Issues > September/October 2003 (#98) > Healthier Home Cleaning

Healthier Home Cleaning

Levels of pollutants in indoor air, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, can be from 2-5 times to more than 100 times higher than outdoors, thanks in large part to toxic, irritating volatile organic chemicals, or VOCs, that evaporate, or "offgass" from home decorating and cleaning products. Step one for home cleaners ought to be, open a window and let those pollutants out! Yet rather than letting in a crisp autumn morning breeze, many consumers stubbornly keep using synthetic room fresheners and fragranced cleaning products that are full of VOCs and other toxins. These can make our indoor air unhealthy, provoke allergic skin, eye and respiratory reactions and harm the natural environment, as well. For more information, read on and also see The Green Guide's Household Cleaning Supplies.

Take these so-called air fresheners. In homes where aerosol sprays and air fresheners were used frequently, mothers suffered from 25% more headaches and 19% more depression, and infants under six months of age had 30% more ear infections and 22% higher incidence of diarrhea, according to a study at Bristol University in England that was published in New Scientist in 1999.

In choosing among alternatives, however, consumers need to be alert to greenwashing. "Just because a product says it's natural doesn't mean it's nontoxic," says Jeffrey Hollender, CEO of Seventh Generation cleaning products. The claim is undefined and unregulated and can be applied to just about anything under the sun, including plastic, which comes from naturally-occuring petroleum. Because no standards exist, claims such as "non-toxic," "eco-safe" and "environmentally friendly/ preferable/ safe" are also meaningless, according to Consumers Union's Ecolabels website (ecolabels.org). And currently, only food and herbs can be labelled as certified organic, so the word "organic" on the face of a dish or laundry soap doesn't wash.

Instead, David Steinman, coauthor of The Safe Shopper's Bible, advises looking on labels for specific, gentler ingredients that also perform effectively. These include grain alcohol instead of toxic butyl cellosolve as a solvent; detergents based on coconut or other plant oils rather than petroleum; and plant-oil disinfectants such as eucalyptus, rosemary or sage rather than triclosan. You can also mix your own, as does Annie Berthold-Bond, green living editor at care2.com and author of Clean and Green (Ceres Press, 1994) and Better Basics for the Home (Three Rivers Press, 1999). According to Annie, a few safe, simple ingredients such as plan soap, water, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice and borax, can satisfy most household cleaning needs. They will also save you money.

If you're in the mood to detoxify, getting rid of germs doesn't have to mean overkill: This is your home, not a hospital. In 2000, cleaning products were responsible for nearly 10% of all toxic exposures reported to U.S. Poison Control Centers, accounting for over 206,000 calls, over half of which were about children under the age of six. According to Philip Dickey of the Washington Toxics Coalition, the most acutely, or immediately hazardous, dangerous cleaning products are corrosive drain cleaners, oven cleaners and acidic toilet bowl cleaners, and anything containing chlorine or ammonia (which should never be combined-see below).

Read on to get the dirt on various conventional products and ingredients, and how to make your home truly clean, rather than a chemical holding tank.

Dish and Laundry Detergents, All-Purpose Cleaners

Problems:

Most conventional dish and laundry detergents are made from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource.

Some detergents contain alkyphenol ethoxylates (APES), which are suspected hormone disruptors that don't readily biodegrade, and can threaten wildlife habitat after going down your drain. Ethoxylated alcohols in liquid detergents can contain carcinogenic 1,4-dioxane.

Other ingredients turn dangerous when combined: Diethanolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA) can react with nitrites (an often-undisclosed preservative) to form carcinogenic nitrosamines.

The fragrances in detergents and fabric softeners may provoke skin irritation, allergic reactions and asthma, and contain phthalates, chemicals that have been linked to cancer and reproductive system harm in lab tests.

Although phosphates, which choke waterways, no longer taint most dish and laundry soaps, they can be found in dishwasher detergents-which are highly caustic, as well, and can be fatal if swallowed.

For bleach, see next category below.

Solutions:

Use laundry soaps labeled "fragrance free," advises Harvey Karp, M.D., a Los Angeles pediatrician and author of The Happiest Baby on the Block (Bantam, 2002). Fragrances are common allergens and repeated exposures can lead to onset of allergies, including symptoms such as skin and respiratory tract irritation, headache and water eyes, Dr. Karp says. Choose dish and laundry detergents and all-purpose cleaners that are vegetable-based (corn, palm kernel or coconut oil); as the scent of citrus-oil products can be irritating to allergic or sensitive individuals, a small amount should be sniff-tested (from a safe few feet away) before deciding whether to use.

Fabric can be softened by adding 1/4 cup of baking soda to wash cycle; this alternative recently worked on several pairs of catalog-bought cargo pants made of a cardboard-stiff cotton that literally scraped a teenager's skin. A quarter cup of white vinegar will also soften, as well as eliminate cling.

Less toxic products include Ecover and Seventh Generation laundry and dish soaps; Aubrey Organics and Vermont Soapworks all-purpose household cleaners; Bioshield and Naturally Yours dishwasher detergent.

Antibacterial Soaps and Cleansers, Bleach, Stain Removers, Disinfectants, Glass Cleaners, Bathroom Scouring Powders

Problems

Popular in liquid form, antibacterial soaps are helping to promote growth of resistant bacteria, according to a 2000 World Health Organization report.

Chlorine bleach, a common disinfectant, is highly caustic, meaning it can burn skin and eyes--and can be fatal if swallowed. In the environment, it can create organochlorines, which are suspected carcinogens as well as reproductive, neurological and immune-system toxins.Warning:: Bleach, also known as sodium hypochlorite, and sodium hydroxide should never be mixed with any product containing ammonia or quaternium compounds, or toxic chlorine gas will result. Many conventional scouring powders and cleaning solutions contain chlorine bleach.

