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Household Cleaners: Are They Safe?
Are your household cleaners safe? When put to the test, reserchers find household cleaners have been keeping a dirty little secret.
Before you decide to buy your next supply of favorite household cleaners, take a minute and read the label.
In Shelton Connecticut, chemical researchers test the air in parts of a house where cleaners are stored to measure volatile organic compounds. The meter used won't measure how strong or harmful any chemicals found might be, but it will provide clues as to how many particles there are. Everywhere household cleaning products were kept, the readings multiplied.
An average home, under normal circumstances should read about 50 parts per billion.
In particular, around household cleaners like Pledge, Clorox Wipes and Lysol Disinfecting Spray, Pledge registered 273 ppb. Clorox Wipes came in at 1,000 ppb, and Lysol Spray was much higher, around 1,200 parts per million. 1,000 times higher than the Clorox.Note: Anything over 500 could be a problem for people with sensitivities or asthmatics
We live in an increasingly chemical society and these chemicals are being brought into our homes unaware: experts don't know how dangerous these chemicals might be, but they are starting to worry.
Typically, the chemicals in cleaning products are found in small amounts, diluted with water. This does not necessarily make them safe. Ingestion of common household cleaning products by children accounts for 63% of the phone calls made to the National Poison Control Center.
Another thing to watch out for are aerosol sprays that contain nerve-damaging ingredients, such as hexane and xylene.
Also, aerosol sprays produce mist particles that can contain a high amounts of organic solvents, according to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. It warns that these solvents can be inhaled into the lungs and enter the bloodstream.
According to a 1999 study published in the weekly science and technology magazine, New Scientist, in homes where aerosol sprays and air fresheners were used frequently, mothers experienced 25 percent more headaches and were 19 percent more likely to suffer from depression, and infants younger than 6 months old had 30 percent more ear infections and a 22 percent higher incidence of diarrhea.
Some of the most alarming stories revolve around household cleaners containg chemicals known as ethoxylated nonyl phenols, which have recently been declared toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.
Also known as endocrine disrupters, these chemicals are called "gender benders" by environmentalists because they are believed to cause reproductive problems for some animals. For instance, a group of Columbia River otters, with large doses of ethoxylated nonylphenols in their bodies, can no longer reproduce because their penises are too small.
More than 56 per cent of all nonylphenols used in Canada are found in cleaning products, notably in toilet cleaners and certain liquid laundry soaps.
Fomaldehyde is another chemical compound found in some household cleaners, but it is included as a preservative, not as a cleaning agent. Other chemicals commonly found in household cleaners include ammonia; nitrobenzene, which is a toxic organic compound frequently used in furniture polish; and phenol, or carbolic acid. Most ingredients in household cleaners are chemical compounds that are manufactured for other uses as well.
Be sure to inspect your household cleaners label for any of the chemicals listed above, and avoid them if you find they contain these toxins.
If you or a family member suffer from allergies, or are experience dizziness around cleaners, you should know you may be sensitve to household cleaners containg toxic chemicals and you should know there is an alternative.
Non Toxic cleaners are now available as an alternative to the toxic cleaners homes have been purchasing for years and a simple switch to green cleaners may be the answer to your problems.
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Oct 12, 2009 05:22PM
It’s been 6 months since my son was born… how time flies. It’s been a joy and a blessing to see our new bundle of joy. My natural maternal instinct kicked in immediately and I couldn't believe how much I loved him at the first sight. It’s only natural, right? You would think that by 4th baby, I would be an expert in just about everything. Trust me. Theoretically, I am an expert. But when it comes to actually nursing a new born baby, I am a complete mess. The lack of latching, bleeding, soreness and aching, and to top it all off, I had swollen glands with each child… ugh! I just can’t understand how something natural as breastfeeding can be so incredibly infuriating!
