Posted in Less Toxic Living, Non-Toxic Cleaning

One Cloth to Clean it All (Well, Almost)

   February 4, 2014  34 Comments on One Cloth to Clean it All (Well, Almost)
Giveaways! Parties! Excitement! Announcements! It's all happening at Sustainable Suburbia this month[Edited – years later – because after I did this giveaway I realised that doing public discounts and giveaways or prize draws is against Norwex’s terms of service – you can do them privately, and in parties, but not publically, because it undercuts other consultants. So just so you know, I don’t do that anymore!]

Back in December I wrote a post about the pros and cons of using microfiber cloths for cleaning, and admitted to my own recent conversion.
Now I’m taking it a step further to tell you about the single cloth that I am now using to clean most of my house.
The Norwex antibac envirocloth is a really “grabby” microfibre cloth, which means that it not only picks up all the dirt, it then holds on to it, instead of transferring it to the next surface you wipe. It has 2.9 million metres of microfibre in it, which use a capillary action to pull the dirt and grease up into the fibres. It also has micro-silver embedded in it, which means that as the cloth dries, any bacteria it picks up is disabled.  In fact, other single-celled microorganisms such as fungi, yeast, and viruses also cannot survive in the presence of silver. (This is why they call it “antibac”)
Norwex is a company committed to reducing the chemicals we use in our everyday lives, in cleaning and personal care products. Which, of course, is really something I can get behind. But, I wouldn’t recommend them if I hadn’t also used the products and been truly impressed by how well they work.
The fact is, the products I’ve tried really do work. They clean exceptionally well, with nothing but water.
When I had a Norwex party last year, the consultant actually used the damp envirocloth to clean a spot off my carpet, and then more recently when Mr Sustainable Suburbia spilled some red wine, it did a good job on that too! I honestly couldn’t see where he’d spilt it afterwards – there was no mark at all. I would never have expected a cloth could do that.
The microfiber technology means that the cloth gets right into the pores of the surface, to remove microscopic bits of dirt that get left behind using ordinary cloths and sponges. When they are used dry, these cloths attract dirt and dust particles through a static effect. Used wet they are just incredible cleaners.
When my friend first started raving to me about Norwex last year, I bought a kitchen kit that was on sale that month, which included kitchen cloths, an “antibac envirocloth”, a “scrubby” cloth (as mentioned in my ‘how to clean the shower‘ post) and the window cloth. This kit made a convert of me. I think if you just wanted two cloths that you could use for pretty well everything, the envirocloth and the window cloth (polish cloth) would be it.*
So here’s a question for you: would you be confident cleaning up raw chicken from your bench top, just with water and a cloth?
I love this short video, because she actually takes swabs to see how well the envirocloth does exactly that:

Does it sound like I am trying do a sell job on the envirocloth? Well, there are a few reasons for that. Number one is I love it, and I think these cloths can really cut down on the average person’s chemical use.
For me, I really don’t use nasty cleaning chemicals anyway, but it has still saved me money (and all that packaging) in vinegar. And I love that it’s just so simple – people who may not want to mix up their own cleaning products can do this with just water!
But there are other reasons. The fact is, I’m celebrating. I am so sold on these products, I have decided to become a “Norwex Independent Sales Consultant”. And to celebrate, I am going to be doing a bunch of giveaways over the next two months! Woohoo! Make sure you come back each week. I am going to save the best giveaway till last 🙂

Party Party Party!

I am also holding an online Norwex Party, on Facebook. It’s going to run for about two hours and will also include a bunch more giveaways, some of them just for showing up!
This online event is on Monday 17 February, from 7:30-9:30pm, Australian Eastern Daylight Time. I’ll be accepting orders beforehand, and up to 9:30 that night, and anyone who orders will go in the big final prize draw. Plus you can earn extra entries on the night.
Find out how to join in by joining my Less Toxic Living, Hints, Tips and Updates group on Facebook. [NB Sorry to all my international readers, but you must be living in Australia to participate in this event.]

This Week’s Giveaway

This week I am giving away 1 Norwex envirocloth and 4 travel envirocloths, to 5 lucky readers (one cloth each). The Norwex travel enviro cloths are just like a mini-envirocloth that you can take with you to wipe down tables, kids, prams, car seats etc. Mind you, I also have one of them in my bathroom, because I actually love using the small size for a quick wipe down of the basin, door frame or light switch etc. My sister has a set of four she keeps just for the loo – so it’s really easy to remember what not to use elsewhere!

