Common household cleaners can harm your health.
Have your eyes or throat ever felt irritated after you’ve cleaned your kitchen or bathroom? Do you sometimes get a headache after using a carpet cleaning agent? Some common household and cleaning products — such as soaps, air fresheners and polishes — can include harmful chemicals, according to the American Lung Association. Cleaners, disinfectants and air fresheners can irritate the eyes, nose and throat, and in some cases cause cancer, according to the ALA. “More and more consumers are becoming aware that chemicals like quaternary ammonium [found in many cleaning products] present risks to human health and in some cases to the environment, and they’re looking for more natural cleaning solutions,” says Stew Lawrence, chief executive officer of CleanWell, a Denver-based firm that manufactures botanical-based antibacterial cleaning products.
Beware of toxic combinations.
Some household products can be harmful if mixed in the wrong combination. Combining the wrong household products could create toxic gases that make you sick or exacerbate underlying conditions like asthma. For instance, mixing bleach and ammonia creates chlorine gas, which can cause irritation and inflammation in your lungs. Scented products — such as laundry detergent, fabric softener and trash bags — may also be potentially harmful to your health. The cumulative effect of exposure to multiple chemicals associated with fragrance may be linked to chronic diseases like cancer, according to the Environmental Working Group, which specializes in research and advocacy in the areas of toxic chemicals, agricultural subsidies, public lands and corporate accountability. “It’s never a good idea to mix cleaning products, even those labeled ‘natural,'” says Samara Geller, research and database analyst at EWG. “The majority of cleaning products have incomplete disclosure of ingredients, especially on the product label. Don’t assume that just because you don’t see an ingredient listed on the label, it’s not present. For instance, two ingredients commonly viewed as safer, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar, should never be mixed together because the combination creates a dangerous peracetic acid.” If you want to clean your home without using harsh, potentially harmful chemicals, try these seven strategies:
Clean bathroom surfaces with diluted vinegar.
Vinegar can cut through grease and helps remove mildew from bathroom surfaces, says Megan Lewis, a spokeswoman for the home improvement chain Lowe’s who’s based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Combine equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle, then shake until the concoction is well-mixed. Spray and wipe as you would with a traditional cleanser. “Diluted white vinegar is also great for cleaning clogged shower heads,” Lewis says. “Spray the equal parts water and vinegar mixture on the head and arm of the shower fixture, then scrub the head of the shower with a sponge that has a scratch pad. Then, use the soft side to wipe the areas you just scrubbed. If the head is still clogged after, you can fill a plastic sandwich bag with the mixture and twist-tie it around the shower head. Letting it sit for about half an hour should do the trick.” CleanWell’s botanical bathroom sprays and wipes are free of harsh chemicals like quaternary ammonium, Lawrence says. Many use thymol, an antibacterial ingredient that’s in various essential oils and has been used as an antiseptic for centuries. The Environmental Protection Agency has found that thymol has minimal potential toxicity and poses a low risk to consumers.
Use baking soda to clean your oven.
Mix baking soda, water and a touch of dish soap in a bowl, use a household sponge to slather the mixture over the entire oven interior and let it sit overnight, Lawrence says. The next day, clean it with a sponge and a spray bottle of equal parts water and vinegar. “If you need a quick cleaning, you can allow the baking soda solution to sit for 15 to 20 minutes and wipe as instructed. But for optimal results, a good overnight coating is ideal.”
Fight grime with brewed black tea.
Brew a strong pot of black tea, allow it to cool, then dip a cloth into the liquid and use it to clean mirrors, windows and hardwood floors. “The tannic acid in black tea acts as a cleaning agent to dissolve dirt and grease,” Lewis says. “This homemade cleaning solution cuts away the filth and smells much better in the home than other toxic alternatives.”
Clean your carpet with cornstarch and vinegar.
Using cornstarch to remove carpet stains is simple. “Simply sprinkle the [cornstarch] powder onto stains and let set for 20 minutes,” Lawrence says. “Then lightly scrub with a dry brush and vacuum. Because cornstarch is naturally absorbent, it can be particularly useful for treating oily or greasy stains, including on clothing.” You can also use a mixture of cornstarch and white vinegar or white vinegar and water to clean carpets, Lewis says. “Mixing one part white vinegar with one part water creates a solution that is effective in cleaning small water-based carpet stains. Use a sponge or white cloth to soak up the solution,” she says.
De-gunk your grout with baking soda and water.
A concoction of baking soda and water can help fight mildew in your grout. Mix one part water with three parts baking soda into a paste. Use a toothbrush to scrub the paste onto your grout, and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove it with a sponge, Lawrence says. For a deeper clean, add a solution of one part vinegar and one part water after you’ve applied the baking soda paste; leave the combination on the grout for about 10 to 15 minutes, then wipe it with a sponge.
Wipe surfaces with a cloth or scrub them with a sponge.
“The repetitive action of wiping with a cloth or scrubbing with an abrasive sponge or brush is often all that’s needed to cut through soils, grease, soap scum and mineral buildup,” Geller says. “A dab or castile liquid or hand-washing soap and water is sufficient for cleaning most household surfaces.”
Clean toys and bathrooms with a citrus-based solution.
A citrus oil concentrate made with orange peels can help deodorize the bathroom and clean germs from kids’ toys without using any harsh chemicals, says Camille Styles, a lifestyle expert and partner with Sunkist Growers, a citrus marketing cooperative owned by and operated for thousands of farmers in Arizona and California. (Styles is based in Austin, Texas). To make oil concentrate, dry out Sunkist citrus peels, soak them in rubbing alcohol, strain them through a cheese cloth and let the liquid sit for a week, Styles says. To create a nontoxic deodorizer spray, combine the citrus concentrate with hot water, baking soda and lemon juice in a spray bottle. To create a disinfecting cleaner that’s safe for toys and high chairs but is strong enough for the kitchen sink, mix the citrus oil concentrate with vinegar, baking soda and water in a spray bottle. Orange oil concentrates are available online starting at about $22 for a bottle that contains 22.5 ounces of the liquid.
More from U.S. News
7 Health Hazards of Everyday Noise
11 Ways Rural Life Is Hazardous to Your Health
6 Health Hazards to Watch Out for This Summer Other Than Skin Cancer
7 Alternatives to Toxic Cleaning Products originally appeared on usnews.com
