This is a review of Grove Co’s Concentrate Multi-Purpose cleaner and Bathroom cleaner versus Branch Basics’ Concentrate All-Purpose cleaner. I compare these on their ingredient safety and sustainability as well as cost and effectiveness.
I tested these firsthand. This is not sponsored by either company. I bought the products.
I will also compare briefly some of their other products.
This article contains affiliate links, upon purchase I earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Overview
Based on the data in the chart and my testing, the prices average out to about the same when you include a multi-purpose and bathroom formula, but I prefer Branch Basics for safety of ingredients and environmental impact, it is also just one Concentrate (one product) that can be used for everything in the house, whereas Grove Co. has many different products to achieve the same results.
Here’s the comparison:
| Branch Basics Concentrate | Grove Co. Multi-Purpose Concentrate | |
| Cost | Prices based on Green Design Center and other retrailers: $4.89 for 33 ounces of All Purpose dilution $11.41 for 35 ounces of Bathroom dilution (Same concentrate) Averages out to: $16.30 for 68 ounces | $8 for 32 ounces of Multi-Purpose Cleaner ($8 for 30 ounces of Tub & Tile Cleaner) Prices from their website Averages out to: $16 for 62 ounces |
| Shipping | Free shipping from GDC and Amazon | $20 a year for free shipping on everything from their website. Or pay a little more per bottle to buy it from Amazon |
| Bio-Based | 100% Bio-Based | 92% Bio-Based |
| Biodegradable | Yes | No |
| EWG Ratings | All ingredients 1 or 2 on EWG | 1 ingredient 6 on EWG 1 ingredient 1-3 on EWG 1 ingredient 2-4 on EWG |
| Scent | Soapy, no fragrance | Natural origin fragrance, fairly light |
| Uses | Sealed wood, tile, and countertops. They have different products (similar concentrates) for bathrooms, floors, laundry, hands, dishes, etc. | Sealed wood, tile, and countertops. They have different products (similar concentrates) for bathroom, floors, laundry, hands, dishes, etc. |
| Packaging | One box was the packaging and shipping box in one. The bottle of Concentrate is plastic. They sell either glass or plastic cleaning bottles. | The shipping box with 2 concentrates and one spray bottle was large, and had filling in it. More paper used. The bottles of the Concentrate are glass. They sell glass cleaning bottles. |
| Certifications | Certified Made Safe EWG-Verified Cruelty-Free Verified Independently tested as a non-skin or eye irritant | FSC-Certified Paper Packaging Certified B Corporation Certified Cruelty-Free USDA BioPreferred |
Branch Basics
Ingredients:
Branch Basics Concentrate is their all-purpose cleaner and it is made from:
- Purified Water
- Decyl Glucoside – a surfactant naturally derived from coconut and/or corn, free of impurities like ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane. B rating on EWG cleaning product list.
- Organic Chamomile Flower Extract – organic flower extract with Allergen (IFRA) Certifications, which certifies it is nonallergenic and is not a fragrance.
- Coco-Glucoside – a surfactant naturally derived from coconut, free of impurities like ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane.
- Sodium Citrate – a plant-derived, biodegradable sodium salt that acts as a water softener.
- Sodium Bicarbonate – baking soda.
- Sodium Phytate – a natural chelator used as a preservative. D rating on EWG cleaning products list. However, this product is not in high enough concentration to cause algae blooms and will also be removed in sewage plants.
It’s 100% bio-based and biodegradable.
Sniff test:
Branch Basics Concentrate has a soapy smell, it reminds me of most natural brands of laundry soap. It does not have a fragrance component but it is not odorless.
Where you can use it:
Branch Basics Concentrate can be used in different dilutions on surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom, to wash dishes, to wash clothes, to clean carpeting, wash most types of floors, wash hands (and even as a body wash), to clean stainless steel, to clean glass and mirrors, and more.
This covers everything in the house (and if you like you can add their Oxygen Boost to laundry).
Cost:
Prices based on Green Design Center and other retailers:
33.8 fl oz of the concentrate is $55. $1.63 per ounce of concentrate.
It’s $4.89 for 33 ounces of All Purpose Cleaner (not including buying the bottle).
It’s $11.41 for 35 ounces of Bathroom Cleaner (not including buying the bottle).
- All-Purpose Bottle (1 part concentrate: 11 parts water) – Everyday cleaning including countertops, dishes, and stains.
- Bathroom Bottle (1 part concentrate: 5 parts water) – Tackles tiles, toilets, grout, sinks, and showers.
- Streak-Free Bottle (1 drop concentrate: 24 oz distilled water) – For mirrors, windows, and glass.
- Foaming Wash Bottle (1 part concentrate: 4 parts water) – For handwashing, dishes, pets, and bubble baths.
- Laundry Bottle (1 part concentrate: 2 parts water – use one tablespoon per load) – Works for standard and HE washing machines.
You can buy their plastic or glass bottles.
