Details on Environmentally Safe Detergents

Environmentally safe detergents are available for hand and machine dish washing, as well as laundry washing. These provide several different benefits for customers, the environment, and animals. A few steps can be taken to additionally reduce the environmentally negative effects of washing clothing or dishes.

Brands which make detergents of this type include Seventh Generation, Ecover, and Planet. Some of the beneficial characteristics of many environmentally safe detergents are that they are safe for septic systems, come in containers made with recycled materials, are biodegradable, have not been tested on animals, are free of phosphates, and/or donate part of their profits to organizations which work to benefit the environment. Such details are usually identified on the detergent container's label. If you change to an environmentally safe laundry detergent, be sure to read its usage instructions; some detergents of this type require a smaller amount to be used than typical detergents.

In some cases, detergents which are not advertised as being environmentally safe still have some positive environmental characteristics. For example, Electrasol Automatic Dishwasher Detergent indicates on the side of its box that it is "safe for septic systems" and that the box is made from "100% recycled paper." However, it does contain phosphates ("averages not more than 4.5% Phosphorous"), unlike Planet Automatic Dishwasher Detergent. From personal experience, I have found that the Planet brand seems to be slightly more effective at cleaning metal utensils than Eltrasol, not as effective for coffee mugs, and about equivalent for everything else.

Some types of environmentally safe detergents may be available at your local grocery or drug store; if not, you should be able to find them at a health food store. Reviews of some of these products can be found online at various web sites including Amazon.com; keep in mind that results may vary for different people depending upon what sort of dishes/utensils or clothing they are using the detergents for, and what type of dirt or grease they are exposed to.

Try to choose detergents which come in containers that are recyclable in your town or city, although this may not be possible in all areas. Also consider reusing the containers if you can find a safe way to do so; be sure to re-label them appropriately if you use them to hold something else. As with any product, it is also environmentally beneficial to use detergents conservatively, make sure they are stored correctly, and dispose of their packaging properly.