How to enter the giveaway

To enter, just do the following three things:

  1. Join my Less Toxic Living, Hints, Tips and Updates group on Facebook
  2. Share this post publically, either on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ or your own blog (you can share easily right from those buttons at the top and bottom of the post).
  3. Leave a comment telling me whether you’ve used any Norwex products before, and if so what you like about them, and link to your “share”. For each place you share the post, you receive one entry into the draw, or for sharing it right on your blog, you get two!

Every entry will go into a hat, and one of my kids will draw the winner. I promise they will be fair. 🙂 No correspondence will be entered into yadda, yadda, yadda. Each entrant can only win once.
This giveaway is open up to and including next Tuesday, 11 February. The winners will be announced in the following week’s blog post.
Note: There will be some giveaways later on that you can enter from anywhere in the world, but this one is only for those in Australia, sorry.
Edited to add: Someone in the comments asked me if there was a catalogue online. Bit of an oversight that, sorry! The catalogue is at here (Note, this is the Australian one, if you are elsewhere in the world, you can find your local site here), and you can also order directly from me here, at my “online store“. I haven’t personalised it yet, but all the key information is there, as well as a link to the catalogue 🙂
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*You may well ask why they then sell anything else, and I did, but I have to admit, I do use some of their other cloths for the specific purpose they’re designed for. After all, you probably do want a cloth that is only used in the kitchen, while you have something else for the bathroom. You could just have two envirocloths, but their kitchen cloth – which is a little smaller, has wider “waffles” so it picks up the crumbs better and rinses more easily, and is also cheaper – actually is a better choice for everyday kitchen use. And the fruit and veg cloth actually does take the wax off waxed apples, which is awesome, and does an excellent job cleaning potatoes and carrots. And of course, the mop is awesome, though you *could* just spot clean the floor with an envirocloth if you wanted. I could go on, but I won’t. Told you I was a convert 🙂
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PS as always, this post is linked up with Essential Jess for IBOT (I Blog on Tuesdays). Because that’s when I blog! And this week, I’m also linking up with Kellie O’Brien’s awesome Aussie Giveaway Linkup, because – Giveaways! And this week also linking up with Flog Yo Blog Friday at With Some Grace.
And the WINNERS ARE ANNOUNCED…

34 thoughts on “One Cloth to Clean it All (Well, Almost)”

  1. I’ve heard all about Norwex and got some wash cloths as a gift when my first baby was born. I love them cause they’re so soft but I’m sure I haven’t been using them properly. I think I want to have a Norwex party, where are you based? 🙂

    2. I think that’s the great thing about having/attending the actual parties Kate, you will learn so much more about how to use them effectively. I am in Canberra, so probably a bit far for you! I can do an online party (and yes, if you “host” an online party, you still get all the host rewards just like an ordinary one), and if you want to attend the one I am having on the 17th, to see what it’s like, please do (no purchase necessary). I will try to give as much information about how best to use things as I can.
      BUT, I am sure there are also plenty of Norwex consultants near you, if you want to have an “in person” party, and get your house (partially) cleaned for free 🙂

    1. I think raving about it is very common 🙂 Especially if you a) have tried other microfibre before and liked it or b) haven’t. Yep, definitely ravable. 🙂

    1. HI Katherine,
      That’s great. Most people have never heard of it yet (I think), but I predict that in 5 years time, it will be household name in Australia, cause people who use it all seem to start raving about it 🙂

  6. Hi. Have been really interested in Norwex since your blog on microfiber clothes. Will have to keep saving up for some though as I’m not on Facebook (I know, I know….but privacy is a big thing in my line of work and so social media is a no-no). Any chance you could include us non-social media types in future giveaways?? Kind regards, Bronwen

    1. Hi Bronwyn,
      You know, it occurred to me that not everyone was on facebook, but not on any social media? Unheard of! 🙂
      Seriously, yes, I will definitely come up with a non-social media option for another giveaway.

