I have been wanting to continue the spring cleaning theme from earlier — unfortunately, we have to clean in the summer too. The Thymes makes cleaning products (and more) in four scents, and I recently got the chance to try the Dishwashing Liquid and All Purpose Cleaning Spray in Apricot Quince (the other fragrances are Mandarin Coriander, Lavender Bergamot and Kumquat Lime). I was in a bit of a rush when I first opened the package and only had time for a quick sniff. My initial response was 'yum'! I got a whiff of full-on fruity peachy sweet.

The Thymes website describes the scent as "succulent, tender and overflowing with the luscious orchard aroma of ripe apricots, juicy peaches and sweet cassis balanced with the pleasant tartness of quince..." When I returned to the products some days later, I had time to do a more considered test. I had a load of dishes to wash, and decided to do one half using the Thymes product, and the other half using a Palmolive orange scented dishwashing liquid.

The Apricot Quince scent starts out with that same burst of peachy, fruity jubilance. Apricot is there as well, but I get more of a sweet peach than the nuanced fleshiness of rosy gold apricots. It has a buttery overtone that brings to mind warm kitchens and baking, making this a very suitable scent for the kitchen, although for those who prefer a sharper citrus scent when cleaning, this product is probably too sweet. Still, the sweetness in Apricot Quince is balanced out by a slight tartness, and it does keep the scent from being overly rotund and adds a nice dash of freshness.

What I found notable in my comparison between the effectiveness of the two dishwashing liquids is that while the Thymes product holds its own in terms of cleaning power and cutting grease, there is almost no soapy smell at all. The Palmolive scent is pleasant enough, but you can smell that it is a detergent of sorts. Not so with the Thymes. The same goes for the cleaning spray — it has only minimal detergent-like notes and smells remarkably identical to the dishwashing liquid. In terms of usage, the Thymes liquid did foam a bit less than the Palmolive, and also required a bit more product to get the same results, but was otherwise perfectly helpful. The cleaning spray also gives the impression of being somewhat less forceful than say, Clorox or Fantastic, but it does a nice overall job and leaves the kitchen smelling pleasantly sweet and fruity.

Because these products are significantly more expensive than supermarket aisle cleaners ($9 for 16 oz of Dishwashing Liquid and $9 for 475 ml of All Purpose Cleaner), I would probably not buy them for regular usage — instead regarding them similar to those luxurious body products that we save for days we really want to feel pampered. I would save them for occasional use, such as the final touch of freshening up the kitchen at the end of the day, or for soaking more delicate china. These products would also be great housewarming ideas for college grads moving into their first apartment, or a fun hostess gift for a summer BBQ.

Apricot Quince Dishwashing Liquid and All Purpose Cleaning Spray are available directly from The Thymes.

Next week: more from The Thymes