Safer, Cleaner Living

If you’re anything like me, you spent most of 2020 sanitizing, disinfecting and using heavy chemicals all the time, everywhere and didn’t give it a second thought. And basically losing your mind. Ha! Most of the time, it felt that the threat of the virus outweighed the dangers of all those chemicals and all that disinfecting. I went from being an uber-crunchy, highly critical product consumer and all around non-toxic lifestyle advocate to not only owning bleach but actually using it on a variety of surfaces. Surfaces my son would touch, which, we all know with a toddler, means that those surface chemicals met his mouth at some point too. Very conscious of that reality, I continued. Until, I didn’t.

Faced with the reality of a long haul in this pandemic, I realized I couldn’t continue on this way. I was tired of coming from a place of fear and making poor decisions for my family based on that fear. While we are disinfecting and sanitizing, those chemicals are wrecking havoc on both our bodies and our brains. The research and evidence around the harm posed by most chemicals in cleaning products and the well known disadvantages to basic disinfecting are straightforward - you don’t need chemicals to make things “clean” and our immune systems need germs (especially those of a child). Around this time I had also read a couple of articles around the human crisis that could come about as a result of this excessive pandemic disinfecting. The basic theory proposed was that the entire human population could see a serious decrease in the strength of their immune systems by not coming into contact with various germs and bacterias and ultimately could lead to large numbers of very, very ill people from very, very common illnesses once we are able to begin coming into contact with one another again.

THIS is scary. And it makes sense to me. At this point, we are not coming into contact with any outside germs. Surfaces at common locations like banks, grocery stores and post offices are either disinfected or we are put at such a distance from those surfaces that we are not even touching them. For the most part, we are not exchanging common colds or other illnesses that strengthen our immune systems. Many health agencies are reporting significantly lower incidences of the flu this year, for example. And while that may seem like a good thing, it’s really not. It will make us more susceptible to illnesses we should be able to fight off easily and will prolong these strict measures of social distancing, disinfecting and mask wearing (if there is ever even hope of returning to normal).

And then, of course, there’s the consideration of what all of these cleaning chemicals might also be doing on top of it all. A variety of chemicals found in common cleaning products have already been linked to reproductive and developmental damage, cancer and other serious health risks. Some of the most common and dangerous include:

Phthalates - found in fragranced household products like air fresheners, dish soap, toilet paper, body & hair products, skincare and so much more! Often listed as “fragrance” on the label because companies do not legally have to disclose what is in their scents. They are well known endocrine disrupters and have been correlated with reduced sperm counts. They are absorbed through inhalation and skin contact. The skin has no safeguard against toxins, so chemicals go straight to the organs. Alternatives include essential oils, letting in fresh air with open windows or simply avoiding any kind of fragrance in skincare and body products.

Perchloroethylene (PERC) - a chemical typically found in fabric cleaners, including dry cleaning, spot removers and carpet cleaners. It is a neurotoxin and potential carcinogen absorbed through inhalation. Alternatives include “wet” cleaners, non-toxic brands or undiluted castile soap for stains.

Triclosan - found in liquid dishwashing detergents, hand soaps and products labeled “antibacterial.” Promotes the growth of drug-resistant bacteria and studies have shown it is now present in dangerous concentrations in rivers and streams where is it toxic to algae and so starting to have a global effect. It is also thought to be another endocrine disruptor and carcinogen. Alternatives include alcohol based hand sanitizers and avoiding anything that says “antibacterial.”

Formaldehyde - found in heavy-duty cleansers as well as body products like tear-free kids shampoos!! It has been connected with the onset of ALS, a neurodegenerative disease that slowly eliminates the brain’s ability to control the body and can also cause damage to the nervous system in different ways than ALS does. In some cases, it can shift the balance of chemicals in the brain, which may lead to depression, mood swings, headaches, insomnia, irritability, and attention deficit. Alternatives include baking soda and vinegar and can be avoided altogether in products used on the body.

Ammonia - found in polishing agents and commercial window cleaners. Almost always inhaled, it has severe respiratory affects including asthma and chronic bronchitis for those who are exposed regularly, like housekeepers. But will also aggravate those who already have lung issues or breathing problems. It will become a poisonous gas if mixed with bleach. Vodka is a great alternative.

2-Butoxyethanol - an ingredient found in multi-purposes cleaners and window sprays. It is a glycol ether solvent that helps breaks down dirt and oil. Extended exposure can cause high-grade liver and kidney damage, narcosis and pulmary edema. Alternatives include formulas with baking soda, essential oils, and vinegar.

Chlorine - found in pools, scouring powders, toilet bowl cleaners, mildew removers, laundry whiteners and household tap water. This one is a big time concern because how common is it and often we are exposed to it. You may be ingesting it, absorbing it through the skin or inhaling it. Health risks are wide ranging from acute to chronic; from respiratory irritant or skin dryness to serious thyroid disrupter. And possibly may more issues that we are not even aware of at this time. Alternatives include baking soda, vinegar, and borax powder for all types of cleaning. Install filters in bathrooms and kitchen sink to filter tap water.

Sodium Hydroxide - found in oven cleaners and drain openers, also known as “lye”. Routes of exposure are skin contact and inhalation. It is extremely corrosive and can cause burns if it touches skin or eyes. It can even cause a sore throat if inhaled. Use baking soda and vinegar as an alternative for cleaning and drain opening, or “snake” drains

I’ve know all of the above for a long time, but somewhere along the way I chose to forget. So, this fall I made a commitment to come back to myself and to my right mind; to start making safer choices for my family again. Of course, we are careful. We are making sure to wash our hands and use non-toxic hand sanitizer brands when we are out in the world. But, I am no longer cleaning my home with toxic products or allowing the fear of illness to overtake my rational mind. We can be safe both against the virus and against dangerous chemicals at the same time.