Whats the Connection Between the Two?
Laundry, such a simple chore, something all of us are forced to do at one time or another, yet in our rush to ‘ get it done’ we pay very little, if any attention to what we add to the wash water to bring out the stains in the clothing our family wears on a daily basis. So is it really any wonder that our children, our families, are suffering from ailments ranging from severe asthma to the itching welts and hives of an allergic skin reaction? An itching caused by the laundry detergent we use in their wash.
The majority of detergents popular among consumers today, depend on carcinogens, simply meaning, ingredients that can and do cause cancer. These are where we obtain that freshly laundered fragrance, and, that make our skin feel as if we’ve just spent an afternoon in a blooming field of poison oak. They also contain surfactants, which have been known to kill aquatic animals; like fish, builders; another commonly used element also known to kill aquatic animals, bleaches, or toxic byproducts and colorants; these have also proved to cause cancer in humans. Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my children wearing around clothing that carry these compounds, look at here now.
I know the majority of us really don’t think about what’s actually in that fresh smelling powder we add to our wash. We grab a giant scoop of Tide or Gain, mistakenly assuming that, since there more expensive, we’re doing the best for our family. That is until we start to feel that intense itching which signals the arrival of another allergic reaction, an itching caused by our laundry detergent. But now that we realize the harmful elements we’re adding to our laundry, by using these popular and potentially harmful detergents, we can begin to make some changes. The next time you experience a breakout or itchy skin, ask yourself, ‘Is my itching from my laundry detergent?’ you’ll probably find the answer to be yes. Yet, We continue buying those expensive, allergy and asthma producing detergents, simply because we’ve always done it, some of us still use the same detergent our moms and grandmas used before us. Right about now you may be asking, ‘what’s the alternative?’ Well, there are several very good, quality detergents out there that are environmentally safe, biodegradable with absolutely no artificial dyes or fillers to invade our skin. Some of the top brands among consumers are the Brand Seventh Generation, Ecover, and Planet, these are all made of recycled materials, are biodegradable, and are completely free of phosphates and all those cancer causing elements. Conventional detergents are made from synthetic petrochemicals that are very hard on your sensitive skin and the environment, leaving a residue behind on our clothing, on our skin, which is why skin allergies are so common.
The ‘green’ detergents, or hypoallergenic, are simply products which have had every preparation made to assure the consumer that you have the very minimum chance of risking an allergic reaction, hypoallergenic products are routinely monitored by the Food and Drug Administration. My moms favorite is dreft, which she began using when we were babies and has continued to use In her laundry since. Its intended for babies with sensitive skin, but since we all know that our sensitive skin continues into adulthood, its also good for adults. This detergent is free of dyes and perfumes, is all natural and hypoallergenic. ‘Green’ detergents are oftentimes a little more expensive, yes, even more so than those old favorites, tide or Gain. However, the extra protection for your family and the environment is definitely worth it. Bottom line, start reading labels and become familiar with what ingredients your adding to your families wash, because itching from your laundry detergent is an all to common problem.