household cleaning Archives - Amazing Health Advances

How House Dust is Secretly Sabotaging Your Health and Waistline

The AHA! Team — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 08:30:52 +0000

Rebecca Jacobs via NaturalHealth365 – Strange as it seems, being an indifferent housekeeper could be right up there on the list of risk factors that promote health problems and obesity. Recent studies suggest that endocrine-disrupting chemicals lurking in ordinary household dust may disturb metabolic health and trigger the accumulation of body fat, especially in children. Read on to discover the truth about how chemical residues in household dust can contribute to weight gain and serious health problems. House dust attracts, holds, and redistributes contaminants “House dust” is composed of a blend of shed skin cells, hair, bacteria, dust mites, and a sprinkling of dead insects’ body parts. This environmental mix also includes particles of pollen and soil, fibers from clothing, and microscopic specks of plastic and dye. As unwholesome as this mixture is, the real danger of house dust may be its content of pollutants and carcinogenic compounds, all of which can function as endocrine disruptors. No matter how vigorously one cleans, dust can become entrenched in carpets and accumulate in crevices, leading over the years to a harmful buildup – even in the tidiest of homes. Even more troubling is that dust in place for many years can hold residues of banned substances, such as DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). Warning: Household debris contains dangerous phthalates from flame retardants and plasticizers According to an article in Chemical and Engineering News, phthalates are the most common harmful contaminants found in dust, with DEHP (Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) – a phthalate plasticizer found in plastic food containers, cosmetics, and vinyl flooring – topping the list. According to recent studies, DEHP can disrupt hormone function and reduce sperm motility in men. Dust is also a major source of human exposure to PBDEs, or polybrominated diphenyl ether. Found in flame retardants and fabric protectants, PBDEs are known endocrine disruptors. Although PBDEs have been banned, they still exist in the environment – and in household dust. And now, for a shocking fact: According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit environmental agency, the concentrations in house dust of some phthalates and flame retardants actually exceed soil-screening health risk thresholds set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Toxic compounds in dust can be inhaled, absorbed through the skin, or ingested through the mouth – as can occur when eating with dusty hands. Exposure to household contaminants can trigger weight gain In a study conducted by researchers at Duke University and published in Environmental Science and Technology, precursor fat cells – or adipocytes – were exposed to household dust containing endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The result? The team found that extracts from seven of the eleven house dust samples caused precursor adipocytes to mature and accumulate more fat – while nine of the samples caused the cells to proliferate and increase in number. The team found that the flame retardant TBPDP (2,4,6-Tribromophenyl-2,3-dibromopropyl ether), the plasticizer DBP (Dibutyl Phthalate), and the pesticide pyraclostrobin had the greatest effects on fat accumulation. Lead author Dr. Heather Stapleton remarked that the findings raised concerns for human health, especially because the dust’s fat-producing tendency occurred at concentrations below the EPA-estimated child exposure levels. Disturbingly, as little as 3 micrograms of dust triggered fat-producing effects – well below the 50 milligrams of house dust that children could be consuming daily. Certain pollutants are linked to leukemia, researchers say Some compounds found in dust, including PBDEs, PCBs, and PAHs – or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons – are suspected leukemia risk factors. According to the Environmental Working Group, PBDEs, in particular, have been linked in animal studies to thyroid hormone disruption, learning and memory impairment, hearing deficits, decreased sperm count, and even cancer. Todd P. Whitehead, an environmental scientist at the University of California, studied dust in California homes as part of his work with the California Childhood Leukemia Study. The research showed that homes of children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL, tended to have higher levels of PAHs, PBDEs, and PCBs. Whitehead called the findings the “strongest type of evidence” to suggest that these compounds are risk factors for childhood leukemia. In addition, Professor Marsha Wills-Karp of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reports accumulating evidence that exposure to contaminants in dust might lead to diseases such as obesity, asthma, and autism. How can I reduce the exposure to unwanted pollution in my home? Natural health experts recommend frequent hand washing and using a vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air filter to reduce exposure to and ingestion of dust. Avoid using feather dusters, which only redistribute dust, and clean with a damp rag. Whenever possible or practical, opt for wood or tile floors over carpets. Experts report that normal vacuuming only removes about 10 percent of entrapped dust from carpets. Other actions you can take include changing bedding once a week, removing all clutter from floors, and storing closet contents in garment bags or boxes. Finally, you may want to consider opening up the window (as often as possible) and using a good quality air purifier, at least in the bedroom. Sources for this article include: NIH.gov ACS.org ACS.org Express.co.uk EWG.org 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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