18 Feb 2026
A smol vs big chemical and carbon cleaning cheat sheet:
- smol cleaning products use less chemical dry matter than big brands
- Our laundry capsules contain up to 6.7g less chemicals per wash
- smol laundry liquids use up to 10% less chemicals than big brand liquids
- Big cleaning brands inflate liquid doses by up to 75% (much of it water)
- smol = same (or better) performance, with less chemical load overall
- Refill systems and bottles-for-life cut single-use plastic
Big cleaning brands love to shout about power and fragrance (fair enough, we do too).
BUT there’s one thing they’re much quieter about. How much chemical load actually goes into your home (and down the drain).
Because when you compare cleaning products by chemical dry weight, not bottle size or pod shape/colour… a very different picture appears.
chemical load is the new comparison.
Many big cleaning brands rely on:
- larger doses
- higher chemical volumes
- diluted formulas padded out with water
Want to know the most honest way to compare products across categories?
Dry matter testing.
This testing strips away the water and fragrance and measures out the remaining ingredients… basically the ones doing the heavy lifting when it comes to getting your home and clothing clean. It lets you know what’s really in a product. And that’s why we do it here at smol.
laundry chemical comparison.
capsule chemicals per wash.
Yep, we’ve tested all our capsules. Bio, non-bio and even fragrance-free.
Product | smol vs big brands |
smol bio capsules | 6.7g less chemicals per wash |
smol non-bio capsules | 5.8g less chemicals per wash |
smol fragrance-free capsules | 5.8g less chemicals per wash |
a smol comparison to Ariel, Persil or Fairy?
Compared to the big brands, dry matter testing instantly shows how much less you need for a brilliant clean with smol. And while further Independent testing shows that cleaning performance between smol and the big brands is the same:
- Big brands use higher chemical dry weights
- smol relies on concentration, not dilution
- Less chemical load still delivers a deep clean with smol
This isn’t about being “eco-friendly”. That’s not a word we really use. It’s about being efficient.
liquid chemical dry weight per wash.
Laundry liquid is a perfect example of cleaning big-brand behaviour.
- Doses are inflated by up to 54%
- Some of that increase is unnecessary chemicals
- Much of it = just water
Product | smol vs big brands |
Bio laundry liquid | 0.6g less chemicals per wash |
Non bio laundry liquid | 0.5g less chemicals per wash |
Overall, smol laundry liquids use up to 10% less chemicals (dry matter) than the big brands, are far more concentrated but STILL give exceptional results to match those same brands.
fabric conditioner comparisons.
And let’s not forget fabric conditioners (people often do). But the big brands stuff them full of fillers and pack them out with water, all so you can have the privilege of lugging gigantic plastic bottles about!
A 500ml bottle (refillable) of smol fabric conditioner uses 131.44g less chemicals than the big brand equivalents. It’s using 77% less liquid per wash and 4 pumps is all you need for wonderfully soft and fragrant laundry.
cleaning chemical comparison around the home.
Spoiler: the chemical-load gap doesn’t end with laundry.
chemical dry weight per 500ml bottle.
Product | smol vs big brands |
49g less chemicals | |
5g less chemicals | |
10g less chemicals | |
2.05g less chemicals |
And let’s not forget our dishwasher tablets. Each tab uses 2.5g less chemicals than the leading brands for the same brilliant clean and dazzling dishes.
If you want cleaning products that are heavy on dirt and lighter on the planet, you really don’t need to look any further.
cleaning chemical FAQs.
is using fewer chemicals less effective?
No. Independent testing shows smol matches or beats big brands on performance.
what’s dry matter testing?
It measures the actual chemicals in a product after removing all water and fragrance.
is smol an eco-friendly brand?
We don’t use that label. We focus on measurable reductions in chemicals, carbon and waste.
do smol products clean as well as big brands?
Yes! And often better, especially with our targeted products like stain gel.
why does chemical load matter?
Because everything we use within our homes has an impact and what we rinse away enters into our waterways.
For more information on all our testing and claims please visit smol.com/our-claims