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simplyneutral

non-toxic green cleaners that let you strut your shine

Date: 2011.10.18 | Category: Green cleaning, Healthier living, Life stuff, Sustainable living | Response: 0

This is a tough one to write. In fact, in my 21 years of copywriting, it’s hands-down the hardest thing I’ve ever written. (And, trust me, I’ve written about some awful and boring stuff throughout my career.) But, this time it’s personal.

After months of deliberating and meditating and crunching a lot of pretty tough numbers, Maggie and I have decided to pack up our simplyneutral sign and close up shop in early December.

The decision hasn’t been easy. We liken it to bundling up a precious four-year-old (the one we’ve cared for since birth; working long hours and weekends in the magical hope that someday it would make a real and lasting difference in the world) then patting it gently on the bum and leaving it alone at the bus station with a one-way ticket to It’s-Been-Nice-To-Know-Ya-Ville in its chubby little hand. It’s heartbreaking.

But, even our lowest points have a purpose. It’s the yin and yang of life. As we wait to find out what the universe has in store for us next, there’s already a silver lining in the clouds. Now through November 27th we’re having one last hurrah just for you. We’re offering a Saying Goodbye Sale with everything marked 30-50% off! (While supplies last.)

This is your chance to stock up one last time. And, get some really practical gifts for the holidays. Keep in mind that our cleaners have a shelf life of over a year. Our concentrates should keep even longer. (I’m still using some of our earliest concoctions and my dirt doesn’t stand a chance.)

And, one more last call! If you live near St Cloud or the Minneapolis metro area, this is your last chance to schedule a home party. It’s the perfect time to do it before the holidays. Besides getting in on these great sales prices, you’ll be giving your guests some great information on how to reduce the toxins in every room of their homes. We also give away fun prizes and offer special packs you can’t find on our website.

Four years ago, Maggie and I wanted to create a new breed of natural cleaning products. One that truly kicked butt on household dirt using the most non-toxic, biodegradable, and hypoallergenic ingredients we could find.

When we shut our doors in December, we’ll do it knowing we succeeded. And, not because we say so, but because you’ve said so. We’ve loved hearing from all of you! Your emails, phone calls, letters, cards, and posts on our facebook wall have truly made it all worthwhile.

And, we’d still love to hear from you! We’re planning to keep our simplyneutral facebook page up for a while yet. So, please drop in if you have time and let us know how our cleaners helped you tackle life’s tough dirt. Your support and feedback mean the world to us.

We’ll check in again before we turn out the lights. In the meantime, get shopping one last time! And, if you live in the area, we’d love to do a home party with you! Email us at info@simplyneutral.com.

We’re all in this together,

Sara

 

 

 

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Date: 2011.09.02 | Category: Green cleaning, Healthier living, Life stuff, Sustainable living | Response: 0

I never want to hear another John Denver song. Ever. This is what can happen when you’re trapped in a car for 10 days with John Denver lovers while traveling through the rocky mountains. My son gets car sick, so I was stuck in the back seat. Hence, I had no control over the radio. My only saving grace was that I was wowed by the beautiful scenery of my favorite place:  Glacier National Park.

My husband, Steve, and I chose Glacier as our children’s first road trip for two reasons. First, it’s one of our favorite places. Second, we carelessly joked that they needed to visit the park before all of the Glaciers were gone. Little did we know how true that is.

My last visit to Glacier was on my honeymoon, 12 years ago. Glacier has changed a lot since then. Just as I have.

Twelve years ago, I wasn’t as committed to my health and the environment. That was before I had a health scare and developed multiple chemical sensitivities. After that, everything changed. Turns out, Glacier is going through its own health scare.

The glaciers in the park are around 7,000 years old. One hundred years ago, there were 150 glaciers there. Today there are only 25. Seriously—25! Scientists believe the park will be glacier-free in the next 7-15 years. The environmental effects of this change will be dramatic—starting with the water supply in the park, which will affect the entire ecosystem.

Here are two lessons I learned from visiting Glacier National Park.

The first is that the beauty of the park is both affordable and priceless. A seven-day vehicle pass is only $25. I don’t know anywhere else—other than our national park system—where a family of four could find seven days of entertainment for only $25. You couldn’t visit any man-made amusement park that cheap. And, even if you could, it wouldn’t match the incredible places we saw. Only Mother Nature could create something as breathtaking as this. These are memories my family will have the rest of our lives.

