It’s time to refresh and renew our living space, open windows, dust and vacuum, but why do some of us get out the all-purpose cleaner for help? Most cleaners promise quick and easy cleaning, just spray and it will basically clean it for you. The green guru wonders, has it really been that easy, did the little scrubbing bubbles really do the scrubbing? Or was there a lot of elbow grease going on while you were breathing those toxic fumes?
We Americans have an obsession with cleanliness to the tune of an 18 billion dollar a year industry. There are more than 85,000 synthetic chemicals in use today and another 500 are added to the mix every year. The average family uses 40 pounds of these chemicals a year to clean their homes, and the majority of them have never been tested for safety. The most dangerous chemicals are found in carpet, oven, drain and toilet cleaners, and chlorine bleach is the chemical most frequently involved in household poisonings. These scary substances below are linked to asthma, allergies, cancer, endocrine immune and nervous system problems, reproductive and developmental disorders, and organ damage:
Alkyphenols: Found in some cosmetics as well as multi-surface cleaners, liquid laundry detergent, paints and floor coverings
Artificial musks: Found in cosmetics, shampoo, perfume, shaving foam, skin care products, liquid soap air fresheners, laundry detergent and dishwashing soap
Bisphenol A: Found in plastics, epoxies, and some skin care products
Brominated flame retardants: Found in mattresses, mattress pads, upholstered furniture, carpets and some electronics
Chlorinated paraffin: Found in upholstered furniture, floor coverings, paints, plastics and rubber products
Organotins: Found in shaving foam, floor coverings, carpets, pajamas and air mattresses
Phthalates: Found in PVC plastics, including children’s teething and other toys, in shampoo, perfume, shaving foams, cosmetics, skin products, shower curtains, air fresheners, multipurpose cleaners and food packaging materials
A five-year study by Harvard scientists revealed that pollution inside the typical American home was five times worse than the air outdoors. It is not a coincidence that since the use of these harsh chemicals, the incidence of environmentally related health problems has dramatically increased. Breast cancer rates are 30 times higher here than in less industrialized countries. The incidence of asthma in children has risen at least 160% since 1980.
We CAN save the planet from scrubbing bubbles.
This is what we do: First we remove toxic chemicals from our homes safely, go to www.earth911.org to learn how to best dispose of all kinds of materials. Then, we start replacing our cleaning products with safe and green alternatives or even start making our own.
Next, go to our own, Green Home Cleaning Resources page, for links and more information about greening your cleaning.
Or, if you’re not so inclined to do it yourself, call Shannon at Healthy Helping Hands, an organic cleaning service, at 512-586-5196 and they will clean your home for you, organically and safely.
Quote of the Month: “We now have solid scientific evidence that a variety of environmental agents can adversely affect the nervous system [of developing children]”
— Scientific Consensus Statement on Environmental Agents Associated with Neurodevelopmental Disorder (published on February 20, 2008. Signed by 50 international health professionals and scientists.