Let’s Talk about Soap, Baby!

We all want to provide a healthy environment for ourselves and our loved ones.  When you look into “traditional” laundry detergent, you find a long list of chemicals.  Let’s take a closer look.

Traditional detergents like Tide, Purex, Gain and All contain nonylphenol ethoxylates (also known as NPE’s) that are used as surfactants.  They make your detergent foamy.  Do you know what they are also known as?  Hormone and endocrine disruptors!!! They wreak havoc in your body!!

Phosphates are used to soften hard water when washing our clothes.  Unfortunately, they also cause skin and eye irritation.  Interestingly, phosphates were removed from automatic dishwasher detergent in 2010 from 17 US states due to the excess phosphorous load left in lakes, rivers and streams.  YET, it’s ok on our skin????

Optical Brighteners are made to brighten colors or hide the yellowing of clothing.  Know what else it hides?  Several harmful chemicals including benzene, which is known to cause elevated risk of cancer and reproductive system problems. 

Formaldehyde – carcinogen.  1,4-Dioxane – carcinogen.  Chlorine bleach – known skin irritant.  The list goes on and on!!!!

On the flip side, a lot of natural or eco-friendly detergents contain plant based or natural ingredients.  Sodium sulfate – natural salt.  Sodium carbonate – natural water softener.  They can be biodegradable and carry no optical brighteners, dyes or artificial fragrances, as well as no petroleum-based chemicals.  I don’t know about you, but for me the choice is clear!!!

Until next time – Be your own health champion!

Lisa