CEE DOG
09-05-2011, 10:41 PM
Review: Eco Touch All Purpose Cleaner
Introduction:
The first thing that came to my mind when I started writing this review was something I learned from the Co-founder of Eco Touch when I met him earlier this year. I learned a lot about Eco Touch but something I thought was really special was the fact that not only does Eco Touch list every one of their ingredients… They list every one of those ingredients on the bottles of each product they sell. They are not hiding anything from “we the consumer”.
I met James (Co-founder of Eco Touch) at Detail Fest this year. I was standing in line waiting to get some food and I believe with all the sun I was getting I may have had a waffle weave towel wrapped over my head! There’s nothing like a first impression! Drka J James was in line right behind me and we started chatting over a barbeque lunch. It didn’t take more than a few minutes to know I had a good gut feeling about him. He was sincere in his belief of his line and answered questions honestly and without gimmick.
Let me start by apologizing to James for the delay on this review. After stopping in to see his product line at his booth I took a sample of his APC and told him I would be writing a review on it within a couple months. It’s been more than a couple and I apologize for that.
Here is James and his Eco Touch booth at Detail Fest 2011
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/00-James.jpg
Product Claims:
Hard on grease, easy on you and the environment. Eco Touch All Purpose Cleaner is a plant derived safe and effective cleaner and degreaser for your vehicle's dirtiest surfaces.
All ingredients:
Filtered water, surfactants (for cleaning: lauramine oxide & alcohol-ethoxylates), solvent (soy-based), citric acid, soda ash (pH builder), lemon orange essential oils, preservative (.05%).
Details:
1.- Packaging: 100% recyclable - Bottle from #2 polyethylene. Sprayer from blend of polyethylene/polypropylene.
2.- Directions: Clearly labeled
3.- Viscosity: Thin
4.- Color: Clear
5.- Scent: Very faint lemon scent
6.- Regular Price: 24 oz. = $7.99
7.- Regular Price: 128 oz. = $19.99
8.- Manufacturer: Eco Touch
9.- Made in: USA (Dover, New Hampshire)
Product information:
Made out of natural ingredients, Eco Touch All Purpose Cleaner removes grease, dust, and dirt with ease. Use it on vinyl, metal, wheels, plastics, and more. Eco Touch All Purpose Cleaner is a blend of powerful surfactants and natural cleaning agents and can be used full-strength on all hard surfaces plus vinyl. It contains water, surfactants, a soy-based solvent, and lemon orange essential oils to clean and degrease safely.
Product
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/01.jpg
Getting Started:
I began testing this product a few months ago on some wheels I was cleaning. I sprayed the product across the wheel and poured a bit in my bucket before using my SV brush to agitate the brake dust and contaminants from the corners. Then I used an mf mitt to wipe the face. The face of the wheel doesn’t prove anything because my regular wash water would have wiped that right off but in the corners of the slots some of the dust was on there pretty tough and was removed a lot easier with the Eco Touch than without it.
Video: Eco Touch APC - Wheel
Beware Blair Witch style camera work J (This was before I acquired my tripod)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSarDA3XAas
Before
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/02.jpg
After
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/03.jpg
Before
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/04.jpg
After
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/05.jpg
Before
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/06.jpg
After
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/07.jpg
After
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/08.jpg
I also used the APC to attack some love bugs on the front of that van that day.
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/09.jpg
I used my bug sponge for the tag team combo to knock it out but the Eco APC made less work of it for me.
Engine:
As I was setting up my camera near the engine bay my neighbor wandered over to ask me about this tree that is growing into the crape myrtles. While we were discussing this we got right up next to the tree and then I noticed this little nest set safely between the branches. I thought it ironic I was in the middle of a review for an environmentally safe APC so I snapped a quick picture.
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/83.jpg
To test Eco Touch APC on grease I got to work on the filthy engine bay. I’ll leave most of the story to the video but basically I found it to work well on most areas of the engine with agitation. On very grease that was layered over years of other grease and dried and baked on it was quite the test for an APC. Here I found it to be weaker than concentrated APC but stronger than my diluted bottles of APC’s.
