What is Nowex? An honest Norwex review for cleaning cloths from a busy mom, in response to the lack of helpful, unaffiliated reviews. Is Norwex a scam or legit? Find out!
A few years ago I was introduced to Norwex cleaning cloths. I found that research was very hard to come by so I am giving my 100% unbiased Norwex review of the cleaning cloths. I am not affiliated at all with Norwex, e-cloths, or any other company. I want everyone to be able to read this post and decide if the products would be best for them, because the answer may not be the same for everyone!
Today, I want to share with you my opinions on Norwex as a whole and their two flagship products: The Envirocloth and the Window Cloth.
If you would like to check out my thoughts on their other products, these additional articles are helpful:
My cleaning routine prior to Norwex
In my own home, I would say that I am somewhat typical in my cleaning routines. I used Windex, Dish detergent, Stainless Steel Polish, Grease Lighting, All kinds of bathroom cleaners, and floor cleaners. I didn’t use anti-bacterial cleaner such as Lysol or Clorox. For laundry we used detergent, fabric softener, and sometimes dryer sheets, oxyclean, and very rarely bleach. (Boy, that does seem like a lot of products!)
So that’s me in a nutshell to give you a context for this Norwex review.
What is Norwex?
Norwex is an MLM style company similar to Lularoe or Young Living Essential Oils. Their product focus on cleaning the home although they do have some beauty and food preparation lines as well.
In order to purchase Norwex products, you need to either attend a Norwex home party or know a consultant. If you do not have a consultant, there is information at the bottom of this post.
Norwex’s mission is to empower families to reduce or eliminate harmful chemicals throughout our homes by using their special microfiber cloths as well as other chemical free cleaning products. Here is their extensive catalog.
Norwex cleaning products focus on a special type of microfiber that is very different from microfiber cloths that you purchase at the grocery store. The difference is night and day!
Take a peek at the video below to learn more. (This video is directly from Norwex).
Claims made about Norwex Review
Norwex makes some pretty hefty claims. Here are the top three and my thoughts on them:
1. Norwex Cloths Never Smell
This is the claim that whipped my head around when I heard it. I used kitchen towels nearly every day to wipe things down and they were rancid before laundry day.
My Vote: True. Now, I don’t have to deal with that stinky, funky smell anymore. For our kitchen, I use one cloth for a day or two, let it hang dry, and then toss it in the hamper just like I always have. The key here is that you do need to let it hang dry from a door knob or cabinet knob. (Not folded over)
2. Removes Bacteria as Effectively As Bleach
The big claim here is that the Envirocloth physically removes 99% of bacteria from a surface. This claim came directly from Norwex media pamplets, although I see many other consultants and purchasers making claims far beyond this such as the bacteria will rinse out of the cloth or the cloth naturally disinfects itself as it dries.
Many Norwex cloths contain BacLock, which is an antibacterial “silver-based agent” embedded into the cloths in a way that won’t rinse out. While certain silver types are safe and naturally anti-bacterial, I couldn’t get a straight answer on precisely what kind of silver is used in Norwex cloths from official channels.
My Vote: Sorta True. I have a very hard time finding truly independent testing of this particular claim. However, a reader sent me a really good video where a news station uses a lab to test the Norwex cloths against other cloths here.
3. More Cleaning Power
The cleaning cloths have replaced Windex, most paper towels, Pledge, Magic Erasers, Simple Green, and bathroom cleaners. This microfiber is not like the microfiber you buy in Walmart or the Dollar Store. When I wipe the kitchen counter down, I don’t have to cup my hand at the edge for crumbs. The dirt sticks to the cloth!
My Vote: True. If you haven’t seen the butter test, I highly recommend you watch this video. There is no comparison between these cloths and other cloths that I have used.
Norwex EnviroCloth Review
The Envirocloth is Norwex’s flagship product and is considered the “everything cleaning cloth”. I use them to clean the bathroom, the kitchen, walls, and pretty much every surface in my home. They can be used wet or dry, and they are nothing short of amazing. Dirt sticks to them like no cloth I have ever used and it does rinse away out of the cloths easily.
