Know Your Cleaners (Happy New Year 2008)
Did you know manufacturers are not required to list all of their ingredients unless they are active disinfectants or known to be potentially hazardous. Unlike food package labels, when a cleaning product’s ingredients are listed, the order doesn’t necessarily represent relative amounts. The following steps can help:
1. Know The Warning Labels:
• “Danger”: refers to products that are corrosive, extremely flammable, hgihly toxic or poisonous. Commercial toilet bowl, oven and drain cleaners often have these labels on their containers.
• “Caution” or “warning”: Are all catchall terns for manu other hazords, so scan for specifics, such as “vapor harmful”, “causes burns” or “may be fatel if swallowed.”
• “Irritants”: Refer to substances that can cause injury or tissye inflammation on contact.
• “Corrosives”: Refer to chemicals that destroy tissue.
• “Sensitizers”: Are ingredients that can cause allergic reactions and chronic adverse health effects that become evident only after continuous exposure.
• “Chronic Health Hazards”: May include effects ranging from sterility and birth defects to cancer.
2. Avoid Harmful Ingredients:
• Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs)
• Anitbacterials
• Ammonia
• Chlorine Bleach (sodium hypochlorite)
• Diethanolamine (DEA)
• Trithanolamine (TEA):
• Hydrochloric Acid
• Ethylene Glycol Butyl Ether (EGBE)
• Phosphates
• Sodium Hydroxide (lye)
3. Don’t just assume that manufacturers’ environmental and health claims are true: Some maufacturers’ will add labels that are neither independently verified nor regulated. Among those claims on labels are the following.
• Natural
• Nontoxic
• Environmentally Friendly
• Biodegradeable
Some safe cleaners and choices to consider:
1. AFM SafeChoice
2. BioKleen
3. Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds
4. Ecover
5. Holy Cow
6. Mountain Green
7. Planet, Inc.
8. Seventh Generation
Just do your homework and find out if the label claims are true before assuming that the are true.
*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Get on the list. Find out if your city pledged to meet Kyoto Protocol emissions targets; if not, contact your mayor or city council.
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