pelicano Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Hi all - it's been a while! I'm currently trying to find out about hormone disrupters (xenoestrogens), which are apparently rife in regular washing powders etc. I am becoming more and more baffled as to what I should and shouldn't be using. So far I have ruled out soapnuts. I used them for a while on my towels and undies, and just didn't find they were as effective as a basic laundry soap I am now using (Dri Pak). However, I'm concerned that the soap may build up in my washing machine, so I don't use it on all my loads. I've used the eco balls before, but didn't rate them, particularly because they don't seem to last anywhere near as long as the manufacturers say. These days washing machine cycles are really long, so unless you can catch the machine at a point where there is no water in it and get the balls out, they just keep on disintegrating throughout the rinse. So, that's all my waffle for now. I'd be really interested to hear what anyone is using. Not even just for laundry, actually, but for other cleaners. I am really only just starting to get to grips with these xenoestrogens, so if anyone knows more, I'd be very interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Sorry to be ignorant, but what are these hormone disrupters and do they appear in one ingredient or is it a combination? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pelicano Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 Well, they seem to be absolutely rife in loads of everyday products (eg. plastics, detergents, bleaches etc). I'm really no expert though! I can't even point you to one particular good link, as I found several to give good information. If you Google xenoestrogens, you''ll find lots of information on things to avoid. I'm trying to reduce the chemical load in the house right down as a result; in particular, anything that can be absorbed via the skin, eg. washing detergents, parabens in cosmetics etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Potts Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 We use Surcare - but I have found it difficult to find out what detergent ingredients are. I'm not sure if this will help with your specific query but www.detergentinfo.com will list out ingredient names, if you enter the bar code from the bottle. Have just tested it - it works - and am busy looking up Surcare ingredients now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Ooh, will have to try that website Mrs Potts, thanks! I do use half detergent and half soda crystals to do my wash, this was purely for penny pinching though. I also use really cheap fabric conditioner as it doesn't stink of perfume. I'll have to look up the ingredients now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Oh bother, the website doesn't recognise the obscure items I use to do my laundry I've emailed them with the details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Potts Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Charlotte, I have had a look and think they do have to be mainstream ones to be included on the list - so probably would include Persil/Ariel and that sort of thing? Well done you on send an email though - interesting to see what they say. I only hit on the site this morning after looking up xenoestrogen! Surcare is pretty perfumeless. I have lovely neighbours, but I know when they have hung out their washing out as they both use a washing powder beginning with A, and I can smell it in the kitchen with just the window open (about twenty feet away in each direction). Pelicano, I am still searching xenoestregen lists and if I find anything, will post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 The email was bounced back to me undelivered I use Te$co value fabric conditioner, it's as thin as water but does the job. I have started buying Easy liquid detergents from the 99p shop, they are made by Jeyes, who have a website advertised on the side of the bottle. I supplement the detergents with soda crystals as they are much cheaper. Just found the Jeyes site, it's www.ukconsumerinfo.com. I'll have a look later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pelicano Posted June 17, 2011 Author Share Posted June 17, 2011 Thanks for the replies. The most frustrating part about it all is that so few ingredients are actually disclosed on the labels. It just says things like 'optical brighteners' etc, so there is no way of cross-referencing the ingredients. I'd never use fabric conditioner, personally. Too many residues left behind (that being the point of it, after all, to soften the material!) At the moment I've got a few different ones to try out, like Bio-D, and one I've forgotten the name of! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Potts Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 Hi again. I have just found a range of products called Simply, which is vegan and environmentally friendly. I have sent an email to them asking about ingredients list, specifically about xenoestrogens and recycling suitability of their packaging. I know your email didn't cover recycling, but it is something we do a lot of here and an objective for us each week is to ent more to recycling than we do to landfill. Anyway, as soon as/if I hear more, I will post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pelicano Posted June 17, 2011 Author Share Posted June 17, 2011 Sounds very promising - can't wait to hear more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..lay a little egg for me Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 I use Ecover laundry liquid. It has no smell that I can detect. I haven't checked the label but I'm fairly sure it doesn't contain optical brighteners. I buy a 5l dispenser box, which works out fairly reasonable. I have given up on fabric conditioners completely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 I use Ecover laundry liquid too. It doesn't contain any optical brighteners. The bottle is totally recyclable but our local health food shop also participates in the Ecover refill scheme so we can take our laundry liquid/washing up liquid/shower gel/hand soap bottles in to be refilled which is even more environmentally friendly Have a look on the Ecover website for details of your nearest store participating in the refill scheme. I also don't use fabric softener, I occasionally slosh some white vinegar in the machine when I remember as it does the same job (and doesn't smell, amazingly). But mostly I don't bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 I stopped using Ecover a while back as it just wasn't getting the clothes clean or taking away he smells ingrained in them. OH works at a preserves/ soup factory and often comes home covered head to toe in Royal Game soup or industrial quantities of garlic puree. DS and myself work in catering and our white polo shirts get marked with tomato based food which is hard to get clean. Ecover just wasn't good enough to tackle all that. I now use the powder tabs by Simply. They are fantastic, all the clothes are clean and smell fresh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 What about making your own washing powder? I am sure that someone on here does it...? Soda crystals, borax and grated soap rings a bell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 What about making your own washing powder? I am sure that someone on here does it...? Soda crystals, borax and grated soap rings a bell. The recipe for it is in the Green Cleaning thread above....... http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=997 I used to make it but stopped when we moved here as we're not supposed to use powdery cleaning products as they add a residue to the bio-digester which means it requires emptying more frequently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 Thanks Lesley! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pelicano Posted June 21, 2011 Author Share Posted June 21, 2011 Very interesting. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
