The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Detergents

What Lurks in Your Cleaning Cabinet ?

When it comes to keeping our homes clean, we rely heavily on detergents, but did you know that the seemingly innocent bottle of store-bought cleaner might be doing more harm than good? Beneath their floral scents and promises of sparkling results lies a cocktail of chemicals that can harm humans, pets, and the environment. Let’s break it down: here’s the good, the bad, and the downright ugly about detergents—and how you can clean up your act sustainably.

The Good: Why Detergents Exist in the First Place

Let’s give credit where it’s due: detergents revolutionized cleaning. They make short work of greasy pans, stubborn stains, and dirty laundry. Their surfactants, which reduce surface tension in water, allow grime to be lifted effortlessly. Without them, we’d still be scrubbing with soap and elbow grease.

But, as they say, “Not all that glitters is gold.” Let’s dive into the murkier waters of detergent use.

The Bad: Top 5 Concerns About Store-Bought Detergents

1. Toxic Scents: That lavender-scented detergent isn’t as “natural” as you’d hope. Many scented detergents are packed with carcinogens disguised under the term “fragrance.” Worse, a University of Washington study revealed that these chemicals can be released into your home via dryer vents, polluting both indoor air and the environment.

2. Surfactants That Suffocate: Surfactants like petroleum distillate and phenol make detergents effective but come with risks. These chemicals can inflame mucus membranes, irritate the lungs, and even increase the risk of asthma and cancer. Phenol, in particular, can seep into your skin and wreak havoc on your organs and nervous system.

3. The Hidden Danger of 1,4-Dioxane: This unlisted ingredient is a byproduct of certain surfactant manufacturing processes. A known carcinogen, 1,4-dioxane is linked to tumors and is sneaky—you’ll never see it listed on a label. Look out for ingredients ending in “-eth,” like sodium laureth sulfate, to avoid it.

4. Phthalates and Hormonal Havoc: Phthalates, often hidden under the term “fragrance,” extend the life of a product’s scent but wreak havoc on your endocrine system. They can lead to hormone imbalances, fertility issues, and even cancer.

5. Bleach and NPEs: The Unseen Villains: Bleach, often masked by names like “optical brightener,” causes skin irritation and respiratory issues. Meanwhile, nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs), banned in the EU but still present in some detergents, disrupt hormones and harm fetal development.

   
   

The Ugly: Environmental Consequences

Every time you rinse out your mop bucket or do a load of laundry, harmful chemicals flow down the drain and into our waterways. Detergents can poison aquatic ecosystems, disrupt marine biodiversity, and contribute to the buildup of microplastics. For a small island nation like Malta, where the sea is central to our heritage, this impact hits particularly close to home.

Cleaning Up Your Act: Eco-Friendly Alternatives

1. DIY Cleaning Solution: Why not take matters into your own hands? A simple mix of vinegar, sodium bicarbonate, and lemon juice makes an effective, all-purpose surface spray that’s safe, cheap, and chemical-free. Bonus: your home will smell as fresh as a Maltese lemon grove!

2. Go Ocean-Friendly with OceanSaver: At ReRoot, we’re proud to stock OceanSaver—a brand committed to eco-friendly, non-toxic cleaning. Their range includes everything from dishwashing tablets to laundry solutions, all in sustainable packaging. With OceanSaver, you can keep your home spotless without harming the planet.

The Bottom Line

The next time you reach for a bottle of detergent, think twice. By switching to sustainable alternatives, you can protect your health, safeguard our environment, and embrace a cleaner, greener way of life.

What’s your favorite eco-friendly cleaning tip? Let us know in the comments or tag us in your sustainable cleaning snaps! 🌿✨

#EcoCleaning #SustainableLiving #GreenCleaning #OceanSaver #ReRootMalta #DIYCleaning #MaltaGoesGreen #oceansaver

New Year, Same me ... SMALL changes

Yes, we’re posting a blog about the New Year nearly 1.5 months after the New Year. Don’t worry, I see the irony too. But Hey: with two moves, a business change from in-store to online and general everyday life mayhem (in January alone), led to some stuff being pushed to the back burner. And that, I need to believe, is OK.

We’re all too familiar with the phrase “New Year, New me”. It instils a feeling of new beginnings, a 'fresh start' one might say. A possibility to wipe the slate clean and start all over. But that is not what life is all about. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m the first person to pre-order the latest self-help book on January 1st whilst starting a new fad diet and yoga all on the same day. But change, big meaningful change, needs to happen slowly and consistently over time.

Ask me if I’ve kept up the Yoga in 2 months and you’ll see what I mean ;).

With an ever-growing trend of environmental activism on social media we can easily find ourselves under new pressures to implement changes in our everyday habits to help fight climate change and the plastic crisis. From Meatless Mondays to Mobility Thursdays, we’re in a new era of wokeness like never before. It's overwhelming to say the least!

In some cases, trends like Veganuary have really managed to stick around and even triggered long lasting positive changes. But in most instances, resolutions on better environmental habits tend to fizzle out after being beaten by our fast paced lifestyles which pushes us more and more towards today’s worst enemy: convenience.

