Have you ever taken a look at the ingredients labels of the household cleaners you use around your home? Chances are you’ve got quite a few harmful contaminants lurking in your closet, hiding under your kitchen sink, and sitting on your laundry room shelf. Laundry in particular is a household chore that’s brimming with hard-to-read ingredients and chemical-filled products which can cause a wide range of health problems. Have you taken the time to read the ingredients present in your stain removers? Yikes!
Why Say Goodbye to Traditional Stain Removers?
Many traditional store-bought stain removers may sell themselves as convenient and fast-acting, but they’re hiding some ugly secrets in their ingredients labels. Common ingredients in your stain remover liquid, spray, or pen (such as 2-Butoxyethanol and disodium distyrylbiphenyl disulfonate - quite the mouthfuls) are known skin allergens and can cause irritation to your eyes and respiratory system. Some commonly found ingredients, like sodium hypochlorite and quaternium-15, can trigger asthmatic reactions and even release cancer-linked formaldehyde.
When laundered, these pre-treatments (and associated harmful chemicals) slough off into the laundry water. The water is then filtered out of the washing machine at the end of each load and these harsh chemicals leach into our sewers and waterways. Many of these contaminants are not designed to naturally biodegrade, and can even be difficult to remove through water treatment facilities. The accumulation into our natural environment and bodily exposure is certainly a cause for concern.
The solution is clear: We have to stop relying on heavy and harmful chemicals in our daily lives, and get back to the clean basics in order to protect our bodies and the natural environment.
A Cleaner Stain Remover
The Laundry Stain Stick is a simple and powerful bar designed to help replace chemical-heavy stain removers that can harm local ecosystems and cause skin irritation. Made with ingredients like vegetable oils, baking soda, and essential oils rather than artificial perfumes, this handcrafted old-fashioned bar pre-treats stains and grime. Because it is dense, there’s no need to use much of it at a time, so it will last months or more with routine use and proper care. It’s even safe for all colors of clothing, since there is no bleach present in this product.
How does it work? Simply wet the edge of the bar, wet the stained garment, and scrub the soap onto the stain. Don’t worry when it doesn’t lather - it’s not formulated to suds up. After applying the Laundry Stain Stick to the stain, let it sit for a few minutes prior to tossing it in the laundry. Have a particularly stubborn spot? Pro tip: I love to let my stain sit for a bit with the soap applied, then spray on some vinegar, let it sit for a few more minutes, then repeat the process. Voila! You’ll see it doing its magic right before your very eyes. When you’ve finished your load of laundry, make sure to let your stain stick dry thoroughly in between uses for the best lifespan.
The Laundry Stain Stick is created free of harsh chemicals, safe for your skin and the environment, and is the perfect clean alternative to get rid of those pesky stains! It even comes in a recyclable cardboard sleeve, so is free of unnecessary plastic and completely zero waste.
Shop Clean Products With Us!
At Summit Sustainable Goods, we take extra steps while vetting products to ensure that all our zero waste household care and personal care products are truly environmentally friendly and plastic-free. No harmful contaminants or harsh chemicals here! We work with our suppliers to make sure all the products we sell are truly safe for the environment and your body - because we believe that you and mother nature both deserve the best. It’s just another way we live into our values of being as environmentally and ethically conscious as possible.
Where can you find our curated selection of high quality and sustainable products? You know we’ve got you covered! Check out our website at www.summitsustainablegoods.eco or visit us at a local pop-up around town. (Info available through our website or socials.) Want to follow our journey and learn about future zero waste events and happenings? Adventure with us by signing up for our email sign-up or follow us on Instagram or Facebook to keep up-to-date on all things Summit.
Much love,
Carrie, Founder
Comments