Green Cleaning: Dangers of Chemical Cleaners

How can you tell when something is clean?

Our generation has learned to associate the smell of bleach or other chemical ingredients with being clean. Unfortunately, these chemical cleaners also release toxic compounds that can actually create health risks for you, your children, and your pets. Even after being used, typical chemical cleaners can leave unhealthy residues around your house on the surfaces you’ve cleaned.

Consider this: The average home has 63 different chemical products, which adds up to about 10 gallons of toxic chemicals under your sink and in your garage. Of the approximately 17,000 different chemicals used in these products, less than a third have been tested for their impact on human health and the environment.

That said, many common ingredients have known health effects. For instance, bleach, lye, and ammonia are all known to be severe irritants to eyes, lungs, and skin. Lesser known common ingredients like triethanolamine  (TEA) or Diethanolamine  (DEA) can affect our hormone balances. Many typical household cleaners even contain petroleum-derived ingredients such as formaldehyde.

So how can you tell if your chemical cleaner is safe?

Since cleaning product manufacturers aren’t required to list all of their ingredients, this can be a difficult task. Cleaners may advertise “fragrances” or their “antibacterial” or “disinfectant” properties, but these terms are often just a catch-all to hide risky ingredients. Cleaners may also advertise their product as “non-toxic”, “natural” or “environmentally-friendly”, but these are unregulated terms that don’t require independent verification.

So what can you look for?

Read the label, and look for safety warnings like “Poison,” “Danger,” “Warning,” or “Caution.” These terms let you know that ingredients can pose health or safety concerns. If the label doesn’t list all of the ingredients, or you’re not sure whether a particular ingredient is hazardous, you can request a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). Though the MSDS is not always available to the public, it would contain the key information on any of the more toxic ingredients or formulations used. As a further resource, you can also search for safety information on specific products or ingredients with the Household Products Database (http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/index.htm). This online library lists the potential health effects of over 2,000 ingredients and 6,000 products.

One of the best choices you can make is simply to eliminate chemical cleaners from your home, and to choose environmentally-friendly cleaning solutions with ingredients that are known to be safe. Making sure that you have the information you need to make informed product choices is a key step in protecting the health of you and your family.

Our next blog post in this Green Cleaning series will discuss eco-friendly cleaning options, including more information on what to look for when selecting a cleaner.

Product Review: Eco-Consultant Gwen Brady Tests the Ionator

Green Irene Eco-Consultant Gwen Brady from Framingham, MA recently put the Ionator through its paces in her home. Here are some excerpts from her review:

I am cheap and exceedingly skeptical. Before I could get behind this for my clients I needed to know that it was up to the job of scouring my admittedly less-than-clean home. That it would tackle whatever germs my girls/pets/raw chicken left on the counters and sinks. And that I wasn’t getting hosed financially. In short – Does it work. Amazingly yes – I give the Ionator a HUGE thumbs up. Here’s why.

Test 1: Bathroom mirror covered with normal fingerprints and added bonus of smeared glitter Chapstick. Incumbant: Vinegar/alcohol based glass cleaner by Seaside Naturals. Hubby evaluator did not know which panel was cleaned with which product. Results: The Ionator wiped the mirror down with significantly less liquid, and was streak free. Hubby said the Ionator panel was much cleaner. Winner: Ionator

Test 2: Kid’s sink. Incumbant: Clorox Greenworks multi-purpose cleaner. The Ionator was up to the task and quickly cleaned the countertops. It did take slightly more effort on stuck-on toothpaste than the Greenworks, however when cleaned off left no residue. The Ionator did an outstanding job on the chrome faucets – high marks for immediate streak free shine. Winner: Ionator

Test 3: Kitchen counter. Incumbant: Arm & Hammer multi-purpose cleaner. Once again the Ionator cleaned up vs. the traditional cleaner (pun intended). Our counters are dark and any smudges/streaks are easily visible. Ionator left no streaks or residue.

