1. They may smell "clean," but inhaling them could be harmful
The next time you take a stroll down the cleaning aisle of your local market, forget about all the bright labels and eye-catching packaging. Focus on your nose instead. Have you ever wondered if breathing those smells might be harmful to your health? The answer is yes. Inhalation can be even more dangerous than actually ingesting a chemical because the harmful agents go directly into the bloodstream and may affect the lungs, heart, brain, liver and kidneys.
2. They can pollute the environment
The notion that when we clean our homes we make the environment dirtier is not a pleasant one. Sadly, many of the chemicals in our cleansers contain carcinogens, corrosives and other ingredients that can be damaging to the environment, particularly if they are not used and disposed of properly. The result? We rinse and flush a lot of these chemicals down the drain or dispose of them in landfills where they can harm the environment.
3. They may jeopardize your family's health
Having a safe home environment is a top priority for all of us, yet we may be putting ourselves at risk by keeping toxic cleansers at arm's reach. Most parents of young children worry about ingestion when it comes to household cleaners. Putting them up high or locking your cabinet may help, but accidents still happen, leaving the parents of about 1.5 million children devastated each year when their children are poisoned in the home after drinking toxic cleaners.
4. They should not come into contact with your skin
One square inch of skin contains millions of cells and nerve endings. Every time a cleaning product or other chemical touches your skin, it gets absorbed and can cause health problems. In fact, even days after you've cleaned a surface, touching it, preparing food on it or even walking across it can result in harmful chemicals being absorbed by your body. Protect yourself by always using protective wear when using cleaners.
5.
They can also be harmful to your pet
We would never think about exposing our children to toxic cleaners, but do we consider how hazardous these can be to our pets? Here's just one example of how we can unwittingly expose our pets: You've just cleaned your kitchen floor. Your dog or cat comes and gets cleaner on his paws. Later, he licks those same paws and ingests cleaner. This can cause health issues ranging from liver and kidney damage to respiratory problems. Remember, pets are just as vulnerable as we are when it comes to toxic chemicals. |
