What toxic cleaning products might you find in your home?
There are a number of toxic chemicals in common cleaning products that you may already have in your home. You can’t remove every source of toxicity in your life, but it’s simple to cut down. Eliminating or reducing your use of these chemicals can have health benefits for you, your family, and the environment.
Phthalates
These are common additions to a variety of products, including makeup, pharmaceuticals, and cleaning products[1]. Although they aren’t listed on labels, if a product says ‘fragrance’ on the label, it’s often Phthalate based. Known endocrine disruptors, it’s also found that high concentrations of this have been associated with asthma and allergies in children. While a small amount of Phthalates may not have an impact on adults, higher concentrations are often found in children.
Triclosan
Most ‘antibacterial’ products will contain Triclosan. The American Medical Association has found that there is no evidence to suggest that Triclosan makes us any healthier, and may in fact promote drug-resistant bacteria[2].
2-Butoxyethanol
Common in window and multipurpose cleaners, if you use these cleaners in a confined space, they can lead to headaches, sore throats, eye irritation/ cloudiness, and nausea[3]. It’s largely unregulated and is commonly not listed on the label.
Ammonia
A common cleaner due to its ability to shine without streaking, ammonia is an irritant. While this isn’t a problem in low doses if the area is well-ventilated[4], even highly diluted, ammonia is highly toxic to aquatic life and is dangerous to the environment[5].
What is safe?
So how can you clean your home safely? How can you avoid harmful toxins, with their annoying or dangerous side effects? The range of cleaners created by YOURS uses non-toxic eco-friendly ingredients that clean benchtops, bathrooms, and floors thoroughly. Their use of pure essential oils means the products are fragranced naturally, making these products safe for your family, and kind to the environment.
