Is Mrs. Meyer’s Non-Toxic? What Two Preservatives Tell You

Mrs. Meyer’s publishes full ingredient lists for every product, and the EWG reproduces them variant by variant, so this is checkable rather than a matter of opinion. (EWG Mrs. Meyer’s ratings)

The base chemistry is genuinely better than conventional cleaners — plant-derived surfactants, named essential oils, Leaping Bunny certification. But every formulation we examined contains two isothiazolinone preservatives rather than one, several ethoxylated ingredients, and an undisclosed fragrance blend. On the preservative question specifically, it uses more than the mainstream brand it is usually positioned against.

This audit covers what is in the published lists, why two preservatives instead of one matters, an inconsistency in how fragrance is disclosed between variants of the same product, and where the brand is genuinely doing better than its competitors.

What Is Actually in Mrs. Meyer’s

Four products, four published lists, as reproduced by the EWG from the labels. The recurring components are what matter, not any single line.

This audit is built from ingredient lists published by the manufacturer and reproduced by the EWG. We have not tested any Mrs. Meyer’s product and we do not have access to the fragrance formulations.

Two Preservatives, Not One — and What That Means

Here is the finding that surprised us. Mrs. Meyer’s is commonly bought as the gentler alternative to a mainstream cleaner. On preservatives specifically, the published lists say the opposite.

Two things need saying plainly here. Preservatives are necessary — a water-based product without them grows bacteria and mould, which is a genuine problem rather than a theoretical one. And this is not a claim that either product is unsafe. Both are legal, widely sold, and used daily by millions of people without incident.

Who this actually matters to is narrow and specific: people with a diagnosed isothiazolinone contact allergy. It is a common patch-test allergen, and for someone who reacts, the relevant question is not which brand is “cleaner” but which preservative system is in the bottle. On that question, the published lists give a clear answer. See our Dawn audit for the same analysis applied to the mainstream comparison.

The Fragrance Disclosure Changes Between Scents

This one is genuinely odd, and we have not seen it noted elsewhere. Within the same product line, how much Mrs. Meyer’s tells you about its fragrance depends on which scent you buy.

The likely explanation is regulatory rather than sinister. EU rules require twenty-six specific fragrance allergens to be named above a threshold concentration, and a formulation sold into that market carries the fuller list. That labelling then travels with the product.

The consequence for a buyer is the same either way: whether you can check a Mrs. Meyer’s product for a specific fragrance allergen depends on which scent you chose. If you have a known sensitivity to linalool or limonene, Lemon Verbena tells you and Mint does not.

Where It Is Genuinely Better

An audit that only lists concerns is not an audit. Several things here are real improvements, and they are the reason the brand has the reputation it does.

• Full ingredient disclosure. Every component is listed. A great many cleaning products still disclose almost nothing, and this is the single most useful thing a brand can do.
• Plant-derived surfactants. Decyl glucoside and lauryl glucoside are milder on skin than the petroleum-derived surfactants they replace. This is not marketing.
• Named essential oils. Lavender, basil, lemongrass, black pepper seed oil and the rest are itemised individually rather than folded into “fragrance”.
• Leaping Bunny certified. A verifiable cruelty-free certification with an actual audit behind it, not a self-declared logo.
• No phosphates, no chlorine bleach, no ammonia in the formulations examined.

What “natural” does and does not mean here

“Natural” is not a regulated term for cleaning products. No agency defines it, certifies it or audits its use. Mrs. Meyer’s is not certified organic and does not claim to be. What it is, accurately described, is a conventional cleaner built on plant-derived surfactants with a synthetic fragrance and a synthetic preservative system.

That is a meaningful step up from the supermarket average. It is not the same thing as a product with no synthetic ingredients, and the garden-inspired branding does invite that reading.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mrs. Meyer’s non-toxic?

“Non-toxic” is not a regulated term and no agency certifies it. What the published lists show is plant-derived surfactants, full disclosure, named essential oils, and also a synthetic fragrance blend plus two isothiazolinone preservatives in every product. Better disclosure than most, not free of synthetics.

Is Mrs. Meyer’s better than Dawn?

On surfactants for the multi-surface and laundry lines, yes — plant-derived rather than petroleum. On preservatives, no: Mrs. Meyer’s carries two isothiazolinones where Dawn carries one. And the Mrs. Meyer’s dish soap uses sodium lauryl sulfate, the same primary surfactant as Dawn.

What is benzisothiazolinone?

A preservative in the isothiazolinone family, used to stop bacterial and fungal growth in water-based products. Like methylisothiazolinone it is a recognised contact allergen. Both appear together in every Mrs. Meyer’s formulation we examined.

Why does the ingredient list change between scents?

The base formulation is broadly consistent; what varies is fragrance disclosure. Lemon Verbena itemises six named allergens, Mint and Honeysuckle list only “fragrance”. EU rules requiring twenty-six specific allergens to be named above a threshold are the likely reason. Practically, some scents let you check for a specific allergen and others do not.

What should I look for instead?

If isothiazolinones are the concern, look for a named alternative preservative system — benzoates and sorbates are common — and check the last two lines of the list rather than the front of the bottle. If fragrance is the concern, an unscented product removes the variable entirely, since even itemised allergen lists are incomplete by design.

For the same category assessed against a government certification scheme, see our Seventh Generation audit. For how fragrance disclosure works in a scent product rather than a cleaner, see our Pura audit.