What if by cleaning your house you were in fact making it more toxic with offgassing (emission of harmful gases) from all the chemicals and poisonous substances in your conventional cleaning supplies.
The clean and fresh smell after mopping the floors and cleaning all the table and counter tops may be so wonderfully satisfying, but it all comes with a health risk to the entire household. Switching to organic and eco-friendly clothes may be fruitless if your laundry detergent contains some of the most toxic substances that could still be absorbed into the skin of you and your loved ones.
LABELS = LIES
It should be noted that the most toxic cleaning products could even be those that are labelled as “safe”, “natural”, and even “organic”.
Some labels do state warning phrases such as “harmful if directly inhaled or touched” and “may cause skin irritation”. However these labels will not and cannot tell you everything there is to know about the extent of damage the hazardous substances in these cleaning products can do to you.
Household ammonia that you commonly see available at the Cleaning Supplies section of supermarkets contains ammonia, which is a strong colourless gas that can cause poisoning if you breathe it in. Poisoning may also occur if you swallow or touch products that contain very large amounts of ammonia.
WARNING: Never mix ammonia products with chlorine products such as bleach. This causes the release of toxic chloramine gas, which can result in mild to severe respiratory tract irritations and corrosions, inflammation of lung tissues, edema, and even death.
Common chemicals and and toxic substances found in household cleaning products:
Fragrance, alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs), nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs), butyl cellosolve, butyl glycol, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (EGBE), diethanolamine (DEA)
CLEAN UP YOUR ‘CLEANING PRODUCTS’
The majority of cleaning products clearly do not fall under the category of being organic, so if an organic lifestyle is what you are aiming for, it is time to clean up all these cleaning products and switch to true all-natural product choices that are not only better for one’s health but also for the environment.
Look for products that are certified with these kind of labels:
- Design for the Environment
- EcoLogo
- GreenLabel
- Green Mark
Unfortunately I was unable to find any organic certified or exclusive organic brands for cleaning products. What one should do would be to not just rely on what the label on the product claims it is, one should look at the ingredients to see if what is in the product is safe for use in your home.
CREATE YOUR OWN
If you want to make sure your home is as toxic-free as you can have it, why not make your own green organic cleaning products from easy-to-get ingredients?
While they may not be as efficient as the conventional toxic-containing cleaning agents, they are definitely the better choice healthwise! Here are some natural cleaning agents you could get creative cleaning your home with:
- White Distilled Vinegar
Vinegar is naturally very acidic on its own, which as a result means it has antibacterial properties. Use vinegar to get rid of a bad smell in your house, or to clean your toilet bowl instead of bleaching it, or to remove molds and shower-scum! It also happens to be a good fabric softener and window shiner. - Baking Soda
Sodium bicarbonate, or better known as baking soda is alkaline in nature, which means it is in a sense the opposite of vinegar. It is great at eliminating odour and is an amazing all-purpose cleaning agent due to its abrasive sand-like texture. Your go-to natural cleaning product to remove dirt and grime that is oil-based! - Lemon Juice
Similar to vinegar, lemon juice is very much acidic in nature and it can be used as a cleaning agent in the same ways. However, it is cheaper and smells way better than vinegar does. - Tea Tree Essential Oil
Tea tree oil is known for its antibacterial and antifungal properties. If it is safe to use for one’s face in trying to clean up breakouts, it most definitely is safe to use to clean up the home. The antiseptic aroma to it is an added plus! - Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender also has antibacterial and antifungal properties just as tea tree essential oil does. However the scent this natural oil gives off is very much different. If you prefer a more floral comforting scent, this is your cleaning agent for the home!
✿ P.S, check out some natural cleaning recipes and mixes online to see how you can get more creative methods with your wonderful organic cleaning tools!