Why and how to return the neutral pH of laundry?
Let's start with WHY?
pH is also a scale for measuring the acidity and alkalinity of solutions. The scale ranges from 0 to 14. If the pH is less than 7, the solution is considered acidic, and if it has a pH greater than 7, it is considered alkaline (basic).
The natural pH of the skin is slightly acidic, with normal ranges between 4.5 and 5.5. This slightly acidic pH helps maintain the skin's natural barrier, protecting it from environmental damage and keeping it hydrated.
Using products that have a pH that is too alkaline can strip the skin of its natural oils and moisture, leaving it feeling tight, dry, and itchy. On the other hand, using products with a pH that is too acidic can also be harmful to the skin, as it can cause irritation, redness, and dryness.
Young children and people with allergies have much more sensitive skin and can experience discomfort much more quickly.
Neutral pH products are formulated to be closer to the skin's natural pH, which can help avoid these negative effects.
How does laundry fit into this?
All man-made detergents are alkaline! Why? Because the raw materials are alkaline. For example, soapy water has a pH of 12 and bleach has a pH of 13. Depending on the cocktail of ingredients, the products are more or less alkaline.
No matter how good our washing machine is, some of the detergent always remains on the laundry, and so we are in contact with the washed clothes, sheets, and towels 24/7!
HOW to return the neutral pH to laundry?
There are two options. One is to use only natural products such as soap nuts, which have a pH of 4-5. Human intervention in the process is to collect, package, transport them… well, you could even make a powder out of them or a cold-pressed extract, but that’s it. Nature invented it! Well, we have to admit that nature did not imagine the heights we would reach with the creation of pollutants and it is a fact that if we wash only with nuts, it may not be enough… but we will write a separate article about them.
The other option is to add acid to the rinse aid compartment . What acid? Vinegar or citric acid! We are fans of citric acid (yes, that's the same thing as lemon juice), and you can read why we prefer it in this short article .
Let's get back to how to return the neutral pH to laundry .
- We mix citric acid with water.
- We put the mixture in the softener compartment. Do not add softener!
- We add the detergent as usual.
- We run the washing machine on the program you have chosen.
You will ask in what ratio to mix citric acid and water, how much you can make and how to store it. We ourselves do not know exactly about homemade recipes.
Since 2018, Tierra Verde Bulgaria has been offering ECO Laundry Rinse Aid . Its ingredients are 15-30% citric acid; < 5% lavender extract and of course water. This is the most sought-after product by our customers who suffer from allergies. In addition to neutralizing the pH, it has many other functions, which you can read about here .
Simple, right? And completely ecological!
