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Toxic cleaners - What are they? |
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by OzBinky  (February 2007) (rank 15th) |
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How much money do you spend on cleaning products for your home? I know I spend a fortune and most of it is trial and error when you do. I can’t begin to add up how much money I have waisted on products that claim to get rid of
those stains you are begging to disappear and when you buy and try, its useless or makes the stain worst. Worst still, what are these products doing to us, our health and our planet? Have you ever looked at the ingredients listed on the side of the bottle? Many of the chemicals used in cleaning products are harmful to you, your children as well as the environment such as; oven and drain cleaners, air fresheners and even furniture polish.
Kitchen Cleaners [1]
Some products for the kitchen such as, multi-purpose cleaners, ammonia- based cleaners, bleach, dishwashing detergent and glass cleaners contain a multitude of chemicals which can be extremely dangerous – such as:
Sodium Hypochlorite, or chlorine bleach, can cause asthmatic reactions if mixed with ammonia.
Ammonia which is found in glass cleaners can cause headaches, affect eyes and lung problems.
Disinfectants which contain phenol and cresol can cause diarrhea, fainting spells, dizziness and also kidney and liver problems.
Nitrobenzene, a chemical used in furniture and floor polishes, can cause discoloration of the skin, vomiting and breathing difficulties and in extreme circumstances, ‘…death associated with cancer and birth defects…’
The chemical found in metal polishes, petroleum distillate, can cause ‘temporary eye clouding’ if exposed to if for a short time. Long term exposure can cause damage to skin, kidneys, eyes and even the nervous system.
Laundry and Bathroom Cleaners [1]
Products such as: laundry softener and detergent, mildew cleaner, spot and stain removers, mothballs and anti static/cling laundry sheets/sprays – normally all contain toxic ingredients – such as:
The solvents, perchloroethylene (1-1-1) trichloroethane, found in spot/stain and carpet cleaners have been linked to liver and kidney damage if swallowed and is suspected to have cancer causing effects. The main ingredient found in mothballs, naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene, also is suspected to have cancer causing effects and can cause problems with eyes, liver, kidney skin and blood.
Hydrochloric acid or sodium acid sulphate which are found in toilet bowl cleaners can burn the skin, if swallowed can cause vomiting, diarrhea and burns to the stomach and if splashed in the eyes can cause blindness.
Ingredients which can irratate the lungs include those which make up spray starch such as; formaldehyde, phenol and pentachlorophenol.
When you look at these ingredients that make up our household cleaners and the effects they can have on people, you have to ask yourself, what extreme lengths do we go and at what risk….
Household cleaning products are like having a loaded gun in the house. It may be under lock and key but accidents do happen and can happen in even the safest of houses. Considering this and the fact that our planet is in danger, and it is contributed to what we use in our everyday lives, we have ask ourselves whether it is worth the risk? and Is it time to reassess what we use when cleaning?
With knowledge comes informed decisions – don’t just take these products for granted, read the labels and know what you are buying. For the most part consumers of cleaning products do not understand how dangerous they are; have a look under your sink or someone else’s. How many parents keep their cleaning products there? I know I did…
My loaded gun apparently was in reach at all times….where’s yours?
Reference:
- Fact sheet from Regional Waste Management [1]
. Parents often lock up medications and forget about the all purose poisons around the house in the form of cleaners.
