Welcome to My World – Harmful Cleaning Products & Natural Alternatives
Hello World! In today’s post I’m sharing info about products we all love to hate, unless of course, you enjoy cleaning your house! I don’t, so I have a love hate relationship with these products and some of them are really not good for you. Unfortunately, that’s not a good enough excuse to skip cleaning your house as there are natural alternatives.
laundry – what’s safe to use? I use Free & Clear, but is that really safe? & what about the rest of your cleaning products. How safe are they?
6 Worst Ingredients in Your Household Cleaning Products + Better Choices
You may be experiencing more than a clean home when you use many commercial cleaning products. That’s because there are countless harmful ingredients that should not be used. Here is a summary of some of the worst ingredients along with your superior natural options.
All-Purpose Cleaners
Uses: All-Purpose cleaning products are typically used to clean counter
Did you know these contain ingredients that are harmful to you?
tops, sinks, tiles and tubs. However, they usually aren’t suitable for floors, windows, glass or mirrors.
Worst Ingredient: Butyl cellosolve, common in your all-purpose, window and other types of cleaners. It may damage bone marrow, kidneys and your liver.
Your Better Ingredient Choices: Castile soap and hot water
Castile soap is named after an olive-growing
You might want to consider this with hot water as a healthier alternative for you to use.
region in Spain. It was typically made with olive oil and animal fat but many of your newer and superior varieties contain plant-based palm, coconut, hemp, or jojoba. Not all castile soap is created equally so you be sure to choose a product that is free from processed detergents and animal products.
All-Purpose Scrub
Uses: Powdered all-purpose scrubs are typically used for cleaning your sinks, tiles and bathtubs.
Worst Ingredient: Chlorinated phenols found in your toilet bowl cleaners are potentially harmful to your respiratory and circulatory systems.
Better Ingredient Choice: Baking soda
Baking soda is a type of salt known as sodium bicarbonate. On its own it
I use baking soda a lot & it works for many types of cleaning. You can mix it with vinegar for an even better clean.
can lift dirt, deodorize and whiten fabrics or your household surfaces, making it a great choice for your all-purpose cleaner. It has a gritty texture which makes it perfect when you need a scouring scrub.
Glass and Window Cleaner
Uses: windows, mirrors and your car windshields
Worst Ingredient: Diethylene glycol found in window cleaners is toxic to your blood, kidneys, and your nervous system.
Better Ingredient Choice: White vinegar
White vinegar, which is also known as acetic acid, is a natural
white vinegar can help you clean & disinfect so many things around your house.
disinfectant, deodorizer, and grease-cutter. According to the well-known environmental group the David Suzuki Foundation it kills E. coli, salmonella, and other bacteria, making it a great all-natural disinfectant for you to use.
Laundry Soap
Uses: Cleaning your clothes, bedding, bath towels, and cloths
Worst Ingredient: Nonylphenol ethoxylate, a common surfactant
What do you use in your washing machine? I use All Free & Clear, but I’m not really sure how good it is for us.
(detergent) found in your laundry detergents and your all-purpose cleaners, is banned in Europe; it has been shown to biodegrade slowly into even more toxic compounds. For more information about this ingredient, check out my blog “Does Your Laundry Detergent Contain 5 Common Carcinogens?” (posted this a few months ago)
Better Ingredient Choice: Washing soda
Washing soda is a type of salt known as sodium carbonate and is a relative of baking soda except that it is more alkaline than its cousin. While it is natural, even some natural substances can be damaging if ingested so it should be kept away from your children and your pets. Clearly label all products made with washing soda. Or, if you prefer, simply use baking soda.
Stain Remover
Uses: Pre-treating your fabrics and clothing to remove difficult stains.
Worst Ingredients: Perchloroethylene, a chemical spot remover, and a possible carcinogen that has been linked to your getting liver and kidney damage.
Best Ingredients: Orange oil
Orange oil is extracted from the skins of oranges and just a few drops
I had no idea orange oil removes stains, but I love the scent!
work well as a stain remover when you pre-treat clothes or other fabrics. You should do a test-patch on a hidden part of your clothing or fabric to ensure the orange oil won’t remove the fabric dye. Orange oil is available in most health food stores. Keep it and products made with it away from your children and pets and label products accordingly. Do not ingest.
Room Disinfectant
Uses: Deodorizing and disinfecting household air.
Worst Ingredient: Butane (yes, lighter fluid) is found in many of your air fresheners and disinfecting sprays. It is a respiratory, brain and nervous system toxin. “I stopped using Febreze because it made my cats sneeze. I had no idea butane was an ingredient in air fresheners.”
Better Ingredient Choices: Essential oils of thyme, oregano, and tea tree
Thyme and oregano show significant antibacterial activity. Tea tree oil has
You can use essential oils as an air freshener.
strong antibacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal properties.
I think this is great information; and I’ve already made many substitutions for my cleaning products, but there are still more I need to make. Do you clean and freshen your air at home with natural products? Please let me know what you use. I’d love to hear about it…
Have a great healthy day!
Enhance Your Life with Mother Nature! Great for your Mind, Body & Spirit!