To break that down, a laundry product without enzymes is inferior at cleaning and stain removal. Therefore, any laundry detergent, stain remover, or cleaner which contains enzymes will get a “D” or “F” score on EWG simply because of the presence of borax, boric acid, or formic acid.Īccording to Laundry Expert, Mary Marlowe, the concentration of enzymes has a direct effect on how well the laundry product will perform. It is also less effective at stabilizing enzymes which means it would require more by volume. On paper, the hazard data is arguably worse for that ingredient. The only other natural option is Formic Acid. Given the EWG score of “F” for borax, any laundry detergent which contains enzymes requires borax or boric acid to stabilize them.
In layman’s terms, the borax helps to extend the overall shelf life of the product. However, the enzymes need to remain stable in the formula. The enzymes have favorable ratings on EWG.
The enzymes are the superstars of our laundry products and the reason they remove stains and odors so well. It is used as a stabilizer for the enzymes. In our formula, borax is not used as a cleaning agent. Again, this is not the same thing as borax. Additionally, these studies included the use of boric acid. Furthermore, the bulk of their research is based on animal testing, with cruel trials stretching out over time in highly unlikely dosages and types of exposure. This would be an impossible feat to replicate with our liquid laundry detergent and stain remover (remember, less than 1% of borax in the formula by volume and not in powder form). For instance, most of the research that we have found regarding the human toxicity of borax/boric acid applies to ingesting large amounts of the powder, and the exact amount is only estimated, not known. The way in which an ingredient is used and the purpose it serves in a formula are factors that are not considered in the EWG Database score. There are potential health risks involved in using nearly any ingredient, natural or not. The SDS for borax in 100% concentration specifically gives the same hazard rating of “1” which is the same as that for table salt. This document DOES evaluate the ingredients at the exact concentrations used in the final formula. This SDS is prepared by our chemists and serves as a crucial document to identify any product hazards. They are also completely rinsed away from clothing in the rinse cycle leaving no residual formula behind.įourth, our SDS (formerly called MSDS: Material Safety Data Sheet) supports a low overall risk to your health (Scale of 0 (no hazard) – 4 (high hazard), ours is a 1 or 2). They are both laundry products with dispensing mechanisms that allow you to never touch the solution. Third, the two products which contain borax are not used on skin. Here is an excellent resource on the differences between the two compounds which was written by a person with a PhD in Chemistry. Boric acid can be dangerous if ingested and is primarily used as a pesticide and insecticide. It is not designed or labeled to be used as a pesticide. Borax (what we use) is intended for use in laundry cleaners, soaps, and other topical cleaners. Borax is the basic mineral that is mined from the ground and it is then refined through heavy processing and reacted with an acid to create boric acid. You may be able to find two listings but our inquiries show that they pull from the same data for both listings. However, EWG chooses to lump them into one listing. By definition, they are two separate substances. These are two completely different compounds with different Chemical Abstract Services Registry Numbers (CAS #). Second, the data which EWG uses to rate borax is the same as the data they use for boric acid. We’ve offered to provide our confidential formula for review and consideration while grading. If they did this, the scores would be much different. They do not weigh the scores by concentration of each ingredient due to trade secret reasons. There are only 19 ingredients in our formula which is why it is weighed down by the borax listing. They treat the overall rating as if the ingredients are distributed at equal portions.
This is something which EWG does not take into account. Please allow us to clarify.įirst, the use of borax in our products represents less than 1% of the formula. Yes, the same ingredient used in the 20 Mule Team Borax Detergent Booster that has been on the market since 1890. The reason the grades are poor is due to one ingredient, Borax (sodium borate). We wanted to take a moment to proactively address the grade we received on EWG for our Natural Laundry Detergent and Natural Stain Remover. Update: EWG now ranks Puracy Natural Laundry Detergent "A" as of November 5, 2019.
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