The second lesson I learned was realizing, again, how precious and similar human and environmental health are. Sometimes we don’t realize it until they’re taken away. I didn’t know how bad I was damaging my body using products with toxic chemicals until my immune system took my resistance to them away. It was only afterwards that I realized how negligent I’d been, and how precious human health is.

Glacier’s going through a similar crisis. Some day it will be glacier-free. And, all the collective human regret in the world won’t bring it back to the way it was.

Starting simplyneutral was one small way I could help promote human and environmental health. I’m not so naïve to think that it will bring back glaciers. But, it’s one small thing. Combined with someone else’s one small thing…and someone else’s one small thing…and so on…we can make a big difference. And, believe me, you and this gorgeous planet of ours are worth it!

We’re all in this together,

Maggie

Noah and Paige at Avalanche Lake

 

Paige making rock art

Paige on cliff hike

 

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Date: 2011.08.10 | Category: Green cleaning, Healthier living, Hidden toxins, Sustainable living | Response: 0

When we started simplyneutral, we wanted to do everything right. We wanted to save the planet, save your health, and save your home from the evil clutches of toxic cleaners.

We still do. But, what we’ve found in the last four years is that the average Joe (or Joanne) doesn’t necessarily care about the same things we do. For example, a good chunk of our customers don’t really care that our products are sustainably packaged in 100% post-consumer recycled plastic. Turns out, it’s not so much the environment they want to protect. It’s themselves.

In fact, sales of many “green” products have fallen sharply since 2008 because many economists believe in tough times, people aren’t that concerned about saving the planet.

Suzanne C. Shelton, founder and CEO of Shelton Group—which focuses exclusively on motivating mainstream consumers to make sustainable choices—says “very few Americans have ever bought stuff because they want to save the planet…people buy green products for a host of other reasons:  to feel more comfortable, to gain peace of mind, to limit the chemicals their families are exposed to….”*

A March survey conducted by Deloitte confirms her theory. It found that safety is the number one concern for consumers when buying household products such as cleaners and detergents. Not the environment.

So, even though we put a ton of thought (and sometimes, a ton of money) into things we thought were really important—like sustainable packaging—it didn’t make a bit of difference to many customers. And, that’s okay. Because, it was still important to us. (Recycled bottles use up to 80% percent less energy to create than virgin plastic bottles. That’s cool even if you’re not a tree hugger.)

The part of our mission that most customers love is that when it comes to safety, we nailed it! We’re meticulous about our ingredients. Which is one reason why we’ve always disclosed what’s inside our cleaners. (Read our previous blog on disclosing ingredients:  why some don’t and we do.)

Here’s how our cleaners stack up against other “green” brands in safety.

As always, we’d love your feedback on what’s important to you in cleaning products!

Because we’re all in this together,

Sara

*Source:  What Women Really Want in Green Products; greenbiz.com

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Date: 2011.07.26 | Category: Beauty products, Healthier living, Hidden toxins | Response: 1

So, I’m sitting in the little room at the dermatologist’s office that’s plastered with posters for an assortment of “wrinkle filler” creams, and I’m thinking how sad it is that women in our society are so pressured to stay young looking, when this little vain voice inside of me starts in.

Little voice:  “You should ask how much they cost.”

Me:  “No, we don’t need them.”

Little voice:  “Come on! It can’t hurt just to try one.”

Me:  “We don’t even know what’s in them. They’re probably full of toxins.”

Little voice:  “Oh, here we go, again.”

Me:  “Besides, there’s nothing wrong with aging gracefully.”

Little voice:  “Is that what you call it? Don’t be such a martyr!”

At which point the doctor came in. I’d like to have you think I didn’t get the cream because I researched all of the ingredients and made an informed decision…or because I’m so low maintenance, I don’t need personal care products to feel better about myself. But, the truth is, I’m just cheap. I didn’t want to spend the money on something I don’t really need.

I’m guessing I’m not the only person who struggles with the issue of vanity vs healthy skin. On the one hand, we want to look good. But, on the other hand, do we really know what we’re slathering on our bodies?

The problem is, so many of our personal care products contain bad ingredients. The cosmetics industry is one of the least regulated. Studies have found 1 in 5 beauty products contain ingredients linked to cancer. (If you’re curious about the products you use, there’s an easy way to check their toxicity ratings at www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/.)

