Bathroom Blitz

Spring’s longer hours of sunlight tend to shed new light on household grime, and nowhere is gunk more illuminated then on the white tiles of our bathrooms. Unfortunately, ingredients found in many conventional bathroom cleaners can pose environmental hazards when they are rinsed down the drain, and have been associated with health risks ranging from burns to respiratory irritation and central nervous system depression. What’s more, health hazards can persist even after cleaning, when product residues mix with shower steam and create harmful vapors. But manufacturers aren’t required to disclose the contents of their products, leaving consumers in the dark about hazards posed by many conventional cleaners.

Soap Scum

Yes, it’s stubborn. It spreads across our sinks, tubs and shower walls, and we’re always looking for products tough enough to take the sweat out of our scrubbing. Products that claim to feature “scrubbing bubbles” frequently rely on the sudsing agent sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), which can penetrate the skin, causing irritation and opening a clear pathway for the absorption of other chemical irritants. Bathroom surface cleaners also often contain glycol ethers, such as diethylene glycol and monobutyl ether, both industrial solvents that can cause central nervous system depression and can irritate the skin, eyes and nose. Low-level exposure to glycol ethers has been associated with birth defects and testicular damage in animal studies, and occupational exposure has been associated with reduced sperm count in men.

Made from feldspar, sodium carbonate, calcium carbonate and tallow soap, Bon Ami Cleaning Powder provides a safe way to scrub ($9.95/6 12 oz cans; www.agelong.com). Or try Sound Earth’s The Velvet Hammer, made from baking soda, vinegar, borax, castile soap and hydrogen peroxide ($7.99/20 oz.; www.soundearth.com). Meanwhile, borax (a disinfectant and deodorizer made from natural minerals) and a sturdy brush work just as well.

Tile and Grout

Tile and grout cleaners are usually some toxic combination of a glycol ether, like those found in bathroom surface cleaners, and a caustic ingredient such as monoethanolamine (MEA). Inhalation of MEA has been associated with asthma, liver damage and chronic hepatitis (it is also a skin, eye and respiratory irritant). Other caustic ingredients, such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and lye (also known as caustic soda or sodium hydroxide), are found both in tile and grout cleaners and in toilet bowl cleaners. They can cause severe burns when splashed on skin, and may burn the throat and lungs when fumes are inhaled. Earth Friendly Shower Kleener uses tea tree oil and lavender oil to get the grime out of grout ($5.10/22 oz.; www.pristineplanet.com). Alternatively, you can mix one part salt, one part baking soda and one part vinegar to make a paste for polishing tile and grout.

The Toilet Bowl

Cleaning the toilet bowl is generally a dreaded job, and maybe it should be if you’re using a conventional toilet bowl cleaner. In addition to caustic ingredients like lye, toilet bowl cleaners usually contain ammonia, which is extremely irritating to respiratory passages when inhaled, and may threaten aquatic populations when flushed. A U.S. Geological Survey study found a correlation between high concentrations of ammonia and three separate incidents of fish population “die-offs” in Oregon’s Klamath Lake. Replace the store-bought cleaner with baking soda and lemon juice for an effective and fragrant alternative to scary bowl cleaners. Or if you prefer a ready-made option, try Naturally Yours Clinging Toilet Bowl Cleaner ($7/32 oz.; www.naturallyyoursclean.com) or Seventh Generation Natural Mint Toilet Bowl Cleaner ($5.39/32 oz.; www.drugstore.com).

Keep in mind that even when your cleaning regimen is eco-friendly, bathroom air can still be a health hazard when there’s a polyvinyl (PVC) shower curtain hanging around the tub. PVC curtains contain hormone-disrupting plasticizers that can offgas from the material for up to five years. Avoid the perils of plasticizers with a PVC-free curtain, such as VitaFutura's PEVA curtains ($26.99 and up; www.vitafutura.com), or Ikea's Näckten PEVA shower curtain ($1.79; www.ikea.com).

For more products, see our Bathroom Surface Cleaner and Toilet Bowl Cleaner Buying Guides. And whichever product you choose, consult Green Guide's "Top Cleaning-Product Ingredients to Avoid." Check out "DIY Household Cleaners" for more simple, safe, and inexpensive recipes.