Washing powders for allergy sufferers

Modern laundry detergents are loaded with all sorts of chemicals, including phosphates, fragrances, and enzymes, which can cause severe allergies, especially in young children. Therefore, young mothers, and indeed all homemakers, are interested in purchasing high-quality detergent.

Finding a hypoallergenic laundry detergent isn't easy, as the catchy advertising slogan can often conceal something completely different. Let's explore the features of these detergents and learn how to choose the right one.

What should the composition be?

To understand which powder to look for, let's look at the ingredients of a hypoallergenic powder. Such a powder must be natural. Natural ingredients include citric acid, washing soda, and soap. Allergic symptoms can occur to substances such as:

• dyes;
• phosphates;
• tensides (also called surfactants);
• fragrances;
• enzymes;
• optical brightener.

Conclusion: hypoallergenic powder should not contain such substances. But keep in mind that this type of detergent may be slightly inferior in its cleaning properties to regular detergent. Most stains are removed thanks to the enzymes and surfactants present. It's an ideal option for small children and those with allergies. baking soda powder, made by hand, but it is not recommended to put it in the automatic machine.

Allergy symptoms in humans can appear not only during hand washing, that is, direct contact with powder, but also in the following situations:

1. When harmful substances are poorly rinsed out of clothes and linens, allergy symptoms appear as a result of microparticles coming into contact with the skin;
2. when you inhale small particles of powder while pouring it into the washing machine drawer;
3. if the rules for storing household chemicals are violated, for example, next to food in the kitchen in open packaging.

Important! Do not increase the dosage of detergent per wash cycle; it will not rinse out well from the fabric, which can also lead to allergies.

How does allergy manifest itself?

Allergies can vary from person to person. For some, they may be mild, even unnoticeable, while for others, they can be severe. The main symptoms of allergies are:

• itching and redness of the skin of the body; in a child, this redness may even be on the face, as well as on the lower back and legs;
• a rash in the form of small blisters, reminiscent of hives, in rare cases even watery blisters and eczema may appear;
• swelling and peeling;
• If powder particles get into the nose, sneezing, rhinitis, dry cough, and tears may occur;
• Even less common are suffocation, severe Quincke's edema, and anaphylactic shock; such symptoms are infrequent, but dangerous to human life;
• Harmful substances that enter the body and accumulate can cause kidney and liver diseases, especially in a small child, whose excretory system is still quite weak.

Please note! The first symptoms of an allergy in a child may include redness of the buttocks, groin, and back. Loose stools and bloating may also occur. Call a doctor immediately, and if the diagnosis is confirmed, eliminate the allergen (i.e., the powder).

What should you pay attention to when choosing?

So, when choosing a detergent for washing clothes for children and allergy sufferers, you need to follow these rules:

1. Read the powder's composition carefully and make sure it does not contain phosphates.
2. It's unacceptable to add too many fragrances to your laundry detergent; it's better if it doesn't contain any at all. You'll realize this immediately after your first wash.
3. Do not neglect the rules for using the powder. The dosage should not be exceeded; it is better to add less than more.
4. Excessive foaming is an indicator of poor quality powder.
5. Don't look at the price; act wisely. Expensive doesn't mean high-quality or hypoallergenic.

Furthermore, a good detergent won't have clumped granules; they dissolve easily. Even if the manufacturer claims the detergent is hypoallergenic, if you have any doubts, increase the number of rinses when washing. Dry the laundry thoroughly after washing, and let it hang outdoors for a few days. Ventilate the room more frequently if you're drying laundry indoors.

Keep your child away from powder containers and keep them out of reach to prevent chemicals from entering the growing body.

Top-best products

Frau Helga Super is a German-made detergent. It's suitable for all types of laundry and rinses out well.It does not contain phosphates, and therefore can be considered hypoallergenic. It contains enzymes, which prohibit the use of this powder for washing silk or wool.

BON Baby is a phosphate-free laundry detergent, ideal for machine washing baby clothes. The concentrated powder reduces consumption. The presence of surfactants in the formula may be a warning sign, but they make up no more than 5 percent. A 450g pack costs about $3. It effectively removes a wide range of stains on various fabrics. It is made in the Czech Republic.

Sodasan Comfort is a German-made detergent designed for both white and colored fabrics. It's suitable for machine washing children's clothing and clothes for those with allergies. It's phosphate- and enzyme-free. The powder is primarily made up of vegetable soap and baking soda, with added silicate and citrate. According to the manufacturer, a 1200g package is enough for 20 washes. The eco-friendly composition of the powder failed washing tests and did not remove the main types of stains well. Of the six samples tested, it turned out to be the worst.

Sodasan powder is safe for humans and the environment, but is not very effective in removing stains.

Luxus Professional Kids Sensitive is another German laundry detergent that topped the test. While not quite perfect, it did perform well on many stains. However, it does contain small amounts of phosphonates and potential allergens, such as fragrance and bleach. Overall, it's a good laundry detergent for small children.

Frau Schmidt Ocean Baby is a powder from Denmark that does not contain phosphates or fragrances, but does contain enzymes and surfactants. Unlike previous samples, it has confirmation that it is hypoallergenic and safe. In terms of washing quality, it is almost as good as the German Luxus powder, removing most stains from various fabrics.

BioMio Color is a phosphate-free laundry detergent that can be considered hypoallergenic due to its surfactants and enzymes. However, the majority of its ingredients are soap, cotton extract, and zeolites. It rinses well from clothes without coming into contact with baby's skin, preventing allergic symptoms. It is manufactured in Russia.

To summarize, even the most natural detergents can cause mild allergy symptoms in some people. However, this happens much less frequently than with detergents containing potentially hazardous ingredients. Not all hypoallergenic detergents are expensive; they are mostly concentrated, but you'll use less of them. Be careful when purchasing household chemicals—it's your health, after all!

   

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