Walking down the laundry detergent aisle can truly be overwhelming, especially if you are on a mission to find safer laundry detergents for your health.
Laundry detergents play a crucial role in keeping our clothes clean and fresh. However, not all laundry detergents are created equal, and many conventional options contain a cocktail of chemicals that can harm your health and the environment.
If you have ever wondered what to look out for and/or struggle with health concerns, keep reading.
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In this special post, I am excited to collaborate with Sha’Ri Smyth, a Holistic Gut Health Nutritionist. Her story shares all about her journey in fighting lupus, fibromyalgia, PTSD, Sjoren’s, Raynaud’s, and more. She will help us debunk the toxins you should be looking out for and share better options for your laundry.
She will share her knowledge and expert advice to help you choose safer laundry detergent. And be sure to follow her journey.
What are the Hidden Risks of Conventional Detergents
(Lisa)
Let’s talk about the hidden risks of regular detergents. Below is a list of things to think about based on my research.
Skin Irritation: Conventional laundry detergents often contain synthetic fragrances, dyes, and harsh chemicals like sodium lauryl sulfate, which can lead to skin irritations, allergies, and eczema. People with sensitive skin are particularly vulnerable.
Respiratory Problems: The fragrances and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in many detergents can trigger respiratory issues in those with asthma or allergies. These chemicals can also contribute to indoor air pollution.
This is something I have dealt with because I have allergies and asthma.
Harmful Ingredients: Phosphates, surfactants, and optical brighteners in traditional detergents can have detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems when they enter water bodies through wastewater runoff.
Endocrine Disruption: Some laundry detergents contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals like phthalates and nonylphenol ethoxylates, which can interfere with hormone function and have potential long-term health effects.
What are endocrine disruptors in laundry detergent?
(Lisa)
Endocrine disruptors in laundry detergent are chemicals that can interfere with the normal functioning of the endocrine system in humans and other animals.
The endocrine system is responsible for regulating various physiological processes by producing and releasing hormones. Endocrine disruptors can mimic or block the actions of natural hormones, leading to a disruption of hormonal balance. These disruptions can have adverse effects on health and development, particularly in hormone-sensitive systems.
Some common endocrine disruptors that may be found in laundry detergents or their associated fragrances and additives include:
- Phthalates: These chemicals are often used in fragrances in detergents. They can disrupt the endocrine system and have been associated with a range of health issues, including reproductive problems, and developmental and neurological effects.
- Alkylphenol Ethoxylates (APEs): APEs are surfactants used in some detergents. They can break down into alkylphenols, which are known endocrine disruptors.
- Nonylphenol: This is a breakdown product of APEs and is a known endocrine disruptor that can accumulate in the environment and pose a risk to aquatic life.
- Optical Brighteners: These are chemicals added to detergents to make clothes appear whiter. While they may not directly disrupt the endocrine system, they can potentially irritate the skin and have other negative health effects.
- Artificial Fragrances: Synthetic fragrances used in detergents can contain phthalates or other endocrine-disrupting compounds.
What Ingredients inside Laundry Detergents should you avoid?
(Lisa) How do I choose a non-toxic laundry detergent? I don’t know what I am looking for and what to read for on the labels.
(Sha’Ri) I recommend avoiding the following ingredient list when shopping for your next detergent.
- 1, 4 dioxane- carcincogen
- Ammonium Sulfate
- Ammonium Quaternary Compounds – Quats
- Benzisothiazoline
- BHT
- Bleach
- Brighteners
- Cocoamidopropyl betaine
- Dyes
- Ethoxylated Ingredients – ending with – eth, PEF, PPG , Quats
- Formaldehyde
- Fragrances
- Methylisothiazolinone
- Natural Fragrances – Unless all ingredients are disclosed, consider them the same as fragrance
- Nonylphenol ethoxylate
- Ictylisothiazoline
- PEGS- derived from petroleum
- Phosphates
- Polysorbate 20,60,80
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
What is the safest laundry detergent to use?
(Sha’Ri) The following list of laundry soaps are great, non-toxic swap options.
- Blur Laundry
- Meliora Laundry Powder
- Humble Suds
- Earth Breeze
- Dr. Suds
- Rosey Laundry Detergent
- Mela Power
- Zum Laundry Soap
- Truly Free
- Molly Suds
- Nellie’s Baby Laundry Soap
- Blueland
- Attitude
- Branch Basics
- Sal Suds
- Thieves
- Mama Suds
- Aspen
- Go
- Whole Foods Laundry Detergent
PIN ME FOR LATER
Is the Safer Choice seal something we should follow?
(Lisa)
The Safer Choice seal means the detergent meets the criteria set by the EPA to protect human health and the environment.
But does that mean it is also safer for us? Most people follow this guide.
(Sha’Ri)
Products with the Safer Choice label help consumers and commercial buyers identify products with safer chemical ingredients without sacrificing quality or performance.
But these labels are nothing more than a $2-3,000 marketing ploy from the same group of people who have no power in making sure there are safer products on the shelf.
