Here at the Clean and Green testing centre we tend to get concerned with cleaning products. Especially those that contain hydrocarbons and chlorines, these can give off dangerous fumes. These pollute the air in your living space. Over the coming weeks we will be looking into this serious subject and hopefully deciding what products aren’t safe to use Here’s a quiz to get us started. See what cleaning products you have in the house that maybe you would be better off without.
QUIZ
Add one point for “yes” and take one point away for “no”
1 Do you buy cleaning products from mainstream supermarkets or hardware shops?
2 Do you spray or hang air fresheners in the house that weren’t bought in health shops?
3 Do you use bleach in the clothes wash?
4 Do you use disinfectants?
5 Do you use commercial carpet cleaners?
6 Do you use chemical toilet cleaners and chemical tile cleaners?
7 Does your cleaning polish say “flammable” on it?
8 Do you have any old, half used products under the sink?
Answer
If you have answered any of these with a yes or have any points then you might have some indoor air quality problems. These are especially harmful to those of you who suffer from asthma. Below are some suggestions to improve the situation.
1 The majority of mainstream companies have signal words on their products. These range from danger, to poison and flammable. When you are buying products try to go for those with mild words such as caution. These products generally are not as harmful as the others. Better still go for signal words like natural and harmless!
2 Many of the air fresheners on the market have some pretty disgusting chemicals in them. A lot, thankfully are being banned but never buy any with chemicals such as dichlorobenzene in them. This can cause cancer and it is claimed to poison the central nervous system, as well as the liver and kidneys. I tend to use simple air fresheners. Try adding a few drops of essential oil into a spray bottle full of water with a dash of washing up liquid. At the moment we’re using tea tree mixed with lavender, this disinfects as well as smells nice.
3 Chlorine in bleach is very corrosive to the skin. Never mix bleach with any other cleaner, as the fumes that are given off are very poisonous. Try using Ecover natural bleach or pure essential oil based antibacterial products from the health shop or chemist.
4 Try to avoid anything that claims to kill germs. Chances are they will contain triclosan. This substance is a serious skin poison and is said to be more hazardous than many chemicals listed as toxic.
5 Carpet cleaners and other laundry fragrance products contain loads of yukky chemicals. These linger in the house for months. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety, up to one third of chemicals used as fragrance are toxic. Use bicarbonate of soda and a few drops of essential oil. Sprinkle on the carpet and vacuum up after a few minutes.
6 Toilet and tile can cause skin irritation because of the corrosive ingredients. Look for a softer alternative. We tend to use washing up liquid and a bit of elbow grease. The addition of a scouring pad and rubber gloves are invaluable!
7 Many products that contain the word Flammable are petroleum based. Petrol based products have proved to depress the central nervous system which causes headaches and lack of concentration. Olive oil, white vinegar and an essential oil of your choice mixed together can be an effective furniture polish.
8 If you have any half full containers of chemical cleaning products under the sink then these will be giving off harmful vapours. This will be especially bad for the person doing the dishes! Some of these chemicals are known to cause cancer. If you are not using them then dispose of them safely.
Environmental.
QUIZ
Add one point for “yes” and take one point away for “no”
1 Do you buy cleaning products from mainstream supermarkets or hardware shops?
2 Do you spray or hang air fresheners in the house that weren’t bought in health shops?
3 Do you use bleach in the clothes wash?
4 Do you use disinfectants?
5 Do you use commercial carpet cleaners?
6 Do you use chemical toilet cleaners and chemical tile cleaners?
7 Does your cleaning polish say “flammable” on it?
8 Do you have any old, half used products under the sink?
Answer
If you have answered any of these with a yes or have any points then you might have some indoor air quality problems. These are especially harmful to those of you who suffer from asthma. Below are some suggestions to improve the situation.
1 The majority of mainstream companies have signal words on their products. These range from danger, to poison and flammable. When you are buying products try to go for those with mild words such as caution. These products generally are not as harmful as the others. Better still go for signal words like natural and harmless!
2 Many of the air fresheners on the market have some pretty disgusting chemicals in them. A lot, thankfully are being banned but never buy any with chemicals such as dichlorobenzene in them. This can cause cancer and it is claimed to poison the central nervous system, as well as the liver and kidneys. I tend to use simple air fresheners. Try adding a few drops of essential oil into a spray bottle full of water with a dash of washing up liquid. At the moment we’re using tea tree mixed with lavender, this disinfects as well as smells nice.
3 Chlorine in bleach is very corrosive to the skin. Never mix bleach with any other cleaner, as the fumes that are given off are very poisonous. Try using Ecover natural bleach or pure essential oil based antibacterial products from the health shop or chemist.
4 Try to avoid anything that claims to kill germs. Chances are they will contain triclosan. This substance is a serious skin poison and is said to be more hazardous than many chemicals listed as toxic.
5 Carpet cleaners and other laundry fragrance products contain loads of yukky chemicals. These linger in the house for months. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety, up to one third of chemicals used as fragrance are toxic. Use bicarbonate of soda and a few drops of essential oil. Sprinkle on the carpet and vacuum up after a few minutes.
6 Toilet and tile can cause skin irritation because of the corrosive ingredients. Look for a softer alternative. We tend to use washing up liquid and a bit of elbow grease. The addition of a scouring pad and rubber gloves are invaluable!
7 Many products that contain the word Flammable are petroleum based. Petrol based products have proved to depress the central nervous system which causes headaches and lack of concentration. Olive oil, white vinegar and an essential oil of your choice mixed together can be an effective furniture polish.
8 If you have any half full containers of chemical cleaning products under the sink then these will be giving off harmful vapours. This will be especially bad for the person doing the dishes! Some of these chemicals are known to cause cancer. If you are not using them then dispose of them safely.
Environmental.
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