Why Your Cleaning Habits Are Harming Your Kids
Thanks to the fact that the government regulates everything, most of us don’t think twice when purchasing cleaning products from the store. After all, if the authorities have hundreds of thousands of laws on the books, then surely there’s one or two dedicated to making sure that the products we use aren’t harmful, right?
Unfortunately, that’s a false assumption, and it highlights the problem in our society of assuming that the government is taking care of us all the time. It disarms our vigilance to the genuine threats in our environment.
So what nasties in our cleaning products should we be looking out for? And what can we do about it?
Carpet And Upholstery Cleaners
There’s a chemical called perchloroethylene, often shortened to “perc” that’s found in some carpet and upholstery cleaners. According to the chief scientist of environmental protection at the New York Attorney General’s office, perc is a possible neurotoxin There’s also evidence from the EPA that it might be a carcinogen too. Yikes.
The problem is that neither of these agencies have actually acted on perc yet, meaning that it’s down to moms to solve the problem for them by getting it out of their homes. There are plenty of alternative methods for cleaning your carpets and upholstery, without using this dangerous chemical. One is to go to a “wet cleaners” instead of the dry-cleaners, even for products that say “dry clean only.” Wet cleaners have developed a system that uses water instead of harmful chemicals like perc.
Antibacterial Surface Cleaners
Antibacterial surface cleaners often contain what are called quaternary ammonium compounds. These compounds, often called quats in the industry, have been associated with a bunch of health issues. One of the problem is that they promote the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria which can get onto your skin and cause dermatitis. They’re also thought by some researchers to be the cause of respiratory disorders, like asthma.
As www.cleanhappens.com/products/take-it-for-granite-natural-stone-and-countertop-cleaner points out, not all surface cleaners contain harmful chemicals. Many use agents that are naturally derived, meaning that your kids are put as less risk.
Polishing Agents For Bathrooms
We all want our bathrooms to look sparkling like they do in the bathroom cleaner adverts. But have you ever stopped to consider whether these cleaning agents are safe?
According to https://experiencelife.com, many of these cleaners contain ammonia. Ammonia is a compound found in nature, and it’s used on bathroom polishing products so that they don’t leave unsightly streaks. But ammonia, as anybody who has come into direct contact with it knows, it a powerful irritant. It’s particularly toxic for people who suffer from asthma and the elderly, since it can create lung issues and breathing problems..
There is, however, a better choice: vodka. You don’t have to buy the triple-distilled stuff for it to work. Simply add a bit to your metal surfaces once you’ve finished cleaning, and the alcohol in the vodka will make it shine, according to Lori Dennis, the author of Green Interior Design.