Natural Home Cleaning Products For Use In Your Home
With all the information out there about cleaning products that are hazardous to your health and to the environment, so many people are looking for alternatives. Terms, such as Volatile Organic Compounds, that were unfamiliar before are becoming something you now make sure your products don’t contain. Learning about what to look for and what to avoid removes the mystery from biodegradable, non-toxic cleaners and dispels some of the myths, such as cleaning your home only with vinegar and water. What you will be looking for as a health-conscious consumer, are that are biodegradable, don’t have solvents, and have a neutral pH.
Avoid Volatile Organic Compounds – There is a name for the dangerous and health-affecting fumes that are emitted from certain liquids and solids, Volatile Organic Compounds. These fumes tend to build up in a enclosed environment and according to the EPA can be as much as ten times higher in density in a home than when used outside. Lack of ventilation is the prime culprit in the accumulation of these fumes which can come from such common household items as cleaning supplies, air fresheners, dry cleaned clothing, plywood, and paint and paint removers.
It may seem that having used these Volatile Organic Compounds causing products for years in the past, you could just continue unaffected. There are some symptoms and side-effects from their use, however, with which you may not have associated the cause and effect. Ever experience eye irritation, headaches or dizziness while cleaning? How about flu-like symptoms? Those are just some of the short-term health considerations. Long-term consequences can include cancer. It is apparent that these chemicals are not safe for even the healthiest adult, however, there are specific groups who appear to fall under a higher risk category. The elderly, of course, as well as babies and children, but also pregnant and nursing women. Individuals with compromised immune systems are also vulnerable. Understanding that these fumed are present for hours after use let’s you know that anyone could be exposed.
One of the most frequent exposures to VOCs in the home comes from cleaning products. From the everyday cleaners for the kitchen countertops, to the grill degreaser and window cleaner, to what you use to mop your floors, clean your carpets and scrub your tubs – they all give off noxious VOC fumes that are breathed in high concentration when being used, but also for hours afterwards and even as they off-gas sitting in the cabinet.
Neutral pH – Current common cleaning products come with extensive instructions about where and what to use them on and even more importantly, where not to use them. This relates to their pH level, either acidic, below 7.0, ranging to such levels as battery acid, to greater than 7.0, the alkaline side, inclusive of bleach. A neutral pH, that of 7.0, means the product is non-reactive environmentally when combining with water, not damaging to surfaces, and not harmful to your skin.
Neutral pH won’t harm even the most sensitive surfaces, such as marble, and you don’t have to worry about it throwing off the pH balance of your skin.
No Solvents – If you knew something was toxic and carcinogenic to the environment and the people who used them, you probably would avoid use. Common household products often contain solvents such as Ethylene Glycol Ethers (EGEs), alcohols, esthers, and Propylene Glycol Ethers (PGEs). You won’t be surprised to learn these are corrosive chemical ingredients.
Biodegradable – Out of sight and out of mind. This could describe the products and chemicals that go down our drains when we clean. This doesn’t mean, however, that the environment is out of trouble. Common cleaning chemicals pollute instead of changing and then dissolving into co-factors that are non-harmful. Some biodegradables contribute even further to dissipation by speeding up the time it takes to do so.
Few decisions are as easy as the one involved in changing from harsh chemical cleaners to .Replacing your existing cleaners with protects your home and your loved ones, as well as making a positive environmental impact.
