	Article Directory		Article Submission Service		Article Marketing Blog		Publishers		Member Log In

Article Directory :: Home & Family Articles

What really is making your clothes whiter?

By Janelle Elizabeth

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 14Sep2008
Word count: 423
Viewed: 506 time(s)

Get Free Content For Your Site

The need to reduce toxic emissions is pretty obvious. They are harmful to people and the environment, and may be causing irreparable damage to both. The world is in the position to react at this point to try and restore some of the resources we have stripped from Mother Nature.

Many of the products we use have toxic ingredients. In some cases these are listed clearly, but few of us are able to discern the truth from the scientific jargon. In others, the list of ingredients is very unclear.

Either way, some of these chemicals can affect us, our families, and the environment in very negative ways.

Laundry detergent is one such product that often times contains vague information on its list of ingredients. The residues left behind are potentially harmful as well. Even if your clothes may seem very fresh and clean, they may actually just be loaded down with harsh toxins.

A list of ingredients found on a common brand of laundry detergent leaves a consumer with a lot of questions. For instance, such ingredients included a buffering agent, stabilizer, brightening agent, and fragrance. This ambiguous description only raises more questions.

What makes the clothes smell good? What cleans them?

When a closer look is taken, the list becomes shocking at the harmful chemicals found in such a common product as laundry detergent. As a consumer, it becomes clear that it may be time to take control and use a safer alternative.

When your detergent claims to offer brighter and whiter clothes, you may want to rethink your decision. The "optical brighteners" found on the label of one detergent are actually synthetic, or man-made chemicals. They work by turning ultraviolet wavelengths into visible light that makes clothes appear whiter, yet does not really make them any cleaner.

Their negative effects include being toxic to fish and to cause bacterial mutations.

Additionally, they may cause allergic reactions to skin when later exposed to sunlight.

Another common selling feature of laundry detergents is fragrance. Many claim to leave your clothes smelling like a summer breeze or an appealing flower. The artificial fragrances found in detergents can often be derived from petrol. These are not biodegradable and can harm the environment. Research has shown that these artificial fragrances can have toxic effects on fish and mammals. Moreover, they can cause allergies, skin, and eye irritation.

These detergents may in fact create whiter and better smelling garments, but the harmful price being paid for your family and on the environment is hardly worth it.

Chemical that are petroleum based are often ingredients in common laundry detergent . Take a stand for the environment and save money at the same time.

EasyPublish™ this article - publishers click here