3 Kinds Of Ingredients That Must Be Avoided In Cleaning Products
Since the onset of the pandemic, it has been imperative to ensure all surfaces are clean and sanitized not only at home but also in public places. Everyone was reminded of the importance of keeping our homes and the things we touch well-sanitized to combat the spread of the virus.
Disinfecting your home, especially if someone was sick or with a contagious disease, is crucial to reducing germs and protecting your loved ones. That’s why cleaning agents were in-demand in the last couple of years.
Many are still unaware of how to disinfect one’s home safely. To give you an idea of how to do this, here are the standard steps from the CDC or Center for Disease Control:
- Always follow the directions on the label of the disinfectant.
- Check if you need to wear a protective covering like gloves or goggles when using the product.
- Clean visibly soiled surfaces first with water and detergent before applying disinfectant.
- Check the contact time on the product label; it could mean you need to leave the product for a minimum period for it to work.
- Ensure there’s adequate air circulating in the area
- Make sure to wash your hands for 20 seconds after disinfecting.
When choosing a disinfectant, you have to ensure that you read the label carefully and scrutinize its components meticulously. You have to ensure that the product you will be using is safe and, more importantly, you’re using eco-friendly disinfectants.
Your family’s safety matters a lot, especially if you have small children who put their hands inside their mouths often. To ensure safety, you have to check that these ingredients are not present in your cleaning products:
- Ammonia
Ammonia is a common ingredient in many household cleaning materials as it is an effective stain and grime remover. It’s also used in wastewater treatment and as a stabilizer in industrial products like paper and rubber because of the high presence of nitrogen in its chemical makeup.
Many types of cleaners contain ammonia, including disinfectant sprays. But despite the cleaning benefits it gives you, it can be dangerous too. Exposure to ammonia products can irritate the eyes, skin, and lungs. Moreover, mixing ammonia with chlorine, another household cleaning product ingredient, could be disastrous as blending them produces chloramines; exposure to this substance could be deadly.
The toxic fumes from the combined ingredients can overwhelm one in minutes and leave one unconscious. High concentrations and ingestion of the combined mixture may lead to coma and death.
- Sodium Hydroxide
Sodium hydroxide, more popularly known as caustic soda, is a white crystalline substance used in bleach and oven cleaners. It doesn’t produce an odor but is highly corrosive. And coming into contact with this white crystalline substance can cause burning of the eyes, skin, and inner membranes and, in some cases, may cause temporary hair loss.
The chemical is commonly found in drain and oven cleaners. The colorless and odorless substance may look innocent, but it is highly reactive and behaves violently with water. It is also incompatible with many common chemicals.
Exposure to skin, eyes, and nose through inhalation and contact will cause severe burning and blistering and may cause blindness. Ingestion of the chemical will result in death.
If accidentally inhaled, it’s essential to move the person to a well-ventilated area or outside for fresh air.
If the substance goes to your skin, it’s critical to flush it continuously with water for 60 minutes without interruption and bring the person to the hospital for treatment. The same goes if the substance went to the eyes.
- PERC Perchloroethylene
PERC is a transparent non-flammable liquid that has a sweet odor, typically used in the manufacture of dry-cleaning materials. It is a VOC or volatile organic compound, a harmful type of gas that is a byproduct of the chemical agent when used in dry cleaning. Aside from being an ingredient in dry cleaning chemicals, PERC can be included as an ingredient in many spot removers. The substance evaporates in the air during the drying and washing of clothes. The water from the washing that will seep into the soil may carry traces of PERC and contaminate the water you drink.
Ingestion and inhalation of PERC may affect the central nervous system, liver, kidneys, and reproductive system. Short-term exposure can cause dizziness, headache, lightheadedness, and poor balance. Exposure to PERC is highly hazardous as it is named a human carcinogen.
Conclusion
Carefully inspecting each bottle and reading the label is more important now than ever. You have to look after the welfare of your family, but you also have to ensure that you’re not harming the planet. Buying from companies that support sustainable practices and promote environment-friendly products should be on your grocery list.
