Do you know what’s hiding in your cleaning products?
Cleaning product companies tell you that keeping your home clean requires an army of cleaning products and air fresheners. Wipes, sprays, powders, all with the promise of making you home healthier by killing germs and removing dirt. More often than not, these products are also filled infused with scents to make your daily chores a more pleasant experience and give your home a “fresh”, “clean” scent.
So what are these companies not telling you?
These cleaning products also have tons of toxic chemicals that are harmful to your health. These products usually recommend to repeat frequently, which means repeat exposure to potentially harmful chemicals. The Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE) commissioned an independent laboratory to test twenty popular cleaning products for hidden toxic chemicals from five top companies: Clorox, Procter & Gamble, Reckitt Benckiser, SC Johnson and Son, and Sunshine Makers (Simple Green). Products tested included all-purpose cleaners, laundry detergents, dryer sheets, air fresheners, disinfectant sprays, and furniture polish. Here is what they found:
- Some products contained reproductive toxins such as toluene and phthalates, carcinogens like 1,4-dioxane and chloroform, and a hormone disrupting synthetic musk.
- Several known allergens were also detected in these products, the highest levels of which appeared in fragranced air fresheners.
- Allergens were found in products marketed as fragrance-free.
- None of these chemicals were listed on the product’s label.
What is in your cleaning products? Do you know? Click here for a full report.
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