Has your nose ever felt violated when you walk down the laundry detergent aisle of your local grocery store? Mine has.It's truly disturbing how overloaded your nose becomes by all of those synthetic chemicals and fragrances.
But then there's all those pretty packages and catchy phrases. Have you ever looked beyond these enticing labels to read the ingredients?
If you have, you'll notice that they're not listed. That's because the EPA does not require manufacturers of household chemicals to do so.
You can find most ingredients on an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet).
Tide is one laundry product that was in our home when I was growing up and after reading its MSDS, I'm glad it's not in my home now.
Tide contains 4 chemicals (that are listed on the MSDS):
- Ethanol/SD Alcohol 40
- Monoethanolamine (MEA)
- Sodium borate decahydrate (borax)
- Sodium hydroxide
Sodium hydroxide is linked to Depression, Increased Blood Pressure, Allergies, Asthma, Liver Damage and Chronic Hepatitis. Source: Household Products Database.
The above-mentioned chemicals are similar in most commercial laundry products. These chemicals are not completely rinsed off clothes and linens in the washing machine; they are absorbed by our skin and inhaled.
These chemicals end up in our waterways creating hormone imbalance and other serious health concerns in aquatic life. They end up in our tap water supply and create hormone imbalance and make us sick.
Instead of products like Tide, All and Cheer, I use the following safer, natural products and ingredients for clean, bright and white laundry.- Thieves Household Cleaner, which contains essential oils of Cinnamon, Clove, Eucalyptus radiata, Rosemary and Lemon: removes stains, cleans and deodorizes laundry
- Arm & Hammer washing soda: great at removing stains and odors, as well as natural replacement for commercial scouring agents
- White Vinegar: antibacterial, clears odors and softens laundry
- Castile Soap: cleans & freshens, breaks down soap scum
- Baking Soda: eliminates odors, cleans and softens laundry
- Hydrogen Peroxide: removes stains
- Purification essential oil blend: great at eliminating any foul odors like cat/dog urine, smoke and sweat
I have discovered many benefits to using safer, more natural products to do laundry.
- Clothes get clean without those nasty perfumy chemically smells
- Fish in my local stream are smiling
- Everyone loves the way my clothes smell
- I no longer suffer from chronic sinus infections
- I save a lot of money, e.g., Borax is 71 cents per pound; Tide is 1.50 per pound
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