I tested supermarket spray cleaners – the winner is better than Flash and a third of the price
SWAPPING branded products for supermarket own-brand versions is a great way to save money.
But can you get the same quality at a cheaper price?
When it comes to cleaning your kitchen, you want to make sure you’re using a product that actually does what it claims to do.
So we’ve tested supermarkets’ own-brand multi-surface cleaning sprays to see how they compare against top quality brands Dettol and Flash.
We looked at how the sprays performed at various kitchen tasks, including removing cooking oil from a worktop, cleaning a metal hob and wiping down a kitchen bin.
Then we gave them a separate score out of ten for value money.
We outline below how the cleaning sprays scored out of 20 overall.
Flash Spray Wipe Done in Apple Blossom, £2.49 for 800ml
The Flash product had a clean, fresh smell and the easy-to-use spray function meant it covered a satisfyingly large area with just one squeeze.
However, it did leave slight streak marks on the marble worktop and metal surfaces it was tested on.
At 31p per 100ml, this was nearly three times more expensive than most of the supermarket brands – and it certainly wasn’t three times better.
Performance: 8/10
Value for money: 5/10
TOTAL SCORE: 13/20
Dettol Antibacterial Surface Cleaner, £2 for 750ml
Dettol’s spray claimed to have “no odour” on the label but it actually had quite a harsh chemical smell.
Like Flash, the bottle was easy-to-use and had an effective spray function.
It cleaned up a greasy worktop in just one wipe and, according to the label, it kills more germs than any other spray we tested, including the flu, Covid and RSV (cold) viruses, as well as removing pollen and dust mites.
At 27p per 100ml, this spray might be worth the extra expense if you are particularly concerned about germs – but for general kitchen cleaning, far cheaper brands were just as effective.
Performance: 8/10
Value for money: 6/10
TOTAL SCORE: 14/20
Tesco Anti Bac Multi Purpose Surface Cleanser, 85p for 750ml
The Tesco spray had an annoying spray function that meant it only squirted in a small area and dribbled.
It also had a strong chemical smell – like toilet cleaner – and left streaks when used on a metal surface.
But, it was very effective at cutting through grease on a worktop. And, like Dettol, it killed flu and Covid viruses, as well as bacteria.
At just 11p per 100ml, it wasn’t bad for the price.
Performance: 6/10
Value for money: 7/10
TOTAL SCORE: 13/20
Asda Multi Surface Cleaning Spray Anti Bac, £1 for 750ml
Asda’s cleaning spray was similar in style to Flash.
It had a fresh citrus smell and the spray coverage was better than some of the cheaper supermarket brands.
It left metal surfaces like a stovetop and bin sparkling clean without streaks, but struggled to cut through grease on a worktop and to shift dried-on sticky stains.
This was an anti-bac spray but it didn’t claim to kill any viruses, unlike most of the other sprays.
At 13p per 100ml, it was also slightly more expensive than other supermarket own-brands but wasn’t necessarily better.
Performance: 7/10
Value for money: 6/10
TOTAL SCORE: 13/20
Sainsbury’s Anti-bacterial Cleanser, 85p for 750ml
The Sainsbury’s spray came in a very similar bottle to the Tesco and Morrisons versions, which meant it didn’t spray well and dribbled.
Like Tesco’s, it also had a harsh chemical smell but cut through grease effectively.
It also claims to kill flu and Covid, as well as bacteria.
At 11p per 100ml, it was the same price as most supermarket versions and of similar quality.
Performance: 6/10
Value for money: 7/10
TOTAL SCORE: 13/20
Morrisons Anti-Bacterial Cleaner Citrus Sparkle, 85p for 750ml
The Morrisons’ spray was the same price and very similar to the Tesco and Sainsbury’s versions, except it had a harsh, chemical lemon smell.
And unlike Tesco and Sainsbury’s, the label said it killed the flu virus but not Covid.
It did a pretty good job of cleaning a dirty sink and cutting through grease easily on a worktop, though, if you can get past the smell.
Performance: 6/10
Value for money: 7/10
TOTAL SCORE: 13/20
Aldi Power Force Antibacterial Surface Cleanser, 85p for 750ml
Aldi’s spray had a fresh, clean smell which wasn’t too harsh.
The bottle had an effective, powerful spray mechanism that was easy to use – but we noticed the product left slight smears on surfaces.
The label doesn’t specify exactly which ones, but it kills bacteria and some viruses.
It costs just 11p per 100ml – nearly three times cheaper than Flash.
Performance: 6/10
Value for money: 7/10
TOTAL SCORE: 13/20
WINNER
Lidl W5 Antiviral Antibacterial Multi Surface, 85p for 750ml
We loved the Lidl spray, which was easy-to-use with good coverage and had a very light, fresh smell.
It cleaned up grease in one wipe and left fewer smears than Flash on a shiny metal stove top.
The product says it kills both bacteria and viruses, although the label doesn’t specify if this includes flu and Covid.
But for a clean kitchen at nearly a third of the price, we would choose Lidl’s product over the brands every time.
Performance: 9/10
Value for money: 8/10
TOTAL SCORE: 17/20
What are the rules for labels?
UNIT prices show you how much different products would cost if they were sold in packs of the same weight or volume, the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) says.
Unit prices show you how much different products would cost if they
were sold in packs of the same weight or volume, the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) says.
This helps you to compare prices of similar products which are sold in different sized packets .
These unit prices can usually be found on the labels on supermarket shelves, or as part of the online listing.
They can be shown in weight (kilo or gram) or volume (litre or millilitre) or could be shown as price per item.
Comparing unit prices can help you choose the best value product.
Sometimes items sold in bigger packs might look better value, but actually be more expensive by weight or volume.
For example, when choosing between three packs of orange juice of
different sizes, using unit pricing would help you check which type of
orange juice is most expensive.
For example a 600ml bottle costing 95p works out as 15.8p per 100ml. A 1.5L “family pack” costing £3.50 works out as 23.3p per 100ml, making the smaller bottle better value.
These rules come under legislation known as the Price Marking Order 2004.
But, there’s no obligation for these unit prices to be consistent between similar products.
For instance one brand of orange juice might show the unit price in litres, and another in millilitres.
There is also no requirement that these unit prices are shown on the lower price when an item is discounted or on offer, or how they are displayed, for instance prominence, font size or colour.
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