Sodium Tripolyphosphate

[Cynthia Mosher]

Anyone know anything about it? I recently found a very inexpensive concentrated cleaning powder which is labeled to be sodium tripolyphosphate yet my search on the Environmental Defense site and other eco-concerned sites turned up nothing. I found this website singing its praises
http://www.phosphatefacts.com/what.cfm

Trying to clean up my cleaning supplies to be as green as possible I'm a bit hesitant to assume the best and use it without knowing for sure. KWIM?

[Valerie.Qc]

Well...I think phosphates are not exactly environment friendly

Phosphates are killing the lakes by overgrowing weeds and I saw something about a relation between ADHD and phosphates in foods!!!
(I made a search with phosphates as key word)

I will stick with vinegar and baking soda (not together ) as cleaning supplies

If I find something else I will post it here

Valérie

[Cynthia Mosher]

I'll keep searching and reading too.

Thanks!

[gauge14iv]

I think that is the stuff in Red Devil cleaner? It was nasty enough that the one time I had to use it to strip 40 layers of wax off of a 40 year old linoleum floor, I wore a mask and gloves and it softened the paint on the baseboards!

Knowing better now, I'd just replace the linoleum with ceramic but it was an old apartment and we were only going to be there 6 mos to a year.

[gauge14iv]

urp I just went and looked - Red Devil TSP says it is a tri-sodium phosphate substitue and that it contains no phosphates? It used to - I know that much.

Just wonder if what's in it is any better?

http://www.reddevil.com/browseresult...&CategoryID=17

[Cynthia Mosher]

You mean this one?:

Red Devil
TSP-90® Heavy Duty Cleaner
A tri-sodium phosphate substitute that neutralizes and floats away grease, grime, dirt, oil and smoke film. Contains no phosphorous, soap, lye, or abrasives.

The link I gave above says this:

PHOSPHATES IN EVERYDAY LIVING
Phosphorus is a nutrient vital to human, animal, and plant life. It is one of the most common substances in our environment, naturally occurring in our food, our water, and our bodies, as well as, in human and animal waste. In your body, phosphorus is present in your genes, your teeth, and your bones -- even your muscles work because of phosphorus.

:

[Cynthia Mosher]

Another thing...I suppose most of you read the article in the latest issue of Mothering about natural cleaning ingredients by Annie Berthold-Bond. Washing soda is one of her staples and she advises glove wearing when cleaning with it because it is caustic. So, and I ask with sincerity, does that make it harmful to us in other ways or making it eco-unfriendly?

The possible harm to lakes and other land areas concerns me so I wen searching and found quite a bit. But i struggle with what is truth amongst all the hype. I came across this interesting bit: http://www.ceep-phosphates.org/phosphates.htm but considering its a phosphates.org site I'm still reading around.