As a side note, I have personally tested Norwex vs E-cloths and there is no comparison. The dirt does not stick to E-cloths the way that it does to Norwex. I also don’t like the way that E-cloths feel in comparison as they are thinner, and I don’t even think they are microfiber at all.
Window Cloth Review
This is probably the most amazing cloth I have ever used! I am not usually the kind of person who calls everything “the best ever”, but I get all fan girl over the window cloth. It is worth every single penny. If you are unfamiliar with the Norwex window cloth, think of it as a polishing cloth. You use any sponge or cloth to scrub up the dirt and then wipe away the water with the window cloth until it gives the most streak free windows I have ever seen in my life – with ease! It is nothing short of magic in my opinion. Here are just a few of the benefits that I and my family have seen:
- Windex and metal polishes are gone
- I have cut my window cleaning time by at least half if not more.
- Hot car windows are streak-free!
- Glass shower doors, mirrors, faucets, metal, and stainless steel are cleaned with ease!
- Keeps down hard water buildup on surfaces.
Negatives of Norwex
You are sort of at the mercy of how quality your consultant is. The training may be spotty and some consultants may use less than ethical sales tactics. I do, however, trust my consultant completely and she tells it like it is. Independent research of the anti-bacterial benefits of Norwex doesn’t seem to be readily available and I believe that better independent research needs to be better to back up their claims.
The shipping can be ridiculous. I know we are all spoiled in the era of companies running free shipping and that shipping does have costs. Yet, I still hate it. I order a year’s worth of laundry detergent just to avoid shipping costs. I also combine orders with family members to cut down shipping.
Looking for More Cleaning Tips? Check Out These Posts:
- Whole House Spring Cleaning Checklist
- Deep Cleaning the Kitchen – Tips and a Free Checklist Printable
- How to Clean a Glass Stove Top – even the burned-on messes
- Garage Organization in 5 simple steps
Frequently Asked Questions
Norwex is a legitimate company but running on an MLM model and pyramid commissions. You have a consultant, meaning that you have someone to show you how to use the products properly. As a host, you can earn rewards. However, those products are not really “free”. It is one reason that Norwex products are so expensive.
While Norwex is definitely not a scam, it is expensive, no question about that. However, I am personally more interested in value. Under current pricing models, a window cloth costs $19.99 (plus tax and s/h). While I absolutely agree that it’s outrageously expensive, I would buy it again in a heartbeat. Also, you can split with a friend! The same goes for Norwex Envirocloths, but there are a few items I would not purchase again and I do plan on writing more reviews soon.
There are a few options:
1. You can find Norwex online at Amazon, but the prices are generally above what you would get through a consultant directly (and you can’t pair items to cut down on shipping cost or add rewards.)
2. Consultants now have online stores. Even better, you can ask a consultant if you can have an online party for your friends to earn rewards and commission.
3. If you are in an area where you don’t have a consultant, you can order through this online shop. More info at the bottom.
Final Conclusion
I wrote this review in response to the serious lack of helpful reviews about Norwex’s microfiber products. Almost all reviews/content come exclusively from Norwex consultants (i.e. people selling it.) There were also some pretty outrageous claims. I realize that having a blog comes with some perks like being able to help people fill in these blanks, and I am willing to be a guinea pig for the greater good!
All in all, I highly recommend Norwex to anyone who wants to get rid of chemicals in their home, wants to save money over the long haul, or who just likes cleaning better, faster, smarter. In case I haven’t made it plain, I really do love the Norwex Enviro Cloths and Window Cloths.
If you are interested in learning more about what all the fuss is about, check out Jennifer’s shop or the Norwex Catalog. You can contact her or comment below with any questions, and we will be sure to answer them!
If you found this useful, you could use “Clean Up with Rachel” party for your order, and I might earn a bag of laundry detergent someday. Regardless, I am happy to help!
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Patti says
Thanks for the honest review Rachel! One correction I’d like to see in your post tho… Norwex baclock technology uses Microsilver. There are NO silver threads in our Norwex cloths. The microsilver and the Polyester used to make the cloths are both put in a vat in a liquid form. They are then extruded in a process to make the microfiber which is woven into the cloths. You cannot see, touch, or feel it in our cloths. And the benefit of microsilver is it never washes out of the cloth, it is always present. (Disclosure: I have been a Norwex consultant for 8+ years.)
