What is 1,4-Dioxane in Cleaning Products?

We are so excited to share the straight facts about one of the most concerning invisible chemical contaminant by-products in the cleaning, laundry, skin care, personal care, and cosmetic industries: 1,4-Dioxane.

What makes 1,4-dioxane so invisible?

For starters, you’ll never see it on labels because it is a contaminant by-product of manufacturing and therefore is not considered an ingredient. 

Yet, the FDA, CDC, the Department of Health and Human Services National Toxicology Program (NTP), OSHA, the EPA, and various other international agencies have published data on its safety hazards, including classifying it as a “Class B possible carcinogen”. 

So, why is it still allowed in so many cleaning products and others we use every day? 

It's complicated. Here, we’ll share the information and let you be the judge.

In this article, you’ll learn everything an empowered consumer needs to know about 1,4 dioxane including:

• What is 1,4-dioxane? Plus how to spot it on labels
• Health effects and toxicity based on published data
• Products that contain 1,4-dioxane
• How to reduce your exposure
• How and why Branch Basics is a dioxane-free alternative for cleaning, laundry, and more

We the people have tremendous power in influencing the future of what ingredients are allowed in household products.

We have the power to say NO. And when enough of us say no, change happens very quickly.

We hope this article helps you understand more about the dangers of 1,4-dioxane and why it has no place in a healthy home.

 

What is 1,4-Dioxane?

Also known as Dioxane, 1,4-Dioxane is a byproduct of ethoxylation, an inexpensive shortcut process companies use to produce softer, sudsier detergents and make detergent chemicals less harsh.

As outlined in, Surfactant vs. Detergent: What's the Difference? detergents are blends or formulas of one, or several surfactants plus other ingredients used in various cleaning and laundering purposes.

Surfactants are a type of detergent that lowers the surface tension of water and liquids, allowing them to disperse and clean dirt, grime, grease, and messes. They also act as foaming agents, thickeners, emulsifiers, conditioners, anti-static compounds, and wetting agents.

There are various natural, naturally-derived, and synthetic surfactants used to create detergents. 

It is the ethoxylated synthetic surfactants used to make detergents that typically create 1,4-dioxane.

As previously mentioned, since 1,4-dioxane is a byproduct and not an ingredient, it is not required to be listed on product labels. 

However, multiple research studies resulted in the EPA, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifying 1,4-dioxane as a probable/possible/likely human carcinogen.

Despite this well-known fact, multiple reports and independent studies have shown we are being exposed to 1,4-dioxane i due to its presence in multiple cleaning, laundry, cosmetic, and personal care products.

What’s potentially worse, it’s become a problem in our waterways making it a contaminant of concern in municipal and even private water supplies.

The EPA recognizes 1,4-dioxane in drinking water as a health hazard and has stated that concentrations of 0.035 milligrams per liter should not be exceeded in drinking water. 

However, this recommendation is not enforced and is presently used as a guideline for industry. 

The (EPA) also recommends children not drink more than 4 milligrams per liter (mg/L) or 0.4 mg/L, per day of 1,4-dioxane if they drink water for 10 days. (Although we applaud their recommendation, we also wonder who is able to measure this for their child).

Many reports have revealed levels higher than that in various states, cities, and towns.

The EPA has not established a federal drinking water standard (maximum contaminant level or MCL), which means it is up to the states to set regulations on 1,4-dioxane in drinking water. 

At present, only a handful of states have regulations in place, with Massachusetts setting the most strict standards. You can find out if your state has 1,4-dioxane water regulations in place by clicking here.

Regulation surrounding bans or even allowable limits of 1,4-dioxane in household products is sorely lacking. 

As of this writing  New York State is the only U.S. state that has banned 1,4-dioxane except in miniscule amounts. Europe has very recently added 1,4-dioxane to its list for potential regulation. It is also on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer or birth defects.

Given the rising global cancer rates, would anyone intentionally allow a Class B possible carcinogen into their home?

Of course not. Yet, most people are completely unaware of dioxane’s presence in their water and favorite household products.

The good news is, there are plenty of ways to greatly reduce your risk of regular dioxane exposure.

Related reading: How To Choose The Best Water Filter For Every Home And Budget.

Laundry & Cleaning Products That Contain 1,4-Dioxane

So, how do you avoid an ingredient you cannot see/is not listed on labels?

The best way to avoid dioxane in cleaning, laundry, and personal care products is to familiarize yourself with contaminated products and ingredients.

The first step is to become familiar with products that may contain detergents or other ingredients contaminated with 1,4-dioxane.

