Cleaning Power of Coconuts
March 31, 2021
Cleaning Power of Coconuts
A Seriously Powerful Fruit
About Coconuts
Coconuts grow on the coconut palm tree. I had them in my yard when we lived in Parkland, FL (one of my all-time favorite trees). Coconut trees can produce up to 50 coconuts a year and can be used in some pretty awesome ways. Personal health, beauty products, cleaning products like ours (coconut-based soap), food + drink, fibers and even building material. They have been used for medicinal and healing purposes for thousands of years. They are a truly amazing fruit (it's actually not a nut, but botanically a drupe)!
Coconut Soap
Coco-glucoside is made out of coconuts
Coco Glucoside was a clear choice for our all-purpose cleaner concentrate.
It is a favorite among those wanting to use natural ingredients in their home-based cleaners because its derived from Coconut and Fruit Sugars. It's natural, non-toxic, effective at cleaning, and gentle on skin. .
It is completely biodegradable and contains no lauryl sulphates, laureth sulphates, parabens, formaldehyde or diethanolamides.
How Does Coco-Glucoside Clean?
Natural Surfactant:
Coco-glucoside is a natural, non-ionic surfactant (surface acting agent). It gently cleanses by actively attaching to grease/dirt by its fat-loving end of the molecule and washing it away by increasing surface tension by the water-loving end of the molecule. In short, it lifts, separates and washes germs (soap kills bacteria and viruses by penetrating/opening the cell wall & killing it), dirt, and grime away.
Synthetic (chemical) Surfactants:
Synthetic or petrochemical materials are produced by oil, gas and chemical processing. They can be further processed (through alkylation, ethoxylation or sulphation) to produce a range of different types of surfactant molecules.
SLS/SLES: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate/Sodium Laureth Sulfates are synthetic surfactants. Sulfates have been linked to cancer, neurotoxicity, organ toxicity, skin irritation and endocrine disruption.
Although SLS could be derived from coconuts, it is contaminated with a toxic byproduct during the manufacturing process, 1,4 dioxane. 1,4 dioxane is "possibly carcinogenic to humans" and may also cause negatives effects in the kidneys, liver and central nervous system, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
Learn more about what's in our all-purpose cleaner concentrate
Written by Karen Troutt
Karen is the founder & creator of Gaia's cleaning line and co-owner of Gaia Natural Home. She's a health educator and stresses the importance of prevention. She found a need and was determined to create truly "clean" cleaning products after her 3 children were born. With her husband, Jason (a biochemist), by her side she was able to develop high-quality, toxic-free cleaners. You'll find her in the flower garden, cooking in the kitchen, at the ball fields, and hanging at the beach with her family in Santa Rosa Beach, FL along the famous 30a highway.
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