Laundry liquid is one of our best loved products and for good reason!
Every ingredient in our laundry liquid is listed on the label and the more the ingredient weighs in the formula the higher it appears in the list. This is so important if you want to know what’s in your bottle or if you have allergies. Always look out for the Soil Association symbol on labels so you can be sure of the ingredients before you buy.
In the spirit of transparency, which is a hallmark of the Greenscents approach, we explain which ingredients we use and how we make our organic laundry liquid.
What’s in Greenscents laundry liquid?
Here are all the ingredients in our laundry liquid. You will find this list on your product label. It is always worth spending time researching ingredients to check that there are no toxic or unsustainable chemicals in the mix.
Citrus
Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera leaf juice)**, decyl glucoside, sapindus mukorossi (soap nut shells)*, acacia concinna (shikakai shells), acetic acid (cider vinegar)*, xanthan gum, glycerine***, citrus sinensis (orange) oil*, benzyl alcohol, dehydroacetic acid, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) oil*.
Lavender
Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera leaf juice)**, decyl glucoside, sapindus mukorossi (soap nut shells)*, acetic acid (cider vinegar)*, lavandula hybrida (lavender) oil*, xanthan gum, glycerine***, acacia concinna (shikakai shells), benzyl alcohol, dehydroacetic acid.
Minty
Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera leaf juice)**, decyl glucoside, sapindus mukorossi (soap nut shells)*, acetic acid (cider vinegar)*, xanthan gum, glycerine***, mentha piperita (peppermint) oil*, acacia concinna (shikakai shells), benzyl alcohol, dehydroacetic acid, mentha spicata (spearmint) oil*.
Nonscents
Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera leaf juice)**, decyl glucoside, sapindus mukorossi (soap nut shells)*, acetic acid (cider vinegar)*, xanthan gum, glycerine***, acacia concinna (shikakai shells), benzyl alcohol, dehydroacetic acid.
*organic, **organic juice from concentrate, ***organic origin
Greenscents laundry liquid has a completely unique formula and 94% of the ingredients are certified organic. The recipe has been updated recently to include even more natural and organic ingredients. This means we rely less on conventional ingredients and less on the chemicals sector. Using fewer chemicals is good because it leads to a reduction in CO2 emissions and reduces poisons that harm humans and the environment. In contrast, the overuse of materials such as plastics, fertilisers and other synthetic chemicals causes devastating effects on ecosystems and human health that can be avoided.
How do we make Greenscents laundry liquid?
All our products are made in large stainless-steel tanks with different shaped paddles that do the mixing. We use warm water and sometimes a heated jacket to keep the liquids warm during the making up process but we never ‘cook’ our ingredients. This means that all the beneficial properties of the natural ingredients are retained in the finished products.
Our staff are all local, many part-time. Some arrive with an interest in the environment, or have farms, while others learn to appreciate the importance of organic and eco-friendly practices while they are with Greenscents. When making up products our team wear white coats or aprons and gloves. When staff are handling fine powders such as xanthan gum, a mask is always worn.
To produce laundry liquid, the first step is to make up our natural surfactant base mix. This is a unique recipe based on organic soap nut shells (sapindus mukorossi) and shikakai pods that produce natural saponins (soap) and foam. The natural surfactant base mix is the foundation of many Greenscents products. We source our pods and shells from organic farms in India and they are transported by container ship to the UK.
Soap nuts (sapindus mukorossi) – these fruits turn brown and are collected and dried in the sun.
Once the surfactant mix has settled (usually overnight), it is added to warm organic aloe vera juice which is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. Next, we add palm-free decyl glucoside, organic cider vinegar (made in East Anglia) and organic glycerine, which is usually pre-mixed with xanthan gum, the thickening agent. Food grade preservatives (benzyl alcohol and dehydroacetic acid) are added last. These anti-bacterial agents destroy bacteria and prevent mould growth.
We add decyl glucoside because it provides additional cleaning power, helping to lift dirt and oils from fabrics. It is a mild surfactant often used in baby shampoo and in products for people with a sensitive skin. Decyl glucoside is derived from coconuts, is 100% biodegradable and is a sustainable alternative to conventional surfactants.
If we are adding fragrance, we use organically certified essential oils to make our renowned scents. The oils are added when the laundry liquid has cooled otherwise the oils can become volatile and we lose the fragrance as the oil turns to a gas. Organic essential oils are very precious, and our team is careful to add the oils at exactly the right temperature.
Once the laundry liquid is complete, it is stored in the tank until is it ready to be bottled. Samples of every batch are sent to the lab for microbial testing to confirm the absence of bacteria and other micro-organisms.
Any questions?
You can find out more about Greenscents ingredients on our website (https://greenscents.co.uk/ethics/ingredients/). If you have any questions about Greenscents organic laundry liquid please email [email protected].