Video: Eco Touch APC – Engine
(Stable video on tripod)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BNvWtE1OME
Before
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/20.jpg
After Eco Touch APC
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/21.jpg
Engine Dressed
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/82.jpg
Interior:
This was where this APC shined for me. I used Eco Touch on the interior of a truck I was working on and it gave me the strength I needed to cleanse the surfaces and also saved me time by allowing me to walk away after cleaning rather than having to wipe down the surfaces with water (as is recommended after using some other APC’s on interiors).
Tips and Method of Application:
Shake bottle
Spray directly onto surface
Wipe with a microfiber towel
As usual with these types of products do not allow it to dry on the surface or apply in direct sunlight to paint.
Pros:
1.- Cleans plastic and vinyl with APC power without having to wipe down afterwards
2.- Ease of use (No diluting and pre-mixing required)
3.- Safety: Soy based All Natural Solvent and all natural ingredients
4.- Scent: Gentle lemon scent doesn’t linger on interiors
5.- Price
???:
1.- Soda Ash: I just noticed this on the bottle. I believe this is standard in most APC’s but didn’t expect it here. I don’t know enough to comment further so maybe it’s some variety that is perfectly safe?
Cons:
1.- Not as strong as straight APC concentrates on serious engine buildup
2.- As with any other APC I’ve used I don’t find any of them to clean tires as well as ARO. I know some people disagree but APC’s just don’t do that job as well for me.
Final Observations and Summary:
In my opinion this is a great product for someone who wants to avoid toxic chemicals and wants a safe but fairly strong cleaner that’s ready to use out of the box on a variety of surfaces. Strength: If you want pure raw strength I didn’t find this product to quite reach the level of undiluted OPC or APC+ concentrate but that’s probably the way its meant to be since it has the benefit of being ready to use without dilution.
Please don’t miss the Q&A with James Dudra or the additional information about Eco Touch below. You are welcome to ask questions, make comments, and provide further information I may have missed.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review!
Q&A with James Dudra of Eco Touch:
James, It was a pleasure meeting you at Detail Fest and thanks again for the test sample. I’ve compiled a few questions for a Q&A to add to my review.
1Q.-Every other APC manufacturer I have seen recommends that you wipe interiors with a damp cloth after using their product. Is this necessary with your APC?
1A. No, it is not necessary to wipe down the interior with a damp cloth. Eco Touch APC is a spray and wipe product. Obviously, you will want to make sure all the product is wiped away from the surface and not left just sitting there. We suggest using Eco Touch APC with a high-quality microfiber towel to get the most cleaning power out of the formula.
2Q.- I see you mention your APC can be used on vinyl, metal, wheels, plastics, and more. Does the “more” include finished leather and paint?
2A.- You can use Eco Touch APC on paint with no problem. Just make sure the surface is not too hot as it will dry quickly. We normally do not recommend using Eco Touch APC on leather due its delicate nature. Eco Touch’s Leather Care formula is pH neutral and was specifically designed for cleaning and conditioning these types of surfaces.
3Q.-Should your APC be diluted for any specific surfaces or is it safe for all recommended surfaces out of the box?
3A.- Eco Touch APC comes in a ready-to-use format and is safe for the following surfaces out of the box: paint, wheels, undercarriage, plastic, vinyl and engine compartments.
4Q.-Can you provide an approximate shelf life for this product?
4A.- Approximate shelf life is 18 months.
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. We appreciate it!
Thanks Corey! Let me know if you have any other questions!
A Little More Information on Eco Touch:
I did a little research on Eco Touch as I was writing this article and found a lot of information. I want to mention a couple of the interesting things I found.
Eco-Touch is not a private-label. They manufacturer their own custom blended formulations, which they create in both ready-to-use and concentrated solutions. Those products are made in the USA and bottled in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and California.
Their website seems to reflect the same passion for the health of their customers as well as our pets and environment, that James made clear to me when I met him.
