Learning how to evaluate product claims can make shopping for household products a lot less confusing. You know those products where the front of the package is covered in words like “natural,” “plant-based,” “eco-friendly,” and “non-toxic”?

You may look at those labels and think, okay, this looks nice, but what does that actually mean?

Some claims are useful. Some are pretty vague. And some sound much more impressive than the information they actually give you.

Start With The Exact Claim

Part of learning how to evaluate product claims is getting used to looking at the exact wording instead of making assumptions about what a company means.

First, read what the package actually says. This sounds so obvious, but it’s surprisingly easy to turn a short claim into something much bigger in your head.

“Made with plant-based ingredients” isn’t the same as “100% plant-based.” “Fragrance-free” isn’t the same as “made without added fragrance.” And “biodegradable” doesn’t tell you everything about how, where, or how quickly something breaks down.

I’m not saying these claims are bad. They’re just different claims that are being made.

Ask Yourself What The Claim Actually Tells You

Once you know what the company is claiming, ask yourself what you actually learned from it.

Take “plant-based,” for example. That tells you something about the source of the ingredients, depending on how the company uses the claim. It doesn’t tell you that the product is non-toxic, organic, or better for the environment. The same goes for “natural.”

I explain the differences between these terms in my guide, [Non-Toxic vs. Natural vs. Organic: What’s The Difference Between The 3?].

One word on the front of a bottle isn’t going to tell you everything about what’s inside.

Look For Specifics

I tend to pay more attention when a company gives me an actual detail instead of just a nice-sounding adjective.

For example, “made with 95% plant-based ingredients” gives you more to work with than “plant-based.” It just gives you something specific to evaluate.

The same idea applies to other claims. If a company says a product is free from something, tells you what percentage of the formula comes from a certain source, or explains exactly what part of the product a claim applies to, that’s much more helpful than a broad statement with no explanation.

Be A Little Skeptical Of Broad Terms

There are certain words that sound great on a label but can leave you wondering what the company actually means.

“Clean.” “Green.” “Eco-friendly.” “Natural.” “Non-toxic.”

I’m not saying you should see one of these words and immediately put the product back on the shelf. I use plenty of products that make broad claims like these. I just wouldn’t let the word itself make the decision for me.

If something says “eco-friendly,” for example, I’d want to know what part of the product makes it eco-friendly. Is it the ingredients? The packaging? The manufacturing process? Something else?

The more specific the company gets, the easier it is to understand what you’re actually buying.

Check For Certifications

This is one place where I think a product claim can become much more useful.

Some certifications have specific standards that products have to meet before they can use the certification’s mark. That gives you something concrete to look into rather than relying entirely on a company’s own description of its product.

Of course, certifications aren’t all the same. Some are relevant to certain products and completely irrelevant to others. That’s why I wouldn’t just see a little seal on the package and assume it means everything is wonderful. Look up what the certification actually covers.

I’ve broken down several of them in the [5 Cleaning Product Certifications: Ultimate Guide] and [Household Textile Certifications: What They Actually Mean] guides if you want to know more about some of the most common product certifications.

Look At What The Claim Leaves Out

This is something I think gets overlooked. A company might highlight one thing that sounds really appealing while leaving you with very little information about everything else.

Say a laundry detergent is “dye-free.” Great, if you’re trying to avoid dyes. But that one claim doesn’t tell you about the rest of it.

Or maybe a cleaner says it’s “plant-based.” That tells you something about the ingredients, but it doesn’t answer every question you might have about fragrance, preservatives, packaging, or how the product was made. Again, that doesn’t make the claim dishonest. It just means it’s one fact about the product, not the entire product.

See If The Company Explains It

If you’re learning how to evaluate product claims, the company’s website is one of the first places I’d check when a claim isn’t clear.

Does it explain what the claim means? Does it tell you what percentage of the product the claim applies to? Does it explain where the ingredients come from? Does it provide information about testing or certification?

Sometimes the answer is yes, and you can get a pretty clear picture of what the company is talking about.

Other times you click around the website for five minutes and somehow know less than when you started. I personally would not give a vague claim much weight if the company can’t explain it.

Don’t Let “Free From” Do All The Work

“Free from” claims can be genuinely helpful, especially if you’re trying to avoid a particular ingredient.

You might see:

• “Fragrance-free“
• “Dye-free“
• “Chlorine-free“
• “Phosphate-free“
• “PFAS-free“

That only tells you what isn’t in the product. This is another reason it’s helpful to know how to evaluate product claims. A single “free from” statement doesn’t tell you everything about a product.

If a detergent is free from dyes, that doesn’t tell you what ingredients are being used instead. If a cleaner is free from fragrance, that doesn’t tell you everything else about it.

This is where looking at the ingredient list comes in handy. We just covered that in [How to Read Ingredient Lists: Essential Tips], so you don’t have to rely on the front of the package alone.

Don’t Assume The Most Claims Means The Best Product

This one is easy to fall into. You see one product with a completely plain label and another covered in little phrases about being natural, clean, green, plant-based, sustainable, and free from approximately 47 things. It’s tempting to assume the second one must be the better option. But a long list of claims isn’t really a scorecard.

I’d rather have a product with a few claims I can actually understand than one covered in marketing language that sounds impressive but doesn’t give me much information. Sometimes the boring label is the most helpful one.

A Quick Way To Evaluate Product Claims Before You Buy

You really don’t need to stand in the cleaning aisle conducting a full-on investigation. I personally like to research products beforehand, but hey, impulse shopping happens!

When a claim catches your attention, ask:

What Exactly Is The Company Saying?

Not what you think they’re saying. What does the label actually say?

Is It Specific?

The more detail you have, the easier it is to evaluate.

Can I Find An Explanation?

Check the company’s website if you’re not sure what a claim means.

Is There A Certification Behind It?

If there is, look into what that certification actually covers.

Does The Rest Of The Label Make Sense With The Claim?

Check the ingredients, materials, and other information available.

Does This Particular Claim Even Matter To Me?

This one gets forgotten. A claim can be completely legitimate and still not be something you care about when choosing a product.

If you know how to evaluate product claims, you can get past the marketing language a little faster and focus on the information that actually helps you compare products.

You Don’t Have To Get Every Decision Right

I don’t think shopping for household products needs to become an endless exercise in researching ingredients, certifications, and marketing claims.

Sometimes you’ll look at a product and decide you have enough information or that you want to look it up. And sometimes you’ll pick the one that smells nice and is on sale. You’re allowed to be a person too.

The point is just to know when a claim gives you useful information and when it’s mostly just a nice phrase to look at. Once you know how to evaluate product claims, it’s easier to decide which ones are actually worth paying attention to.

Once you get used to checking the wording, looking for specifics, and digging a little deeper when something doesn’t make sense, these claims become a lot easier to navigate.

Final Thoughts

Product claims can be helpful. They can also be vague. I don’t think you need to distrust every company that uses words like “natural” or “eco-friendly.” I’d just avoid letting one attractive phrase make the entire purchasing decision for you.

Read the claim. See if the company explains it. Check the rest of the label. Look for a relevant certification when one exists. Then decide whether the information actually matters to you. That’s really all there is to it.

Commonly Asked Questions About Evaluating Product Claims