When going green, address common household chores such as washing clothes. Brand-name laundry detergents contain surfactants that reduce the surface tension of water and promote cleaning, along with chemicals such as sodium and boron that soften water and promote oxygenation, and chlorine bleach to whiten. While generally safe for humans, certain chemicals contained in these detergents can cause skin problems and be detrimental to the environment. Making matters worse, ingredient labeling is extremely vague, replacing actual chemical compounds with phrases such as ‘cleaning agents’ and ‘stabilizers’.

After researching a number of environmentally friendly detergents, I was struck by the similarities between many ‘green’ brands and their brand-name competition. One highly rated ‘green’ detergent contains sodium laureth sulfate, sodium borate, calcium chloride and sodium hydroxide (lye), so I did a little research.

Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) is typically derived from coconut oil soap (sodium laurate), but since soaps are not as effective in hard water, chemists replaced the carbon-based acid in sodium laurate with a sulfur-based acid and added etheylene oxide, which is made from petroleum to reduce irritation to eyes and skin. While SLES is not a carcinogen, does NOT cause blindness, and is less irritating than is sodium laurel sulfate (SLS), it has been linked to hair loss, and may increase absorption of toxins through the skin. Also, the chemical used to make SLES, ethylene oxide, can form a by-product called 1,4-dioxane which is a known carcinogen.

Sodium borate (borax) in wastewater can be toxic to plants, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency has found a possible link between sodium borate and male developmental toxicity in humans. Calcium chloride changes the pH value of wastewater, and sodium hydroxide (lye), while not dangerous at low concentrations, is extremely corrosive.

Because there are currently no laws regulating what constitutes a ‘green’ household cleaning product, it is easy, and even tempting, for a company to charge a premium price for a ‘green’ laundry soap that is little more than a name-brand soap in a different container. Additionally, creating a laundry soap that cleans well without the use of bleaches, borax, and salts is a daunting task for a company without the resources of large corporations. While most of the ‘green’ laundry soaps I researched struggled to be green and/or clean, ECOS® Liquid Laundry Detergent, by Earth Friendly Products, got consistently high marks for its cleaning capability and environmentally responsible ingredients. Made from plant (coconut) based surfactant, soap bark, chamomile, horsetail (the plant), lavender, rosemary, soy based fabric softener, essential oils of magnolias and lilies, and water, ECOS contains no SLS, SLES, borax, or added salts. If you are aware of other quality ‘green’ laundry soaps or have differing opinions, please feel free to comment.

Image courtesy of Earth Friendly Products

So before you pick up some ‘green’ detergent at your local grocery or health food store, do some research and make an informed purchase.

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