Frequently Asked Questions
Why make the switch to plant-based home cleaners?
Many commercial cleaning products are loaded with chemical surfactants, residues of which if not washed well can cause serious damage. While using such products, we might also end up inadvertently inhaling the toxicity which has the potential to cause breathing issues. Often the amount of chemicals in these cleaners are not necessary to achieve cleaning, which can be accomplished through simpler substances that are sustainable, regenerative – basically plant produce that grow right off trees. In fact, it might be interesting to note that soap was not used for cleaning in India until about 150 years ago. Even until the 1920s, plant based natural surfactants – reetha (soapnut) was more often than not the single solution for washing everything from homes to hair. Once the British introduced soap in the country, ancient wisdom was soon forgotten and we unfortunately became fully dependant on toxic and abrasive agents for cleaning ourselves and our homes. One of our aims is to revive that lost wisdom and make is accessible. To prove that our children and pets and homes can do without the harshness of artificial cleaning agents.
Are The Clever Nut products really effective?
The biggest underrated truth is that foam and fragrance are just not necessary to clean. It is more our mental conditioning that has begun to associate foaming and strong after-smells with cleaning. Our products have been tested for cleaning and disinfecting efficiency and natural shelf life. They have no artificial shelf-life enhancers and anti-caking or anti-settling agents. They are free of strong smells and are kept mildly fragrant with a dash of essential oil. So don’t worry if they don’t foam or let off lingering powerful smells. They are doing their job quietly, being gentle on you and the planet.
What kind of lab testing have the products undergone? Do they kill germs?
Our products have been tested for cleaning and disinfecting efficiency and natural shelf life by an NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) accredited lab. The disinfecting capability indicates capability to degrade common harmful bacteria.
What are the things to know before beginning to use these products? No fragrance, shake well, store in a cool shady place n reuse the bottles.
Well, you are good to go once you have unlearnt foam and fragrance. The products need to be shaken vigorously before every use as they may tend to settle down in the absence of anti-settling agents. Store our products in a shady place. And reuse our bottles.
Do these natural products come with a good enough shelf life?
Yes, the products have been curated to have a substantial shelf life despite the fact that they don’t contain any chemical preservatives or life extenders. Our kitchen and fabric liquids have a shelf life of a year. Rest of our products have a shelf life of eight months.
Why are these products not packaged in glass bottles?
We actually did a lot of research to evaluate sustainable packaging options. We discovered that alternatives like metal and glass have a higher carbon footprint if you consider mining, production, and transportation processes.
Our bottles are made of high-density polyethylene and are PET free. The bottles are sturdy and can be reused multiple times over. We offer refilling services in Bangalore and Pune. This way you can contribute to nil landfills from your side. For other cities where we aren’t yet big enough to provide refilling, assuming you choose to discard them, you can send them to the nearest scrap dealer who will put this into the recycling process given the content of high quality plastic in them.