Plus, their laundry room looked like a chemistry lab.
My mom would pour way too much detergent thinking more meant cleaner clothes, and my dad would forget if he'd already added detergent and add more.
But what really worried me was learning about all the harsh chemicals in those liquid detergents.
Optical brighteners that can irritate skin. They stick to clothes and don't fully rinse out.
Persistent fragrances can cause respiratory issues.
Parabens can disrupt hormones.
And 1,4-Dioxane has been linked to cancer.
At their age, with more sensitive skin and health concerns, the last thing they needed was daily exposure to unnecessary chemicals.