NOW CLOSED: Ecover product testers review thread

[AnnMumsnet]

This thread is for the 75 Mumsnetters who are trying out the range of Ecover products.

By way of background Ecover say: - "We have over 30 products for the home, laundry and dishes. Many of the products are dermatologically tested and approved, which is good news for those that have allergies or sensitive skin. Many products are GHI approved and all of the bottles are made out of Plant-astic, a renewable and sustainable plastic made from Sugar Cane"

MN testers are trying one of the following three packs:

Kitchen
All Purpose Cleaner
Pomegranate Washing Up Liquid
Multi Action Spray

Bathroom
Bathroom Cleaner
Limescale Remover
Cream Cleaner

Laundry
Stain Remover
Concentrated Laundry Liquid Non Bio
Amongst the Flowers Fabric Conditioner

If you are a tester please state which pack you have tried. Please give your responses to the questions below - but feel free to add any other comments too.

Everyone who takes part will be entered into a prize draw, where one winner will win £250 of John Lewis vouchers!

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?
Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?
Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?
Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?
Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?
Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?
Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?


Thank you for taking part and good luck with the prize draw!
MNHQ

[cornflakegirl]

Bathroom pack

I was looking forward to testing the products as we've been using other Ecover products for years. I was a bit unsure about how effective the bathroom cleaners would be.

I have been pleasantly surprised at how well the bathroom cleaner has worked. We're pretty lax when it comes to cleaning, and I have a tendency to resort to Cillit Bang for cleaning the bath and the tiles, but the bathroom cleaner seems to be cutting through the soap scum really well with minimum elbow grease. Really like the way that it foams and clings to the vertical surfaces. Haven't tried the cream cleaner yet, but it's a product that I use currently (although the packaging has changed, don't know if they've reformulated too). I'm not entirely sure what I should be using the limescale remover on. I think I probably have limescale on my tiles (hard water area) but the bathroom cleaner seems to do the job there. I tried it on the shower holder which has some limescale encrustation and it didn't do a lot, but that didn't really surprise me.

I didn't really look at the packaging apart from reading the usage instructions. I hadn't realised that all their bottles were made from sugar - that's really clever.

One of my DSs has excema, and we do use Ecover washing liquid because of him (not sure if it actually makes a difference, we were just trying to eliminate all obvious potential worseners). I'm not so fussed about sensitive skin stuff with bathroom cleaner.

I think Ecover do a good job of marketing their products. I think they sell themselves well as a brand that is fully bought into their own principles - so after that it's just convincing people that the products work and that the price differential isn't too great. (We've just bought a dishwasher and have started using Ecover dw tablets - this is the first product where I'm wondering whether the extra cost is really justified.)

I like the bathroom cleaner and I'll buy it again if it's in one of my local supermarkets. I would recommend it to a friend in the unlikely event that they asked my opinion on cleaning products. I would also recommend the brand in general.

[OhyouBadBadkitten]

I tried the Washing liquid, stain remover and fabric conditioner.

Q1. I had used some Ecover products before but didnt find them always effective. I liked the ethos of using products that are better for the environment.

Q2. The Fabric conditioner is fab! I really like the fragrance and there was a noticeable difference in the softness of my clothes compared to my usual product. The non-bio washing liquid and stain remover in general is good but I'm afraid the combination couldnt cope with jodphurs fresh from the stables, nor tomato sauce. I think I would need to use a bio product for those kind of stains.

Q3. I really like the idea of using renewable sugar cane as long as it is fair trade! The packaging is pretty smart and although I don't normally refer to the GHI logo it does give the product apparent extra credence.

Q4. I have psoriasis and some products do make it itchier, I'm pleased to say that Ecover hasnt at all.

Q5. I think Ecover needs to keep proving that it is as effective as other brands.

Q6. I will certainly buy the fabric conditioner. I'm going to try the ecover bio washing powder to see how that copes with jodphurs. I prefer washing powder as I think it takes less packaging.

Q7 I think my perception has changed somewhat. I'll let you know when I've tried the bio powder!

[Arriety]

I had the bathroom pack.

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried? I really like Ecover products as they are ecologically sound. When I had a septic system I always used them but now I am on the mains system and am on a limited budget so have been using own brand versions and less ecologically friendly own brand cleaners. I was very impressed by the bathroom products I tried.