Test 4: Stainless steel refrigerator, glass top stove. Incumbant: Method Steel for Real, Arm & Hammer cleaner (stove top). The Ionator did a fantastic job on the stainless – super shine! It did take more than one swipe, however so did the Steel for Real. Did not do quite as good a job on food splatters on the stove: A&H better at dried tomato sauce/took less scrubbing. Winner: Ionator – stainless, A&H – stove top.

Test 5: my face. Incumbant – N/A (sorry, not gonna do it, even with the greenest stuff in my aresenal). The best thing – It’s just water. That’s all. I let a 5 year old play housekeeper with it. No harm to her, the dog, the cat, to her sister, to mommy.

Bottom Line: The Ionator outperformed my conventional cleaners in almost every test. The exceptions were spills that are dried on/ require more scrubbing. For these a traditional de-greaser/enzymatic cleaner or scrub worked better.

To read the full article visit Gwen’s blog at: http://greensaversma.wordpress.com/2010/07/27/road-test-activion-ionator-hom/

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ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN 1 OF 25 GREEN HOME MAKEOVERS!

There is no purchase necessary to enter. On the contest entry form, please specify that you are visiting from greenirene.com. Check out Green Irene’s website to learn more about our $99 Green Home Makeover. Also have a look at our recent blog post featuring tips for septic tank maintenance.

Cleaning Up Your Cleaners

It’s that time of year again- Spring Cleaning! Before you even begin cleaning up your home, you might want to consider starting with the cleaning products you already have.  You may be wondering, what exactly do my home cleaners contain? What gives them their cleaning properties? Are there any risks involved with using them?  Well, you might be surprised with what toxic ingredients may be found in household cleaners and the effects they could have on you, your family and your pets.

In general, many home cleaners contain chlorine or amines (think ammonia) bound to other molecules. Chlorine and amines, in some forms may not be bad, but when bound to other molecules, the resulting by-products may actually harm human health. To help you rid your household of these and other toxins, we investigated the ingredients of common cleaners.

• Mr. Clean Top Job All-Purpose Cleaner: This cleaner contains ammonia, a chemical that is highly irritating to the lungs when inhaled and can irritate the skin.
• Pine Sol Brand Cleaner: This cleaner contains triethanolamine, which is a severe irritant to the eyes, skin and lungs. Long exposure to this chemical can lead to liver and kidney damage as well as ulcers.
• Windex Multi-Surface Kitchen and Glass Cleaner: This cleaner contains glycol ethers, a substance known to irritate the skin and cause liver and kidney damage. It may also cause nerve damage when absorbed through the skin. It is also classified as a hazardous air pollutant.
• Ajax Scouring Powder: This cleaner was given a rating of 2 on a scale ranging 0 to 4, where 0 is no health impact and 4 is severe health impact. Its moderate toxicity can lead to skin and eye irritation and more long-term health impacts.
• Tide Laundry Detergent Powder: This cleaner contains a well-known group of toxic chemicals: phosphates. These are often found in dishwater detergent and as a water softener in some laundry detergents. They can promote algae growth in water streams, hurting marine aquatic ecosystems. This cleaner also contains sulfates and silicates that can be corrosive and can irritate the lungs.
• Pantene Pro V: This shampoo contains ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid or DTA, which is a phosphate replacement.  The problem with this chemical is that it has been shown to free up mercury in water, causing it to reenter the food chain if it was previously locked up.
• Softsoap Antibacterial Liquid Hand Soap (with light moisturizers): This product contains a chemical known as diethanolamine. This chemical can be absorbed through the skin, causing irritation. Chronic exposure to it may affect blood formation, the liver and the kidneys.

As you can see, the general theme is that many conventional cleaners contain substances that could potentially lead to harmful effects on humans. They can irritate the skin, cause liver and kidney damage and affect the nervous system. You might now be wondering,  “What can I do to reduce exposure to these chemicals?”

First, before you purchase a product that is widely used, you should check with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Household Database, which contains extensive information about most mainstream cleaners. In the database, you can learn more about what these cleaners contain and potential risks associated with certain ingredients.

