When you use a washing machine, do you ever wonder what happens to all the water after your clothes are washed? In most cases, utility companies send the used water back to your local lakes, rivers, and oceans.
It has been an ongoing problem for decades. When you use laundry detergent products containing toxic chemicals, they will pollute the natural water bodies in your outside environment. Not only does this make the water unhealthy for humans to consume, but it makes it unhealthy for fish and wildlife to consume as well.
Biodegradable Laundry Detergents
The solution to this problem is biodegradable laundry detergents. Remember that anything biodegradable can be recycled naturally by living organisms and bacteria. Something unbiodegradable cannot be recycled naturally, polluting the environment for several decades and disturbing the ecosystem. That is what standard laundry detergents have been doing to the environment.
Fortunately, there is an increasing number of companies developing biodegradable laundry detergent products. What this means is that these detergents contain little to no harmful chemicals for the environment. Instead, they have more natural-based chemicals which do not cause pollution or disturb the local ecosystem.
Ingredients to Avoid
So how do you find these biodegradable laundry detergents? The manufacturers will promote these products as “eco-friendly,” “plant-based,” or “all-natural.” But, to be safe, check out the ingredients of the laundry detergent products to make sure they don’t possess too many harmful ingredients.
The main ingredients to watch for include:
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- Sodium Coco Sulfate
- Petrochemicals
- Phosphates
- Chlorine
- Dyes
You probably won’t find a 100% biodegradable laundry detergent with none of these ingredients in it. However, try to avoid as many of these ingredients as possible. You may not be successful in preventing all of them, but the more you can avoid, the better.
Plant-Based Ingredients
The secret to biodegradability is plant-based ingredients. For example, look for laundry detergents that contain at least 50% or more plant-based ingredients. All organic matter is biodegradable because it comes from nature directly. When plants die in the forest, what happens to them? Nature recycles them back into the Earth for future use. The same thing happens when plant-based ingredients get dumped into the water.
Every tiny step matters. Switching to a more biodegradable laundry detergent will assist in the effort to reduce pollution and save the environment. You may also find that the natural scents of plant-based ingredients are more pleasant to your senses than chemical-based perfumes and fragrances. Look for natural ingredients like lavender to enjoy a healthier scent.