Is Your Home Toxic?

It’s the cold weather season where the common cold and flu compete with each other constantly.

Is your home toxic?

What I mean by that is since we’re spending more time indoors and we use cleaners to clean our homes, are we indirectly poisoning our families?

Health isn’t only about what you put in your body — what you put on your skin, what you drink, what you use to clean your home with, also has profound effects on your health and your family’s as well.

Many of us spend 90% of our time indoors and 90% of all poisoning of children occurs at home.  According to the EPA, chemical pollutants have been found to be 2 to 5 times higher inside people’s homes than outside.

Several studies have stated that long term exposure to chemicals inside your home may be harmful to you and your family.  Some household cleaners and appliances not used correctly give off fumes that can increase the risk of children developing asthma and allergies.

The California Environmental Protection Agency Air Resources Board stated that when large amounts of a pollutant are released indoors, the tighter construction in newer homes can prevent pollutants from escaping to the outdoors.

How to tell what product is safe and what isn’t:

There are some harmful ingredients that are found in certain household cleaning products people use to clean their homes.  Some of them are:

• Sodium hydroxide – May be found in dishwashing liquids, laundry products, oven cleaners, scouring cleansers, and tub and tile cleaners
• Hydrochloric acid – May be found in odor eliminators and toilet bowl cleaners
• Butyl Cello solve – May be found in all-purpose cleaners, cleaning wipes, degreasers floor polish, rug shampoos, toilet bowl cleaners, tub and tile cleaners and window cleaners

The negative health effects of toxic cleaning products:

Some side effects of potential health effects of indoor air pollutants include:

• Respiratory irritation
• Bronchitis
• Emphysema
• Eye, nose and throat irritation
• Respiratory infections in children
• Headaches and nausea

How cleaning products can affect fetuses and babies:

According to a 2006 study from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, some toxic chemicals can interfere with the natural function of genes, proteins and other small molecules in the brain.

The study noted that this interference can lead to the onset of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cerebral palsy and dyslexia; and the immature brain is much more vulnerable to toxic exposure than the adult brain.

In a mature brain there is a barrier of cells that stops chemicals in the blood stream from entering brain tissue.  In the developing fetus there is no protective barrier and this makes it more vulnerable to toxic chemicals.

What can you do about the air you breathe indoors: 

You can do a lot by using products that are safe, powerful, and green and do not have any of the harmful chemicals I listed above. Many products that claimed to be green are just pretending. It’s called ‘greenwashing’ toxic brands with a green label.  Continuing to use those products may increase the risk of poisoning and disease in your home, putting your family at risk.

So here are a few more things you can do:

• Restrict smoking in your home
• Use appliances properly
• Invest in a carbon monoxide detector
• If you smell gas call your gas company
• Select building materials and furniture carefully
• Practice good housekeeping
• Provide adequate ventilation
• Get rid of your toxic household cleaners.

What to look for in safe cleaning products:

• Non-toxic
• Hypoallergenic
• No harmful fumes
• No nitrates
• No chlorine bleach
• No phosphates
• No volatile organic cleaning compounds

Be sure you only have safe, green cleaners under your sink and in your laundry. Choosing green cleaners means that you are doing the best for your health, the environment, and your family’s well-being!

My grand-daughter who is 3 now, loved to play on the floors, especially in the kitchen and in the cupboards, under my kitchen sink.  I was not worried about that  because there weren’t any products with chemicals stored there.

Seventeen years ago I used the Shaklee’s Get Clean products because of my son coughing and wheezing  when he was 5 years old. These products which includes the detergent helped him with his coughing and wheezing, so he could sleep better at nights.

Because of the results I got with Get Clean products, I have no hesitation in recommending to my customers.  This product line is for parents who want to protect their loved ones at home. For more information you can connect with me here.

To your health,

Denise