18 Feb 2026
- smol cleaning products use less chemical dry matter than big brands
- Powerful stain removal at 20°C with less chemicals than the big brands
- smol Laundry Liquids use less chemicals than big brand liquids
- Super-concentrated formulas mean less liquid per wash
- Refill systems and bottles-for-life cut single-use plastic
- Less excess. Lots of cleaning power.
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 cleaning chemical comparison.
Capsule chemicals per wash.
Yep, we’ve tested our Laundry Capsules. Bio, Non-Bio and Fragrance-Free.
And when compared with leading brands, smol Laundry Capsules use less chemicals per wash.¹
But less doesn't mean less powerful.
Product | smol vs big brands |
smol Bio Capsules | 1.3g less chemicals per wash |
smol Non-bio Capsules | 5.7g less chemicals per wash |
smol Fragrance-free Capsules | 5.7g less chemicals per wash |
Powerful stain removal at 20°C with less chemicals than the big brands.
Our concentrated capsules are designed to tackle everyday stains on colder washes, without simply throwing more deterrent at your laundry.
Less chemical load. Still tough on stains.
It’s not about being “eco-friendly”. That’s not a word we really use.
It’s about being efficient: using what you need to get clothes brilliantly clean, without pointless extras and treading a little more lightly on the planet at the same time.
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 18% 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.
¹ For more information on all our testing and claims please visit smol.com/our-claims
Nay Gulsan, Regulatory & Compliance Manager
Nay is smol’s Regulatory Expert, specialising in regulations, safety, formulation and detergent science. She started her journey as a formulation chemist and has since conquered the technical field from toiletries, detergents and home fragrance. A nerdy know-it-all, passionate about doing the right thing, Nay is the expert in this space.
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