The smells of cleaning products, disinfectants, and laundry soaps for many people are signs of a clean home.
But strong smells from polish or soap might bring back good feelings or memories, but they are often harmful.
These smells have bad things like allergens. Air fresheners have over 100 chemicals and hurt the health of about 20% of Americans.
Lysol aerosol sprays send corrosives and respiratory irritants airborne that can cause developmental problems, harm vision, and pollute waterways.
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The sodium hydroxide in most commercial drain cleaners eats through the very pipes itâs intended to clear while burning all organic matter along the way.
And a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found the toxins in household cleaners can lead to childhood obesity.
Keep reading to learn more about 10 toxic cleaning products, their natural alternatives, and how people can make their own cleaning products that are safe for their home, family, and backyard.
All the natural items listed are highly accessible and utilize as little waste as possible, considering that many containers for cleaning products donât get reused or recycled.
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Toxic product: Bleach
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Chlorine was discovered in 1774 by Swedish-German chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele; a year later, chlorine-based bleaches were released throughout Europe for whitening fabrics.
Bleach was being used as a disinfectant and deodorizer by the 1820s, leading to its widespread use for sanitizing and cleaning.
Despite its uses for cleaning and disinfecting, bleach can become toxic very quickly.
Breathing in bleach fumes can hurt your lungs, especially if you have breathing issues or allergies. Bleach in water or soil greatly changes the acidity and can kill wildlife and plants.
This cleaner can also burn skin or ruin materials. Bleach is usually safe if used carefully in airy places.
Using bleach often, breathing it in, mixing it with other cleaners, or pouring it outside can cause major harm to you and the environment.
Natural alternative To Bleach: 3% hydrogen peroxide
Since its discovery in 1818, hydrogen peroxide has been used widely around the world as a natural disinfectant and bleach. Its first commercial use was as a bleaching agent for hats and to restore paintings.
It can be mixed with hot water for cleaning floors (one gallon hot water, one cup peroxide), and it can be used on its own to clean toilet bowls, bathtubs, showers, and countertops.
Toxic product: Glass cleaner
Most commercial glass and surface cleaners contain a solvent called butyl cellosolve, a hazardous substance that, as a carcinogen, is not safe for humans in any amount.
Products such as Windex also contain fragrances that are harmful to marine life.
Natural alternative To Window Cleaner: Vinegar
Vinegar is nothing more than an acetic acid solution derived from diluted alcohol (whether from beer, rice, or wine, among other products).
The acetic acid is what gives vinegar its taste and smellâand also what makes vinegar a great all-natural cleaning product and germ-killer. It can be used alone or spruced up with essential oils.
Vinegar works equally well on just about any cleaning job. You can use vinegar to clean ovens, microwaves, dishwashers, coffee makers, humidifiers, jewelry, garbage disposals, faucets, and so much more.
Toxic product: Cleaning wipes
Most popular, disinfectant cleaning wipes contain quaternary ammonium compounds (âquatsâ), which can irritate the respiratory tracks, harm the skin, and have been linked to cases of asthma, reproductive issues, birth defects, and antimicrobial resistance.
Cleaning wipes are also often not biodegradable and can cost moreâand be less effectiveâthan their alternatives.
Natural alternative To Cleaning Wipes: Cloth diaper inserts
Microfiber cloths work like wipes to clean, buff, and kill germs, and they clean glass well.
But ultimately, microfiber cloths are made from (hopefully recycled) plastic, which means theyâre ultimately not biodegradable even if they save water throughout their use.
Cloth diaper inserts are eco-friendly, highly absorbent, and can withstand years of use. They can also be tossed in with any regular load of laundry, saving cash and water throughout their use.
To use, spray the area with vinegar or 3% hydrogen peroxide and wipe clean. (Do not mix vinegar with hydrogen peroxide. Only use one or the other)
For those who would rather make their own cleaning wipes and cleaning solution, itâs easy to do with some isopropyl rubbing alcohol, essential oil, vinegar, and old towels.
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Toxic product: Surface cleaners
The fragrance chemical galaxolide present in many surface cleaners such as Pledge, Windex, and Scrubbing Bubbles is a contaminant in waterways and an endocrine disruptor.
A 2015 study published by the Journal of Hazardous Materials found extended exposure to galaxolide caused cellular, tissue, and genetic damage to zebra mussels.
SC Johnson, purveyor of the aforementioned brand names as well as Glade, Shout, and OFF!, in 2018 set a three-year window to phase galaxolide out of its products.
Sudsing agents diethanolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA) are skin-penetrating toxins in many cleaning agents.
18+ DIY Household Products You Can Make at Home
Natural alternative: DIY all-purpose cleaner
Distilled water, vinegar, and sprigs of fresh herbs or drops of citrus-scented essential oils are all it takes to make your own, nearly free, DIY all-purpose cleaner.
