Is your Washing Powder making you sick?

When most people think of toxins and pollution, they think of the outdoors -- garbage-choked streams, industrial waste, pesticides, heavy metals. But the danger is awaiting you indoors too, in your own home depending on the choices you make when it comes to personal care and home care products. Most supermarket products and even products labelled organic or natural can contain unsafe, questionable ingredients – toxins. These toxins are harmful no matter whether you are absorbing them through your skin (shower gel, detergent, deodorant, cosmetics, toothpaste etc.) or breathing them into your lungs (cleaning products, hair spray, but also fragrances from your personal care products).

None of these Chemicals appeared on the Label

If you pay attention to labels, you’ll find that many household and personal care products contain potentially toxic chemicals. In one study of 40 household products such as hair colouring, lipstick and paints, 34 contained chemicals such as glycols, organic solvents and phthalates. None of these chemicals appeared on the label of the products. And most the “alternative” products - marketed for having safer ingredients than their conventional counterparts - also contained chemicals of concern.

Most people tend to discount how dangerous some of these chemicals can be and how much chronic degenerative diseases they cause like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and even cancer. Over time toxins can build up in your system and cause any number of unknown effects. They also are hormone/endocrine disruptors – mimicking hormones and creating chaos and disease in your body.

Let’s have a look at laundry detergents.

A Toxic Slew of Chemicals – Harmful to YOU and the Environment

Typical laundry detergents may be imparting more on your clothing than a “fresh” scent. Most contain a toxic slew of chemicals that leave residues behind on your clothing, towels, bed sheets etc. that your skin can absorb into your blood stream within 26 seconds of contact and you might breathe them in as well…

Most laundry detergents in your typical grocery store contain:

• Phenols - can cause toxicity throughout the entire body
• Phthalates - can cause hormone disruption, affecting fertility and development
• Synthetic/Artificial Fragrances – commonly trigger asthma attacks and other breathing problems
• Unscented detergents – usually have the same ingredients as the scented versions, but with an additional masking chemical
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) – also SLES, can irritate the skin and eyes, and have links to neurotoxicity and even cancer
• Phosphates – known to cause nausea, diarrhea, and skin irritation. They also stimulate the growth of certain marine plants when they’re released into the environment and contribute to unbalanced ecosystems
• Bleach (aka Sodium Hypochlorite) – very toxic and considered carcinogenic
• Petroleum distillates (aka napthas) – solvents linked to mucus membrane damage, lung damage and inflammation, asthma, and cancer

Most of the chemicals found in washing powders, other house hold products as well as personal care products haven’t been tested for their long-term effects on humans. The reason? They’re not ingested. For things we eat, there are laws requiring stringent testing and safety standards to protect us from harmful chemicals -  they are failing there too, but that is a different story. And since we’re not eating laundry powder, who cares if they contain questionable ingredients, right?

You should care!

Scroll down to see the non-toxic washing powder I use.

Picture thanks to Health Helper According to research by the University of Washington, when scented laundry detergents and fabric softeners are used, dryer vents emit more than 25 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) per load, many of which are classified as hazardous air pollutants.

How Do I know If My Laundry Powder Has Bad Chemicals?

Read the label, check the ingredients. Do not just trust a label saying "organic", "natural" or showing the "Pink Ribbon" - read the label!
Just SLS free is not enough either!
While all detergent label will warn for eye contact and recommend to rinse if you got skin contact keep an eye out for “warning”, “caution” or “danger. This strongly indicates dangerous chemicals in the product. Keep your hands of them! 

Where Can I Get Toxin-free Washing Powder That cleans my washing, That’s Safe For Me, My Family & The Environment?

I’m glad you asked! I found a company that has been avoiding over 3000 questionable ingredients in their personal care and home care products for nearly three decades – Modere.

Modere Laundry Powder Concentrate

Modere Laundry Powder uses gentle and effective cleansing agents that rinse free and are suitable for use with baby’s clothes and those with sensitive skin.

Modere Laundry Powder:

• is so effective, its stain-removing power continues even while your clothes are on the line!
• Concentrated formula - a small amount goes a long way. Packed with anti-greying agents, protease enzymes and an oxygen bleach to remove tough protein, grease and fatty based stains, while whitening and brightening colours.
• Rapidly biodegradable surfactants are gentle on your clothes and the environment. It is also suitable for septic systems using anaerobic bacteria as well as grey water recycling, meeting the criteria for grey water recycling set by the consumer watchdog, CHOICE Magazine.
• Low sudsing formula, suitable for front and top loading machines.
  
• Leaves your washing smell fresh - without the use of nasty fragrances
  
• no testing on animals
• recyclable packaging
• products delivered quickly to your front door

The Australian/NZ product is especially formulated with a sun protection agent to reduce fading and keep your clothes looking great for longer. This ‘tough on dirt gentle on fabrics’ formula effectively takes care of your family, your clothes and the environment.

I personally like about it because:

+ I only need to use a little to get my washing clean and fresh
+ I love the fresh smell
+ I used to get a rancid smell in my clothes as I use oils as moisturisers and my previous - none toxic - detergents didn't get the oils out completely. This one does ;o)

Take control of the toxic load in your home by using clean-label products that are safe, effective and affordable!

Discover Modere’s natural washing powder that is 100% free of harmful chemicals, which is better for you and the environment.

They also have a safety-conscious fabric softener, which you can view here.

P.S. This washing powder even completely removes massage oils from sheets and towels - no rancid smell anymore!

Yvette Morey "I have used our laundry powder and fabric softener in my beauty salon for the last 9 years, since opening. My towels are always brilliantly clean and smell amazing. AND it is SAFE for my clients."

I heard people share that their children's Asthma stopped after changing to Modere Laundry Powder, that skin rashes and eczema cleared up and never returned ...

To read more reviews click here.