and 22% contain chemicals that have been shown to cause asthma in previously healthy individuals. NonToxicFinder reports these as EWG's findings with attribution. We make no independent health or safety claims. Source: EWG press releases and Guide to Healthy Cleaning.
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