EcoMINIM Eco-friendly detergent promises to be tough on dirt but kind to your skin and safe for kids

The last time I shared some cleaning products with you, it was one of the most toxic materials known to mankind, as many were quick to point out to me. It did the job, but it probably shaved off a few months of my life doing it.

I can’t say I’m terribly proud of using it, but I needed something to do the job, and it did. Sometimes, you just need that.

Other times, you can usually find me roaming the detergent and household cleaning aisles, looking for the next newest miracle worker on stains and dirt LOL I’m afraid my interests vary far beyond just beauty, my friends!

I love trying out new, more environmentally friendly household cleaners, of which there are now many in the market. Brands like Method or Ecover will likely be quite familiar to most of us by now.

But let me tell you instead about a homegrown, Malaysian-made and manufactured brand – EcoMinim Eco-friendly Detergent and Household cleaners 🙂

EcoMINIM Eco-friendly Detergents and Household Cleaners

By way of a disclaimer, the founder of EcoMinim is a friend of mine. She suffers from eczema and had been telling me about wanting to launch her new household cleaning brand for a few years, before finally having it come fruition, and I could not be more proud of her! I try to support friends, and good quality Malaysian-made products wherever possible.

She gifted me with some products to try in my daily cleaning, and I’m afraid I took my own sweet time in the past few months 😛 It wasn’t until I noticed that some bottles were already half-empty that I thought “Hmm… I better share some pictures before it’s all gone!” 😛 (Note: I wasn’t asked to review them, but I like to have variety here on MWS 🙂 )

EcoMinim is a brand that sells a selection of detergents and household cleaners that are gentle and friendly not only to the environment, but also to our skin. It is so gentle, it is also safe for children and babies.

Being gentle on skin is important for someone like me, because I have hands with skin that is far more sensitive than that on my face 😛 It’s especially treacherous when I’m testing new cleansers.

I can afford to put my face through a lot, but when it comes to my hands, nothing but the most gentle of formula would work. One wrong product, and I’d suffer dry, peeling, cracked skin on my hands for weeks on end!

EcoMinim products are quality tested, plant-based, vegan, not tested on animals, and free of parabens, sulfates, phtalates. Products are packaged in plastic which is BPA-free and recyclable.

Importantly also, they are manufactured right here in Malaysia so there is minimal carbon footprint when buying the goods. If you’re an environmentalist (which I’m not really) this will (and should) matter.

More importantly however, I know what you really want to know is this – do they clean as well as they are friendly to our ecosystem?

EcoMINIM Concentrated Dish Wash Liquid – RM16.90 for 480ml

The EcoMinim Concentrated Dish Wash comes in 2 scents, both of which are very light and pleasant and not chemical or artificial smelling at all. There is no added colouring, so the product may look a little dull in the bottle.

It has a low-suds formula, which might take some getting used to. I don’t recommend you let your helper use it, for it might end up being too costly. But if you have sensitive hands, as I do, then this one’s perfect.

I do find it very gentle on hands, which I like very much. It doesn’t dry my hands out when I’m using it, yet it cleans my dishes and greasy pans well enough.

I will have one caveat. Although it is supposed to be a concentrated formula, I don’t find it to be as strong as other brands. For example, my other favourites that work for my hands are Method and Mrs Meyers, and those seem more efficient at getting my dishes clean. However, those other brands do contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (a surfectant) in their ingredient list. This explains why they do better. (That said, they don’t kill my hands either so perhaps it’s not that harsh)

I was told however that because the formula of the EcoMinim Concentrated Dish Wash is so gentle, it is safe to use on baby and children’s toys, bowls, bottles etc. If you have children and want to run their plastic toys or eating and drinking utensils through the wash, this is safe for that purpose.

It also performs an additional function as a vegetable and fruit wash. Dilute a little product in a basin of water, and rinse your vegetables and fruits to remove dirt. I did try this with a bunch of grapes and plums, and it got rid of that cloudy covering on the skin. I guess it works!

The downside is, because of how gentle it is, I do find that I can end up using more than I intend especially when washing up greasy pots and pans. It gets the job done. But it may need a little more product.

I also find that the product tends to clump around the nozzle, so when you pump out product, it can spray in any old direction. Wiping the nozzle every so often is helpful to prevent this.

PROS:
Gentle formula is good for sensitive skin
Not drying
Cleans dishes well
Safe for use for children and babies
Can be used as a fruit and vegetable wash

CONS:
You may use more product than usual
Low suds formula can be unfamiliar to many people
Product tends to clump and dry around the nozzle

EcoMINIM Concentrated Floor Cleaner – RM16.90 for 1liter

Of the 4 products I tried out, the EcoMinim Concentrated Floor Cleaner turned out to be my second favourite product.

I have an occasional part-time cleaner clean my house, but as I shared with you recently, I’m trying to keep my house cleaner and neater. One of the things that I’ve been doing therefore, is mopping my house more regularly.

If I do it more often, it feels nicer, it’s cleaner and I don’t live in squalor between cleanings LOL! 😛

I have wood laminate flooring laid throughout my house, so I was a little concerned initially about trying the EcoMINIM Concentrated Floor Cleaner. It doesn’t say that it is safe to use on wood floors.

But I tried anyway, with a damp (not wet) mop, and I must say that it cleans a treat! My flooring is still intact, the colour is still there, but now, it looks and feels lovely and clean. Any marks or dirt are easily wiped away, leaving no residue.

