Homes with hard water (water that has a higher mineral content) should use a soap or detergent that is biodegradable. That way you are ensuring the least possible damage to the environment , your clothes, and surfaces in your home. If you have hard water and are using a detergent that is non Eco friendly the chemicals in the detergent will react with the extra chemicals in your water and will produce a build up of film in your shower, hair and in your clothes.
We recommend choosing an Eco friendly line of detergents or soaps that clean rather than add chemicals to your environment. Health food stores such as Whole Foods, Central Market or Sprouts have a number of brands of detergents that are made with renewable materials rather than petroleum based ingredients. We prefer Castile Soap brands for cleaning and Seventh Generation or Mrs. Myers for washing clothes.