What’s more, we use these products so frequently and so excessively. Every morning most of us go through the same routine of applying countless products on our face and bodies by way of our shampoos, soaps, toothpastes, lotions, makeup, powders, hair gels, hair sprays, and on and on.

Because we’re not ingesting these products, we like to believe they’re harmless. But, the fact is, the skin is the largest organ of our bodies. So all the chemicals in the products we use are absorbed into our bloodstream.

When Maggie developed multiple chemical sensitivities, she learned firsthand how even the most seemingly harmless product could wreak havoc with her body. And, she’s not alone. We’ve talked to literally hundreds of people who have the same problem. Many of them—like Maggie—were former housecleaners who simply over-exposed their bodies to years and years of nasty chemicals.

At almost every expo we go to, someone asks her to recommend a natural line of personal care products that they can use without adverse effects. These are the ones she uses and recommends:

Skin Salvy (unscented salve)

Dr. Hauschka (cleansing milk and rose day cream)

Miessence (sensitive skin liquid foundation)

Aubrey Organics (sensitive skin)

Jane Iredale (regular mascara, not lengthening; she also uses her pressed powder and her bronzer that has four colors for eye shadow and blush)

Natural moisterizing ingredientsOne all-natural moisturizing product we both use is olive oil. I put some in a spray bottle and spritz my entire body after my shower, then rinse quickly with hot water. I also use (and love!) the following homemade body scrub when my skin starts to feel really dry (especially in the winter). I use it on my entire body at the end of my shower and then rinse off. You’ll be amazed at how soft your skin feels. And, it’s nice knowing it doesn’t contain any nasty stuff.

You can use any blend of essential oils you prefer—or none at all. I love the combination of the orange and vanilla.

Natural body scrub

¼ cup sunflower oil or jojoba oil
½ cup Epsom salt
½ cup sugar
1/8 tsp orange essential oil
1/8 tsp vanilla essential oil

And, just for the record, I think you look beautiful exactly the way you are!

Sara

 

 

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Date: 2011.07.18 | Category: FREE stuff, Green cleaning | Response: 0

simplyneutral non-toxic cleanersHelp us get simplyneutral into one of your local retailers and you’ll get FREE cleaning products for a year!

We’re always looking to expand our list of retail locations. And, you can help! If you know of a local food co-op, grocery store, or specialty “green” store that doesn’t carry our cleaners, we’d love your endorsement.

Some stores offer a suggestion box or board where you can request products. But, the best way to give your personal recommendation is by talking with the store manager. Tell him or her why you love our cleaners and would like to see simplyneutral on their shelves.

After you do, please let us know. We’ll follow up by contacting the buyer and sending samples. If your local store chooses to carry our products, we’ll send you FREE cleaners for a year! It’s that easy peasy!

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Date: 2011.06.22 | Category: Green cleaning | Response: 0

Natural green cleaner

We get more questions about our SCRUB SO FINE cleanser than any other product. A lot of people just aren’t sure how to use it. Should they get it wet first? (yes) Can they use it with our other cleaners? (yes) Will it scratch? (no, not if you use it wet) But, once people figure it out, they fall in love! So will you.

To help you get better acquainted, we made this super-short video explaining exactly how to use our SCRUB SO FINE cleanser.

Watch our SCRUB 101 video now.

The best thing about our cleanser—besides the fact that it cleans like nobody’s business—is that it’s so versatile. You can use it to clean:

  • A stained and stinky bird bath
  • Soap scum in a tub or shower
  • Burnt food on a glass stove top
  • Tar off an automobile
  • Tough grime in your laundry room sink
  • Black shoe marks on floors
  • Crusted-on gunk in a countertop compost pail
  • Explosions in a microwave
  • Spilled messes in a refrigerator

Check out our SCRUB now!

(NOTE:  We’ve really perfected our formula over the last four years. So, if you’ve tried it in the past and found it got too clumpy, you should try it again!)

Clean it like you mean it,

Maggie

 

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Date: 2011.05.19 | Category: Healthier living, Life stuff | Response: 0

I have a confession to make. It’s embarrassing. As someone who preaches the non-toxic religion, I had this “little” secret I kept in the closet. For years. I used to be a closet smoker. Yes, yes! I know! I know how bad cigarettes are. I consider them worse than nearly all of the other toxins I warn people about. But, it still took me a very long time to quit.

