Hazards at Home

Our Homes are miniature chemical plants!

Cleaning products used in the average home are damaging our health. Modern day living means we now spend up to 70% of our lives indoors, and we are under more pressure than ever to keep our homes 'germ free' and 'spotless'. This is a growing health issue because the same products we use to 'clean' our homes are having detrimental effects on our lives by polluting the air we breathe with a hazardous cocktail of fumes from over 100 nasty chemicals. The pollution levels indoors can be up to 7 times higher than those outside. We absorb these chemicals through breathing in the vapours, even long after you stop smelling them, and through our largest organ... our skin, which absorbs everything it touches, taking all substances directly into the blood stream.

As consumers we are largely unaware of these chemicals, and exactly what products they are found in. The reason for this is the labeling is all about how well the product works, but where are the ingredient lists? Current laws do not require them, there are no proper guidelines on what can be added, because the warnings say "not to be taken"!
Now I know more about the hidden dangers of cleaners I am empowered to make better choices about what I use around my home - and my family.

I have put together a list of a few common cleaning products, and their potential side effects.

Dishwashing detergents

Dishwashing liquids are one of the most commonly ingested cleaning product by young children, because there is no safety cap, and people are generally complacent about where they store it. Most commercial dishwashing liquids contain the following chemicals, of which a residue is almost always left behind on all food preparation equipment:

PETROLEUM DISTILLATES:- may cause cancers, damage to the skin and eyes, the toxic fumes emitted may trigger asthma attacks and irritate the airways.

CHLORINE:- may cause cancers, respiratory problems, if mixed with any product containing amonia a chemical reaction can occur creating chloramine gas - a dangerous potentially fatal substance.

NAPHALENE:- Can damage the liver, kidneys and central nervous system, irritate eyes and skin, has caused cancer in test animals that inhaled it.

CHLOROPHENYLPHENOL:- Toxic matabolic stimulant.

Laundry detergent and Fabric softeners

Laundry products may be one of the biggest causes for eczema and dermatitis because fabric softeners are designed to stay in the fabrics for a long period of time, and the detergents don't usually rinse free, so even if you don't use soap in your bathroom, you will still be in contact with it's effects around the clock! Here are some of the common ingredients that will be harming more than just your skin:

CHLOROFORM:- Yes, the one you see in movies! It is a neurotoxic substance that is well known for its dangerous anesthetic properties.

BENZYL ACETATE:- Has been linked to pancreatic cancer.

BENZYL ALCOHOL:- Nasty irritant of the upper respiratory system.

PENTANE:-Harmful when inhaled.

ETHANOL:- The same as the fuel additive! Inhalation can damage the central nervous system.

A-TERPINEOL:- Causes problems with the respiratory & nervous systems.

ETHYL ACETATE:- A narcotic!

CAMPHOR:- Causes disorders in the central nervous system, headaches and irritates the airways.

ENZYMES:- They are used to improve stain removal, they can cause severe allergic reactions, and asthema.

Air Fresheners

Air fresheners are one of the biggest fads out there! They are designed to create the illusion of freshness by saturating your nose with nasty chemicals. The ones that 'remove germs' are the most damaging to our health. here is why:

ISOBUTANE, BUTANE & PROPANE:- Yes, these are the flammable gasses that first came to mind. every time you spray ANY aerosol (air fresheners, deodourants, cooking sprays, and many other cleaners) you are releasing these nasty, neurotoxic gasses into the air, your skin and food.

CAMPHOR:- I know I mentioned this one earlier, but it turns up again, mostly in solid air fresheners. It causes damage to the central nervous system, headaches and respiratory problems.

PARADICHLORBENZENE:- An organochlorine that accumulates in the body. Is linked to permanant liver and nerve damage.

PHENOL:- Nasty skin irritant that can cause skin to swell, burn, peel and break out in hives.

FORMALDEHYDE:- Highly toxic. Can irritate skin, eyes, nose and throat. May also cause nausea, headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath and eventually even memory loss.

