All posts by Rachelle Potter

I am a Norwex independent sales consultant and LOVE what I do :) I'm a wife and mum to four fabulous children. We call Canberra home, but have lived in Victoria, NSW and Queensland too! I am a Senior Executive Sales Leader for Norwex Australia and totally LOVE IT!!! :) I love what I do and always looking for people who would like to make a difference. If you are looking for an opportunity to earn income (great income) either as a side hustle or your main income- Norwex is a growing, needed & inspirational company to work for. Make a difference & get paid doing it! Buy your Norwex & Join my Team online @ www.rachellepotter.norwexbiz.com.au

About Norwex, FAQ's, I want some Norwex but where do I start?

How is Norwex different to other microfibres out there?

June 17, 2014 Rachelle Potter 3 Comments

My aim in this article is to briefly address how Norwex is different to other microfibres around. It is an amazing, versatile, affordable product and I do warn people that using Norwex cloths can be quite addictive. EVEN for those people who DON’T like to clean (like me!). If you are after specific Norwex product “have to haves”/essentials… click the post here.

Are you thinking “how on earth is that possible?” Well let me explain… it just makes cleaning tasks which are typically a pain (like cleaning the oven, your floors, the shower, marks off walls etc.) so quick, so effective and so EASY. There are so many microfibres on the market- Norwex, Enjo, e-cloth, microfibres you can buy at the supermarket, online and at markets.

The question about how Norwex is different to other microfibres comes up all the time. You can buy 10 microfibre cloths from Big W or Bunnings for $10 why would you buy a Norwex EnviroCloth (multi purpose cloth) when it is more expensive? (this was one of my first questions!)

Norwex Microfibre…

Removes up to 99% of bacteria from a surface when following proper use and care
Contains BacLock® an antibacterial agent for self-cleansing purposes only
Helps eliminate the need for paper towels and chemical laden cleaners
Significantly reduces the use of costly cleaning products
Ultra-thick and absorbent to pick-up and hold more dust, dirt and debris than other cleaning cloths
Holds several times its weight in water
Made of more 3, 000 kilometres of microfibre for more effective cleaning power

Norwex Verses Disinfecting Wipes… what is the difference between Mechanical and Chemical Cleaning?

How is Norwex different to other microfibres?

The Silver

Norwex microfibres are made with a blend of polyester & polyamide. Polyamide simply helps with durability. When the Norwex microfibre is at the pulp stage in the factory they add SILVER. This is called BacLock® an antibacterial agent for self-cleansing purposes only.

Why Silver?

Silver has antibacterial properties, properties humans have been using for decades. Hospitals use silver as their top defence against infection in burns patients. I know before I even knew Norwex existed, I was encouraged to buy (and bought) silver pads for my kindergarten daughter who tripped down a HUGE concrete hill (poor thing I still cringe as I think how that turned out). The Norwex labels, if they have the silver added will have the word ‘Baclock’ on the label.

The silver DOES NOT wash out of our microfibres.

What does the silver do?

The micro silver is an antibacterial agent for self-cleaning purposes. The agent inhibits bacterial odour, mould, and/or mildew growth within the product. IT doesn’t make the surface antibacterial the AMAZING micro fibres will remove everything off the surface for you easily and effectively THEN the silver goes to work. What does this mean? The micro silver in a wet cloth goes to work using its self-purification properties against mould, fungi and bacterial odour within 24 hours. Using JUST water, surfaces are left free from EVERYTHING- cleaned, polished and streak free.

I just think of our kitchen cloths so affordably priced and they replace your sponges, smelly microfibre cloths- because of the QUALITY & SILVER they just don’t smell like other cloths do. If you have bench tops or tables that streak, then you just HAVE to get 2-3 of these babies- THEY ARE AWESOME!!!

Cost & Quality

Norwex is a high quality microfibre and it’s important know for a fibre to be considered “microfibre” it needs to be 1/6 of a human hair or finer. Norwex microfibre is 1/200 of a human hair!! (Enjo fibres are 1/100th & supermarket brands nowhere near this density).

