Managing psoriasis do include refraining from chemicals as much as possible. In our previous post, we discussed various tips to choose the right clothing for Psoriasis. We concluded that natural fibers like cotton and rayon are choice because they have better moisture management properties and being natural fibers, use of chemicals in manufacturing and coloring of these fibers will also be lesser than synthetic clothings. Similarly, while washing your clothes, picking the right detergent and eliminating the remaining traces of detergents to the maximum extent from clothes with thorough rinsing is very important.
Laundry tips for Psoriasis
Some laundering tips:
- Try to use an Eco friendly laundry detergent which is gentle on your skin. Eco friendly detergents don’t contain chlorine, phosphates and other chemicals which can harm your skin. There is a general perception that Eco friendly detergents are very costly and their cleaning efficiency is not good. It is not true. If you will make some enquiries; you will surely find a good quality and reasonably priced natural laundry detergent. Although it is very true that most of these Eco friendly detergents do contain some chemicals to facilitate good cleaning properties. Still, the amount of chemicals in these natural detergents in lesser than traditional detergents.
- Use liquid detergents in place of solid soaps. If you are using solid soaps, then there are chances that even after washing, some traces of soap particles would remain on the surface of clothings. The chemicals present in these soap particles will come in contact with psoriasis patches on your skin. This direct contact of soap chemicals with your skin can cause skin irritation and itching. This problem can be minimized by using liquid soaps because it would be easier to wash off remaining traces of liquid soaps.
- Avoid using bleaching agents as much as possible. The reason being- chemicals in bleaching agents can trigger your psoriasis. Every time you use them, always give extra rinse cycle to remove remaining traces of these products thoroughly.
- Choose unscented (non fragranced) detergents and fabric softeners. Most of the scented/fragranced detergents have ingredients which have been found toxic in nature and cause health related issues particularly to skin and throat. Some studies have found them even carcinogenic in nature.
Have a look at the below list of chemicals found in traditional detergents and the health hazards associated with them:
| Ingredient to Avoid | Found In | Potential Health Risks |
| Benzaldehyde | Laundry bleach, perfumes | Irritation to mouth, throat, eyes and skin |
| Ethyl acetate | Fabric softener | Neurotoxin; irritant |
| Artificial fragrances | Laundry detergent, dryer sheets, fabric softener | Irritation to skin and eyes; many are toxic and are suspected carcinogens |
| Nonylphenol ethoxylate | Laundry detergent, dry cleaning aids | Hormone disruptor |
| Quaternium-15 | Detergent | Releases formaldehyde, a known carcinogen that causes rashes and skin inflammation |
| Perchlorethylene (Perc) | Dry cleaning chemical | Liver and kidney damage; irritant; possible carcinogen |
| Chlorine | Laundry bleach | Potent irritant to eyes, upper respiratory tract and lungs |
Conclusion
Laundry detergents do have a possibility of coming in direct contact with your psoriasis affected skin. Hence, choose economical Eco friendly detergents in place of traditional detergents which contain a lot of harmful chemicals. Try to avoid artificially scented bleaching agents and fabric softeners. Using liquid soaps in place of solid soaps will also help to remove any small traces of left soaps from your clothing’s effectively.