Common sources of 1,4-Dioxane

• Cleaning products
• Laundry products
• Shampoos
• Cosmetics
• Body washes
• Baby and children’s body washes, shampoos, lotions, and bubble baths
• Bubble bath
• Dish soaps
• Hand soap
• Soaps
• Skin care products such as facial cleansers
• Certain pesticides (one more reason to buy organic as much as possible and always wash your produce thoroughly)
• Processed foods containing polysorbate
• Supplements containing glycerides and polyglycerides

Remember, dioxanes are a by-product of ethoxylated detergents, so if something is foamy and contains a synthetic detergent, it’s wise to check the label.

In foods, it’s typically used as an emulsifier (think sauces, spreads, and ice cream), an anti-foaming agent, and a wetting agent. We’ll give some more examples of food products to look out for coming up.

Now that you know where 1,4-dioxane could be lurking, let’s look at how to identify dioxane-containing ingredients on labels.

Check for the following suffixes on ingredient labels:

• Myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth, and any other "eth"
• PEG
• Polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, or polyoxyethylene
• Oxynol
• Sodium laureth sulfate
• Polysorbate
• Glycerides
• Polyglycerides

Knowing what to look for makes spotting these harmful chemicals easy as 1-2-3.

For cleaning and laundry products, you can also use consumer product vetting sites like EWG Skin Deep and Think Dirty app. 

We recommend only choosing products rated “1-2” on EWG and rated “0” on Think Dirty.

Health Effects & Toxicity of 1,4-Dioxane

Public awareness about the dangers of 1,4-dioxane contamination in children’s and baby’s personal care products is increasing.

However, there is still a lot of confusion and indifference about it because we are told it’s not present in large enough amounts to be a problem.

So, is 1,4-dioxane cause for concern, or not?

You’ve already learned 1,4-dioxane is considered a possible carcinogen by the EPA, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a health hazard in drinking water (especially for children), is on California’s Prop 65 list, and that its use is tightly regulated in New York State with several other states imposing restrictions on concentrations in drinking water.

1,4-dioxane is also listed as an animal carcinogen by the National Toxicology Program. 

If that’s enough for you, move onto the next section!

For anyone who wants more data, let’s look at the short- and long-term health effects and toxicity of 1,4-dioxane based on human and animal studies.

Health Effects of Short-Term Exposure to 1,4-Dioxane:

• Irritation of the eyes, nose and throat in humans
• Kidney and liver damage when exposed to large amounts
• Accidental worker exposure to large amounts of 1,4-dioxane in industrial settings has resulted in several deaths believed to be related to adverse nervous system effects

Health Effects of Long-Term Exposure to 1,4-Dioxane:

• Liver and kidney damage 
• Cancer
• Studies of skin exposure to 1,4-dioxane in animals has shown it can increase the cancer-causing properties of other chemicals
• Possible increased risk of spontaneous abortion and stillbirths have been associated with occupational exposure to a combination of chemicals that included 1,4-dioxane. However, the role of 1,4-dioxane, if any, is unknown.
• Breast milk transfer of 1,4-dioxane from mother to baby

Research suggests the human health effects of 1,4-dioxane depend on how much is present and the length and frequency of exposures. 

We are also told 1,4-dioxane does not remain in the body because it breaks down into chemicals that are removed quickly.

Regulatory agencies maintain the amount of 1,4-dioxane in household products is likely not enough to cause a problem.

We, and many other experts, challenge these presumptions on the basis of the long-term ill health effects we know 1,4-dioxane causes.

Firstly, if it readily leaves the body, then why does it appear to cause cancer, liver, and kidney damage in the long-term? 

Plus, given how many common household products, cosmetics, personal care products, foods, and supplements contain 1,4-dioxane (plus drinking water) and how it readily enters the body through the inhalation, ingestion, or skin exposure it stands to reason that most people are ingesting quite a bit of this toxic chemical by-product over time, even it is only present in small amounts.

Research also shows that 1,4-dioxane readily penetrates the skin.

If you go back and review that list of sources, we think you’ll agree 1,4-dioxane exposure is a potential problem for anyone who uses synthetic chemically-based personal care products, cosmetics, detergents, cleaning products, dish soaps, hand soaps, etc.

Laundry detergent made with synthetic detergents, for example, typically leaves a residue on clothing and may also contain other toxic chemicals, including known or suspected carcinogens (and as you’ve just learned 1,4-dioxane readily penetrate the skin and has the potential to make other toxic chemicals more toxic via skin exposure).

And that detergent residue is not just on your clothing. It’s also on your sheets that you sleep in night after night, on your towels, on your face cloths, etc., which adds up to a lot of skin exposure—and that’s just one example of one common household product.

As always, we encourage you to click the research links provided and draw your own conclusions about 1,4-dioxane.

In our opinion, this is a well-documented dangerous chemical that has no place in a healthy home. 

How to Reduce Your Exposure to 1,4-Dioxane

Learning about the health hazards of a chemical like 1,4-dioxane can bring up feelings of anger, disbelief, and betrayal. Especially if some of your most trusted household products contain ethoxylated detergents or other chemicals.