The way microfibre works, is every microfibre has tiny ‘hooks’ on the fibre, the capillary action PULLS the bacteria, dirt, dust, grease and residue up into the cloth. With Norwex Antibacterial Microfibre, you don’t breathe, touch or digest chemical cleaners and their residue. You remove, (not spread) the dirt, dust, grease and 99.9% of bacteria from a surface. Then the silver goes to work and inhibits the bacterial growth.

The Norwex enviro cloth for example has 2.9 million metres of fibre within the cloth

More microfibre = a better clean.

The quality, two-year warranty on cloths, the 60 day satisfaction guarantee on ALL products and the added silver make for one amazing microfibre. Compared to other Direct Selling cleaning products Norwex is by far a more affordable product. The ability to clean your whole home for around $4 per week over 2 years makes having a Norwex home more appealing to the hip pocket. If you want to convert your home to Norwex have a look at the Healthy Home Packages (mop, cloths & more) or the dream starter kit. (remember here, if you do buy anything through my online store, you will be emailed the instructions as part of your receipt, which I know helps my customers tremendously to use their products and refer to them.

People often wonder how Norwex microfibre is different to other microfibres. Have a watch of this video called… What makes Norwex Microfibre so great?

Versatility & One step cleaning…

There are some products on the market that you need to use multiple steps to clean surfaces, with Norwex it’s a one step process.

As each cleaning challenge has different surfaces and different kinds of dirt and grime, Norwex has formulated different microfibres to tackle every area of your home, office, car & personal care.

For example the Bamboo Multi-Purpose cloth can be used to remove GREASE with just water (my Dad’s favourite cloth!), plus use them to clean most things- bathrooms, fridges, cupboards etc.

The window cloth– for windows, mirrors, polishing jewellery and shiny surfaces.

The Body cloths- for cleansing, exfoliating the skin, make up removal with only water

Washing & Care

No bleach or fabric softeners in the wash with all microfibres. However unlike some other microfibres, Norwex can be washed in machines up to temperatures of 95 degrees celsius with other lint free items. Norwex can go in a moderate dryer up to 60 degrees

A small word on the Norwex-Enjo comparison (a question that comes up frequently)

Firstly BOTH products use microfibre and you are able to switch to chemical free cleaning, however they are actually quite different. One thing I will share and it may help the Enjo user wondering what Norwex is and if it is for them… is those awesome customers I have who are Enjo users (and I absolutely love having Enjo users at my party as they KNOW the value and amazing clean microfibre gives) are absolutely LOVING their Norwex. I think of an older lady I met at a party about a year ago. She told me outright she loves her Enjo (which is great) and as she handed me her $250 order she told me that she absolutely loved the range of our products and bought products that complimented what she already had (eg. she was amazed at our scrub cloth, blown away in fact) but what she loved about the Norwex she was purchasing is it complimented what she had and there were many Norwex products that she “just had to have”. She also purchased products to replace the Enjo ones which had worn out.

Please find below our Microfibre Care instructions

STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® certification

All of these products are made in line with the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® .

So, what is the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® ??

STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® certification keeps you and your family safe from harmful substances
The product and its components have been tested against a list of over 350 harmful substances according to STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®
According to the OEKO-TEX website, “OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 is one of the world’s best-known labels for textiles tested for harmful substances. It stands for customer confidence and high product safety.”
“If a textile article carries the STANDARD 100 label, you can be certain that every component of this article, i.e. every thread, button and other accessories, has been tested for harmful substances and that the article therefore is harmless for human health. The test is conducted by our independent OEKO-TEX® partner institutes on the basis of our extensive OEKO-TEX® criteria catalog. In the test they take into account numerous regulated and non-regulated substances, which may be harmful to human health. In many cases the limit values for the STANDARD 100 go beyond national and international requirements. The criteria catalog is updated at least once a year and expanded with new scientific knowledge or statutory requirements. It is not easy for manufacturers and customers to keep an overview of the legal situation concerning harmful substances every day. Our experts from the OEKO-TEX® institutes do this for you.”

