Eco friendly detergent
Buying Guide

Eco friendly detergents allow you to wash your clothes in peace.

You no longer need to be concerned how the detergent and fabric softener may be polluting the environment. Is that a nice idea? The good news is that there are alternatives to the detergents now sold in your local store.

The bad news is you have to do a little bit of research and then wait for them to be delivered to your door. Well we’ve done the research for you but you will still have to wait for them to be delivered!

The laundry room is perhaps the most toxic room in the home. It is the place where we store detergents and fabric softeners which tend to have concentrated levels of chemicals.

These toxins are known to be unhealthy to our body, some known to cause harm. So it’s no surprise that many people look for a eco-friendly and save alternatives to wash their clothes in.

Many products on the supermarket shelve claim that they are safe to the environment but do they really live up to their claim? Or are they just jumping on the latest marketing craze?

Can we be sure that products really live up to their claims that products are biodegradable, organic or non-toxic? Laundry products don’t have the same regulations as the food industry. Manufactures are not required to prove the claims they make or even list the ingredients which make up their products. The responsibility is with the consumer to evaluate the product itself.

When you are buying environmentally friendly laundry products look out for ones that list the actual ingredients. Give your support by purchasing these ones.

Two such companies showing they have nothing to hid by listing there ingredients are Ecover and Seventh Generation. Even though they aren’t required by law to show the ingredients they definitely show their integrity by doing so.

You also want to see words telling you about the ingredients which are NOT in the detergent such as “no phosphates” and “chlorine-free”.

Clorine bleach to some degree is widely used in homes but it is very toxic and shouldn’t be used at all. A good alternative to chlorine bleach is hydrogen peroxide bleach.

It’s possible to use household products such as baking soda, white vinegar or essential oils to make homemade recipes that can be pretty effective cleaning agents.

If you make them label them clearly as “homemade” and keep them away from kids where they cannot grab them. Never mix ammonia and chlorine bleach together, the results are tremendously toxic.

Important Points to Remember

• Keep away from products which have on the label “warning” , “caution” or “danger.” The products with “poison” or “danger” are the most harmful.
• Keep away from labels such as Corrosive, chlorine bleach, ammonia, phosphates, and petroleum products. These chemicals can be harmful to your family as well as the environment.
• Look for products which have specific claims. For example “no phosphates” and “plant based” is much more informative than general terms such as “biodegradable.”
• Does the detergent list how many days it takes for it to “biodegrade.”
• Choose products which list there ingredients.
• Choose detergents made from plant based ingredients rather than petroleum based.
• If you’re unsure phone the company up and ask as many specific questions as you want. If they don’t answer your questions then perhaps you should look for another product.

These tips will help reduce the impact you have on the environment. You will reduce the chemicals in your home and may even end up saving a little money. There are eco-friendly products out there to buy, or on the other hand you could try making your own!








Related Article Seventh Generation Natural Laundry Detergent.

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