Everyone wants their home to be clean. However, many people don’t realize just how harmful the cleaners they use to keep things tidy are. Most of the popular multipurpose cleaners on the market contain toxins, carcinogens, and other hazardous chemicals that are putting you and your family at risk. Consider this 10-country study that looked at 3,500 people over nine years. During this period, they used spray cleaners once a week. By the end of the study, participants had a 30 to 50 percent greater chance of having asthma.
In addition to asthma, cleaners have been linked to a number of other health problems, including reproductive issues, allergies, skin irritation, burns, poisonings, and even cancer. To avoid your risk of developing these conditions, start using healthy cleaners in your home. This will require shopping for supplies that don’t contain things such as volatile organic compounds, also known as VOCs. VOCs are used in many sprays and air fresheners and spread quickly through your home.
Some other chemicals to avoid include phthalates, perchloroethylene, triclosan, quaternary ammonium compounds, 2-butoxyethanol, ammonia, chlorine, and sodium hydroxide. If you can’t find any cleaners out there without these ingredients, it’s easy to mix your own. Natural ingredients such as baking soda, essential oils, tea tree oil, and other compounds are just as effective at removing stains and freshening up a room. For more tips on keeping your indoor air quality levels safe, check out the infographic below.
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