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Swap Out Hazardous Household Cleaning Products for These 8 Nontoxic Alternatives

AHA Publisher — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 07:00:16 +0000

Stephanie Woods via NaturalHealth365 – Every day we use products to clean our homes, sanitize surfaces, and freshen the air, all in the name of creating a healthy living environment. And why not? Ads we see on the TV, internet, and in magazines, placed by companies that claim to have not only our best interest at heart but our families as well, promise a clean, healthy, safe home. Why wouldn’t we believe them? Unfortunately, too many people are taught to trust those in power, the ones with the money, larger than life because “they know what’s best for us.” And those same people follow without question, allowing these entities to introduce toxic substances into our food, water, and the products used to supposedly clean our homes and create a healthy, safe environment. But researchers are uncovering startling information that tells a different story. The majority of common, popular household cleaning products are devastatingly harmful to humans and pets. Common Household Cleaning Products May Be More Harmful Than Previously Thought It is well documented that the only way to get past a tainted food supply is to buy local, organic, and fresh – and even that is questionable. Unsafe water is another concern that is finally coming onto the public’s radar. Toxic household cleaners are not necessarily a new conversation, but it is gaining more traction as research reveals just how hazardous they are. An alarming body of research recently published by the University of Bergen in Norway found that long-term use of cleaning products (once a week for twenty years) could have the same effect on the human body as smoking 20 cigarettes a day over a ten to twenty-year period. Researchers believe that this damage could occur due to the irritation of the mucous membranes that line the lungs caused by exposure to the chemicals in the cleaning products. Inhaling these chemicals frequently (at least once a week) over a long period of time (around twenty years) can result in airway changes that are destructive and extremely harmful. After all, the particles that are contained in the cleaning products are intended to clean surfaces, not enter the human body or be inhaled into the lungs. The containers have strong warnings about ingesting the products, but the truth is, the mucous membranes aren’t the only vulnerability; the eyes and skin are also significant conduits by which toxins can enter the body. This includes exposure to toxins during application or use and any airborne contamination lingering after the product has been used. This endangers others who may not have had direct contact with the products due to use but are present in the living environment and touch the surfaces or breathe in the fumes – even long after the product was used. The research concluded that household cleaning products create as much air pollution as cars. Exposure to Household Cleaning Products Can Lead to Severe Adverse Health Effects Chronic or long-term exposure to household disinfectants, sanitizers, and cleaners has been linked to several serious health conditions, including: Increased asthma symptoms and complications Increased risk of conditions associated with asthma such as COPD, scarred lung tissue, and lung infections Low sperm count Increased risk of developing COPD Miscarriage Damage to the nervous system Headaches or migraines Menstruation irregularities in women Symptoms of airway irritation or inflammation, including wheezing, chest pain, and shortness of breath Increased risk of pneumonia caused by exposure via inhalation Products that top the list as most hazardous include those that contain corrosive chemicals, such as drain cleaners, oven cleaners, and toilet bowl cleaners. Ammonia and chlorine are also harmful chemicals that many cleaning products proudly advertise right there on their labels. Laundry detergents, dryer sheets, and fragrance products are also laden with harmful chemicals. Many fragrances that are added to cleaning solutions can also cause serious health problems. Ditch Harmful Products and Try THESE Nontoxic Alternatives Cleaning your home should be to rid your living environment of harmful toxins, not introduce more of them. Harsh chemicals may remove dirt and germs from surfaces, but the damage they do to the human body is a steep price to pay. Even products that carry an “organic,” “green,” or “natural” label or certification can still emit air pollutants that can be harmful. Using nontoxic, truly natural cleaners will significantly reduce your risk of exposure to harmful chemicals while keeping your home healthy, clean, and sanitized. The good news is all you need are eight staples that are probably in your pantry right now: Baking soda Gentle, non-scratch scrub Oven cleaner Drain cleaner Carpet deodorizer Litter box deodorizer Castile soap Laundry soap Bath soap All-purpose cleaner for home Shower cleaner Coconut oil Antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal cleaning solutions Clean wood furniture Sanitize wood cutting boards Use instead of WD-40 to lubricate squeaky hinges, etc. Moisturize leather goods (instead of leather conditioner) Essential oils (citrus is a good choice but eucalyptus, frankincense, peppermint, and tea tree oil are nice too) General cleaner (added to water) Insect repellant or “bug spray” (add a few drops of citrus, eucalyptus, frankincense, peppermint, or tea tree oil to water and put in a spray bottle) Room freshener Put in a diffuser during illness (frankincense cleans the air, eucalyptus helps relieve stuffy heads) Use in homemade laundry soap Hydrogen peroxide General cleaning solution Antibacterial cleaner Clean food prep areas Lemons (peel and juice) Clean and freshen refrigerator Clean and freshen garbage disposal Room freshener Clean cutting boards Clean coffee maker Furniture polish Rubbing alcohol (vodka also works) Countertop cleaners Sanitize surfaces White vinegar Disinfectant (follow with hydrogen peroxide for deeper disinfecting) Window cleaner Clean tile floors and bathtub (mix with baking soda) All-purpose cleaner for countertops (except stone, marble, or granite countertops) Bathroom grout Using truly natural, nontoxic cleaning substances will help keep a healthier, cleaner home. Sources for this article include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org Thoracic.org OEM.BMJ.com To read the original article click here.

