Phosphate In Detergent

[Ozarks Tom]

In case some might not have noticed, some time ago the EPA did away with Phosphates in laundry detergent.  If you've noticed oil spots and sweat marks haven't been coming out in the wash, that's why.

I'm not recommending this by any means, I love the EPA and all the government agencies for watching out for me, but, I've heard some people are adding a little bit of TSP (Tri-Sodium-Phosphate) to their laundry loads to enhance the results.  I hear you can buy it in any store that sells paint products, in the solvent area.

I certainly hope this isn't true, evading government regulations , whether they make any sense or not, would be just terrible.

[paisley]

Yep you can..... and greasy dishes benefit, as does the bath tub.

[themotherhen]

paisley, I have used dawn to wash my tub for years! I initially used it because the spray cleaners hurt my throat and lungs when I had bronchitis, and kept it up when I saw how well it works.
I wish I could use it in my front-loader washing machine, but I have been told that it will ruin the washer. Too bad, because HE detergent is expensive.
Are phosphates what causes Dawn to work so well?

[Ozarks Tom]

TSP is what painters use to clean smoke and oils from walls prior to repainting. When used as directed on walls, you must wear rubber gloves, it's that harsh. But, "I'm told" adding a 1/4 cup to your laundry detergent also cuts the body oils and other oils loose from the fabrics. The EPA regulated it out of detergents claiming it was a pollutant to rivers.

We had no idea how much smoke had accumulated on our ceiling and walls in our living room, mainly from the fireplace insert, until we used TSP on a sponge mop to clean them prior to painting. You sure didn't have to wonder where you left off.

[Deleted]

Getting harder to find straight TSP these days. Most stores have TSP substitute, known as TSP90. Not nearly as nice, but we use it for cleaning beer making equipment (mixed with oxy-clean).

The EPA decided to do away with phosphates because they said it was causing overgrowth in waterways. BTW, that's why Grandma used to dump her laundry and dish water on to her garden. The phosphate really perked up the posies.

[farmgirl]

Amazon sells it.

[paisley]

It acts as a fertilizer... and in standing waste water created.... lush algae and plant growth that interfered with non plant life by altering the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. Fish, frogs ect impacted as were the treatment centered in having excess decaying plant life sludge.

[themotherhen]

@pony , if Grandma used it in her garden, it must be good :-)
It seems that anything that would benefit a homesteader has been regulated away.
We have major problems in Washington, DC. We also have a major issue with bureaucratic appointments that are appointed, not elected. That is the issue.
If we are going to rip out all the nonsense in Washington, the bureaucrats have to GO!!!!! They have no Constitutional assignment, but they can apply a President's orders. This is an affront to all Constitutional law, and it is how treasonous individuals "work around" existing law.
Hang the lawyers and the bureaucrats. They are un-elected and therefore expendable.

[Ozarks Tom]

It appears to me to be a case similar to the banning of DDT. Both were used for decades successfully, both were banned after "someone" discovered an environmental horror story. Maybe I just don't have enough trust in our government, ya think?

[paisley]

The cost factor in dealing with the sludge was diminished and the impact on the man made holding ponds that nature did not provide that nature evolved to claim with wild life was used to sway ignorant people with fear that all wild life would die if it continued.

They fails to mention that prior to creating the holding ponds such wild life did not reside there. Oh well start forcing businesses to comply, business knew it would degrade their product so advertising dept had to appeal to emotions ( sliding to where we are now with snowflakes) that dirty clothing showed emotional superiority  and remember the economy allowed many just to replace stained clothing.  

[Deleted]

And now, Mosanto/Dow/Bayer et al can dump whatever chemicals they want into the aquifers, but hey! It's all to produce more food for starving people in foreign countries!

Except the chemicals don't make more food. Actually, they produce less food.

And the indigent farmers in other countries who were forced to use the chemicals are dying from debt and/or exposure to the chemicals... And some of them commit suicide when they realize that they were parties to destruction of the land and people.

But... well... heck, Dow can't be all bad. They gave us Agent Orange and napalm!

[themotherhen]

It is very troubling to me that the folks that make products for growing food also make poisons and weapons. Cross-contamination is only the first of my concerns.

[Deleted]

Jun 13, 2016 2:39:07 GMT @pony said:

And now, Mosanto/Dow/Bayer et al can dump whatever chemicals they want into the aquifers, but hey! It's all to produce more food for starving people in foreign countries!

Except the chemicals don't make more food. Actually, they produce less food.

And the indigent farmers in other countries who were forced to use the chemicals are dying from debt and/or exposure to the chemicals... And some of them commit suicide when they realize that they were parties to destruction of the land and people.

But... well... heck, Dow can't be all bad. They gave us Agent Orange and napalm!

CORRECTION:

Dow gave us napalm, but Agent Orange (and dioxin, too) are Monsanto products.

I apologize for my error.

[Txsteader]

Reckon it's safe for septic systems?

[paisley]

When in doubt of a sewage issues.... contact cabin fever..he's the man on that. Pm him