PART 2: THE DANGERS OF HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS- ingredients to avoid and why

The air in our homes is filled with fumes from petrochemical solvents added to cleaners to dissolve dirt. The average household contains anywhere from three to 25 gallons of toxic materials, most of which are in cleaners. No law requires manufacturers of cleaning products to list ingredients on their labels or to test their products for safety. It’s up to you to make sure your home is not only clean, but also nontoxic.

Unfortunately, it isn’t easy to identify which products contain these hazardous ingredients. While cleaners are the only household products regulated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission under the Federal Hazardous Substances Labeling Act, their sellers aren’t required to reveal these products’ ingredients. These ingredients are considered “trade secrets,” so government regulations are actually designed to protect this proprietary information, not to protect human health or the environment.

When it comes to cleaners, the consumer has little to go on beyond the warning labels that manufacturers are required to put on their products. The labels DANGER, WARNING and POISON give only a very general idea about the seriousness of the unknown substances a product contains. In fact, a New York Poison Control Center study found that 85 percent of product warning labels are inadequate.

These warnings apply only to a product’s immediate health effects; they don’t illuminate what happens when we use them over a long period of time. If you’re using common household cleaning products, you’re likely to encounter the following chemicals (among many others), and the following effects, while cleaning:

• Ammonia:  
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About 80% of the ammonia produced in industry is used in agriculture as fertilizer. Ammonia is also used as a refrigerant gas, to purify water supplies, and in the manufacture of plastics, explosives, fabrics, pesticides, dyes and other chemicals. It is found in many household and industrial-strength cleaning solutions. Cleaning solutions for industrial use contain higher concentrations of ammonia and can quickly cause irritation and burns.  When ammonia enters the body as a result of breathing, swallowing or skin contact, it reacts with water to produce ammonium hydroxide. This chemical is very corrosive and damages cells in the body on contact.

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• Alkylphenol ethoxylates. 
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These detergent-like chemicals break down into alkylphenols, potent hormone disruptors widely detected in people and the environment. The E.U. and Canada have banned them in cleaning supplies. The U.S. (surprise!) has not. Some common ones are: nonyl- and octylphenol ethoxylates, or non- and octoxynols.

• Benzalkonium chloride 
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is a chemical used as a disinfectant, detergent, and antiseptic. Because of these properties, it’s found in hand sanitizers, first aid products (to prevent infection in minor scrapes and cuts), leave-on skin antiseptics, hygienic towelettes and wet wipes, and disinfectant solutions used to clean surgical instruments.  Benzalkonium chloride is also used as a preservative in eye, ear, and nasal products, and as a disinfectant in household cleaners for floors and hard surfaces. You may find it in mouthwashes, hand and face washes, and spermicidal creams as well. The concern?  Studies have shown it to be an immune, skin, and respiratory toxicant as well as carcinogenic.

• Butane

known to cause neurotoxicity

• Butylene Glycol` (also known as butyl glycol, ethylene glycol, monobutyl) 
  
  

This is common in most cleaners (all-purpose, window, etc.). Dangerous to the nervous system, liver, kidneys. Poisonous if swallowed and irritating when inhaled. 

• Chlorinated phenols 
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found in toilet bowl cleaners are toxic to respiratory and circulatory systems.

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• Chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite) 
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Bleach is very obviously strong, corrosive and irritating to both the eyes and lungs.

• Diethylene glycol 
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found in window cleaners depresses the nervous system. Other names:  2-butoxyethanol (or ethylene glycol monobutyl ether) and other glycol ethers. 2-butoxyethanol is a widely-used cleaning solvent that: causes anemia by damaging red blood cells, creates air pollution that exceeds workplace limits, is linked to impaired fertility and reproductive and developmental toxicity, and (just to really make the case) EPA considers it a possible human carcinogen.

• Dye. 
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Companies often hide chemical information behind this word; when it's this unknown, it's safer to skip it altogether.  

• Ethanolamines. 
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These pH-stabilizers can cause otherwise healthy people to develop asthma. Some studies show that certain ethanolamines are carcinogenic or neurotoxic. Common ones to look out for are: mono-, di-, and tri-ethanolamine.

• Formaldehyde 
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found in spray and wick deodorizers is a respiratory irritant and suspected carcinogen.

• Fragrance. 
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These mystery mixtures can contain hundreds of untested chemicals, including toxic ingredients like phthalates and synthetic musks - both hormone disruptors. Fragrances are also among the top five allergens in the world.  I personally get MAJOR MIGRAINE HEADACHES from synthetic fragrances.  

• Nonylphenol ethoxylate, 
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a common surfactant (detergent) found in laundry detergents and all-purpose cleaners, is banned in Europe; it has been shown to biodegradeslowly into even more toxic compounds.

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• Perchloroethylene, 
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a spot remover, causes liver and kidney damage.

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• Petroleum 
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solvents in floor cleaners damage mucous membranes

• Phthylates, Parabens, and Sulfates

• block male hormones and can interfere with normal genitalia development
• High phthalate levels can cause sluggish sperm, low androgen and testosterone levels in adult males
• Most Americans tested have metabolites of Phthalates in their urine
• disrupts and interferes with your body´s endocrine system: your hypothalamus, your ovaries, your thyroid—virtually every system in your body. 
• endocrine (hormone) disruptors, meaning they interfere with normal brain function
• Phthalates and Parebens send signals in the body that could result in Autism, Breast Cancer, Testicular cancer and reduced sperm counts

• Propylene Glycol:  
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The Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) cites skin, liver and kidney damage that can result from contact with PG.  

• Rubbing Alcohol or Isopropyl Alcohol

Inhalation can cause a number of symptoms, including headaches, nausea, vomiting, irritation of the nose and mucous membranes, throat irritations, and even difficulty with breathing.  If there is longer exposure, the fumes from the alcohol can affect your digestive tract and this can result in nausea and vomiting. Inhalation of alcohol can be especially dangerous for children since their systems are less able to deal with the fumes.

(*Info taken from lifegiam.com, theecofriendlyfamily.com, ewg.org, livestrong.com,)

Beware incomplete information Vague terms like "preservative" or "surfactant" don't really tell you what chemicals are in your cleaning supplies. This new "communication initiative" specifically allows fragrances, dyes, and preservatives to be identified by their functional names - in other words, the ingredient list will say just that: dyes, fragrances, and preservatives. Not thinking that qualifies as transparency - you?

SO WHAT BRAND CAN YOU TRUST?    

I wish I could inform you that there are many cleaners to choose from.  While "green cleaners" seem to be a dime a dozen, the truth of the matter is:  most of them are still using synthetic ingredients.  While the amount of synthetics may be much less, my question is, WHY USE THEM AT ALL? And if I DO find a cleaner that meets my expectations, can I afford to buy it?

That is why, almost 6 years ago I began making our OWN household cleaners using SIMPLE ingredients and PURE essential oils.  I can trust our cleaners. Now I will refrain from saying we are the ONLY company you can trust, because I'm sure that is not true.  BUT...we are a company that you can trust to have the best ingredients at the best price.  You will have to start doing your own research to determine what cleaners you feel good about using but I can promise you, you won't be disappointed with ours!  

Don't live in the Kansas City area?  Contact me and find out how people around the country are finding ways to save money on shipping fee's!  I can give you some ideas of how we can get this product to your door without breaking your wallet.

VISIT OUR SITE:  WWW.HAPPYHEARTHOME.COM

HOW TO PROPERLY DISPOSE YOUR OLD CLEANERS:

Please call your city to determine if they have a plan in place.  If not, call cities nearby and see if they do and if they would allow you to dispose of your cleaners properly.