Watch Those Cleaning Chemicals

Lynn's picture
Submitted by Lynn on Tue, 07/25/2006 - 11:27am.

You may want to take a second look at cleaning with vinegar and baking soda. The EPA says chemicals in household cleaners may be polluting the air in your home by as much as five times:

One major reason: Common cleaning products contain chemicals that can be more dangerous than the germs themselves. Every time our children roll around on the carpet or our pets lick crumbs off the floor, they are being exposed to chemicals. ...
Labels provide only limited information, but there are other ways to make sure you're keeping your family safe from indoor pollutants. They include:

-- Be wary of products that make cleaning too easy. If you don't need to scrub at least a little bit, you should question why. These cleansers can emit fumes (even while stored) that can affect a home's air quality.

-- Air fresheners contain synthetic fragrances, or phthalates, chemicals that have been linked to cancer and reproductive-system harm in rodents. Some groups cite evidence linking phthalates to the same problems in humans.

While it shouldn't be assumed that because an item is on the shelf it has been tested for safety, you also shouldn't assume that if it says "natural" it's safe. The word "natural" is undefined and unregulated by the government and can be applied to just about anything.

Because no standards exist, claims like "eco-safe" and "environmentally friendly" are also meaningless, says the Consumers Union. Since only food and herbs can be certified organic, the word "organic" on the label of a dish or laundry soap doesn't mean much.

Hence the vinegar and baking soda. Read the whole article, it's worth it.

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silverbear's picture

Vinegar, vinegar, vinegar!!!!

Submitted by silverbear on Tue, 07/25/2006 - 6:22pm.

By chance* I have discovered that vinegar is a highly effective cure for that stale, dank, stinky smell which permeates my basement from time to time.

*And by chance, I mean, I left a jug of vinegar atop my frontloading washing machine, as I use it as a fabric softener, and during a particularly vigorous spin cycle, the jug fell on the floor and spilled some of its contents. No more stinky basement! It even over-rode the faint odor of the kitty litter.

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