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Soap Nuts May be the King of Natural Laundry Detergents, But Knowledge Still Reigns Supreme
There are some critical aspects about using soap nuts in non-traditional forms. By "traditional" I refer to the dried soap berries (aka soap nuts) that are put in a cotton bag and tossed in with your laundry. Recently, soap nut powders and liquids are showing up more and more. Isn't the race for the next new always amusing? The inherent problem with a "race" however is that speed often leads to errors and mistakes. There are very significant issues to be aware of with both these new forms of soap nuts.
NaturOli is taking very proactive steps to make the use of soap nuts much more affordable plus keep them safe for laundry and many other household cleaners. Right when we are all stretching our dollars as far as possible, while also being concerned about all possible health hazards, NaturOli is taking very responsible consumer oriented measures.
It's important to note that NaturOli has its roots in proprietary natural skin care formulations, hence our perspective in the detergent and cleanser industry is quite unique. As a signer of the Safety in Cosmetics Compact we are bound by much strict policies. We treat detergents and cleansers with the same care and concern as we do topical and beauty industry formulas. The two big issues here involve economics - and most importantly, health concerns.
Let's start with the economics:
1) NaturOli does not promote use of soap nut powder. It's becoming increasing popular by many sellers, but is - by far - the least economical way to use soap nuts. (Guess some people are deciding not to mention that. Well, at least the math isn't tough.) The problem is that regardless of how finely one powders the shells, the saponin (the all important active ingredient) is not fully released before it ends up down the drain. Not good. Remember this is a fruit - not a synthetic chemical. Hence we must accept and work with its inherent properties. Compare for yourself: A half-ounce of quality soap nuts used in the traditional method (that's the average weight of five soap nuts) can do three, four, five or even more loads. A half-ounce of powder (the recommended amount to be effective) does ONE load. Period. That's it. To worsen the problem, sellers are charging a premium for powder. Ouch! If soap nut powder is what you really feel you must have, NaturOli recommends using a coffee grinder and grinding them yourself to the finest dust possible. Try reducing the suggested half-ounce to a third or quarter-ounce. Depending upon your water hardness and machine type, you may be able to use less. Save the pieces that don't grind to use traditionally. Our lab is working on some really out-of-the-box ways for utilizing powder - without the huge increase in cost per wash. Soap nuts used traditionally and wisely can be as affordable as any effective chemical detergent. If you desire the convenience of powder, simply be aware that presently the convenience comes at a very steep price.
Now - the more serious warning:
2) Be extremely cautious of ALL soap nut liquids. This is scary. Our recent review and analysis of an official MDSS (Materials Data Safety Sheet) that was reluctantly provided by an India/Nepal exporter was absolutely frightening. Apparently, in the big rush to quickly get a liquid to market, the exporter used less than eco-friendly extraction processes, plus loaded the solution with the cheapest chemical preservatives they could find. As with most botanical extractions and solutions, a pure soap nut liquid will go rancid within days unless preserved in some fashion. (One seller who must have been in a very big hurry to get a liquid to market stopped selling it within weeks. I have some. Wow. Talk about gross!) Essentially some India/Nepal exporters don't have the mindset for developing a safe and healthy detergent. (Remember it's a detergent - not a skin care product.) The precious saponin's inherent healthy, green characteristics were totally destroyed. Essentially everything good about the soap nut was undone. The MDSS read like it was arsenic! I was shocked! It should have a biohazard label on it. IMPORTANT NOTE: This does NOT need to be disclosed to the consumer. A seller can simply label a product with saponin extract and be on safe legal ground. One more time in other words: There are no laws requiring companies to tell you this. Be aware that there's no FDA requirement of full disclosure for detergents & cleansers. To worsen the problem, you can bet that many soap nut liquids will be produced, bottled and labeled in India and Nepal. It's by far the cheapest way to produce it. So PLEASE don't expect the label to tell you all this. As usual it will only tell you what you want to hear. So, Caveat Emptor! (Buyer beware!) Look for full and complete disclosure of ALL ingredients.
Not only are we talking money, but also we are talking about our health. Although saponin is naturally anti-fungal and anti-microbial, once liquefied it will very quickly become rancid and then pose serious health risks. A common sense approach to use of well tested, high quality semi-natural and safe chemical preservatives will be required to extend the shelf life to our required two years. Citric acid simply won't do the job. If you want to be 100% natural and remain safe from serious fungal and other infectious diseases stay with the traditional methods of usage for now.
(Although this is not the topic of this article, on the note of shelf life: Never expect a TRULY genuine, "natural skin care" or cosmetic product to last two years. Formulas designed for topical application that ultimately will enter your bloodstream, should be used within six months for maximum benefit and effectiveness. Discard after one year.)
