Many of us spray, scrub & wipe with disinfectant cleaning products on a regular basis. But, is that always a good thing, or can it make you sick? Let’s take a few minutes to dive into which cleaning habits and products to keep and which should actually be pitched to help create a cleaner, safer home environment.
Healthier Cleaning products:
What did your mother and grand mother use to clean? Likely, bleach.
Bleach has long been one of the most commonly used cleaners in the home yet it is often mishandled. First, it is a disinfectant, not a cleaner. Even used in a diluted manner, it is not intended to be used in everyday cleaning (dirt removal). Bleach does a great job of killing germs and whitening clothes. Nonetheless, it becomes much less effective where dirt is present. Clean surfaces first before considering a disinfecting step including bleach.
According to the American Lung Association, many common cleaning products contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These gases are emitted into the air from products or a combination of products. Using products along with ammonia, and bleach can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat and cause health problems and even cancer. We often associate “Clean” with a certain smell or fragrance. Cleaners with harsh ingredients and fragrances will pollute the air inside your home without you even noticing. Those aromas are actually little droplets of chemicals floating on air from room to room. According to Science Daily, the latest research shows that, over time, exposure to cleaning products at a young age increases the risk of asthma in young children.
What are some simple steps to take to “cleaner” cleaning?
- Do not mix any cleaning agents together. Bleach reacts with many agents and “doesn’t play nice”.
- Invest in some high-quality Micro-Fiber cloths to clean without chemicals. (Want to know how they work?)
- Throw away any cleaning agents stored in “make-shift’ or secondary containers.
- Use the Environmental Working Groups website to see just how “clean” your products are. They even give you the ingredients in them that don’t fare well.
- Gentle brands like Bon Ami Powder Cleanser (or similar) have been around for years and are fine to use on most tough cleaning projects.
There are some really simple steps to take that will keep your home looking and smelling squeaky clean and yet keep the air in you breathe safer.
In Lifestyle Shifts Shortcut, we take the additional steps you need to move forward in your health journey. Jump in and let’s work on Clean.Simple.Living.
with strength, focus and simplicity,
