Household Cleaning Products Do More Than Just Clean

By: Melanie Forti, Program Director

      According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), many household cleaning products in the market are considered pesticides; as a result they can be harmful to our health and the health of our love ones.  These products can also be harmful to our environment.  More than 32 million pounds of conventional household cleaning products are poured down the drain each day nationwide.

      Conventional cleaning products release harmful compounds and solvents into the atmosphere whenever they are used, and therefore, they are not good for your health.  According to the American Cancer Society only 1% of toxins are required to be listed on labels, because companies classify their formulas as “trade secrets.”  Unfortunately, the toxic information of 80% of the chemicals ingredients used in everyday cleaning products are not available for consumers.   It is important to understand that not because household cleaning products are available means that they are safe.

Did you know…

• That toxins found in air fresheners can accumulate in the body over the time. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council those toxins may affect hormones and reproductive health especially in children.
• The corrosive ingredients that make acidic toilet bowl cleaners clean so well are the same ingredients that can cause burns on skin and eyes, and are extremely dangerous when mixed with other types of cleaners.
• Many oven cleaners contain corrosive alkali, which can have grave effects on your gastrointestinal track and respiratory system if inhaled or ingested.

   

      You probably have considered using natural household cleaning products but might fear it won’t have the same cleaning effect as the ones we buy regularly in stores.  However, the real fear you should have is to the conventional cleaning products because they contain dangerous chemicals that have been linked to harmful health effects such as different types of cancer, reproductive disorders, hormone disorder, neurotoxin disorder, and psychological abnormalities as reported by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Some reasons to use natural non-toxic cleaning products:

• they are much cheaper
• they help keep the air your breath clean
• they don’t harm the environment
• you know what ingredients are in your product
• you will become a green role model for all

If you are still not convinced maybe this will help you:  According to the EPA, within 26 seconds after exposure to chemicals of conventional cleaning products we can find traces of these chemicals in every organ of our body. 

So, why buy toxic household cleaning products if you can make your own natural non-harsh cleaning product? Natural cleaning products will help you save time and money, reduce chemical exposure, therefore it will maintain yourself and your family healthier and safer.

 

Be bold. Today is a great day to make the change to a healthier life and a safer environment.  Give it a try, we know you won’t regret it!

 

Here are some tips that might help you take baby steps to transforming your cleaning routines into a healthier and safer one:

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Resources:

• http://www.sustainablebabysteps.com/natural-household-cleaners.html
• https://smartklean.wordpress.com/2011/02/23/the-top-12-cancer-causing-products-in-the-average-home/
• http://theartofsimple.net/spring-cleaning-week-the-benefits-of-non-toxic-cleaning/
• http://wellnessmama.com/6244/natural-cleaning-tips/
• http://www.beyondtoxics.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/BT_FactSheet_Nov2011.pdf
• http://greencleaning.about.com/od/GreenCleaning101/tp/10-Reasons-To-Start-Green-Cleaning-Today.htm