For some, doing laundry is a great escape (didn’t Tina Fey make a joke about doing chores to find alone time as a parent?). For others, it’s a necessary evil. Either way, it’s an inevitable and possibly endless part of our daily routines because we all need clean clothes. So much so, that it adds up to the average American household doing 400 loads a year. That’s a lot of washing!
Happily, our new 4-in-1 Laundry Pods will make this job easier. Not only will you avoid exposure to a long list of harmful chemicals, but you won’t have to spend extra time or money on adding additional product to the mix—cleaning, stain fighting, brightening, and softening power are all conveniently packaged within one pod. Simply toss one pod and go. It’s all you need to effectively get the job done.
To get you started, here are some tips and tricks for making the most of our 4-in-1 Laundry Pods.
At first use, knowing exactly where and when to pop a laundry pod can sometimes leave you scratching your head because there are so many types and models of machines. Whether you have a front-loading, top-loading, or an HE machine, we recommend tossing the pod in the washing drum first, then adding the clothes. Piece of cake!
After you choose a method, follow these simple steps for dreamy clean clothes:
A note for fans of cold-water washing: If you’re having issues with the pods dissolving in cold water, this can happen for a few reasons. One, you have hard water. Two, your machine agitator isn’t working properly. Or three, you’re overfilling your machine. All of these can compromise the dissolvability of the powder, which would be the case for all laundry pods, not just Honest ones. However, we hope you use ours!
If you were previously washing your clothes in cold water using liquid detergent, you may not have been aware of the above issues because you can’t tell that the soap isn’t working—your clothing simply absorbs it and you never know the difference. With powder pods, though, you can really see when something is awry. Also try adding your clothes first, then tossing the pod on top. Or placing the pod into the powder dispenser (not the liquid one). A quick fix of the underlying problem is all you need to keep washing in cold water. Thanks for saving energy!
When to wash: While babies and toddlers create copious amounts of laundry (sorry, just stating the facts), older kids and adults leave much less to launder (thankfully!). Here are some basic rules of thumb:
One final tip: For the absolute best laundry results, get a little help from everyone to lighten the load (pun intended)! With our non-toxic laundry pods, your children can easily participate in chores and learn about responsibility—and you can breathe easy knowing they won’t come in contact with harsh chemicals or spill on the floor! Toddlers also can help match socks, fold small towels, and put some things away. Older children and adults are perfectly capable of even more. Working together means more time for everyone to have fun!
Everyone knows you can use body oil for massages and to moisturize your skin, but our unique formula of high quality, organic oils have the power to do so much more! Check out these awesome ideas:
1. Manicure. Rub a dab of body oil on your cuticles to soften.
2. Pedicure. Rub a generous amount of body oil all over your feet. Put on thick cotton socks and allow the oils to soak in. (Do this before bed for extra oomph.)
3. Perfume. We know most of our customers don’t like perfumes or synthetic fragrances (we don’t either!), but if you like the subtle scent of the mandarin in our body oil, apply a few drops along pulse points for a natural, light fragrance. (Pulse points are behind the ears, knees, wrists, elbows and neck area.)
4. Shaving “cream.” Rub generously on legs for a close shave. Using our body oil will also reduce shaving irritation and eliminate the need for a post-shave moisturizer.
5. Frizz-buster. Place 1 or 2 drops of body oil into your hands and run lightly through the hair. (This also helps with dry ends!)
6. Deep-conditioning hair treatment. Rub a generous amount into your hair before bed. Comb it, pile it in a loose bun on the top of your head, place a towel over your pillow, and hit the hay. In the morning , shampoo as usual and enjoy your luxurious locks!
7. Body exfoliator. Make a basic sugar scrub mixing a 2-1 ratio of sugar to body oil. Mix in a small bowl or jar. Rub gently into skin in the shower and rinse off. You won’t believe how soft your skin will feel!
8. Cradle cap cure. About a half hour before tub time, rub your baby’s scalp with our plant-based body oil. Massage gently and let the oils soak in and loosen the skin cells for about 20 minutes. Gently scrub your baby’s scalp with a soft-bristle baby brush to loosen and remove the scales. You can also use a fine-tooth baby comb to work the scales out of your baby’s hair. Keep a clean towel and bowl of warm, soapy water nearby to wipe and rinse the comb or brush as needed. Bathe your baby as usual, washing the oil away using our gentle, non-toxic shampoo.
9. Lip softener. Make your lips extra kissable by mixing 1 TSP each of brown sugar, vanilla extract, and body oil; gently rubbing into lips; and wiping off with a warm wash cloth.
10. Paw lubricant. Does your puppy get sore, cracked paws from walking on hot sidewalks in the summer or from cold, dry winter air? Rub some body oil on her paw pads for healing and relief.
How have you used Honest Body Oil? Share your tips in the comments below!
Honest April loves to maximize her wardrobe without spending any money, so she mixes and matches.
April’s Tip: Mixing patterns in your outfit is a great way to look fashion forward with little effort. Throw on a striped cardigan over a floral tank, and you are instantly on trend for a day in the office! Be sure to stick to the same color palette in each print, and you are all set. Added bonus: you will get twice the use from your existing wardrobe just by pairing new pieces!
Honest Christopher knows it’s easy to flip the switch on the A/C when temps rise, but fight that urge and turn down the thermostat!
Christopher’s Tip: It definitely pays to give a thought to your thermostat since most households shell out 50 to 70% of their energy budgets on heating and cooling. For every degree you lower the thermostat, you’ll save between 1 and 3% of your heating bill. Do the same thing in reverse with air conditioning. (Bonus Tips: Print on both sides of paper and do your wash in cold water).
Ashley’s Tip: Mix equal parts flour and salt in a bowl. Add enough vinegar to make a thick paste. Spread it over the entire surface and let the paste dry. Rinse off and buff with a soft rag! The amount of flour/salt depends on how much copper you need to clean. One pot probably needs about 1/2 cup of each. Super simple and effective!
Honest Tanya feels like she’s always doing laundry and finds that she goes through lots of dryer sheets. Instead of throwing them out right away, she tries to find some use for them.
Tanya’s Tip: If I catch a sheet when emptying the dryer, I use it to wipe out the lint trap. If I miss it, then I’ll use it after I’m done folding to dust off our coffee and side tables. Used dryer sheets are great at picking up dust and dirt and I don’t need to get my hands wet from wipes or sponges! (P.S. Stay tuned for Honest’s dryer cloths…coming soon!)
Honest Sarah is learning to garden and is attempting to add a touch of green to her home, so she’s started off simple and followed her mom’s advice to plant local, drought resistant varieties….but even these low-maintenance plants still need water.
Sarah’s Tip: Water your garden and lawn in the early morning (easy for parents if they have an early riser) or at night because temps are cooler, water evaporates less, and more of it is absorbed into the ground. And pick up some organic mulch for your flowerbeds. These are easy ways to reduce how often you need to water.
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