Microfibre can be recycled

When your well-used Norwex Microfibre product reaches the end of its life, don’t throw it out. Instead, give it a fitting end with our Microfibre Recycling Program, which partners with a company to convert waste into renewable energy.

Did you know that 20 million tonnes of waste processed annually produces enough energy to power one million homes? This safe, technologically-advanced waste disposal method:

Generates clean, renewable energy

Reduces greenhouse gas emissions

Supports recycling through the recovery of metals, watch the video how waste is made into energy.

I hope that has helped you learn how Norwex different to other microfibres out there. If you have further questions or wanted to contact me, please don’t hesitate,

Sincerely,

Rachelle 🙂

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About Norwex, FAQ's

FAQ: Why are Norwex cloths made in China?

June 13, 2014 Rachelle Potter 2 Comments

One of the questions I often get at parties is “why are the cloths made in China?” (which is a VALID & GREAT question). I actually try to address it straight up as when I personally saw that Norwex was made in China, I thought that meant they were made by some poor person being paid 50 cents an hour. This is NOT the case. We source our products from ALL around the world, where the manufacturing is the best. Our fluff and tumble dryer balls are 100% New Zealand wool, our organic personal care items are made in places like Italy and China are ahead of the game in textile manufacturing so that is WHY our factory is based there. Norwex does not manufacture, purchase from, or deal with any companies that are not fair trade or that exploit workers.

I have included an article written from the 2011 Norwex global Update Newsletter about the China Story, click to enlarge to read more. I found it a very helpful read! Norwex did start in NORWAY but they needed to be moved to a bigger location, hence the move to China. Norwex DO NOT contract out the manufacturing of the cloths, rather they own and operates the factory within China. This is really important to understand. Our global CEO visits regularly and there is a Norwegian managing director living in China to oversee all practices.

2015 Update: Sonya Eckel from the USA was privileged to be apart of a group to visit the China factory. The link to her blog article is here and a fabulous one describing her and the team’s experiences. I enjoyed reading it and would so love to visit the factory one day.

2018 Update: Norwex have built an incredible state of the art factory in China & below are the certifications and information about the manufacturing in China. The leader of my wider Norwex team, Linda Pearce had the privilege of going to the opening ceremony and toured around. This is what she had to say about her experience:

” I was blown away by the quality, care and attention to detail Norwex display in relation to our products, factory facilities and equipment and staff.”

I LOVE IT! 🙂 Sonya Eckel also went along to the factory opening & did a thorough 8 minute long you tube video ALL about her experience and is very interesting. So if you would like to see pictures & also hear more about it check it out HERE. I hope that helps answer the question about why some Norwex products are make in China.

FAQ: Why are Norwex cloths made in China?

real people. real stories, Starting a Norwex Business

Norwex makes a difference: one consultant’s story…

June 13, 2014 Rachelle Potter Leave a comment

Norwex makes a difference on so many levels. It gives families a flexible way to earn money and 2-4 parties a week can bring full-time money for part-time hours. As a consultant we are rewarded with incentive trips, free products and stationary and so much recognition. Free training & support. It really is amazing. One of my colleagues Robyn wrote an article for our last newsletter and I asked if I could share it here on my blog. It is an impacting, real and honest look at her journey. A big thanks to Robyn for allowing me to share it.

Robyn’s Story

One of the things that I love about this party plan caper is that you can do as little or as much as you like and you are in control of that yourself!

My journey with microfibre and party plan started about the same time, 11 years ago. I worked as a para-legal for nearly 20 years in what I call “my former life” and after moving from Melbourne to Brisbane, found that as the law is different in QLD, I actually wasn’t qualified to work in my previous field.

