What's Wrong with My Household Cleaners?

I don't buy into the hoop-la. Companies are counting on you buying their product out of fear.

I'm a heavy Clorox user, Pine Sol, and vinegar

Clorox kills germs.

Vinegar and baking soda will clean just about anything, are super cheap and eatable right out of the bottle/box/whatever. I've tried a ton of both eco-friendly and non eco-friendly products over the years and haven't found anything better.

Having a microbiology background... I'm ambivalent about eco cleaners. In large part, because many of them are NOT antimicrobial. So you're just smearing germs around. I'd far rather have my son lick bleach than lick e.coli, salmonella, parasites, rotting _______, etc., all the food and shoe born fungus, bacteria, and viruses.

Some of the ecocleaners are GREAT, and some are just a waste of money.

Now... I'm a "go play in the dirt" kind of mum (to build up the immune system)... but there is NOTHING "grosser" in the house than the kitchen sink. ((You're better off licking the inside of a toilet bowl than touching the kitchen sink with your hands and then touching your mouth)).

I split the difference and use Clorox Greenworks. It's antimicrobial AND better for the environment than a lot of standard cleaners.

But for TRUE antimicrobial properties, nothing, but nothing, beats 10% bleach.

I have 5 children and I never used the eco-friendly stuff and none of my children were adversely affected. I think often companies feed upon our fears or we feel pressured by other Mom's to buy the 'biggest and best' (aka most expensive) thing out there. I don't think there is enough left over on the floor, especially after it has dried, to make her sick.

I used Spic and Span and now PineSol and it's all good.

Honestly, D., I don't understand that either. Perhaps they're referring to the possibility of your baby ingesting the product? I'm sorry, but products should be put up and locked away to avoid that. I've always used products they say not to, and all of my girls are 100% healthy, happy children.

I'm right there with you! These products have been around for years and if they are so bad, then why are we living so much longer nowdays? I don't buy into the hype of so called green products. I will say though, that vinegar is an amazing natural cleaner and works great on so many things, but that's about as "green" as I get! I Love, bleach, PineSol, Lyscol, mean grean, and all the other chemical cleaners! :) Oh, I might add that my kids have NEVER been sick except for one small fever one day!

I can see two reasons for saying it's good for your baby. One is because your baby will live into the future and what's good for the environment will also be good for your baby. This was a hard one for me to understand until I compared the earth the way it was when I was 27 and the way it is now when I'm 67. Forty years isn't very long when considering that the earth has been around for thousands of years. But in those 40 years the earth has become over populated and covered in debris. The oceans in places are so contaminated that the fish can't live in them. Species who've been around for hundreds of years are gone or nearly gone. How long will it take people to pollute the earth to the point that people will be gone?

The other reason is that cleaning products have become more about chemicals than cleaning and we don't know all the effects that chemicals have on your bodies. We do know some. For instance, studies with animals have shown that some chemicals cause cancer when consumed or life is exposed to them in massive amounts. My first thoughts were that no one would ever consume that amount even in a lifetime. Then I realized that may not be true for today's children. We did not even have chemical cleaners when I was a baby/child. The number of different chemicals and the amounts that a baby born today will be exposed to over a lifetime will be a very much larger amount than I will have been exposed to by the time I die. I don't know if the amount will be massive but then no one knows what their actual affect will be either.

That's it in a nutshell.

It is not only a concern if your child licks the floor (I doubt it would hurt her unless the floor was still wet). It can be absorbed into your skin and the fumes (while cleaning) can be inhaled. It has been proven that these chemicals increase asthma and respiratory infections. I still use the old-fashion cleaning products. Sorry...I love my bleach and pledge! But, I do not let my son in the same room while I am using them. And I do use vinegar when I can (it really is a great natural cleaner and you don't have to spend a lot of money on those marked up "natural" cleaners). The link between ADD and cleaning products has not been proven.

I know in our instance, as the primary maid in the household, I either put off cleaning (with chemicals) as long as possible, or regularly Seventh Generation products. I, as well as the rest of my household, have severe allergies AND asthma. I have breathing issues every time I use chemicals to clean, and must make sure my children are out of the house if I plan to use bleach. It does hurt your respiratory system. But yeah I'm icked out by germs so about once every two weeks I throw on a respirator, non-latex gloves, and get at it.

There are theories in regard to the cause, growth, etc of allergies on an individual as well as societal level. Overkill in regard to use of household chemicals and OCD cleaning is one theory. And quite honestly, my mom was completely OCD about her house being spotless top to bottom and cleaned everything with bleach or ammonia all day every day,...well at least when she was home from work. My allergies improved dramatically within a month of me moving out as an adult. As a homeowner, I have all the hepa filters, allergy friendly carpets, etc but I also clean in depth only once or twice a week depending on the task (which I'm sure some will find gross). While food allergies have presented themselves en masse, my indoor/outdoor allergies continue to be much improved over when I lived in my mother's home. I'm making no assumptions here but in my case it is a correlation. And for the record, my allergist does attribute that partly to a continued existence and thus exposure to allergens that formerly would've had me in bed for weeks.

Additionally, there is evidence to suggest bleach as carcinogenic. If I remember college chemistry correctly (and it's been quite awhile), it has long been known that when bleach and water are mixed, haloforms are released which are known carcinogens. This was one reason for the recent sway towards organic cloth diapering - no bleach or other toxins used in production to touch your baby's very thin skin - unlike with disposables.

