While many of us strive to “eat clean” by purchasing organic produce and natural foods, we may be forgetting another way chemicals enter our bodies—through our skin.
[nggallery id= 296 template=carousel images=4][imagebrowser id=296]Advertorial by SCGH
8/26/2013
Clean Clothes
While many of us strive to “eat clean” by purchasing organic produce and natural foods, we may be forgetting another way chemicals enter our bodies—through our skin. The ingredients in traditional laundry detergents can rub off on our skin from the clothes we wear, and some people even experience allergic reactions to these unknown “skin pollutants.” With a little guidance from SCGH, it can be easy to find a natural detergent that can efficiently clean clothes, keep you and the planet safe, and also leave you with a naturally fresh feeling.
Why Choose Natural Laundry Detergent?
There are two main reasons to consider a natural detergent: the planet and your family. Many detergents on the market can contain obnoxious, irritating, and sometimes even damaging air pollutants and petrochemicals. Even some detergents labeled “environment-friendly” can have unfriendly chemicals.
These harsh additives are so prevalent that the toxins can easily penetrate our environment through the air, water, and soil, contributing to general pollution. Our land, lakes, and streams are a serious concern, as is aquatic life, and they can be negatively impacted by many harmful laundry detergents.
So can your body and skin. Chemicals such as chlorine can be a topical irritant and is even considered a hazardous air pollutant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). What can be more concerning is the fact that there are many chemicals in detergents that are legally undisclosed—no detergent is required to list all its ingredients.
For the health and safety of the planet and your family, you should know what you are putting on your skin and on your clothes.
Choosing the Right Products
There are lots of green laundry products on the shelves, and scanning the aisle can be a daunting task. An easy way to decide what is environmentally best and safest for your family is to pick a detergent with only a handful of ingredients.
You can also follow the store’s green rating system, if it has one. Whole Foods Market has instituted the Eco-Scale™ Rating System, a stringent household cleaning standards rating system that allows you to see which products are truthfully best for the environment.
One laundry detergent that has earned the highest rating possible (Green/Premium) on the Eco-Scale™ Rating System is If You Care Natural Laundry Detergent. This laundry detergent contains only four pure and all natural plant-based ingredients. It is also highly concentrated, promoting energy, packaging, and cleaning efficiency.
The detergent has no harsh ingredients, no irritants, no petrochemicals, and no dyes. It is biodegradable and hypoallergenic, and the ingredients have shown no ill effects on aquatic life. Ready to give it a try? The new line of If You Care detergents (laundry and dish) are sold exclusively at Whole Foods Market.
Quick Tips:What to Avoid:
Chlorine and Ethylene-based glycol
These ingredients have irritation potential and should be avoided, especially by those with sensitive skin
What to Look For:
Plant-based ingredients
Derivatives from natural plants proven to be safe and effective
Non-harmful, organic matter capable of being broken down into other organic material