Here’s why… the seventh generation has this seal, meaning they paid $2,000-3,000 per item containing it. Yet their detergent, and let’s use the free and clear one since most assume it’s the safest option…
Laureth-6, the second ingredient, is a polyethylene glycol (PEG) derivative used as a surfactant. It is made by reacting ethylene oxide with lauryl alcohol.
Because it is an ethoxylated ingredient, laureth can contain 1,4-dioxane and residual ethylene oxide, which are carcinogenic.
Read more about it on the link below
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles
PMC4505343/
What is the best natural laundry deodorizer?
(Lisa)
Though my research and personal experience here is what I recommend
Baking soda is a versatile natural deodorizer that can help neutralize odors in your laundry. Simply add 1/2 to 1 cup of baking soda to your washing machine along with your detergent.
It is also great at lifting stains and boosting cleaning power.
White Vinegar:
White vinegar is known for its odor-neutralizing properties. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of white vinegar to your laundry during the rinse cycle to help eliminate odors.
Lemon Juice:
Lemon juice has a fresh, citrusy scent and can help remove odors from clothes. Add the juice of one or two lemons to your wash cycle for a refreshing fragrance.
Essential Oils:
Essential oils like lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, or lemon can be added to your laundry for a pleasant scent. Place a few drops on a cloth or a dryer ball and toss it in the dryer with your clothes.
Sunlight:
Natural sunlight can help remove odors and freshen up your clothes. Hang your laundry outside in direct sunlight to naturally disinfect and deodorize them.
Fresh Air:
Whenever possible, allow your clothes to air out in a well-ventilated area. Hanging them outdoors or near an open window can help remove stale odors.
Activated Charcoal:
Activated charcoal is excellent at absorbing odors. You can place a sachet or a charcoal bag in your laundry hamper to prevent odors from building up.
Is using vinegar the best choice for a natural fabric softener?
(Sha’Ri)
Vinegar- can be useful and a great cleaning agent, but it is trending as a one-stop cure-all.
Unfortunately, that’s not true; it shouldn’t be used on certain surfaces for cleaning, but as far as laundry is concerned, I personally would stay away from using it in my machine, especially High-Efficiency ones.
My cousin is a plumber and says that everyone who does these DIY detergents are his favorite people because he can guarantee that he will be back to fix something as vinegar can damage pipes, and using it together with vinegar is a recipe for disaster.
Unless you’re him and get paid to fix it, he also states that you should check your machine’s warranty and your homeowner’s warranty because, a lot of times, neither will cover damage done when you’re making DIY detergents.
(Lisa)
I find this so interesting because I often use vinegar to soften my clothes. I know that vinegar has acidic properties and can make rubber pieces weaker. I haven’t experienced my machine breaking down, but I do have an older machine that is 12-plus years old.
Which is the best for softening my clothes: baking soda vs. vinegar?
(Sha’Ri)
I think this will boil down to personal preference. If you’re willing to brave using them at all, vinegar will help with mildew odors and that yellow tint.
(Lisa) I think that is why I like vinegar. It helps to remove those sweat and body odors that seem to linger. Baking soda does soften clothes, but just like with vinegar, some washing machines will say not to use it.
I love using Oxi-Clean to brighten my clothes. Is this still ok?
(Lisa) Personally, I like Oxi-Clean because it genuinely gets stains out. I hope it’s not too bad; what do you say about it?
(Sha’Ri)
Yes, it is bad, sorry. It uses synthetic fragrances, Ethoxylated ingredients, and synthetic colorants. There are healthier alternatives like:
Are Arm and Hammer Laundry Booster and Borax good choices for eco-friendly laundry detergents?
(Sha’Ri)
I’m not someone that recommends homemade detergent so I will do it individually.
Washing soda doesn’t contain any harmful ingredients. It can be used for various things like removing greasy buildup on pots and pans, cleaning the furniture or on tough stains as a pretreatment.
Borax is an ingredient I don’t recommend using, it’s been banned in other countries and can cause reproductive problems. I mean it’s used to kill rodents so why would we use this on our clothes and in our homes?
Yes people are digesting it which is incredibly harmful (it can send your body into shock or result in kidney failure), but even inhaling this can be damaging. It’s a skin irritant too and residue can be built up on your clothes and your plumbing.
What can I use to swap my dryer sheets or an anti-static dryer alternative?
(Sha’Ri)
The dryer sheet alternative is wool balls, and you can add essential oils to them. Another option is the dryer angel from
(Lisa)
I find that if static is your biggest problem, and if you need help getting rid of it. Buying wool balls and tossing them inside the dryer has been my best friend. I love mine.
They can decrease drying time by up to 25% by absorbing moisture from wet clothes and balancing the humidity inside the dryer.
You can also grab some rubber dryer balls that help fluff the fabric as it tumbles. I use a combination of both of them.
Alpaca dryer balls are also a great alternative. Alpaca fiber is free of Lanolin (a possible allergen found naturally in sheep’s wool).
Wow, we learned a lot from this post. I hope that you found this post helpful and that you gained some new knowledge today. I know I have. Especially when searching for the best non-toxic laundry detergent.
I want to thank Sha’Ri for collaborating and for sharing her tips and knowledge with us.
Be sure to follow her and find out more information on her group support.
