Why is powder the best "just add water" choice?
When we first began the Cleanery journey, just-add-water cleaning products barely existed. We could see the potential for transforming this massive category, and were excited by it, but the sector was still young. That has changed, and it is great to see more brands looking for ways to reduce the waste created by everyday household products. More refills help to normalise the concept, and get rid of single use from the choice pool.
But powders, tablets, pods and liquid concentrates are not all the same, and it can be difficult to know which option will actually do the job.
For us, that is the most important question.
There is no point buying a cleaning product that does not clean, even if it comes with less packaging. A lower-waste product will only make a meaningful difference if people like using it enough to keep buying it.
So, why did we choose powder?
Why powder?
The short answer: powder gave us the freedom to take out the water without getting rid of the cleaning part. It allowed our chemists to include enough active product to deliver a full-strength clean, while keeping each refill small, lightweight and easy to use. One refill makes one full bottle of product when mixed with water at home.
The idea sounds simple. Developing powder formulations that dissolve quickly, remain stable and perform properly once mixed was not.
When we started Cleanery, our scientists and engineers spent years exploring the different ways concentrated cleaning products could be delivered. We tested tablets, liquids and other formats before developing our own Cleanery Powder Technology™.
Why is our powder better than the alternatives?
Powders, tablets, liquid concentrates and pods all aim to reduce the need for another ready-to-use bottle. Each has its advantages, but each format also places different limits on the way a product can be formulated, packaged and used.
Tablets
Tablets are compact, neatly portioned and easy to drop into a bottle. In fact, when we first set out on the Cleanery journey, our original aim was to create a cleaning tablet.
We liked the concept but could not make it deliver the cleaning performance we wanted.
A tablet needs to be small enough to fit through a bottle neck, strong enough to survive manufacturing and transport, and able to break apart again once it reaches the water. This can require binders, effervescing agents or other ingredients that help create and dissolve the tablet but do not perform the cleaning itself.
Its fixed size also limits how much formulation can fit inside. In our development and comparative testing, the tablets we assessed did not contain enough active cleaning product to tackle tougher everyday mess properly.
Dissolving can also take time. Some tablets break down quickly, while others need warmer water, vigorous shaking or a lengthy wait before the cleaner is ready to use.
Tablets are certainly convenient, but we were not prepared to trade cleaning performance for convenience. So we went back to the drawing board.
Liquid concentrates
It is absolutely possible to create an effective liquid concentrate, and these products can use considerably less packaging than conventional ready-to-use cleaners.
However, a liquid concentrate still contains water and needs packaging designed to hold a liquid safely. That packaging is generally heavier and more substantial than the film required for a dry powder refill.
Small liquid containers can also be difficult to recycle, depending on the materials used and the recycling facilities available locally. Their size can make them unsuitable for some processing systems, even when the plastic itself is technically recyclable.
Low waste describes the packaging format. It does not automatically tell you how gentle, effective or environmentally preferable the formulation inside will be.
Pods
Pods contain a measured amount of concentrated liquid or powder inside a dissolvable film.
Like tablets, pods need to fit through the opening of a bottle. Their size can limit the amount of product they contain, while the formula must also remain compatible with the surrounding film during storage.
Pods can be convenient and remove the need to pour a concentrate. However, they still need to dissolve properly and should always be handled and mixed according to the manufacturer’s safety directions.
For us, pods did not provide the formulation flexibility or simplicity we needed across the full Cleanery range.
Why Cleanery uses powder
Powder gave us the best balance of performance, packaging, safety and ease of use.
Made for the job
Each Cleanery formula is developed around what it needs to do.
Our kitchen cleaner cuts through grease. Our bathroom cleaner lifts soap scum and bathroom build-up. Our glass cleaner removes marks without leaving streaks. Our dish and hand products are formulated to develop the consistency and performance people expect once water is added.
Our surface-cleaner sachets contain approximately 17 grams of concentrated plant and mineral based formulation. That gives our chemists enough room to build full-strength products rather than expecting a tiny tablet to do everything.
Lightweight packaging
Each Cleanery refill sachet weighs around one gram and uses 99% less single-use packaging than the average conventional cleaning bottle.
The film is robust and waterproof, protecting the powder from moisture while using as little material as possible. It can be recycled through soft-plastics recycling schemes where they exist.
Read more about Cleanery refill packaging and disposal.
Every ingredient listed
Our formulas are plant and mineral based, and we list every ingredient we use.
Removing water is only part of creating a better product. What remains in the formula still needs to clean effectively, be appropriate for its intended use and meet the standards we set for the Cleanery range.
Easy to mix
Powder + water.
Fill the correct reusable bottle with the instructed amount of warm water, add the full refill and shake. Cleanery household cleaning sprays dissolve quickly and are ready to get to work, without a long wait for a tablet to disappear.
Take out the water, not the cleaning part
Powder is not automatically better simply because it is powder. The formulation inside still matters.
We chose powder because it allowed us to create effective, affordable products for different cleaning and personal care jobs while dramatically reducing packaging and transport weight.
The result is Cleanery Powder Technology™: full-strength products delivered as lightweight refills and made in our purpose-designed Auckland facility.
One refill. One full bottle. As clean as it gets.
If you have any questions about Cleanery products or packaging, contact us at hello@cleaneryonline.com.