Effectiveness:
The all-purpose dilution is fairly light, it took a few passes to clean up sticky food residue but it’s overall a good multi-purpose cleaner.
One large drop of coconut oil, plus one large drop of castor oil, plus one capsule vitamin E cleaned up easily with 3 sprays and just a few passes.
Minimal effect on sticker residue.
Cleaned up dried toothpaste scum easily.
The bathroom solution has more cleaning power, and I’ve really liked how well it works to clean the bathroom.
I have been using it to clean all my clothes, sheets, and towels for a few weeks now and it works very well as a laundry detergent. Better than the laundry soap sheets I was using before this.
Other Product lines:
Laundry Oxygen Boost and Wool Dryer Balls complement the Concentrate laundry soap to add whitening and anti-static. The ingredients in the laundry boost are simply Sodium Percarbonate and Sodium Bicarbonate.
While the Concentrate can be used as a foaming hand soap they also have a gel hand soap.
Grove Co
Grove co. Multi-Purpose Concentrate is the main product to compare, I also tested their Dish Soap, and Foaming Hand Soap.
Ingredients:
- Water
- Lauramine oxide – a surfactant that they say is plant-derived. EWG rating of C on the cleaning products list.
- Laureth-7 – a polyethylene glycol-based surfactant, they are saying it’s plant-derived. It may contain potentially toxic impurities such as 1,4-dioxane according to EWG (EWG rating 1-3).
- Sodium gluconate – a sodium salt of gluconic acid that they are saying is plant-derived. B rating on EWG cleaning product list.
- Potassium carbonate – an inorganic salt.
- Natural origin fragrance – in the Orange and Rosemary option there is d-limonene, linalool, citral, eugenol, geraniol, and citronella.
- Caprylyl/capryl glucoside – a plant-based surfactant. B rating on EWG cleaning products.
- Benzisothiazolinone – a preservative with a 6/10 rating on EWG cosmetic side and C rating on the cleaning product list.
- Citric acid – organic acid that is plant-derived.
- Coco-glucoside – a surfactant derived from glucose and coconut oil.
- Phenoxyethanol – a preservative with a rating of 2-4 on EWG, higher rating for higher-risk products, this is not a high-risk product. B rating on EWG cleaning products.
- Tetrasodium glutamate diacetate – an organic salt synthesized from glutamic acid that they are labeling as plant-derived. C rating on EWG cleaning products.
Made with 92% bio-based ingredients and natural origin fragrance. Not biodegradable.
Sniff test:
Certainly, the essential oil components are noticeable here, though it is not as overpowering as I expected it to be when sniffing the concentrate.
When smelling the aromas that come after spraying the diluted formula on a surface it’s very light. As someone with a very high sense of smell, it smells natural to me, it doesn’t have the synthetic bite to it.
Where you can use it:
Sealed wood, tile, and countertops. Kitchens and bathrooms to some degree.
However, they also offer a Tub & Tile Cleaner Concentrate and Daily Shower Cleaner Concentrate for bathroom cleaning (which are the same cost and same level of concentration though the ingredients are a bit different), and a Floor Cleaner.
It’s not for dishes, laundry, or glass.
Cost:
Two 1 fl oz concentrate bottles for $8 on their website. You need to buy a $20 a year membership for free shipping (on everything on their website) or, for a little bit more per bottle, you can buy it from Amazon and get free shipping (if you have Prime).
Two fl oz creates 32 ounces of Multipurpose Cleaner.
Therefore it’s $8 for 32 ounces of Multipurpose Cleaner (not including buying the bottle).
Their Tub and Tile Cleaner is $8 for 30 ounces of cleaner.
They also offer glass bottles for sale.
Effectiveness:
One large drop of coconut oil, plus one large drop of castor oil, plus one capsule vitamin E cleaned up easily with 3 sprays and just a few passes.
Cleaned up a sticky mess easily.
Minimal effect on sticker residue.
Cleaned up dried toothpaste scum easily.
Both products were effective at general cleaning.
Other Product Lines:
In the Grove co. house brand they also offer: Tub & Tile Cleaner Concentrate, Daily Shower Cleaner Concentrate, Glass Cleaner Concentrate, Floor Cleaner Concentrate, Dish Soap, Hydrating Hand Soap, Foaming Hand Soap, Laundry Detergent Sheets, Liquid Laundry Detergent, Toilet Spray, and more.
I test the dish soap and hand soap here.
Conclusion:
Based on the data in the chart and my testing, the prices average out to about the same when you include a multi-purpose and bathroom formula, but I prefer Branch Basics for safety of ingredients and environmental impact, it is also just one Concentrate (one product) that can be used for everything in the house, whereas Grove Co. has many different products to achieve the same results.
Corinne Segura is an InterNACHI-certified Healthy Homes Inspector with certifications in Building Biology, Healthier Materials and Sustainable Buildings, and more. She has 10 years of experience helping others create healthy homes. You can book a consult here.
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