Fragrance-free is not the same as ineffective
The smell of cleaning and the fact of cleaning are unrelated. Why we default to unscented products, and where we still make exceptions.
Why we went unscented by default
Fragrance is the most common trigger in the complaints we used to receive — headaches, asthma, and households with infants or cats. Removing it eliminated a whole category of problem at no cost to results.
Clients who want a scent can have one. It is an opt-in, applied at the end, and it never substitutes for the clean itself.
What actually removes soil
Three things: the right surfactant, enough dwell time, and mechanical agitation. Cloth quality matters more than brand names, and hot water matters more than either.
EPA Safer Choice listed products cover the overwhelming majority of domestic work without compromise. The exceptions are narrow: heavy limescale, oven carbon, and some grout.
Where we still make exceptions
For built-up carbon in ovens and severe limescale, a stronger product used once beats a gentle one applied ten times, on both effectiveness and total chemical load.
We flag those in advance, ventilate properly, and note them on the checklist so you know exactly what was used in your home.
A lemon smell is a marketing decision. Soil removal is a mechanical one.