The lactation specialist and other moms tried to help me through the process. But in the end, I gritted my teeth and plowed through it for the first 3 weeks until the pain subsided. I completely sympathize with other moms who give up because nursing becomes too difficult. But I chose to keep trying. In my personal opinion, there is nothing better I can give to my child than breast milk. The benefits of breastfeeding are endless and I’m sure you’ve heard most of them. It is the most effective way of providing organic natural foods.
But with the latest information about chemical toxins such as rocket fuel (perchlorate) in baby formula, I feel more confident that breastfeeding is best for my kids. 
Although EPA believes that the level of perchlorate found in baby formula deemed safe, it is mind boggling that chemical toxins can be found in baby formula in the first place. So for those awesome moms out there that decided to give breastfeeding a try, don’t give up! You are providing your baby with nutrients free from food toxins and it really is the most eco friendly living. But to help ease into the transition, you should gear yourself with a really good breast pump. I wore mind out with the first three kids and recently had to get a new one. However, I also found out that my OB/GYN can write a prescription for a breast pump that is covered by my health insurance. I was able to get the newest Medela electric pump from an insurance approved medical supply store. I suggested this to several of my friends already and so far, all but one were successful. So give the insurance company a call and then talk to your doctor. Good luck and happy nursing!
Mar 01, 2009 07:39PM
I may describe my personal experience about a specific product that I’ve used, but do not generally like to speak negatively about a company in whole. However, I detest Monsanto. Yes, I’ve said it. It is one company I wish to never do business with. Monsanto has been known for the following:
• Monsanto was heavily involved in creating the very first nuclear bomb in the Manhattan Project.
• In the 60’s Monsanto entered into a partnership with IG Farben, a German chemical firm that was the financial core of the Hitler regime.
• For nearly 40 years, the company willingly and knowingly dumped chemical toxin called PCB in a small town in Alabama.
• Monsanto was the main supplier of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. Agent Orange is a code name for a very powerful herbicide and defoliant initially used to reduce the dense jungle in Vietnam. Monsanto’s Agent Orange had dioxin level several times higher than other manufacturers and knew about the severe health problems associated with the chemical. It has been showed that the company presented EPA with false documentation regarding the herbicide. Agent Orange affected 4.8 million Vietnamese, resulting in 400,000 deaths and disabilities and over 500,000 babies born with deformities.
• Monsanto uses fear and bully methods through their “spies” to monitor small farmers across the country and the world.
• In 1998, India was forced to accept Monsanto’s seeds and since caused more than 25,000 suicides due to the company’s forced methods of farming.
Now, what does a company like this have to do with our eco friendly living? Monsanto probably has the biggest influence over our food intake than any other company out there. Although, the US Patent and Trademark Office refused to grant patens on life-forms, citing there are too many variables, in 1980, the Supreme Court sided with a scientist at General Electric to grant a patent on “a live human-made microorganism” to clean up oil spill. Even though the patent wasn’t for a seed, the precedent has been set to seek patents on life-forms. Since then, Monsanto has been diligent in obtaining patents on their seeds and this is how Monsanto has affected our food supplies:
• Monsanto is the maker of Round Up, a very popular herbicide to control weeds.
• The company creates Genetically Modified seeds that have been injected with the herbicide in to the genetic makeup so that the Round Up spraying does not affect the crops. Instead of the organic method of tilling to remove the weeds, the crops have been drenched with this carcinogenic herbicide.
• Any farmers who purchase seeds from Monsanto must sign an agreement stating that they will not save the seeds to harvest in the future, thus making farmers completely dependent on Monsanto.
• Monsanto claims that their GMO seeds have higher yields of production, when in fact; this has been proven wrong over and over again.
• In smaller countries, such as India that were forced to use GMO seeds from Monsanto, many could not sustain their farms due to low yield and annual seed purchasing.
• Monsanto’s GMO seeds can end up in neighboring organic and non-GMO farms through open pollination and bird dropping. Monsanto has known to sue and win against these farmers for patent infringement and usage of their GMO seeds even though it is the organic natural foods that have been ruined. Monsanto claims that even though the farmer may not have used their seeds, but due to the pollination, the “gene” of the new crop now belongs to them.
