Comments for Seattle Green Cleaner http://www.seattlegreencleaner.com ...for a cleaner home and a cleaner conscience Fri, 23 Dec 2011 02:08:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Natural Fabric Softener Recipe by Wim Gates http://www.seattlegreencleaner.com/natural-fabric-softener-recipe/comment-page-1/#comment-440 Wim Gates Fri, 23 Dec 2011 02:08:35 +0000 http://www.seattlegreencleaner.com/?p=1613#comment-440 An interesting article on Wikipedia* (not a citable source by most University professors, but if you follow the sources they site, perfectly reputable) about fabric softeners. Did you know that most chemical softeners (liquid and sheets) actually coat your clothing in a layer of chemicals to "lubricate" them? This also makes them hydrophobic (which always makes me think of rabies), which can make them less effective in water absorption, particular counter-productive with towels and other linens. The vinegar we use in our recipe operates in a fundamentally different manner altogether: binding the hydrogen ions (in vinegar) to the anionic groups by electrostatic attraction to the negatively charged groups on the surface of the fibers and neutralizing their charge; the long aliphatic chains are then oriented towards the outside of the fiber. Being green is not only safer, it's smarter. *http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabric_softener An interesting article on Wikipedia* (not a citable source by most University professors, but if you follow the sources they site, perfectly reputable) about fabric softeners. Did you know that most chemical softeners (liquid and sheets) actually coat your clothing in a layer of chemicals to “lubricate” them? This also makes them hydrophobic (which always makes me think of rabies), which can make them less effective in water absorption, particular counter-productive with towels and other linens.

The vinegar we use in our recipe operates in a fundamentally different manner altogether: binding the hydrogen ions (in vinegar) to the anionic groups by electrostatic attraction to the negatively charged groups on the surface of the fibers and neutralizing their charge; the long aliphatic chains are then oriented towards the outside of the fiber.

Being green is not only safer, it’s smarter.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabric_softener

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