On an addictive scale of 1-10, I give nicotine a 33. But, for all its addictive power, I believe I would have unclenched its gnarly grasp on me sooner if—along with the 60 cancer-causing chemicals it contained—it also contained calories. Truly, the only good thing about smoking was that it didn’t make me gain weight. But, if every time I had snuck a cigarette it added a couple hundred calories to my diet, I think I would have contemplated the side effects more seriously.

I know that probably sounds crazy, but it’s true. Because when I think about a lot of the other toxins we knowingly expose ourselves to, I think the same theory applies. If gaining weight was a side effect, we’d probably be a lot more vigilant about avoiding them.

Here’s one example. At our home parties, we go over a checklist of toxic products that might be in your home. Fragrance is one of them. More and more research reveals evidence that fragrance is harmful to our bodies. When we explain that scented air fresheners, candles, and perfumes release toxic, hormone-disrupting chemicals into the air, this information is usually met with one of two responses. People either shrug their shoulders or they cry out frantically, “but I love my candles!”

It’s tough giving up our favorite things. But, now imagine if every time you lit that candle you gained a pound. That candle would be outta here.

As a society, we’re obsessed with our bodies. We go to the gym and work out. We have personal trainers. We eat organic foods and count our calories and our fat. And, yet, we continue to use hundreds of household and personal products that are harmful to our health. Because—for the most part—the repercussion of using those products is so subtle. Unfortunately, these products don’t cause cellulite or that extra flap of skin that jiggles under your arm. They just store toxins in your fat cells that could later turn into cancer or some other disease.

I look at all the changes in the food industry over the last 10 years. New labeling requirements. New food pyramids. The introduction of the NuVal™ nutritional scoring system. And, yet the household product industry flies virtually under the radar.

If toxins made you fat, I bet it would be an entirely different story. Just some no-calorie food for thought.

We’re all in this together,

Sara

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Date: 2011.04.15 | Category: Green cleaning, Hidden toxins | Response: 0

When we first started simplyneutral, we met with a chemist at a bottling company we were considering using. We had done a ton of research, but we were newbies to the industry. We sat with our Ball jar of homemade scrub and told him we wanted to make cleaners. He could have laughed us out of his conference room. But, to his great credit, he didn’t. He listened and offered encouragement and advice.

One of the things he told us was to NOT list the ingredients on our packaging in order to protect our formula from competitors. This was four years ago. Before the push for transparency in ingredient disclosure had gained much momentum. So, we respected the chemist’s opinion. But, we didn’t take it. As it turns out, it was one of the few things we did right that first year.

A lot of companies say they don’t disclose ingredients because they don’t want competitors to know what’s in their products. But, the truth is, if a competitor really wanted to know what was in those products, they could find out. For as little as a few hundred dollars, they could have a mass spec done to determine the basic ingredients.

The other truth is, as an industry, we use many of the same ingredients in varying combinations. Nothing in a manufacturer’s product list is probably going to wow their competitors that much. (“Frank, take a look at this! They’re using lunar sea extract. Straight from the moon!”) It’s just not that likely.

So, why don’t most companies disclose? Because they don’t want you, the consumer, to know what’s inside.

Here’s how the regulations work. The EPA only requires manufacturers to list “chemicals of concern” on their labels. But, the problem is, there’s no one actively determining what ingredients fall into that category. The EPA doesn’t test ingredients for toxicity (because it simply doesn’t have the resources) and it doesn’t require manufacturers to test them either. So, it’s up to the manufacturer to decide if it’s safe. (It’s crazy, but it’s true.)

These manufacturers know if they disclose their ingredients, all those toxins that have been flying under the radar for years would finally come under the scrutiny of critics much tougher than the EPA. Those critics are you and me.

It wouldn’t take long before consumer groups and environmental organizations would be putting on the pressure to shape up or suffer the consequences of lost market share.

We believe it’s only a matter of time before all cleaning products will be required to disclose what’s inside. In the meantime, know we’ve always had your back.

The reason Maggie and I decided to disclose ingredients was simple. We felt you should know. As someone with multiple chemical sensitivities, Maggie learned firsthand how difficult it was to manage her condition when she didn’t have access to the list of ingredients that were making her sick.

