In 2019, my mom and I traveled to Norway as part of Norwex’s 25th Anniversary Journey of Dreams. It was my first trip to Norway and my mom’s first trip overseas.
We saw Oslo from the hills of Ekebergparken, traveled beside mountains and waterfalls, cruised through the fjords and passed small villages tucked between the water and steep green hillsides. It was one of the most amazing days of our lives.
As beautiful as Norway was, what stayed with me was not only the scenery. There was a sense of simplicity, respect for nature and appreciation for quality. Life did not need to be crowded with more in order to be full.
That idea is at the heart of what Norwex now calls The Norwegian Way.
What Is The Norwegian Way?
The Norwegian Way is based on a simple belief: less can be more.
Fewer products.
Fewer unnecessary chemicals.
Less waste.
Less clutter.
It is about choosing a smaller number of high-quality solutions that can do more throughout your home. Instead of storing a different cleaner for every room and every surface, you begin with versatile tools and products that make caring for your home simpler.
The Norwegian Way is not about buying more Norwex.
It is about needing less.
That difference matters.
Most of us have been taught that every cleaning problem requires another bottle, spray, wipe or specialized product. Before long, the cabinets under our sinks are full, our routines feel complicated and we may not even remember why we bought half of what is there.
The Norwegian Way asks a better question:
What could one thoughtful product replace?
How Does The Norwegian Way Support a Healthier Home?
A healthier home is not a perfect home. It is a home where the people who live there are supported by better choices, simpler routines, fewer unnecessary toxins and relationships that matter.
The Norwegian Way fits naturally into that philosophy because it focuses on changes that are practical enough to maintain.
Begin with microfiber and water
Norwex began in Norway in 1994 when founder Bjørn Nicolaisen discovered how effectively a microfiber cloth and water could clean a windshield.
That simple discovery became the foundation of an entirely different approach to cleaning.
Norwex microfiber cleans primarily through mechanical action. Its extremely fine fibers lift and trap dirt, grease and other material from a surface so it can be rinsed away. In many everyday cleaning situations, this allows you to clean with water instead of automatically reaching for a spray cleaner or disposable wipe.
Microfiber and water will not replace every product in your home, and a microfiber cloth is not a surface disinfectant. But for routine cleaning, it can be a very practical first step toward using fewer unnecessary chemicals.
Choose products that can do more than one job
Walk through the cleaning aisle of almost any store and you will find products for bathroom sinks, showers, tubs, toilets, countertops, appliances, floors, glass and dozens of other individual jobs.
Some specialized products serve a real purpose. The problem begins when we assume that every surface needs its own bottle.
The Norwegian Way favors versatile solutions. An EnviroCloth can move with you from one room to another. A Window Cloth can polish glass, mirrors, chrome and stainless steel. A well-chosen concentrated cleaner may handle several jobs that once required separate products.
This reduces more than chemicals. It also reduces clutter, decision fatigue and the time spent managing supplies.
A product earns its place in my home when I will use it often, it replaces something else and it makes a routine easier.
Use enzymes where they make sense
Not every mess can be handled with microfiber and water alone.
That is where targeted cleaning products, including enzyme-based formulas, can be helpful. Enzymes help break down specific types of organic material, such as food residue, body oils, grease, stains and odors, so those messes are easier to remove.
This is another example of using a thoughtful solution instead of simply reaching for the strongest-smelling product under the sink.
The goal is not to avoid every cleaning formula. The goal is to choose products intentionally and use only what the job requires.
Replace disposable products with reusable ones
The Norwegian Way also considers what leaves our homes.
Paper towels, disposable cleaning wipes, dryer sheets, plastic bottles and other single-use products are convenient, but they create an ongoing cycle of buying and throwing away.
Reusable microfiber cloths can replace many paper towels and disposable wipes. Wool dryer balls can replace dryer sheets and liquid fabric softener. Concentrated formulas and refillable bottles can reduce the number of plastic containers brought into the home.
No single household swap will solve the world’s waste problems. But small choices, repeated over time and multiplied across many homes, do matter.
Buy less, but expect it to last
Choosing fewer products only works when those products perform well and hold up to regular use.
Quality is an important part of The Norwegian Way. A reusable product that lasts can be a better value than a lower-priced product that must be replaced frequently.
That does not mean every Norwex product is right for every family. I still encourage people to ask:
- How often will I use it?
- What will it replace?
- Will it make one of my routines easier?
- Am I willing to care for it properly so it lasts?
A high-quality product offers the greatest value when it solves a real problem in your home.
You Do Not Have to Change Everything at Once
This may be my favorite part of The Norwegian Way.
You are not expected to empty every cabinet, replace every product or change every routine overnight. That usually creates more pressure than progress.
Start with one area of your home.
Perhaps you begin in the kitchen by replacing paper towels and several everyday sprays with reusable microfiber. Maybe you simplify the laundry room by switching from dryer sheets to reusable dryer balls. Or perhaps your first step is choosing one concentrated cleaner that can replace several bottles. A great way to do this is by purchasing room-specific packages.
Make one sustainable change.
Let that success create confidence.
Then decide what comes next.
That is how a healthier home is built—not through perfection, but through better choices made one at a time.
Cleaner, Safer, Better—Without Making Home More Complicated
A healthy home should not become one more standard you feel you are failing to meet.
Homes are for people. They are places where families eat, rest, play, gather and welcome others. The purpose of simplifying our cleaning routines is not to create a perfect-looking home. It is to care for the people who live there while spending less time and energy managing unnecessary products.
My first trip to Norway gave me a chance to see the landscape and culture that helped shape Norwex. Today, when I look back at my photographs of those quiet fjords, waterfalls and small villages, “less is more” feels like more than a cleaning message.
It feels like a better way to care for a home.
If you would like to understand the story, values and principles behind this approach, I invite you to read Norwex’s guide:
Download The Norwegian Way: A Guide to Living Cleaner, Safer, Better
You do not have to do everything today. Simply choose one good place to begin.
~ Suzanne
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Norwegian Way only for people who are new to Norwex?
No. It can help a new customer choose a simple place to begin, but it can also help an experienced customer evaluate which products are useful, which products overlap and where a routine could be simplified.
Does The Norwegian Way mean cleaning without any products?
No. Microfiber and water are a useful first choice for many everyday jobs, but some messes require a targeted cleaning product. The goal is to use fewer unnecessary products and choose the right solution for the job.
Do I need to replace everything in my home?
No. Start with one product or routine you use often. Make one sustainable change, allow it to become familiar and then decide whether another change makes sense.
Is Norwex microfiber a disinfectant?
No. Norwex microfiber cleans by physically lifting, trapping and removing material from a surface. It does not turn the cloth into a surface disinfectant.
Where can I learn more about The Norwegian Way?
Download Norwex’s guide above for the company’s story, Norwegian roots and principles for living cleaner, safer and better.
Leave a Reply