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Cleaning Chemicals That Really ARE Safe to Use

chemicals

Cleaning chemicals don’t have to come from a lab. Nobody is dying for a clean home but many people do get ill from common household cleaners. Even the ones which are allegedly harmless to use. The big secret that industrial manufacturers don’t want anyone to know is that a few simple things, which you probably already have on hand, are all you really need. Most importantly, they won’t make you sick.

Safe and natural chemicals

Chemicals in general aren’t the problem. The biggest ingredient of the human body is dihydrogen monoxide. Most of us call that “water.” We can’t even automatically declare all synthetic substances the “evil” ones because things like arsenic, carbon monoxide, and radon are all totally natural.

They’ll also kill you just as dead as any nerve toxin. To get to the heart of the controversy, we need to consider certain classes of compounds. It turns out that some are a lot more offensive than others.

Not everyone is bothered by cleaning chemicals and fragrances but Anne Steinemann pays close scientific attention to the ones who are. This author is one of them.

We call ourselves “canaries” after the miner’s canaries warning of invisible death in the air. The big problem is that, other than Dr. Steinemann, not many people are hearing the alarm.

The first thing she points out is that it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to don rubber gloves and spray harsh and noxious substances to clean your home when “one of the primary reasons for cleaning your home regularly is to clear out the many toxic chemicals that have accumulated in your household dust.

chemicals

Nasty compounds which affect reproduction like Flame-retardants and phthalates. Not to mention “thousands of species of bacteria and fungi.

Volatile organic compounds

All those labor saving miracle sprays, wipes, scrubs and polishes are “putting toxins into your home environment instead of removing them.” The laundry room is a source of “toxic death” to they average canary.

Things like “detergents, dryer sheets and air fresheners” should be banned by the Geneva convention, they say. That strong lemon or pine scent people associate with “clean” are “created by toxic volatile organic compounds” Most of those are called terpenes and they’re in all sorts of plants. Researchers call those chemicals VOC’s.

Professor Steinemann explains that if “you ever felt nauseous, dizzy or gotten a headache after cleaning your home with typical cleaning supplies or using an air freshener,” then “it’s probably because of the VOCs.” They’re well known to cause eye, nose and throat irritation.

Over “the longer term these chemicals can damage your liver, kidneys and central nervous system and even cause cancer.” After studying “25 household products, including air fresheners and all-purpose cleaners, many of them ‘top sellers‘ in their category,” the research team found “the average number of VOCs emitted was 17.

chemicals

Even so called “green, natural and organic” products “emitted hazardous air pollutants.” So if all those are bad for your health, what should you use? The biggest things to have on hand are baking soda, white vinegar, and lemons. Other helpful additions are hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol and Castile Soap. These chemicals are all safe and effective cleaners. Baking soda removes dirt, grime and oils. That makes it great for bathing. White vinegar “has been found to be useful for disinfection against Escherichia coli (E. coli), provided it’s used in a freshly prepared solution of at least 50% vinegar.” Team that up with peroxide in a spray bottle. “One study found that spraying vinegar, then spraying hydrogen peroxide, was effective for killing a variety of bacteria, including E. coli, listeria and salmonella.

Vinegar and water makes great glass cleaner and you can get a foaming scrub by spraying it on baking soda. Lemons are great for cleaning and deodorizing. Another great odor controller is tea bags. Put the dry ones in drawers or anywhere you want a fresh smell that’s not overpowering. They remove odors like that box of baking soda in the fridge too, so change them once in a while for best results.

What do you think?

Written by Mark Megahan

Mark Megahan is a resident of Morristown, Arizona and aficionado of the finer things in life.

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