Comments on: Is Eco-friendly Dish Soap Really Better for the Environment?

By: Tabetha

Tabetha — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 01:06:26 +0000

I just wanted to respond to what your sister said about the coconut oil based soaps: It’s true that all of the shipping uses energy resources and packaging, but the oil-based soaps will probably be using oils that also do a lot of traveling and processing, so then we must ask which is safer, and I think we could all agree that coconut oil is. Not to mention, a lot of this article is focusing on environmental safety and although I’m concerned about the algae overgrowth as much as every other eco-conscious mom, of equal concern is the impact petroleum based products could have on my and my family’s health. Oh, I know it’s just dishwashing soap and I don’t think dishwashing soap is what will do you in, but it’s one more drop in the bucket. And one last thought: I think that purchasing products that tout their “green” qualities helps to make a statement to manufacturers, and if we don’t buy these products, they will go away. Let’s not make the mistake of picking anything up off the shelf as long as it claims to be environmentally friendly, but we [eco activists] do need to be out there. It’s 2009 and we’re finally getting our own language: Green, eco-friendly, organic, etc. And why are those words out there? Because they sell, but they also inadvertently advertise for our cause, so we want them out there, and if they aren’t being as conservative toward the environment as we’d like, then we need to turn up the heat.

By: Becky

Becky — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:13:28 +0000

Thank you so much for this informative and well written article. I’ve been poking around trying to figure out why some soaps are advertised as eco friendly and have been disappointed with the ill-examined responses to this question. Thanks so much for all the useful links you’ve included.

By: rebecca

rebecca — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 03:20:38 +0000

Lucy, I think if you washed dishes in a dishwasher without soap, it might work. The water gets hot enough to dissolve fat, kill germs, etc., as you said. Maybe you could accomplish the same thing with hand washing if you used boiling water. ?

By: lucy

lucy — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 23:51:56 +0000

I use the dishwashing liquid for my dishes, but sometimes I ask myself if just using the hot water would do the same job.
Hot water dissolves the fats, kills some bacteria. OK, you can wipe some stubborn bacteria off with your hand, if you do not mind burning water
The tea stains would probably make me to abandon this idea eventually.
So I am curious if anybody compared the efficiency of soaps against hot water for the dishwashing (I would not try this with the dirty clothing).

By: madeline

madeline — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 09:49:57 +0000

I am a big fan of natural handmade soaps and keep trying them. They convert my bathing to real pleasure session. I would particularly mention this Soap called Moksha. Sold by Lass Cosmetics, this natural handmade soap contains Lavender& Ylang ylang. Moksha is a treat for the muscles & the senses.

By: rebecca

rebecca — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:25:57 +0000

That is a good point, fsk. I try to think of it that way as well. I feel like the extra money I may spend is going to support a company that cares rather than a huge industry that doesn’t. It’s also a reason to buy a product from a committed eco-friendly company rather than the “eco” line in a mainstream one. (Clorox Greenworks, for example!)

By: fsk

fsk — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:07:42 +0000

This is so useful! One thing I do consider when I buy cleaning products and feel able to spend a little more is the company that manufactures them. For example, does this company test on animals? Just something people may want to consider. Maybe it’s not “eco” but to some it may be important.

By: April ~ EnchantedDandelions

April ~ EnchantedDandelions — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 04:59:45 +0000

Thanks for the information. You definitely raised a lot of good points. I look foward to your reviews!

By: Kirstin

Kirstin — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:19:56 +0000

Rebecca,
Thanks so much for coming to my site! I’m a big fan of yours! According to the World Heath Organization, Dioxane is possible carcinogenic for humans because it is a known carcinogen in animals. It is thought to cause damage to the central nervous system, liver and kidneys. Since it’s used as a foaming agent (an accidental byproduct of the ethoxylation process), you can often find it in many personal care products such as soaps, shampoos, deodorant and toothpastes.

I did quite a few posts on “How safe is your ________” with many products you can find easily in your local drug stores using The Environmental Working Group’s web site “Skin Deep” (www.cosmeticsdatabase.com) for the safety of ingredients scale. I did this for toothpaste, deodorant, mascara, baby shampoo/soap, and shampoo and conditioner. Here is a link for the deodorant:

http://tryingtobegreener.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/how-safe-is-your-deodorant/

I haven’t looked into if Dioxane is in dishwashing detergent. I’m really not sure of this but it’s a good question. This should be my next project. Perhaps for sure in the liquid ones (some come that way, right?). I don’t know if the powder ones would also. I’ll look into it and let you know what I come up with.

Hope this helps and again, thanks for stopping by!

Kirstin

By: rebecca

rebecca — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:24:38 +0000

Thanks for that link, Kirstin. Do regular dish soaps contain dioxan, too? I noticed that some of the soaps you mentioned contain dioxan, but I know it’s not listed on their ingredients list–so how does it get in there? Do traces occur in other ingredients? Also, at such low levels (some of the soaps you mentioned contained about one part per million), is it still a health concern?

p.s. Also, was your post about detergents or dishwashing liquid? I know they contain different ingredients, and detergent for dish washers is usually worse for the environment than dishwashing liquid used for hand washing.