Have supermarket cleaning products gone out of style? I’m a Cleaning Editor, and this is what I really think about ‘premium’ cleaning products

You’ve seen them all over social media, on your TV screens, and even on the train, and there’s no denying premium cleaning brands are doing everything they can to make sure everyone knows their names. But are they worth it? Well, I’ve always been a little sceptical.

As Ideal Home’s Cleaning Editor, it’s my job to test the best cleaning products out there - many of which can be found down the supermarket aisles or in bargain retailers. But in recent years, a new generation of eco-friendly cleaning products has come out of the woodwork, supposedly offering premium quality, scents and cleaning power.

Personally, paying anything more than a few pounds for a cleaning product has always felt like an unnecessary purchase. But I’m open to trying anything, so I got my hands on bestselling kits from two of the biggest ‘premium’ cleaning brands on the market right now (Purdy & Figg and smol) and put them to the test in my home. This is what I found out.

The delivery

I’d be lying if I said that the delivery of these cleaning products wasn’t exciting. Unlike supermarket purchases or even Amazon cleaning product orders, these came boxed in fancy, branded packaging that screamed 'premium'. Many of the products inside were then encased in their own smaller boxes, and there wasn’t a single piece of plastic in sight. Tick!

And while smol’s packaging was certainly a step up from the supermarket, Purdy & Figg was undoubtedly the winner on the delivery and packaging front. Opening it up felt like a luxury experience in itself, with the bottles and cleaning cloths laid out beautifully. And the scent? 'Wow', is all I can say (but more on that later).

The design and setup

Purdy & Figg and smol aren’t like traditional, pre-made cleaning products. Instead, you have to do a bit of potion-making, mixing the contents of the smaller glass refill bottles with water in the larger, reusable glass bottles.

Purdy & Figg has opted for brown bottles similar to the ones I have used to make my own cleaning products in the past, with the name printed on the front. One of the two bottles in my set also had an anti-slip silicone base to prevent scratches and damage. However, it’s a shame they don’t offer this anti-slip base with both bottles, though, as buying another will set you back another £6 on their website.

This is something smol does offer, as all three bottles in my set came with anti-slip bases that add practicality and style to the neutral colourway and design. These larger bottles - and the smaller refill bottles - also differ, as they’re 100% recycled aluminium instead of glass.

Both sets also came with two cleaning cloths, the setup was virtually identical, and they’re both undoubtedly a step up from gauche supermarket bottles and branding. But it's hard to choose a winner on design: Purdy & Figg is more traditional, while smol is more modern and neutral. Personally? I prefer smol's neutrality.

However, both brands also offer very different designs beyond the ones I tested. Purdy & Figg offers seasonal and collaborative branding - like this Autumn Complete Starter Kit (£51 at Purdy & Figg) - and smol also offers very bright, colourful bottle options - like this Surface Clean Switches Bundle (£28.50 at smol).

The smell

Don’t get me wrong, smol’s cleaning products smell lovely and left my house smelling amazing. But there's a valid reason why Purdy & Figg always raves about the scent their products leave. They really are heavenly, and so long-lasting.

The different products - Counter Clean and Bathroom Bliss - are all made from unique essential oil blends that are tailored to different rooms and areas. The bathroom scents are fresh and citrusy, while the surface cleaners are slightly richer and more varied. And one of the things I loved most was that I could still smell the fragrance over 24 hours after cleaning with them.

In my eyes, this is a complete step-up from supermarket cleaning products - especially chemical cleaners that leave behind the stench of bleach. On the other hand, many natural cleaning hacks don’t have much of a smell at all.

It’s only really when you clean with essential oils that you can enjoy these fragrances, and what I love about Purdy & Figg - and smol, too - is that they offer a wide range of scents within these packs so you can pick and choose your favourites as you go on.

Just be warned that Purdy & Figg fragrances can be overwhelming if you have a sensitive nose like me. I found that pouring ¾ of the refill into the bottle was strong enough for me, as the full bottle was just way too strong for my liking.

The cleaning power

I don’t have the budget, equipment or, quite frankly, the intelligence to do full-scale microbial tests on the cleaning products I review for Ideal Home. Instead, I base much of my testing on visible differences, overall results, and the ingredients list.

And one big negative of both brands is that they don't offer any products with antibacterial or disinfectant properties; instead, they use eco-friendly surfactants to break down grime and make bacteria unstable. This is still more than enough for everyday cleaning, but it might not give you the peace of mind of knowing you’re ridding your home of bacteria.

You will also need at least one other true disinfectant or antibacterial product in your cleaning caddy if you deal with raw meat, since these premium products won’t protect against it.

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The ingredients in Purdy & Figg cleaning products are water, plant-derived surfactants and essential oils. The ingredients in smol products vary depending on the product, but most are made from surfactants, enzymes and cleaning agents - meaning they’re closer to the ingredients used in supermarket cleaning products, but way more eco-friendly and natural.

I found this obvious during testing, as the smol products were more effective at removing tougher grime from my surfaces. This was especially true in my bathroom, as the lovely, foaming cleaning solution actively removed built-up soap scum and toothpaste stains without any scrubbing on my part.

In the kitchen, the results weren’t quite as black-and-white. My husband (the dedicated kitchen cleaner) said he preferred the streak-free finish Purdy & Figg Counter Clean offered, but that smol removed grime from the hob far more effectively. On a dirty draining board, smol also reigned supreme, but Purdy & Figg wasn’t far behind.

However, my husband and I questioned a few times whether we were just getting sucked in by Purdy & Figg's shine and scent. After all, when it smells clean, you just assume that it is clean.

But when you delve into some of the products - like the Oh! de Loo, especially - it's advertised as a deodoriser rather than an actual cleaner. This isn't the case across the board, but it's a good idea to double-check the specifics of what you're buying before you purchase, because the Oh! de Loo smelled incredible, but didn't actually have any cleaning effects.

The price

Unusually, smol is a subscription-only service that allows you to set up a recurring (and fairly flexible) delivery schedule by direct debit. In theory, this means that your products should arrive on your doorstep as soon as you run out of your last lot. You’re not locked into this, and can cancel anytime.

You can also try a free trial of the laundry capsules and the dishwasher tablets if you want to try before you buy. The refill system also makes it more affordable than other premium brands, with smol estimating that ongoing refill packs for the Multi-Purpose Cleaning Spray (after you’ve bought the starter pack with the bottle) will cost around £1.17 per 500ml bottle.

Purdy & Figg is more readily available, and you can even buy it on Amazon. You can also choose to buy it as a one-off or as part of a subscription service, with the latter making it slightly cheaper. All in, though, it’s much pricier.

After you’ve bought your initial starter kit, the subscription price comes to around £20.40 for a pack of three refills, which works out to about £6.80 per 300ml bottle - which is steep considering you can buy a 2L refill bottle of Method Anti-Bacterial All Purpose Cleaner (which also smells delicious) for £8.20 at Amazon.

However, it really is different strokes for different folks, and it’s hard to deny that both brands offer an entirely premium experience and scent for a little (and sometimes a lot) extra money every now and then.

Personally, I can see myself buying the smol on subscription for my everyday cleaning products, but then treating myself to Purdy & Figg refills to keep in the cupboard for a once-a-week scent refresh… because it really does smell that good.

But many other mainstream eco-friendly brands and supermarket own-brand cleaning products clean just as well if you don’t have the money to splash. They might not smell or look as nice, but they’ll still do the job. After all, these premium cleaning products are a nice extra… not a need.

I must admit that I've been swayed, but are you team supermarket or team premium?