SOME FIGGY FACTS ABOUT GOING GREEN…

 

We are chemically conscious. What this means is that we have taken every opportunity to omit from our lives and our homes, unnecessary and untested chemicals that have a negative consequence on our health and our environment. We have chosen instead to clean our homes  with chemicals that are tested and have a far safer profile, particularly when commonsense prevails. As with any cleaner, store bought or Figgy made, a level of care is neccesary. Don’t ingest it. Don’t inhale it. Don’t let your kids or pets eat it.

 

WATER:

• Don’t under estimate the cleaning power of water. Water is a solvent so it dissolves, washes away and dilutes a variety of stains and messes. A damp cloth and blotting with water is a good first step in your cleaning regime.

• Bear in mind, not all tap water is created equal. Depending on where you live in Aotearoa, you will have more or less minerals in your water. These minerals can hamper the washing ability of soap and washing soda, so at times more cleaner may be required.

• Alternatively, simple additives (such as citric acid, salt and borax ) can counteract the extra minerals and allow the soap and washing soda to get to work.

DOUBLE STRENGTH VINEGAR:

• By choosing naturally brewed white vinegar you are saying no to petrochemicals. Natural brewing is a time honoured method of distilling grains to produce vinegar- and anything that good sometimes costs a bit extra.

• Supermarket vinegar is typically 4% vinegar content diluted with water. Our double strength vinegar is 9.9% so to dilute it down to regular strength you need to add 1.5 litres of water to 1 litre of Figgy vinegar- for a total volume of 2.5 litres.

• All our recipes assume a diluted strength of approximately 4%. If you wish to use it undiluted, reduce the volume in the recipe accordingly.

• One of the reasons Figgy supplies double strength vinegar for you to dilute at home is to keep courier costs down- who wants to pay postage for water?!

• Although vinegar is only a weak acid it can deteriorate natural marble and the grout between your tiles. It will be better to use a Figgy liquid cleaning soap based cleaner for these.

SOAP:

• Made from soponified oils, soap has been used for cleaning for thousands of years.

• The blend of oils used will give the final soap different characteristics. For example olive oil makes a very mild soap, while coconut oil is particularly cleansing.

• Soap differs from detergent. Soap is made from natural products, compared to detergent which is made in a laboratory using petrochemicals and other synthesised chemicals. Soap in general has three ingredients (oil, lye and water); I bet you can’t say that about your store bought detergent (shampoo, bodywash, washing liquid etc).

• Here at Figgy & Co., we batch make our own soaps following time-honoured techniques.

FIGGY LIQUID CLEANING SOAP (CASTILE)

• This is our own hand-batch liquid castile soap.

• Because our liquid cleaning soap is made from 100% coconut oil we are able to supply it to you in a concentrated form. Other liquid soaps made from multiple oil sources cannot achieve the same level of concentration. A little goes a long way, saving you money, while being hard hitting on grease and grime.

• You may see some cleaning recipes (not ours) that call for combining liquid castile soaps and vinegar. Be aware (without boring you with the science) that this will promptly return your soap back to its original oil form and be counter-productive to your cleaning.

• Example of use: Limitless! Anywhere you may have used detergent, use this. It is also the cornerstone of most of our Figgy recipes.

FIGGY BAR SOAP:

• Coconut soap is well known for its superior cleaning qualities. Our Figgy bar soap (like the Figgy liquid cleaning soap) is made from 100% coconut oil. It will lift grime, oils and mess fabulously well around the house. While many people will be able to happily use it for hand and body washing, some may find it drying.

• If you have grated soap before you will know what a pain it can be- well not anymore! Our Figgy bar soap is a breeze to grate and blend down to a fine powder when adding to your DIY cleaners.

• A special property of 100% coconut soap is that it will form a rich lather in salt water making it the ideal companion on any fishing, camping or seaside adventure- come home smelling sweet.

• Example of use: grated and used in laundry powder, handsoap and washing up liquid.

BAKING SODA:

• Softens water to allow cleaning, deoderises and freshens living spaces.

• Our baking soda is food grade, but please be aware while every effort is made to prevent cross contamination with other dry ingredients, it may occur.

• Example of use: make up to a paste for an effective but gentle scrub cleaner.

WASHING SODA:

• Baking Soda’s big brother. Also softens water for deep cleaning. A strong alkaline cleaner that removes grease and grime.

• Can be a mild skin irritant, so wash hands thoroughly after use.

• Example of use: key component of laundary powder and soaks.

OXYGEN BLEACH:

• Oxygen based bleach breaks downs to washing soda and hydrogen peroxide (a safe and all-natural sanitiser) in water. Safely lifts a wide range of organic stains (blood, fruit, tannins).

• When activated by water oxygen bleach will release a multitude of tiny oxygen bubbles- this is your cleaner going to work.

• For the same reason be sure to store your oxygen bleach in a dry container, as to not activate it too early. Figgy recommends moving your oxygen bleach out of the paper bag it arrives in.

• Example of use: fantastic for safely soaking clothes and garments.

BORAX:

• A naturally occuring mineral deposit that cleans, deodorises and has anti-septic properties.

• This product is safe to use as an additive to cleaning products. It should not be confused with Boric acid as this is quite different, but the two are often lumped together. Using Borax in the context that Figgy advocates, it requires no more special care than any other cleaner or ingredient. If you would like to read more check out the Crunchy Betty Blog for an everyday practical view on Borax.

• Example of use: beneficial additive to cleaning powders (laundry and dishwasher).

ESSENTIAL OILS:

• Adding essential oils, those delightful little vials of botanical goodness, allows your cleaners to take on a whole new dimension! Essential oil has been used for many millennia for the purpose of healing, soothing, fragrance and cleaning. Just as every plant is different – so too are the special properties of its essential oil.

• Getting to know just a few essential oils and what they do, will open the door to a whole new world. You can use essential oils one at a time, or blend to suit your own needs. Some people are drawn to the strong and intense oils such as lemongrass, peppermint or clove. You only need a few drops of these oils. Others like more subtle oils, such as lemon, rose and lavender. A few more drops are needed to achieve the same fragrance level.

• Regardless of your preference it’s important to remember that essential oils are active and should be used with common sense.

• More information about essential oils can be found at Aroma Web.

CITRIC ACID:

• A beneficial additive that makes the cleaners work better. Citric acid binds with minerals in water to stop them interfering with the cleaning properties of active ingredients.

• Example of use: reduces water spots on dishes when added to dishwasher powder.

SALT (SODIUM CHLORIDE):

• Use non-iodised table salt for cleaning.

• Another beneficial additive that makes your cleaners work better by reducing the interference of minerals in your water.

• Example of use: use as a scrub, or mix with water to clean your veges.