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product? The products did the jobs better than I had expected. The smell was a bit odd but that is probably because I have got used to fragranced and chemically products.


Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you? I was surprised at how little was in the products and did toy with the idea of just cleaning with citric acid! I didn't notice that the pack was made of sugar but am impressed by that. How do I recycle the packaging though?!

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products? We have eczema in the family so use Ecover washing liquid already. The bathroom cleaners didn't make my hands flare up like chemically ones do.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers? My only issue with Ecover ever is the price and I assume that they can't compete with own brands/big corps on that.

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why? I would definitely buy the products again but because I am on a limited budget will keep watching out for offers and then stock up. I would definitely recommend the products.

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how? Was pleasantly surprised at how good they were. Couldn't tell the difference between them and the cheap chemically products.

[poorbuthappy]

I'm not quite ready to leave feedback yet - should be by the weekend.

but

ohyoubadkitten - was one of your samples bio powder? I thought the sample would be (as the test is on non bio), but when I checked the little bag it says non bio.

[miaowmix]

Laundry tester here.

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?

I had used them years ago, as they are eco-friendly, but I was put off by the price and wasn't sure how effective they were. Overall, so far I love the non bio liquid and especially the fabric conditioner, which has a fresh 'natural' smell and makes clothes noticeably softer. The liquid stain remover is not so effective however, I tried it on a brand new stain and it didn't work at all.

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

See above - overall results are good and the smell is lovely, but the stain remover doesn't work!

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?

Nice packaging, I will have to reread it as nothing jumped out. Sensitive skin is highly important to me as both DP and DD have it, so this is a fantastic plus. Didn't notice the sugar cane element but it is a bonus that it is renewable.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?

Incredibly important, as both DP and DD have sensitive skin, and I have intermittent patches of dry skin, dermatitis, so it's crucial that products don't make this flare up. It's excellent to consider allergy sufferers with these products. So far we have no reactions at all, which is fabulous. Plus I love that the products are scented - to me 'natural' needn't mean no fragrance. It's a major selling point in fact.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

I think I would big up the products in terms of their useability and effectiveness as well as focussing on their environmental credentials; not everybody wants this thrust in their face and I think it even puts some consumers off. So I would have them competing with the big guns like Ariel et al, but with an added bonus that they are kind to skin and the environment. Focus heavily on the kindness to skin angle!

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?

Yes, based on the washing liquid and fabric conditioner I would, as they are kind, effective and smell lovely. No to the stain remover as it doesn't work.

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?

I think there's been a subtle shift away from Ecover's old 'hippy' image (in my mind anyway), it seems more modern as a brand and in tune with leading brands without losing any of its core values. This is a good thing, as surely Ecover will want to branch out and target consumers who perhaps would have thought 'it's eco friendly but doesn't work', or worse 'it might smell of old hemp and patchouli'!

[suzannened]

Laundry products

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?
I knew about Ecover & had used the washing up liquid but despite wanting to be kind to the environment I had always thought they were expensive & not as effective as the more mainstream brands.
Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?
On opening the bottles for a quick sniff I initially thought the scent quite strong & wasn't sure if I'd really like it. However the washing came out actually smelling very clean & fresh, not at all as strong as I was expecting. The clothes were clean & soft. I tested the stain remover on a bloodstain & it didn't completely get rid of it (but then bloodstains are always difficult)
Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?
I liked the packaging - nice & simple. I compared the info on the back to my usual non-bio & was surprised to see that Ecover listed all the ingredients whilst my usual just used generic terms such as 'surfactants' without listing them. The sugar cane packaging is a great idea - I try to recycle but knowing that the packaging is green from the outset is good
Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?
I only ever use non-bio as my DS has sensitive skin & I recently had an allergic reaction to someone else's washing powder so the fact that Ecover is kind to the skin is very important to me. 4 washes in & no one has had any complaints
Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?
I think most people are aware of Ecover's green credentials but remain sceptical about how they perform compared to the big brands so I think this is an area that needs more promotion
Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?
I will definitely buy the non-bio liquid again & once I've tried the other sample of fabric conditioner will see which I prefer. Not so sure about the stain remover although I'll keep giving it a go. I would recommend if asked as I have been pleasantly surprised
Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?
I think my perception is a lot more positive as now I know I wouldn't just be buying for environmental reasons but also because it works for me. My only reservation would be the price as it is considerably more expensive.