Window-cleaner ingredients can include nerve-damaging butyl cellosolve and ammonia, which may irritate airways.

Solutions

Instead of using antibacterial soap, Dr. Karp recommends thorough hand-washing (about two minutes' worth) with plain soap and warm water.

To disinfect bathroom or kitchen surfaces, try Earth Power's EPA-registered Power Herbal Disinfectant or Seventh Generation sanitizers. White vinegar helps kills bacteria, mold and viruses, according to Berthold-Bond, who uses it on everything from kitchen surfaces to toilet seats. But the only foolproof way to kill foodborne pathogens, such as salmonella or e.coli, is to wash all cutting boards, dishes, knives and surfaces that have touched raw meat or eggs in hot, soapy water.

Scrubbing sinks, tubs and countertops with a paste of baking soda and water effectively removes dirt rings and some stains; if not, try a paste of washing soda and water, and be sure to wear gloves. Commercial non-chlorine bleach products include Bon Ami scouring powder and Earth Friendly, Ecover or Seventh Generation cream cleaners.

In the Laundry: To remove stains, try soaking fabrics in water mixed with borax, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar. Or, look for "non-chlorine bleach" made from sodium percarbonate or sodium perborate, from Bio Pac, Ecover, Clorox 2, Naturally Yours, Shaklee or Seventh Generation.

For cleaning windows, fill your own spray bottle with water and either one-quarter-cup white vinegar or one tablespoon lemon juice to cut grease. Safer commercial glass cleaners are made by Aubrey Organics, BioShield, Earth Friendly, Naturally Yours and Seventh Generation.

Drain, Oven and Toilet-Bowl Cleaners

Problems

The corrosive ingredients in these products are severe eye, skin and respiratory irritants, and can be fatal if swallowed.

Chemical drain cleaners are among the most dangerous of all cleaning products, containing sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite (bleach) that can permanently burn eyes and skin.

In oven cleaners, lye and sodium hydroxide can burn skin, eyes and respiratory tract.

Solutions

For drains, a plunger "snake" plumbing tool should first be used to bring up as much of the clog as possible to give a cleaning product room to work-or remove the need for one. Earth Friendly and Naturally Yours drain cleaners use enzymes, rather than caustic chemicals, to dissolve obstructions. Prevent future blockage with inexpensive metal or plastic drain screens, available at most home improvement or hardware stores.

Coat oven surfaces in a paste of water and baking or washing soda, let stand overnight, then scrub off, wearing gloves. Among commercial products, EnviroSafety's plant-based Multi-Purpose Cleaner "worked perfectly on my toaster oven!" one Green Guide staffer says. Or you can use the non-chlorine scouring powders and creams listed above. To prevent future buildup, line oven floor with aluminum foil, and wipe oven walls and ceiling clean after each spill.

For toilets, forget the fancy stuff: Use simple non-chlorine scouring powders and creams, or try AFM SafeChoice Safety Clean or Ecover Toilet Cleaner.

Furniture and Metal Polishes

Problems

These are corrosive, thus may cause eye, skin or respiratory tract irritation. They can contain nerve-damaging petroleum distillates or formaldehhyde, a carcinogen.

Solutions

Polish furniture with a mixture of one teaspoon olive oil and _ cup white vinegar, or look for solvent-free products that use mineral or plant oils, such as Earth Friendly or Hope's Lemon Oil.

Someone we know successfully cleans silver with toothpaste. Copper can be shined with salt dissolved in white vinegar or lemon juice and rubbed on with a cloth, then rinsed with water. Brass may be scrubbed clean with a paste of one teaspoon salt, one cup white vinegar, and one cup flour. Or, use Kleen King copper & stainless steel cleaner, Twinkle copper and silver polishes, Hope's brass and silver polishes.

Room air fresheners and other perfumed products

Problems

Aerosol propellants contain flammable/nerve-damaging ingredients as well as tiny particles that can lodge in lungs. Fragrances of all kinds can provoke allergic/asthmatic reactions.

Solutions

When air outside is clean, open windows and ventilate! An open box of baking soda removes odors (or you can decant it from the box into a pretty bowl). Cedar blocks, or sachets of dried flowers or herbs, provide gentle scents-but do avoid any potpourri that lists unspecified "fragrance" on the label-that could mean synthetic chemicals, including phthalates. Look for products scented with essential plant oils, such as lemon, verbena or lavender.

Finally, we cannot stress enough that, as a general rule, it is best to avoid aerosol sprays in any kind of product, as these disperse ingredients in the air and make them easily to inhale. Even non-toxic ingredients can irritate eyes, noses and lungs, as can powders that are carelessly shaken out and wafted aloft. And remember that, when it comes to cleaning solutions, less is definitely more.

RESOURCES

Most of the products mentioned above can be found in supermarkets, natural foods, hardware and home improvement stores, but some products, such as Naturally Yours (below) are available only through phone order. For more complete resources, tips and health/environmental information, please see our Cleaning Products product report (click on Product Reports at the top of thegreenguide.com home page.)

AFM, 619-239-0321, www.afmsafecoat.com

Aubrey Organics, 800-282-7394, www.aubreyorganics.com

Earth Friendly, 800-335-ECOS, www.ecos.com

Earth Power,712-647-2755, www.earthpower.com

Ecover, 800-449-4925, www.ecover.com

Hope Company, 800-325-4026, www.hopecompany.com

Naturally Yours, 888-801-7347

Seventh Generation, 888-59-EARTH, www.seventhgen.com