Ethical Laundry . . .

[motion30]

Originally Posted by s/vfootloose

If its not your peapole don't touch they will be disturbed

Thats funny stuff

[Bash]

Originally Posted by gettinthere

phosphates were removed from detergent back in the 60's.

phosphates were removed from household laundry detergents in the USA in 1993, but can still be found in commercial detergents, especially those used by hospitals. Phosphates are still contained in many dishwashing detergents, and continue to be an environmental concern.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by hummingway

You don't want to be adding phosphates to fresh water since they cause fishing killing algea blooms. I don't think they use phosphates much any more though. Some detergents don't break down which is a problem. Many others are very slow to break down. Many of the ingredients are harmful to aquatic life.

Short answer is, yes, they really are better.

U.S.E.P.A. :
Key Characteristics of Laundry Detergent Ingredients | Design for the Environment (DfE) | US EPA

Glad to hear that I haven't been wasting my money on this stuff. Even though a label says green or environmentally safe or some equivalent I'm never certain that I'm not buying the same stuff that's in the regular bottle for twice the price. No ingredients list on a detergent bottle so you just have to take it on faith.

[gettinthere]

Originally Posted by Bash

phosphates were removed from household laundry detergents in the USA in 1993, but can still be found in commercial detergents, especially those used by hospitals. Phosphates are still contained in many dishwashing detergents, and continue to be an environmental concern.

93? Really? (not doubting you, just surprised)

I remember seeing all the reports and pictures of parts of lake erie covered with soap suds and that removing phosphates would fix that. And then saw all "phosphate free" laundry soaps on the market shortly after. Maybe early 70's. Did the evil corporate soap makers voluntarily pull the phosphates from their soaps 20 years ahead of schedule?

[Bash]

Originally Posted by gettinthere

93? Really? (not doubting you, just surprised)

I remember seeing all the reports and pictures of parts of lake erie covered with soap suds and that removing phosphates would fix that. And then saw all "phosphate free" laundry soaps on the market shortly after. Maybe early 70's. Did the evil corporate soap makers voluntarily pull the phosphates from their soaps 20 years ahead of schedule?

There were staged reductions in the levels of phosphorus permitted in detergents, beginning in the early 70s when it was reduced first to eight-point-something percent and then later to two-point-something percent. These limits were being set in both Canada and the USA.

Industry was not happy about the initial proposals to reduce phosphates, and pretty much denied that they would harm the environment.

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by gettinthere

93? Really? (not doubting you, just surprised)

I remember seeing all the reports and pictures of parts of lake erie covered with soap suds and that removing phosphates would fix that. And then saw all "phosphate free" laundry soaps on the market shortly after. Maybe early 70's. Did the evil corporate soap makers voluntarily pull the phosphates from their soaps 20 years ahead of schedule?

Economics. In the US there are four major food production companies. They own or control almost all the food production in the states. They are responsible for some really lousy things including the ecoli outbreaks that nation has suffered through. They are also buying up organic produce companies because the market for it has grown to the point where they see profit in it. They don't care about the quality of the food supply or the health of the land. They can profit by it.

As long as we make the right choices when we buy corporations will make the right choice when they produce.

[Vasco]

I think we're being had in this thread. We don't have laundry problems as we sail naked. No soap problems as we don't bathe either.

[JiffyLube]

Originally Posted by hummingway

Economics. In the US there are four major food production companies. They own or control almost all the food production in the states. They are responsible for some really lousy things including the ecoli outbreaks that nation has suffered through. They are also buying up organic produce companies because the market for it has grown to the point where they see profit in it. They don't care about the quality of the food supply or the health of the land. They can profit by it.

As long as we make the right choices when we buy corporations will make the right choice when they produce.

That may be true what you say about the four major companies, but much of the fruit and vegetables in southern California now come from Mexico and south America.

[JiffyLube]

So how do cruisers do their laundry with no laundry mats around?

[JanetGroene]

Buy an inflatable child-size swimming pool. It's small enough to inflate by mouth if you don't have a compressor, large enough for bed sheets and for small sails. It stores deflated in a packet about 1 X 4 inches and lasts a good while if you're careful not to abrade or hole it. A good soak is important, then work over the clothes with a toilet plunger. Use an environmentally safe soap and only in amounts recommended on package. Rinse, wring, rinse again. If you have room for a roller wringer, that's easier on clothes than hand twisting. No better dryer than running up the mast, where allowed.

[otherthan]

Originally Posted by JanetGroene

Buy an inflatable child-size swimming pool. It's small enough to inflate by mouth if you don't have a compressor, large enough for bed sheets and for small sails. It stores deflated in a packet about 1 X 4 inches and lasts a good while if you're careful not to abrade or hole it. A good soak is important, then work over the clothes with a toilet plunger. Use an environmentally safe soap and only in amounts recommended on package. Rinse, wring, rinse again. If you have room for a roller wringer, that's easier on clothes than hand twisting. No better dryer than running up the mast, where allowed.

good tips!!

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Tom and Maje

Do these people not cruise? If you use an environmentally safe soap you can throw it overboard.

Maje

Aspirations to cruise... aspirations.. its only obvious when you know the answer

[Tom and Maje]

Originally Posted by gettinthere

phosphates were removed from detergent back in the 60's.

That is not correct. There is a voluntary ban by an industry organization that began in the 90's. There is no US government ban, although, many states have banned phosphates. The only way to know for sure is to buy a laundry and dish soaps that state they are phosphate free.

Maje

[Tom and Maje]

Originally Posted by JiffyLube

So how do cruisers do their laundry with no laundry mats around?

Either by hand or with an on boat washer.

Maje

[jazzsail]

Besides Eco-Laundry detergents, another option (with the added benefits of less space, weight and packaging) is Soap Nuts:
Welcome to Maggies Pure Land

September