What is Laundry Detergent Made of? Harmful, Toxic Laundry Detergent Ingredients to Avoid
For years, we’ve trusted seemingly innocent laundry detergents to tackle dirt and stains effectively, keeping our clothes clean and fresh. However, lurking beneath the surface of these everyday products is a long list of ingredients that could potentially be harmful to both our health and the environment.
So, what is laundry detergent made of? Today, we’re going to shed light on some of the laundry detergent ingredients you might not be so familiar with. From surfactants to fragrances and optical brighteners, we’ll explore the various ingredients used to create laundry detergents and discuss why it’s important to be aware of these ingredients and the potential risks they pose.
As well as highlighting some of the hidden dangers of laundry detergents, we’ll also provide you with some alternatives that are safer for your well-being and the planet.
Why the Ingredients in Laundry Detergent Matter
Amidst the convenience of modern detergents, an alarming truth has emerged. Some of the ingredients found in laundry detergents have been linked to adverse health effects and environmental pollution. As awareness grows, so does the concern about the potential dangers posed by these substances to both our health and the planet. Here’s why you should pay attention to the ingredients lurking in your laundry detergent.
How Laundry Detergent Ingredients Can Affect Health
One of the biggest concerns regarding harmful ingredients in laundry detergent is their potential to trigger skin sensitivities and allergies. Many detergents contain harsh chemicals like sulfates, fragrances, and preservatives that can cause irritation, itching, or redness, particularly in people with sensitive skin.
Also, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in certain laundry detergent ingredients, such as fragrances and brighteners, can be released into the air during washing and drying. Inhalation of these VOCs may lead to respiratory problems, especially in those with asthma or other respiratory conditions.
Environmental Impact of the Ingredients in Laundry Detergent
Laundry detergents containing phosphates and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) have raised concerns due to their impact on our waterways. These ingredients, when washed down the drain, can contribute to nutrient pollution and harm aquatic life, leading to algal blooms and disrupting fragile ecosystems.
Ingredients like bleach and optical brighteners are especially harmful when they make their way into oceans and other waterways. These common laundry detergent ingredients can cause big problems for marine organisms and can affect the overall biodiversity of streams, rivers, and even oceans.
What is Laundry Detergent Made of? Harmful, Toxic Laundry Detergent Ingredients to Avoid
Ok, so what is laundry detergent made of, really? Let’s take a look at some of the surprising and in some cases toxic ingredients in laundry detergent.
Surfactants
What is laundry detergent made of? The first ingredient you need to know about is surfactants, or soaps. Surfactants, short for surface-active agents, are important laundry detergent ingredients responsible for breaking down grease and oil, allowing them to be washed away.
While most surfactants are relatively safe, certain detergents may contain alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs), a class of surfactants that can break down into toxic nonylphenols.
Nonylphenols are harmful to aquatic life and have been linked to endocrine disruption in humans, potentially causing early menstruation, low sperm counts, and poor reproductive health.
Builders
Builders are common laundry detergent ingredients, added to enhance cleaning efficiency by softening water and preventing mineral deposits that can reduce effectiveness. However, some builders, like phosphates, have been identified as major contributors to water pollution. High phosphate levels in water bodies can lead to eutrophication, depleting oxygen levels and causing catastrophic damage to aquatic ecosystems.
Bleach
Chlorine bleach is a potent disinfectant often included in laundry detergents to tackle tough stains and brighten whites. However, its use comes with some stark environmental concerns. When chlorine bleach is washed down the drain, it can react with other substances to form toxic compounds, like chloramine and chlorinated organic compounds, which are harmful to aquatic life.
Enzymes
Enzymes are natural proteins that break down specific stains, making them a valuable laundry detergent ingredient. While they are generally considered safe for use, some people with allergies or sensitive skin may experience skin irritation when exposed to certain enzyme-containing detergents.
Alkalies
Laundry detergents often contain alkaline substances like sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate, which help to neutralize acidic stains. These alkalies can be irritating to the skin and eyes, especially if the detergent is not rinsed thoroughly from clothes.
Anti-Redepositing Agents
Anti-redepositing agents prevent dirt and soil particles from settling back onto cleaned fabrics during the washing process. One of the most common anti-redepositing agents is carboxymethylcellulose, which is generally considered safe. However, certain detergents could use other compounds as anti-redepositing agents, which may be harmful to your health or the environment.
pH Modifiers
Laundry detergents may include pH modifiers to ensure the product remains effective at different water hardness levels. However, extreme pH levels can irritate the skin and exacerbate certain skin conditions, and some pH modifiers, like sodium hydroxide, are non-biodegradable and pose a serious risk to marine life.
