http://www.care2.com/greenliving/detergent-or-soap.html
Detergent or Soap?
Many people are confused about the difference between soap and detergent. Soaps and detergents are not the same thing, although both are surfactants, or surface active agents, which basically means a
washing compound that mixes with grease and water.
Soaps are made of materials found in nature. Detergents are synthetic (although some of the ingredients are natural); they were developed during World War II when oils to make soap were scarce.
There is little doubt that soap is better for your health and the environment than detergents. Detergents are very toxic to fish and wildlife. Nonetheless, a big drawback of washing with soap is that the minerals in water react with those in soap, leaving an insoluble film. This can turn clothes grayish, and the film can leave a residue (such as is found on shower stalls, for example).
Detergents react less to minerals in water and for all practical purposes are the product of choice for laundry, unless you have very soft water. Those of you with hard water—which has a high mineral content—already know about this, I am sure. If you choose to wash your clothes with a detergent—or the dishes, or some of my recipes asking for a biodegradable soap or detergent—you can ensure the least possible damage to the environment by selecting the most biodegradable products.
Health food stores have a number of brands of detergent that are made with renewable materials instead of petroleum-based ingredients, and with natural essential oil fragrance and no dyes. They also sell liquid vegetable-oil soaps called castile soap.
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6 comments
add your comment »Steve: Soap nuts are a berry (Chinese Soap Berries) which produce saponin. No chemicals, biodegradable, compostable. Maggie's Soap Nuts are the ones most commonly available at places like Whole Foods, but they can be found for a variety of prices on the internet.
I've found they work best when pre-ground in a coffee maker than loose in the (provided) cotton bags. They also work best when pre-dissolved in hot water.
Since they're dry, they don't cost as much to ship as liquids. They come from sustainable plants too: http://ezinearticles.com/?Soap-Nuts---Mother-Natures-Own-TRUE-Natural-Detergent&id=1649709
The packaging I've seen in stores and online for the berries have ranged from cotton bags to cardboard boxes. Now that there's a greater demand for ground or liquid forms, recyclable plastic is being used for those forms.
I have no doubt that Shaklee products are good--we used to use them when I was a child and I loved the chewable Vitamin C they used to have in the 1970's.
Soapberries/soapnuts, borax+baking soda, Eco Powder, and products from Seventh Generation are simply other options for those interested.
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Hey Susan O-Soap nuts? Hmmm a new one to me. Ask yourself if it is important to give your money in exchange for products produced by companies that have no regard for co2 production or environmental integrity. Does this company plant trees? Anywhere? Does is use renewable energy? How much? (Shaklee uses 100% renewable energy.) Clorox is a great example. Shaklee makes a rapidly biodegradable product Basic-H introduced in 1960 that some very well respected people, organizations, magazines and newspapers all find great things to say about Shaklee's record in the environmental area. I have known children to drink it. Not recommended. I have personally used it(the concentrate undiluted) as a mosquito repellent-many many times.
www.shaklee.net/steve or if in Canada http://goshaklee.info/en/ password re20020
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Has anyone heard of Soap Nuts? I have been using them for months now and love the product. Check it out.
http://www.betterlifegoods.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=BLG%2DCAT21461
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Casey has a great point. Degradation is legally allowed a lot of time for a product to be labeled "biodegradable". Whereas I know of a product called Basic-H that not only is safe but farmers have used it in preparations of the spring planting season. Hospitals have used it on newborn babies and it is neutral ph balance. I have used this product on dozens of different tasks and it always surpasses my expectations. Oprah has promoted it 4 times in the past year. She put it into her "favorites" for Christmas 07.
Buy your cosmetics (NOT tested on animals like many companies do), environmentally sensitive Green products since 1960, completely 100% co2 neutral, certified climate neutral by Climate Neutral Network and linked/associated with a popular Nobel Prize winner known for the environment efforts and planting trees-lots of trees.
For more info check my site: http://www.shaklee.net/steve/prodHouWangari
Lower your costs, reduce the containers discarded, plant trees and help the Masses do the same.
Steve
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Biodegradable soaps can still harm the environment and can still make animals sick. The only difference is that biodegradable soap will break down over time. If you pour biodegradable soap into a river, or wash your hands with it in a stream, it will still make the fish sick. Just something to keep in mind. Also, please do not wash your car in areas that drain to rivers, streams, or anything else that doesn't go through a waste treatment plant.
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This is very good to know! I am trying to start using good stuff for the environment so my future relatives will have an earth of substaining humans...
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