Ecological cleaning vs conventional cleaning

Top Hazardous Chemicals in the Home

• Air fresheners – many contain formaldehyde, a known and highly toxic carcinogen; Phenol: Contact with the skin can cause swelling, burning, peeling and hives, can cause cold sweats, seizures, circulatory collapse, coma and potentially death.
• Ammonia: damages the eyes, the respiratory tract and the skin.
• Bleach: highly corrosive, can irritate or damage the skin, eyes and respiratory tract. May cause pulmonary edema, vomiting, and coma if swallowed.
• Carpet and Upholstery Shampoo – Some contain perchlorethylene, a known carcinogen that damages the liver, kidneys, and nervous system. Ammonium hydroxide: corrosive and highly irritable to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract.
• Dishwasher Detergents – Most contain chlorine in dry form. # 1 cause of childhood poisoning according to poison control centers. They also contain phosphates that pollute groundwater supplies.
• Drain Cleaner – Most contain bleach; caustic, burns skin and eyes, damages esophagus and stomach if swallowed. Hydrochloric acid: corrosive, irritating to the eyes and skin, damages the kidneys, liver and digestive tract. Trichloroethane – irritant
• Furniture polish – Petroleum distillates – Highly flammable, can cause skin and lung cancer. Phenol: same as air fresheners. Nitrobenzene: easily absorbed through the skin, extremely toxic.
• Mold & Mildew Cleaners – Sodium Hypochlorite – Corrosive, irritating / burning to skin and eyes, causes fluid in lungs and can lead to coma or death. Formaldehyde – Known highly toxic 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, strong irritant, burns skin and eyes, inhibits reflections, will cause serious tissue damage if swallowed.
• Antibacterial cleaners: may contain triclosan; absorption through the skin may be related to liver damage.
• Laundry products: in addition to bleach, it may contain sodium or calcium hypocrite: highly corrosive, irritates or burns the skin, eyes or respiratory tract. Linear alkylate sulfonate absorbed through the skin. Known agent that damages the liver. Sodium Tripolyphosphate – irritates the skin and mucous membranes and causes vomiting. Easily absorbed through the skin of clothing.
• Toilet bowl cleaners – Hydrochloric acid – highly corrosive, irritating to the skin and eyes. It damages the liver and kidneys.
• Hypochlorite bleach: corrosive, irritates / burns eyes, skin and respiratory tract. May cause pulmonary edema, vomiting, or coma if swallowed. Contact with other chemicals can cause chlorine fumes that can be life threatening.

Other toxic items in the home

• Pesticides
• Flea powders
• Lice shampoo
• Car washing and polishing
• 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 the labels. It is not defined by the government, so it MAY be used in toxic products.
• Only a tiny fraction of the more than 75,000 registered chemicals have been tested for human health problems. (EPA)

• The typical American household is the number one per capita chemical waste violator. (EPA)
• The average American home has 3 to 10 gallons of hazardous materials. (Children’s Health Environmental Coalition)
• Children are at special risk of exposure to toxins.

– Pound for pound, they breathe more air, drink more water, eat more food.

– During play, they crawl and put things in their mouths (which is also true for our pets).

Natural cleaning alternatives

• Choose a green cleaning service.
• Do it yourself with eco-friendly store-bought cleaning products.

– Read product labels and choose those that seem to reveal all the ingredients.

– Be careful with words caution, warning, Y danger.

– Select products made from material of plant origin, eg. Eg citrus oils, seeds, vegetables as these must be biodegradable.

– Choose pumped spray containers instead of aerosols. Not only can these be ozone damaging, they also produce a finer mist that is easier to inhale.

Do it yourself with homemade cleaning products.

– Sodium bicarbonate: Multipurpose cleaner, effective in glasses, coffee makers. Remove red wine stains from your carpet. When made into a paste with water, stainless steel and silver shine, removing tea stains from cups. To clean sinks, countertops, toilets, and bathtubs, make a paste with castile and a drop of essential oil (tea tree or lavender). To clear clogged drains, pour 1 cup into the sink followed by 3 cups of boiling water.

– Boiling water: Use weekly to flush drains and prevent clogs.

– Coarse salt: Clean copper pans and clean kitchen utensils. Sprinkle over fresh spills in the oven then wipe up. To remove rust stains, sprinkle salt then squeeze lemon or lime over them and let it 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 laundry bleach. Use it to remove grease from the stove 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 of olive oil with 1 part of vinegar; or 2 parts of olive oil with 1 part of 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 (plain white): Clean silver, can remove water stains on wooden furniture; Apply, let dry, then wipe clean.

– White vinegar – Cleans linoleum and glass floors when mixed with water and a small amount of castile. Cuts grease and removes stains; removes soap scum and cleans toilets (you can also add baking soda). Can be poured down drains weekly for antibacterial cleaning. Add to water in a spray bottle to kill mold and mildew.

Other considerations:

– Microfiber rags / 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 washable and reusable cloths instead of disposable wipes is better for the environment as it consumes fewer resources.

– Using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter traps the dust in the vacuum cleaner and fewer particles are released into the air.

– Prevention: Take off your shoes when you are at home.