Rachel says
Thank you so much for this information! I know you have better access to official information as a consultant than I do, but I can’t find any information on how the cloths are actually made. I’m sure that it is because Norwex wants to protect their proprietary information, so I changed the wording to embedded. That is what I could find. Your comment is super helpful to others trying to decide if Norwex is right for them and I appreciate the correction.
Janet Knapp says
Another thing: although you can find Norwex products on Amazon, consultants are actually forbidden from selling on Amazon, eBay, and similar platforms. Any products purchased on these platforms do NOT come with our 60 day money back guarantee, NOR do they carry our 2 year warranty. Only unscrupulous consultants sell in these platforms, as Norwex policy absolutely forbids it. I have been an Independent Consultant for Norwex for nearly 3 years now, and I absolutely love our products, as well as the Norwex Mission. Some of our products carry up to 5 year warrantees, like our Superior Mop System. 🙂
Angie says
Hi Have you used the egetabke cleaning mitt & cleaner? Also I live in a RV & travel fulltime, and we have a lot of wood cabinets, walls, doors (fake wood lol) which get fingerprints, dust sunscreen, and some food in the kitchen, what products would you recommend to use on them? Right now I take a damp rag and clean. I want to make sure not to use something that will take the finish off. Also what do you recommend for the shower & commode. Thanks
Rachel says
This is my personal opinion, but I found the vegetable mitt to be unnecessary. For me, just another thing to store and has a very similar weave to the scrub cloths. Norwex makes a variety of products but that does not mean you need all of them.
The promise of Norwex is that you don’t need typical cleaners, just water and maybe their marble cleaning paste for something needing elbow grease. That is nice in an RV especially, since you don’t want to have to store extra cleaners.
The envirocloth will definitely not take the finish off of anything. I use the scrub cloths on gooey messes, floors, cooktop, and even dishes because they have a more abrasive weave but won’t scratch. I haven’t tried personally, but I probably wouldn’t use the scrub cloths on wood cabinets. I hope that answers your questions and makes you more confident about what is right for you!
Kelly says
Thinking of buying enviro and window cloths…but how many of each do you think you keep in your house? Is there a need for more than one of each?
Rachel says
For my own home, I have 6 enviro cloths and 2 window cloths. I could probably get away with 1 window cloth, but also a little context for my recommendations is necessary. In my own home, I use only norwex cloths for dusting the entire house, cleaning 3 bathrooms weekly, and I clean the insides of any dirty windows every Friday (my dogs and their wet noses, ha!). I keep one cloth in the kitchen throughout the week and change out every day or every other day. In addition, I use 2 envirocloths to clean our entire house on Fridays. Therefore, for us, 6 is a good number, but you can always build up over time since they are quite expensive.
Julia Butler says
NEED? One of each. Some like to color code. One for everything and one for bathrooms.
Amanda says
Yes! You can add more over time. You will build on your collection a little at a time. You don’t need more than 1 to start.
Norma Lombino says
You can start with one each. Yes, you can use these on 90% of your home. I have a set for my kitchen and one for my main bathroom to do a quick clean up each night. I use different colors for each so that way you can remember which set goes where after laundering although both are clean!
I am a Norwex Consultant and I have personally not bought any cleaning products for my home in over a year.
Eileen Stegman says
Have you reviewed the wool dryer balls.
Rachel says
I have not as of yet, however, I can tell you my experience and what I hear from others. First, the green plastic dryer balls are pretty much a dud. They might fluff the clothes a bit, but there is almost no static reduction. Plus, you can get very similar ones at places like Walmart. The wool balls are a little more complicated. There are both avid fans and people who only consider the wool balls to be so-so. These are the reviews of those in my community and opinions differ even in the same household! What the fans love are that the dryer balls last much longer than other dryer balls, are cost effective, and they do reduce static (but I wouldn’t say eliminate static, particularly in the winter). The fans say the two most important reasons they love and use the wool dryer balls is because 1. they leave no scent unlike heavily perfumed dryer sheets, and 2. they aren’t filled with tons of nasty chemicals or leave a film on clothes/towels. The main complaint of the non-fans are that the wool balls don’t eliminate static as effectively as dryer sheets, but there is some reduction. I have personally noticed that the dryer balls work better in high efficiency and gas dryers. I hope that helps!
