Soap Troubles
This ingredient in laundry detergent helps break down dirt and grease, allowing water to wash it away.
What is a surfactant
Washing clothes in cold water helps the environment by reducing the use of this resource.
What is energy
Using less detergent helps save this, since clothes last longer and detergent bottles don’t run out as quickly.
What is money
If a detergent is labeled "fragrance-free," it means it does not contain these added synthetic substances, which can be harmful to sensitive skin and the environment.
What is artificial scents and phthalates
Mixing vinegar and baking soda in the wash creates this reaction, but since they neutralize each other, it does not actually help clean clothes.
What is fizzing or bubbling
When surfactants enter waterways, they reduce this property of water, making it harder for fish and aquatic creatures to breathe.
What is surface tension?
Algal blooms caused by detergents harm aquatic ecosystems by depleting this vital element in the water, leading to dead zones.
What is oxygen?
Using too much detergent does not make clothes cleaner but instead leaves this on fabrics and can damage washing machines.
What is residue
Many plant-based detergents are considered better for the environment because their ingredients do this naturally instead of persisting in water systems.
What is biodegrade
This small but mysterious clothing item always seems to go missing in the laundry.
What is a sock
Some laundry detergents produce excessive foam because they contain this type of additive, even though it doesn’t improve cleaning power.
What is a foaming agent?
This process occurs when nutrient pollution, often from detergents, causes excessive algae growth in bodies of water.
What is eutrophication?
Besides saving energy, washing clothes in cold water helps fabrics last longer by preventing this type of damage.
What is fading and shrinking
Common harmful chemicals to avoid in laundry detergents include phosphates, sulfates, artificial fragrances, and these compounds that make clothes appear whiter.
What are optical brighteners
If you wash and dry a wool sweater on high heat this will likely happen
What is shrink
When too many surfactants enter the environment, they can be toxic to fish and aquatic plants, causing pollution and disrupting these.
What are ecosystems
Some fish develop reproductive problems due to laundry chemicals because certain ingredients act as these, which interfere with hormones.
What are endocrine disruptors
Washing clothes in this temperature of water uses less energy and prevents shrinking.
What is cold water
A DIY alternative to commercial laundry detergent is made by mixing baking soda, washing soda, and this type of natural soap.
What is castile soap
If you mix red and white clothes in the washer, you might accidentally turn your white socks into this color.
What is pink?
The key difference between this type of surfactant and common surfactants is that it breaks down naturally, while the common ones persists in the environment.
What is biodegradable surfactant
These tiny plastic pieces, sometimes found in synthetic laundry detergents and clothing fibers, can end up in oceans and harm marine life.
Instead of using dryer sheets, you can add these to help with static and collect lint.
What are wool balls
Many eco-friendly detergents avoid this additive, which is only added for the appearance of the detergent and serves no cleaning purpose.
What is dye or synthetic coloring
Before modern detergents, people made soap using lye and this greasy ingredient from animals.
What are animal fats