Is Your House Really Clean?
By Norma McCormick
What I once assumed safe and environmental friendly - just isn’t so. A large portion of day to day cleaners are filled with toxins. Currently there is no universal recognized definition for “cleaning”. With this in mind the public’s awareness of effective cleaning has been hampered. Ask ten people, “What is clean?” and the results may be 10 different definitions for clean. Effective cleaning comes down eliminating harmful germs, bacteria and microorganisms, while the use of environmentally preferable cleaning products is a secondary goal. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) analyzed 2983 chemicals used in OUR personal care products - shampoos, soap, lotions and deodorants. The RESULTS were astonishing!! 884 were found to be toxic, and of those 778 can cause acute toxicity, wait it gets worse -146 can cause tumors, 218 can cause reproductive complications and 376 can cause skin and eye irritation. Chemical toxins gradually build up in our systems. The toxins aren’t just limited to personal care products and cleaning products, aerosols can linger in our indoor air for hours.
In a recent study California Fish and Game Department found household bleach, laundry detergent, dish soap and all purpose cleaners to be the most toxic substances in their aquatic waterways. The EPA has stated that INDOOR AIR QUALITY is one of the nation’s most important environmental problems. The facts now show that more than 60 MILLION Americans, that is roughly 1 in 4, experience respiratory problems, such as asthma and allergies resulting from indoor substances - often cleaning products. To reduce the risk associated with cleaning products and help protect indoor air quality observe limited exposure ,improve ventilation during and after the use of products, rinsing surfaces liberally and controlled amounts of products applied. These simple steps can be taken to help improve our home environments. The GREEN effort is now on the move and more products are being tested for toxicity and performance ability.
How safe is your home? For further information regarding cleaning products and Air Cleaners please feel free to contact us at 480-821-1481.
Norma S. McCormick - Certified Master Textile Technician with over 18 years in the Cleaning Industry. Norma owns Guaranteed Clean Carpet Systems and Norma's fine Oriental Rug Cleaning.
Call 480-821-1481 for a free estimate!