- synthetic detergents, which are often made of petrochemicals;
- phenols (established endocrine disruptors, of which BPA is the most notorious);
- fragrance, which often contains phthalates;
- optical brighteners, which are often made from benzene, a definite carcinogen;
- bleach, which contains chlorine (an environmental toxin--and possibly a carcinogen and endocrine disruptor);
- phosphates, which break down minerals and render detergent more effective, at the cost of harmful environmental ramifications.
If you ask your pediatrician what detergent you should use for your baby's clothes, she's probably going to suggest Dreft. Dreft's prolific marketing campaign doesn't includes a single example of their actual ingredients, so you might wonder what actually makes up the "gentle clean" of Dreft? Here's a list of Dreft ingredients, and some that I don't consider gentle include fragrance, propylene glycol, ethanolamine, ethanol, sodium hydroxide, diethylene glycol, glycol 4000 (which Skin Deep scores as 5-8, depending on usage), and about a dozen other ingredients. It’s got more bad stuff in it than Tide does!
Better Bets
Tandi's Naturals makes a laundry soap that works wonderfully on baby clothes and is tallow-based.
Check out our Laundry Detergent Shopping Guide for a list of other Good Stuff.
Stay sane,
