With everyone going green these days it got me thinking, what exactly is in your typical household cleaner? What I found was astonishing! I’m still confused as to what exactly each of these chemicals is, but I learned enough to know what they are found in and what damage they can cause, for me that am enough! Here are just a few to start with.

• Formaldehyde – It’s found in spray deodorizers and is known to be a respiratory irritant. Doesn’t smell so great now, does it?
• Petroleum Solvents – Found in floor cleaners. This chemical causes damage to the mucous membranes.
• Chlorinated Phenols – This can be found in your toilet bowl cleaner. So after you get done scrubbing that toilet you might want to see your doctor and have your respiratory and circulatory systems checked. This cleaner causes harm to both.
• Diethylene Glycol – This nasty little chemical is in most window cleaners. Yes, it may get those windows shined but it also depresses the nervous system.
• Butyl Cellosolve – You can find this ingredient in our beloved all-purpose cleaners. We all love these types of cleaners because it tackles multiple surfaces that need cleaning. It’s also tackling your liver, kidneys, nervous system, damaging bone marrow and in some cases causing cancer. Talk about multiple purposes that are multiple risks to your health.

I bet your thinking twice now about what’s in your cleaning cabinet. All these hazardous chemicals can easily be replaces by safe and non-toxic products. The down side is that it’s hard to tell which product contains what. Most household cleaners contain these harmful chemicals. However the law does not make manufacturers list their damaging recipes or ingredients on their product. Basically the government is backing up the products that contain all these toxic chemicals and forgetting the health of all humans and our environment. I hope that after you have read this you will have a better understanding what’s being used in your home and the damage they can cause.