Are your cleaning products releasing harmful chemicals?

You might not think about it, but some of the most common household cleaners have some harsh chemicals in them that can cause irritation and impact your quality of life in your home. And even when you use these, you might not be thinking about the resulting feelings of itching, red eyes, etc. or how you breathe in stuff that, really, you’d rather not.

Let’s talk about some of these items, the usual suspects when it comes to cleaning chemicals, and how you can avoid them with more natural products.

Synthetic Surfactants and Solvents

To scientists, solvents in consumer products are usually something to be avoided. That’s because scientists understand how these chemicals work, and why you might not want them in the things that you use every day.

But if you’re not a scientist and not a doctor, you might just think these are great. They smell kind of funny, but they work well.

What you don’t realize is that many of these can potentially have harmful effects, or at least unwanted effects, on your body. Some of these toxic chemicals can lead to respiratory issues, skin irritation, and the disruption of the body’s endocrine systems, or hormones. 

So look for these items on your labels.

Phosphates

Many household cleaning products also have phosphates, derivatives of phosphorous, that can build up in local waterways after you use them, and are generally not great for the environment.

Here’s a bit on this from the U.S. EPA:

“Too much phosphorus can stimulate excess growth of algae, which leads to low dissolved oxygen levels, potential for harmful algal toxins, blockage of sunlight needed by organisms and plants in the water and degraded habitat conditions for benthic macroinvertebrates and other aquatic life.”

Natural products don’t use phosphates, but instead use simpler biological components to create a green cleaner. That’s great for all of those same uses around the house.

For example, let’s take dishwashing liquid. You just pop something in the dishwasher and you get a clean rack of plates, glasses, and flatware.

But hidden in those handy packets are things that break down poorly in the environment.

This is another thing to look out for when you’re shopping.

 Chlorine

Chlorine is a natural element, but it can be sort of harsh. It can have an effect on your respiratory system, especially if you’re sensitive.

This, again, is something that can wind up in detergents and cleaners, and be released into your indoor air as you run your appliances.

Artificial Fragrances

Again, some of these things smell really good, but they may have harsh chemicals involved.

Anytime you have something artificial like this, you should ask what’s in it, and what you’re breathing. This resource from Cleveland Clinic shows how certain chemicals found in some of these products can mess with a person’s endocrine system, which shows why these should be avoided. 

That leads us to one of the best solutions to improve your indoor air quality.

Air purifiers help to handle odors, because they’re scrubbing out contaminants and pollutants from indoor air.

So when you employ these machines to your benefit, you’re getting a better and more livable result.

Take a look at all of the modern technology that goes into air monitors that help you figure out levels of contaminants, and air purifiers that you can use to get the right results for your indoor space.

For example, BetterAir sells a range of Enviro Biotic systems that use a proprietary probiotic mist along with a triple HEPA filter, to trap all kinds of unsavory stuff that lurks in your indoor air. That includes mold, dust mites and allergens, as well as pathogens and viral particles, too. Take a look at the BetterAir lineup and what models like the 2080 and others can do for you. 

When you want to get the best air purifier system for your needs, US Air Purifiers LLC can help: we have the track record of advising customers on what to buy to get the best result for their homes and businesses. Be confident in your purchases and let us help with warranty information, explanations of cutting edge, technology, and much more! You’ll enjoy protecting your health, and the health of your family.