The Wall Street Journal-20080214-Home - Family- Shopping Around - Eco-Friendly Detergent
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Home & Family: Shopping Around / Eco-Friendly Detergent
Full Text (416 words)Aromatherapy for Your Socks
A growing number of eco-friendly laundry detergents on the market promise to get clothes clean and fresh-smelling without harmful chemicals. We liked the natural scents of the new products, but found they don't leave whites so bright.
As the latest detergents hit the shelves, manufacturers are betting consumers will pay a premium for "eco-friendly" home products, which can cost at least several dollars more than conventional products. The companies point out that their products use biodegradable ingredients and avoid things like phosphates, brightening agents and antimicrobial chemicals.
If large amounts of phosphates wind up in bodies of water, they can fuel the growth of algae, depleting oxygen and killing fish, according to Rolf Halden, an environmental-health scientist at the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University. The chemicals in antimicrobial agents, meanwhile, are known endocrine disruptors, don't completely degrade, and have turned up in most U.S. rivers, in breast milk and in children's urine, he says.
The detergents we tested, meanwhile, are free of phosphates and antimicrobial agents. They use plant- and flower-derived material for scenting and softening. Here's how they stacked up:
-- Natural Liquid Laundry 2X Ultra Concentrate
Company: Seventh Generation
Price: $9.99 for 50 oz.
Comments: The product uses things like blood oranges and nutmeg derivatives to create scents such as White Flower & Bergamot Citrus. The smells are designed to provide an aromatherapy experience while washing, but not to linger on clothes. Our clothes came out clean, but because the company doesn't use synthetic brightening agents, the whites looked a little lackluster.
-- Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Laundry Detergent
Company: Caldrea Co.
Price: $11.99 for 64 oz.
Comments: We tested the new Basil scent. While we didn't think it smelled much like the herb, it did smell pleasant. The product cleaned fairly well, but didn't get a dirty towel completely white.
-- Laundry Dropps
Company: Cot'n Wash Inc.
Price: $5.99 for 20 drops, or 10 oz.
Comments: These are little capsules filled with detergent that dissolve in water. The company says the light weight of the drops reduces the amount of fuel needed for transport. We found them very convenient -- tossing a ball in the wash meant no dripping detergent bottles.
-- French Lavender Dark Wash
Company: Caldrea Co.
Price: $12 for 16 ounces
Comments: The company says this product helps extend the life of dark clothes. The scent wasn't overbearing and we liked having an eco- friendly product designed to not fade dark jeans and black shirts.
