What is actually in your laundry detergent?

Think all laundry detergent is created equal? Do you ever wonder what people mean by "fillers" in your detergent? I think the picture below is an eye-opening visual on just how "dirty" our cleaning products can be.

The above three jars contain the recommended amount of detergent for standard HE washers. The first and second jars (from left to right) are the top two selling detergents in the market. The third jar (on the far right) is Norwex.

This picture gives you an excellent example of what fillers and dyes can look like in your wash. Fillers are used by many companies to bulk up the laundry detergent and convince you that you are getting "more for your money". When in fact you are often getting by-products. The problem is, most of these fillers and dyes don't always completely rinse out of your clothing. So you may think your clothes are clean, when in reality they are full of fillers.

Think that picture was a fluke? What about this one?

 The jar on the far left is the number one selling laundry detergent on the market. The jar on the far right is a popular wholesale stores brand. Not only are all of the ingredients not dissolving in water, but the #1 brand has actually turned a disgusting rust color!

Norwex's Ultra Power Plus Laundry detergent is free from all dyes, perfumes and fillers. It is safe for all skin types, even those who are have very sensitive skin. As you can see from the pictures is dissolves completely in water and rinses completely out. Because there are no fillers it is very gentle on your clothing and will leave them not faded, your colors vibrant & your whites bright. One bag of detergent (2.2lbs) also beats the price of a typical bag of detergent. It will get you 40 washes for a top-loading non-HE. Or it will get you 200 washes for a standard front loading HE!! Yeah...I said 200 washes.

You can check it out HERE or contact me for a sample to try!

Don't settle for something because it is what you find on the shelf of your favorite store. Do your research and know what you are using in your homes. 

Party in a Bag!

Happy Holidays to all of my wonderful customers! We are in the home stretch for Christmas and I wanted to extend an offer to my VIP customers for a chance to get some awesome freebies!

Starting today through January 8th I am offering my customers the chance to have a "party-in-a-bag". While you are gathering with loved ones over the holidays you will no doubt be discussing Norwex, so you might as well get some benefits for doing so! With a "Party in a bag" I will supply you with an enviro cloth, a window cloth, and a dusting mitt to demonstrate for those interested. I will also supply you with catalogs, order forms and information on cleaning with water and Norwex's microfiber.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL! JUST for hosting a "party in a bag" I will automatically add $100 to your party total! On top of that you can choose to get one of the following exclusive gifts for FREE: Mattress Cleaner ($35.99), Timeless Leg Cream ($30.99), Basic Pack ($30.99) or a bag of Norwex's laundry detergent ($27.99). PLUS all the host/hostess specials for Dec/Jan.

There are a limited number of party bags, so contact me ASAP to have yours delivered to you. You can hang on to them as long as you would like as long as I receive them back by January 8th!

Merry Christmas!

What is in your Clorox Wipes?

I have been doing Norwex parties now for about 3 months. When giving my cleaning demonstrations I often hear people say that they are addicted to cleaning with Clorox Wipes because they are so easy. You grab one, wipe everything down, and you toss it in the garbage. You feel as though you have disinfected your bathroom in just minutes. But what, besides less money in your pocket, are you actually getting with your Clorox Wipes?

According to Clorox's Material Safety Data Sheet there are several warnings that you should be aware of when using Clorox Wipes. They include wearing safety goggles and rubber gloves with use. They also recommend that you don't inhale the vapors as it may cause irritation. Just TRY to do that while cleaning a small room like a bathroom. Also, it recommends that the wipes don't come into contact with food. Although the wipes may not actually come in contact with food, the residue that they leave behind will.

Why all the precautions? Well, two of the chemicals that they use to kill all that bacteria are dimethyl benzyl ammonia chloride & dimethyl ethyl benzyl ammonia chloride, more commonly known as pesticides. If that isn't scary enough for you then consider this. There is an additional warning on Clorox's safety data sheet that states that the wipes should not come into contact with sodium hypochlorite because it can release formaldehyde gases. What is sodium hyporchlorite? It's fancy for bleach. So, yeah. If your Clorox wipes happen to come into contact with bleach (say in your bathroom) you can expose yourself and your family to formaldehyde gases which have been proven to cause cancer. 