• 90% of the GMO crops grown in the fields are Monsanto seeds.
• Many countries ban the use of Monsanto’s GMO seeds.
• GMO products may increase the natural food toxins.
• Most countries have specific labeling requirement for foods that are GMO. Most countries, except for the United States.
• Monsanto is the maker of Bovine Growth Hormones (rBGH) to be used on dairy cows for increase in milk production. This hormone is banned in Europe, Canada and many parts of Asia as the studies show that the hormone is easily absorbed in humans. The overproduction of the milk causes udder infection on cows, which leads to increased usage of antibiotics. This growth hormone is widely used in the United States. No long term studies have been done regarding the affects of the growth hormones ingested by humans.
• Small dairy farmers using the labeling, “No Bovine Growth Hormones” in their milk cartons have been sued by Monsanto that these farmers “should not have the right to inform their customers” that their milk does not have Monsanto chemicals. These farmers were forced to remove the labeling and also settle out of court.
• Monsanto has the best network of “spies” known to many farmers as “Mafia” or “Gestapo” using scare tactics to control the farming, thus putting many small farmers out of business.
• Monsanto is working on patenting of livestock.
I cannot possibly list you all the alarming things about this company. I am shocked and appalled that such a company can exist and continue to influence our food supplies. Monsanto spends money and time claiming that their goal is to end world hunger by producing GMO’s that have higher crop yields. However, this has been shown to be more of a PR ploy, rather than a scientific data. Monsanto’s GMO seeds produce less than traditional methods and cause many farmers to go out of business due to annual seed purchasing required by the company. It is so frustrating when I make every attempt to avoid purchasing GMO’s, the FDA continues to block any forms of specific labeling. Whether you decide to purchase GMO products is your right. I just wish I had that same right to make an informed decision through proper labeling of our foods.
Check out the link below for more information on Monsanto. http://www.organicconsumers.org/monlink.cfm
Coming soon: Organic natural foods, tips for living green, food toxins, eco friendly living, certified organic products and chemical toxins.Feb 16, 2009 08:05PM
Chemical Toxins in Household Cleaners
Just last week, the temperature in Northeast Ohio reached 60 degrees, allowing many of us to open our windows to circulate the stagnant air in our homes. In an effort to be more energy efficient, our homes are air tight, preventing any circulation to occur during the cold winter months. According to the EPA, the indoor air quality is 5 times worse than the outside air.
It’s funny, when we bring our baby home, we do everything we can to protect that baby. We make sure the car seat is properly secured, lock all our cabinets that contain cleaners, put the gates up, plug every electrical outlet, etc. Yet, we don’t seem to think about the fact that there are household toxins in the air that the baby is breathing. Since WWII, more than 80,000 synthetic chemicals have been invented to be used in chemical warfare. And only 20% of those chemicals have been tested for toxicity. Yet these chemical toxins have been added to our food, water and cleaning supplies. According to the Poison Control Center, over 10% of all toxic exposures reported were related to household cleaners. Surprisingly, #1 cause of household poisoning is dish detergent. Making it even more disturbing, the government does not require the manufacturers to list the ingredients. I naturally did some digging in the NIH (National Institute of Health) website and came up with some of the most commonly used ingredients in our every day products.
Lye-Potassium Hydroxide is harmful if swallowed or inhaled, can cause severe eye and skin burns, severe respiratory and digestive burns, and repeated contact can cause dermatitis. This ingredient can be found in Cascade products, Murphy’s Oil Soap, Lysol products, most of the oven cleaners Pantene Pro V hair products, Oil of Olay products, Roundup pesticides, and many more.