We completely understand. After all, spreading the word about toxins in products and foods is our passion, let’s channel those feelings into action with these steps to reduce your exposure:

Step 1: Avoid products with ingredients that contain 1,4-Dioxane

An easy way to do this is to swap synthetic chemical-based detergents, dish soaps, hand soaps, and personal care products (including baby and children’s products) for pure, natural, plant- and mineral-based, human-safe, environmentally-safe, EWG-Verified, Made Safe Certified alternatives (more on this to come).

As mentioned previously, you can also use consumer product vetting tools like, EWG Skin Deep and Think Dirty app. 

We recommend only choosing products rated “1-2” on EWG and rated “0” on Think Dirty.

Looking for a step-by-step guide to identifying and eliminating harmful products in your home? Check out Branch Basics Toss The Toxins Online Course.

Step 2: Buy organic as much as possible

This will help you avoid 1,4-dioxane exposure from pesticide residues.

We realize buying 100% organic or naturally-grown is not accessible to everyone. 

That’s why we love using tools like EWG’s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen reports to help us prioritize what to buy organic.

Related reading: 3 Best (& Natural) Produce Wash Recipes.

Step 3: Avoid processed foods and supplements containing polysorbates, glycerides and polyglycerides

These ingredients are simple to avoid because they must be disclosed on labels. The amounts allowed in foods are also tightly regulated by the FDA.

Polysorbates are used as emulsifying, anti-foaming, and wetting agents in foods, including:

• Ice creams
• Dressings
• Baked goods or anything containing flour
• Pickles
• Whipped dessert toppings
• Sauces
• Some brands of cottage cheese
• Spreads

Glycerides and polyglycerides are typically used in supplements but may also be found in dairy-free or traditional ice creams, sauces, and other prepared foods.

Related reading: Your Quick Guide To Vetting Dietary Supplements.

Step 4: Advocate for Stronger Regulations

There are many ways we can do this, including: 

• Voting with our dollars by avoiding products with 1,4-dioxane 
• Asking for human-safe cleaning and laundry products to be used when staying in vacation rentals, hotels, and Airbnbs or looking for rentals that already offer this
• Sharing this information with family and friends
• Writing to your favorite cleaning, laundry, and food brands and sharing your concerns with them
• Using your social platforms to voice your concerns and share resources
• Contacting your state representatives to see what they’re doing to keep 1,4-dioxane out of your water, air, and household products
• Educating your employer, children’s school, churches, community buildings, etc. about 1,4-dioxane and how to avoid it
• Learn more in: How To Educate Schools About Safer Cleaning (without sounding crazy)

The more of us who speak up, the faster this chemical by-product will disappear from our everyday lives. Never underestimate the power of the people to change the course of industry.

Can we completely avoid 1,4-Dioxane everywhere we go? 

No. Due to lax regulations around the disposal and manufacturing of this chemical, a lack of public awareness, and its pervasive use in homes and businesses, in some ways we’re stuck with it.

However, we can create a 1,4-dioxane-free environment in our homes by swapping out synthetic chemical products for safer alternatives.

This significantly reduces our everyday exposure which gives our bodies a better chance of fully detoxing this chemical when we are exposed.

 

Get Started With Branch Basics – A Dioxane-Free, Human-Safe Alternative

At Branch Basics, human health is our #1 priority, which means ethoxylatedingredients and by-products like 1,4-dioxane are never utilized in our formulas. 

If you're looking for a laundry detergent free of these harmful by-proudcts, the Branch Basics Laundry Detergent powder is the one for you! This product has passed the highest bar of safety was thoughtfully formulated with your health in mind. It does not contain 1,4-dioxane... or fragrance, dyes, optical brighteners, ammonia, chlorine or endocrine disruptors. None of the bad stuff is welcome here! 

Just one scoop of our  Laundry Detergent delivers a powerful deep clean. It excels in stain removal, odor elimination, and fabric preservation, streamlining your laundry routine. Plus, it's good for the earth! This powder is biodegradable, septic-safe and prevents toxic runoff. Because it performs excellently in cold water, it saves energy and protects your fabrics.

If you're looking for whole-house cleaning products, our flagship product, consider Branch Basics Concentrate, which is designed to replace every cleaning product in your home, is made with only naturally-derived surfactants (Coco Glucoside and Decyl Glucoside sourced from coconuts and non-GMO corn) and other natural human-safe ingredients. 

Branch Basics Oxygen Boost is a detergent-free mineral-based laundry booster, stain remover, scouring agent, bleach alternative, and soaking agent made from pure Baking Soda and Sodium Percarbonate.

Curious about what else is in our products? See: Is Branch Basics Safe? Your Questions Answered.