So much for "cleaning" your surfaces. 


"But products have to be regulated to be sold in the store, right?" Sort of. Household cleaners are regulated by the Consumer Chemicals and Containers Regulations. Which means container labels are required to provide hazard symbols like "poison" and "flammable." They also have to give information about first aid treatments for those ingredients. But there's no requirement to list other chemicals that could cause long-term health effects and no warnings that say anything like "may cause respiratory problems." 

So don't be lulled into a false sense of security. Just because something is available in a store for use, doesn't mean that it is a safe product for your family. You can unknowingly be causing harm.  

My recommendation for replacing Clorox Wipes would be the Norwex Enviro Cloth. With the Enviro Cloth and water you can disinfect whatever surface you are cleaning. And you don't have to worry about what you are leaving behind. Not to mention all the money that can be saved from not purchasing a disposable cleaner. 


If you are interested in more information about reducing chemicals in your cleaning visit: www.SpeersNorwex.com.

Testimonial Monday!

I am always receiving great testimonials on the products that Norwex offers. Reading these not only reaffirms that I am offering incredible, one-of-a-kind products to people, but the testimonials can also shed light on new ways to use your Norwex products. I am learning very quickly how versatile these products are. So here are a couple stories for your reading pleasure.

 Enviro Cloth

 

I keep one [Enviro Cloth] with me at all times, at least the travel size. It wipes deodorant off black shirts, erases coffee from white shirts, cleans my kids up after a meal when we are out, cleans the table we sit at before a meal at a restaurant, the shopping cart, high chair etc when we are out. My daughter spills and says "get the Norwex"! We were staying in a condo in Florida and my kids spilled juice, chocolate milk... the list goes on... and each time we were able to get the messes out of the carpet and couch with the Enviro!. My dad also became a huge fan on the vacation - especially after he spilled wine all over the tan carpet!  I got it out without a problem. It's funny because he now tells everyone about "Norwicks" as he calls it.   I have never been able to get my west facing windows clean and now I can do it with water and in so much less time and frustration. I always paid to have them done because I couldn't get them streak free!"  --Christie, South Dakota

I was totally not interested the Norwex products that my sister was so enthusiastic about. We were all home for Thanksgiving and I listened to her tell about Norwex and thought...yeah, that is neat, but I would rather spend my money on something a little more exciting, like shoes.  Well, my sister gave me an Enviro cloth to try. Not long after we were home from Thanksgiving, my son decided to color  on his little light tan suede chair with a GREEN SPARKLEY INK PEN!  ARRRRRHHHHGGGGGG!  So I thought...if Norwex is all that let's see what it will do with this ink.  Would you believe it took every bit of the GREEN SPARKLEY INK out of that chair?  I was so impressed... now I am selling Norwex!   Who would have thought it!  =)  Now I'm off to buy a new pair of shoes!  =)  --Lisa, Kentucky

I have gotten Taco Soup out of a white shirt with the Enviro Cloth, green ink out of a suede couch, many carpet spots.. and of course the butter on the mirror. I have also gotten spit up out of a baby outfit that had been washed many times. I like to tell how I use the Enviro cloth from kitchen counter to bathroom. Cleaning the oven and seeing it all black and rinsing it out, and watching the cloth come clean by just scrubbing it against itself under water... it still amazes me!   --Connie, Iowa

There is NOTHING BETTER than the enviro cloth for removing dog slime from your patio door.  Then just follow it up with the window cloth and have a sparkling shine.  The whole process can be done in seconds, inside and out.  -- Rita, Colorado
 

So, as you can see from just a handful of testimonials, there are endless ways to use your Enviro Cloth. It is the staple product of Norwex and by far one of my favorites. 

