FAQs
Wait, what exactly is so bad about conventional cleaning products?
Conventional cleaning products are filled with chemicals that are largely not tested for safety on humans or the environment and are not required to be disclosed to the public. Prolonged exposure can disrupt hormones, interrupt child development, cause respiratory issues and allergies, and are linked with cancer. Furthermore, many of these chemicals run off, untreated, into Kenya’s beautiful ecosystem, impacting wildlife and vegetation. Read our brief on the reasons to clean with non-toxic products here. For further reading:
What does ‘non-toxic’ mean?
At Grounded, non-toxic means only using verified, safe ingredients in your home cleaning products. We don’t use any ingredients that are harmful to humans and the environment. Our products are held to the standards maintained by the Environmental Working Group and MADESAFE. This means no parabens, no chemical antibacterials (like triclosan), no artificial fragrance (like phthalates), and no synthetic foaming agents/sulfates (like SLS/SLES). Grounded products are either soap- or vinegar-based with added essential oils and good vibes. We disclose 100% of our ingredients on our product labels. Our products conform to much higher global standards for personal care items – we believe what you put on your dishes and clothes should be as safe as what you put on your body. But remember, conventional cleaning products are not required to disclose their ingredients, which means it can be difficult to know everything that is included in them. Additionally, we have recyclable packaging, a low carbon footprint, and value creation throughout the East African supply chain – we proudly source from other Kenyan businesses wherever possible.
What ingredients do we use, and why?
We consider our brand values whenever we develop a new product. Why did we create Grounded in the first place?
Firstly, conventional cleaning products are NOT required to disclose their ingredient list. This can lead to a lot of hidden nasties, such as in ingredients listed as “fragrance”. More and more studies done by international bodies are showing that there are sneaky harmful things in there! See our FAQs for more articles and information.
Secondly, we wanted to use the power of plant-based ingredients as much as possible. Both to support the agro-economy, but also to get us closer to our roots. No more ingredient names that you cannot pronounce, and products with 35+ ingredients.
Over the past 5 years, we’ve developed 30 quality, safe, and effective products – derived from nature.
When doing product development for our now 30+ products we considered 3 criteria.
1. Is it made in Kenya sustainably?
We believe deeply in the #buyKenyabuildKenya movement, and are a certified Made In Kenya brand. We are also incredibly lucky to have access to Kenya’s vast array of agricultural, agri-processed, and manufactured products!
We are proud to source 100% of our ingredients locally! Is it cheaper? Sometimes no! But we believe deeply in creating jobs across the local and regional value chain.
Our key inputs to make soap come from vegetable oils, our packaging from 100% locally sourced and made recycled plastic, and our citrus cleaning concentrate from citrus peels otherwise headed for the compost.
Our main inputs support Kenyan farmers – with leading inputs like coconut oil from Kwale, sunflower oil from Nakuru, or canola oil from Mt Kenya. Wakulima kwanza.
2. Does it make high quality products?
With the support of a bad ass team of Kenyan chemical engineers, we developed our product lines to ensure customer satisfaction.
Keeping it simple, effective and safe meant we went back to the tradition of soap making – or turning fats (like vegetable oils) into soap through saponification or following the cutting edge trend of simple science like hypochlorous acid – the main ingredient in our Instant Disinfectant.
3. Is it safe?
We created Grounded to improve the safety of cleaning and personal care products in Kenya. This is not only for our beautiful ecosystem, but also for our loved ones.
We check all of our ingredients with international organizations like MadeSafe and EWG (see more in the next section) to evaluate human and environmental toxicity.
Don’t believe us? Check for yourself! Unlike conventional cleaning products (which are not required to list ingredients), we list 100% of our ingredients so you can check for yourself.
Take control over what you bring into the home. Have a question? Shoot us an email at get@grounded.co.ke.
What ingredients do we avoid?
Conventional cleaning products are filled with chemicals not tested for safety on humans or the environment. Additionally they are not required to tell you what is in it, making it hard to make informed consumer decisions.
There is also a lot of “greenwashing”, or companies making products that claim to be nontoxic or eco, but fail to back that up with ingredient transparency or adherence to international standards.
Our products conform to the standards maintained by the Environmental Working Group and MADESAFE. MadeSafe has over 6,500 banned ingredients. This means no parabens, no chemical antibacterials (like triclosan), no artificial fragrance (like phthalates), no synthetic foaming agents (like SLS/SLES).
We also do not believe in using ingredients that are harmful to the environment when being made. This includes anything with palm oil (which is used to make SLS/SLES), or that has nasty production processes (no smokestacks here!).