[OhyouBadBadkitten]

poorbuthappy - the sample was non-bio.

[gazzalw]

Not ready at all for the feedback - ours hasn't even been delivered yet - should be redelivered by the end of the week!

[SciFiFan]

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?
I hadn't really tried the products before. I knew they were environmentally friendly but wasn't sure how effective they would be.

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

I have the kitchen pack and so far have been quite pleased with it. All the products have been effective. They smell pleasant and appear to work as good as my normal products. It would be better though if the washing up liquid were concentrated as I seem to be getting through it alot faster than my normal (Fairy) liquid.

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?

I like the uniformity of the packaging but it doesn't really 'stand out' in the supermarket. I'm not personally bothered by the sensitive skin logo's but was pleased to see they're from a renewable source.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?

I'm not as bothered by sensitive skin products purely because my family and I don't have any problems. I've had no skin or allergy reaction to any of the products.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

I would stress their effectiveness and whether they are competitively priced. I think as families have less money at the moment the environmental message isn't always enough to outway effectiveness and price.

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?

Yes I think I will definately check the price of them against my normal products and if they compare I would buy the Ecover. I would recommend them to any friend, particularly though who I think are concerned with being 'green'.

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?

It has changed my perception in that I always assumed they were ineffective and prioritised ethicalness (is that a word??) over effectiveness but I've been pleasently surprised. Thanks.

[MrsH2010]

Bathroom Pack

Q1. Prior to trying this batch I had used Ecover before, although that had taken some persuading by me of my husband. He felt products without chemicals couldnt possibly do the job as well! I have found stock in shops to be quite inconaistent, making it difficult to stick to the brand loyally, or for all houshold needs, which is a real shame. We started using them previously when our son arrived, and at 6 months got terribly sensitive skin after a stay in hospital. We tried everything from creams to prescriptions and diet- and eventually went a more natural route with homemade bath solutions, natural oat cream and more natural cleaning products to great success.
My overall impression of the trial products is very positive at home- however, I've also kept an eye out in stores for the same ones unsuccessfully for the most part sadly.
Q2. I was very impressed with the pack I've tried, despite liking Ecover previously. The bathroom cleaner is probably the only thing I've found in 18 months to keep new high gloss white bathroom tiles looking shiny and streak free with very little hassle. It has nice 'thyme' like smell- which is fresh yet neither overly chemically or overly feminine. The limescale remover is great, bar leaving a slight residue on high shine metal, and gets off limescale better than other things we've used. It has a very 'sherbert' like smell- which is fresh, but never fails to make me sneeze at the start of every use! The cream ckeaner was very good- smelt nice without being overpowering. I think the degreasing element of it is mkre suscessful than the abrasive element as all grease gone quickly, but I would have liked a bit less elbow grease and a bit more 'scrub' from the cream as very hard marks remained after two goes. It left a nice shine quite easily though on metal without residue which you'd expect from a cream. i also used it on my belfast sink in the kitchen- as I usually use bleach, and was impressed again.
Q3. The packaging is quite utalitarian I think, I preferred the previous packaging, but can understand the change to possibly appeal and win over new customers. I like the colour differentiation, and the lack of characters/slogans/gimmicks- it doesnt need it! The packs look fresh, clean and simple. It was good to read other use suggestions. The GHI/sensitive skin logos are increasingly important to me- I've always had fairly sensitive skin, but with my toddlers skin irritation and the upset/stress it caused I'd never want a repeat, and with a new baby on the way the chemicals in the house that come into contact with the babies is very important, whilst at the same time I wont go totally natural as I believe taking things away in totality only increases irritation upon contact. The sugar cane plastic didnt jump iut at me to be honest, although the plastic just seems less shiny and processed which I noticed and liked.
Q4. It's important, as above, that products are kind to skin in my household, without being free of all agents all together. Every member of my family has a sensitive skin or allergy issue, without any of them being severe or dibilitating. The only irritation when using Ecover was tight/itchy hands for me after using as I forgot to put on gloves- but this was a lot less than had I used other brands.
Q5. I would get them out in the market place more widely and consistently stocked. It is the type of brand that if you use one product of you would probably switch all possible products over to, and yet that is often not possible in my experience, which dilutes the experience as well as frustrates the customer! I like the lack of garish in-your-face colours or slogans, and the lack of a character or gimmick- as the products speak for themselves. I think Ecover is the type if brand that will do very well from very strong word of mouth (recommendation) campaigns. It reminds me of the Fairy brand in that I could see it being synonymous with a good honest home/family values, etc
Q6. Yes I would definately buy and recommend in future (availability allowing!). I think the offer a safer, softer solution to problems that people take for granted need chemicals. If you try them once you'll be converted to them as they prove you dont. I think word of mouth will be the making of the products/bramd going forwards.
Q7 very very positive. Even more so than before as it was great to see / hear the breadth of products on offer for all houshold needs. The products seem to go a long way in use, so the price is fine as they last and do the job well.
I was very pleased to be picked and take part- thanks ans I hope the feedback helps!