TRICLOSAN:- This is an antibacterial chemical, often used in toothpaste, soap, and antibacterial cleaning products. It encourages bacterias that are resistant to antibiotics. It enters the body and a Swedish study showed traces in the breast milk of 3 out of 5 women. It is one of the most commonly detected chemicals in our waterways, often in high quantities, this is very destructive to aquatic eco systems.

Toilet Cleaners

Toilet cleaners are a tricky one. We all know toilets carry a nasty array of bacteria, but when did they begin to need a cleaner all of their own? That's marketing for you... Since becoming their own type of cleaner, they have had many harmful corrosive agents added, not to mention those nasty little in bowl cleaners. every time you flush more and more of the chemicals are let loose in your home. The worst offenders are:

PARADICHLORBENZENE:- The same organochlorine that i mentioned with air fresheners, only used in the toilets they are being flushed into sewage plants and entering the environment, where they have extremely dangerous effects than i can mention here. As well as the liver and nerve damage I mentioned earlier.

CHLORINE:- Same as I mentioned with the dishwashing liquid. Causing cancers, asthma, skin and eye problems and still has the same dangerous, potentially fatal chemical reaction if accidentally mixed with ammonia.

HYDROCHLORIC ACID:- This is a hugely dangerous, extremely corrosive industrial acid, used in factories like cement plants, because it can BREAK DOWN CONCRETE! Why on earth we need this in our homes I have no idea! It can severely irritate eyes and skin, and causes damage to liver, kidneys and your digestive tract.

Carpet cleaners and Stain removers

Why we need industrial stain removers at home is obvious, to clean spills. But there are safer alternatives to these ingredients:

SOLVENTS:- Highly volatile, abrasive cleaners, which produce very harmful vapours that are dangerous to inhale.

TRICHLOROETHYLENE (TCE):- Breathing these fumes cause headaches, dizziness, confusion and concentration difficulty. They are also suspected of causing many childhood leukaemia cases due to local water contamination. Also linked to birth defects.

PERCHLORETHYLENE:- A known carcinogen. Damages liver, kidneys and central nervous sytem.

AMONIUM HYDROXIDE:- Highly corrosive, irritates eyes skin and respiratory system.

Ammonia and Chlorine

I felt ammonia and chlorine were worth a special mention, because they are two of the most common, and damaging, ingredients.

AMMONIA:-
A common ingredient in household cleaners, and even used on its own! It badly irritates eyes, lungs and skin. Prolonged exposure or regular use can result in permanent damage to liver, kidneys and lungs. The fumes alone can cause burning, coughing and wheezing.

CHLORINE:-
A major ingredient to household bleaches, and also found in many other cleaning products, chlorine can lead to asthma attacks, severe skin and eye irritation and can even cause painful chemical burns. Inhaling the fumes can be dangerous and painful. Household bleaches are commonly ingested by young children, and if this occurs it can cause pulmonary edema, vomiting, coma and even death. Yet so many people believe it is a fundamental part of a 'clean' home. Ecologically it can react with the environment to create organochlorines, which upset the flora/fauna balance in our waterways.

CHLORAMINE GAS:- This is the product of the chemical reaction between ammonia and chlorine. It is a highly toxic, even fatal gas. This is extremely scary because of the lack of labels on most cleaning products. These two ingredients should definitely avoided in the home.

This is not a comprehensive list. Its barely a beginning. I could not put together a full list of all cleaners and ingredients, for that i would need a whole book! This is just a starting point, with some of the most common products and chemicals. I highly recommend having a good look at the products you use, because there are many highly effective, and safe alternatives out there.

After more info? Need questions answered? Why not join my free mailing list! Here's to better health!

Tash Gillatt

Autor: Tash Gillatt Tash Gillatt
Level: Basic
Hi to all! My name is Tash, I am the mother of the most gorgeous 3 year old I've ever met! He will forever be ... ...

tash_g@rocketmail.com
http://www.myneways.com.au/pixie-earth

Added: July 14, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/