How do I use Grounded’s products?
- All products have instructions and ingredients listed on the label.
- Download our Household User Guide here.
- Download our Laundry Guide here.
- Download our Cloth Diaper Laundry Guide here.
- Give us a call or email to arrange a 1:1 phone training.
We are considering offering an in person training course in 2022. Are you interested? Let us know at training@grounded.co.ke.
Where can I buy Grounded products?
See our up to date map here for all outlets.
Online
- From us directly!
- Chandarana FoodPlus
- Carrefour
- Onn the Way
- Zucchini
- Greenspoon
- Kalimoni Greens
- Shamba Cafe & Shop
- Artcaffe Market
- Healthy U
- Fava Herb
In-Store
- Grounded Factory
- Chandarana
- Carrefour
- Healthy U
- Zucchini (General Mathenge, ABC, Village Market, Kilimani, Junction)
- Kalimoni Greens
- Shamba Shop
- Karen Provision Store (Hardy, Karen Shopping Centre)
- Fava Herb
- Banana Box
- Elixir Health
- Health Cart
- Onn the Way Supermarkets
- Langata Links Shop
- Artcaffe Market
- Ecandi
- Organic Farmers Market (Saturdays at Marula Manor)
Upcountry
- Express Shop – Kilifi
- Blue Marmalade – Watamu
- Chandarana Nyali – Mombasa
- Carrefour Nyali – Mombasa
- Chandarana Diani – Mombasa
- Chandarana Cedar Mall – Nanyuki
- Lang’ata Links Shop – Nanyuki
- One Stop – Nanyuki
- Butterbean – Nanyuki
- Acacia Farm Shop – Gilgil
- Chandarana Buffalo Mall – Naivasha
- Chandarana Rupa Mall- Eldoret
In light of COVID-19, what can we do to make sure that we keep our space clean and healthy?
Overall, Grounded recommends the CDC guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting facilities that have a 2 step process
- Remove dirt, germs and viruses with soap, like our Surface Cleaner – Extra Strength.
- Disinfect to kill remaining viruses, bacteria, and mold with our HOCl based Instant Disinfectant that kills germs in seconds!
Contact us for custom guides and solutions. You do not need to buy toxic chemical disinfectants and cleaning products to stay safe! Grounded’s products are both effective and safe for humans and the environment.
Are you planning to reopen your business?
Check out these guidelines from the MOH:
- Guidelines for Businesses (2 June 2020)
- Interim Guidance for Health and Safety in the Workplace (9 June 2020)
Remember, not all cleaning products are created equal!
- Did you know that the MOH has alerted the immediate halt to all spray tunnels, misters, and booths?
- Not only are they not backed by science, they can be harmful to your health!
- In fact, the US Poison Control has received 20% more calls related to toxic effects of cleaning products.
- Also, breathing in chlorine bleach regularly can have the same impact as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day on your lungs.
Get Grounded today to choose the effective and safe option.
Does Grounded work like conventional cleaning products?
Our products have been tested and refined with households for over 3 years. We guarantee you that they are effective!
However, you may notice some differences when switching from conventional cleaning products to non-toxic products. We often hear feedback that the laundry powder doesn’t foam enough, or smell enough. Instant foam and long-lasting scent are hallmarks of chemical agents, tricking us into thinking things are more clean when they’re actually just more harmful.
We care deeply about customer satisfaction, and provide simple user guides to ensure all products are being used properly to attain your desired level of clean.
Why is soap so powerful?
Grounded manufactures nontoxic cleaning products like all-natural liquid Castile and solid soaps.
Soap was first recorded as far back as 2800 BC! Yet most detergents and liquid “soaps” today aren’t actually soap at all, but are a combination of chemicals and foaming agents!
Did you know that plain ole’ soap can deactivate Covid-19? Check out this video from Vox to watch the virus break up and fall down the drain.
Grounded’s soap superstars
- Pure Soap Concentrate – A Kenyan Castile soap made from coconut, sunflower, and canola oils. Our all purpose superstar.
- Spray Deep – Our soapy spray powerhouse. Powered by our coconut-sunflower-canola liquid soap, and enhanced with baking soda and essential oils for extra grime fighting power.
- Foaming Hands – Natural foaming hand soap and dispenser. Make sure to wash for 20 seconds!
- Body Bar – All natural solid body bar. Even works on hair!
And the best part? We make our soaps using Kenyan oils, not imports like Olive Oil.
