I never really gave much thought to commercial cleaning products! they cleaned and thats what they were supposed to do… I knew that I was not supposed to get them in my eye or accidentally consume them of course! but other than that it had never occurred to me that they might be slowly killing me in a different way!!
Yes they do clean… but while they are cleaning they pollute our home and can be harmful if inhaled or touched!
According to the Organic Consumers Association “ some cleaners are among the most toxic products found in the home. In 2000, cleaning products were responsible for nearly 10% of all toxic exposures reported to U.S. Poison Control Centers, accounting for 206,636 calls”
But there are warning labels on the boxes!!! You say…. it clearly says: Danger, Warning or Caution or POISON! … Don’t touch! don’t ingest! don’t inhale…
well… guess what!! That should be the first Sign not to buy these products!!!!
even if we ignore that… not all of them have these “helpful” signs on their packaging!
“The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has found that one-third of the substances used in the fragrance industry are toxic. But because the chemical formulas of fragrances are considered trade secrets, companies aren’t required to list their ingredients but merely label them as containing “fragrance.”
Fragrances added to our cleaners, laundry detergents and fabric softeners are making us sick!!
Others that are not making us sick now are causing long term health effects…. Cancer or Hormone disruption
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Some all-purpose cleaners contain the sudsing agents diethanolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA). When these substances come into contact with nitrites, often present as undisclosed preservatives or contaminants, they react to form nitrosamines – carcinogens that readily penetrate the skin. 1,4-dioxane, another suspected carcinogen, may be present in cleaners made with ethoxylated alcohols. Butyl cellosolve (also known as ethylene glycol monobutyl ether), which may be neurotoxic (or cause damage to the brain and nervous system), is also present in some cleaners.
Forget about what we are doing to our own health by buying and supporting these industries and companies… those bubbly liquids that go down the drains are discharged into our waterways…some are harmless but others threaten water quality, Fish and other wild life…
In a May 2002 study of contaminants in stream water samples across the country, the U.S. Geological Survey found persistent detergent metabolites in 69% of streams tested. Sixty-six percent contained disinfectants.
So what is the solution?
“A few safe, simple ingredients like soap, water, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice and borax, aided by a little elbow grease and a coarse sponge for scrubbing, can take care of most household cleaning needs. And they can save you lots of money wasted on unnecessary, specialized cleaners!”
sometimes we don’t have the time to make our own cleaning products and it is convenient to buy something…
I will post a separate Blog about what brand I use for cleaning my house…. but please read the labels on your cleaning products & try to buy plant based cleaning products to avoid harm to yourself your loved ones & to the environment!
Here is the trailer to a very informative and educational documentary about the high-stakes battle to protect our health from the thousands of untested chemicals in our everyday products. Narrated by Sean Penn.
Thank you so much for reading! please share this post so others can be made aware as well!
and as always
YOU’RE WELCOME! 😉
follow me for more cruelty-free/vegan and health advice 🙂
Sources:
reference: Organic Consumers Association
https://www.organicconsumers.org/news/how-toxic-are-your-household-cleaning-supplies
“The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
veganneeds.com 
Hi there, I wanted to bring up that dose is an important thing to consider when talking about the health impacts of any chemical. At low amounts, many chemicals do not have a significant impact on our bodies. At everyday exposure levels for most people, cleaning products are unlikely to be the main reason for disease or death. That being said, I think it’s a great idea to use cleaning products which are less damaging to our environment!
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yes, you are absolutely right.. but slowly and over time they can cause serious health issues, I have linked a documentary in my blog ” the human experiment” in which they discuss the unknown effects of these products and the rapid increase of health issues in the generations since their creation… not to mention, the fumes and the ingredients which are unknown do cause allergies/headaches and long term damage… we should not be the test subjects for these chemicals…
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This post gives me shivers! I work as a cleaner (http://chiswickcarpetcleaners.com/) and I have used so many different toxic cleaners through the years. As a general we are free to use natural or toxic cleaning solutions at work. I love cleaning with steam and with vinegar. I definitely agree with the article! Toxic cleaners are not good and it is better to be switched with non-toxic cleaners! Thank you for sharing this post!
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Thanks for reading! It’s too bad that these toxic chemicals are not illegal since their harmful side effects are well known 😦 people just need to be informed, there are also natural brands out there that can get the job done 🙂
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