By Kreg Weiss, B HKin • April 30th, 2006

Household cleaning products such as laundry and dishwasher detergents contain surfactants. These chemical compounds are handled differently by soft and hard water types.

Cleaning products are normally formulated for use in medium and hard water.
If your home has soft water, you need use only about half the amount of detergent that is recommended by manufacturers.

The Scoop on Surfactants

• Personal cleaning products contain surfactants, which loosen, attract and hold dirt in the water.
  * Laundry detergents are the largest source of surfactants.
  * Surfactants produce the suds that we normally associate with an effective cleaning product and soft water produce suds much easier than medium or hard water.
• Water Treatment Plants have difficulty removing excess surfactants from the wastewater. Consequently, the excess surfactants are released in to the waterways. This can affect fish and other aquatic life and is detremental to our ecosystem.

Benefits for the Consumer of decreasing detergent use:

• Spend less money on detergent.
  * Clothes will not be discoloured from detergent residue.
  * Washing machines don?t need to process excess suds, making them more efficient and effective.
  . Helps keeps our planet and our children healthier and happier

Kreg Weiss is a co-founder of My Yoga Online and certified Hatha Yoga Teacher. Several years ago, Kreg discovered yoga while teaching health and fitness. Yoga dramatically transformed Kreg's approach to teaching health and wellness as well as changed his personal life bringing new direction in finding physical, mental, and spiritual growth.

Location:  Montreal, CA

Kreg is a co-founder of My Yoga Online and certified Hatha Yoga Teacher. Several years ago, Kreg discovered yoga while teaching health and fitness. Yoga dramatically transformed Kreg's approach to teaching health and...