Hydrochloric Acid can cause severe damage to skin and eyes, throat irritation even when exposed briefly at low level, and linked to reactive airways dysfunction syndrome. Some of the products that contain this ingredient are all brands of toilet bowl cleaners and Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator (ironically, their slogan is “Breath of Fresh Air”).
Sodium Hydroxide is an ingredient that can be found in most of the cleaning and personal care products. According to NIH, Sodium Hydroxide can causes 75% of all caustic injury to the esophagus of kids under 5, can cause burns in tissues, chronic skin irritation, irritation to the respiratory tract, and liver & kidney damage. This ingredient can be found in Clorox cleaners, Cascade, Dawn Dish Detergent, Drano, Comet, Palmolive, Tide, Woolite, Bug B Gone, Easy Off Oven Cleaner, and Tilex to name a few. This ingredient is also included in personal care products such as Softsoap products, after shaves, Colgate, Crest, Aquafresh, Crest Teeth Whitening Strips, Oil of Olay, Dove, Oil of Olay and many more.
I just listed some of the ingredients found in our everyday products that we use. Most Air Freshners have formaldehyde, carcinogens, and phenol as their ingredients. Chlorine (labeled as sodium hypochlorite) is the very first agent used in chemical warfare, yet it is found in just about every cleaning product as well as in our drinking water. And let me not get started on the window cleaners.
After trying chemical free cleaning method of using baking soda and vinegar as my main cleaning ingredients, I tried three other cleaning products. Shaklee makes a large variety of cleaning and household products that are plant-based, no phosphate, biodegradable, nontoxic, hypoallergenic, etc. The best part is that their products are super concentrated. For example, Basic H2, an Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate that can be made to various different cleaners based on how you dilute it. You can make an all purpose cleaner by mixing ¼ teaspoon of the concentrate with 16 ounces of water, 2 DROPS of the concentrate with 16 ounces of water for window cleaner, 1 ½ tsp of concentrate with 16 ounces of water for degreaser, etc. There are so many recipes for different cleaners based on the dilution. The variety of the products that they carry is quite large. I’ve tried every single one of the household products from Shaklee and I have to say, they all work great. As for the environmental issue, Shaklee trumps all other products as they are very concentrated and require far less packaging. Imagine the number of plastic bottles you are saving from the landfill by reusing the same spray bottles to mix your own cleaners. The only caveat of Shaklee is that you have to purchase through a distributor or online. This means that you will always be paying shipping in order to buy the products.
My other product experience is with Seventh Generation. This is one company that takes their corporate responsibility very seriously. They list all their ingredient right on all their bottles. Seventh Generation makes wide range of products from household cleaners to household paper supplies, baby products, feminine care, etc. These products are available in stores such as Target, but I haven’t been able to find all the products. The few that I’ve tried, I really liked. However, none of the products are concentrated. Therefore, you do have to buy far more frequently and the cleaning supplies do take up more cabinet space in your kitchen. I did find several websites that carry this brand, but since they are not concentrated and are rather heavy and bulky, the shipping cost was very high.
I’ve also tried a brand called Method. All I have to say about this product is that each time I used their window cleaner, I was suffering from a terrible headache. I never tried any other product from this line after that.
I haven’t tried any other cleaning products besides the three above. And since Shaklee and Seventh Generation work so well for me, I didn’t find the need to venture out any further. I shared Basic H2 from Shaklee to some of my friends and each and every time, I hear, “I can’t smell if my house is clean.” My rebuttal question is, if your house is indeed clean, why should you be smelling anything?
If you’ve tried any other products or have other product experience, please share with me and other readers by commenting below. We can always learn something new.
Future Topics: Certified Organic products, chemical free cleaning, chemical toxins, eco friendly living, eco friendly products, environment friendly home, food toxins, household toxins, organic living, and tips for living green.
