Issue 2: Laundry
For the next several issues, I'm going to take you through your home and your cleaning routine. We're going to turn things on their heads, overhauling your cleaning supplies and your ideas about what you "need" to keep a home "clean".
Modern media has tried to influence and teach us that we need to sanitize and kill every germ that we come into contact with. Especially during this pandemic. People cleared store shelves of Lysol and bleach. You couldn't find it if you tried. But there is such a thing as too clean. It makes sense to wash your hands before cooking and eating. And yes, of course you want a clean home, clean clothes, and good hygiene. We all know that exposing kids to dirt and pets is actually good for their immune systems. This exposure allows the immune system to develop antibodies to fight the harmful germs. So, moving forward, let's think about what it takes to have a clean home, but not a sterile one.
Time to Re-do Your Laundry:
First up in our cleaning overhaul is laundry. Oftentimes, mainstream detergent and softener packaging does not disclose all of their ingredients. Sometimes, these bottles will say "ingredients include" to fool consumers into thinking that all of the ingredients are listed, when in fact, they aren't. Finding ingredients on their websites isn't much easier. Detergents like Tide, Gain, All, Arm and Hammer, Purex, Woolite, Persil, etc, might get the stains out of your clothes but will leave a strong scent plus several nasty chemicals behind. And don't let clever branding fool you. "Free and Clear" is still full of chemicals. Babyganics fragrance-free laundry detergent still contains ingredients that can cause respiratory problems, skin irritation, and allergic reactions. It contains propylene glycol which is a known skin irritant. On the bottle, it is described as a plant-derived solubilizer (if it's plant based, it must be fine! Insert eye roll here). It also contains Methylisothiazolinone, which we learned last time is a skin irritant. I will say, however, that this specific laundry detergent is mild compared to some others.
Down and Dirty, Chemicals Found In Commercial Laundry Detergents:
Petroleum distillates (or napthas): these chemicals are made from synthetic crude oil and have been associated with a variety of issues with mucous membranes and the lungs, and have been linked to cancers.
Phenols: even a low exposure to phenols can cause serious issues for people who are hypersensitive. Phenols are rapidly absorbed and can affect the central nervous system, heart, blood vessels, lungs, and kidneys.
Optical brighteners: this is the chemical that makes clothes appear whiter. But it also leaves nasty chemicals behind. These whitening agents only work if they are left on clothing after washing, leaving them available for you to inhale and absorb through the skin.
Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid: EDTA has been shown to have reproductive and developmental ramifications. EDTA is not easily biodegradable and can release heavy metals into the environment. This chemical is a stabilizer and a foaming agent.
Surfactants: a surfactant is a substance that binds to particles and carries them away during the wash. Synthetic surfactants are more effective but not safe. Natural surfactants such as cocoglucoside (obtained from coconut oil and fruit sugars) are generally safe, but conventional detergents contain synthetic formulations.
Fragrance: you'd think this one wouldn't be that bad. It makes our laundry smell good (depending on who you ask). The problem is that a fragrance can be anything. It can be single ingredient or a combination of many ingredients. Synthetic fragrance is highly linked with immunotoxicity and allergic reactions. To name a few: skin irritation, immune system toxicant, and respiratory irritation such as asthma.
Fabric Softeners:
Fabric softeners are designed to stay in your clothes after the washing or drying cycle, depending on which type you use. Over time they accumulate in your fabric and make it harder for soaps to penetrate and remove dirt and oils. They also increase flammability! Like chemicals found in detergents, the ingredients found in fabric softeners are left behind for you to inhale and absorb through the skin.
What's in Your Fabric Softener?
Ethyl Alcohol: listed by both the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the National Toxicology Program as a carcinogen.
Fragrance
Dyes: artificial dyes can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions.
Glutaraldehyde: a chemical that can cause respiratory issues and skin irritation such as eczema.
Hexylene Glycol: an inhalant associated with eye, skin, and respiratory irritation.
Hydrochloric Acid: an acid that can cause severe burns and skin damage and is toxic when inhaled.
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (Di-C14-18): causes serious eye damage or skin irritation.
A Quick Word About Bleach:
Sometimes, household bleach is known as Sodium Hypochlorite. It is a chemical precursor to chlorine and is extremely toxic. It is involved in more household poisonings than any other chemical. When bleach reacts with organic materials, it creates carcinogenic and toxic compounds. These compounds can cause reproductive, endocrine and immune system disorders.
Also, if you have a septic tank, bleach is a major no-no as it kills the biome in your septic tank and can be a costly mistake.
I get it, sometimes you need to whiten your linens and towels. There's a better way frens!
What You Should Use Instead:
Laundry Detergents:
The only truly toxic-free and sustainable laundry detergent option is soap-nuts. Soap-nuts are grown in India and Nepal and contain saponin, a natural detergent. I haven't personally tried them, but you can buy them online.
Make your own. I have tried this. When Devil and I rented a house we had a janky old washing machine. It was not HE, and didn't work that well. But the homemade detergent I made performed despite the poor equipment. I know a lot of people have really good experience with homemade laundry detergents.
Here's a quick recipe to try. You can also search the web, there are tons out there.
4 cups grated laundry soap, castille soap, or homemade soap.
2 cups borax (A naturally derived mineral and laundry soap booster)
2 cups washing soda (1 ingredient only, sodium carbonate)
Mix the ingredients together, store in a container with a lid. 2 tbsp per load.
Or, you can buy a detergent you feel okay about after checking the ingredients. This is what I'm currently doing.
We use Puracy Laundry Detergent and I've been happy with it. It doesn't take a lot to wash our clothes and get them clean. It does contain a biodegradable preservative (benzisothiazolinone) which can cause skin irritation, but our family doesn't have issues with it. Everything else seems to be okay. Plus I like this company for other products as well.
Fabric Softeners:
The only things I use for fabric softeners are wool dryer balls and white vinegar.
Wool dryer balls are easy to find. Pop two of them in your dryer and run like normal. Sometimes I'll add some pure essential oil to them (usually lavender) if I want a nice, mild scent. They last forever.
The vinegar I put in my wash when needed. After the clothes dry, the smell is gone or will fade quickly. It's also a boost for cleaning power. I used vinegar in a Downy Ball before buying a better washing machine with a dispenser.
Stain Remover:
I don't have a ton of knowledge here, mainly because I don't use it much. But when I have to, I use Puracy. It works great. It has benzisothiazolinone in it like the detergent, fyi.
Bleach:
When I have to whiten my towels or linens I use Molly's Suds. This is a new product for me but I'm happy with it so far! We don't have bleach in our home and we have a septic tank. Molly's Suds is septic safe. I soak my items for 30 minutes before a regular wash.
The sun is also excellent at whitening and cleaning clothes. Line dry them for this benefit. But a word of caution, the sun will fade dark fabrics over time.
If you have any questions, feel free to shoot them my way. Thanks for reading!
-Angel
Next Week:
We're taking a look under your kitchen sink.