It's not all about saving the planet. There is much to be said for being good stewards of the home we've been given, but immediately my concern is am I introducing hazardous material to my child's body in the short and longterm? Obviously for us, any household cleaners are potentially hazardous to our health for various reasons.....but we started asking some very "seventh generation" questions before the kids could walk. Sounds like you're coming to the same place. Good for you! :D Further research online may be in your future, but Brittanica's never a bad place to start. :)

Ditto the vinegar and baking soda, but I sure love my bleach and Fantastic sometimes. I think it all comes down to moderation. If your baby licks the whole kitchen floor after Mr. Clean, she'll get sick. One or two licks though, she'll survive.

D., I love your "Urban Legends" segment.

D.,

I didn't understand either. I watched an Oprah show several years ago and decided I wanted to go green to protect the environment. It wasn't until I really started reading and investigating that I came to understand why these cleaners are not healthy. Eventually I started my own health business, and cleaners are part of it. I sell those non-toxic cleaners to people all over the country, and I wouldn't use anything else in my house.

It's not just licking the floor. Those cleaners give off a chemical that your baby is inhaling into her lungs. Even what you wash your clothes in counts. We inhale fumes when we wash, and even sleeping on our sheets. Further, cleaners have not been tested together. For example.......clean the floor with one thing and then clean the toilet with another cleaner. In some cases the mix can cause illness or even be deadly. Haven't you ever held your breath or felt light headed when cleaning the tile in your shower? Until I switched I certainly did. And until she switched a good friend of mine got headaches every time she cleaned her windows.

Asthma is on the rise and many studies are showing the cleaners contribute. Here is a video that explains better than I can if you are truly interested.

http://content.shaklee.com/shaklee/flash/RealDirt/

This is a sort of a mission for me to protect not only the earth, but the children, and all of us. Women who stay at home are more exposed to pollution than anyone! It has to do not only with cleaners, but with carpet, furniture, etc...

I hope this helps with your question.

P.

I think everyone is just trying to jump on the 'green wagon'.
I wouldn't worry about baby 'licking' (ewe) a cleaned & dry floor. I don't think she would get enough to hurt her (unless she licked the entire floor).
The only thing 'eco' I use is Vinegar more to save me money then to be 'green'. It is great at a de-greaser, a mulit purpurpose cleaner & a fabric softener. Vinegar definetly wouldn't hurt your baby, but it would taste really gross. You can look online for the many uses for Vinegar.

God bless!

When I was in my 30s I developed multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), a neurologically based chronic condition distinguished by strong physical reactions to chemicals, anything from itching to brain fog to difficulty breathing (and sometimes other symptoms also). I'm a Baby Boomer and they were just starting to add chemicals to our food and put it in more of our products around the time I came along. Up until my 30s, I was in good health. The onset was fairly sudden and this condition has lasted for 20 years. Millions of people throughout the world have the same condition, including many in the United States--and more after the Gulf oil spill.

My kids are all healthy, but I am very careful with them regarding chemicals. Some people get sick and some don't, but some get sick and don't recognize it--migraines, back problems, and cancer can all be caused by chemical exposure. I want my kids to be as healthy in their 50s as they are in their 20s so I talk with them about what they eat and other chemical exposures. We use vinegar and baking soda in my home, along with Seventh Generation for washing our clothes, and don't need anything else.

Thankfully, my daughter-in-law also believes in healthy living and so I don't have to worry about the health of my grandchildren. Not everyone is badly affected but some are, and the effects, which may show up later in life, may be devastating. My life isn't normal and hasn't been for many years now. I can't go anywhere that people wear perfume and if I encounter it in the store I must cover my mouth and rush out of the area. I can't go anywhere with large crowds. Everyone who comes to my home must be warned. I can't even attend worship services and haven't for several years now.

Try baking soda and vinegar. There are some good resources on the internet about how to make your own cleaners. You will be benefitting your baby and also yourself.

I think it all depends in your family needs.
My grandma and my mom always cleaned with Clorox, and so do I when I had my first baby.
But nobody in my family really needed any special care (no allergy, no eczema, etc).
When my baby born with eczema I change some of my cleaning supplies with more gentle ones. However I feel the need to go down to business and get once a week totally clean the whole house, special kitchen and bathrooms. But my kids are not around when I clean this 2 rooms.

Stick with the white vinegar. I get mine in a 1.32 gallon size at Costco. Make sure you get the big size and it will last forever and is a very cost effective cleaner for tons of things. Check out this website:

www.vinegartips.com/cleaning

You or someone has asked this before..... Its not great for them to drink it out of the bottle but you have to have a clean house! grandmas been using bleach for 90 years so and mom dad and us turned out ok right? baby will be fine enjoy having a clean house ( for the little time that it stays that way lol)

I use products from the company Melaleuca. They contain no caustic chemicals like those found in some other cleaning products. I am not especially concerned with being "green" although I try to "do my part." Both of my kids have allergies and eczema. A lot of children today struggle with these as well as asthma and other respritory and skin conditions. Using these "eco-friendly" products in my home (for laundry, bathroom, general cleaning) has made a diffference in the severity of my kids' conditions. I haven't read the other responses to your question, but I find these products just as cost effective as name brand cleaners purchased from my local WalMart and I like them better. My mother never used those eco cleaners and I turned out just fine. Many company advertisers prey on a mother's insecurity and her desire to do what's best for her child. Do what you think is best and don't worry about it. If you child does have any of the conditions I mentioned, it might be worthwhile to check into products like Melaleuca, I say that from actually experiencing an improvement in my own children.

There are toxins in cleaners and they can lead to triggering illness such as asthma, neurological and other issues... Google Shaklee and read about Sloan and Roger's son who has asthma. This is why they are so enthusiastic about their green cleaning products. I am sure you have received other comments like this. Just change to natural products. They are easier on the budget if you just use vinegar and water to wash the floor. Their are many other natural or green products. Do some research....google.....You will learn a lot! Good luck!