That’s why we disclose our complete list of ingredients for each product on our labels and on our website. None of our ingredients ranks higher than a “3” on the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetic Safety Database. The database ranks products and individual ingredients from 0 (lower concern) to 10 (higher concern). We encourage you to check for yourself at www.cosmeticsdatabase.com. You should also use this website to check the toxicity of other products you use.

Operating with transparency and integrity isn’t just a line we thought would sound good in our mission statement. It’s one we really believe in. Because…we’re all in this together,

Sara

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Date: 2011.03.22 | Category: Green cleaning, Healthier living | Response: 0

When I talk to people about their cleaning products, I’m always surprised by how many of you leave that decision up to your “cleaning lady.”

If you’re one of the lucky ones who has someone come in to clean your home, remember that it’s your home. Ultimately, you’re the one who has to live there. Long after your housecleaner leaves, any chemicals left behind from their cleaners can remain in the air and on your surfaces for hours, days, or even weeks. So, if they’re using a harsh conventional cleaner, that’s what you’re being exposed to…again and again and again.

All the more reason you should choose what cleaners they use. But, don’t be surprised if your housecleaner is reluctant to change. Their biggest fear will be that a natural cleaner won’t do the job. And, I get that. Because, as a former housecleaner, I know that time is money.

So, tell them my story. When I started cleaning homes, I used the harsh stuff, too. Then, I developed multiple chemical sensitivities from over-exposure to all those harsh chemicals. When I was forced to give up conventional cleaners, I tried other “green” cleaners and even mixed up my own homemade concoctions. But, I still couldn’t find anything that cleaned as well as the toxic stuff.

That’s when Sara and I decided to create our own line of cleaners. One that’s non-toxic and really worked!

Now we have janitorial services and countless professional housecleaners who use our products. And, not one of them has ever come back and said our products don’t hold their own against conventional cleaners. Not one.

So, if you’re one of those lucky people who pays someone to clean your home, don’t let someone else decide what chemicals you’ll be exposed to. Take matters into your own hands and tell your housecleaner about simplyneutral. I promise they’ll love you for it. And, you’ll both breathe a lot easier.

We’re all in this together,

Maggie

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Date: 2011.03.01 | Category: Life stuff | Response: 0

Not long ago I saw an interview with actor Jesse Eisenberg, who played Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg in the Social Network. When asked about all the accolades he’s received for the film, Eisenberg said, “I feel like I’ve acted better in other things. I mean, I acknowledge this movie is regarded better than anything I’ve ever been in. But it doesn’t always feel like there’s a direct correlation between what you do and the efforts you put in and the reception that follows.”

His words struck me. Mainly because I’ve experienced this same discrepancy in my own life. But, also because I was exhausted and living the truth of his words at that very moment.

I was sitting with my 87-year-old mom in the hospital-recovery unit of a nursing home. She was staying there until she could be transferred to their memory unit. The recovery unit wasn’t equipped for someone like my mom who has acute memory loss and needs close supervision. They simply didn’t have the staff.

So, for the duration of her stay, my siblings and I had to cobble together a workable schedule of constant care for her. One of us came early in the morning and spent time with her until another family member could come to take the next shift. We took her for long walks in the hallways, did 48-piece jigsaw puzzles, rubbed her legs while she napped, and showed her family photos, carefully pointing out the faces and names of her children.

For two weeks, life was put on hold. I pushed out writing deadlines, rescheduled meetings, neglected my email, and postponed get-togethers with friends.

In terms of productivity, it was a wash. In Jesse Eisenberg’s words, there was no direct correlation between what we did and the efforts we put in and the reception that would follow. (Of course, there would be no reception.)

And, yet, those were two of the most worthwhile weeks of my life, because they allowed me to be completely present for my mom when she needed it most.

This is not an isolated phenomenon.

The older I get, the more I realize there is often little correlation between the energy and passion we put into something and the perceived value of the results. But, there’s something freeing in knowing and accepting this at the outset. It allows you to take your focus away from what the world views as a successful outcome and, instead, simply put your energy where your heart knows and wants it to be.

We experience this in our business every day. As a fairly new company, the gap between the time we’ve put in and the fiscal rewards we’ve gotten back is still too wide to see across. But these weeks have reaffirmed something we knew all along. No matter if simplyneutral succeeds or fails, there will always be a direct correlation between the time and energy you put into helping others and its simple effect of being helped yourself. And, if a reception should ever follow, please save us a cookie. We’ll be at home, catching up on our sleep.

We’re all in this together,

Sara

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