What do you think the number one poison in the family home is?
Laundry soap, fabric softener and dryer sheets!! You are being poisoned three ways; as your washing your clothes, it’s filling your home with chemicals, then you wear your clothes all day long and have topical exposure to your skin, and then the clothes outgas all night long in your closet as you sleep, and you breathe the chemicals in. This all contributes to the chemical load that the body has to detoxify. This is especially an issue when sleeping because at night when the immune system is supposed to rest and repair, it instead has to use its energy to detoxify. The kidneys and liver have to work harder through the night instead of allowing your body to rejuvenate and repair itself.
What happens when your body is chemically overloaded?
Most of us feel it as lethargy, inability to focus, sleep trouble, chronic inflammation, unexplained pain, fibromyalgia, skin issues, adult acne, hormones, hot flashes, stress, anxiety, and fear. If you face any of these issues, it’s time to kick chemicals to the curb. You can control what you allow within the four walls of your home. You can cross some things off the list by going as close to toxic-chemical free as you can– in your home.
Since toxins can enter the body not only by inhalation through the respiratory tract, but also by absorption through the skin our bodies receive a double dose from these scented toxic laundry products. In addition, your clothing may appear white and bright because of the chemical whiteners, yet these optical brighteners are a toxic waste by-product and a menace to your health. Skip the harsh chemicals and make this safe and effective whitener. Use it in your laundry and any other surface that needs a little brightening.
So, when life gives you lemons, you make an all-natural whitener!
The synthetic fragrances in our laundry products may seem pleasant, but they are neurotoxic and are endocrine disruptors. Most people don’t get sick immediately by wearing the garments, but the absorption of these chemicals/metals consistently over the long term presents a potential for immune system depression and illness.
Detoxing our laundry is just one step to creating a healthier home and a healthier you!
It is one of the best places to start when detoxing out home because it affects the entire family. Replacing toxic laundry detergent and dryer sheets with toxin-free products means that there is no more wearing clothes or rolling in sheets that are filled with chemicals 24/7. These chemicals are transferred onto your skin and absorb into your body throughout the entire day.
It is common to see harmful chemicals like Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in detergents. It is a foaming agent that has been linked to irritation of the skin and eyes, organ toxicity, developmental/reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, and biochemical or cellular changes, possible mutations, and cancer.
Not sure if your laundry detergent is safe or not? Check the ingredients!
Here are the most common harmful chemicals in laundry detergent products according to Dr. Eric Zielinski:
>>Sodium Lauryl Sulfate & Sodium Laureth Sulfate/ Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate (SLS/ SLES). The main ingredient in, and most common chemical in laundry detergents as well as dish liquid, hand wash, and shampoo, SLS and SLES are surfactants intended to remove soil and as a foaming agent—they were originally developed as garage floor degreaser. Unfortunately, they also inflame skin, eyes, and lungs, and damage internal organs. SLS/ SLES is toxic in the environment as well. SLS is so irritating, in fact, that researchers frequently use it to induce acute skin and eye irritation, so they can measure other substances, such as healing agents.
>>Phosphates. Phosphate exposure is linked to cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and death from all causes in a general, healthy population. Banning phosphates in detergents is a crucial step in saving natural waterways from eutrophication—mineral poisoning that causes high die-off of native marine animal species.
>>Formaldehyde. Yes, the toxic chemical used to preserve dead bodies is in many laundry products and dish detergents. Exposure, even at low levels, from breathing or smelling formaldehyde increases your risk of cancer according to the CDC. It has also caused spots of dying tissue with regular exposure (necrosis), and an immune response consistent with parasitic infection, an allergic reaction, or cancer. The EPA calls it a class B1 probable carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) and says it causes acute toxicity when in contact with skin.
>>Chlorine Bleach. It’s not surprising that bleach is a skin and lung irritant, but most people do not know either how common it is in laundry products or exactly how harmful it can be, not to mention, many people add at least an additional cup to every load of whites. The material data safety sheet from a major bleach manufacturer tells us exactly how dangerous this substance is: Chlorine bleach causes: severe caustic burns to skin and eyes, blindness, pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs that restricts breathing), respiratory failure, and more; use of personal protection equipment is required when using bleach, including a chemical-resistant apron, chemical resistant gloves, safety goggles to protect eyes from fumes, and even air respirators!
