Washing dishes is not an easy task, especially if there is grease on plates, spoons, forks and a frying pan, which is far from always washed even under hot water. In this case, detergents come to the rescue, which many housewives are so accustomed to using. A couple of drops of the gel will be enough to completely dissolve the grease and wash the dishes to a shine. Yes, and it attracts with a convenient bottle, a bright wrapper and a pleasant aroma. The use of detergents, of course, saves you time and effort. But most people do not even realize what a health hazard lurks in them. In this article, you will learn about the dangers of detergents and how you can protect your health from their influence.
Ingredients of dishwashing detergents
For starters, it would be nice to look at the label and find out what the contents of the bright bottle are. Detergent intended for washing dishes usually contains the following main components:
- SAW;
- EDTA;
- preservatives;
- aromatic additives;
- dyes.
The main ones are surfactants. This abbreviation stands for surface active substances, the main mission of which is the destruction of fat. Surfactants are divided into anionic (ASS), cationic (SCS), non-ionic (NSA) and anionic (SAS). All these complexes mutually reinforce each other's action.
Actually, there are a lot more different substances in the composition. But manufacturers do not indicate everything on the label.
Also, sometimes manufacturers include substances that help protect the skin of the hands from moisture. It can be glycerin, silicone, herbal extracts and so on.
The use of dishwashing detergents: what is the danger in them
With a special chemical composition, the use of detergents can have unpredictable consequences. Not only do they pollute the environment by getting into sewage, they are also harmful to health. Redness, peeling and irritation on the hands are still “flowers”. Once in the body, the detergent can lead to the destruction of hemoglobin and various diseases.
According to the results of numerous studies, it has been found that the regular use of detergents provokes the appearance of allergies, skin diseases, and asthma.
How do these remedies work? Everything is very simple: when you wash dishes, the active substances, in contact with the skin of the hands, destroy its protective layer, as a result of which it loses moisture, dries up and peels off. If you have an allergy or other skin condition, a cleanser can only make things worse.
The flavorings contained in the substance are designed so that you do not hear a specific chemical smell. Yes, the fragrance is pleasant. But by inhaling it, you thereby provoke the appearance of various allergies and problems with the respiratory system. The most dangerous of these is asthma. This disease causes asthma attacks and can be fatal.
Surfactants wash off grease very well, but still remain on the surface of the dishes, forming a thin film that is not visible to the naked eye. Active substances attach to food that enters the body and gradually accumulate in it, which leads to slow poisoning and the appearance of serious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Effective ways to wash dishes without chemicals
Obviously, the use of detergents does not benefit your health in any way. But you can still save yourself if you limit the use of substances or stop using them altogether.
If you're so used to a detergent that you can't refuse it, take a close look at the ingredients before buying. The less harmful chemicals it contains, the better. It is optimal to buy a product with a surfactant content of 5%, no more.
Putting aside detergents, many housewives are wondering: "How do you wash the dishes?" There are several proven methods:
- Get in the habit of washing your kitchen utensils immediately after eating with normal running water. So food residues that are difficult to wash off will not dry on it.
- If the dishes have been dirty for a long time, soak them in hot water before washing. In this way, the dirt will quickly fall behind.
- Instead of detergent, use folk, environmentally friendly methods. Baking soda, laundry soap or homemade soap, glycerin, mustard powder - all this will work no worse than the most expensive dishwashing gel. And it is advisable to wash the dishes with gloves.
By refusing to use chemical household helpers and giving preference to eco-friendly methods, you will save your health and the environment.
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