I used to be notorious for finding a product I loved with all my heart and soul, but it would be sold out every single time I went back to the store. Apparently, everyone else loved that product with all their heart and soul, too. For example, I prefer Ecover dishwasher tablets. But they are often sold out at our local Whole Foods. Thankfully, a friend told me how much she loves Seventh Generation automatic dishwashing gel with a green apple scent. I picked it up on our last trip to Whole Foods, and my honest opinion is that it works like a charm. Not to steal Kerry’s Tuesday’s Tip idea (though this is Wednesday), but my tip is to fall in love with two similar products, or at least find a second product you can live with to keep you from whining about the loss of your favorite product.
I use Seventh Generation paper products and I admire the company, so I felt pretty secure about reading the dishwashing gel ingredient list:
Cleaning agents (nontoxic polymer system for cleaning, dispersant action and spot prevention; and alyoxylated linear alcohol, a biodegradable low sudsing surfactant, less than 2%), water softeners to provide alkalinity for enhanced performance (soda ash and sodium citrate), dishwasher and china protection agent (sodium silicate), viscosity control (a cellulose based stabilizer and thickening agent), preservative (less than 0.05%), fragrance (green apple).
Another cool thing about Seventh Generation is they provide material safety data sheets at the bottom of each product page. The not so cool thing is the fabulous green apple scent in this dishwashing gel is not an essential oil extracted from apples, but a synthetic fragrance. I do look the other way with a few artificial fragrances, but for some reason, Seventh Generation’s usage of a fake green apple aroma surprised me. I still adore their products, but I believe it’s time for natural companies to start using the real deal. My favorite body lotion (in vanilla chai) and incense pull this off, so I know it’s possible.
However, I do endorse this dishwashing gel. It works very well, it is mostly safe, and it’s sure safer than Cascade. And well, I love the smell of green apples. My husband and I celebrate five years of marriage this week, and one of our travel destinations is The Gruene Apple bed & breakfast. They sell all kinds of kitschy green apple items in the office, so I suppose the scent is nostalgic for me. See what a great marriage will do to you?
* UPDATE: I e-mailed Seventh Generation to ask about the synthetic fragrance, but I did not hear from them until today. Bec Cooper wrote back with good news:
Our current formula green apple is synthetic - we are wanting to bring it on-line with the rest of the products, the essential oils are not working in it so far - we will get it, it is only a matter of time! The auto dish gel is the only product with any synthetic fragrance in it - all the rest are whole essential oils.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Christine 01.09.08 at 11:19 am
Oh, Jenni, I am loving those dishwasher tablets. They’re so easy, and no mess. The dishes look sparkly clean each time, and I have a pretty basic diswasher! Good to know there’s another quality item I can fall in love with in case the tablets are out of stock
Mark 01.10.08 at 6:42 am
Hi, Jenni. I admire your conviction. My company prides itself on supplying alternative chemistries to replace products that cause environmental harm. For example we make a zeolite that replaced phosphates in many brand name laundry detergents. I actually make sodium silicate, one of the dishwash ingredients you list in your blog. Sounds exotic but it’s just sand and soda ash (a.k.a sodium carbonate) melted then dissolved with water to make a solution. Both the sand and soda ash are naturally ocurring minerals. Pretty organic stuff. I’m not familiar with Seventh Generation. I’ll have to pick some up. Thanks!
kimberly 01.10.08 at 7:34 pm
I’ve just started buying Seventh Generation products and I’m loving them!