>>Ammonium Sulfate. This laundry additive is so toxic, it’s manufacturers recommend not using it indoors! In addition to impermeable gloves, and eye and lung protection, the requirements for use of ammonium sulfate include never allowing the chemical or its empty containers to reach drains or waterways, and it is a category 3 oral, skin, and respiratory toxin.
>>Dioxane (1,4 Dioxane/ Diethylene Dioxide/ Diethylene Ether/ Dioxan). This laundry additive belongs as far away from your home and family as possible. Its liquid and fumes can spontaneously combust; it’s a known carcinogen (known to cause cancer since 1988); it causes skin, eye, and lung inflammation (some irreversible); it should only be used with protective gear including respirators; and once you are exposed (via inhalation, skin contact, or eye contact including fumes in your eyes), it targets the following organs: kidneys, central nervous system, liver, respiratory system, eyes, and skin.
>>Optical Brighteners/ UV Brighteners. Optical brighteners are included in laundry detergents as stain treaters; however, they do not remove stains at all. They coat clothing with a substance that reflects visible light, so you can’t see stains; they are stain-hiders. In addition, it is an eye, skin, and lung irritant; extremely toxic to aquatic life; may spontaneously combust and cannot be in the presence of static electricity—such as that from your clothes dryer; and correct use includes safely discarding any clothing that comes in contact with it!
>>Ammonium Quaternary Sanitizers (Quats/ Synthesized Cationic Surfactants). This cleaning additive, commonly known by teenage food-service workers as “quat”, is known to be corrosive, and it should not be in household cleaning products, as it causes eye, skin, and lung damage. There’s no reason to include these chemicals in laundry detergent.
>>Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (Nonoxynol, NPEs). In addition to many warnings of harm to eyes, skin, and lungs, this laundry detergent ingredient states that prolonged exposure to inhaled fumes or mist may be fatal!
>>Fragrance (Unspecified/ Parfum). Manufacturers are not required to list the ingredients of their fragrances because of a legal loophole. Adding fragrance to detergent gives a false impression of cleanliness without improving the action of the product in any way. The deception goes much further than most people think—due to generations of indoctrination by unethical marketing schemes, studies show that women, in particular, choose products based almost solely on fragrance even when the product is clearly demonstrated to be ineffective at cleaning. Artificial fragrances are usually to blame in cases of chemical sensitivity, allergic reactions, and rashes. Pulmonologists almost universally recommend removing the artificial fragrance from commercial products unless specifically sold as perfuming agents, as our lungs are constantly inundated with harmful, unnecessary fumes. Many are known carcinogens and endocrine disruptors.
>>Dyes. Not only do dyes add no cleaning power at all, but they are also another frequent culprit when unexplained allergies or rashes appear. Many are proven carcinogens and almost all are endocrine disruptors.
>>Benzyl Acetate. This additive is harmful if inhaled or spilled on the skin and targets the kidneys and nervous system.
>>Dichlorobenzene (P-Dichlorobenzene/ Benzene). Benzene has an immediate, highly toxic effect on aquatic life that can continue poisoning the watershed for years to come. The fumes cause optical damage, and it is listed with a carcinogen warning for humans.
So, what do I recommend?
The same things you will find in my family’s laundry room!
Thieves Laundry Soap- made of plant-based ingredients and leaves no chemical or synthetic residue
Wool Dryer Balls- 100% Premium Wool Dryer Balls, Eco-Friendly, All-Natural
Young Living Essential Oils:
Lemon Essential Oil- Fresh uplifting scent for towels and clothing
Purification Essential Oil- My go-to for stinky clothes and animal beds
Lavender Essential Oil – I love using this for my sheets
What is in your laundry room?
Do you have any all-natural tips to share?
Or are you ready to ditch the chemicals and switch to natural plant-based options??
Love this info? You will love my guide "5 Ways Less is More" check it out here!
