In the past, a clean home came as a result of a good scrub with a bottle of bleach and a mop but consumers are now much more aware of the cleaning products they use.

Many people may look for natural cleaning products labelled as green because environmental issues are such an important factor in today's ethically-aware society.

While green cleaners may contain some healthier ingredients or be a little less toxic than other products, but without anyone regulating the term, companies can make unsubstantiated claims, according to MSN Health and Fitness.

However, Stephen Ashkin, executive director of the Green Cleaning Network, says that there are certain brands that do exactly what they say they will. Method is one of the natural cleaning brands that is putting a concerted effort into replacing toxic surfactants with healthier, more biodegradable versions.

The most common ingredients used in ethical sanitising products are hydrogen peroxide, lactic acid, and citric acid, which are all believed to be safer antimicrobials and certainly safer than anything labelled flammable or corrosive.