Is Your Laundry Detergent Toxic?

We’re all about the best health here at VegHealth (it’s in the name, see?!)… So this Nutrition Bite shares some common sources of everyday toxins you may not think are a big deal, but could actually be affecting you and those around you more than you know.

PLUS… Some practical advice on things to change for the better.

Ever been outside, maybe in your backyard and caught a whiff of that fragrant laundry detergent or softener smell?

While you might find that pleasant, the bad news is that when you come across that ever-so-familiar aroma…

You are breathing in a lot more than you bargained for. TOXIC CHEMICALS.

Is Laundry Detergent Toxic?

In a word, YES. It certainly can be and more often than not, it is.

Did you know that dryer vents spew out more than 25 VOCs (volatile organic compounds) per load when common laundry soaps and fabric treatments are used? [1]

Yup, just your regular old detergent and fabric softener… Don’t get me started on dryer sheets!

And when your ventilation is poor – the dryer vent is blocked or doesn’t lead outdoors – your INDOOR air pollution worsens.

If your vent does release hot air outside, you’re actually polluting your own neighborhood with VOCs. Might not seem a big deal to you, but ask someone who’s got lung issues (asthma, CPD, allergies) and they’ll tell you…

Those smells and resulting reactions can chase them inside real fast. Which means you may be directly affecting someone’s enjoyment of that beautiful day, without even realizing it. It could even blow right into their home. That’s the kind of two for one you don’t want!

Can It Really Be That Big of a Deal?

Look at this this way…

In the US, an average family will use about 4 cups of detergent a week. That’s 4 cups of toxins, per home, being released into the waterways and also releasing chemicals into the air, every week.

Bring it closer to home and make it personal…

Toxic residues from everything you use in your machines remain in the fabrics and in turn get rubbed onto your skin, your biggest organ.

Most common detergents are actually a complex mixture of neurotoxins, hormone disruptors, chemicals connected to cancer and “fragrances” that often contain all of these!

You can recognize certain brands by their smell, right?

That’s a branded formula which is specially designed to linger in fabrics for a long time. A “clean” smell = clean, we’re trained to believe.

But you have to ask, at what cost. Because even the UNSCENTED versions of commercial brands often use ‘masking’ chemicals to cover up the smells!

A cauldron of putrid chemicals is not what we want to have on or around our skin, our lungs, or our noses, yet your laundry room might be the most toxic room in your house.

You see, scientists are starting to openly link the rise of deadly diseases to the thousands of toxins we are exposed to indoors — where we spend 90% of our time. [2] [3]

Unfortunately the government isn’t regulating cleaning products, for the most part.

Remember our webinar about organic products? We shared that out of 1300 toxic chemicals banned in Europe, only 11 are banned in the US!

What You Need to Do to Protect Yourself & Your Family

First step, be aware.

Hopefully the information above has shown or reminded you about the importance of what seem like unimportant choices…The type of products you buy.

There ARE alternatives, and you can start making healthier choices that affect your directly, as well as those around you by way of air and waterways.

What To Avoid

There are a few keywords that make it easy to know if you’re holding something toxic in your hands. Look for these words on your labels:

– Caution
– Warning
– Danger
– Irritant
– Poison (or the toxic symbol)
– Fragrance (can include any number of chemicals, without having to list them)

Here’s a shortlist of chemicals and ingredients to avoid, as well:

– synthetic fragrance
– natural fragrances
– Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) (4)
– Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
– Ammonium Laurel Sulfate (ALS)
– bleach (5)
– Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPEs) (6)
– phosphates (7)
– optical brighteners (8)
– Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulfonates (LAS) (9)

AND THAT IS JUST A SHORTLIST!

Now you may ask… WHAT am I going to clean my clothes with??

If you are an independent seeker with lots of time, you can go ahead and google “EWG Skindeep” and get the low-down on each ingredient in your products. You will find them rated from 1-10 on toxicity. Anything a 3 or more is something to avoid or throw out.