I had also had our son Jack who was diagnosed with an extremely rare life threatening genetic disorder, Hurler Syndrome, just after his first birthday. Following Jack having a Bone Marrow Transplant when he was 18 months old, I decided I wanted our brand new home to be chemical free. I think this decision has had such a positive effect for our whole family. I have always cleaned as I go, rather than spending “a day cleaning” and continue still to have my cleaning moments. One in particular is when Jack is in the bath and he squeals in delight with the “rain”. Not so much me as I continuously wipe down the walls and then dry both him and me!

Not long after Jack’s BMT we realized that I needed to get a job of some description to contribute to the household bills and really struggled with what to do. I went to a Tupperware party one day and the demonstrator suggested I should give it a go, which I decided to do. Mainly because I had no other way at that time of earning money and with a husband in the RAAF, figured I could do my parties around his work and when I ran out of parties would get a job somewhere else. I had no idea what that would be but my prospects weren’t looking flash.

So off I went to my first party. Thought I was going to vomit! I don’t think we ever forget our first party and I still don’t to this day. There were 15 people, divided into pretty much two groups and one that didn’t fit into either group. The two groups talked constantly so I pretty much did my whole demonstration to her. That first party was over $800 and I double dated. As I walked out of her home I thought to myself “gosh that wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be” and I had in fact really enjoyed myself. And I calculated how much money I had made and got a little more excited.

As I have gone along in my party plan journey I have learned so much from talking to the people I am around, from management to other consultants and just as importantly my customers. I don’t think it matters how long you are in this business as we are always learning and I find I learn so much from new people joining me in the business as they are fresh as well as those very experienced, successful leaders.

So I began my Norwex journey 1 year ago (Happy Norwex Birthday to me in May!) and love it!

I love all the things party plan offers. I love that if I want to have a break I can, I simply work harder before and after. I love that it gives women (mainly women) the opportunity to have a family and also a career. I love the people I meet and the amazing friendships that develop. I love that if we want to earn a little to pamper ourselves or just to escape the madness of the house that is our prerogative. Not only did I start in party plan because, at the time we needed the money, but I also needed something flexible to cater for the many hospital visits with Jack. I also had a new baby as well and there was simply no job that would allow that luxury. I love that we earn great money if that’s what we want. Clearly, to be successful and make great money we need to work hard. I believe you need to invest in your business and that involves taking advantage of the amazing training and events available. Time management is also really important when you don’t have a lot of it and mapping out my diary is crucial. So that not only did I know what I was doing, but that guests at my parties could see straight away from looking in my diary when I was available to do their party. It has not only work stuff but all my personal stuff in it. A busy diary is much more appealing than empty, blank pages. By consistently holding 2 – 4 demos in a week we have the opportunity to earn a full-time income and the luxury of those hours being flexible. Whether you choose this business to earn a little “pocket money” or want a full-time income I believe you still need structure. I have business hours. This was an extremely hard thing for me to initially implement as we all feel like we need to be available all the time or we might miss out on some business. But once I explained to customers that I don’t answer my phone until after the children are in bed (unless I choose to of course) or that I don’t work on a Sunday as that is family time they understand that and respect your decision. I had clear goals of what I wanted to spend my money on so think that made it relatively easy to budget appropriately. My first big goal was to save for a pool, as that is really the only exercise Jack can do; and successfully paid cash for it. My next goal was landscaping and over the following years saved around $50,000 and paid for that too. The other amazing bonuses are the incentive trips you achieve, and I have been on many. We also qualify for amazing rewards like the ongoing consultant rewards, mop bag, gorgeous blanket, watch and of course the cruise!

My first Norwex goal was to use my earnings and by a Thermomix – which I did. I am now saving my pennies to once again pay for a pool in my next home. I currently work 4 days a week as a teacher aide and, as I am now a single parent, I do my parties when my children are with their father on the weekend or hire a babysitter.

Our amazing business offers so many positives to our lives. Whether you choose to do a little or a lot we certainly do have the potential to earn as much money and to be as successful as we want. The resources are there, the amazing support is there, the parties are there, the awesome product is there – now you just need to find yourself!

