Friday, October 8, 2010

Safe Cleaning Products: Are Your Cleaning Products Safe?

When people buy cleaning products the tendency is for them to look for something that can effectively remove dirt, stains, or other marks in many household stuff. The safety of cleaning products is usually set aside. It may be because people don’t mind the harmful effects of cleaning products, especially those that are chemical-based. Some are simply unaware of the negative consequences of using them regularly.

While there are harmful cleaning products available in supermarket, one can also find some great alternatives, which are organic or all-natural. The challenge for consumers is to find out whether the cleaning products they buy are safe for the health and environment. There are actually some simple and practical ways to know if the cleaning product is totally harmless.

Look beyond the packages and take time to read the labels and don’t just pick anything that is merely eye-catching. Because of the popularity of organic or all-natural household cleaning products nowadays, many makers of household cleaning products include one or two organic ingredients in their products and call it organic, which is rather deceiving.  Make sure to read all the ingredients when buying cleaning products and count them as much as possible to know whether you are getting the right organic cleaner. If the product contains ingredients that look strange and are hard to pronounce, stay away from them. Natural cleaners must have natural ingredients.

Be very careful in shopping for house cleaners because you might see products that are sold under the disguise of “organic”, “eco-friendly”, “non-toxic”, “chemical-free”, or “all-natural”. Always keep in mind that a safe cleaning product should not contain any petrochemicals and artificial colors. If you notice that the label has the mark “biodegradable”, it means the product is safe and that you can dispose of it. This won’t harm the environment. Also, look for some certifications in the label. Non-toxic household cleaners that contain natural or organic ingredients are certified by the government or any independent group. This is to help the consumers pick the safest products in the market.

Below are some guidelines to help you pick the safe household cleaners that are commonly used:

Toilet Cleaner 
A chemical-free toilet cleaner must contain essential or natural oils, such as those from citrus, sassafras, and pine.

Dishwashing Powder 
Read the label and if you see enzymes and harmful chemicals, such phosphates or chlorine bleach, don’t buy it because it is not safe for your health and the environment. Always look for plant-based products, which are safer to use.

Laundry Powder Detergents
A safe laundry detergent must have mineral salts and other plant-based ingredients. It should never contain, phosphates, chlorine, and other harmful chemicals that you cannot even recognize when written on the label.

Laundry Liquid Detergents
If you are buying laundry liquid instead of powder, look for organic essential oils, such as eucalyptus oil. Unscented laundry liquid detergents are definitely safer because these are chemical-free.

Spray Cleaner 
Citrus-based spray cleaners are guaranteed safe. You can also look for products that contain other essential oils, aloe vera, and rosemary extract.

A great all around cleaner for your home is Vermont Soap Organic Liquid Sunshine concentrate. This can be used to clean almost everything in your home. Many people also like to use Organic Aloe Castile soap.

Here's a list of all-natural safe cleaning products you can check out.

1 comment:

  1. If you're health conscious, love simplicity, and care about the environment, then you want SoapBerries Laundry Detergent. safe cleaning products

    ReplyDelete