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Do Natural Thymol Cleaning Products Disinfect as Well as Bleach?

AHA Publisher — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 07:00:28 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – What’s the best household cleaning product to use? Household cleaning products can be hazardous, landing hundreds of thousands of children in U.S. emergency rooms. The product most commonly associated with injury is bleach, which can be toxic, even if used as directed. We know that those with asthma who work with cleaning products day in and day out can experience adverse respiratory effects, worsening of symptoms, decline in lung function, and inflamed airways, but even cleaning workers without asthma can be affected. Indeed, even below so-called acceptable exposure levels, cleaners with or without reactive airways can suffer “a substantial decrease” in lung function. “Although it is recognized that occupational use of bleach may have adverse respiratory health effects, it is unknown whether common domestic use of bleach may be a risk factor for asthma”—rather, it was unknown…until now. Bleach use was significantly associated with nearly five times the odds of non-allergic adult-onset asthma, as well as ongoing lower respiratory symptoms, such as chronic cough. Bleach works as such a strong pro-oxidant that the thought is it can lead to leaky lungs, allowing allergens to penetrate. The phenomenon of cleaning product–induced asthma has been known for decades. More than three quarters of the dozens of population studies investigating this issue have found an increased risk of asthma or nasal inflammation. “Ideally, good cleaning products that are safer for the respiratory system should be available.” Unfortunately, this body of evidence has been largely ignored by the manufacturers and commercial cleaning companies. Most of the workers put at risk are women. In fact, that may help explain some of the gender differences in asthma. “The relatively high frequency of bleach use for home-cleaning by women all around the world, together with the strong association between bleach use and non-allergic asthma…emphasize the need for (re)-considering the use of bleach for cleaning as a potential concern for public health.” There are natural, environmentally friendly cleaning products that may offer a safer alternative. Safer, perhaps, but are they as effective? That’s the topic of my video Flashback Friday: Do Natural and DIY Tea Tree Oil Cleaning Products Disinfect as Well as Bleach? “The effectiveness of three home products in cleaning and disinfection of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli on home environmental surfaces” was the title of “the first report of performance of purportedly safer alternatives for both cleaning and disinfection” of the bacteria that cause staph infections as well as E. coli “for use in home health care.” “In the home setting, some individuals select conventional products such as bleach due to familiarity. It has been shown that some people associate the smell of bleach with cleanliness…Others are seeking less hazardous and environmentally preferable disinfectants…claim[ing] to be ‘green,’ ‘organic’ or ‘natural,’” which you can buy or make yourself with so-called do-it-yourself (DIY) recipes that typically involve ingredients such as vinegar, club soda, and plant essential oils, such as tea tree oil, which is prized for its antimicrobial qualities. Researchers pitted three solutions head-to-head: Clorox bleach, a natural disinfectant based on thymol, which is from thyme essential oil, and a DIY cleaner recipe consisting of half club soda, half white vinegar, and a few drops of tea tree oil. You could probably buy the bleach for around $3 and the natural disinfectant for more like $7, and make the DIY mix for less than a dollar. Quite the bargain, but does it work? On the bottle of Clorox, it says bleach “kills 99.9% of common household germs,” which is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standard for the disinfection of surfaces that don’t come into contact with food, such as the bathroom sink. When put to the test, though, the bleach actually killed 99.9999 percent of germs. As you can see at 3:48 in my video, the Clorox completely wiped out the E. coli and Staph germs and even exceeded the EPA standard for food contact surfaces, such as the kitchen counter. The more expensive natural disinfectant worked just as well as bleach, though. What about the DIY solution? The club soda, vinegar, and tea tree oil concoction flopped, allowing as many as a few percent of the Staph bugs to thrive. The researchers might not have used enough of the tea tree oil, though, only adding about a drop per cup, but, from a performance perspective, the environmentally preferable product based on thymol from the thyme essential oil is “an effective alternative” to conventional bleach. I would say it’s even better because bleach is “well known as a respiratory irritant” and is corrosive, too, so it may end up damaging surfaces. I would find it interesting to test how effective a cheap DIY thyme oil solution would be. KEY TAKEAWAYS Among hazardous household cleaning products, bleach, which can be toxic, is most commonly associated with injury. Regular occupational use of cleaning products can have adverse effects, such as impaired lung function, even for those without asthma and when used below so-called acceptable exposure levels. Bleach use is associated with nearly five times the odds of ongoing lower respiratory symptoms and non-allergic adult-onset asthma, and more than 75 percent of population studies on cleaning product-induced asthma have found increased risk of nasal inflammation or asthma. When researchers conducted a head-to-head challenge of Clorox bleach, a natural disinfectant based on thymol (from thyme essential oil), and a DIY cleaner (equal parts club soda and white vinegar with a few drops of tea tree oil), the thymol disinfectant worked as well as bleach, completely eliminating coli and Steph germs, but the DIY tea tree cleaner allowed as many as a few percent of Staph bugs to live. The researchers only added about one drop of tea tree oil per cup in making the DIY solution, so more may have made it a more effective cleaner, but it is clear that the natural and environmentally friendlier thymol-based solution is “an effective alternative” to bleach. This article has been modified. To read the original article click here.

