Is Grove Co. Non-Toxic? (A Toxicologist Weighs In)

I tested Grove Co.’s Concentrate Multi-Purpose Cleaner, Dish Soap, and Foaming Hand Soap and will review them for how “non-toxic” these and other products in their line are (and I will also talk about their effectiveness).

Dr. Mudgal, Toxicologist, weighs in on the controversial ingredients.

Summary

Pros

Grove Co. uses more natural, and more “non-toxic” formulas compared to conventional cleaning products since they use natural fragrance (and some of their products come in fragrance-free), and they are 89-98% plant-based (depending on the exact product).

Cons

While Grove Co. avoids certain harmful substances, the presence of the listed ingredients challenges the perception of their products as completely non-toxic, says Dr. Mudgal, Toxicologist.

• Not being 100% plant-based
• Not all biodegradable products (at least they are not labeled this way)

• In some products they use:
• Isothiazolinone preservatives like Benzisothiazolinone – which is a common allergen with a 6/10 rating on EWG cosmetic side and C rating on the EWG cleaning product list. Individuals with sensitive skin or allergies should exercise caution when using products containing this preservative class, as it is recognized as a skin and eye irritant. It is also identified as very toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects, says Dr. Mudgal.
• Laureth-7 – is a polyethylene glycol (PEG) surfactant with an EWG rating of 1-3 (low to moderate risk), which may potentially contain toxic impurities such as 1,4-dioxane. However, if there is no California Proposition 65 warning on the product, this means that even if there is 1,4-dioxane, it must be below 10 parts per million, which is under the safe threshold level. Although the substance has the potential to cause eye damage and skin irritation, it only occurs at high concentrations or with prolonged exposure, as seen in undiluted or poorly formulated products, says Dr. Mudgal.
• Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) – is derived from plant sources and primarily used as a surfactant. Although it is known for its potential to irritate skin, eyes, and the respiratory tract, EPA has determined that it does not pose significant risks to human health or the environment when used according to label directions, says Dr. Mudgal. Skin irritation is mitigated by regulating the maximum percentage that can be used in a product, which depends on how long the contact time will be, as explained by the University of Queensland. Research aligns with claims from the David Suzuki Institute and WHO that it is harmful for aquatic organisms with long-lasting effects (ECHA) at high concentrations or when released untreated into ecosystems, explains Dr. Mudgal.

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Overview

	Grove Co. Multi-Purpose Concentrate	Grove Co. Dish Soap	Grove Co. Hand Soap
Cost	$8 for 32 ounces of Multi-Purpose Cleaner	$4.39 per 16 ounces if you subscribe	$7.19 for 36 ounces of hand soap if you subscribe (however I was not able to dilute the product since it didn’t seem concentrated enough diluted).
Shipping	$20 a year for free shipping on everything from their website Or you can buy it from Amazon	$20 a year for free shipping on everything from their website Or you can buy it from Amazon	$20 a year for free shipping on everything from their website Or you can buy it from Amazon
Bio-Based	92% Bio-Based	98% plant-based	97% plant-based
Biodegradable	No	Not clear	Not labeled as such but it looks to be so based on ingredients
EWG Ratings	1 ingredient 6 on EWG 1 ingredient 1-3 on EWG 1 ingredient 2-4 on EWG	Natural origin fragrance, or fragrance-free	None of the ingredients have a higher than 1-2 rating except the natural fragrance compounds which can be allergens.
Scent	Natural origin fragrance, fairly light	Natural origin fragrance, fairly light	Natural origin fragrance, or fragrance free
Uses	Sealed wood, tile, and countertops	Dishes	Hands
Packaging	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.	The refills are not concentrated but come in recyclable aluminum containers. The bottle is glass.	Certified Cruelty-FreeCertified Biobased Certified B Corporation Vegan
Certifications	FSC-Certified Paper Packaging Certified B Corporation Certified Cruelty-Free USDA BioPreferred	USDA Certified Biobased Certified Cruelty-Free Certified B Corporation Vegan	Certified Cruelty-Free Certified Biobased Certified B Corporation Vegan

Grove Co. Multi-Purpose Concentrate:

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, a higher rating for higher-risk products, though 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.

