Wondering what are the best eco-friendly laundry detergents? Looking for biodegradable alternatives to chlorine-based laundry detergents? Discover sustainable laundry detergents, their benefits and where to buy them.
What are eco-friendly laundry detergents?
Eco-friendly laundry detergents are made from natural, biodegradable ingredients, free from harsh chemicals such as phosphates and chlorine. In addition, they are usually packaged in recyclable or biodegradable packaging. Eco-friendly laundry detergents may came in a variety of forms e.g. powders, liquids, and pods.
Why buy eco-friendly laundry detergents?
Cruelty-free
Did you know that there are still companies which test laundry detergents on animals? You can find the list of performed tests here. If you care about buying cruelty-free laundry detergents, search for cruelty-free brands and labels.
Cruelty-free laundry detergents got certified as safe for humans without being tested on animals. You may wonder how cruelty-free producers certified detergents as safe for humans. There are various kinds of cruelty-free testing:
vitro testing: tests how a product may interact with skin, eyes or other parts of the body. It uses cell cultures, enzymes or other lab-based methods to test the safety of a product or its ingredients.
human patch testing: tests product’s safety by applying a small amount of product or its ingredients to a group of human volunteers to check for any irritation or allergic reactions.
safety data analysis: evaluates product’s safety by analyzing the safety of similar products or ingredients that have already been used or tested.
human usage testing: gauges product safety by allowing a small group of people to use it under supervision.
By buying cruelty-free laundry detergents you’ll support cruelty-free brands which went above and beyond to develop and use above methods instead of mainstream cruelty-based testing.
Note that cruelty-free detergents won’t be necessarily vegan. Vegan means that they do not contain any animal-derived ingredients.
Learn more about what is cruelty free at the post about cruelty free toothpaste and shampoo. Moreover, you may want to check out which companies don’t test on animals here.
Healthier
While chlorine and bleach are effective at removing stains, killing germs and brightening whites, they might have harmful effects on your health. Exposure to chlorine in laundry detergents might cause skin irritation, including itching and redness. Moreover, it can also cause respiratory problems, such as coughing and shortness of breath, especially in individuals with asthma or other respiratory conditions. Additionally, chlorine can cause eye irritation and can be harmful if ingested. Even worse, when combined with other substances in the water, chlorine may form harmful byproducts like chloroform, which are known to be carcinogenic and toxic.
Hence, read the label of the laundry detergent to make sure it’s chlorine-free. Eco-friendly laundry detergents might use oxygen-based bleach in order to remove stains and brighten whites.
Biodegradable
Eco-friendly laundry detergents are naturally biodegradable because they are made from plant-based ingredients, e.g. soap nuts or coconut oil. Moreover, these detergents use enzymes instead of harsh chemicals to remove stains.
Be environmentally friendly and choose biodegradable laundry detergents. Thus, detergent will naturally break down after flushing into sewage.
Discover below few of the most famous brands of environment and human friendly laundry detergents.
Where to buy eco-friendly laundry detergents?
iHerb
iHerb offers over 30,000 products from 1,200 trusted brands across Health, Nutrition, Fitness, Beauty and more! Moreover, iHerb offers free shipping on orders over 60 USD.
Amazon
Amazon offers plenty of shipping options along with special discounts for Prime members.
Note that there are also eco-friendly fabric softeners and bleach alternatives.
eBay
You may also search eBay for above or different brands.
Environment will thank you
I believe each contribution towards a greener world matters. Make small steps along with millions of others. Accumulated steps will make a difference! Let’s take action together and make a conscious choice to choose eco-friendly laundry detergents that are not only better for the environment but also for our health. Discover also tips for eco-friendly laundry.