An increasing number of consumers are becoming aware of the products they use and the effects they may have on the environment.

With an abundance of natural cleaning products claiming to be green, a Consumer Reports poll has shown that while some are not as environmentally-friendly as they make out, there are some worth giving a try.

Colorado news provider 9news, claims that dishwasher tablets that perform the best usually contain phosphates, which are harmful to the environment.

Phosphate-free dishwashing products tend not to be the best cleaners, according to 9news, but the survey suggests that companies such as Ecover and Method are developing good quality natural cleaning tablets at a fair price.

The findings also indicate that there are some green washing detergents available that work well with lightly soiled loads including Method's Squeaky Green 3X Concentrated range.

Consumer Reports' tests found that recycled toilet paper is very rarely as soft as big-name brands but broke down easily in its disintegration testing, which makes it much better for the environment.