Inflammation Starts in the Laundry Room

Could your laundry detergent be part of your inflammation story?

We spend a lot of time talking about what we eat when it comes to health.

But have you ever stopped to think about what you put on your skin?

Your skin is your body’s largest organ, and every day it comes into contact with an incredible number of substances. Some of those substances may be completely harmless to you, while others may irritate your skin or contribute to your body’s overall chemical burden.

So here’s a question I want you to consider:

What are you putting on your skin every day?

Think about it.

• Your laundry detergent and fabric softener
• Your sheets and towels
• Your clothing
• Your soap and shampoo
• Your makeup and skincare products
• Your cleaning products

That’s a lot of exposure!

And here’s where it gets interesting.

What You Sleep In Matters

Let’s start with something you probably don’t think about very often: your sheets.

You spend hours every night sleeping directly against them.

If your laundry detergent contains fragrances, dyes, preservatives, surfactants, or other ingredients that your body doesn’t tolerate well, you may be spending the entire night in contact with those residues.

For some people, this may contribute to skin irritation or sensitivity. And because our total exposure comes from so many different sources, it’s worth looking at the bigger picture when someone is struggling with inflammation, fatigue, or simply doesn’t feel their best.

And this is where I ask my clients to become label detectives. Don’t Believe Everything on the Front of the Bottle

A few of my clients have used popular laundry detergents because they were marketed as being “healthier,” “clean,” or free of chemicals and allergens.

But then we looked at the ingredient list. Here’s an example:

Water, C10-16 Alketh, Sodium C10-16 Alkylbenzenesulfonate, sodium lauryl sulfate, polyethyleneimines alkoxylated, sodium salts of C12-18 fatty acids, sodium citrate, propylene glycol, alcohol, C10-16 alkyldimethylamine oxide, sodium cumenesulfonate, tetrasodium glutamate diacetate, calcium formate, subtilisin, amylase enzyme, cellulase enzyme, mannanase enzyme.

Now, I’m not suggesting that every ingredient on this list is dangerous or that everyone will react to it. But look at that list!

Would you know what most of those ingredients are?

Marketing can make a product sound wonderfully clean and healthy, but the ingredient list tells a different and much more useful story.

A Few Ingredients Worth Knowing About

For example, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is a surfactant used in many household and personal-care products, including soaps, shampoos, and toothpaste. It can be irritating to some people’s skin and mucous membranes.

Propylene glycol (PG) is another ingredient found in a wide range of products. It is used as a solvent and to help products maintain moisture and consistency. Some people can experience skin irritation or sensitivity to it. It is also used as a conventional antifreeze.

How many different substances are you exposing your body to every single day? Look at the Whole Picture.

Imagine that you are using multiple household and personal-care products every day.

Your body is continually interacting with ingredients from your laundry products, skincare, cosmetics, cleaning products, food packaging, fragrances, and the environment.

Your liver plays an important role in processing many substances that enter your body.

That doesn’t mean that every chemical touching your skin automatically overwhelms your liver. But it does mean that your total exposure is worth considering, particularly if you are already working on inflammation, sensitivities, fatigue, or overall wellness.

Sometimes we become so focused on our diet that we forget about everything else surrounding us.

Your health isn’t just about what you eat.

It’s also about what you breathe, drink, touch, and surround yourself with every day. We have been conditioned that if something smells good it equals cleanliness and that is not the truth.

So What Can You Do?

The good news is you don’t have to change everything at once!

Start with one thing like your laundry detergent. Look at the ingredient list.

If there are multiple unfamiliar ingredients, do a little research and learn what they are used for and whether they are known irritants or allergens.

Then decide whether you want to make a change.

There are many alternatives available if you want to reduce fragrances, dyes, potential irritants, and other unnecessary ingredients in your home.

A few brands I’ve personally used include Aunt Fannie’s, Zum, and Vermont Soap.

And then when you run out of another product, look at that label too.

Maybe it’s your shampoo.

Then your cleaning products.

Then your skincare.

One change at a time.

Your “Healthy Home” Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect

I don’t want you walking around your house throwing everything away!

That creates stress—and we have enough of that already.

Instead, start becoming curious about your environment.

Look at the products you use every day.

Ask yourself:

Do I really need this?

What’s in it?

Is there a simpler alternative?

Could I make one better choice?

Those small changes can add up.

And sometimes the things we overlook—the laundry detergent, the cleaning spray, the personal-care products sitting on our bathroom counter—are worth examining just as much as what’s on our dinner plate.

Start in the laundry room.

Read the label. Make one change. Then build from there.

Your goal isn’t perfection but to reduce the unnecessary burden on your body wherever you reasonably can.

And who knows?

You might find that your skin feels happier, your home feels cleaner, and you wake up a little more refreshed and ready to conquer the world.