Water Conditioners
Water conditioners are used to improve detergent performance in hard water. While they are generally safe, certain types of water conditioners, such as EDTA (ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid), can form complexes with heavy metals, potentially leading to environmental contamination.
Preservatives
To extend shelf life, some detergents contain preservatives like formaldehyde or methylisothiazolinone. Some preservatives can be sensitizing and may cause skin reactions. More seriously, formaldehyde is a known carcinogen and is extremely toxic to aquatic life. Unfortunately, formaldehyde is one of the most toxic ingredients in laundry detergents and is found in some of the most common household detergents on the market.
Synthetic Fragrances and Dyes
Synthetic fragrances and dyes are commonly added to laundry detergents to impart a pleasant scent and color. However, they can be irritants for anyone with sensitivities or allergies, and some fragrance compounds may also contribute to air pollution indoors.
Optical Brighteners
Optical brighteners are chemicals that absorb ultraviolet light and re-emit it as visible blue light, making clothes appear brighter and whiter. While generally safe on fabrics, these compounds can be harmful to aquatic life and may cause skin irritation in some people.
To check whether a detergent contains optical brighteners, search the ingredients list for optical brightening agents (OBAs), fluorescent whitening agents (FWAs), or organic fluorescent dyes.
Is There a Cleaner, Safer Solution Without These Questionable Laundry Detergent Ingredients?
We’ve explained what is laundry detergent made of and highlighted some of the ingredients to avoid in laundry detergent. But is there a better, safer alternative that doesn’t contain these dangerous laundry detergent ingredients?
What to Look for in a Laundry Detergent Solution
Rather than settling for harmful laundry detergents that may damage your health and the environment, here are some of the things to look for in clean, safe laundry detergents:
- Ingredients that break down naturally into non-harmful substances
- Plant-based surfactants and natural enzymes, which are gentler on skin and the planet
- Fragrance-free or naturally scented detergents that don’t cause skin irritation
- Phosphate and NPE-Free to support clean waterways and protect aquatic ecosystems
- No harsh chemicals like chlorine bleach or brighteners
As well as this, opt for detergents that are vegan, not tested on animals, and safe for use on pet products.
Introducing Clean People’s Laundry Detergent Sheets
While traditional detergents come in the form of liquids or powders, there’s a revolutionary new way to get your clothes fresh and clean. At Clean People, our laundry detergent sheets are mess-free, easy to use, and eco-responsible. Plus, you don’t have to carry around giant bottles of messy detergent or clean up spilled laundry powder each time you wash your clothes.
What is laundry detergent made of at Clean People? You’ll be pleased to know that our list of laundry detergent ingredients is short, and doesn’t contain any of the ingredients to avoid in laundry detergents that we’ve already pointed out. Instead, we use just a handful of safe ingredients.
Whether you have sensitive skin or just want to help protect our precious waterways, Clean People’s laundry detergent sheets are the solution you’ve been waiting for. Despite avoiding the bad ingredients in laundry detergent, our sheets work well to remove tough stains, break through stubborn odors, or simply freshen up your clothes.
As well as our top-rated laundry detergent sheets, we also have ultra-concentrated laundry detergent pods and oxygen stain remover that’s made using safe and effective ingredients. All of our laundry products are suitable for front-loading, top-loading, and high-efficiency washers.
Final Thoughts on the Most Harmful Ingredients to Avoid in Laundry Detergent
So, what is laundry detergent made of? As you can see, laundry detergent unfortunately contains many harmful ingredients, often hidden in long lists on the back of regular bottles of detergent.
Some common laundry detergent ingredients, like formaldehyde, are carcinogenic and extremely dangerous to our health. Other bad ingredients in laundry detergent, like phosphate-based builders, can cause devastating effects once they reach our waterways.
To avoid the harmful ingredients in laundry detergent, as well as the excessive plastic packaging of liquid laundry detergents, we’ve come up with a clean alternative that’s gentle on your skin, tough on stains, and easy on the planet. Our laundry detergent sheets make laundry safer and easier than ever before.
You no longer have to settle for detergent with harmful chemicals and other unnecessary ingredients. Protect your family’s health and give the environment a hand with new detergent sheets from Clean People.