[ouryve]

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?

I'd used the washing up liquid and the liquid laundry detergent before. I quite liked the detergent for the kids' clothes when they were babies - it was good for not fading colours, but a bit rubbish with stains. I used the washing up liquid for quite a while, but then realised that the tiny bottle of the brand leader I picked up from the village shop when I ran out lasted me twice as long as the litre bottle of ecover.

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

I tried the bathroom pack and 2 of the products were better than expected. The limescale remover was great in the bathroom (I have very hard water) and has got rid of the scale off the side of my bathroom basin for the first time ever. I found the scent a bit strong, but it didn't linger too long. It was less effective than the 13p bottle of vinegar I use for my kitchen draining board, though - it seems to be better than vinegar only for vertical surfaces that need something to cling to it.

The bathroom cleaner has a lovely soapy texture. It does a great job of removing the general gunk that accumulates on various bathroom surfaces and doesn't leave any residue.

I wasn't impressed with the cream cleaner. It's not something i use a lot of and I mostly keep a bottle for stubborn stains in the kitchen sink such as tannin and dried on egg. It didn't remove these and took loads of water to rinse away, leaving splashes that had tp be cleaned up later on.

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?

All I checked for and noticed on the packaging was ingredients and usage instructions.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?

We all have various allergies and the scents in the test pack did nothing to inflame them. I often end up giving cleaning stuff away because the smell is to strong and makes one of us cough.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

I would change the nozzle on the bathroom cleaner for a closable one like on the limescale remover. As it is, I have to put it in the lockable kitchen cupboard, which isn't very convenient, because I am concerned that one of the kids will pick it up and randomly squirt it.

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?

I'd possibly buy the bathroom cleaner or limescale remover myself. They both worked well. I would also possibly recommend them for the same reason.


Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?

I wasn't aware that these particular products existed, before.

[CoffeeGoneColdAgain]

Laundry Pack.

1. I always thought it was a fair bit pricier than the other laundry products on offer, I am not loyal to any brand, I tend to buy what ever is on offer, though always powder, for me personally nothing cleans as well. I haven't used Ecover before, and am pleasantly surprised, so far so good.
   
   
2. I used the liquid on a load of darks, I liked the smell of both the liquid and the softener, they washed up well but if i'm honest I didn't like the smell of the clothes after they were washed, they were soft but not as soft as the tropical comfort I had previously been using (perhaps the comfort is very strong smelling) After tumble drying the clothes there was no scent on them at all (which for me was disappointing). Overall however it did exactly what it was supposed to do!
   Dd had cherryade and ketchup stains all over her school shirt and I really didnt think the stains would come out, I followed the instructions on the stain remover bottle and used a fair amount of the gel, washed at 60' and the stains came out (which really surprised me).
   
   
3. I like the fact the product looks simple, not bright in your face colours, just a simple design which seems to go with the whole ethos of good for the environment.
   I didn't know the product was made from renewable sugar cane and after reading this I went to have another look at the packaging and it still didn't stand out , however on looking above the recycle sign at the bottom I now see a plantastic symbol, It is important that more packaging is suitable for recycling.
   
