Are Everyday Household Cleaners Causing More Harm Than Good? All of us enjoy the sensation of a recently cleaned house, everything brimming and squeaky clean. Most men and women connect the sensation of having a clean home with feelings of having a healthy and safe property.

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We keep the floors clean for infants which are crawling around, we clean the chimney to eliminate germs and bacteria and we wash the bathtub so that as we tub or shower, no dirt, grime or grease can prevent us from becoming fresh and clean. However, what if the products we’re using to keep us protected from germs and dirt are causing more problems than they’re in fact cleaning? It’s fairly ironic to think that the very substances which should increase our quality of life might in fact be deterring from it.

However, once we consider the ingredients in many common household products, the list of dangerous and frequently toxic constituents can be frightening. Store shelves are lined with products that promote easy clean up and tv commercials promote every house owner to use antibacterial cleansers. However, have you ever looked at the cautionary labels on such materials or read the ingredients?

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Given that we’re spraying these chemicals all over surfaces where our kids eat, play and bath, should not we be taking another look at what we’re introducing to our property? Many of the chemicals found in everyday household cleaners are bioaccumulative, meaning that these compounds don’t purge readily in the body and over time, even smaller amounts of exposure can lead toxic level build ups in the body. They may be absorbed through the skin from tub surfaces, leach into food left on a counter and residue fumes can be inhaled via the airways, particularly when steam or heat are present.

  • Endocrine disruptors – these compounds mimic hormone function in the body and confound the body with false signs. Exposure may result in numerous health problems including reproductive, developmental, growth and behavioural issues including infertility, miscarriage, ADHD, challenged immune systems and specific cancers.
  • Neurotoxins – chemicals affecting neuron and brain activity, causing a variety of problems including headaches, behavior changes and much more. There are more than 80,000 chemicals used in consumer products, the majority of which haven’t been tested for long term impacts on health. Additionally it is cumbersome to learn what is in lots of the typical household cleansers that we use since producers aren’t required to list all ingredients in household cleaners.

The toxic levels they warn against on the bottles are also misleading because they are poisonous warnings for a large adult. But, what about children, the elderly, pets and people with an already compromised immune system? Caution is essential. Our first line of defense is to educate ourselves about the advantages and disadvantages of harsh cleaning solutions. Yes they make our home smell lemony fresh, but at what price? The fact remains that a clean house should smell like nothing in any way.

Therefore, anything with scents and perfumes should be removed. Furthermore, when cleaning solutions claim to eliminate 99% of germs on cleaning surfaces, you have to wonder what becomes of the 1% that survives. This 1 percent that remains becomes the super germ, mutating and breading stronger organisms less and less resistant to cleaning agents and even antibiotics. A study on the Center for (CDC) website said that”no evidence suggests that the use of antibacterial soap containing 0.2% triclosan (active ingredient in antibacterial cleansing products) provides an advantage over plain soap in reducing bacterial counts and speed of symptoms.” In other words, good old fashioned soap and water stay or supersede effectiveness in pest management.

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Another homemade, natural and efficient cleaning solvents that I recommend are alternatives made from vinegar, lemon juice or baking soda. Check out some organic cleaning solutions on your natural shop, such as natural cleanser or a different variety. They aren’t just better for our environment and immune systems, but do not leave a damaging chemical residue behind that can be injurious to the health of our loved ones. So next time you reach for an antibacterial cleaning product on the supermarket shelf, bear in mind it is best utilised at a hospital or clinic, not in the houses of healthy folks. If you would like to keep your family healthy, keep their immune systems strong through good nutrition, Homeopathy and habits. Let their immune system function to fight off any germs naturally, it will not let you down and will only strengthen its terrific capability.