The Dangerous Chemicals Lurking in Your Laundry Soap

[ghengis86]

Wait I add TSP to laundry and dishes. I thought it was a rinsing agent. Plus I thought TSP was in all cleaning products until it was banned recently over pollution.

Tri-sodium phosphate can act as a rinsing agent, but not the best.

There's a ban/restriction on the percent elemental phosphorous as "p" or phosphate P2O5 in certain areas in the country and by product category. Some phosphonates are exempted, even though they contain elemental P.

ETA: and the pollution aspect is not that phosphates are toxic. They are actually fertilizers that encourage plant growth. The environmental concern is the eutrophication of water ways caused by the excessive plant growth due to phosphates in surface waters. Have you ever seen a lake with tons of algae, Lillie's, cat tails and other aquatic plants? They can 'kill' a lake pretty quick by making it inhospitable to fish and other aquatic animals necessary for a healthy ecosystem.

And 90% of the phosphates found in surface waters were from agricultural use, not household or institutional use in cleaning products. Big Ag gets off pretty easy, while the consumer gets stuck with more expensive, less effective products. Thanks EPA!

 

[ghengis86]

I used to add Trisodium phosphate, then I read somewhere that was the wrong phosphate to use.





No idea what the bolded part means, but there it is.

You can make a really difficult to remove soap-scum/white buildup with TSP if you have hard water called calcium phosphate. This can clog water passages in washers and dishwashers and make cleaning the shower a bitch. You need a strong acid to remove calcium phosphate (such as dilute sulfuric or nitric). CLR is actually a good product for this since its an acid based cleaner.

 

[ghengis86]

From one the the OP links, which linked to here: http://www.motherearthliving.com/laundry-chemicals-to-avoid-zmez12mazsie.aspx#axzz2oqGaz4Hs

EDTA?!? That's used in food products more than detergents!

Judas...where to begin.

 

[Suzanimal]

You aren't supposed to eat laundry soap.





Borax is also a chemical.



Just like everything else.

I've used Borax with a drop of dawn in my dishwasher when I've run out dishwasher detergent. Works pretty good.

 

[donnay]

Toxic Chemicals Found in Laundry Soaps and Air Fresheners

A study of top-selling laundry products and air fresheners found the products emitted dozens of different chemicals. All six products tested gave off at least one chemical regulated as toxic or hazardous under federal laws, but none of those chemicals was listed on the product labels.

"I first got interested in this topic because people were telling me that the air fresheners in public restrooms and the scent from laundry products vented outdoors were making them sick," said Anne Steinemann, a University of Washington professor of civil and environmental engineering and of public affairs. "And I wanted to know, 'What's in these products that is causing these effects?'"

Manufacturers of consumer products are not required to disclose the ingredients, so Steinemann analyzed the products to discover their contents.

"I was surprised by both the number and the potential toxicity of the chemicals that were found," Steinemann said. Chemicals included acetone, the active ingredient in paint thinner and nail-polish remover; limonene, a molecule with a citrus scent; and acetaldehyde, chloromethane and 1,4-dioxane.

Nearly 100 volatile organic compounds were emitted from the six products, and none were listed on any product label, she said. Plus, five of the six products emitted one or more carcinogenic "hazardous air pollutants," which are considered by the Environmental Protection Agency to have no safe exposure level, Steinemann said.

The study is detailed online in today's issue of the journal Environmental Impact Assessment Review.

Steinemann chose not to disclose the brand names of the six products she tested. But in a larger study of 25 cleaners, personal care products, air fresheners and laundry products, now submitted for publication, Steinemann found that many other brands contained similar chemicals.

http://www.livescience.com/5034-toxic-chemicals-laundry-soaps-air-fresheners.html


ETA: http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/DioxaneFacts080314.pdf

 

[FSU63]

Any chemical can be toxic in excess amounts.

And, as I said above, stop worrying about the big bad laundry detergent companies wanting to poison you

Just eat clean and lift heavy shit.

 

[donnay]

Any chemical can be toxic in excess amounts.

And, as I said above, stop worrying about the big bad laundry detergent companies wanting to poison you

Just eat clean and lift heavy shit.

Well considering people wash their clothes pretty regularly, sleep on sheets, wear pajama and under garments I would say that those type of chemicals would not be used in moderation, eh? Washing their dishes in a chemical sludge... how much residue is on their dishes too? Would that be eating clean? When you factor all those things in, on a daily basis, it becomes excess.

VOC's are everywhere...one must be aware of a good portion of them and try to eliminate them as best they can. This thread was started to bring some awareness of these issues to possibly help those who would like to eliminate them by the alternatives discussed.

 

[FSU63]

No, those minute amounts really don't add up as much as you're implying. Not enough to make any real difference at all.

And, yes, consuming a healthy diet does wonders. My health is nearly immaculate. And I still consume GMOs, fluoridated water, and these "dangerous" laundry chemicals.

 

[osan]

Soap nuts contain chemicals.

So do my nuts. What's your point?

 

[donnay]

No, those minute amounts really don't add up as much as you're implying. Not enough to make any real difference at all.

And, yes, consuming a healthy diet does wonders. My health is nearly immaculate. And I still consume GMOs, fluoridated water, and these "dangerous" laundry chemicals.

God bless you, I wish you well.

 

[ghengis86]

Watch out; one of those terrible chemicals is found in citrus fruits!!

And another one is found in many other fruits, nuts and foods!!!

And yet another one is a common metabolic product in your own body!!!

