Chris has written 3 reviews
Soap Nuts - Mother Nature's Wondrous Gift. Is It True and What Do We Do?
Soap nuts lead the way to greener ways to clean. If you’re looking for a good green detergent for that new HE washer, or something eco-friendly for that old Maytag, They're a must. They're the purest "TRULY" natural detergent available. NaturOli recently received "the best eco-friendly detergent" recommendation by Examiner.com.
Why do I emphasize "truly"? Because greenwashing today is astonishing. Study labels. Learn how the truths are hidden. Labels are skillfully crafted to sell. Just because it looks or states green, natural, etc. means nothing. Drill deeper.
Soap nuts are changing how we think - and clean. They're bringing a new age to washing and cleaning. 100% natural, safe, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, hypoallergenic, fragrance free, biodegradable AND they work!
So, where's the skeleton in the closet? Are you skeptical? I was.
Other than the unorthodox traditional method of washing laundry, there’s simply no downside - not even economically. NaturOli is developing products that maintain the benefits of soap nuts - without changing HOW we typically wash or clean.
Sustainability? No issue. The mukorossi tree is prolific -producing harvests for nearly ninety years. Although most are wild-crafted, plantations are sprouting up. Since it grows well in poor soils, otherwise unproductive ground is being made productive.
Fair Trade? Are these little gems "blood diamonds"? No. Exporters are feverishly working on Fair Trade certifications. Villagers are making a living by harvesting the fruits and drying them for sale to exporters or for wages from co-ops.
A paradigm shift is nearing. I have a TRUE 90% green cleaning regime in my home. It's due to soap nuts. If you're unfamiliar with soap nuts and saponin (the active ingredient), you won't be soon. There's a growing movement that is recognizing the potential of these little beauties. Mother Nature created soap nuts. She points us in the right direction. We only need the good sense to follow her.
keywords: green laundry detergent, natural cleanser, soap nuts, hypoallergenic, chemical free, green cleaning
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A couple MUST KNOWS about using soap nuts in non-traditional ways.
NaturOli is taking proactive steps to make soap nuts more affordable & even safer for laundry and many household cleansers. Right when we are all stretching our bucks as far as possible, while being concerned about all possible health hazards, NaturOli is taking very responsible CONSUMER oriented steps.
1) They're not promoting use of soap nut powder. It's becoming increasing popular by sellers, but BY FAR it is the least economical way to use soap nuts. The problem is that regardless of how finely powdered, the saponin (the important active ingredient) is not fully released before it ends up down the drain. Not good. Remember this is a fruit - not a synthetic. A 1/2 oz of nuts used in the traditional method (avg. wash bags of nuts shells) can do 3, 4, or 5 loads. A 1/2 oz of powder does ONE load. Period. That's it. To worsen the problem, sellers are charging a premium for powder. Ouch. If the powder is what you want, NaturOli recommends using a coffee grinder and grinding them yourself to the finest dust possible. Try reducing the suggested 1/2 oz to a 1/3 or 1/4 oz. Save pieces that don't grind to use traditionally. Their lab is working on out-of-the-box ways for using powder. Interesting.
2) Be EXTREMELY cautious of ALL soap nut liquids. My recent review & analysis of an official "Materials Data Safety Sheet" that was reluctantly provided by an Indian exporter was absolutely frightening. Apparently, in the rush to quickly get a liquid to market, the exporter ruined all of the saponin's healthy, green characteristics. It read like it was arsenic!!! Incredible! BIG NOTE: This does NOT need to be disclosed to the consumer. There's no FDA requirement of full disclosure for detergents & cleansers. AND the cheaper liquids WILL be produced in India & Napal. You can bank on it. PLEASE don't expect the label to tell you all this. Buyer beware! NaturOli will NOT import liquids.
Chris
keywords: detergent, laundry detergent, soap nuts, soap nut powder, soap nut liquid, NaturOli
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"Delicate Care"? ALL marketing hype! Not even close to safe, natural and a LONG WAY from green!
Give me a break - please. Has anyone bothered to read the ingredients In Seventh Generation products? If not, this list is for this product: Aqua (water), pareth-7, coceth-7 and sodium laureth sulfate (plant-derived cleaning agents), sodium hydroxide (alkalinity builder), sodium borate (alkalinity builder and soil dispersant), sorbitol and sodium gluconate (anti-redeposition agent to wash away soils), sodium citrate (water softener), calcium chloride (cleaning enhancer), hexahydro-1,3,5-Tris (2-hydroxyethyl)-s-triazine (preservative, less than 0.05%) The entire Seventh Generation line is a collection of chemical soups. I did my homework and was shocked! They cleverly attempt to disguise the triazine which has a 9 rating (10 being the worst possible health hazard). Let's see...it's linked to cancer; allergies; immune system toxicity; skin, eye and lung irritation; organ system toxicity; ecotoxicology...need I go on? I can't understand how the people running these companies can look at themselves in the mirror. Cute kids, green leaves, blue skies blanket their products and site. They state: "In our every deliberation we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." Okay, now I at least know where the name came from. I guess seven generations ought to be long enough to make us all sick or kill us.
Geesh... A good reference to check out ingredients is Skin Deep's Safety in Cosmetics database. You'll find it if you want to. Amazing that SLS is the fourth ingredient. Well at least that only rates as a 4 (moderate hazard). Too bad there's an awful lot in it (being the fourth ingredient). Oh, thanks for letting us know it's plant derived (as many poisons are). Sorry, but this would be better labeled as a bio-hazard.
Want quality products? Try NaturOli's Soap Nuts or Ecos' Detergents. No comparison. Both are honest companies that really care. You'll find truly effective, eco-friendly and healthy products. Good luck! :-)
keywords: laundry detergents, detergents, Seventh Generation
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User Comments:
Danielle T. says:
Awesome way to do your homework. Companies who are proud of their products and honest post an MSDS (material safety data sheet) on their websites. That way you know exactly what is in there. Hiding behind "trade secrets... more »
Chris S. says:
Hi Danielle! I must give points to SG for the full disclosure of their ingredients. Wish more companies would do so. As far as their MSDS pdfs, that's cool, too. However, one point about every SG MSDS that I have... more »
Danielle T. says:
I am currently working on an article on Greenwashing for a janitorial trade magazine, and this is the exact kind of thing I plan to draw attention to. SC Johnson (the family company of toxins) is pretty explicit and... more »