Then what’s the solution you might ask? Sit back and do nothing? No, on the contrary, DO something, but do it in a sustainable manner whilst keeping true to yourself and your busy schedule. The point is to focus on small realistic changes. No one needs hundreds of stressed out self-proclaimed Zero Waste queens to give up EVERY piece of plastic in their lives from yesterday to today. What we need are thousands of people implementing small changes in their everyday habits.

Whether it’s as simple as switching to a reusable coffee cup for your on-the-go double shot oat milk Mocha or turning off the water as you lather shampoo into your hair or even switching your drinking water to filtered water; as long as it works around your lifestyle with a little bit of effort, then it’s a habit that will stick … and from one good habit it can multiply and grow into many (sustainable) habits over time.

You might ask “how do I even get started though?”. Well, that’s where we can suggest a little exercise that is super simple and you can even involve your friends and family: The Infamous Home Waste Audit

*queue intimidating music*.

A home waste audit is a great way to find out where most of your plastic waste is coming from and just how much you are generating. Once you have that information in hand it’s up to you to choose one or two items and think on how you can reduce or better yet eliminate it from your household. Think of it like a waste version of Pac-man, just minus the stress inducing ghosts.

So, what do you need to do:

1. Firstly, collect your recycling waste i.e., the grey bags, for at least 2 weeks

2. Once the bags are full, find a clear surface or floor, lay down some newspapers or a dirty sheet and empty the contents of the bags

3. Now it’s time to channel your inner Marie Kondo and start sorting. Split up all the plastic, paper, and metal contents by room in your house e.g., bathroom, kitchen etc.

4. Once you’re ready, just take a step back and marvel at how much plastic we use as individuals in just 2 weeks

5. After getting over the mini shock, start identifying where the most plastic in either volume or quantity is coming from e.g., plastic water bottles tend to be a common one in Malta and Gozo

After you’ve identified your top 3 contenders what’s left to do is to decide yourself or as a household on how you plan to reduce or eliminate this item over the next weeks. And that’s it. Just from this simple exercise you can already begin identifying where your small realistic changes can start from.

We understand all too well how daunting change can be at times. Trust us, owning a small business is constantly keeping us on our toes. At the end of the day human’s work best by constantly challenging ourselves and we’re currently facing the biggest challenge that we’ve ever had to face as a species. Climate change. If we don’t start from somewhere today, then all the New Year resolutions in the world can’t save us.

Now let me get back to that Yoga class #letsdothis

Into the looking glass...

The moment we have all been waiting for is here! 2020 is finally over and we have a new year to celebrate.

This pandemic is a direct consequence of human inaction and indifference towards the planet. Its been one hell of an eye opener and hopefully a reminder that the planet's eco-system is delicate and needs safeguarding.

So we got thinking (over a couple of mince pies, lots of wine and late night feeds) about which eco trends will we see emerge this year in light of the fiasco that was 2020.

Location, location, location

Last year we saw 'veganuary' take centre stage; this year we're seeing 'reganuary' leading the eco race. While we've all been stuck at home pondering life's big questions, lockdown has given birth to a 'shop local' movement. Shopping local is great from a feel good factor but also great for the environment. Its all about reducing food miles and knowing where your food comes from. Is it local? Is it organic? Is it free range? These are all important questions we should be asking ourselves about the food we eat and will continue to become the norm as we emerge from this pandemic.

Keeping it natural

We've all been rocking the bed to kitchen table look. Day and night PJs, messy hair and no make up. Its frankly been a blessing for my skin! This year we predict that this no make up look will continue to take precedence with a focus on quality, natural and ethical skincare to keep our skin looking healthy and dewy. The 'look good while doing good' mind frame isn't going anywhere and is only becoming more mainstream thanks to the pandemic. We're going to see more people taking a closer look at companies' ethics on animal testing and using animal bi-products, product ingredients and supply chain before supporting a brand.

Reuse and reduce

The single use plastic ban is here which signifies an important shift in our way of thinking. The importation of plastic cotton buds, straws, cutlery, bags and stirrers has finally been banned which will not only force us to look for other sustainable alternatives for these banned products but we predict this shift in behaviour will also become the norm across other areas of our life. This ban will force a change in mindset around sustainability and create a greater conversation and awareness around the repercussions of our buying habits on the environment.

Circular economy

We've seen this first hand at the shop. People are moving towards refill options for everyday products including cleaning products, hand sanitiser and even hair and skin care. Circular economy products are a great way to reduce packaging which is one of the main culprits of waste pollution. The pandemic shone a bright light on the convenience of refilling since you are able to refill and store products in larger quantities, reducing your trips outside the house. While this has been great during lockdown, we predict that this refill culture will continue to grow as more people discover the convenience and positive environmental impact of refill products.

100% recyclable

Realistically plastic is not going anywhere for a while because of its economic benefits for large organisations like Coca Cola and Unilever. However, because of consumer demands for these organisations to make drastic changes and move towards a sustainable approach we're seeing the rise of 100% recyclable plastics. Brands including Dove and Coca Cola have pledged to drop their current plastic packaging for fully recyclable packaging. We've also seen sustainable brands like Ecover use recycled and recyclable packaging. We predict that more companies will join the recyclable club as consumers continue to shun products in non-recyclable packaging for sustainably conscious brands.