Dr. Daniel Pompa (@drpompa), a chiropractic doctor, recently shared a TikTok video warning about potential health risks linked to dishwashing detergents.
In his video, which has garnered over 1.4 million views, he alleges a common ingredient in detergents could damage gut health and “poison” users. Dr. Pompa also offers a safer alternative he discovered at Costco.
“Dishwashers are considered the most dangerous appliance in your home. Did you know that?” Dr. Pompa begins.
What is the harmful dishwashing detergent ingredient?
“This study shows the gut epithelial barrier damage caused by dishwashing detergents and rinse aids,” Dr Pompa explains, referencing a study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Standing in the aisles of Costco, Dr. Pompa points out that many popular dishwashing detergents contain a problematic ingredient.
“I looked at all of these detergents, every one of them, and they all had the ingredient that study shows causes gut damage,” he states. “It’s called ethoxylate.”
According to Dr. Pompa, ethoxylate is often used in detergents because it prevents streaks on dishes and glasses. Even in health food stores, he found alternatives that still included the ingredient.
However, he says a recommendation from a friend led him to a product that doesn’t contain ethoxylate.
“A friend of mine said, ‘I found this one—Blueland,” he reveals. “It works. It’s a safer choice. No plastics, no fragrances because those are hormone disruptors and no ethoxylate. And, she said, ‘no streaks.’”
Dr. Pompa shares his surprise at finding Blueland products at Costco, a place he didn’t expect to stock such items.
“I was blown away because I couldn’t even find this in health food stores. And I found it at Costco,” he concludes. “There’s the answer. Don’t poison your family anymore.”
Can the doctor’s claims be verified?
As stated in the study Dr. Pompa referenced, alcohol ethoxylate can indeed be harmful to gut health, as it leaves a residue on dishes after dishwasher use.
Specifically, the study suggests ingesting alcohol ethoxylate can damage the gut epithelial barrier, which is a layer of cells that protects the gut from harmful substances.
Moreover, just as Dr. Pompa says, the ingredient is often used in dishwashing, laundry, and general cleaning detergents.
Other than BlueLand, However, it’s worth noting there are several well-rated products such as Earthley, PureHeaven, MamaSuds, etc., as outlined by the site IReadLabelsForYou in this blog post.
Viewers react
In the comments, some users were familiar with the detergent Dr. Pompa suggested, and others had different tips that could help with streaks.
“I LOVE blueland,” said one user. “I’ve been using it for over a year and it’s the best dishwasher tablets I’ve ever used (and I used to use the regular stuff).”
“I use a little vinegar in the rinse cycle,” shared another.
“This sounds like a lie,” wrote a third. “I use a natural dishwashing detergent and a cup with a bit of vinegar. I have very hard water and never have any streaks.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Dr. Pompa via email and Instagram direct message. We’ve also reached out to Costco via Google Forms and Blueland via website contact form.
@drpompa Danger Lurking In Your Dishwasher! ⚠️🚨
♬ original sound – Dr. Daniel Pompa
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
