Have you ever gotten a headache, or have your eyes or throat felt irritated after you cleaned your house? Many common household cleaning products include toxic chemicals which are not only absorbed into your body but also negatively affect your health. Cleaners, disinfectants, and air fresheners can irritate the eyes, nose, skin, and throat, and worse.
Experts suspect that the chemicals in our direct environment may be partly to blame for the rise in certain diseases such as autism, cancer, diabetes, and obesity. Pregnant women, young children, the elderly, and people with low immunity run the highest risk.
Some toxic chemicals reach us before we’re even born: A small study conducted in 2005 found nearly 300 chemical contaminants in the umbilical cord blood of newborn babies.
Although it is impossible to avoid synthetic chemicals altogether, we can all easily start to reduce our exposure to them by taking small steps.
Start by replacing these toxic chemicals most commonly found in our homes with safer alternatives:
Ammonia
A volatile chemical, ammonia is found in many household cleaning products including:
- Bathroom, multi-surface, and toilet cleansers
- Drain cleaners
- Floor polishing waxes
- Furniture polish
- Oven and stainless-steel cleaners
- Window/glass cleaners
The sparkling surfaces commercial cleaners produce come at a cost to your health though. Ammonia is easily evaporated and inhaled involuntarily; it can cause coughing, and irritation of the nose and throat. Exposure to high concentrations in the air can cause immediate burning of the nose, respiratory tract, and throat which can lead to respiratory distress or failure.
Children, those who suffer from asthma, and the elderly with lung issues are at greater risk.
If skin or eyes come into contact with ammonia in the air or in liquid form, this may produce rapid eye or skin irritation, while exposure to high concentrations may cause severe burns and injuries.
How to minimize exposure:
Use natural products for home cleaning such as baking soda, essential oils, lemon, and vinegar. A myriad of recipes can be found online.
For example, instead of using commercial window cleaners, mix an equal amount of water and vinegar and wipe with a white paper towel or newspaper. As a silver polish, toothpaste, which lacks triclosan, has an outstanding result. To clean your toilet or whiten your laundry, use vinegar.
Chlorine
Chlorine is found in many household cleaning products such as:
- Automatic dishwashing detergents
- Chlorine bleach
- Mildew removers
- Toilet bowl cleaners
Breathing in the chlorine fumes can irritate the lungs and is particularly dangerous for people with heart conditions or respiratory problems such as asthma. When used in small, poorly ventilated spaces, such as bathrooms, the risk is increased. A highly corrosive substance, chlorine can damage eyes, skin, and other membranes while swallowing chlorine bleach can burn the mouth, throat, stomach, and gastrointestinal tract.
Because bleach and other cleaners often come in brightly colored bottles, they are attractive to kids; many children are admitted to the emergency room each year for accidental poisonings.
How to minimize exposure:
Avoid products that contain chlorine. On a product label, it may also appear as hypochlorite or sodium hypochlorite.
For cleaning plastic surfaces of items such as electronics, rubbing alcohol can be very effective. Safe to use around food products, hydrogen peroxide is non-toxic and can be used to disinfect surfaces. Baking soda and vinegar can be used to eliminate grease, freshen fabrics, and clean glass.
And let’s not forget that old fashioned soap and warm water will clean just about anything in your home without risks to your health.
Parabens
Widely used synthetic preservatives that help prevent the growth of bacteria, mold, and yeast in personal care and food products, parabens as most commonly found in:
· Body washes
· Deodorants
· Facial cleansers
· Make-up
· Shampoos
· Baked goods
· Beverages,
· Food packaging that keeps contents fresh
· Jam, jellies, jams, and preserves
· Syrups
Parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen and have been linked to health risks such as cancer, neurotoxicity, and skin irritation.
How to minimize your exposure:
Avoid parabens by reading product labels and making sure they are paraben-free. Look for names such as benzyl paraben, butylparaben, ethyl paraben, isobutyl paraben, isopropyl paraben, methylparaben, and propylparaben.
Phthalates
Although phthalates are commonly found in plastic food and beverage containers, it turns out their presence extends far beyond those products. They may also be found in:
· Air fresheners
· Hair spray
· Insect repellent
· Laundry detergent
· Nail polish
· Perfume
Easily absorbed by our bodies, phthalates are endocrine-disrupting chemicals – products that mimic natural hormones and can affect reproductive development and health. Most commonly labeled as “fragrance”, they are linked to cancer and early puberty in girls, putting them at risk of developing breast cancer later in life.
How to minimize your exposure:
· Never microwave plastic containers.
· Store food in glass or metal containers.
· Avoid vinyl flooring and PVC pipes.
· Stop using products that contain “fragrance.”
· Replace with products based on essential oils, naturally fragrant botanicals, or labelled “phthalate-free.”
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds, or “QUATS”
Quat is the common name for quaternary ammonium chloride compounds of which there are about 300 varieties all of which function as antimicrobial agents and have negative health effects similar to those of TCS – they can breed drug-resistant bacteria. They’re also a major skin irritant while, reportedly, exposure to quats is a leading cause of contact dermatitis and linked to asthma.
These chemicals are most commonly found in:
· Antibacterial household cleaners
· Antistatic agents
· Fabric softeners
· Shampoo and conditioners
· Wood polish
How to minimize exposure:
Check product labels for names such as: alkyl benzyl, behentrimonium chloride, behentrimonium methosulfate, benzalkonium chloride, cetrimonium chloride, cetrimonium bromide, dodecyhlbenzhyl, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, hydroxybenzyl, hydroxyethyl benzyl, naphylmethyl, or stearalkonium chloride.
Replace commercial fabric softeners with white vinegar which works as a natural, non-toxic softener.
Prepare a natural disinfectant by adding a few drops of tea tree oil to a tablespoon of vinegar. Dilute with water and put the mix in a spray bottle. This can be used as an all-purpose cleaner.
Tip: Add a few drops of concentrated lavender essential oil for scent.
Triclosan
Triclosan (TCS) is an antibacterial and antifungal agent present in consumer products such as detergents, soaps, toothpaste, toys, and surgical cleaning treatments.
The reason hand soaps are labeled as “antibacterial” is due to the presence of this aggressive antibacterial agent that can promote the growth of drug resistant bacteria. Currently, the research community is investigating how TCS also affects the endocrine system, and whether it weakens immunity and may be a carcinogen. Young children who have been exposed to TCS have a higher chance of developing allergies, asthma, and eczema.
How to minimize exposure:
Adopt a healthier choice by using hand sanitizers only when soap and water are not available and avoiding any consumer and personal care products that contain triclosan.
Tip: The shorter the list of ingredients, the lower the probability that a product contains toxic chemicals.
Whether you choose to start by replacing one household cleaning product or to swap them all at once, by choosing natural and healthier alternatives, you can create a healthier home environment for you and your family and save yourself money while you’re at it.