Feb 07, 2009 01:06PM
Test Results: Cloth vs. Disposable Diapers
Since my previous blog post (http://blog.greenenergytv.com/blog/eco-friendly-living-2/0/0/cloth-vs-disposable-diapers-) regarding the disposables versus cloth diapers, I made a complete switch to cloth diapers. It’s been over 2 weeks since the switch and I have to say, it’s not bad at all. This is a very surprising revelation, considering I have failed once before. But then again, since my last attempt, there is an abundance of choices out there for cloth diapers. This was very exciting, but also daunting, not knowing which products to try.
After many hours of research, I found a website www.diaperjunction.com where you can buy a sample package of various diapers. In this package, I received each one of bumGenius All-In-One diaper, Fuzzi Bunz, Kissaluvs, Chinese Prefolds, and Bummis Cover. From the suggestion of one of the readers, I also ordered 1 bumGenius 3.0 cloth diaper. Such experience was done on my 21 month old, 30 pound daughter. Here are my thoughts on each of the diapers.
Chinese Prefolds are not for me. When you use the prefolds, you need to use the water proof covers along with it. The prefolds are very bulky and even after a very short time, it leaked all over. However, these prefolds will make excellent burpie cloths for me. Kissaluvs diapers are incredibly soft. But it isn’t waterproof, so you do have to use a waterproof cover with it as well. Again, this made my baby’s bottom very bulky and most of her pants wouldn’t fit properly. I also tried the gDiapers without much success. It was messy and the whole tearing of the liners in the toilet, swish around with the stick and flushing twice was more work than necessary. I also have a septic system at home, which means that I can’t flush the liners. So in the end, gDiapers was similar to disposable diapers (since I had to throw them away in the trash can), but cause as much laundry as traditional cloth diapers to wash the outside covers and a very expensive process overall (the biodegradable liners cost more than disposable diapers).
As for bumGenius 3.0, I really wanted this to work. All other diapers come in small, medium, and large. However, bumGenius 3.0 comes in 1 size fits all and the size of the diaper can be adjusted by releasing the plastic snaps. This would’ve been perfect when our 4th baby arrives in April. I could buy 1 type of diaper for both of the children and can use them throughout the diapering stage. However, this diaper wasn’t big enough for my daughter. It was too tight on her thighs and would leave red marks on her hip areas with each movement. Also, the fastener is made of Velcro and made it extremely easy for my daughter to remove the diaper when it got too uncomfortable for her. The bumGenius All-In-One was my least favorite. It has a built in insert and is very difficult to wash and takes long time to dry. I have to wash and dry it twice as long as the other diapers.
My favorite of all is Fuzzi Bunz. It’s a pocket diaper design with a microfiber insert, similar to bumGenius 3.0. However, it comes with snaps that can be adjusted for both legs and waist making it virtually leak proof. My daughter sleeps 13 hours at night and is a heavy wetter. I haven’t had a single leakage with this diaper. It also seems very comfortable for her and does not leave any red marks around her thighs even when she is very active. My daughter hasn’t been able to remove the snaps on her own… as of yet. At bedtimes or during long naptimes, I would put 2 inserts in the pocket for additional protection. The diaper washes very well and easily at the first try.
But there is one product that does make the cloth diapering system a breeze. It’s called Kushies Flushable Biodegradable Diaper Liner. This liner lets the wetness go through, but the solids remain on the top. Instead of trying to scrape off the solids in the toilet, you can just remove the liner where the most of the solids are captured right into the trash. I also purchased biodegradable doggie bags (half the cost of biodegradable diaper bags) to throw the liners in.
I am thrilled to report that I am a cloth diapering mom now. Even my husband has been impressed with the whole process. So, for all the parents who have thought about giving cloth diapers a try, do what I did. Buy several different brands and find the one that works best for you. I am happy to report that the cloth diapering world has come a long way… they are definitely not the diapers we grew up in. I’d also like to give special kudos to www.diapers.com. Not only do they have free shipping, but I’ve been receiving my shipment the day after placing the order. This has been fantastic when I am in an emergency and have to order extra inserts and liners. They don’t carry all “green” products, but I’ve found enough eco friendly products on this website to make the switch extremely easy. If you are using a different product or have other product experience, please share them with me in the comment section below. I would love to learn more. Happy diapering everyone!
