Doing laundry may be your least favorite chore to do, but there’s no way around it. So when you pick up laundry detergent on your next grocery run, consider this. Laundry detergent remains in the fibers of your clothes, even after drying. Your skin is the largest organ of the body, capable of absorbing everything on your clothes, in the air and environment, the good and the bad.
Laundry detergents on store shelves today tout their ability to fight dirt, grime and odor. But many include toxic chemicals to get the job done, which is bad news to your skin and overall health.
We researched some of the most common laundry detergents and did a deep dive on their contents. Check out some of the chemicals we found and their affect on the body below.
- Sodium Borate: may have affects on development and endocrine and reproductive systems
- Terpineol: skin irritant, endocrine and reproductive disruption, and damage to vision if exposed to the eyes
- Lilial: skin irritant, can cause allergic reactions, development, endocrine and reproductive effects
- MEA-Laureth Sulfate Sodium/Ethylene Oxide: may cause cancer; affects on DNA, respiratory system, nervous system; skin irritant, may cause allergic reactions and damage to vision if exposed to the eyes
- Dimethicone: may cause respiratory and skin irritation and damage vision if exposed to the eyes
Watch video of what’s in your laundry detergent below. As a general rule, choose detergents that have as few ingredients as possible.