Alyssa Happel says
Hey Rachel,
Great review! Have you ever heard of the brand Ubergreen Microfiber? I used to get all my Norwex cloths from a consultant, but she moved away, and so I had to start ordering online. I really like the silver microfiber that Ubergreen offers, it’s actually embedded in the microfiber so it doesn’t wash out like the Norwext cloths.
The downside is that Ubergreen doesn’t have the mop system, which I love from Norwext.
Rachel says
I actually have not heard of them, and information was difficult to find online.
Shannon says
Actually the micro silver in Norwex is also embedded into the fibers not sprayed on or woven in with it. It is part of each fiber.
Julia Butler says
The silver in a Norwex cloth is microsilver not nano silver. It cannot wash out.
vanessa says
hi do you think the Stainless Steel cloth is a must-have? I wonder if its the same as the window cloth…
Rachel says
The stainless steel cloth is a newer product that I have not personally tested. However, I did ask a non-partisan friend who does have it. She said it does work better, easier than the envirocloth/window cloth combination. The weave is different than other cloths, and it supposedly gets rid of those weird streaks on stainless that nothing seems to clean off. However, she said you would be fine using the enviro/window cloth combination if you didn’t want yet another cloth around or if you only had one appliance to clean with it. The question is how much “better” do you want for the money. It does work great on stainless tables, knives, cooktops, tabletop appliances like an instantpot, as well as appliances.
Ginger Sergent says
We used to always have a streak from the drinking water dispenser down the front of our freezer. I used a wet eniviro cloth with cleaning paste then polished with the window cloth. worked perfectly.
I also use the window mop head after I mop. It makes my floors so much cleaner.
Amanda says
No just use your envirocloth to clean stainless steel and dry:shine with the window cloth.
Kenadie says
I would love to know what blends you use to help cover up the dog smell.
Rachel says
I generally use lavender or sandalwood. My husband loves peppermint, but it and other essential oils like citrus, tea tree, and cinnamon are poisonous to dogs. A room diffuser with one of those oils is pretty diluted, so it is doubtful it would cause any reaction. However, I usually avoid them. Veterinarians probably have good ideas since they get asked about it so often.
Janet says
Hi Rachel,
One of my friends just introduced me to Norwex today. For the bacteria thing, she rubbed a little piece of raw chicken on a surface and then cleaned it off with the envirocloth. Then she took a professional “germ” testing swab and swabbed they area she not only exposed to raw chicken, but then cleaned with her cloth. The professional swab and testing chemical on the tube showed NO bacteria were present. Then she took the swab again and rubbed the raw chicken. When she replaced the professional swab back into the testing solution, the solution turned purple, indicative of major bacteria present! I am a nurse, and I was blown away. I saw the proof with my own eyes, of the ability of the cloth to clean away bacteria! There you have it. I absolutely cannot wait to start using these products! I believe I made an excellent decision in buying the “starter” kit. Very interesting, indeed.
Jamie says
Hi Rachel!
Thanks for the reviews. I was wondering if you’ve tried the bathroom scrub mitt?
Jamie
Rachel says
Speaking only for myself, I have found that I do just fine with cleaning everything with the Enviro cloths. They do call them the “everything cloths”, but truthfully I remodeled a bathroom a few years ago and I’m afraid to use anything abrasive on those surfaces ever. I do have 7 envirocloths though so it makes it easy to clean my entire house with only them. That being said, I hear a lot of people like the bathroom mitts a whole, whole lot. They have slightly longer fibers so they work really well with things like soap scum on the bathtub or that slimy residue left from bars of soap. The other side has a mesh knit that is exactly what is on the enviroscrubs (used to be called scrub towel I think). I can personally attest that the mesh is awesome! I use it to clean dried food or gooey stuff off of floors and it works so, so good. It’s great at getting the tiny bits out of corners or on a textured tile, so I am sure it’s great in the bathroom too for the same sort of stubborn messes (ahem, kid’s toothpaste!). Hope that helps and enjoy your new found love of cleaning! LOL
Georgette says
Thanksfor the unbiased reviews! Where can I find your reviews on other norwex products? I am interested in the effectiveness of the laundry products. Have you tried those? And the mop!