  7. I’m a new convert to Norwex, I’ve finally found a cloth that lasts more than one or two times. I prefer having separate cloths, eg I don’t use the same cloth in the kitchen as I do in the bathroom, and I don’t do the shower with the same cloth that I use to clean the toilet etc. I was asked once how I knew which cloth was for which purpose? My reply was that all the cloths could be used for a variety of purposes, it was up to the user as to what they were used for.
    I don’t use chemicals to clean. I use a steam cleaner (one that converts so that I can use it as a mop to clean floor/carpet and as a portable handheld steamer to clean showers/toilet/ stove top etc, but I use a separate cloth for each task (as I explained earlier, I don’t use the same cloth that I use to clean the toilet as I use to clean, say, the shower, or in the kitchen). I find the dirt/debris is quickly removed with the Norwex cloths without leaving behind bits of microfibre that happened with the cheaper variety.
    Hope your venture into being a Norwex consultant works well for you Kirsten. I don’t use Facebook, so won’t be entering the competition but I’ve spread the word about Norwex to all I meet, including my daughter who is a clean freak too. God bless.

    1. Now that you mention that Margaret – were you the one who first mentioned it to me? I was trying to remember where I first heard of it. I’m sure *someone* told me about it a few weeks before my friend joined up as a consultant and started raving. But I think I was in the midst of trying to get the book written and it flitted in one ear (or eye?) and out the other – just leaving the barest trace so that when my friend mentioned it (still in the middle of book writing, but with more repeats, since I see at least weekly), it was able to stick.

  8. Wow this Norwex cloth sounds crazy! I’m a fan of the microfibre cloth but haven’t heard of this brand before. The only other product I have used that sounds similar to this is Enjo. I’d be interested to know how the Norwex compares?

    1. Hi Nat, I’ve emailed you. Enjo and Norwex are similar, but different 🙂 Both good quality products from what I understand (having not used Enjo myself).

    1. Hi Chris, there certainly is! Did I not put a link in the post? That was a bit remiss of me. I will email you *and* edit the post.

  10. Hi,
    I have not used Norwex cloths but I would love to win them.
    I entered the giveaway, shared it on Pinterest and I tweeted it at:
    https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fsustainablesuburbia.net%2Fone-cloth-to-clean-it-all-well-almost-announcement-giveaways%2F&text=One%20Cloth%20to%20Clean%20it%20All%20(Well%2C%20Almost)%20%E2%80%93%20Announcement%20%26%20Giveaways!%20%7C%20Sustainable%20Suburbia%3A&tw_p=tweetbutton&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsustainablesuburbia.net%2Fone-cloth-to-clean-it-all-well-almost-announcement-giveaways%2F%23.Uvbt7gTwXyA.twitter

    1. Hi Bec, they are similar to Enjo, but different. I haven’t used Enjo myself, but my sister has lots of Enjo, which she speaks highly of, but also has just signed up with Norwex. Norwex clothes do have a number of unique features.

  13. Have been to a demo and am very happy with the products I’ve tried. The metal scrubber was outstanding, floor mop a breeze to use and my husband raved about the oven cleaner (his job – clearly laid out in our marriage contract)!

    1. Hi Jill,
      Thanks for the input!
      I just used the oven cleaner for the first time the other day, on a *really* dirty oven. It was amazing! And no smell, no fumes – the person whose oven it was was very impressed, and so was I!

    1. Forgot to say I haven’t used any of the clothes, but really interested in the idea and will be joining your Facebook party to buy at least one or two.
      Sally

  18. I haven’t used norwex but I’m definitely interested. I use a combo of planet arc, enjo and homemade cleaning products(some if your recipes) but the cloths sound heaps easier. I’m not on Facebook or any social media so appreciate the email competitions. 🙂

  19. These cloths sound great. I discovered a cloth that sounds similar at Aldi but after a few times it starts to leave some fuzz. What is the life span of one of these cloths? How do you clean them and can you put them in the washing machine? Can I host a party in Canberra? I wouldn’t mind seeing them at work. Thanks!

    1. Hi Rebecca, yes, I had the same experience when I used cheaper (supermarket) microfibre cloths and it put me off for YEARS! These cloths have a 2 month satisfaction guarantee and a TWO YEAR warranty. I know people say they have been using theirs for five years of more and they are still going strong.
      You clean them for day to day use by rinsing thoroughly with water.
      You launder them by throwing them in the washing machine cold/hot doesn’t matter, but without chlorine bleach or fabric softeners. You can also dry them in the dryer, as long as you don’t use dryer sheets, or just on the line. And, you can also boil them on the stove for a few minutes (do not boil dry!) for a really deep clean.
      And finally YES, you can certainly host a party in Canberra, since that is where I am! I will email you 🙂

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