I originally wrote this article on GranvilleOnline.ca and thought readers would like to see it here too. Let me know what you think.

Locally made AspenClean green cleaning products won't damage health or happiness

Although they've been around for years it wasn't until last week that I had the opportunity to try AspenClean green cleaning products. Based in North Vancouver, Alicia and Chris Sokolowski have been on a mission to develop healthy cleaning products for the home that aren't going to harm one's family or the environment.

Besides developing a line of green cleaning products Aspen Clean also runs a home and office cleaning service, using their non-toxic products to clean your work or family environment.

With a new brand and packaging design it's a lot easier to notice AspenClean in what's becoming an increasingly crowded space, with other locally made Vancouver green cleaning products like Sapadilla and Live for Tomorrow all trying to get you to bring their products home. Although the packaging is still contemporary in design, it looks sharp and feels good in the hand.

I tried the microfibre cloth and the all-purpose spray around my place last weekend. The cloth worked amazing; it's like it's got all these little fingers grabbing at dust and dirt as you wipe, making it real easy to clean up. It's a big cloth that I can see being really good for large spills, though I found it a bit cumbersome in size. It would be great if they came in smaller sizes for smaller jobs as well.

The all-purpose spray worked real well, nothing too eventful, it just worked.

3 ingredients to watch out for in your cleaning products

1. Butoxyethanol (or 2-butoxyethanol) - ever wondered where that lemon scent comes from? This one's a suspect for inhibiting the development of a bunch of organs.
2. Ethoxylated Nonphenol - a known endocrine toxicant, this one is no good for the environment
3. Silicon Diocide (silica) - the dust that's created when using products that include silica can irritate the skin and cause breathing problems