Who doesn’t like to have a clean home? Most of use commercial cleaning products to do the work – never stopping to realize that they may be harming us. Pollutants and toxins are all around us. We think of all the obvious places – food, water and outdoor air. Many people are not even aware of the chemicals that are present in different cleaning products and how indoor air quality is impacted due to these chemicals.
So before we head off to the store for cleaning supplies, here is a list to be aware of:
Around the Home:
- Glass Cleaners: Any spray cleaning agent has chemicals like propylene glycol and 2 propanol, both of which are suspected of being toxic to the reproductive, respiratory and immune system.
- All purpose Cleaners: there are quite a few of those on the market. Some even have names which make them sound environmentally friendly – these contain solvents like 2-butoxyethanol which is believed to damage red blood cells.
In the Bathroom:
- Disinfectant Sprays: People are so paranoid about germs that they try to get every surface squeaky clean by using disinfectants. Most of these have ingredients like ethyl alcohol, triethanolamine and other chemicals which could cancer and respiratory problems. Especially because they come as aerosol sprays.
- Toilet Cleaners: These are probably the most commonly used items in the house. Chemicals like ethyl alcohol, oxalic acid and others end up in the sewage system and may come back as recycled water. These ingredients may cause asthma, respiratory issues and quite a few others.
Around the House:
- Stain Removers: who likes to look at toilets or sinks with hard water or rust stains? Commercial rust stain removers can be found in stores, no doubt and they even have cautionary warnings posted on their products. There are alternative ways to get these stains out using household products.
- Floor Cleaners: Many cleaners have been banned in the state of California – some of the products have a chemical called onylphenol ethoxylate which is toxic to the environment and wreaks havoc on hormones in the human body.
- Drain Cleaners: Quite a few on the market – can cause skin problems and also respiratory issues.
In the Kitchen:
- Dishwashing detergents: Dishwashing detergent, anti spotting liquids and regular dish detergent have chemicals and fragrances added in which are known irritants.
There are many other ways to clean the home effectively and efficiently. Try to minimize exposure to chemicals by using alternative cleaners and be sure to read the labels to avoid harmful products.
