But the optical brighteners were just the beginning. Further research revealed something even more sinister hiding in Sarah's trusted detergent: 1,4-Dioxane.
This substance isn't listed anywhere on the label because it's considered a "manufacturing byproduct." Yet independent testing found it in nearly every major brand.
The EPA classifies 1,4-Dioxane as presenting "unreasonable risk" to the general population through cancer, liver toxicity, and tissue damage. New York State was so concerned they banned detergents containing more than 1 ppm in 2023.
"I felt betrayed," Sarah says. "For 30 years, I trusted this brand to clean my family's clothes. I washed my children's pajamas, my husband's work shirts, my own underwear in a product containing a probable carcinogen. And they never told us."
Determined to find a safer alternative, Sarah spent weeks researching detergent ingredients. Most "natural" brands still contained problematic ingredients or didn't clean effectively enough for her large family's needs.