Dear Alison,
Do you know much about safe laundry detergents? I remember reading something in a magazine once that laundry soap can be toxic. Any truth to that? Nadia, Palm Beach, FL
I’m afraid that the answer is yes. Laundry soap can definitely be hazardous to not only your skin but your health. A major concern with laundry soap is that the chemicals that are used in the washing machine are then going down the drain and ending up polluting our oceans, lakes, streams, etc. and are killing off fish and causing all sorts of problems. However, those same chemicals are in your clothes, being absorbed by your skin and thus going into your blood stream.
Unfortunately, there isn’t an easy way for the consumer to check the ingredient list of their detergent. This is because there is no law that requires companies to list their ingredients. That leaves the consumer with two choices (a) Go to the company’s website and look for the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), which lists ingredients, associated health hazards, and additional information. Or, (b) Buy from a reputable company that lists it’s ingredients on the package.
I personally use ECOS Earth Friendly brand that I get from Costco. It has soy-based liquid fabric softener already in it, so even though it might cost a tad bit more, I’m still saving on fabric softener. Trader Joe’s brand is a good bet as is Seventh Generation, BioKleen or just about any detergent that you’ll find in your health food isle. If there are only name brands to choose from then choose one with no fragrance/perfume and one that is made for High Efficiency (usually says HE on the packaging) washers as these are low sudsing detergents that have fewer chemicals.
Your partner in health,
Alison
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