Question:

As a simple guideline to those who have dermatological problems, you can wash all clothing with mild, unscented detergents, such as those recommended for infant clothing. Avoid using bleaches, fabric softeners, and other laundry additives. Run clothes through an extra rinse cycle. — Kali On Line; http://members.xoom.com/arniskali/

Response:

prolly should cross post to the scientific types ng, but i am sure that they would only be annoyed and act accordingly from the flack ora caught on mha…. ora’s post on mha about teflon and dishwashing liquids got me searching around for more info on automatic dishwasher and laundry detergents. lately, (abashedly only since becoming a parent, my concern for the environment wasnt really foremost in my mind at the time) i have been interested in trying to find cost effective alternatives to mass-produced detergents and cleaners.  i had recently come across several coconut/palm oil orange essential oil/citrus based cleaners that are phosphate free etc etc and began experimenting with them. they do clean (and smell) wonderfully well. and a couple are less expensive than "regular" ones. all of the conventional dish and laundry detergents’ labels in my home only read "cleaning agents". they DO NOT tell you what is in them!!!! WHAT IS UP with THAT?? this is my first question to anyone who may know the answer: why arent the actual ingredients listed on the labels of detergents (both laundry and dish)?? are they THAT godawful?? after reading the following epa site, i rather think that they might very well be…. i was searching for a list of what ingredients exactly are IN average consumer-based detergents and in my search i ran across: http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/dfe/laundry/techfact/keychar.html in my sojourns on pubmed, i ran across an article that mentioned that orange essential oil is greater than 90% d-limonenes. on the epa site, they mention d-limonenes in connection with "environmental concerns"….and i have gathered (from time on alt.folklore.herbs and alt.aromatherapy) that many citrus EOs are extremely efficient pest (insect) deterrents. so my dilemma: i thought that in using citrus based products i was not only using something less toxic for my family than conventional detergents, but also being environmentally sound. was i wrong?? does anyone know what the "environmental concerns" are with d-limonenes?? (that is question # 2 if anyone is counting)  any info (or direction that someone can point me in to find the info) would be appreciated.

Response:

in my sojourns on pubmed, i ran across an article that mentioned that orange essential oil is greater than 90% d-limonenes. on the epa site, they mention d-limonenes in connection with "environmental concerns"….and i have gathered (from time on alt.folklore.herbs and alt.aromatherapy) that many citrus EOs are extremely efficient pest (insect) deterrents.

d-limonene is a cyclic terpene.  It is a commonly used solvent in the electronics and aerospace industries.  Compared to petroleum-based solvents, it is much less toxic.  The environmental concern is that as a volatile organic compound (VOC), it contributes to photochemical smog.  I suppose it contributes to global warming, too. It has a pungent citrus odor. so my dilemma: i thought that in using citrus based products i was not only using something less toxic for my family than conventional detergents, but also being environmentally sound.

I’m not sure it’s any less toxic, and the environmental concerns are no big deal.  The tiny amount of terpenes released from your use of detergent would be small compared the very similar terpenes (chiefly pinene) emitted by a single pine tree.  If you have a pine tree in your yard, you can help clean the air by cutting it down. was i wrong?? does anyone know what the "environmental concerns" are with d-limonenes?? (that is question # 2 if anyone is counting) any info (or direction that someone can point me in to find the info) would be appreciated.

I haven’t tried this site, but supposedly you can get the Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for lots of chemicals there. Every chemical used industrially has to have an MSDS, and it will tell you lots of information about toxicity, flammability, handling procedures, etc. http://msds.pdc.cornell.edu/issearch/msdssrch.htm One more fact you may wish to know, the terpenes are easily oxidized by oxygen from the air.  They can turn into a sort of sludge.  You’ll lose much of the cleaning power from citrus-based cleaners if you don’t get them fresh and use them reasonably quickly.  Industrial solvents have antioxidants added, to slow down this process.

Response:

all of the conventional dish and laundry detergents’ labels in my home only read "cleaning agents". they DO NOT tell you what is in them!!!! WHAT IS UP with THAT??

  Ask the market manager (if you are in the USA) for the MSDS – Manufacturer Safety Data Sheet – and it will tell you in excruciatingly boring detail what is in the product.   BY LAW they have to make it available.     Same with any exterminators, painters, erc. who work on your premises.  They have to have the MSDS on the jobsite. Tsu Dho Nimh Women don’t make fools of men — most of them are the do-it-yourself types.

Response:

all of the conventional dish and laundry detergents’ labels in my home only read "cleaning agents". they DO NOT tell you what is in them!!!! WHAT IS UP with THAT??  Ask the market manager (if you are in the USA) for the MSDS – Manufacturer Safety Data Sheet – and it will tell you in excruciatingly boring detail what is in the product.  BY LAW they have to make it available.

Proctor & Gamble Product Bulletin Re: Tide Laundry Detergent  (and applies to most white powder laundry products)… History  Tide, the first heavy-duty synthetic detergent introduced in Canada in 1948 was the culmination of more than 20 years of Proctor and Gamble research into making a non-soap laundry product: one insensitive to water hardness minerals, and equal to soaps in cleaning power.  Soaps tend to form a sticky insoluble residue called

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