My top goal is to make sure that my family is safe and healthy. This means making sure that the products we have in our house, as much as reasonable, are made with clean ingredients and safe to use. Everywhere you look these days you are inundated with long exhausting lists of ingredients. Why so many ingredients, and why the long chemical names on the back of every bottle? In this article, we will focus on and explore one chemical in particular that has been a common ingredient in soaps and other household products.
You might be thinking- what could be so bad about soap? It cleans your hands when used with hot water and prevents you from getting sick or spreading germs, right? Until recently, the dangers of soap and other products like mouthwash, toothpaste and hand sanitizer were unknown, but thanks to research we now know the harmful effects of soap due to a number of dangerous chemicals used.
Chemicals present in common soap products can be harmful, particularly for pregnant women and children. One chemical, Triclosan, was recently banned in soap products after it was associated with major risks to human and environmental health. Triclosan was originally thought to be a broad-spectrum antimicrobial that would be useful in hospitals and homes, but was linked to antibiotic resistance and endocrine disruption. Shockingly, triclosan-containing soap products were not found to provide any additional skin-sanitizing benefits compared to soap not containing triclosan!
It’s important that as consumers, we educate ourselves to limit unnecessary exposures to chemicals that can adversely human health and the environment. What can you do to avoid the dangers of soap and other household products that are being openly sold as “safe” for your family? Be alert for products that claim to be antibacterial. Look up products of interest on EWG’s Skin Deep website. And learn how to make some of your own personal care products, which can be good for you, your family, and the environment. With just a few inexpensive ingredients, you can make a homemade foaming soap in just a matter of minutes. Because this is so important to me, I put together a free Herbal Medicine Making Mini-Course that teaches you how to make some of your own household herbal remedies and products, including a DIY foaming handsoap.
Check it out HERE.
There is no better feeling than knowing what you are using in your house is simple and clean. I can guarantee that you will feel proud when you go to wash your hands next time knowing that you put lots of love and clean ingredients into your soap.
