EWG Verified Wipes: What the Ratings Mean & Which Are Actually Safe
Most wipes you'd grab at a grocery store, Clorox, Lysol, Windex, score a D or F on the Environmental Working Group's Healthy Cleaning Guide. That matters because EWG's grading is one of the few independent evaluations that looks at what's actually in a product, not what the packaging claims. If you've ever stood in a cleaning aisle wondering which "natural" or "gentle" wipe is actually safe around a baby or during pregnancy, EWG ratings are where to start. And EWG Verified is the standard that tells you a product cleared the highest bar.
TL;DR:
1. EWG's Healthy Cleaning Guide grades products A–F based on ingredient safety, environmental impact, and disclosure transparency.
2. Most major disinfecting wipes (Clorox, Lysol, Windex) score D or F — primarily due to quats, bleach, and fragrance.
3. EWG Verified is a separate, higher certification — it requires full ingredient disclosure, nothing on EWG's Unacceptable list, and third-party verification.
4. Scrunchy All-Purpose Wipes are EWG Verified — every ingredient disclosed, quats-free, fragrance-free, rinse surfaces thoroughly before food or skin contact, and 100% cotton.
Key Takeaways
- EWG grades A through F based on three factors: health hazard potential, environmental impact, and ingredient transparency.
- Quats, bleach, harsh solvents, and synthetic fragrance are the four ingredients most responsible for D and F grades in cleaning wipes.
- An EWG "A" rating means low concern. EWG Verified means the whole product has been independently reviewed and meets EWG's strictest standards.
- The fragrance loophole is legal: "fragrance" on a label can conceal dozens of undisclosed chemicals, and EWG penalizes heavily for it.
How EWG Grades Cleaning Products
The Environmental Working Group's Guide to Healthy Cleaning grades products on a scale of A through F across three dimensions:
- Health hazard: whether ingredients are associated with asthma, skin sensitization, cancer, or reproductive harm
- Environmental impact: whether the formula breaks down safely or persists in waterways and wildlife
- Ingredient disclosure: whether the brand fully discloses every ingredient, or hides behind terms like "fragrance" or "preservative blend"
An A means lowest concern across all three. An F means significant concerns, often a combination of hazardous ingredients and incomplete disclosure. Most products fall in the C–D range, which means there are meaningful concerns but not outright dangerous formulas. D and F are where you want to pay attention.
What Most Popular Wipes Score
| Brand | Product | EWG Grade | Primary Concern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clorox | Disinfecting Wipes, Original | D | Sodium hypochlorite (bleach) |
| Lysol | Disinfecting Wipes, Lemon Lime | D | Quats (alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride) |
| Windex | Original Glass Wipes | F | Ammonium hydroxide, ethanolamine, synthetic fragrance |
| Up & Up (Target) | Disinfecting Wipes, Lemon | D | Quats, d-limonene (fragrance component) |
These grades aren't about marketing or opinion. They reflect the ingredients in the formula and how transparently those ingredients are disclosed. A product that hides behind "fragrance" will lose points for disclosure regardless of whether the fragrance is actually harmful.
The Four Ingredients That Tank a Wipe's Score
Quats (Quaternary Ammonium Compounds)
Quats, listed as "benzalkonium chloride," "didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride," or anything ending in "ammonium chloride," are the active disinfecting agent in most conventional wipes. Research on quaternary ammonium compounds has associated occupational quat exposure with asthma and skin sensitization. For a surface a baby is about to touch, quat residue is a real concern. It doesn't rinse away between your wiping and your child's next contact.
Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite)
Bleach is effective at disinfection but releases chlorine gas when it reacts with other household chemicals, and causes respiratory irritation in enclosed spaces. EWG flags sodium hypochlorite for both health and environmental concerns.
Harsh Solvents
Ingredients like ammonium hydroxide and ethanolamine, common in glass and multi-surface cleaners, are flagged by the Environmental Working Group for respiratory effects and potential organ toxicity at repeated exposure. These are the ingredients behind the sharp chemical smell in conventional glass wipes.
Synthetic Fragrance
"Fragrance" or "parfum" on a label is a legal catch-all that can conceal hundreds of undisclosed chemical ingredients, including hormone disruptors and known allergens, without requiring individual disclosure. The FDA does not require fragrance ingredients to be listed individually on cleaning product labels, making it one of the most common hidden hazard pathways in everyday cleaning products. EWG penalizes products heavily for this. It's one of the fastest routes to an F.
