Main hazardous chemicals in the home
- Air fresheners: many contain formaldehyde, a known and highly toxic carcinogen; Phenol: Skin contact can cause swelling, burning, peeling and hives, cold sweats, seizures, circulatory collapse, coma, and potentially death.
- Ammonia: Harmful to eyes, respiratory tract and skin.
- Bleach: Highly corrosive, can irritate or burn skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. May cause pulmonary edema, vomiting, and coma if ingested.
- Carpet and upholstery shampoo: Some contain perchlorethylene, a known carcinogen that damages the liver, kidneys, and nervous system. Ammonium hydroxide: corrosive and very irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract.
- Dishwasher detergents – Most contain chlorine in a dry form. #1 cause of childhood poisoning according to poison control centers. They also contain phosphates that contaminate groundwater supplies.
- Drain cleaner: most contain bleach; caustic, burns skin and eyes, will damage esophagus and stomach if swallowed. Hydrochloric Acid: Corrosive, irritating to eyes and skin, damages kidneys, liver and digestive tract. Trichloroethane – irritant
- Furniture Polish – Petroleum Distillates – Highly flammable, may cause skin and lung cancer. Phenol: same as air fresheners. Nitrobenzene – Easily absorbed through the skin, extremely toxic.
- Mold and Mildew Cleaners – Sodium Hypochlorite – Corrosive, irritating/burning to skin and eyes, produces fluid in the lungs and can lead to coma or death. Formaldehyde: Highly toxic, known carcinogen, irritating to eyes, nose, throat, and skin. It can cause nausea, headaches, nosebleeds, dizziness, memory loss, and shortness of breath.
- Oven Cleaner – Sodium Hydroxide (Bleach) – Caustic, severe irritant, burns skin and eyes, inhibits glare, will cause severe tissue damage if ingested.
- Antibacterial cleansers: May contain triclosan: Absorption through the skin may be linked to liver damage.
- Laundry products – In addition to bleach, they may contain sodium or calcium hypocrite – Highly corrosive, irritate or burn the skin, eyes or respiratory tract. Linear alkylate sulfonate absorbed through the skin. Known liver damaging agent. Sodium Tripolyphosphate – Irritates the skin and mucous membranes and causes vomiting. It is easily absorbed through the skin of clothing.
- Toilet bowl cleaners – Hydrochloric acid – highly corrosive, irritating to skin and eyes. Damages the liver and kidneys.
- Hypochlorite Bleach – Corrosive, irritates/burns eyes, skin, and respiratory tract. May cause pulmonary edema, vomiting, or coma if ingested. Contact with other chemicals can generate chlorine fumes that can be potentially fatal.
Other toxic items in the home
- pesticides
- flea powders
- lice shampoo
- Car wash and polish
- Tar and Bug Remover
did you know
- Manufacturers of conventional household cleaners are not required by law to disclose harmful ingredients in their products.
- Don’t be fooled by the words “non-toxic” on labels. It is not defined by the government so it CAN be used in toxic products.
- Only a tiny fraction of the more than 75,000 registered chemicals have been tested for human health concerns. (EPA)
- The typical American household is the number one violator of chemical waste per capita. (EPA)
- The average American home has 3 to 10 gallons of hazardous materials. (Children’s Health Environmental Coalition)
- Children are especially at risk for exposure to toxins.
– Pound for pound, they breathe more air, drink more water, eat more food.
– When playing, they crawl and put things in their mouths (something that also happens with our pets)
Natural cleaning alternatives
- Choose an ecological cleaning service.
- Do it yourself with green, store-bought cleaning products.
– Read the product labels and choose those that appear to reveal all the ingredients.
– Be careful with words warning tank, Y danger.
– Select products made from plant-based materials, e.g. Citrus, seed, vegetable oils as these must be biodegradable.
– Choose pump spray containers instead of aerosols. Not only can these be harmful to ozone, but they also produce a finer mist that is more easily inhaled.
Do it yourself with homemade cleaning agents.
– Baking soda: multipurpose cleaner, effective on glass, coffee pots. Remove red wine stains from carpet. When made into a paste with water, it shines stainless steel and silver, removes tea stains from mugs. For cleaning sinks, countertops, toilets and bathtubs, make a paste with castilla and a drop of essential oil (tea tree or lavender). To clear clogged drains, pour 1 cup down the sink followed by 3 cups of boiling water.
– Boiling water: Use weekly to flush drains and prevent clogging.
– Coarse salt: Cleans copper pans and saves kitchen utensils. Sprinkle on fresh spills in the oven, then wipe up. To remove rust stains, sprinkle salt, then squeeze lemon or lime over them, let sit for several hours, and wipe clean.
– Essential Oils: Mix lavender or tea tree essential oils with water and use as an antibacterial spray for kitchen and bathroom surfaces.
– Grapefruit Seed Extract: To kill mold and mildew, add a few drops to water and spray on affected surfaces.
– Lemon juice: It acts as a bleaching agent in clothes. Use it to remove grease from stovetops and countertops. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to 10 drops of real lemon oil and a few drops of jojoba oil to clean and polish wooden furniture.
– Olive Oil: Lubricates and polishes wooden furniture. Mix 3 parts olive oil with 1 part vinegar; or 2 parts olive oil with 1 part lemon juice.
– Tea tree oil: Antibacterial properties, kills mold and fungi. Add 50 drops to a bucket of water to clean countertops and tile floors.
– Toothpaste (white): cleans silver, can remove water stains on wooden furniture; apply, let dry, then wipe off.
– White Vinegar – Cleans linoleum floors and glass when mixed with water and a small amount of castile. Cuts grease and removes stains; removes soap suds and cleans toilet bowls (you can also add baking soda). Can be poured down drains weekly for an antibacterial cleanse. Add it to water in a spray bottle to kill mold and mildew.
Other considerations:
– Microfiber cloths/mops are great at attracting dirt and bacteria and shouldn’t require any cleaning solution, just water, so they’re eco-friendly and inexpensive.
– Using cloths that can be washed and reused instead of disposable wipes is better for the environment as it uses fewer resources.
– Using a vacuum with a HEPA filter traps dust in the vacuum and releases fewer particles into the air.
– Prevention: Take off your shoes when you are at home.