THANKYOU Robyn!

For more information on how you can join Norwex… please have a read about it here and contact me via the contact form to get even more information. I live in Canberra however, we have access to so much ONLINE- webinars, training, facebook as well as a growing amount of training all over Australia.

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Allergies, Asthma & Skin, Customer testimonies, product spotlight, real people. real stories

The Norwex Mattress Cleaner: A Classic tale of the Goodies V’s the Baddies!

June 2, 2014 Rachelle Potter Leave a comment

It could help your asthma, morning sneezing, smelly odours & more!

“I need more sneezing spray” a customer shared on the phone the other day. This particular customer’s Norwex mattress cleaner had run out and after using it for approximately 9 months & having their morning sneezing stop- they were all back to sneezing once more.

One of my customers shared a similar story with me (and many guests at parties!)…

Dawn’s story

“I cannot believe what a fantastic product the mattress spray is – I tried it because of its preventative qualities – who wants bed bugs/dust mites?

I quickly realized that something else had changed – the meeting stopping cough wasn’t happening.
I had plagued staff meetings etc with an amazing, but painless, awful cough for years and years.

Suddenly it wasn’t happening – I know when it’s time to re-spray, I get a little cough if I have forgotten to spray.
Now even my new little cat has no bother with dust etc as she enjoys bed warmth with her human mother.

I used it in the car, too, with the same good results!

When my older visited TWICE recently, there was no ‘morning sneezing’ for which both my daughters are renowned.

My asthmatic friend who visits several times a semester with her studies having residential sessions, has had no attacks here since I used the spray!! “

Sarah’s story

I vividly remember doing an emergency dash over to Sarah’s house after she had some delightful (?) smells in her car, Sarah is a mum of 4 & whose children get car sick… This is what she just wrote about the Norwex mattress cleaner.

“If your kids get car sick, never leave home without it!!!!! It’s amazing. Vomit is organic matter, so the enzymes work on them like they do on the dustmite faeces, literally getting rid of it (not just a cover-up). I’ve lent mine out several times to others whose kids have been sick, and I’m so glad it’s on sale again…I’ve been waiting. I always take it with me on holidays (it was great in one holiday house, too, to be able to get rid of what I assume was cat pee smell off the lounges. Sprayed it the first night, then we could sit on the lounge the next morning).

My story

I know in our own family my daughter suffers from asthma & since using this both MY morning runny noses have disappeared & she had gone from needing her ventalin at least once a day to only requiring it when she has a cold. I love how Norwex has improved our quality of life. Yes it has saved us money, saved me time in cleaning but how it has helped our health, that is priceless.

So how does the Norwex mattress cleaner work?

Dust mites themsleves are not what causes allergies, it’s the faeces they leave behind. In fact dust mite droppings are the most common cause of dust-related allergies.

Dust mites

Dust mites are tiny, approximately 50 of them could fit on the end of a pin. They eat the fungus that grows from dead skin cells and animal dander and each day each one produces about 20 faecal pellets.

Inhaled dust mite faecal matter can lead to eye-ear-nose-throat infections, headaches, fatigue, depression, sleep difficulties, snoring and respiratory illnesses such as sinusitis, allergies and asthma attacks.

What’s in the Norwex mattress cleaner?

I often say at my parties that the Norwex mattress cleaner is “disgustingly awesome” Why? Because the micro organisms (live bacteria) within the cleaner are dormant in the bottle, but once the bottle has been shaken & sprayed on their “food source” (Yes the POO!!) they are activated, reproduce and as they eat away they produce enzymes (protein) and these enzymes break down the fecal matter, dead skin cells, pet dander or any organic matter which causes unpleasant odours and turn it into carbon dioxide and water. Once their job is done they disintegrate, so no need for vacuuming up afterwards (as you need to do with other sprays).

It’s a classic case of Goodies V’s Baddies!!