The horrors, the horrors...


Seriously, I'd like to see some units of measure, time weighted average exposure limits, adsorption rates from textiles to skin and other, non-hyperbolic, scientific based data. That way, we could cut through the BS and decide for ourselves how 'toxic' or dangerous is our exposure.

 

[donnay]

Watch out; one of those terrible chemicals is found in citrus fruits!!

I use cold pressed orange oil (d-limonene) for a lot of things around my house-- I use a capful in my laundry and my dishwashing. I use orange oil and vinegar for cleaning as well. The stuff is great!

Here is a whole list of things cold pressed orange oil is good for:
http://www.dirtdoctor.com/cgi-bin2/htsearch

 

[silverhandorder]

I looked for STPP but could not find anything in small amounts on sites I trust.

 

[ghengis86]

I use cold pressed orange oil (d-limonene) for a lot of things around my house-- I use a capful in my laundry and my dishwashing. I use orange oil and vinegar for cleaning as well. The stuff is great!

Here is a whole list of things cold pressed orange oil is good for:
http://www.dirtdoctor.com/cgi-bin2/htsearch

D-limonene (and all citrus terpenes for that matter) is a great solvent/degreaser. Spot stains with it, clean up gum- and synthetic-based adehesives, clean auto parts, etc. wonderful stuff.

It is a skin sensitizer and will dry out your skin pretty quickly, so wear gloves and wash up afterwards. It's also flammable, so don't use next to an open flame (cool trick; take a section of orange peel 1x2 inches, fold the ends together with the rind facing out towards a candle flame, and watch the fireworks! Ok, not firework worthy, but the terpenes in the rind create a fine mist when squeezed out and will burn, pop and crackle when it hits the flame.)

 

[ghengis86]

I looked for STPP but could not find anything in small amounts on sites I trust.

How much are you looking for? Do you have an ACE/True Value/Home Depot nearby?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/261017036403?lpid=82

This is a ridiculous price for a pound. If you buy 40,000 lbs at a crack, it's only $0.60-0.70/lb, depending on grade (food grade, lite, medium, heavy density, kosher, etc.)

 

[Eagles' Wings]

I use cold pressed orange oil (d-limonene) for a lot of things around my house-- I use a capful in my laundry and my dishwashing. I use orange oil and vinegar for cleaning as well. The stuff is great!

Here is a whole list of things cold pressed orange oil is good for:
http://www.dirtdoctor.com/cgi-bin2/htsearch

I use vinegar for everything but had not thought to use orange oil. Thanks, donnay.

 

[Eagles' Wings]

Watch out; one of those terrible chemicals is found in citrus fruits!!

And another one is found in many other fruits, nuts and foods!!!

And yet another one is a common metabolic product in your own body!!!

The horrors, the horrors...


Seriously, I'd like to see some units of measure, time weighted average exposure limits, adsorption rates from textiles to skin and other, non-hyperbolic, scientific based data. That way, we could cut through the BS and decide for ourselves how 'toxic' or dangerous is our exposure.

I've heard for years that people with skin conditions must be very careful about laundry products. Has this been your experience as well?

 

[donnay]

D-limonene (and all citrus terpenes for that matter) is a great solvent/degreaser. Spot stains with it, clean up gum- and synthetic-based adehesives, clean auto parts, etc. wonderful stuff.

It is a skin sensitizer and will dry out your skin pretty quickly, so wear gloves and wash up afterwards. It's also flammable, so don't use next to an open flame (cool trick; take a section of orange peel 1x2 inches, fold the ends together with the rind facing out towards a candle flame, and watch the fireworks! Ok, not firework worthy, but the terpenes in the rind create a fine mist when squeezed out and will burn, pop and crackle when it hits the flame.)

In my 4th grade science fair that was my experiment--with a lemon and candle.

 

[Eagles' Wings]

I hate any of it just about that is scented . If there is anything dangerous in there I should have been dead long ago , The Mrs throws things in the washer as soon as I take them off. If it were just me , I would just hang up my jackets and quilted flannels somewhere , maybe wash it once a week , LOL

Same with my hubbie and I don't mind at all. Just gotta love the earthy smell of clothes after a couple of weeks. Saves money, too.

 

[ghengis86]

I've heard for years that people with skin conditions must be very careful about laundry products. Has this been your experience as well?

Not really. The detergents are usually fine, some sensitivity issues can be due to fabric softeners (and the associated frangrances) but its mostly irritation due to pH differences between the textile and users skin. Detergents are designed to rinse away cleanly, while softeners are designed to be substantive to the textile to provide performance attributes i.e. softness, wrinkle prevention, absorption, scent, body, etc. softeners are typically quaternary ammonium compounds. They could cause sensitivity issues in people with extremely sensitive skin. Same with the fragrance oils.

Mostly though, it's a pH problem. Your skin is anywhere from pH 4.5-6.5. Your sweat, sebum and other secretions form the 'acid mantle' which is part of your skins natural defenses. When you wear clothes with a highly acid or neutral to alkaline pH, the pH balance if your skin is disrupted and irritation develops. Your skin secretes more or less of some compounds to compensate, which can lead to redness, swelling, itching, etc. typically this happens where the textile contacts the skin, such as the neck, shoulders, upper back, waist, wrists.

If you have an MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity) disorder, use fragrance free, gentle detergent and add an extra rinse at the end of the cycle; no softener. Use oxygen based bleaches. Check your water's pH as it can vary widely depending on area of the country. Softened water is best, if available.