Harmful Substances in Laundry and Cleaning Products

Commercially available laundry and cleaning products are anything but clean.

Consumers are told they want “deep-cleaning” products. However, commercially available detergents and cleaning products are anything but clean. The telegenic successors to the advertising icon Klementine are peddling us a toxic cocktail of skin-irritating surfactants, allergy-triggering fragrances, carcinogenic preservatives, and many other chemicals that not only harm the environment but also endanger our health. Yet there are alternatives.

The most important active ingredients in cleaning products—their “detergent substances”—are surfactants. They reduce the surface tension of liquids, allowing them to mix. In laundry detergents, they ensure that grease and dirt dissolve in water and remain there. Mostly made from petroleum, they dry out the skin and mucous membranes, making them more susceptible to rashes and allergies.

Added water softeners are intended to support the surfactant’s action and reduce detergent consumption, particularly in hard water. However, when released into the environment via wastewater, they cause considerable damage. Phosphates contribute to eutrophication and cause water bodies to “tip over.” But substitutes such as phosphonates, NTA, EDTA, and polycarboxylates are also difficult to break down. EDTA leaches toxic heavy metals from sediments. In eco-friendly cleaning products, safer water softeners such as zeolite A, citrate, and silicates have proven effective.

Bleaching agents in laundry detergents, as well as in cleaning powders and liquids, are designed to remove unwanted stains and yellowing. To do this, they release aggressive atomic oxygen (O), which binds to unwanted dyes. Their caustic vapors irritate the mucous membranes. Inhaling them can cause burning eyes and coughing, damage tissue in the windpipe and lungs, and trigger asthma and other respiratory diseases.

To ensure that laundry comes out of the machine exceptionally clean, even at low temperatures, conventional detergents generally contain genetically modified enzymes. Even if only tiny traces of these remain in clothing, they can irritate the skin. To extend the shelf life of cleaning and laundry detergents, synthetic preservatives are usually added. A large portion of these can cause skin irritation and allergies.

Only a few particularly aggressive substances must be declared on the packaging (“may cause sensitization by skin contact”)—most notably the extremely harmful formaldehyde. It can irritate the mucous membranes and trigger headaches, nausea, breathing difficulties, asthma, and allergies. It is also considered carcinogenic. It may be present at a concentration of no more than 0.2%; the warning “contains formaldehyde” is required only at 0.1%.

Many products, so-called “hygiene cleaners,” contain added disinfectants designed to eliminate even the last harmful bacteria. Not only do they increase the risk of turning your home into a breeding ground for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but they often contain chlorine compounds that can irritate the respiratory tract. Ingredients like triclosan have hormonal effects and may promote cancer.

Detergents and cleaning products almost always contain fragrances. These do absolutely nothing to enhance cleaning performance, but they often trigger allergies. One in eight Germans is allergic to a fragrance. This is usually a Type IV contact allergy, in which symptoms appear after one to three days, with typical symptoms ranging from itchy redness of the skin, weeping blisters, hives, scaling, and itching, to chronic inflammation at the sites that came into direct contact with the allergen.

Nevertheless, consumers receive only vague, incomplete, or no information at all about which substances are actually contained in these products. This is because, since 2005, only 26 fragrances classified as particularly allergenic have been subject to mandatory declaration, starting at a concentration of 0.01%. Below this arbitrary, industry-friendly threshold, a collective term such as “parfum,” “fragrance,” “aroma,” or “flavor” suffices, without listing the individual components.

Fabric softeners are equally concerning from a medical standpoint. They smooth out the fabric fibers, make the laundry soft and cozy, and give it a pleasant scent; they also prevent clothes from becoming statically charged. However, sensitive skin reacts to the substances used, leading to redness, itching, and allergies. Several ingredients are suspected of being carcinogenic. Added to this is a factor of disgust: animal fats, especially from cattle—byproducts generated during slaughter. Behind cryptic terms like “Dihydrogenated Tallowoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate” lies animal tallow, which forms a film around the fabric fibers—hence the soft feel.

Bacteria grow more easily on fibers coated with fabric softener, which is why freshly washed clothes sometimes suddenly start to smell musty. Because of the protective film the fabric softener forms around the laundry, water penetrates the fibers less effectively; consequently, more detergent is needed to achieve the same cleaning effect. Residues can accumulate in the washing machine, providing a breeding ground for microorganisms in the warm, humid environment.

Instead of continuing to fall for marketing gimmicks, we should realize that ordinary organic cleaning products are perfectly sufficient for removing everyday household stains. Simple household remedies like vinegar, citric acid, soda, baking soda, and curd soap can replace almost all of them. For people with allergies, there have long been purely plant-based detergents available, free of any irritating ingredients.

A standard detergent is perfectly sufficient for clean and fresh laundry. Stain remover salt can help with stubborn stains. Very good washing results can be achieved even at 40 degrees. However, you should wash at higher temperatures from time to time to kill bacteria and fungi in the drum.

To prevent unpleasant odors, it’s best to regularly clean the washing machine’s rubber seals and lint filter. To allow the machine to dry, the drum and detergent drawer should remain open. Surfactants made from renewable raw materials have been available for a long time. However, palm oil products predominate; to meet high demand, vast areas of rainforest are being cleared, especially in Asia. Some eco-friendly manufacturers offer palm oil-free alternatives.

Original article > Schadstoffe in Wasch- und Reinigungsmittel

Published by Editor