   
4. There are no known allergies in our family and as I said before I buy what ever is on offer be it Bio or Non Bio, So being honest, No it isn't important to me when buying. ( That makes me sound awful)
   
   
5. I think the products stand out for being 'green'. Its never in my 'eyeline' when shopping, I have heard of the brand but don't recall seeing it on the shelves. So unless they only stock a small amount in my Tesco Extra it needs more promotion.
   Perhaps a big Ad campaign is needed to get the word out.
   I noticed on the bottle the 'F' facebook symbol but haven't seen any advertising on there, neither have I seen an Ad on the Tv for Ecover.
   
   
6. I will most definately buy the laundry liquid, I'm not so sure I would buy the fabric conditioner though, the stain remover would be a probably, I need to test it on other stains to see how it shifts the stains :o Have recommended to a few Mums at school and to my own Mum who is trying the small bottle of fabric conditioner.
   
   
7. I am glad to have had the chance to test the Ecover range as I certainly wouldn't have purchased it during a normal shop, Having always thought it would be a great deal more expensive than other brands.
   So far I have found the products work well, do exactly what they claim to, and are better for the environment, my opinion has changed so far as how well they work but I have yet to see how much they cost so that will be a decider.
   
   

• I have now been converted to the washing up liquid that we all received, it really is great, you don't get a huge amount of bubbles (unless you squirt loads in like I did the first time I used it) but it really does do the job, I will definately be buying this!
  
  Thanks for a great product to test Mumsnet and Ecover.

[moonbells]

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?

I have thought they were a good idea, for being environmentally-friendly. I haven't used them before, which I can't explain! Overall impression was good.

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

I had the Bathroom Pack.
Results were as expected, though not as hoped. I expected that the bathroom cleaner would get the bath and sink shining, and it did. Neutral smell too. I expected that the limescale remover would work on the glass shower screen but not as well as my (ahem) loo cleaner I've resorted to using in the past. Sadly true. I did a comparison test with them both, first squirting half the screen with Ecover and the other half with the loo cleaner. I gave them both an hour to work (not the few minutes in the instructions!), and then sluiced the screen down and wiped dry. The cleaners were both still wet so I assume active after this hour. After a few minutes I could see the residue of scale, and though both had got rid of the obvious residue, the Ecover didn't get nearly as much off when I looked closely. It also had a very strong smell and it took leaving the window opened for some time to get rid of it. DS hated it and wouldn't go to the loo until it had gone! (Thankfully we had a downstairs one so no accidents!)

The cream cleaner I moved downstairs and used on the hob, since it was safe for that. Did a very nice job! Like.

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?
Very neutral, compared with the in-your-face packaging that most cleaners have. I do like that it isn't made from petroleum products like most plastics.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?
I think it's a very good thing. Too many products out there are either irritants or can become irritants after prolonged use, including latex rubber gloves, so having an non-irritant product which doesn't need the gloves is a really good idea.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

More SHOUTY packaging!

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?
I think I'd recommend them on green and overall 'good for planet/wildlife' grounds. Not sure I'll go for the limescale remover again, but the bathroom cleaner was really nice.

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?

Yes, would probably buy the cream cleaner and the bathroom cleaner. Thanks for letting me try them!

[CoffeeGoneColdAgain]

* I missed a little bit out on question 3*
I normally use Powder not liquid and wasn't sure whether I was supposed to put the detergent in the drawer or in the machine itself, there is no info on the pack, I assume thats because most people would know but I genuinely didn't know. I put it in the drawer (was I wrong) :o

[MaureenMLove]

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried? I hadn't ever considered using them, as I thought they were expensive and didn't look lile they would be effective

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product? I likes all but one of the products. The fabric softener had a nice smell and made the ironing easier. I have yet to see if the smell lasts over time I did not like the cream cleaner. It left smeary marks and a white film on the surfaces

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you? Yes, recycling is becoming more important to me and I did read the bottles. I ws not suprised at the level of recycling though.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products? Both DH and DD have mild allergies. So far, so good.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers? I think I would make the packaging slightly brighter and more appealing to the customer. Possibly a scent could be added too, to have that 'smell' of clean.