NaturOli will only produce our own soap nut liquids and many other household cleaning solutions in our US lab. Our extracts and MDSS will be safe and benign, yet the wonderful properties and characteristics of the soap nut will be preserved. For your protection and to extend the shelf life as discussed we will use no preservatives rated higher than a three-to-five on the Safety in Cosmetics zero-to-ten rating scale. We feel this is a good compromise since these are not topically applied skin care products or cosmetics. Note that many popular "so-called" healthy, all-natural cosmetics have ratings in the eight-to-ten range. Although not required for detergents and household cleaners, we will act in the spirit of a signer of Skin Deep's Safety in Cosmetics Compact. All our soap nut formulations (be for personal care or household use) will be very low in rating - as our award winning skin washes and creams already are. There is no rating system for detergents and cleansers, but we can calculate what they would be. Hopefully someday there will be one.
Guess we all can soon stop spending money on rubber gloves - IF we simply be patient and use good judgment.Good luck, be wise and live green.
About the Author
Founder of NaturOli, a respected formulator of natural skin care products, soaps, detergents, and cleansers, plus distributor of soap nuts. Corporate mission: Setting New and Higher Standards Today.
Zephyrus Pullover - The North Face Does It Once Again!
One of the challenges that mountaineers and winter season backpackers deal with could be the included weight that accompanies large coats to keep them hot and protected from unpleasant aspects. Though it is really an vital gear specifically in spots with severe climate, mountaineering along with other outdoor actions can nonetheless be a thrilling time with no added weight. The North Face, the distinguished producer of outside products and apparel, standing an additional champion with all the Zephyrus Pullover. This new addition towards the Summit Assortment packs uncompromising particulars and functions that talk about The North Face's ingenious combination of convention and technological innovation.
What provides this excellent coat range a respected border is it weighs in at significantly lighter in weight than other outdoor jackets made for the same purpose. Its regular pounds reaches 286 g or roughly 9.7 ounce. Backpackers will be pleased with the fact that it is not as bulky and can be stowed aside. The jacket could be conveniently packed in their individual chest muscles wallet so there will be no concerns of getting other garments soaked or filthy if it's packed within a confined carrier or suitcases.
Though lighter in weight, the Zephyrus Pullover continues to be large on technologies. It consists of 100Percent plastic and its particular exceptional 40g efficiency is provided by the floor splitting PrimaLoft One particular, the soft, okay normal water-resilient materials which is applauded to be the better microfiber efficiency nowadays. It takes up less normal water and is also warmer by as much as 24% even though soaked when compared with other efficiency. Its memory finish can fight dissolved excellent skiing conditions and air flow from your bad weather.
Mountain trekkers can move freely because of its Alpine suit, which means we have an sports cut that adheres near the physique. Top to bottom explorations are created far easier as it provides sufficient warmness minus the bulky believe constrains actions. Additionally, it comes with a invert coils scoot, upper body pocket, elastic-destined hem and cuffs for the comfortable in shape, and also, since it is owned by The North Face's Smt Collection, it can be funnel and load up-suitable.
The bodyweight from the make any difference also will lie upon The North Face's tradition of producing innovative things and attire. It stays the main topic on technology, delivering improvements to its huge selection of selections perfect for diverse outside pursuits. The style process begins with knowing and using inspiration from the requirements of men and women. Intensive laboratory tests will also be set up to make sure that every merchandise and clothing is in accordance to The North Face's uncompromising criteria.
The ambitious spirit is rarely wet with the Zephyrus Pullover from The North Face. It is made in sizes for the excellent in shape plus attention-finding and catching colours that are great for various choices. The males range can be found in modest, medium, huge, and other-significant sizes, with four colours to select from: isle grass green, asphalt greyish, trip azure, as well as the basic african american. Females, alternatively, may well select sizes which range from additional-little, tiny, medium, to large. The three shades designed for ladies are viridian green, african american, and fuchsia white.
Flying Dog Brewery Tours and Tastings Return (BizBash)
After a year-and-a-half hiatus, Flying Dog Brewery is once again offering
tours of its craft brewery in Frederick, Maryland. Each tour will include a
visit to the brew house, cellar, quality assurance lab, and packaging areas,
followed by a tasting session showcasing some of Flying Dog's 18 award-winning
and colorfully named draft beers, like Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale and In-
Heat Wheat Hefeweizen.
Thanks to changes in Maryland's beer sampling laws that Flying Dog advocated
for during its self-imposed hiatus, visitors can now sample a broader range of
beer during the tour than in the past, and will be able to purchase as much as
288 ounces of beer to take home after the tour.
Test Lab Water Importance
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