Question from Cecilia
Dear Debra,
I would like your opinion about these two stain removers:
www.yoreganics.com/collections/all-products/products/stain-remover
us.ecover.com/products/stain-remover/
I tried the first one, and I think it works pretty well, but every time I use it I would cough and sneeze.
I haven’t tried the second one, but I would like your opinion because it has a bad rating on the EWG website.
In your website I found some old comments about Oxyclean and similar products. Would you still think they are safe to use?
Thank you very much!
Debra’s Answer
The Yoreganics stain remover is totally organic and nontoxic. If you are coughing and sneezing it is likely that you are individually sensitive to one or more of the natural ingredients. This is one of the dilemmas: organic products do not contain toxic chemicals but they can contain potential allergens, whereas petroleum products contain no allergens but may be toxic.
I can see why the Ecover product got a bad rating from EWG. It contains a number of synthetic ingredients, including synthetic fragrances and preservatives.
Another difference is the Yoreganics product is made from whole natural ingredients such as oils, aloe vera, and functional essential oils. The Ecover product contains ingredients that start with renewable resources, but are processed into industrial ingredients.
Oxyclean is made from oxygen bleach (sodium percarbonate) and hydrogen peroxide. Those are the active ingredients. Who knows what else may be in it. You can buy other stain removers with these active ingredients online. Or even just use them alone. Dilute the hydrogen peroxide so it doesn’t bleach your clothes on contact.
