If you are on a path to decrease your exposure to chemicals and toxins, one area to consider is your laundry. Why laundry? Think about how you sleep for ~8 hours every night on washed sheets. Those sheets may contain residue. You wear clothes all day that may contain residue. When you sweat, your pores open, and some chemicals may be able to penetrate skin.
Are those chemicals the end-all-be-all to your health? No. But it is the cumulative effect of all the chemicals you are exposed to every day, day in day out, through cleaning products, foods, pesticides on lawns and in gardens, etc. Maybe the laundry is one area to decrease that exposure.
1. Washing soda - this is fantastic for getting out stains. We put a couple tablespoons in a bucket of water and soak clothes overnight.
2. Homemade laundry soap - most recipes you will find are really easy and super cheap. I have done both a powdered version and liquid version with a bar of soap, washing soda and borax. Powdered is easier to make, but I think liquid is better in colder water. If you are looking for a recipe, there are tons online.
3. Soap nuts - these are actually nuts from a tree that have naturally occuring soaps in them.
4. Aluminum foil - I have used this for static cling instead of dryer sheets. It's not perfect, but not bad.
5. Wool dryer balls - I bought some of these a few months ago and love them. Not only do they help with static (although, again not perfect) they soften clothes and speed up drying time. I add about 5-8 drops essential oil to one ball. My favorites are purification, thieves, or lavender.
Disclaimer: I know I use the word chemical often in this article. I also know that EVERYTHING is a chemical, i.e. water, air, etc. When I say chemical, in this instance, I am referring to ones that you may not want to be exposed to.
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