10 Toxic Ingredients In Cleaning Products In Your Home

10 Toxic Ingredients In Cleaning Products In Your Home

By : Angelina
Did you know that your home contains over 400 chemicals on a daily basis? Almost 60-70 of these are toxic and can be found in your store-bought cleaning products. Short-term exposure to these chemicals will not harm your health significantly, but using these products frequently can lead to a buildup of these chemicals in your body that can cause harmful diseases. What makes these cleaning chemicals even more dangerous is that companies are not legally required to list them on the label, so you are unaware of what you might be exposed to. Thus, it is best to avoid these chemical cleaners altogether and opt for more natural homemade cleaners like vinegar and baking soda. Even expert end of lease cleaning Canberra professionals use only organic and biodegradable cleaning solutions for an end-of-tenancy clean. If you are wondering what toxins and chemicals are found in your cleaning products, read on below:  10 Toxic Ingredients In Home Cleaning Products 

1. Phthalates: Disrupts Your Hormonal Balance

One of the most harmful chemicals you might find in your cleaning solutions is Phthalates. These Phthalates are dangerous because they can disrupt your hormonal balance, called the endocrine system, and cause asthma and respiratory problems. You will mostly find these phthalates in your air fresheners, scented dish soaps, and laundry soaps and are most often listed as fragrance or perfume on the labels. To avoid exposing yourself and your family to phthalates, end-of-lease cleaners in Canberra suggest using essential oils as air fresheners or ventilating your home to improve indoor air quality. Also, avoid using scented soaps, which can directly enter your organs and cause massive organ damage.

2. Triclosan: Can Cause Antimicrobial Resistance

Triclosan is another deadly ingredient you will find in your antibacterial cleaning solutions like disinfectants, hand sanitisers, dish soaps and laundry detergents. This ingredient increases antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in your body and thus makes it harder to treat illnesses and diseases. You can avoid this chemical by switching to more natural disinfectants and antibacterial cleaners like tea tree oil and vinegar.

3. Quaternary Ammonium Compounds: Irritates Your Skin

Quaternary Ammonium Compounds are also highly toxic ingredients found in cleaning supplies like toilet bowl cleaners, degreasers, laundry softeners and disinfectants. This group of chemicals can damage the skin and even lead to deadly skin conditions like dermatitis. If exposed to these toxic ingredients over a long-term, you can even develop respiratory conditions like asthma. Avoiding these chemical compounds and using natural preservatives and softeners like white vinegar is best.

4. Ammonia: Leads To Respiratory Problems

If you look at the label of your window or glass cleaner, you will find ammonia as a listed ingredient. Ammonia can shine and sparkle up your glass and metal fixtures without leaving any streaks. However, this powerful substance is also a highly toxic ingredient that can heighten respiratory problems and, in some cases, even lead to chronic bronchitis and asthma. Also, mixing ammonia with chlorine bleach will form toxic gases that can prove fatal. Thus, end-of-lease cleaning professionals in Canberra recommend using vodka or rubbing alcohol instead of ammonia to clean and brighten up your metal fixtures and windows.

5. Sodium Hydroxide: Cause Skin Burns And Eye Infections

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as caustic soda or lye and is a dangerous chemical ingredient in your oven cleaners and drain cleaners. This chemical is extremely harmful as it can burn your eyes and skin upon contact. You must also avoid ingesting this substance as it can cause a sore throat that lasts for days. You can replace this ingredient by cleaning your ovens and drains with natural alkaline solutions like baking soda. Tip: Use these tips to clean your ovens without harmful chemicals.

6. 2- Butoxyethanol: Prolonged Exposure Can Cause Kidney Damage

2- Butoxyethanol is a solvent added to your cleaning solutions to make it easier to scrub your surfaces. You can commonly find this in your degreasers, glass cleaners, oven cleaners, all-purpose and kitchen cleaners. However, this chemical can cause severe kidney and lung damage with prolonged and concentrated exposure in small spaces. This chemical also harms the environment as it does not break down easily in soil and can seep into the groundwater and destroy the water quality. If you find a cleaning solution with this ingredient, replace it with organic solutions like lemon and vinegar.

7. Chlorine: Alters The Functioning Of Your Thyroid Glands

You might be exposed to chlorine not just through cleaning products like mildew removers but also through the tap water in your home. This is because chlorine is added to water to kill and destroy bacteria. But chlorine is highly chronic and can cause skin irritations and even alter your thyroid glands’ functioning. Thus, it is best to use tea tree oil and lavender oil instead to kill mildew and mould and use water filters in your home to prevent exposure to chlorine.

8. Phosphates: Hampers The Production Of Oxygen In Waterways

You will often find Phosphates listed as Sodium Tripolyphosphate on your bathroom cleaners and laundry detergents. This chemical prevents minerals in hard water from mixing with the surfactants, making it easier to clean the area. However, this chemical harms the ecosystem by seeping into the waterways and causing algae and weeds to grow. These weeds, in turn, hamper the production of oxygen that kills fish and other aquatic life. You can avoid this substance by using vinegar to dissolve minerals and naturally clean your surfaces.

9. Perchloroethylene: Causes Dizziness And Loss Of Coordination

Perchloroethylene is a common ingredient in most stain removers and dry cleaning solutions. But when exposed to this chemical in large quantities, it can cause dizziness and loss of coordination. End-of-lease cleaners suggest using baking soda or undiluted castile soap instead to remove stains and clean your upholstery and carpets. Tip: You can use castile soap to clean other home surfaces.

10. Ethanolamines: Carcinogenic In Nature

Ethanolamines are mostly found in three varieties: MEA (monoethanolamine), DEA (diethanolamine), and TEA(triethanolamine). All three of these compounds are deadly as they can be combined with 1,4-dioxide to create a substance that is often carcinogenic. This means these emulsifiers, mostly in dish soaps and floor cleaners, have cancer-causing properties. Thus, it is best to always check your labels for this ingredient and use more natural floor cleaners like vinegar or plain hot water. Tip: Thus, it is best to avoid these harmful chemicals and use these top 5 natural cleaners for your home instead.

Conclusion

Thus, the above ten toxic ingredients are highly harmful to your health and can hamper indoor air quality and the environment. Avoiding these substances and using more natural and organic ingredients in your pantry, like baking soda, lemons, and vinegar, is best.