Non-Toxic Specs

Grove Co. Multi-Purpose Cleaner is with 92% bio-based ingredients and natural origin fragrance. Not biodegradable it looks like. 1 ingredient 6 on EWG, 1 ingredient 1-3 on EWG, 1 ingredient 2-4 on EWG.

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.

Effectiveness:

Compared to other products I tested, Grove Co. Multi-Purpose Concentrate was certainly very effective at general cleaning.

Grove Co. Dish Soap

Ingredients:

• Water
• Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS): a plant-derived cleaning agent that is a skin, eye, and respiratory tract irritant and toxic to aquatic organisms, according to the David Suzuki Institute and the WHO. Skin irritation is mitigated by regulating the maximum percentage that can be used in a product, which depends on how long the contact time will be, explains the University of Queensland.
• Lauramine oxide: biodegradable under environmental conditions.
• Glycerin: plant-derived glycerin is biodegradable and breaks down readily in soil and water.
• Caprylyl/capryl glucoside: a non-ionic surfactant derived from plants (sugar and fatty alcohol).
• Coco-glucoside: another plant-derived non-ionic surfactant.
• Natural origin fragrance components (e.g., linalool, limonene, citral): potential allergens.
• Magnesium chloride: a natural mineral salt.
• Citric acid: biodegradable and commonly used in cleaning products.
• Sodium chloride: salt
• Benzisothiazolinone: a synthetic preservative that can be harmful to aquatic life with a 6/10 rating on EWG cosmetic side and C rating on the EWG cleaning product list.
• Methylisothiazolinone: another synthetic preservative of the same class with known aquatic toxicity.

Non-Toxic Specs:

Grove Co. Dish Soap is 98% plant-based, not clear if it’s biodegradable. I would love this dish soap if it had a more eco-friendly preservative – the preservatives have ratings of 6 and 7 on EWG.

Sniff Test/Where you can use it:

The smell was very pleasant, I really liked it a lot. This company seems to use high-quality essential oils based on my nose (I have a good nose for the quality of fragrances).

It’s a dish soap which tends to work well as an all-purpose cleaner as well.

Effectiveness:

Grove Co. Dish Soap is very effective as a dish soap, it easily cut though half a tablespoon of oil that I spread on a Tupperware for the test.

Grove Co. Foaming Hand Wash

Ingredients:

• Water
• Glycerin: Plant-derived glycerin.
• Sodium Coco-Sulfate: A surfactant derived from coconut oil, biodegradable.
• Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside: A plant-derived surfactant known for its biodegradability.
• Coco-Glucoside: Another plant-derived surfactant that is readily biodegradable.
• Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice: Derived from aloe vera.
• Citric Acid: Naturally occurring.
• Coco-Betaine: A coconut-derived surfactant; considered biodegradable.
• Magnesium Chloride: An inorganic salt; it dissociates into ions that are environmentally benign.
• Natural Origin Fragrance
• Potassium Sorbate: A preservative that is readily biodegradable.
• Sodium Benzoate: Another preservative; considered readily biodegradable.

Non-Toxic Specs:

Grove Co. Foaming Hand Soap is 97% plant-based, not listed as biodegradable but looks like it is based on ingredients, no preservatives with a high EWG rating or any ingredient with a higher than 1-2 rating. I consider this to be a very eco-friendly, non-toxic product.

Sniff Test:

I’m picking up some fragrance here (in the fragrance-free version), but I cannot be certain if it’s cross-contamination from their fragranced products or just the natural sweetness of the ingredients.

Effectiveness:

I had high hopes for Grove Co. Foaming Hand Soap, since I need a foaming hand wash and the ingredients are very “clean”. But it doesn’t feel very effective at the suggested dilution of 1:2 and it did not feel effective to me even at 1:1 dilution. I use it at full concentration.

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, Hydrating Hand Soap, Laundry Detergent Sheets, Liquid Laundry Detergent, Toilet Spray, and more.

An Alternative?

One popular eco-friendly non-toxic alternative is Branch Basics.

Branch Basics does not use SLS, isothiazolinones, or ethoxylated chemicals that could potentially be contaminated with 1, 4 dioxane.

It’s also plant- and mineral-based and biodegradable.

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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