Not Soap or Detergent? What is it?!
Yes, we do look at other products on the market to see what other manufacturers are doing. This is without a doubt one of the primary motivators for why we do what we do and a treasure trove for blog material!
The greenwashing of products REALLY upsets us! Today, we look at something that just left me feeling like a cartoon with question marks in my head. Here is what I read:
Let's break down this bullet. It is both without soap and without detergent yet it contains "naturally derived ingredients with a proprietary blend of cleaners" (blah blah blah). Soap and detergent are not the same thing. Soaps are produced from NATURAL products while detergents are SYNTHETIC (or man-made) cleaners.
Not too long ago we did a post on how our SOAP is made. If you are interested, check that out on our blog.
An interesting note about detergents. Detergents became popular during WWII when there was a scarcity of oils needed to make soap. So, why do you ask did society not shift back to oils after the war? Well, I'll give you 1 guess. [Tick tock tick tock tick tock] Ok - actually there were 2 answers to that question: COST and CONVENIENCE! It is a LOT cheaper to make detergent than it is soap and easier to clean up in hard water!
High quality soaps are produced with oils. Organic high quality soaps are produced with organic oils (like coconut, olive, jojoba, etc.). High quality soaps also retain the natural glycerin rather than removing it and selling it for a profit.
Detergents are generally made from petroleum products with surfactants, foaming agents and alcohol being the primary foundation. To mask the odor of these chemicals, manufacturers add (usually) synthetic (artificial) fragrances (why put something natural in something artificial?). Detergents also contain preservatives and antibacterial agents to increase their shelf life. All of these factors combine to make them the cause of frequent allergies and skin irritants (on you and your 4-Legger).
In hard water, soap can leave a "film" or "scum" because it reacts with the minerals in the water. You can clean this with vinegar or your favorite detergent. [Just wear some gloves. Yes - we get it - sometimes convenience does sometimes win out while cleaning - but don't get any of it on your skin!]
I would much rather clean up some soap scum than put synthetic cleaners all over my 4-Legger or myself!
So, that leaves us with the question. If this product is not soap and it is not detergent what is it?
We may never know the answer to this question as there are no ingredients listed on the bottle and they claim it to be "proprietary". For all we know it could be water or motor oil. Word to the wise (and the pet owner) NEVER purchase a product that doesn't list ingredients. "Proprietary blend" may as well say "we don't want you to know because you wouldn't buy it".