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why? YEs, I would recommend the products. They were effective and being ecofriendly is important to me.

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how? I now know that, with the exceptuion of the cream cleaner, they are worth a little bit more.

[SamsGoldilocks]

Ann, I'm still trying to get hold of my pack. I missed their delivery last wed, left aa message asking them to deliver on Friday. Nothing, called the company they saiad they would deliver on Mon. Still nothing. I called them to ask if they can leave it in the porch or with a neighbour but they need authourisation from the sender and have been unable to keep any of us in the picture, as I called them again to find out what's happening. My delivery company is APC. I feel like they are wasting my time.

[gramercy]

Kitchen pack tester


Q1. I had never tried Ecover products before. I have no idea how much they cost, but assumed they would be pricey, and also I tend to go for industrial strength cleaning products.

Q2. I was actually stunned that the spray cleaner cleaned my hob so well. The splash back gleamed - and it was, er, rather greasy to say the least. the washing up liquid, however, was somewhat less foamy than the Fairy Liquid I'm currently using. It didn't appear to make a difference to the cleaning of the crockery, etc, but I did give a few extra squirts for good measure.

Q3. I think the packaging rather resembles Johnson's Baby products, or other baby ranges, which is no bad thing, but does imply it's a little weak. I did like the GH mark - reassuring.

Q4. No allergies as such, but I detest strong smells, and these products did not have that artificial pungent hit.

Q5. Currently I think consumers place price and effectiveness above eco-friendliness. I think any campaign would need to focus on the fact that the products work as well as more "artificial" ones, and that the price differential is not too punitive. I quite liked the subtle packaging.

Q6. I think I would buy them, and would recommend.

Q7 I liked the products and will look out for them in the supermarket. I would be prepared to pay slightly more. Having tried the products I was reassured that they do actually clean.

[whomovedmychocolate]

Kitchen pack. My stuff came in three different packages, which was nice, albeit slightly befuddling! :)

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?

Worthy but useless (sorry).

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

The washing up liquid doesn't foam very well - you have to use quite a lot. It does degrease sort of but not like regular washing up liquid. The multipurpose cleaner got my floor clean. None of them seem to have an lasting fragrance (a big plus in my view). The washing powder failed to get child related stains out of my children's school clothes. The fabric conditioner was fine, just the same as regular fabric conditioner.

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?

I don't care what the packs are made of - sorry. I just don't. They contained the product and they didn't leak in the cupboards and they look like they would make it home from the supermarket without collapsing which is all I am really interested i.

Skin sensitive logos don't matter much to me as I wear gloves to clean up. I think most things will irritate your skin if you leave them on or expose yourself to them too frequently so I don't really rate skincare claims too highly.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?

We have allergies in the family - me and DS. We didn't have any side effects of using Ecover. However we also don't have any side effects of using Fairy and Mr Muscle (unless you breathe it in or drink it).

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

Focus on the 'works as well as the chemical gubbins' angle. I don't care how green it is really - I'd love to lie and say it matters greatly but I don't feel that how I wash my dishes makes a great deal of difference (and I use the dishwasher anyway in the main) to the planet. I know, small things make a difference but I'd rather actually use a product which worked well, so I have an extra five minutes in the day so I can WALK the school run not take the car. Which is probably more useful to the planet.

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?

No to the washing up liquid and washing powder, maybe to the general multipurpose cleaner. It would depend if it was sold where I shop and whether it was a reasonable price. You are up against an audience of busy mums who are picking generic supermarket brands or brand names, there is a great deal of choice for me to pick through. Nothing about the packaging really stands out. It looks a bit insipid really. (Sorry).

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how

My perceptions of the brand have shifted slightly. It's a good idea, but it doesn't seem to jump out as a brand and it certainly doesn't always live up to it's expectations in my experience. Which is a shame. If it did reliably work, I'd convert to it.

[DestinationUnknown]

Also not ready to provide product feedback but delivery was a pain! Company was not allowed to leave in safe place or with a neighbour & I was asked to wait in between 8-4 for second delivery! Which of course I missed as they came during 20 min school run slot. I ended up having to go & collect it from the depot myself - not impressed to find out that the precious parcel was cleaning products!

[ShineYourButtonsWithBrasso]

I'm not sure who delivered ours but it was left with a neighbour.

