by Kathryn Decker
Okay, confession time, my current choice of laundry detergent makes me feel guilty. I have flip flopped back and forth over the years between being ultra conscientious about the laundry detergent I use, to just doing my best to get the laundry done. I care about the environment. I care about being frugal. I want to use products that consume less plastic. I don’t want to add toxic chemicals to our wastewater or have residual chemicals on our clothes.
However, over the years my commitment to actually using a detergent I feel good about has veered wildly from making my own laundry detergent (recipe link below), to picking up whatever seemed to be the best choice at Costco, or whichever store I could make it to that day.
Which led me to want a better way to stay on the sustainability trail… which ultimately led to Mollie and I starting Softly after discussing how we saw so many people struggling with similar problems.
The recent New York state ban on laundry detergents that contain more than 2 PPM of 1,4-dioxane, a potential carcinogen, has elevated this concern and left many wondering which brand to choose.
The bottom line is I want to feel less guilty when I do laundry. It’s one of my least favorite chores, so I might as well feel good about the way I am doing it. I’ve been looking at various options and am curious about the new kid on the laundry block – detergent sheets. It seems that I am asking the same questions that many of you have also been wondering about.
What is a detergent sheet? Why were they created? Do they work?
The detergent experts at Sheets Laundry Club describe them as “pre-measured, dehydrated sheets of detergent that dissolve instantly in the wash”. The benefits of using a laundry sheet versus traditional detergent is that they “get rid of the plastic and commonly found harsh chemicals used in mainstream detergent”. Their Free and Clear laundry sheets have over 16,000 ratings and garner 4.5 stars. If you set up recurring delivery, the cost for 100 loads is $14.98. Seems to be a reasonable price for a cleaner laundry day conscience.
Oh, and by the way, they are a veteran owned business!
I would definitely be on my way to a brighter laundry day with this choice.
Other Detergent Sheet Brands
Looking for low carbon? Lazy Coconuts may be a great choice for you! The carbon negative status for every pack of Lazy Coconuts detergent strips is backed by the Gold Standard and the Clean Earth Collective!
Want a plant based detergent? Check out Breezeo, a USDA Certified Biobased Product!
Not ready to make the change to laundry sheets? Here are some other options.
For safe ingredients, check out Seventh Generation! Their concentrated laundry detergent is U.S. EPA Safer Choice Certified.
Dropps detergent pods use recycled packaging and are Made in the USA!
For more suggestions on how to SWAP your current products for items that match your values, download Softly now!
Here’s the link to a recipe for homemade laundry detergent, and the ingredients you need to make it.
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