EVERYTHING FOR A HEALTHY HOME:

 

Ø                 For your laundry

 

Ø                 For your dishwashing

 

Ø                 For your household

 

Ø                 Insecticide, Batteries, converter, recharge,Water filtration... tester

 

 

 

 

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CLEANING CHEMICALS – IMPACTS AND ALTERNATIVES

 

 

Scientists have developed many different chemical s for use in the home and workplace.

Sometimes, they are good for our health –for example, in hospitals where disease-carrying bacteria and dirt are dangerous for patients. However, many commonly used chemicals can actually harm human health and the environment.

 

Classic consumer products contain lot of different toxics ingredients:

 

*IN THE KITCHEN:

 

All-purpose cleaner, ammonia-based cleaners, bleach, brass or other metal polishes, dishwater detergent, disinfectant, drain cleaner, floor wax or polish, glass cleaner, dishwashing detergent, oven cleaner, and scouring powder contain dangerous chemicals. Some examples are:

 

Ø      Sodium hypochlorite (in chlorine bleach): if mixed with ammonia, releases toxic chloramines gas. Short-term exposure may cause mild asthmatic symptoms or more serious respiratory problems;

 

Ø      Petroleum distillates (in metal polishes): short-term exposure can cause temporary eye clouding; longer exposure can damage the nervous system, skin, kidneys, and eyes;

 

Ø      Ammonia (in glass cleaner): eye irritant, can cause headaches and lung irritation;

 

Ø      Phenol and cresol (in disinfectants): corrosive; can cause diarrhea, fainting, dizziness, and kidney and liver damage;

 

Ø      Nitrobenzene (in furniture and floor polishes): can cause skin discoloration, shallow breathing, vomiting, and death; associated with cancer and birth defects;

 

Ø      Formaldehyde (a preservative in many products): suspected human carcinogen; strong irritant to eyes, throat, skin, and lungs.

 

 

*IN THE UTILITY CLOSET:

 

A number of products are likely to contain toxic ingredients: carpet cleaner, room deodorizer, laundry softener, laundry detergent, anti-cling sheets, mold and mildew cleaner, mothballs,

and spot remover all usually contain irritant or toxic substances. Examples:

 

Ø      perchloroethylene or 1-1-1 trichloroethane solvents (in spot removers and carpet cleaners): can cause liver and kidney damage if ingested; perchloroethylene is an animal carcinogen and suspected human carcinogen;

 

Ø      naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene (in mothballs): naphthalene is a suspected human carcinogen that may damage eyes, blood, liver, kidneys, skin, and the central nervous system; Paradichlorobenzene: can harm the central nervous system, liver, and kidneys;

 

Ø      hydrochloric acid or sodium acid sulfate in toilet bowl cleaner; either can burn the skin or cause vomiting diarrhea and stomach burns if swallowed; also can cause blindness if inadvertently splashed in the eyes;

 

Ø      residues from fabric softeners, as well as the fragrances commonly used in them, can be irritating to susceptible people;

 

Ø      Possible ingredients of spray starch (aside from the starch) include formaldehyde, phenol, and pentachlorophenol; in addition, any aerosolized particle, including cornstarch, may irritate the lungs.

 

Indoor pollutants have proliferated in recent years, often either because modern construction techniques and furnishings manufacturers utilize hazardous materials or because consumers do not know enough about the products they buy to make informed choices. But safe, nontoxic alternatives exist for nearly every real need around the home, and the search for them may help consumers distinguish between what they really do need, and what may be “luxuries” that could compromise their families’ health

 

Extract of: Paceprojet by Gary A. Davis & Em Turner, University of Tennesse