The texture is very liquid, like that of a water, and I use only very very little (just about a quarter of a cap) diluted in a pail of water.

It is enough to lift the dust and dirt from the floor, and doesn’t leave any residue at all, which I love. I was using the Method floor cleaner for wooden floors before this, and I actually didn’t like it very much. It left a sticky residue, and I hated the awful sweet, almond smell. Ugh! I finished it, because it was expensive 😛 But I had no plans to repurchase.

The EcoMinim Concentrate Floor Cleaner however, has just a light, fresh scent that doesn’t linger (I like that!), isn’t irritating to the nose, and doesn’t feel harsh on my skin when I have to come in contact with it. It cleans my wooden floors well, and I’ve also used it on tile with great success. Definitely a product I’d repurchase because I believe in it that much!

PROS:
No strong, artificial fragrance
Floors feel clean without any residue
Easily cleans wood or tiled floors and surfaces
Makes quick work of cleaning kitchen floors after cooking
No-rinse formula makes cleaning a breeze

CONS:
None I can think of

EcoMINIM Concentrated Liquid Detergent – RM26.90 for 1 liter

I have to say this – I don’t know how to judge this product LOL! 😛 How about that for honesty.

I will say this. My clothes look clean and because it is a low suds formula, it can be used in front-loading machines. You can use it for handwashing (I don’t handwash) which might be useful for those who want a laundry detergent for delicates or baby clothing.

For myself, it doesn’t quite matter for me what laundry detergent I use. I use a commercial product that costs about the same price for 3kg of product, so I have to confess that I’d be hard-pressed to purchase this one!

That said however, perhaps this will better suit those who want to handwash their clothes, or want to use them for their children or babies’ clothes. It also comes in powder form.

I do know however, that brands like Method cost about 3 times the price. So, if you are already buying Method, then perhaps it makes sense to you to try this as an option 🙂

PROS:
My clothes are clean LOL!

CONS:
Pricey for me as I’m not so fussy about laundry detergent

EcoMINIM Glass and Multi-Surface Cleaner – RM16.90 for 500ml

This brings us to the final, and my favourite EcoMINIM product – the Glass and Multi-Surface Cleaner.

If you are familiar with the Method All-Purpose cleaner, then this will be no different. If you aren’t familiar with these, let me introduce you to one of the best, and quickest ways of cleaning your kitchen and surfaces.

The EcoMinim Glass and Multi-Surface Cleaner is super easy to use. Just squirt it on any surface you intend to clean, wipe with a damp cloth, and watch it sparkle! I love it! 😀

I find it very useful for these surfaces:-

• Kitchen hobs – My kitchen hob has a glass surface, and when I cook, oil, grease and food spatters on the surface. When I’m done cooking, I pick up a damp cloth, arm myself with the EcoMinim Glass and Multi-Surface cleaner, and spray over the dirty hob. One wipe, and I’m done. No rinse necessary, and it leaves it clean and sparkling!
• Countertops – I use it on my granite countertop, and it cleans it beautifully. Water marks are easily cleaned out, stains are wiped away, and I’m left with a sparkling, shiny countertop. Perfect!
• Glass – Shower doors, coffee tables, mirrors. Anything that’s glass will be left shiny, clean and sparkling when you’re done. Squirt, wipe and go. Trust me, I didn’t believe it till I tried it for myself!
• Other surfaces – I also squirt this cleaner on wall tiles, which cleans it quite nicely, railings, formica worktops… basically anything that needs cleaning.

I love and am a huge huge fan of the Method All-Purpose Cleaner, but this EcoMinim one gives it a proper run for its money! The upside is that the scent isn’t as strong nor as artificial. As much as I enjoy using the Method cleaners, their fragrance can be a bit too strong for my liking. This one is delicate, doesn’t linger, and smells fresh.

If there’s one product I’d recommend from EcoMinim, this would be it!

PROS:
Cleans glass beautifully leaving it shiny and sparkling
Excellent for cleaning kitchen hobs and countertops
Cleans water marks and soap scum very easily
Lightly scented
No rinse formula is easy and quick to use

CONS:
The squeeze trigger feels a little flimsy but I brought it up to the manufacturer and am assured that it is in fact very sturdy

It’s a little pricey isn’t it?

To be honest, yes it is.

But it does depend what you’re benchmarking it against. Against brands like Method or Mrs Meyers (that I use) pricing is quite on par. For some items, it is far more affordable than Method. With others, Method does give you a little more product for the same price, and to be fair, looks prettier too 😛

If you’re benchmarking it against the mass commercial brands in the market, then naturally, it is much pricier.

Ultimately, I guess it depends on your budget and your concerns. For myself, I’d stick to my regular brands of laundry detergent and dishwashing liquid because those currently work for me. But I’d be happy to switch to the EcoMinim Floor Cleaner and Glass and Multi-Surface Cleaner, both of which have impressed me far beyond my expectations 🙂

However, I think EcoMinim might do better, with more sexed up packaging. After all, isn’t that what many people first look at today? 🙂

WHERE TO BUY: EcoMinim website, Opika Organic (1 Utama)

Does EcoMinim intrigue you? Do you use eco-friendly detergents and household cleaners?

I only made the switch from using brands like Sunlight and Glo dishwashing liquids, after my hands kept dying and drying out. I do my own housework, so I guess that little splurge is worth it for my sanity and skin 😛 Also, its still far cheaper than the skincare I use so it’s all relative folks! LOL 😀

Paris B