Store the solution in a vessel from a used-up cleaning bottle (or buy a glass jar with a sprayer that you can use over and over).
Toxic product: Toilet bowl cleaner
Toilet bowl cleaners are among the most toxic of home cleaning products. Many name brands contain eye and lung irritants (phosphoric acid, sulfates) and are highly corrosive.
Because these products go directly down the drain, they are also highly contaminating for groundwater, soil, and highly toxic for plants and animals.
Nutrients from cleaners like this can also wash into water bodies, contributing to toxic algal blooms.
Natural alternative To Clean a Toilet: Baking soda
To clean a toilet bowl naturally with practically zero elbow grease and at almost no financial cost, sprinkle baking soda into the bowl, add vinegar, close the lid, and walk away for 30 minutes.
After half an hour has passed, use a toilet brush to scrub away stains.
Toxic product: Air freshener
Air fresheners far and away top the list of toxic home cleaners. One reason for this is ingredients like âfragranceâ can mean virtually anything, as companies are not required to provide every fragrance ingredient on labels.
Fragrances can trigger allergies and act as hormone disruptorsânot to mention their harsh effects on waterways, skin, and organic matter.
Even the EPA acknowledges that the majority of air fresheners contain a toxic cocktail of formaldehyde, aerosol pollutants, petrochemicals, and more.
The global air freshener market by 2023 is expected to reach $12 billion, according to a 2018 report by Allied Market Research.
Natural Alternative To Air Freshener: Essential oil diffuser
If houseplants arenât doing the trick, an essential oil diffuser will work the same way as an air freshener plug-in but without the harmful chemicals.
Itâs important to use 100% essential oils or oil blends to ensure the diffuser doesnât get clogged.
Alternatively, leaving out baking soda or dry coffee grounds will absorb smells from the air rather than mask them the way most air fresheners do.
For an air-freshening spray, combine half a cup of distilled water with 30 drops of your favorite essential oils.
Toxic product: Drain cleaner
Many drain cleaners include sodium hydroxide, a very corrosive substance. Besides dissolving difficult blockages, this chemical can cause severe burns and lasting damage to skin and other organic matter.
These cleaners can ruin the drain itself if left in a drain long enough, and they can also damage anything it comes in contact with downstream.
Natural alternative: Drain snake
A reusable drain snake is a simple way to unclog drains.
For plugs further down the pipes, try a mix of half a cup of baking soda followed by half a cup of vinegar.
Toxic product: Kitchen and bath cleaner
Soft Scrub with Bleach Cleanser gets a solid F rating from the EWG for its corrosive properties, toxicity for water bodies, and irritants to the skin and respiratory systems.
Meanwhile, Comet has somewhere around 150 undisclosed ingredients; known chemicals in many powdered cleaners are formaldehyde, benzene, and chloroform.
Natural alternative: DIY cream cleaner for kitchen and bath
People can make their own cream cleaner quite easily with baking soda, liquid castile soap, vegetable glycerin, and a few drops of their favorite essential oil (the last ingredient is optional of course).
For a dry version, mix baking soda, salt, and drops of essential oil to add fragrance.
Toxic product: Laundry detergent
The synthetic scents in laundry detergent are often derived from petroleum and widely rank as the most toxic chemicals in any cleaning product.
A 2008 study from the University of Washington found dozens of toxins in leading laundry soap brands; many of those ingredients are still present in laundry soap today.
Laundry detergent, similar to drain cleaner, ends up directly in our water systems including septic tanks, sewers, and natural bodies of water. This makes it a major cause of harmful algal blooms, which are triggered by too many nutrients in the water.
Natural alternative: Easy homemade powdered detergent
To make homemade powdered laundry detergent, all it takes is one grated bar of soap (Fels-Naptha, or Dr. Bronnerâs for a vegan version), two cups of Borax, and two cups of washing soda.
Mix the ingredients (along with half a cup of OxiClean for brightening and stain removal, if desired). Use one or two tablespoons for each load of laundry. A box of washing soda, two bars of grated soap, and a box of Borax will cost less than $25 and last most households a year or more.
Toxic product: Furniture polish
Lemon-scented Old English Furniture Polish gets an F rating from the EWG because of the harm it does to the respiratory system, skin, and environment.
It has also been linked to increased cancer risks. Ingredients like petroleum gases, mineral spirits, unknown fragrance sources, silicone fluid, and kerosene are known for their threat to soil, waterways, and all other organic matter.
Natural alternative: Olive oil and vinegar furniture polish
Equal parts vinegar and olive oil (and, optionally, a few drops of essential oil) are all it takes to make your own all-natural furniture polish.
Combine the ingredients in a jar, close the lid, and shake well before applying to furniture with a clean, dry cloth.
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