Why not make a spring cleaning resolution this year to have a cleaner, greener set of cleaning supplies? You can make a healthier and safer environment for yourself, family and pets. The Green Irene Toxic-Free Cleaning Kit is a great way to green all of your household cleaners at once!

To learn more, you can ask your local Green Irene Eco-Consultant, who offers a $99 Green Home Makeover that will also give you access to our Ask Green Irene Greenbase. Ask Green Irene subscribers also get access to information regarding specific chemicals to avoid and further tips on cleaning up your cleaners!

Rosamaria Caballero Stafford
Co-Founder and the Original Green Irene

How to Detox Your Child’s Bedroom

This blog post was written by Linda Tarr, a Green Irene Eco-Consultant based in Maumelle, Arkansas.  Click here to visit her personal site.

Indoor air quality is how clean the air is that we breath while indoors.  Unfortunately, due to weather-tight homes, dust, pollen, dander, chemical cleaners, etc, the indoor air we breath can be as bad as the most polluted city.  Indoor air quality is listed as one of the EPA’s top three health concerns.

What we bring into our homes directly affects our indoor air quality.  The good news is we can choose what we bring into our homes.

Here’s a few easy ways to improve the air quality in your child’s (or your) bedroom:

1.  Ventilate.  The easiest way to improve your indoor air quality is to open the window and let the fresh air in.  This will get rid of any accumulated VOCs.  For the winter months, a good-quality Hepa air filter is a great thing to have, such as the Austin Air Filter.  Consider using a washable electrostatic air filter for your HVAC vents which trap five times the amount of airborne particles as opposed to a regular filter.  This will end up saving you money over time since you will never have to replace another air filter again.

2. Vacuum often. This will get rid of allergy-triggering dust and dander (if you have pets).  Vacuum or wash anything else that traps dust such as stuffed animals, comforters, and window treatments.

4. Use natural cleaners. Most common cleaners have harmful chemical ingredients.  Most of these chemicals are not tested for toxicity before being put into products we buy off the shelves.  We are the lab rats who end up testing for product safety!  An easy solution is to make your own inexpensive, non-toxic cleaners with water, vinegar, a touch of essential oil to scent, and a few drops of liquid castille soap, or buy a natural cleaner through Green Irene.

5. Buy natural toys. A lot of flexible plastic toys such as blow-up balls or blow-up chairs, etc, have harmful chemicals that offgass into the air.  A good rule of thumb is if you open up a package and smell that “new” vinyl smell, it’s got to go right back to the store.  For future purchases, consider natural toys made out of wood or cloth, and don’t forget beeswax or soy crayons and no-VOC paint for crafts.

6. Natural bedding and mattresses. Kids spend a lot of time in their beds sleeping (or so moms wish!)  Make it a safe haven by using organic cotton bedding.  Organic fabrics aren’t treated with formaldehyde, and are kinder to the earth in how they are processed.  If you can’t afford one now, plan to save up for an organic cotton, wool, or hemp mattress.  Regular mattresses are full of fire retardants and other nasty chemicals which kids will be breathing in while sleeping.  If you are planning on having a baby soon, organic mattresses are made to fit in cribs too.

7. Redecorating. If you need to replace the flooring, consider earth-friendly alternatives like bamboo or cork flooring instead of dust-collecting carpets that can also offgass VOCs.  Use low or no-VOC paints on the walls.  Buy furniture made of solid wood or metal, not pressboard which contains formaldehyde.

8.  Clothing. Chemical flame-retardants can be in our child’s clothing.  An inexpensive way to dress your child is to buy used clothes from garage sales, consignment sales or second-hand stores, since the chemicals have most likely been washed out.  For new clothing, buy organic items which haven’t been treated with chemicals and are made with earth-friendly practices.

9. Have fun!  Laughter is the best medicine and happy people live longer!

Austin Air Filters, washable electrostatic air filters, natural cleaners and other great products can be purchased here.