Harmful Chemicals in Cleaning Products

When shopping for cleaning products most consumers are looking for one thing, products

 that clean. What many consumers fail to look for this the chemicals and warning on the cleaning labels. So what should we look for? Although most cleaning supplies don't list the ingredients on the back label, there are clues to the content and harmful effects of these products. By looking for signal words, such as Danger, Poison, Warning or Caution you can judge the toxicity of the products. Products labeled Danger or Poison are the most hazardous, products labeled Warning are moderately hazardous and products labeled Caution are sightly hazardous. If possible look for products nontoxic enough as to not require one of these signal words on the label.

The harmful chemicals can be in household supplies ranging from hand soups to oven cleaner. These are some of the chemicals, which products they can be found in and their effect.

•   Chlorinated phenols found in product such as toilet bowl cleaners are toxic to respiratory and circulatory systems. Combined with other ingredients they can produce toxic flumes. There are over 19 different Chlorinated phenols
•  Diethylene glycol found in window cleaners can depress the nervous system.
• Phenols found in disinfectants are toxic to respiratory and circulatory systems.
•  Nonylphenol ethoxylate, a common surfactant (detergent) found in laundry detergents and all-purpose cleaners. It was been shown to biodegrade slowly into an even more harmful toxin.
• Formaldehyde found in spray and wick deodorizers is a respiratory irritant and suspected carcinogen.
•  Petroleum solvents in floor cleaners damage mucous membranes.
•  Perchloroethylene, a spot remover, causes liver and kidney damage.
•  Butyl cellosolve, common in all-purpose, window and other types of cleaners, damages bone marrow, the nervous system, kidneys and the liver. The list could fill a book. And it’s a book that would include thousands of other chemicals — some so dangerous that they’re found on lists of chemicals associated with Superfund toxic waste sites and in the toxins section of the U.S. Clean Air and Water Acts. Retrieved October 7, 2012, from http://life.gaiam.com/article/8-household-cleaning-agents-avoid.

References: http://life.gaiam.com, http://www.organicconsumers.org, http://www.epa.gov