7 Household Cleaners That Can Make You Sick
Did You Know That Many Cleaning Supplies Can Cause Severe Health Issues?
You keep your house neat and clean not just to make it look nice but also to ensure you get rid of germs and keep your loved ones and yourself healthy.
Many conventional household cleaners contain toxic chemicals. They vary in severity and can cause immediate (acute) damage, such as skin irritation, respiratory issues, chemical burns, and watery eyes.
Even long-term (chronic) health issues like cancer, compromised immune systems, fertility problems, ADHD, and more can follow.
You might not know that you can do more damage than good if you use certain standard cleaning supplies.
Categories of Toxins in Cleaning Supplies
Carcinogens - cause or promote cancer.
Endocrine disruptors - our bodies perceive them as hormones. The consequences can be severe: infertility, premature puberty, miscarriage, menstrual issues, ADHD, and cancer.
Neurotoxins - affect brain activity and can cause headaches and memory loss.
Obviously, we don't ever swallow any household cleaners and keep them away from children!
Unfortunately, they can be hazards just by inhaling.
Avoid the Following 7 Cleaning Products
1. Air Fresheners:
Most Air Fresheners contain formaldehyde. Formaldehyde irritates the skin, eyes, and throat. It's also known to cause cancer.
Their fragrances can trigger asthma and allergies, even if marked unscented.
2. Bleach:
Bleach is a strong corrosive substance that irritates or burns your skin. If inhaled, it can affect the respiratory system.
It's hazardous for people with asthma and other lung issues.
3. Ammonia:
Fumes produced by ammonia can irritate your eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. Again, people suffering from asthma, heart, or lung diseases are most susceptible.
Bleach and ammonia combined produce chloramine, a toxic gas, causing severe lung damage.
4. Sanitizers:
Disinfecting is on everybody's mind, at least since covid. That's understandable and, up to a certain level, helpful because we all want to protect ourselves and our families from infectious diseases.
If we take it too far, antibiotic and sanitizer-resistant germs and bugs can be the outcome.
Cleaning surfaces and washing hands are more efficient and not hazardous.
Using sanitizers should be the exception if cleaning is not an option or if you're a doctor or nurse.
5. Fabric Softeners and Dryer Sheets:
Using fabric softeners promise soft, fresh-smelling clothes free of static and wrinkles. Seems to be a no-brainer, right?
But they contain a powerful combination of chemicals that can harm your health, damage the environment, and pollute the air.
The chemicals in fabric softeners and dryer sheets can cause allergies, skin irritations, difficulty breathing, and reproductive harm.
6. Drain Cleaners, Oven Cleaners, and Toilet Bowl Cleaners:
These are the most potent and dangerous cleaners on the market.
Most contain lye (sodium hydroxide), hydrochloric acid, and other chemicals.
They can cause severe skin and eye damage.
7. Carpet or Upholstery Cleaners:
Carpet cleaners contain a chemical called naphthalene.
It's known to cause cataracts and liver damage.
1 More Thing You Need to Know About Common Cleaning Products
We all want our house to smell good and fresh.
Guess what? Companies producing household cleaners know that and add artificial fragrances to their products.
Why artificial? - Because they're cheaper and more intense.
The formulas used for those fragrances are trade secrets, and companies don't have to disclose them, even though one-third of the artificial fragrances used in standard cleaning products are toxic, according to "The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health."
Conclusion
If you want to be on the safe side, switch to non-toxic and plant-based household cleaners.
You might worry: "That's so expensive."
I can assure you that's not the case. You only need a small amount to keep your house and yourself clean and safe, and you most likely save money in the long run.
Last "Secret" I Want to Share With You:
Germs and mold love humidity. Stinky rags and sponges are full of germs.
I recommend microfibre rags, letting them dry after use, and washing them frequently.
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