This week Pricewatch puts cleaning products to the test

Mr Muscle Multi-task

€1.99 for 500ml, €3.98 per litre

Highs: This multi-purpose cleaner from Mr Muscle has the advantage of being useful in the bathroom, kitchen and the living room. In addition to working on hobs and the like, this also promises to clean unsightly stains and spills from soft surfaces such as sofas and curtains with its active oxygen cleaning system, apparently an environmentally sounder bleaching agent. It has a pleasant, summery smell and is quite good value at €1.99.

Lows: You might find it struggles to shift serious fabric stains and you will certainly be disappointed if you think this will be the panacea to all your sloppiness.

Verdict: Good all-round cleaner.

Star rating: ***

Dettol Kitchen Cleaner

€2.61 for 500ml, €5.22 per litre

Highs: This has a nice, fresh lemony smell which leaves you with the inescapable impression that the just-cleaned surface is genuinely gleaming and free from all bacteria, although that may be thanks in part to Dettol's long-standing association with disinfectant products. It foams up well and removes stains fairly effortlessly.

Lows: It is the dearest of the non-eco-friendly products tried, yet is hardly any more efficient at cleaning than the Lidl brand, which makes you wonder whether you are paying a premium for a well-recognised brand. It comes in a fairly vile pale yellow colour, too.

Verdict: Cleans well but at a price.

Star rating: ****

Ecover All Purpose Cleaner

€4.35 for 500ml, €8.70 per litre

Highs: This eco-friendly option not only brings with it a feel-good factor, it is also the most pleasantly fragranced and is a fairly effective cleaner. It's versatile and can be used on food surfaces. It's also the only fluid to offer a refill option, priced in the region of €3.90, which is cheaper than the original bottle, and takes up less space.

Lows: It is considerably more expensive than the rest and many people won't consider buying it at this price. And while it works fine as an everyday cleaner it did seem to struggle at shifting really ground-on dirt. It is also the only container of those tried which can't be closed.

Verdict: Good for the environment, less so for your wallet.

Star rating: ****

Adrift Kitchen Cleaner from Lidl

€1.75 for 750ml, €2.33 per litre

Highs: This anti-bacterial cleaner comes in a larger sized bottle than its peers, which means you should, at least in theory, need to buy it less often. It is also the cheapest of the cleaners tried and has a surprisingly fresh and citrussey smell. Given its low cost it is also surprisingly effective at removing stubborn, ground-on gunge.

Lows: Adrift? Adrift is a distinctly odd, stupid even, name for any product and does not inspire a great deal of confidence. Nor does the cleaner's quite watery nature. While the full bottle was not finished, it's hard to imagine this lasting as long as some of the competition.

Verdict: Won't set your cleaning routine adrift.

Star rating: ***