What is your favorite thing about your Enviro Cloth?

That ain't dust you're sneezing at!

Dust mites. They are microscopic bugs that feed off of the dead skin cells of people and animals. They live in your home. In fact, they sleep (and eat) in your bed. Dust mites tend to congregate in places where the most dead skins cells are found. In your bed, pillows, couch cushions, pet beds and carpeted areas. Nearly 100,000 mites can live in one square yard of carpet. Grossed out yet? How about this: A typical used mattress can have anywhere from 100,000 to 10 MILLION dust mites in it!

What does all this mean?

Each dust mite can produce 20 waste droppings a day. This waste contains a protein that many people have an allergy to. It is thought that about 50% of people are allergic to dust mite waste. Symptoms can vary, but the most typical ones are:

• Hay fever
• Watering eyes
• runny nose 
• sneezing
• asthma
• congestion
• itchy nose, roof of mouth or throat
• cough
• snoring

Since dust mites are attracted to humid warm climates, they tend to be more noticeable in warmer months and can be mistaken for seasonal allergies.

Now, before you throw out your pillows and your mattress, there is a solution! Norwex offers an enzyme based Mattress Cleaner. The Mattress Cleaner consists of non pathogen (not disease causing) dormant bacteria that work by eating up all of the accumulated dander, dead dust mites and dust mite fecal matter that has accumulated. Over time, the Mattress Cleaner converts the allergens into carbon dioxide and water. The best part is that you will notice a difference! Your mattress will be lighter! We recommend that you use about 12 sprays (for a typical queen size bed) about every 4 months to keep the mites at bay. And there is no vacuuming involved! Woohoo!

The Mattress Cleaner can also be used for pet accidents and wet beds. (Are you listening, mom's with potty training kiddo's?) Since the microorganisms in the cleaner break down organic material, it works for urine too!

Did I mention that the spray is totally non-toxic and environmentally safe?  Don't wake up another morning with a stuffy nose and sneezing. The solution is simple!

Celebrate Earth Day!

Earth Day is tomorrow! Do you know how you are going to make a difference?

The first Earth Day was held April 22, 1970 and was the brainchild of Senator Gaylord Nelson who was trouble by the fact that the state of the environment was simply a "non-issue." The idea was inspired by anti-Vietnam demonstrations that were being held all over the country. He thought, "why not organize a huge grassroots protest over what was happening to our environment?" The idea started at a grassroots level and then ignited! There was such a positive response for having an outlet for environmental concerns. I am so thankful to the senator for his pioneer role in the age of environmental awareness. May we all have the spirit of a pioneer in making this world a cleaner, safer, more beautiful place to live.

There are so many ways that you can celebrate Earth Day with your family tomorrow. Des Moines is marking this Earth Day in many ways including:

• My favorite idea is downtown Des Moines' "Trash Bash". Volunteer to join a team and help pick up trash from the downtown area. After the clean-up, there will be music at the Simon Estes amphitheater and prizes will be given away for such categories as: Most Unique piece of trash. More into can be found HERE

• DART Buses will be offering FREE rides all day Friday in order to encourage people to leave their cars at home. Carpooling, riding the bus, biking and walking are all ways we can reduce gas consumption and carbon monoxide pollution. 
• The Des Moines Botanical Center will have FREE admission for the entire day.  
• The Science Center of Iowa will hold an Earth Day Film Festival featuring the IMAX films: Born to be Wild, Tornado Alley, and Wild Ocean. See all three films and save $3!
• Polk County Conservation Board is hosting an Earth Day/Arbor Day Tree Planting. You can help conservation staff plant trees at Easter Lake Park. You will learn proper tree planting techniques and get to actually plant some trees yourself!

There are just a few of the things you and your family can get involved with tomorrow to celebrate Earth Day 2011! So go on and give your mother a big hug! (Mother Earth, that is!)

Your Words Wednesday

 

What is your favorite summer memory from childhood?