Laundering Safely

Posted on Sunday, November 30, 2008 by bbb-admin

I was at a baby shower today and I always enjoy overhearing the “mom talk” that goes on during these sorts of gatherings. Great tips about this and that and for me…. validation that starting our Better Baby Bums business was a great step towards helping to educate my fellow moms about things such as the safety of laundry soaps.

In many cases, we all do what our mom did and/or what the hospital tells you to do when you bring your little one home. In this case, many moms are using laundry detergents supposedly made for babies because they are “gentler” on their skin, the fact is that I wouldn’t use some of these on my own laundry. A comment I heard today at the shower, that Ivory Snow “smells so good, like a baby” made me cringe. While I reserved comment there, I felt compelled to blog about detergents.

Most laundry detergents contain chemicals such as phosphates, phenols, optical brighteners, bleach, EDTA, and artificial fragrances. All bad stuff. Where to begin!

Phosphates are used in detergent to remove hard-water minerals and to make it more effective by preventing dirt from settling back onto clothes during the washing process. While phosphates may not be a direct hazard to your health, it does threaten the health of the environment as when it is released into the environment (down the drain), it encourages the growth of harmful marine plants such as algae that can choke out native plants critical to healthy fish habitat. For this reason a number of US states have already banned soaps containing phosphates.

Phenols are toxic and in low doses, those that are sensitive to them could experience serious side effects and even death. Phenols are rapidly absorbed into the body and have serious effects on the central nervous system, lungs and kidneys. The commonly used surfactant, nonyl phenol ethoxylate, in laundry detergents has been banned in Europe.

Optical brighteners help to make your clothes appear whiter when they emerge from the wash. The funny thing is that they do not actually make your clothes any cleaner. These chemicals have been found to be toxic to fish and cause bacterial mutations. They can also cause allergic reactions when exposed skin is later exposed to sunlight.

Our good old pal bleach is a chemical precursor to chlorine which is highly toxic. When these chemicals react this organic materials in the environment, carcinogenic and toxic compounds are created which can cause reproductive, endocrine and immune system disorders.

EDTA, ethylene-diamino-tetra-acetate, is used to reduce mineral hardness in water, is a foaming stabilizer, and helps to prevent bleaching agents from becoming active before they are put in water. These compounds do not biodegrade easily and can redissolve toxic heavy metals in the environment, allowing them to enter the food chain.

Take a whiff. Smells great, right? WRONG. Just cause it smells good doesn’t mean it is clean or good for you. A common misconception. Most of these artificial fragrances are made from petroleum-based products and therefore do not degrade in the environment. They have also been linked to various toxic effects on fish and mammals. These chemicals commonly cause allergies and skin and eye irritation. Why do you think so many soaps are offered fragrance free?

There are many other chemicals in conventional detergents that are not good for you and your family. Seek out alternative detergents that are phosphate, EDTA, bleach and fragrance free. There are many great ones out there. Make sure you read your labels carefully because many detergents advertise that they are good for the environment, natural etc…and they are not. Do not be fooled. Your little one smells great without the help of a fragrance (well, most of the time). Keep in mind that their clothes are up against them all the time and therefore so are the residues of the detergent you use. Choosing a detergent is one of the most important health decisions you can make for your little one. Think outside the box. Don’t listen to your mother.