EWG Verified: A Higher Bar Than a Good Grade
Getting an EWG "A" rating means a product's ingredients score well in EWG's database. EWG Verified is a separate certification that means more:
- Every ingredient must be fully disclosed — no fragrance loophole, no "preservative blend"
- No ingredients on EWG's Unacceptable list
- No ingredients on EWG's Fragrance of Concern list
- Manufacturing facility must comply with Good Manufacturing Practices
- The product undergoes third-party verification — not just self-reported data
It's the difference between a product that happens to have low-concern ingredients and a product that's been independently verified to meet the highest transparency and safety standards. For cleaning products that go on surfaces your child touches, it's the most meaningful certification to look for.
Why Scrunchy All-Purpose Wipes Are EWG Verified
Scrunchy All-Purpose Wipes carry EWG Verified status. Here's what's actually in them. No loopholes, no "fragrance blend":
| Ingredient (INCI) | What It Is | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Purified Water (Aqua) | Water | Base; mineral-free to prevent residue |
| Musa Sapientum (Banana) Leaf/Trunk Extract | Plant-derived enzyme from banana leaf/trunk | Active cleaning agent + natural preservative |
| Sodium Gluconate | Plant-based chelator | Softens water; prevents mineral film on surfaces |
| Sodium Citrate | Citrate salt | pH balancer derived from citrus |
| Glycerin | Vegetable glycerin | Skin conditioner; prevents hands from drying out |
| Coco-Glucoside | Coconut-derived surfactant | Lifts dirt and grime without harsh solvents |
| Decyl Glucoside | Plant sugar-derived surfactant | Works with Coco-Glucoside for gentle, effective cleaning |
| Citric Acid | Citric acid | Natural pH optimizer; helps formula work in hard water |
No quats. No bleach. No synthetic fragrance. No alcohol. No dyes. No parabens. The substrate is 100% cotton, not polyester or polypropylene, so you're not shedding microplastics onto the surface you're trying to clean.
The formula is safe for household surfaces. Wipe, rinse briefly before food contact, then use. No bulk, no dried-out canister.
Ready to make the switch? Scrunchy All-Purpose Wipes →
FAQ
Q: What's the difference between an EWG "A" rating and EWG Verified?
An EWG "A" rating means a product's ingredients score in the lowest concern range in EWG's database. It's based on the ingredients as listed. EWG Verified is a separate certification program that requires full ingredient disclosure, third-party verification, compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices, and no ingredients on EWG's Unacceptable or Fragrance of Concern lists. A product can have an A rating without being EWG Verified. EWG Verified is the higher standard.
Q: Do EWG Verified wipes actually clean as well as Clorox or Lysol?
Yes, but through a different mechanism. EWG Verified wipes like Scrunchy use plant-derived surfactants and enzymatic cleaning agents to physically lift and remove dirt, grime, and biological soil. Conventional wipes use quats or bleach to disinfect, meaning kill pathogens to a specific log reduction. For everyday household surfaces and on-the-go use, cleaning (removing contamination) is the appropriate goal. The CDC distinguishes between cleaning and disinfecting: for most home and restaurant use cases, thorough cleaning is sufficient and doesn't require leaving quat residue behind.
Q: Is "fragrance-free" the same as "unscented"?
No. And this matters on a label. "Unscented" means a masking fragrance was added to cover up the product's chemical smell, which still counts as "fragrance" for labeling purposes. "Fragrance-free" means no fragrance ingredients of any kind were added. EWG Verified products must be genuinely fragrance-free. No masking agents, no fragrance of concern.
Q: How do I look up a wipe's EWG rating myself?
Go to ewg.org/guides/cleaners, search the product name or brand, and look for the letter grade and the flagged ingredients. Pay particular attention to the "Ingredient Concerns" section. That's where you'll see whether quats, synthetic fragrance, or undisclosed ingredients are responsible for a low grade.
⚠ Do Not Flush. Dispose of used wipes in a trash bin only.
Ready to make the switch? The Scrunchy All-Purpose Wipes are EWG Verified, 100% cotton, quats-free, and individually wrapped. Rinse surfaces before food contact. Want personalized non-toxic swaps for your family? Try ScrunchyAI free for 14 days →
About the Author
Jenn Smith, RN BSN, is a registered nurse, mom, and co-founder of Scrunchy Living. She writes evidence-based guides to non-toxic living, pregnancy-safe products, and clean home practices for modern families.