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Scientists Develop Corona-Busting Disinfectant That Remains Active Longer

AHA Publisher — Wed, 20 May 2020 07:00:50 +0000

ISRAEL21c Staff via Israel21c – Unlike chlorine bleach and similar surface disinfecting products, the new substances target the virus infection mechanism and remain active longer. Chemical engineers from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology say they have developed smart disinfectants that destroy the coronavirus infection mechanism and remain active over time. Asst. Prof. Shady Farah, head of the research group, has received a European Institute of Innovation and Technology grant under its Health COVID-19 Rapid Response program to accelerate the development process and market launch. “We are currently producing potential substances and testing them. We plan to select the optimal substance and begin mass production in the next few months,” said Farah. The hope is that these products could replace household bleach and other chorine-based solutions whose disinfecting ability diminishes rapidly through evaporation and light exposure. The novel coronavirus causing the current epidemic can survive on various surfaces for as long as 17 days. This increases the probability of infection from touching contaminated surfaces. Farah’s research group develops polymers for medical use and smart drug delivery. When the Covid-19 epidemic broke out, the group began developing antiviral polymers that act on the virus in two ways: by altering and damaging its structure so that its infection capability is impaired; and by attacking and destroying the virus’s envelope. “We are … adding a new family of disinfectants that release the active substance in a controlled manner. In this way, they remain effective for long periods of time,” Farah said. He added that although this development was accelerated due to the current coronavirus crisis, the new disinfectants will also be effective against other microorganisms. Other Israeli surface disinfectants recently formulated for virus protection include Bio-Fence, containing active chlorine stabilized by an innovative polymer, based on core technology developed at the Israel Institute of Biological Research; and a technology from Bar-Ilan University chemists that turns tap water into a powerful, environmentally friendly disinfectant on demand. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Israel21c click here.

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