The more I dive into the world of natural health, the more it stands out to me how vitally important reducing our exposure to chemicals is to our health. Our organs weren’t designed to take on this massive toxic load we throw at it every day, all day… and night, and eventually it catches up to all of us at some point; some sooner than others. The rise in illness statistics is evidence of this. Since 89-95% of cancers are caused by lifestyle choices, not genetics, using toxin-free household products is an easy difference we can make with little-to-no sacrifice. I may pout when I have to say no to a cookie or dessert in the name of health, but I wasn’t sad at all when I said goodbye to my Tide® and Dawn®. Easy change.

In today’s world, most soaps and detergents are made of synthetic fragrance, petrochemicals, phenols, endocrine disruptors, and carcinogens. They are not only bad for our health, but they are bad for the environment too. These chemicals have long been associated with environmental damage, especially to our lakes, rivers, and streams.

Many people don’t give things like laundry detergent, dryer sheets, or dish soaps much thought when it comes to their health. The truth is these are some of the most toxic products in our home, and are the root cause to many common maladies. There are no regulations of what goes in these products because the detergents are not considered food, drug, or cosmetic.

The idea of the toxins found in laundry detergents and dryer sheets being absorbed in the skin and getting into the blood stream is a rather new one. But think about it…Those chemicals leave a residue in your clothing, evident by the strong smell/scent left behind. That clothing sits against our skin all day long, leaving that residue LOTS of opportunity to be absorbed by our body. Our laundry detergents and dryer sheets are some of the main causes to troubled skin and allergies, but they are often overlooked. As our clothes sit in our closet, they are off-gassing formaldehyde, polluting our air with this carcinogen as we sleep in the same room, causing respiratory distress. Basically, this one product is responsible for a 24/7 onslaught of toxins bombarding our system nonstop.

This onslaught of toxic exposure has been directly linked to cancers, allergies, skin disorders, insomnia, hormone imbalance, migraines, chronic fatigue, and more.

Triclosan and Sodium Laurel Sulfate, found in anything that suds, are 2 more big offenders. Triclosan is not only a carcinogen, but it is directly responsible for the formation of super bugs. It is so toxic to the ecosystems of our waterways that many states have started banning its use.  It has been banned in Europe for years, but our lackluster US regulations are just now starting to catch up.

Sodium Laurel Sulfate is another carcinogen and endocrine disruptor that is showing up in aquatic wildlife like frogs and fish and causing them to morph and have reproductive issues. This ingredient is found in shampoos, face washes, even toothpastes, and anything else that foams.

But buyer beware! This is a SUPER competitive industry and the race to gain the consumer dollar has no rules; the best marketer wins. Do a little ingredient investigation and you will be appalled at seeing products claiming to be safe and eco-friendly, given names like Babyganics® implying that it is organic and safe for babies. There’s even baby bottle washing soaps in the “F” grade list on ewg.org, and many other brand names that are marketed and so assumed to be natural or “green”!

I used to make my own laundry soap, but never had good results with it. I'll explain more about that in the next blog.

Anyway...I finally discovered Thieves™ Laundry Soap from Young Living®.

Young Living’s products are free from all toxins. The ingredients are completely plant based and utilize the power of authentic essential oils for scent, as well as disinfecting and cleaning power.

Many laundry detergents that claim to be “whitening” have blue flecks that only appear to whiten by reflecting light off these little flecks.  Thieves™ Laundry Soap uses the power of pure therapeutic grade essential oils to clean and brighten clothing. The ingredients are eco-friendly. There is no need to call poison control if ingested; just drink a bit of water is all. That is peace of mind for this mama.

Essential oils are proving to be effective against bacteria in test after test after test; some even out-performing alcohols and bleach. So, rest assured that Young Living’s products are not only safe, but they WORK too. 

As I mentioned, I used to make my own laundry detergent until Young Living came out with theirs. If you still make your own homemade laundry detergent, you may want to take some time to read my next blog. It may change your mind.

So Thieves Laundry Soap is my Savvy Swap-out in the laundry room. Also watch for my upcoming fabric softener and scent booster swaps, and if you'd like to learn more about Savvy Swap-Outs like these, join my free Facebook group here.