You probably don’t even realize it but there are a ton of household cleaning products on the market that contain “everyday” carcinogens like formaldehyde, nitrobenzene, methylene chloride, and naphthalene. These “unpronounceables” also include reproductive toxins, hormone disruptors, and ingredients that cause liver, kidney and brain damage, not to mention allergies and asthma.
The best thing you can do is detox your home and create your own non-toxic cleaning kit. Here’s the list of things that you can do to detoxify your home and help make your life and our world a cleaner, greener place!
- Air fresheners: These often contain naphthalene and formaldehyde. Try natural fragrances from essential oils. Sunrise Cleaning has a wonderful line of essential oils available. Visit our website for details. Essential Oils.
- Art supplies: Epoxy and rubber cement glues, acrylic paints and solvents, and permanent markers often contain carcinogens. For safer crafting, make sure to use a toxic dust respirator if painting and be sure to ventilate the space well.
- Automotive supplies: Most are toxic. Keep them safely away from the house and dispose of at a hazardous waste disposal center.
- Candles: Avoid artificially scented paraffin candles that produce combustion by-products, including soot. Use beeswax only with cotton wicks.
- Carpet and upholstery shampoos: Use only wet-clean, natural ingredients.
- Dry-cleaning: Choose clothes that don’t need perchlorethylene to clean them. Ask for the wet-cleaning option at your local cleaners, or seek dry-cleaners that use liquid C02 or citrus juice cleaners.
- Flea, tick and lice control: Avoid lindane-based pesticides.
- Paints and varnishes: Always chose low- or no-Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) finishes.
- Household pesticides: Go natural.
- Microwaves: Never microwave or heat food in a plastic container.
Now that you’ve seen this list—what are you going to do to make your home a greener cleaner place?