Rachel says
Oh thank you for your kind words! I have done a review on the mop system here and list of my Top 5 Norwex Products and what to skip here. To answer your question about the laundry detergent, I really do love it, but I actually feel that those with High efficiency washers love it more than I do. One problem is that with non-HE washers, they recommend at 1.5-2 scoops for an extra large load. I use 1 scoop because our clothes aren’t super dirty, except the kids. I hoard it a bit, lol. It’s not just the cost, I actually think it seems to work better in those HE washers- or maybe other detergents are worse because of the HE? Anyways, I will say that our whites are noticeably brighter and lasting longer. My 10 year old son’s clothes are also seemingly lasting longer and less stained- seriously, why must his sleeve be a napkin?! lol. The truth is, even with the cost and such, I keep buying the laundry detergent from Norwex because I do like it. I buy it in bulk (6-8 bags at a time) because at least I can save on shipping. Oh, and it’s worth mentioning that Norwex has absolutely no smell when the clothes come out of the dryer. None. I miss the smell and I have tried adding essential oils,but haven’t figured that out. However, other people love that no perfume thing. Hope that gives you some good information!
Jerrie says
I have found that if you put essential oils on the dryer balls and run them by themselves in the dryer for 10 minutes first, then with your clothes and such, they come out with a soft lovely smell!
Hannah says
I was invited to a ‘Rag Party’ a couple years ago. I kinda thot it was funny that someone could actually have enough to say about a RAG that they’d make a party out of it. So I told my husband I just really wanted to go to see what could possibly be so awesome about a rag that this lady would invite 20some ladies to. I told him don’t worry I won’t buy anything. Till the party was over & the demonstrations were done , I texted my husband & asked if he’d care if I changed my mind & bought an Enviro cloth. He actually chuckled a little bit told me to go ahead. I came home with my ‘rag’ & I cleaned the kitchen counters, appliances, bathroom sink, shower, floor, windows (AFTER I cleaned the floor!) Then cleaned some more & everything got CLEAN-I was shocked!!! I’ve been a fan ever since & am very grateful to have learned about Norwex. That’s all I’ve used to clean with for the last 3 years now. I have no regrets!
Rachel says
Yours is a great testimonial! I’ve never bought anything at home parties but I have no regrets either, but I love that they called it a Rag Party. It sounds so unassuming.
M. Link says
The reason you are not happy with the Norwex products on your stainless steel refrigerator is probably because you have a buildup of the Weiman Stainless Steel product already on your refrigerator. This same thing happened to me. The best solution is to use either your envirocloth or kitchen cloth and a small amount of Norwex laundry detergent to clean your stainless steel first. You will be shocked at how easily this will remove the product buildup. Once you have removed the product buildup, you should be able to continue to clean your refrigerator with just the envirocloth or kitchen cloth followed by polishing with the window cloth. This worked for me and might work for you too!
Rachel says
That is a great idea! In fact my MIL had that same problem with her windows. She couldn’t understand why the window cloth was leaving streaks, until I cleaned her windows a few times and realized she had so much vinegar and cleaner residue on them, that it couldn’t cut through all of that in one go.
Misty says
I absolutely love Norwex. A friend of mine introduced me to it and I couldn’t be any happier. I’m happy I do not have to use any chemicals anymore. I have the window cloth a blue cloth I can’t remember the name of it that does a lot of things. And I have the duster cloth as well. I have those and I love all three of those. I cannot believe the changes and what it has done to when it comes to cleaning I will keep on using the product
Jaimia says
Hi Rachel,
Thanks for your independent review. It truly is difficult sorting through the online blogs for an unbiased opinion. I absolutely love these cloths too but I wanted to know more about the company before I bought more products.
Thank you,
Jaimia
Rachel says
I completely agree and I think that Norwex is a bit cagey about independent research on their claims. If you have any products you have in mind specifically, I can always give my personal opinion as well as all the other friends I know that use them. I do have a few more reviews coming soon such my top favorites and I just posted a full review of the Mop system as well.