What is Greenwashing? 8 Ways to Spot It (and Avoid Being Fooled)
by Kay Baker on Sep 23, 2025
What is Greenwashing? 8 Ways to Spot It (and Avoid Being Fooled)
Written by: Kay Baker, MS, OTR/L – CEO & Co‑Founder • Reviewed by: Matthew Keasey, Ph.D. – Chief Science Officer • Last reviewed:
You have seen it. That cleaning spray in a suspiciously bright green bottle, covered in leaves, promising an “eco‑friendly” clean. It feels good for a second. You are making a better choice, right? Maybe. But maybe not.
This feeling of being led down a green garden path has a name: greenwashing. It is what happens when a company spends more energy looking green than being green — using vague claims and pretty pictures to win your trust without doing the hard work of building truly sustainable products. The good news: once you know the tricks of the trade, greenwashing gets surprisingly easy to spot.
Think of this as your new superpower. Let us pull back the curtain on the 8 most common ways companies try to fool you — and how to outsmart them.
1) The Eco‑Smokescreen (vague & fluffy language)
You will see words like “eco‑friendly,” “earth‑conscious,” “green,” “natural,” or “sustainable” with nothing to back them up. Your power move: look for specifics you can verify — ingredients, packaging details, and credible certifications.
2) The Hidden Trade‑Off
A company shouts about one “good” attribute while hoping you will not notice the not‑so‑green stuff behind the scenes. Your power move: think lifecycle — sourcing, manufacturing, use, and end‑of‑life.
3) The Green Bottle Lie (suggestive imagery)
Green = nature. Leaves = healthy. Waterfalls = pure. Designers know your brain connects those dots. Your power move: ignore the pictures; flip the bottle and read the label.
4) The “Uh, That’s the Law” Trick (irrelevant claims)
“CFC‑free” sounds great — but class I ozone‑depleting substances like CFCs were phased out in the U.S. decades ago. Your power move: if a claim feels too obvious, look it up; real leadership is about what a brand is doing today, not about avoiding already‑banned ingredients.
5) The “Trust Me” Approach (lack of proof)
Claims like “biodegradable,” “non‑toxic,” or “100% dissolvable” without evidence are a red flag. In U.S. guidance, you can only make an unqualified “degradable” claim when the entire item will completely decompose within about one year after customary disposal. Your power move: demand receipts — a research page, third‑party certifications (EPA Safer Choice, EWG Verified), or clear ingredient lists.
6) The Jargon Overload (blinding you with science‑y words)
Hyper‑technical language can be used to obscure simple truths. Your power move: you should not need a chemistry degree to understand your cleaner; prefer brands that explain what each ingredient does in plain English.
7) The Lesser‑of‑Two‑Evils Trap
Comparing to an even worse alternative to look good — while still being far from ideal. Your power move: judge products on their own merits, not just against the worst competitor.
8) The Fake‑Out (fibbing with labels)
Made‑up seals that mimic real ones. Your power move: get familiar with trusted programs: Leaping Bunny (cruelty‑free with supply‑chain monitoring), EPA Safer Choice (every ingredient is reviewed), EWG Verified, and USDA Certified Biobased.
You have the power
By knowing what to look for, you move from passive consumer to empowered change‑maker. You can walk that cleaning aisle with confidence, see past the noise, and pick products that match your values.
That is the mission behind The Power of Positive Cleaning™. We believe in transparency and proof, so you never have to guess. It is why we are Leaping Bunny certified, why our Dishwasher Tabs are EWG‑Verified, and why we publish what is in our formulas — and why.
