Detergents

[Homely2]

I am doing the clothes washing and emptying the dishwasher. As normal it is all triggering my asthma.

Have people found dishwasher tablets and washing liquids which are better for your asthma.

[Mandevilla]

What kind are you using?

I use an eco-friendly liquid detergent that I get from my local refill place. I've also used eco-leaf liquid in the past. NB: Just because they are more 'natural' doesn't mean that you won't get a reaction to them, but at least they tend to have fewer chemicals and strong-smelling scents in them than most regular detergents, so might be worth trying.

I know some people use soap nuts, but I don't find they clean well enough for me (I'm a gardener, so my clothes get super-grubby!)

[Homely2 Administrator in reply to Mandevilla]

I use Tesco detergents but I think it is time to move on. I need decent detergents as my sons sports clothes are super horrible at times.

To get the smell sorted I have just used fabric conditioner which I normally avoid as my asthma hates it.

So I need a decent detergent great at removing smells that does not trigger my asthma.

[Mandevilla in reply to Homely2]

I pre-soak especially grubby/smelly clothes, but I've found my detergents work ok if I do that. I also use vinegar as a fabric conditioner - it's a great deodoriser as is baking powder. (And the vinegar doesn't leave any scent on the clothes - you might get a whiff when you first take the clothes out of the machine, but by the time they're dry, it's gone.) Might be worth a try if chemical smells are particularly triggering for you.

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

I don't have a dishwasher as my kitchen is tiny (wish I did!). For laundry I use Persil or Asda own brand non-bio liquid - it seems to do the job and has no scent. I don't use fabric conditioner or softener as I don't really notice a difference with it. Have also used Persil laundry tabs (bio and non-bio) without problems.

I will say my clothes just have 'normal' levels of grubbiness - no child or baby clothes, no rugby kit or sweaty sports clothes and nothing grubby from the garden (I don't have a garden). I can't comment on whether the ones I use would be able to handle that - I'm more worried about detergent not wrecking my clothes as I'm a bit of an addict there and love my clothes.

[m_uk]

Hi

We use zero scented detergents. Ecover do a Zero range and Waitrose offer a brand called (Surcare).

My wife is Danish and in Denmark using scented products (even ones that purport to be "natural") is unheard of due to the known respiratory and skin allergic responses they are linked to.

[Collienut]

I use own brand sensitive skin washing powder (I've used gel but the clothes are a lot more scenty when I've used it, but maybe I put too much in), fairy fabric conditioner and if clothes are dirty I put in a scoop of washing soda. The eco wash on the washing machine let's everything soak for longer and it doesn't smell as scenty when it comes out so I think it does an extra rinse as well. I don't have a dishwasher as no room for one. xx

[Scrofulous]

I don't have a problem with washing powder but can't tolerate scented fab con so use surcare, which has no scent. My dish tabs are wrapped in a bio degradable film, so no scent.

[Thomas45]

I use Surcare products, also sold atMorrisons. Non scented both for washing, as a softener and for washing up. I don't have a dishwasher.

[Cobolt]

We only use unscented products as i react to chemicals. Moved to it to help husbands ecema. Consultant said use half the amount recimmened and it cleans ok. Use standard dishwasher tabs but open the machine and let it air before unloading

[Kurty2]

Not sure if all washers are the same nowadays because of water saving but my washer doesn't seen to rinse out the detergent thoroughly enough, I now put all my washing through a whole extra rinse cycle. I only really noticed this because each time my washer empties it flows into my sink a little bit and I can see just how soapy it still is.

[runcyclexcski]

One more vote for Eco Ver. We do not use the dishwasher (that said, it's only my wife and I). For that reason, when I travel I always bring an air purifier with me: one never knows what the hotel will use as laundry detergent and as carpet cleaner.

For full control (e.g. if the manufacturer decides to change things around), one can also get the pure active compound . The non-ionic detergent in wash-up liquids is typically sorbitol, aka polysorbate, aka tween-20 (or tween-80). It has no odor, the "stock" solution is 10%, and one needs 1/4 cup of that in a typical load. I would store it in a refrigerator, b.c. the pure compound won't have additional ingredients suppressing bacterial and fungal growth.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polys...

[Kekememe1]

@I'm the same. The past few years scents have started triggering my asthma. Dish washing liquid, bleach cleaners, cologne mist sprays. Everything. I'm wondering if food smells might even trigger me.

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to Kekememe1]

My asthma is triggered by the scents of certain fruits/edible flowers (eg mango, guava, lavender) - my theory is it's a volatile organic compound (VOC) they're producing. Also there if I eat them but I figure it's because you can't really eat something without breathing in any vapours it may be emitting.

These reactions are worse for me than reactions to artificial scents. I've found I don't react to eg my hairdresser's mango scented shampoo which only has the extract in it, or Radox cheap lavender shower gel which also just has extract, but posh Neal's Yard lavender shampoo which someone gave me was a hell no.

It's one reason I tend to roll my eyes when people go on about natural being better/safer for asthma or in general. You can't get more natural than the plant growing in the ground,and I can't even walk past a lavender or rose bush in bloom!

[LittleZebra]

Years ago I was friends with a retired Ocupational Health doctor. He had done research into the link between washing powder production and Occupational Asthma. He said that in his view his research showed a link between exposure to biological washing powder and Asthma. So he said that he strongly recommended everyone one he spoke to about this to stick to non-bio. It was something to do with the enzymes in Biological washing powder. Obviously you may well use non-bio already but I thought it might be worth mentioning.

[strongmouse]

Yes, I react to perfumes. Many products have them added to make them more desirable! But I've heard that other people react to them too. Look for unfragranced, unscented products and check the ingredient labels.