Not ready to leave feedback yet.

[MaureenMLove]

Forgot to say which pack I got. I had the bathroom pack, but I had minis of all of them, so I've tried them all!

[AnnMumsnet]

SamsGoldilocks - sorry you're having problems with the delivery - I have let Ecover know and hopefully we can get this sorted for you.

And sorry DestinationUnknown for the issues re delivery.

[Wailywailywaily]

Kitchen pack

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?
I have used the washing up liquid in the past and found it good but expensive and I used to find that I needed to use more in order to get enough bubbles. I have always admired Ecover as a eco friendly company and aspired to use all of their products but was under the impression that they would not be up to the job.

I have been pleasantly surprised with the pack that I have been testing, especially the spray general purpose cleaner- really nice smell and actually better than cilit bang the product I usually use

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

I asked DH what he thought about the smell of the Ecover and he replied that he hadn't noticed. This is a huge compliment! he normally complains all the time about every cleaning product I use.

The washing up liquid was better than expected in that it lasts for a full wash up with bubbles and cuts through grease and I didn't need to use too much of it (though I think still just a tad more than fairy.

I LOVE the general purpose cleaner, and will buy it again and again. Much nicer to use than more industrial options

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?

I have to admit that I didn't read the packaging, I expected that it was recyclable plastic but I'm surprised that its made of sugar. I really like the packaging; its fresh, clean and conveys the green image very well.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?

I have become accustomed to wearing kitchen gloves to wash up and clean as my skin is very sensitive, perhaps I should try without the gloves and test the claims...DS2 also has very sensitive skin, I can't say that I have noticed any difference in him as I was only able to get two clothes washes out of the washing samples sent to me.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

Is there a dishwasher tab? or is using a dishwasher just too ungreen for Ecover? I would definitely buy them if so. Its a shame that Ecover don't do very many supermarket promotions and not all of their products are available in all supermarkets (smaller ones for eg)

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?

Yes I will buy them in future. I will probably recomend the products to friends and family mainly because they work and are ecologically sound

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?

My perception is that the brand has evolved and improved. the products work and smell nice. the fact that they are green also is a huge bonus.
I still have the perception that Ecover is really a luxury brand because of the price, is this justified?

[Groovee]

Marking my place for friday when I have time

[openerofjars]

I got the kitchen pack and a mini-pack of laundry stuff, the latter of which is still unfortunately in DH's car for some reason.


Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?

I used to use Ecover washing up liquid but had to switch brands due to the rising prices of absolutely everything in the last few years. Overall, I was impressed: the products were better than I had thought they would be.


Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

I don't remember the washing up liquid being this good: I was using some Fairy Platinum washing up liquid that was on BOGOF and the pomegranate and lime Ecover liquid compares really favourably for cleaning and soaking, plus it doesn't dry my hands out as much and smells nicer. The surface cleaner is nicer than Flash and less toxic, and seems to wash just as well. The surface spray is good, but you really don't need much: the first time I used it I sprayed on as much as I normally would of my usual spray cleaner and was mopping up bubbles for ages! Now I've got used to it, it is brilliant and should last twice as long as my usual supermarket own brand. Is it antibacterial? I feel much happier about using it on food prep areas, especially as I am pregnant and trying to avoid toxic substances. And it smells nice.


Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?

I didn't realise the plastic is made from sugar cane. Hmm. How sustainably is this farmed e.g. Is rainforest being decimated to make the bottles or is this managed sensitively? I know you say renewable but is it actually being monitored to ensure that this is happening? E.g. In Mauritius and Madagascar a lot if not most of the rainforest has been cut down for sugar cane, so I would be interested in finding out more about that. There is a world of difference between renewable sugar cane and sustainably farmed sugar cane.


Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?

DH has sensitive skin and might do the washing up more often now! We use non-bio washing powder anyway, which doesn't set off his exczema.


Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

Price. Always the price. It's the only thing stopping me buying them more regularly.


Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?

I would recommend them without hesitation and will buy them on future, but mostly when they are on offer. Current economic climate etc, plus impending maternity leave and subsequent pay dive...


Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?

I think they have got a lot better and more effective and will be looking out for good deals on them in future.