The most sustainable laundry detergent becomes an alternative solution to reduce domestic waste. It is because regular detergents can be poisonous, especially for the ecosystems in the water. Phosphates contained in detergents can cause eutrophication.
Eutrophication itself can quickly increase the growth of algae and water hyacinth so that a lot of aquatic biotas cannot get air circulation, then eventually die. Besides being not eco-friendly, regular detergents can also irritate the skin. Fortunately, you can switch to eco-friendly laundry detergents. Here are the characteristics of such a detergent.
Eco-Friendly Packaging
Do you know that plastic takes a very long time to decompose, which is around 450 years? Fortunately, eco-friendly and sustainable laundry detergents come with effective packaging to support their goals to save the planet and environment.
You can directly see if a detergent is sustainable or not by checking the packaging. Not only the ingredients used are safe for the environment, but the packaging of the product is eco-friendly as well. An eco-friendly detergent mostly uses recycled plastic or other materials as its packaging. Generally, there is a certain label or symbol that shows that the packaging is recycled.
Biodegradable Fragrance
Most regular detergents contain artificial fragrance consisting of harsh chemicals. On the other hand, the most sustainable laundry detergent contains low or even no fragrance substances at all. Even though it has low or no fragrance, eco-friendly detergents do not cause any smell on clothes. It is because some of this kind of detergent contains a biodegradable fragrance.
This means that the ingredients used are easier to be decomposed by other organisms as well as produce softer fragrance.
Safe for the Skin
Besides being safe for the environment, eco-friendly detergents are also safe for even sensitive skin. Commercial detergent products contain harsh chemicals such as SLS, parabens, EDTA, and phosphate that can cause burning sensation to the skin. They can even cause rash, redness, and itchiness to sensitive skin.
The good news is that eco-friendly detergents very rarely cause these skin problems. It is because such a detergent is specially formulated and clinically tested. The ingredients used in sustainable detergents are natural, such as from lerak and hibiscus leaves. Lerak is a fruit contains saponin substances up to 28% that function to remove dirt and stain. Another characteristic of environmentally friendly laundry detergent is that it is low foam, making it easy to rinse. Since it is easy to rinse, the most sustainable laundry detergent can save more water.