How do laundry detergents fight bacteria and dust mites? The Homemakers United Foundation calls on manufacturers to disclose ingredients as soon as possible
An investigation by NewsMarket of 35 laundry detergent brands on the market that tout "antibacterial and dust mite-proof" claims found that "Miaoguanjia Anti-Mite Anti-Allergy Laundry Detergent" actually contained the chemical "Permethrin," which is widely used at home and abroad as a pesticide and environmental agent.
Huang Jialin, secretary-general of the Homemakers United Foundation Environmental Protection Foundation, said that after the incident broke, many mothers called to ask which brands were safe to use, and even some well-known brands, under the banner of Homemakers United Foundation endorsement, claimed their laundry detergent had not tested positive for permethrin. Huang Jialin urged manufacturers to disclose the ingredients of their laundry detergents as soon as possible, and said the government should also establish regulations so that both businesses and consumers have something to follow.
Homemakers United Foundation urges businesses to disclose ingredients as soon as possible
Last week, NewsMarket and the Homemakers United Foundation Environmental Protection Foundation held a press conference, pointing out that Miaoguanjia laundry detergent had tested positive for "permethrin." But since the incident broke, only the named Miaoguanjia has said it is willing to disclose its ingredients, while the other brands that did not test positive for permethrin have remained completely silent. Some well-known brands have even used the fact that Homemakers United Foundation did not detect permethrin in their products as a reason to reassure consumers.
Huang Jialin believes other brands should not use Homemakers United Foundation endorsement, and should disclose the ingredients of their laundry detergents as soon as possible so consumers can shop with confidence. She once called Dove and Formosa Biomedical Technology to ask about their laundry detergent ingredients, and both companies were able to name their antibacterial agents, clearly having prepared in advance. But when Formosa Biomedical Technology said it had a Food and Drug Administration approval number, she pressed further, and the company could not say what the number was, and has still not given her an answer to this day.
Huang Jialin said that if people are uneasy, they can call manufacturers to ask, and in the future she does not rule out mobilizing Homemakers United Foundation volunteers to demand that laundry detergent ingredients be made public.
Ingredients unclear, mothers do not know which laundry detergent to use
The unclear ingredients from businesses have also caused public panic. Huang Jialin said that last week she received more than a dozen letters and calls, with many people asking anxiously: "Are there problems with other Miaoguanjia products?" "Which laundry detergents on the market can be used?" "Would switching to laundry powder be safer?" Since only permethrin was tested for, and among the 35 brands only Miaoguanjia tested positive, she also could not guarantee to the public whether laundry detergents are safe, and could only conservatively say that if consumers have doubts, they should temporarily avoid antibacterial and dust mite-proof laundry detergents.
Huang Jialin said helplessly that some mothers even complained to her that because their children at home have allergies, they specifically chose Miaoguanjia antibacterial and dust mite-proof laundry detergent, and even washed regularly, and now they do not know what to do; others hoped Homemakers United Foundation would test more products.
However, she said that in fact many medical websites and articles point out that there is no need to specifically choose antibacterial and dust mite-proof laundry detergents, because using physical methods such as high temperatures or sun exposure can kill many dust mites, so people do not need to insist on laundry detergent; but the government should establish standards for the raw materials in laundry detergent as soon as possible, so that businesses have something to follow and people can shop with more peace of mind.