How to Control Allergic Reactions to Laundry Detergent

By welch

Control Allergic Reactions to Laundry Detergent

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Controlling Allergic Reactions to Laundry Detergent

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

baking soda

Step1

Here are a few tips to avoid that negative reaction and make it so you can have clean clothes and wear clothes without being totally miserable!

Most detergents are pretty general in nature and their manufacturers don't give a second thought to the condition of the clothes' wearer's skin. If you are irritated by laundry detergent, you'll have to do some
homework of your own when finding one that's right.

Step2

Look for specialized laundry detergents that are gentler and that use more natural items than traditional detergents. Another thing to remember with detergents is that you probably won't be allergic to all of them. For instance, if you find your skin reacts negatively with Tide, try Cheer instead. Many times it all has to do with the brand and that can easily be changed.

Step3

If your skin really doesn't react well with any mainstream laundry detergent, you have one last option: baking soda. It's a natural cleaner and because it's purely a natural substance without any other cleaning agents in it, it should have minimal effect on your skin.

Step4

If your skin is having serious problems though to any real detergent, you should probably consult a dermatologist and see what their opinion is. They may suggest a prescribed detergent or give you other prescriptions for your skin. Also remember that once you find a detergent that's conducive to your skin type, wash all your clothes and towels and linens with the detergent to avoid any further reactions.

Step5

Just because you may be allergic to mainstream detergents doesn't mean that you're doomed. You can still have clean clothes and not suffer from allergic reactions. If you do some homework and seek out specialized detergents and go through some trial and error you should have no problem finding a detergent that works for you!

Tips & Warnings

You don't want to be itching in your clothes and sneezing all day just because of a detergent allergy. Find the right kind of detergent for you and eliminate any uncomfortable allergy problems with your clothes!
If your skin is having serious problems though to any real detergent, you should probably consult a dermatologist and see what their opinion is

Comments

onederland said

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on 4/30/2008 My kids are severely allergic to Wisk so we use Arm & Hammer Free. Fabric softener is another common allergy. 5 stars!

jimdris said

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on 4/29/2008 Excellent article. The dryer sheets make me sneeze, as well.

AutumnLeavz said

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on 4/28/2008 Thanks so much welch, this is so helpful! thanks bunches!

welch said

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on 4/27/2008 This is not to save money , this is to keep allergen s away .........

CrunchyMama said

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on 4/27/2008 Make your own detergent. Most recipes use a bar of soap, washing soda (not BAKING soda) and Borax. No enzymes, no dyes, no fragrances, and you pay about $0.70 for 2 gallons of liquid soap!!

If you won't make your own (Seriously, it takes about 15 minutes and saves you about $15 everytime you make it. Why wouldn't you?) you might consider simply cutting back the amount of detergent you use and/or adding an extra rinse load. Skin reactions typically happen because there is residue left in our clothes from unrinsed detergent. Just use less!!! Your clothes still get clean.

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