Soap and laundry detergent are essential cleaning products in our daily lives. They help us maintain personal hygiene and clean clothes.

However, recent studies have shown that these cleaning products may have serious negative effects on our health and the environment, potentially even worse than smoking.

First, let's examine the main ingredients of soap and laundry detergent. Traditional soap is usually made from animal fat or vegetable oil through a saponification reaction, with added fragrances, dyes, and preservatives.

Modern laundry detergent is more complex and contains various chemical ingredients, such as surfactants, bleach, enzymes, thickeners, and preservatives. These chemical ingredients may produce harmful substances in the process of using, which in turn affect our health.

Among these ingredients, surfactants are the most noteworthy. Surfactants are the primary decontamination agents in soap and laundry detergent. They effectively remove oil and stains.

However, many surfactants, such as alkylbenzene sulfonates (ABS) and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), are difficult to degrade in water and easily cause water pollution. Additionally, these substances can irritate the skin and eyes. Long-term use may cause dry skin, allergies, and even skin inflammation.

Enzymes in laundry detergent also pose significant issues. Enzymes are catalysts that speed up chemical reactions and help break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates during the laundry process. However, enzymes are also potentially harmful to the human body.

Enzyme particles in laundry detergents may be inhaled into the lungs during use, causing respiratory problems such as asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. For those allergic to enzymes, exposure to these laundry detergents may cause severe allergic reactions.

Furthermore, the fragrances and preservatives in soaps and laundry detergents may also have health effects. Many fragrances are made from synthetic chemicals, some of which, such as phthalates and formaldehyde, are carcinogenic.

Preservatives, such as methylisothiazolinone (MIT) and methylchloroisothiazolinone (CMIT), are also considered potentially allergenic and toxic. These chemicals are released into the air during use and may cause adverse effects on human health after inhalation.

Besides the harm to human health, the environmental impact of soaps and laundry detergents cannot be ignored. The surfactants and bleaches in many laundry detergents are discharged into water bodies with wastewater after use, causing water pollution.

Particularly, those chemical components that are difficult to degrade will persist in the environment for a long time, accumulate in aquatic organisms, and enter the human body through the food chain, further endangering our health.

Additionally, these chemicals can destroy aquatic ecosystems and affect the survival and reproduction of marine organisms.

Given these hazards, we should be more cautious when choosing and using soaps and laundry detergents. First, opt for natural soaps and laundry detergents with simple ingredients, no fragrances, and no preservatives.

Natural soaps are usually made from vegetable oils, do not contain synthetic chemicals, and are friendlier to the skin and the environment. Secondly, minimize the frequency and amount of soap and laundry detergent used to avoid skin problems and environmental pollution caused by excessive cleaning.

Moreover, when using laundry detergent, choose low-temperature washing, which can save energy and reduce the release of harmful substances in the detergent.

While soaps and laundry detergents play an important role in our daily lives, their potential hazards cannot be ignored. We should be vigilant and choose safer and more environmentally friendly cleaning products to protect our health and the environment.

Through scientific selection and use, we can reduce the negative impact of these cleaning products on our lives and make our lives healthier and better.