Hidden Toxins

I've done my fair share of laundry. Both Tink and Bean were cloth diapered since they were born, both had reflux issues, and now that they're older they both get really messy. I have also been using a natural laundry detergent since they were born. Now, I am sure you're thinking it can't be that bad, it really is though. Laundry detergent and fabric softener has many more toxic chemicals than you may think.

I found out the average family washes approximately 80 pounds of laundry per week—or 35 billion loads of laundry per year! This means that 17.5 billion cups of laundry detergent are being used every year in the U.S. alone. Not only can you come in contact with toxic chemicals from your clothing, or having been laundered in them, but you can breathe them into your lungs once they become airborne in the process of doing your laundry.

The detergent you're using may contain a mixture of potent cancer-causing chemicals, some of which the manufacturer doesn't even have to list on the label. This loophole reduces the odds that you'll ever discover what's in there.

Four of the worst offenders are:

• Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)/sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)
• 1,4-dioxane
• NPE (nonylphenol ethoxylate)
• Phosphates

Not only are these chemicals potentially damaging to your health, but they are also contaminating waterways and harming the environment.

Yet another reason I chose to use something more natural.  Lately I've been using Scarlet's Naturals Suds.  It cleans so well and I never have to worry about toxic chemicals in our laundry routine.  I don't use fabric softener, but I have used wool dryer balls scented with essential oils because I am a sucker for a nice fresh scent.  What kind of laundry detergent do you use??