Scoring methodology · Cleaning & household
Every cleaning product is evaluated against 4 rules, worth a total of 100 points. Your score is the percentage of points the product earns on what we actually know about it.
Quality score
Each rule contributes points up to a known maximum. We sum them, divide by the total possible, and that's the headline number on the product.
Unknowns
If we couldn't verify an attribute, that rule earns zero. Brands aren't rewarded for non-disclosure, and we don't fill the gap with a guess.
clean_ingredients
No harmful ingredients flagged (VOCs, quats, formaldehyde-releasing agents, optical brighteners, phthalates, fragrance allergens).
lab_indexed
Independent third-party lab data on residue, VOC content, or label-vs-formula match.
packaging
Container material. Glass jars and paperboard score at the top; PET / polystyrene / generic plastic at the bottom. Generic "container" / "bottle" with no material signal lands mid-tier.
recognized_certifications
Recognized cleaning third-party certs: EPA Safer Choice, Green Seal, ECOLOGO, EWG Verified, USDA BioBased, Cradle to Cradle, Leaping Bunny, free-from claims.
Scoring is a function applied to evidence. If you think a rule fired on the wrong evidence, the per-product breakdown shows the source for every contribution — each one is challengeable. The methodology itself is version-controlled and evolves in public.
