subject: Cleaning Products: Are They Safe [print this page] It's important that we learn about the safety of the air we breathe and the water we drink, because we spend many hours at home. Cleaning products are only required to list the active ingredients and we need to remember that when buying cleaning products, the more "signal words" there are on the packaging, the less safe the product. Once you bring the products home, review the label carefully and follow the instructions of course, it would be more sensible to buy a product with only one use of the word "caution".
How Safe are Our Homes?
It is not just the effect of one product, but the cumulative effects of many products in your home that affect the air you and your family breathe. Here are precautions for buying and using potentially harmful cleaning products:
Research online an alternative cleaning solutions that are less or non-hazardous.
Don't mix products unless the labels specifically say you can do this safely. In fact some products will warn against use in
combination with another product (like bleach and toilet bowl cleaners).
Don't mix different brands of the same product as they may be manufactured with different chemicals that become toxic when combined. Putting on my handyman hat, we make the same recommendation about deck stains as we can't guarantee that one manufacturer's stain won't be affected by a product already on your deck.
Keep cleaning products in their original containers so you can always read the instructions before using. You may also need to refer to the ingredients if someone is affected by the product.
Avoid breathing the fumes from cleaning products by opening windows for ventilation. Avoid eye and skin contact by using protective gloves and clothing.
Be extra careful using cleaning products when pregnant and/or around small children as most testing has not addressed these populations.
AVOID buying cleaning products in large quantities. Buy just enough for a specific job and dispose of quickly. Wrap containers securely in newspaper and follow the recommendations of your local waste management company when getting rid of unused products. For example, left over paint can be hardened (required in some communities) before disposal to avoid leaks into the ground.
REMEMBER: You should use household cleaners and polishes according to their label directions because they are manufactured that way and will cause little damage to the environment. However, some product uses and their disposal merit particular attention.
