Reduce the Toxic Load in Your Home – Laundry Room

This post contains affiliate links. Click here to read my affiliate policy.

• Save

Reduce the Toxic Load in Your Environment

I discussed in a previous article the role that oxidative stress plays in worsening Pyrrole symptoms. While we can’t control a lot of the toxins we are exposed to ‘out in the world,’ we can actively reduce environmental toxins in our homes.  This is the first in a series of tips on how we can help reduce the toxic load in the home.  We will work from room to room and look at ways we can reduce chemicals and other toxins in the home which helps to reduce oxidative stress and subsequently Pyrrole symptoms.  Let’s get started!

The Laundry Room (A toxic hotbed)

Most conventional laundry products contain perfumes, dyes, and many many other toxins. Remember anything that touches your skin can be absorbed so being mindful of what you are washing your clothes in is really important!

The table below lists SOME of the ingredients found in conventional laundry supplies:

The Search for a More Natural Alternative

• Save

Other Laundry Products

I personally have a pretty basic laundry routine, most of the time you’ll only find detergent and stain soaker in my laundry. (Come on 5 kids? I should own stock in stain soak!). Luckily I’ve found a terrific natural product here in Australia from Kin Kin Naturals.

That said the number one stain remover (and it’s completely free) is the sun. If you can hang the stained clothing in the sun while it’s still wet you’ll find the sun can bleach out most stains in a few hours.  You can help it along with a little vinegar or lemon water or a diluted mix of hydrogen peroxide or oxygen bleach.

Please ditch the fabric softeners

Dryer Sheets

Again, artificial scents galore not to mention the myriad of other toxins.  My solution which as a bonus saves you a ton in electricity because they cut drying time – Dryer Balls. Seriously, they are the best thing ever! Most of the time I line dry our clothes, but during rainy season and  winter, the dryer does get a workout. I have 12 dryer balls and it more than halves the normal dry time and the impact is definitely seen on our power bill.  Wool is also antibacterial and also reduce static.  They are a little bit of an upfront investment but mine have more than paid for themselves and they last for years!

You can easily make your own dryer balls or purchase them online. You can even add a few drops of essential oils to the balls and scent your laundry naturally.

Summary and more Tips to reduce toxic load in the laundry

Choose Safer Products

• Read the ingredient list on laundry products.

• If you are in the U.S. look for the EPA’s Design for Environment logo, which indicates a product was formulated from the safest possible chemicals in each chemical class and the use of “chemicals of concern” was reduced; search for products at the EPA’s Labeled Products database.

• Make your own laundry products.

• Avoid products with labels that say “warning,” “danger” or “poison.”

• Eliminate the use of fabric softeners by using 1/2 cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle instead.

• Ditch dryer sheets. For fragrance, add a few drops of essential oil to a damp rag and throw it in the dryer with laundry. Use dryer balls to reduce drying time, wrinkles and static.

• Add baking soda to detergent to naturally brighten colors and eliminate odors.

• Pre-treat stains with a combination of water,  washing soda, and baking soda.

Avoid Conventional Dry Cleaning

• Try to Purchase clothes that don’t require dry cleaning, or handwash clothing marked “dry-clean only.”

• If you must dry clean. Ask your dry cleaner to use the alternative wet cleaning or CO2 cleaning processes, which are free from perc.

• You can reduce dry-cleaning needs by filling a spray bottle with cheap vodka and spritzing dry-clean-only clothing (do a spot test first). The alcohol kills bacteria that cause odor, then dries quickly.

Ensure Safety and Efficiency

• Make sure your dryer vents outdoors and clean out the vent periodically.

• Rid the washer of bacteria, soap scum and grease by running a cleaning cycle with white vinegar and hot water.

• Never combine bleach with vinegar or ammonia, as it produces a toxic chlorine vapor.

Even making just a few changes in your laundry habits can make a big difference in reducing the toxic load coming from your laundry room – these small changes can make a big difference in some of the Pyrrole symptoms some people face.

• Save