How Can Laundry Detergent Affect My Skin? 

It’s becoming increasingly common to have an allergy or sensitivity to laundry detergent––and it’s no secret why. Many store-bought laundry detergents readily available are formulated with a number of harsh ingredients, including artificial fragrances, synthetic dyes, and a long list of toxic chemicals (like 1,4-dioxane, a potential carcinogen), all of which can irritate the skin and cause a variety of adverse effects in both adults and children. This rings especially true for those with a history of sensitive skin, skin allergies, chemical sensitivity, eczema, or psoriasis. 

Aside from the fact that numerous traditional detergents are loaded with harsh chemical irritants, many consumers have gotten into the habit of using too much detergent when washing. Overdoing it on the detergent during the wash cycle can cause the detergent to build up in the fibers of fabrics. Then, when you get dressed for the day or hit the hay with freshly washed sheets, the lingering detergent residue will come in direct contact with your skin and cause a reaction. It’s essential to always stick to the amount of detergent recommended on the label, especially if you’re using a high-efficient washing machine. 

Related: Are Your Clean Clothes Drying You Out? It’s time to Protect Your Eczema-Prone Skin 

While your healthcare provider will always provide you with the best guidance for your skin health, in many cases, an adverse reaction to laundry detergent will present itself in the form of an eczema-like rash; dry, red, itchy, scaly, and overall uncomfortable. 

What Should I Do If My Laundry Detergent is Irritating My Skin? 

Many conventional laundry detergents still rely on harsh chemicals for cleaning efficacy. Those ingredients are problematic for everyone, especially for those with allergies, asthma, eczema, and other respiratory and skin conditions. Luckily, if you’re having an adverse reaction to your traditional laundry detergent, there are other options to safely clean your clothes and linens without having to worry about what weird toxic ingredients might be lingering.

The Ecology Works Anti-Allergen Laundry Detergent formula is recommended by allergists and dermatologists. It’s extra for you, your clothes, and our magnificent planet. 

Our detergent is 100% biodegradable, hypoallergenic, and works well in cold water. By leaving out harsh chemicals, irritants, and allergens, our laundry detergent will leave you with a clean that feels good. It will leave nothing behind and won’t irritate sensitive skin. We’ve had many loyal customers with allergies and sensitivities, including eczema, who share their joy in finding a hypoallergenic detergent that is gentle on the skin yet effective on dirty laundry.

The bottom line? If you're prone to skin irritation or have eczema, you should always steer clear of laundry detergents that contain irritants like dyes, fragrances, and other harsh chemicals at all costs, and instead, switch to a hypoallergenic detergent that was made for your sensitive skin.