P.S. I do have a secret stash of Seventh Generation diapers… break in case of an emergency!
Future Topics: Certified organic products, chemical free cleaning, chemical toxins, eco friendly living, eco friendly products, environment friendly home, household toxins, organic living, tips for living green.
Jan 19, 2009 06:55PM
I have a dirty little secret! I use disposable diapers. And before you start casting stones and calling me names, let me explain. I’ve tried using cloth diapers. But that was the time when I had 2 kids in diapers and 1 in pull-ups. Can you imagine? It was one mess after another and if I wasn’t spending most of my day in the laundry room already, I was ready to spend my evenings in it as well. I couldn’t figure out how to disinfect the diapers without using harmful chemicals, such as bleach. In the end, with my head hanged low, I quit. I made one excuse after another why I never tried again. But mostly, I was terrified of trying again. Here I am, supposedly “trying” to lead this eco friendly living, and I was willing to look the other way about the diapers.
I’ve talked to several moms about switching from disposables to cloth diapers. ALL thought that I was nuts! My mother-in-law made it very clear that all babysitting options will be closed for discussion without the disposables. Even my very, ultra eco-friendly husband had a doubtful look on his face. So I begin to wonder if there were any real benefits of using cloth versus disposables… or am I really just insane?
For the sake of the environment, it is estimated that more than 2 billion tons of UNTREATED urine, feces, plastics and papers are dumped into the landfills. Untreated waste contaminates our ground water. Also, over 80,000 pounds of plastics and 250,000 trees are used to manufacture disposable diapers in the United States alone. If that’s not bad enough, the USA consumes over 27 billion disposable diapers which takes over 500 years for the disposables to decompose in our landfills. Some advocates of disposable diapers argue that the extra water and energy used to wash cloth diapers can do more harm for the environment. However, based on my research, it averages extra 2 loads of laundry per week when using cloth diapers. That doesn’t seem too bad.
For the sake of the health of our children, there is no question that the cloth diapers are better. Amongst other chemical toxins used to produce disposable diapers, three stand out the most: dyes, sodium polyacrylate crystals (super absorbent polymer or SAP) and dioxin. Dyes are known to be harmful to the central nerve system, kidneys and liver. The sodium polyacrylate is reported to cause skin irritations, blood from perineum and scrotal tissues, fever, vomiting and staph infections in babies. It can also causes female organ problems, slows healing wounds, fatigue and weight loss to the employees in factories that manufacture it. This ingredient has been banned in tampons as it is linked to toxic shock syndrome. But the biggest concern seems to be the dioxin, a byproduct of chlorine bleaching process. Dioxin is a highly toxic carcinogen. According to the EPA, the smallest amount of dioxin can cause liver disease, immune system complications and genetic damage to lab animals. Proctor and Gamble published a study showing that there is an increase in diaper rash from 7.1% to 61% with the increase usage of disposable diapers. What great news for diaper cream manufacturers.
In the end, moms use disposables for the convenience. However, after doing a bit of research, I am eager to give cloth diapers another try. So far, I’ve ordered some traditional cloth diapers with diaper covers, All-in-One diapers and this new thing called gDiapers (a hybrid between traditional cloth and disposables). If you have any suggestions on how I can limit my learning curve during this process, please share your thoughts with me via the comment section below. For instance, how can I disinfect dirty diapers in an eco friendly way? Your comments will be very helpful for other moms like me. I will report my journey throughout the process and my ultimate conclusion in the battle of Cloth vs. Disposables.
To read all my blog posts, go to http://blog.greenenergytv.com/blog/eco-friendly-living-2 Happy Eco Friendly Living!
Future Post Topics: Chemical Free Cleaning, Eco Friendly Products, Certified Organic Products, and more.