Introduction:
The first thing that came to my mind when I started writing this review was something I learned from the Co-founder of Eco Touch when I met him earlier this year. I learned a lot about Eco Touch but something I thought was really special was the fact that not only does Eco Touch list every one of their ingredients… They list every one of those ingredients on the bottles of each product they sell. They are not hiding anything from “we the consumer”.
I met James (Co-founder of Eco Touch) at Detail Fest this year. I was standing in line waiting to get some food and I believe with all the sun I was getting I may have had a waffle weave towel wrapped over my head! There’s nothing like a first impression! Drka J James was in line right behind me and we started chatting over a barbeque lunch. It didn’t take more than a few minutes to know I had a good gut feeling about him. He was sincere in his belief of his line and answered questions honestly and without gimmick.
Let me start by apologizing to James for the delay on this review. After stopping in to see his product line at his booth I took a sample of his APC and told him I would be writing a review on it within a couple months. It’s been more than a couple and I apologize for that.
Here is James and his Eco Touch booth at Detail Fest 2011
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/00-James.jpg
Product Claims:
Hard on grease, easy on you and the environment. Eco Touch All Purpose Cleaner is a plant derived safe and effective cleaner and degreaser for your vehicle's dirtiest surfaces.
All ingredients:
Filtered water, surfactants (for cleaning: lauramine oxide & alcohol-ethoxylates), solvent (soy-based), citric acid, soda ash (pH builder), lemon orange essential oils, preservative (.05%).
Details:
1.- Packaging: 100% recyclable - Bottle from #2 polyethylene. Sprayer from blend of polyethylene/polypropylene.
2.- Directions: Clearly labeled
3.- Viscosity: Thin
4.- Color: Clear
5.- Scent: Very faint lemon scent
6.- Regular Price: 24 oz. = $7.99
7.- Regular Price: 128 oz. = $19.99
8.- Manufacturer: Eco Touch
9.- Made in: USA (Dover, New Hampshire)
Product information:
Made out of natural ingredients, Eco Touch All Purpose Cleaner removes grease, dust, and dirt with ease. Use it on vinyl, metal, wheels, plastics, and more. Eco Touch All Purpose Cleaner is a blend of powerful surfactants and natural cleaning agents and can be used full-strength on all hard surfaces plus vinyl. It contains water, surfactants, a soy-based solvent, and lemon orange essential oils to clean and degrease safely.
Product
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/01.jpg
Getting Started:
I began testing this product a few months ago on some wheels I was cleaning. I sprayed the product across the wheel and poured a bit in my bucket before using my SV brush to agitate the brake dust and contaminants from the corners. Then I used an mf mitt to wipe the face. The face of the wheel doesn’t prove anything because my regular wash water would have wiped that right off but in the corners of the slots some of the dust was on there pretty tough and was removed a lot easier with the Eco Touch than without it.
Video: Eco Touch APC - Wheel
Beware Blair Witch style camera work J (This was before I acquired my tripod)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSarDA3XAas
Before
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/02.jpg
After
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/03.jpg
Before
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/04.jpg
After
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/05.jpg
Before
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/06.jpg
After
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/07.jpg
After
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/08.jpg
I also used the APC to attack some love bugs on the front of that van that day.
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/09.jpg
I used my bug sponge for the tag team combo to knock it out but the Eco APC made less work of it for me.
Engine:
As I was setting up my camera near the engine bay my neighbor wandered over to ask me about this tree that is growing into the crape myrtles. While we were discussing this we got right up next to the tree and then I noticed this little nest set safely between the branches. I thought it ironic I was in the middle of a review for an environmentally safe APC so I snapped a quick picture.
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/83.jpg
To test Eco Touch APC on grease I got to work on the filthy engine bay. I’ll leave most of the story to the video but basically I found it to work well on most areas of the engine with agitation. On very grease that was layered over years of other grease and dried and baked on it was quite the test for an APC. Here I found it to be weaker than concentrated APC but stronger than my diluted bottles of APC’s.
