Day 13 – Make Your Thieves Laundry Detergent Last Longer
Detergent is one of the most toxic products we use in our homes. Unfortunately, even the products we think are safe for our youngsters, like Dreft, actually contain chemicals that can cause skin and eye irritation. Here is what Dreft scored on the Think Dirty app.
Diethylene Glycol can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, altered mental status, and acute kidney injury. It can lead to death when consumed in heavy doses. Um…so why are we washing our babies’ clothes in this?
Here are a few more toxic ingredients that are in most laundry detergents. These are just the few most common. I am only scratching the surface of the harmful effects of each chemical. Most fatal and extreme harmful effects happen when used over time.
- Fragrance – We’ve talked about how terrible fragrance is, especially for youngsters. It can cause or worsen asthma and respiratory issues, can disrupt hormones, and can pass from skin to blood. These just are a few effects of fragrance.
- Parabens – Parabens can mimic estrogen which can increase breast cell division and growth of tumors. Parabens have been linked to breast cancer.
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) – SLES can cause irritation to eyes, skin, and lungs when used for long periods of time. It works as a cheap foaming agent. It can be contaminated by a possible carcinogen, 1,4 Dioxide. In 1990, a study found that 82% of cosmetic products and 85% of dish washing products contained SLES. Read here for more info https://medium.com/think-dirty/thinkdirty-ingredient-breakdown-sds-vs-sls-vs-sles-8f6e9ed574a5
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) – strips skin of its natural oils causing irritation to skin and eyes. Provides the bubbles in most cleaners.
- Methylisothiazolinone & Methylchloroisothiazolinone – Thes chemicals are used as a preservative in shampoos, cosmetics, laundry detergent, soaps, and many other home cleaning products. This has been known to cause nerve damage. A study was done on rat brain cells after being exposed only after 10 minutes. It was concluded that it is highly toxic to cultured neurons. This causes an increased risk of seizures and vision problems. To learn more, read this article. https://www.annmariegianni.com/ingredient-watch-list-methylisothiazolinone-the-toxic-ingredient-that-could-cause-nerve-damage/
Yikes! That is why I use Thieves. Thieves laundry detergent is plant-based detergent that gently cleans clothes. It has no chemical or synthetic residue. It can wash 32 loads with just 64 ounces. If you’re like me, every penny you spend matters so lets learn how to make our Thieves laundry soap last longer! Here’s how.
Make Your Thieves Soap Last Longer
You will need:
– pinch or two of baking soda (for odor & stains)
– Thieves laundry detergent
– Thieves household cleaner
– 10 drops of lemon essential oil (purification is great too)
– container to store laundry detergent saved for later
How to:
First pour half of your bottle of detergent in container to save for later.
Add 3 capfuls of Thieves household cleaner.
Add 10 drops of lemon essential oil (Purification is another great oil to add)
Add a pinch or two of baking soda to mixture.
Add some water and shake!
Want to learn how to double your Thieves hand soap? Check out the post below!