Laundry products: non-natural detergent, fabric softener, dryer sheets... a little bit of internet research will convince you- there is all kinds of well-documented material about how very harmful the most common, best-selling brands are to our health. Keep in mind, between clothing, bedding, and towels, we are constantly exposed to and absorbing these poisons through our skin and so are our pets! If you launder any of their cloth toys, they are also ingesting those chemicals.Here is a list of just some of the chemicals found in fabric softeners and dryer sheets: Reprinted with Permission from the SixWise.com Security & Wellness e-Newsletter
- Benzyl acetate: Linked to pancreatic cancer
- Benzyl Alcohol: Upper respiratory tract irritant
- Ethanol: On the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Hazardous Waste list and can cause central nervous system disorders
- A-Terpineol: Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal edema, and central nervous system damage
- Ethyl Acetate: A narcotic on the EPA's Hazardous Waste list
- Camphor: Causes central nervous system disorders
- Chloroform: Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic
- Linalool: A narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders
- Pentane: A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled
There are many natural, affordable alternatives to be found at stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and many online companies. Just because it smells pretty, doesn’t mean it’s not harmful. Please don't assume that large companies put your health and well-being before their bottom line.
Woven into the story of my book, The Healing Art of Pet Parenthood, is the description of the many things I did to clear my home environment when my 8-year old dog, Buttons, was diagnosed with deadly cancer and given 6 weeks to live. Following an intense holistic regime, she not only lived, but went on to thrive for an additional 11 years.
In my opinion, it is always wise to read the label of every product your animal is exposed to in and around your home.
Woven into the story of my book, The Healing Art of Pet Parenthood, is the description of the many things I did to clear my home environment when my 8-year old dog, Buttons, was diagnosed with deadly cancer and given 6 weeks to live. Following an intense holistic regime, she not only lived, but went on to thrive for an additional 11 years.
In my opinion, it is always wise to read the label of every product your animal is exposed to in and around your home.
Wishing you vibrant health andprecious moments-
6 comments:
I knew there was a reason why I never used those silly dryer sheets or fabric softeners! The dryer sheets (Bounce) first came out when I was in junior high school. My mom used them and I broke out into a severe rash that lasted for about a month. She finally realized that it must have been the Bounce as that was the only new item that she purchased. Once she stopped using it, the rash went away. I've stayed away from them ever since.
--Lori S.
Note to self. STop eating dryer sheets.
Thank you for your very informative blog. I am new to the "blog" world and it is my mission to educate my clients as much as possilbe in order in ensure that their pets live a healthy life. I will let all of them know about your book and I'll definitely be purchasing it myself. Thank you. I'll be looking for you on Twitter and will follow you.
BocMeow Pet Care
www.bocmeow.com
Wow, Nadine, this is a great awareness post! Wonder if you know of any good natural laundry detergent that I can start using when cleaning their linens? Currently at our clinic we don't use softeners but we use dryer sheets. I'll definitely bring this up in our staff meeting this week. Thanks!
Karina- Trader Joe's sells safe, affordable laundry detergent and bags of lavender for the dryer or you can search online for natural laundry detergent. Also check out Whole Foods. Thanks for being aware!!
Wow, thanks for this post. My cat, Pimp, always goes right for the dryer sheets if they fall out while I'm doing laundry -- and I thought it was cute/funny.
I definitely won't let him anymore!
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