Video: Eco Touch APC – Engine
(Stable video on tripod)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BNvWtE1OME
Before
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/20.jpg
After Eco Touch APC
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/21.jpg
Engine Dressed
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j376/CEEDOG7/Reviews/Eco%20Touch%20All%20Purpose%20Cleaner/82.jpg
Interior:
This was where this APC shined for me. I used Eco Touch on the interior of a truck I was working on and it gave me the strength I needed to cleanse the surfaces and also saved me time by allowing me to walk away after cleaning rather than having to wipe down the surfaces with water (as is recommended after using some other APC’s on interiors).
Tips and Method of Application:
Shake bottle
Spray directly onto surface
Wipe with a microfiber towel
As usual with these types of products do not allow it to dry on the surface or apply in direct sunlight to paint.
Pros:
1.- Cleans plastic and vinyl with APC power without having to wipe down afterwards
2.- Ease of use (No diluting and pre-mixing required)
3.- Safety: Soy based All Natural Solvent and all natural ingredients
4.- Scent: Gentle lemon scent doesn’t linger on interiors
5.- Price
???:
1.- Soda Ash: I just noticed this on the bottle. I believe this is standard in most APC’s but didn’t expect it here. I don’t know enough to comment further so maybe it’s some variety that is perfectly safe?
Cons:
1.- Not as strong as straight APC concentrates on serious engine buildup
2.- As with any other APC I’ve used I don’t find any of them to clean tires as well as ARO. I know some people disagree but APC’s just don’t do that job as well for me.
Final Observations and Summary:
In my opinion this is a great product for someone who wants to avoid toxic chemicals and wants a safe but fairly strong cleaner that’s ready to use out of the box on a variety of surfaces. Strength: If you want pure raw strength I didn’t find this product to quite reach the level of undiluted OPC or APC+ concentrate but that’s probably the way its meant to be since it has the benefit of being ready to use without dilution.
Please don’t miss the Q&A with James Dudra or the additional information about Eco Touch below. You are welcome to ask questions, make comments, and provide further information I may have missed.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review!
Q&A with James Dudra of Eco Touch:
James, It was a pleasure meeting you at Detail Fest and thanks again for the test sample. I’ve compiled a few questions for a Q&A to add to my review.
1Q.-Every other APC manufacturer I have seen recommends that you wipe interiors with a damp cloth after using their product. Is this necessary with your APC?
1A. No, it is not necessary to wipe down the interior with a damp cloth. Eco Touch APC is a spray and wipe product. Obviously, you will want to make sure all the product is wiped away from the surface and not left just sitting there. We suggest using Eco Touch APC with a high-quality microfiber towel to get the most cleaning power out of the formula.
2Q.- I see you mention your APC can be used on vinyl, metal, wheels, plastics, and more. Does the “more” include finished leather and paint?
2A.- You can use Eco Touch APC on paint with no problem. Just make sure the surface is not too hot as it will dry quickly. We normally do not recommend using Eco Touch APC on leather due its delicate nature. Eco Touch’s Leather Care formula is pH neutral and was specifically designed for cleaning and conditioning these types of surfaces.
3Q.-Should your APC be diluted for any specific surfaces or is it safe for all recommended surfaces out of the box?
3A.- Eco Touch APC comes in a ready-to-use format and is safe for the following surfaces out of the box: paint, wheels, undercarriage, plastic, vinyl and engine compartments.
4Q.-Can you provide an approximate shelf life for this product?
4A.- Approximate shelf life is 18 months.
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. We appreciate it!
Thanks Corey! Let me know if you have any other questions!
A Little More Information on Eco Touch:
I did a little research on Eco Touch as I was writing this article and found a lot of information. I want to mention a couple of the interesting things I found.
Eco-Touch is not a private-label. They manufacturer their own custom blended formulations, which they create in both ready-to-use and concentrated solutions. Those products are made in the USA and bottled in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and California.
Their website seems to reflect the same passion for the health of their customers as well as our pets and environment, that James made clear to me when I met him.