Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Cleaning Products

Health Information




Why Buy and Use Natural Cleaning Products

Nature has provided well for us, and we are finding that out more and more, whether it is concerning food, body care, cleaning or other products. Often people who start buying natural and organic products begin with what they eat and drink - food and beverages. After all, these are the most readily available and what we normally think of as the most important products to use in their natural state. In this article, we will discuss the use of natural cleaning products.


Cleaning Products That We Breathe and Touch

We breathe 10 to 20 thousand liters of air per day, so if toxins are contained in that air, we will be inhaling them along with the air. Most of us have grown up using various cleaning products and don’t normally think of them as containing toxins. However, conventional cleaning products are often major contributors to the toxicity of your home. They are the only household products that are regulated under the 1960 Federal Hazardous Substances Labeling Act. It is difficult to determine exactly how hazardous cleaning products are, since manufacturers are not required to disclose ingredients. But many cleaning products include chlorine, ammonia. artificial fragrances, detergents and many more ingredients that are known or suspected to be toxic to the human body. The following is a list of common cleaning product ingredients, possible side effects and some of the products these ingredients can be found in


Cleaning Product Ingredients

Ammonia
Found in glass cleaners, all-purpose cleaners, disinfectants and more.

  • Can irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory passages
  • Very toxic when inhaled in concentrated form
  • Can affect ecosystems leading to adverse effects to plants, animals and fish


Artificial Fragrances
Found in body care, cosmetics, cleaning products such as laundry detergents and more.

  • Derived in large part from petrochemicals
  • Some are carcinogenic, and others contain or release formaldehyde
  • Often cause headaches, skin irritation, nausea and allergies


Chlorine
Found in bleached paper products, such as paper towels, toilet paper, etc. Also found in dishwasher detergent, laundry bleach, tub and tile cleaners and more.

  • One of today’s most heavily used chemicals
  • This toxic chemical causes the most poisonings in our homes each year in the U.S.
  • In 1993, the American Public Health Association passed a resolution urging the American industry to stop using chlorine.
  • There is growing evidence that chlorinated drinking water causes bladder and rectal cancer
  • Chlorine can irritate the lungs, damage skin, eyes and other membranes
  • Chlorine is listed in the 1990 Clean Air Act as a hazardous air pollutant


Petroleum Distillates (toluene, xylene and benzene)
Found in laundry stain removers, pesticides, furniture polish and other home cleaners.

  • Skin, respiratory and eye irritant
  • Can lead to brain damage
  • Many petroleum distillates are carcinogenic


Phenols
Found in laundry detergents, disinfectants, all-purpose cleaners and furniture polish.

  • Can cause swelling and hives
  • Internal consumption very toxic


Believe it or not, there are many non-toxic natural cleaners out on the market today that do as good a job or better than many of their more toxic counterparts. You can reduce your exposure to the dangerous chemicals listed above by using these more natural cleaning products. You don’t have to change everything overnight. Try replacing just one of your cleaning products with a natural one next time you run out.

So, in conclusion, although it is very important to eat natural and organic food, and drink clean water, it is also very important to use natural body care and cleaning products, because these are products that we absorb through our skin and breathe from the air. We have so much exposure to toxins these days that any way we can reduce that toxic load can’t help but be healthy for our bodies, as well as for the earth.


Organic and natural cleaning products can be be found at http://www.ecoviva.com
We tested and recommend Bi-O-Kleen Natural Cleaning Products..

Written by EcoViva™ – we search for the best in organic and natural products for you, your loved ones and our earth – Because Health Matters™.

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