But if you're reading this, you probably aren't hauling your clothes down to the riverbank to smack them on rocks. You're probably using automatic washers and dryers, and paying for the energy they consume. And you may also be a little overwhelmed by the variety of laundry cleaning products that are not only available, but downright necessary if we believe what the advertisers are telling us.
Maybe it's time to put this into perspective. We're talking about laundry here, for gosh sakes. Do I want clean clothes? Of course I do. Do I want to minimize any environmental impact my laundry fetishes may create? You bet. Do I want to spend a lot of time, energy or money on this? No way.
Part of the problem, I think, is just the naturally increasing complexity of our day to day lives. So in the interests of the environment, not to mention our bank accounts, here's a little Laundry Primer, a glossary of common laundry terms and products:
Soap vs. Detergent According to Kiwi Web Chemistry, detergent and soap are both cleaning agents. The real differentiation lies between soap and synthetic detergents. Those detergents are often petroleum-based, and made entirely in a factory. Compared to soap, synthetic detergents work better in hard water because of the variety of additives used. Soaps, on the other hand, are found in nature, with very few changes required to make them a marketable product. It's readily biodegradable, comes from a renewable resource and generally is cheaper.
Hard Water vs. Soft Water It seems 85% of U.S. households have hard water. Hard water has a higher mineral content (dissolved calcium and magnesium) than soft water, and it's the excess of these positively charged ions which make it difficult for soaps and detergents to dissolve, lather up and do their jobs. Hard water can also cause deposits on chrome fixtures and glass, and the build-up of minerals can also reduce the efficiency of your hot water tank. Soft water can occur naturally, but usually is softened chemically by adding salts containing sodium or potassium.
Phosphates Algae love this stuff, and while algae in moderation are a good thing, too much algae will use up the oxygen in the water supply. Fish suffocate. Scientists call it eutrophication, I think. Bad stuff.
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