Have you ever considered which chemicals are present in the cleaning products you buy? Don’t worry, most people don’t. Leave that for the chemistry teachers!

 

Well, the problem is, a lot of common cleaning ingredients are extremely harmful, in some cases toxic. One look at the labels and you’ll see words such as “Hazardous”, or “Corrosive”. Now we don’t know about you, but they seem like pretty badwords to describe products you use in your home.

 

We thought we’d clear up some of the scientific jargon so that you know what goes into the cleaning products you’re used to purchasing.

 

1) Carcinogens

 

Carcinogens cause cancer or promote cancer growth. Some common carcinogens include Formaldehyde (used in cleaning products, disinfectants and nail polish), Organochlorines (used in detergents, degreasers and bleach), and VOC’s (used in perfumes, airfresheners and deodorisers).

 

2) Endocrine Disruptors

 

These mimic human hormones, which can cause confusion in your body with false signals. Over-exposure can lead to health, reproductive, developmental, growth and behaviour problems. Common variants include Phthalates (perfumes, air fresheners) and Styrene (floorwax, polish, metal cleaners).

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3) Neurotoxins

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Perhaps the most dangerous sounding on the list, neurotoxins affect brain activity causing symptoms ranging from headaches to impaired intellect. Common ingredients include 2-butoxyethanol (found in a whopping 108 popular cleaning products) and Monoethanolamine (found in 50 cleaning products).

 

So what can we do about these harmful chemicals?

 

The answer lies in our range of eco-friendly products. It’s time to go back to basics, back to the ingredients used to great effect by our ancestors. Natural ingredients such as vinegar, baking soda, borax and essential oils can provide the same quality of cleaning but without the harmful chemicals.

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Check out our range of products to find out more.