Tips for Choosing Safe Cleaning Products

If you're worried about chemical residues in your home, you'll want to choose cleaning products that are labeled safe. Check out the EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning to determine which cleaning products are safe. Also, pay attention to product labels, which are often accompanied by a warning label that should be read carefully. These warnings will often tell you about ingredients that you need to avoid.

Avoid cleaning products with terms like Caution

Cleaning products contain a multitude of chemicals. Many are toxic and need to be labeled with a warning. They can also be harsh on your skin and should be avoided if you have sensitive skin.

Irritant

Many of the cleaning products on the market today contain irritants, such as ammonia and ammonium hydroxide. These substances can be effective at disinfecting and cutting through grease, but they are toxic when used in higher concentrations. For this reason, the Environmental Protection Agency has designated ammonia as an Extremely Hazardous Substance, which means that there are special reporting requirements for large amounts of ammonia.

Poison

When choosing cleaning products, it is important to make sure they are free of toxins. Toxic chemicals can be harmful to your health and can leave a residue on your food surfaces. They can also contribute to indoor air pollution. Choosing safe products can be a challenge, but it is possible to make good choices that will not harm you and your family.

Warning

Warning labels on cleaning products can help keep you and your family safe. However, the labels can give you only a limited amount of information about the ingredients contained in a product. Manufacturers are not required to list all ingredients on the labels. As a result, the lists are often incomplete.

Diluting a cleaner makes it less harsh

Many household cleaners can be diluted with water to make them less harsh, making them better for cleaning sensitive surfaces, such as baby's skin. Diluting a cleaner will save you money and time while maintaining the same cleaning power. The dilution rate will vary depending on the cleaning surface. The Multi-Task Cleaner by Z BioScience and SIMIX Multi-Surface Cleaner are two such products.

Avoiding triclosan

When choosing safe cleaning products, you want to make sure to avoid products that contain triclosan. This antibacterial ingredient is found in many household products, including soaps, mops, sponges, cutting boards, and other items. This ingredient has also been linked to allergies, so it's important to avoid cleaning products that contain it.

Avoiding petroleum solvents

Avoiding petroleum solvents when choosing safe cleaning materials is important for a number of reasons. First of all, they are highly flammable, which means you need to read the label. You also want to avoid placing them near heat sources. Spirit solvents can damage clothing, so you should avoid using them on your clothing. And you also want to avoid aerosol cans of these chemicals because they can cause explosions.