Detergents That Are Eco-Friendly

As interest in green living grows, an increasing array of environmentally-friendly detergents are becoming available. Of the many types, some are more effective than others at cleaning. Many different types of green products are available for the laundry, for hand and machine washing dishes, and for general-purpose cleaning. These products may contain primarily plant-based ingredients, have packaging made from recycled materials or have eliminated some of the potentially harmful chemicals in conventional products.

Environmentally aware consumers and corporations have begun seeking greener alternatives to petroleum-based conventional detergents. In some environmentally-friendly detergent, plant-based ingredients have replaced petroleum-based in some cleaning products. These replacements are more expensive than petroleum but present fewer environmental issues. Both eco-friendly liquid and powered laundry products as well as dish types and all-purpose green cleaners use oils from coconut, palm, corn and other plants instead of petroleum.

Many conventional detergent manufacturers make laundry products free of fragrances and dyes, or have replaced chlorine bleach. As consumer interest and demand for green products has grown, companies have begun to do more than just eliminating problematic ingredients. Eliminating harmful ingredients represents one aspect of the eco-friendly spectrum of products. For example, laundry detergent manufacturers have reduced or replaced phosphates as a water-softening chemical due to their effect on algal growth and oxygen depletion in waterways. Companies offer a spectrum of environmentally-friendly detergents and household cleaning products.

For example, simple green is a common eco-friendly product line available at most supermarket chain stores. The line uses non-toxic, biodegradable and environmentally-friendly ingredients that clean your household surface thoroughly without use of toxic chemically-based cleaning ingredients. The line includes basic all-purpose surface cleaners, toilet and bathtub cleaners, kitchen de-greasing cleaners and products designed to remove pets stains and odors. EDTA disodium salt dihydrate(CAS No. 6381-92-6) is used in the production of various detergents.

In addition to the many types of environmentally-friendly detergents, products that differ completely from conventional detergents are being developed. Anti-bacterial products containing nanoparticles of silver are being researched and developed. Soap nuts, the dried fruits of a tree native to India and Nepal, are a source of natural surfactants called saponins. The hard fruits can be placed in a cotton bag in the washing machine and reused several times. They can also be boiled to create a liquid used in place of all-purpose cleaners.