The leader of our Norwex team, Linda Pearce describes their job perfectly…

“Similar to our other “enzyme-based” or microbial products, our Mattress Cleaner does not “kill” anything (including dust mites). It works by eating up all of the organic matter that the dust mites would feed on, as well as the accumulated dust mite bodies and faecal matter. No food = no more growth of mites……at least for a while…….until there is more food. The overgrowth of the good bacteria at the expense of the dust mites is called competitive inhibition. We simply add enough “good guys” to be sure they out compete the “bad guys.”

Where can the Norwex mattress cleaner get it from? What if it doesn’t work?

Click on the image and it will take you to my online store. Think about some complimentary products such as the envirowand, laundry detergent, dust mitt (its like a magnet) & the enviro cloth which you can use damp to wipe over your bed rails (amongst MANY other uses).

If you’re not sure then I encourage you to TRY it- Norwex products carry a 60 day money back policy so you have more than enough time to see if it makes a difference.

Some other Norwex customer testimonies…

“I used mattress cleaner when my daughter was waking up every morning with bites on her skin….(it was a second hand mattress given to us) once we used the mattress cleaner she never has woken up with bites again…I started using the mattress cleaner roughly 3-4 months ago.” Odette George, Qld

“My sinus problems showed a marked improvement within one day of using the mattress cleaner. While it hasn’t gone completely, it is much better!” Susan Don, Qld

“Fantastic stuff! Gets rid of the smell of pee (both human and pets) and has cleared up my brother in laws eczema. Brilliant must have product!!!!” Monica Whawell, Qld

“My sister bought it in March 2011 as her daughter Ashleigh suffers badly from Asthma, eczema and other skin conditions. She uses it regularly on her mattress and pillows, the year she started using it was the first year she didn’t end up in hospital with breathing difficulties. Needless to say, Sandie has become a complete Norwex fan.” Stacey Allen, Qld

“I suffer from hay fever and my partner from hay fever and asthma. When I heard about the mattress cleaner I was skeptical (like with all the products) but gave it a try… Bam… No more sneezes and runny noses in the early morning from both of us! Mother in law uses and say it has reduced hubbies snoring and no more hay fever!” Carla Stevens, Qld

“My kids both suffer from asthma, with my daughter also suffering from eczema and hay fever as well. I can always tell when it’s time to do their bedding again and pretty well spot on 3 months they will start with the coughing sneezing, runny eyes and nose and everything else that goes along with them. Simply spray all their bedding, doonas, pillows etc. and it clears it up straight away! Would NOT be without the mattress cleaner, the best thing I ever bought from Norwex and that’s been a lot of products! You will not regret buying!” Sandra Ludcke, Qld

FAQ's

How do I buy Norwex products? And other FAQ’s

January 29, 2014 Rachelle Potter 3 Comments

It’s a common misconception that you can only buy Norwex products when you are attend a demonstration.

Well guess what? You can purchase anytime! You don’t have to go to a party to buy Norwex! YEAH!!

If you head on over to rachellepotter.norwexbiz.com.au or press the link at the top of the page, you can purchase at my online store.

Other FAQ’s

How much does it cost to post items if I purchase from your online store?

No more than $13.95

How will I know how to use the products?

Every person who makes an online order, I treat just like a customer at a party- you will get the instructions emailed to you for your reference & when you purchase from me, you can contact me with your questions or any customer care needs 🙂

What if I’m not happy with my product or something is wrong with it?

Everything from Norwex comes with a 60 money back satisfaction guarantee and up to a 2 year warranty- so if you need help in either of these areas, then drop me an email and we can work it out!

See the Norwex Guarantee

What if I want to have a party to see more?

If you are in the Canberra region myself or one of my AWESOME team can do it for you. If you are outside this region I have consultants in many parts of Australia and I can pass your details onto another consultant in your area 🙂

The other option I can offer you is an ONLINE PARTY. We use facebook and do it through an event- they are prooving to be VERY successful!