Toxic Cleaning Products Make Us Sick.
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Toxic Household Cleaning Products Negatively Affect Our Health.
Most household cleaning products that we buy in the grocery store contain highly toxic chemicals that negatively effect our health. But Americans use these chemicals every day with little or no protection (like gloves and respirators) and then we wash them down the drain. Ahh the magic drain. We do realize that what goes down the drain ends up in our water supply don’t we? Yet most of us are totally unaware of the dangers of toxic chemicals we use daily in our homes. Most of these toxic chemicals have been banned in Europe but not in the USA. The European Union, now 27 countries strong, has banned well over 1,000 toxic chemicals. The EPA in the USA has banned a total of 5 toxic chemicals. Chemical companies have influenced our elected officials to keep these toxic chemicals on the grocery store shelves. Since our elected officials are more concerned with corporate profits than the public’s health it is up to us to take care of ourselves.
- Scientific studies show frequent use of toxic cleaning products can induce asthma symptoms in even healthy individuals who never had asthma before. Asthma sufferers were made worse by exposure.
- Of course, many name brand cleaning products contain known carcinogens. Recent studies show a link between using toxic cleaning products and cancer.
- A 2010 study by the New York State Department of Health shows that pregnant woman exposed to toxic cleaning products had an elevated incidence of birth defects, reduced IQ and language skills and vision abnormalities.
- Many toxic cleaning products are skin allergens or irritants and cause painful irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, throat and lungs. The very properties that make cleaning products effective can also mean that they inflame delicate tissues.
- In 2006 alone, 10,318 children under age five required some form of medical treatment as a result of poisoning with household cleaners. Many more were treated with chemical burns.
So what can we do about toxic cleaning products in our homes?
First of all you have to realize that the labels on toxic cleaning products are designed to protect the profits of the giant corporations that sell them to the tune of billions of dollars a year. They are not there to protect you or your family. A lot of the most toxic chemicals are not even listed on the labels and there are even loopholes in the labeling laws that allow corporations to include banned toxic chemicals in American products. Just assume if it smells and it says to open a window or use in a well ventilated area then you shouldn't use it.
So how do chemicals cause asthma attacks? Many chemicals cause inflammation in our lungs. This is almost the definition of asthma. So avoiding toxic cleaning products is extremely important for all of us but especially so for asthma sufferers. I had a friend growing up as a child who had bad asthma. His mom was constantly cleaning with chemicals. I remember having trouble breathing in her house. She would use bleach all the time and bleach is a very bad trigger for asthma. So in her effort to have a super clean house so her son could breath better she was actually making her son worse.
A search on the internet for non-toxic cleaning products reveals products that claim to be non-toxic but in reality are toxic. Products like Clorox Green Works, or Simple Green contain toxic chemicals that can cause asthma and other symptoms. But companies act like they are leaders in green cleaning. Remember labeling laws are for protecting the chemical companies, not you. So what can you do? Read the labels on cleaning products. If you see the word fragrance, then don't buy it. The word fragrance can include any mixture of 3,100 stock chemical ingredients. Many of them have not even been evaluated for their safety.
Don’t let your child or yourself suffer with health problems triggered by toxic cleaning products. Get rid of all your toxic chemicals and replace them with totally non-toxic cleaning products. Your lungs will thank you.
Shop for the best non-toxic cleaning products here.