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Monday, August 29, 2011

Avoiding Triclosan–or is this toothpaste bad for me?



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Just yesterday my dh yelled from the bathroom. “ Does this tooth paste have the stuff you wrote about the other day?” When he showed me the package I realized that yes it did have triclosan.  It seems that even in a green home we can find ourselves with less than desirable products. The more we learn about living green the more we can decide where to make our choices. For me avoiding toxins is very important. We have a strong history of cancer on both sides of the family. I am hoping that by avoiding toxins as much as we can possibly and eating as healthily as we can we can give ourselves and our children a fighting chance against our genetic dispositions.
 So How do We Avoid Tricolsan?
Choose bar soaps — triclosan was found in 76 per cent of liquid soaps and only 29 per cent of bar soaps in the U.S. (American Journal of Infection Control, 2002). I actually prefer bar soaps. Be sure to use a soap dish that allows the soap to drain and dry. 
When shopping for products look for and avoid the words Microban. Microban is  a formulation that uses triclosan and it has been added to products such as cutting boards, and diaper bags.
Check your toothpaste, most do not have triclosan in them but Total formula’s do, i.e. Colgate Total.
Avoid dish soaps that are antibacterial. The antibacterial aspect is not necessary and it may harm you in the long run.
Check your deodorant. Some use triclosan to kill the bacteria that cause the smell.  Even many natural brands, such as Arm & Hammer Essentials Natural Deodorant contain triclosan.
Check out the Environmental Working Group to find out what’s in your cosmetic products.
Read your labels, many common everyday household products contain triclosan. Sometimes triclosan is not listed as an active ingredient, it is added to increase shelf life. If the product advertises itself as antibacterial it probably has triclosan in it.
I did some searching to see if I could come up with some brands that specifically do not contain triclosan. I wanted to make shopping easier for me and you.  I found a few brands that do not contain triclosan
According to The Daily Green  there are a few brands that don't contain triclosan. I was pleasantly surprised to see brands that are readily available. Like Toms of Maine, Ivory, Listerine, and Purell and one of my favorite all around products. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps.
Avoiding triclosan and other undesirable chemicals is not as daunting as it sounds. Stick to basic products that are designed to be simple. Remember that old adage about food? “if you can’t pronounce the ingredients you should not eat it? The same holds true for using a product on your body or in your home.”
I  like to keep things easy and not try to remember too many things. But for those of you who like more information I am including links to products that do NOT contain triclosan as well as to products that DO contain triclosan.
Some brands that DO contain triclosan can be found over at Grinning Planet.
For a more comprehensive list of products that do NOT contain triclosan head on over to The Daily Green

9 comments:

Lindsay said...

Great info! I've been gradually switching over our toiletries for more natural ones and it's amazing to see what junk is in most of the ones we were using!

Lisa - the Granola Catholic said...

It is amazing when you start making small changes that we find more things that we can change. I always thought I was doing what was best for my family, but every once in a while I learn more. So I make another change.

Angela Toucan said...

weldone on taking the toxin free journey. It will take a while to clear them all out as they are so dominant in our western culture. But you look like you are doing a great job.

Lisa - the Granola Catholic said...

Thank You Toucan Scraps, we are doing are best to eliminate all that is not good for us. We try to stick with simple whole, real foods, and even though I was buying good products from the store who knew that they were bad for us? Certainly not me.

Charise @ I Thought I Knew Mama said...

Another super helpful post - thank you! We also have way too much cancer in my family which is a big green motivator for me. We use Dr Bronner's and Tom's of Maine thankfully.

Thanks again for linking up at Green & Natural Mamas Thursday!

Lisa - the Granola Catholic said...

Charise, we use Dr. Bronner's soaps, and ones we buy at the Farmer's Market. Who knew that pesticides were in our toothpaste. I had coupons and it was on sale. I have found a replacement and we will giving it a try. I hope it passes the kid test.

Good Girl Gone Green said...

Thanks for the info! I use Dr.Bronners soap and make a lot of my own products to avoid all these stupid toxins which have no business being in our products!

Lisa - the Granola Catholic said...

GGGG - I love Dr. Bronner's Soaps. we did find some hand sanitzers that do NOT have tricolsan in them, and it is nice to have these in our backpack when we go on hikes.

Anonymous said...

i am also trying to live as toxin free and green as possible, but it is very hard! i try to take it day by day and gradually make changes!

new follower from SSS, would love to have you follow me back! http://quiet-ct.blogspot.com

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